OMG Lady Gaga Just Dropped A New Christmas Song (& Finally Brought Back Carpool Karaoke)

Is Lady Gaga still with Michael Polansky?

@gabriel_attal

Thank you Lady Gaga for your stunning performance at the opening ceremony. It was breathtaking. 🤩🫶

♬ son original - Gabriel Attal

Yes, Lady Gaga and Michael Polansky are still together! In the TikTok video posted by Gabriel Attal, Lady Gaga introduces her partner Michael Polansky as her fiancé instead of her boyfriend. The two have been together since 2020, and it looks like they're ready to take their relationship to the next level! Naturally, fans are very excited for the "Poker Face" singer, commenting everