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GloRilla has earned the top spot on Billboard's "The 10 Hottest Female Rappers of 2024" list, sparking debate online as to whether she deserved the placement. In doing so, she beat out Megan Thee Stallion , Nicki Minaj , Doechii, and several more popular artists. Billboard begins by noting that GloRilla had a bit of a slump in 2023, after her singles “Cha Cha” and “Pop It” failed to pick up much traction. "Instead of giving up, GloRilla made a triumphant comeback and reclaimed her mojo when she struck gold with ' Yeah Glo!' at the top of 2024," the outlet wrote. "The swaggering track zoomed into the top 30 of the Hot 100 and showcased her resiliency as a rapper who refuses to buckle under pressure. Her torrid streak continued with the top 15 Hot 100 record 'Wanna Be' featuring Megan Thee Stallion and the summer hit 'TGIF.'” Read More: GloRilla Goes Off On Rod Wave For Dropping On The Same Day As Her GloRilla opens for Megan Thee Stallion during her 'Hot Girl Summer Tour' at the Moody Center in Austin Thursday, June 13, 2024. © Mikala Compton/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Billboard continued: "Despite being an opener on her rap bestie Megan Thee Stallion’s Hot Girl Summer Tour this past Spring, she has been giving headliner energy , becoming a blockbuster name within months. Everyone felt GloRilla’s momentum, as pop behemoths Rihanna and Taylor Swift applauded her efforts, saluting her as rap’s newest 'IT' girl of the moment. Kamala Harris even phoned her up at the tail-end of her campaign to win over youth voters during her run against Trump." When The Neighborhood Talk shared the ranking, fans launched into debate in the comments section. Sexyy Red , who landed at No. 4 on the list, congratulated her in response. "Congratulations @glorillapimp," she wrote, while also posting, "Dangggggggg." Both comments had heart-eye emojis. Check out the full list below. Read More: GloRilla Absolutely Rattles The Trunk With New Single "HOLLON"Isabela Merced is ready for the holidays. The actress and singer is sharing a new song and music video that's in tune with the festive season, when the weather begins to drop and we're all on the hunt for some last-minute romance. The video represents the first time she's directed and produced one of her projects, marking an important step forward in her extensive career as an artist. "Cuffing Season" is Merced's latest single, written by her and Phil Simmonds, and available to stream on all major platforms. The song is a playful ode to the holidays and to the phenomenon of last-minute romances that tend to crop up during this time of the year. It's a single that flexes her skills as an artist that can't be boxed into any category. "I was in a situation at the time, or I was sort of knowingly falling into a situation with somebody that I knew wasn’t gonna go anywhere," said Merced in a phone interview with HOLA! "And I was talking to my friend about it and she was like, ‘Well, it’s cuffing season.’ And I was like, ‘You know what? You’re absolutely right.'" The video matches the playful spirit of the song, shot in an elegant black-and-white style reminiscent of old-school holiday classics. Merced stuns in a simple yet elegant dress accessorized with gorgeous jewelry, as she performs the song on the stage, lit by a dramatic spotlight. The outcome is a project that highlights Merced's strength as an artist; someone with an effortless blend of old-school charm and modernity, making fun music that blends pop and jazz. Isabela Merced is an established force in the entertainment industry ready to inspire many generations Isabela Merced opens up about ‘Superman’ and ‘The Last of Us’ Isabela Merced on the inspiration behind 'Papi' Watch the video premiere here Isabela adds a new song to her holiday catalog "Cuffing Season" marks Merced's second holiday song. In 2020, she released "Caliente Navidad," a blend of her American and Peruvian roots in both lyrics and rhythm. She was also featured in the record "Feliz Christmas," which includes Latin music icons like Luis Fonsi . Some of her standout musical work includes the single "Papi," released in 2019, which received critical acclaim and has over 23 million streams on Spotify as of this writing. The following year she released her bilingual EP "the better half of me," which features all manner of genres and collaborations, including the duets "My Only One" with Sebastian Yatra and "Don't Go" with Danna Paola . You can check out our full conversation below, where we discussed making music, the difference between acting and singing, and some of her wishes for the coming year. Can you tell me a bit about writing ‘Cuffing Season’ and why you wanted to make something for the holidays? This was one of my first sessions with my producer Phil Simmonds. I was in a situation at the time, or I was sort of knowingly falling into a situation with somebody that I knew wasn’t gonna go anywhere. And I was talking to my friend about it and she was like, ‘Well, it’s cuffing season.’ And I was like, ‘You know what? You’re absolutely right. Why am I feeling guilty about this when, when the weather gets cold, we just want somebody to cuddle and bring to Christmas dinners and Friendsgivings? (laughs).' I think it's becoming more of a prominent thing, you know, that five-month fever that starts in November and ends around Valentine’s Day. I wanted to be self-aware in my writing and admit my human tendency to be a hypocrite in a lyrical format, with cute melodies. I pictured myself the whole time singing it at a dive bar as if I were a jazz singer. That was the mental picture I created that allowed me to write this in a short span of time. The music video ended up depicting the vision that I had in my head. And I actually ended up playing this song for the person that it was about! I didn’t know what their reaction would be. I just wanted to see what they thought and they actually really liked it (laughs). Either they didn’t know the song was about them or they didn’t care. Sometimes it’s nice to know that you’re trying to find someone to be less lonely with and the other person agrees. Can you tell me about the process of making the video? I wanted to get this out as quickly as possible. My manager texted me like, ‘Hey, do you wanna release a song?’ And I was like, ‘You know what? Yeah.’ I'm a little scared to have this much freedom because I'm no longer with a label. That much freedom scared me, which is funny. So I was like, ‘Yeah, you know what, let's soft launch with a good holiday song,’ because I tend to release songs around the holidays for the past few years. It took like two days to plan this whole video and we had a much lower budget than I was used to before. My co-director came in so clutch with his team and he was like ‘What do you want?’. And I told him my vision, showed him my inspiration pictures. I consulted with my film friends, because being in the film world, I wanted this to be high quality. I pulled a lot of strings and used a lot of relationships that I've built and cultivated. I wanted to play with shadows because in black and white it's harder to keep people's interest. We had to be clever with that. So I referenced a lot of film noir to emphasize light and take the viewer’s eye where it needs to go instead of presenting something overstimulating. The simplicity allowed me to stay within budget. I was reading a bit about your career and you started on Broadway. You did “Evita” with Ricky Martin, which is so cool. You’ve been singing and acting this whole time. How do you balance both? I think my relationship with music has changed and so has my relationship with acting, but it's truly about loving them both and committing to one being more of a job and the other being more of a hobby. Because I don't wanna... I don't wanna keep the cyclical trend of having two jobs, because that's what my parents did. I don't wanna be hustling that hard. I saw how much that stressed them out, and I want to be easier on myself and every day I'm trying. For me now, music has turned into something that I want to be fun and not that serious. I didn't study music. I didn't go anywhere professionally to figure it out. I've just been figuring it out and doing it when I feel like it. And it's been really rewarding because, as an actor, you don't get that much creative freedom. And now I got to practice my directing skills as well, and my producing skills with this music video, because I had a vision. I had a team and we all executed it and I'm really proud of it. And for this to be my first solo endeavor is really exciting. I want the world to see it so that they can witness how much I’ve progressed. "I’m releasing this song from the vault because I like to play around with the illusion of free will and maybe I’ll release more songs that sound nothing like it!" Next year you're starring in “The Last of Us.” What does it feel like to be a part of something that's kind of one of those rare cultural moments that everyone makes the time for and wants to be a part of? I've never... I keep saying I haven’t been a part of something like this, but I’m constantly reminded that “Alien” had a huge fan base and those people really welcomed “Romulus” as their own. They welcomed it into the “Alien” world with open arms. It’s been really cool. I got to feel some of the energy of the core audience at the Game Awards last night. I was with Naughty Dog [the developers of ‘The Last of Us’ video game] and Shannon Woodward, who played the original Dina [the character that Merced is now playing in the series]. It was very cool to be there when they presented their new game, and the energy was awesome. Do you have any New Year's resolutions or things that you're looking forward to? I'm looking forward to expanding my music-making abilities and perhaps releasing more. Another goal I have is probably to just keep my head on straight and handle everything that's coming up with grace. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.Middle East latest: Syrians celebrate Assad's fall as US seeks a peaceful political transition
Happy Christmas to everyone across Reading West and Mid Berkshire. I hope you and your families have the chance for a rest over the festive period and the new year. It was such an honour to have been elected as your MP this year and over the past few months to have had the opportunity to meet with so many amazing people across Reading West and Mid Berkshire. I’ve visited many of our schools across the constituency and seen first-hand the dedication of staff in helping support and develop our young people -and I have especially enjoyed the tough questioning that students have put to me on lots of visits. I have also had the opportunity to engage with many of the dedicated charities and voluntary organisations Reading West and Mid Berkshire who are working to protect our rivers and our countryside and to support those most in need. And, it has been great to meet with many businesses from across the constituency, from retail and catering, to crafts, food and drink producers, technology and pharmaceuticals – you all deserve a well-earned break. I am looking forward to working with the Government in the new year to continue to deliver the change that we promised at the election. I am proud that we have already delivered a pay boost for three million workers through an increase in the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, funding for 40,000 additional NHS operations as well as the first stage of our roll out of free Breakfast Clubs for primary school children. And, we have plans in place to put police back on the beat through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee and deliver clean secure and homegrown power through the launch of Great British Energy. We have steadied the course and have set a clear direction to make people in Reading West and Mid Berkshire better off. Finally, I want to express my thanks to everyone in Reading West and Mid Berkshire who will be working over the Christmas and New Year period – those in the public sector, transport and utilities keeping us moving, safe and well; our food producers, those working in retail and distribution, such as the Royal Mail staff I recently visited at Pangbourne Delivery Office, as well as the many volunteers, like the team at Norcot Pantry who support our communities. I hope that you get the opportunity to spend some time with family and friends.2 Coins to 15x Your $500 Portfolio Into $7500 Long Before Dogecoin (DOGE) Explodes to $2Shoppers bemused as Easter eggs hit shop shelves before New Year’s Eve
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ASTANA – Kazakh software engineer and entrepreneur Ismail Karankin has launched Oli Robotics, a startup focused on creating an AI-powered barista robot. The venture has attracted $150,000 in investments and was named one of the top 30 startups from Central Asia for acceleration in the Silicon Valley Residency Program by Silkroad Innovation Hub. Ismail Karankin. Photo credit: The startup’s press service. According to the company’s statement, the AI barista, designed for coffee shops, uses artificial intelligence to prepare complex specialty coffee recipes using professional equipment. It can also interact with customers and independently correct errors. Professional baristas train the robot, helping record ideal coffee-making samples to ensure precise execution. “We record 1,000 task samples to enable the robot to execute them effectively. While industry standards typically require 5,000 to 10,000 samples, our adaptive learning technology reduces this requirement by 5-10 times, speeding up implementation and cutting costs,” said Karankin. The technology integrates industrial robotic arms, proprietary AI software, and computer vision systems. Stereo cameras, similar to those used in autonomous vehicles, help the robot navigate its environment, ensuring efficiency in dynamic settings. The robot consumes energy comparable to standard coffee shop equipment, making it a practical business solution. The AI barista can currently prepare up to 50 cups of coffee per hour, slightly below the 60–120 cups an experienced human barista can make. The next version is expected to match human output, reaching a capacity of 120 cups per hour. Oli Robotics also offers a mobile app to enhance customer interaction. The app is designed to remember user preferences, suggest favorite drinks, and provide personalized recipes. Market potential and strategic vision The AI barista costs US$50,000, which includes maintenance services and consumable supplies such as coffee, syrups, and milk. This pricing model creates a recurring revenue stream for the company. Photo credit: The startup’s press service. Karankin emphasized that the robot is intended for locations where hiring baristas is impractical, such as gas stations or small hotels. “We see them as a complement rather than a replacement for people, providing access to high-quality coffee where it was previously unavailable,” he said. Karankin came up with the idea for the AI barista during a trip from Almaty to Astana, where he struggled to find quality coffee. Logistics challenges and unattractive working conditions for staff often limit coffee quality in remote areas. Robots, however, can operate anywhere, 24/7, without breaks or vacations. Potential buyers have already expressed interest in the AI barista, and five letters of intent were received during development. Oli Robotics plans to launch its product in the United States, where the coffee market is projected to grow from US$28.06 billion in 2024 to US$33.64 billion by 2029, at a compound annual growth rate of 3.69%, according to industry estimates.
Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty give this year's Heisman Trophy ceremony a different vibeApple’s website hardly ever hosts sales of its own. So we have to rely on other retailers, like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and Target to discount Apple devices for Black Friday and Cyber Monday . This year, the deals have been pretty great — if you’ve been waiting for a better price before grabbing that iPad or pair of AirPods, congratulate yourself now, the wait was likely worth it. We found discounts on current-model gear, as well as previous generation devices that’ll still serve you well. And if you’d like a little more info before plunking down your money, you can check out our reviews and buying advice beforehand — all of which are linked below. Here are the best Apple deals for Black Friday that you can still get today. The best Black Friday Apple AirPods deals Apple has four models of AirPods right now: The AirPods Pro 2, the over-ear AirPods Max and two AirPods 4, one with active noise cancellation and one without. Apple has been doing a lot of interesting things with their headphones lately, making this a good time to dive in. Though the discounts for Black Friday look to be minor, it's better than paying full price. The best Black Friday Apple Watch deals If you take steps or do a workout and you’re not wearing a smartwatch, does it really count? Of course, the Apple Watch is more than a fitness tracker, it’s also a shortcut to your iPhone notifications, a handy Siri portal and an always-on weather forecast. Plus it tells time. While they’re not cheap, these Black Friday Apple Watch discounts should help. The best Black Friday Apple iPad deals The line between Apple’s tablets and laptops is a little blurry at this point, especially with the release of the iPad Pro this year , which (at the time) housed the company’s most powerful chip. The iPad Air is our current pick for the best iPad you can buy and we were delighted by the iPad mini that came out just last month. The only problem is iPads are among the more expensive tablets you can buy. Hopefully these Black Friday iPad deals help out. The best Black Friday Mac and MacBook deals Apple held a quiet Mac Week at the tail end of October in which it announced the new desktop M4 Mac mini, the all-in-one M4 iMac and the M4 MacBook Pro laptop. The MacBook Air from back in March is still the model we recommend for most people The best Black Friday deals on Apple gear Expired Apple Black Friday deals Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.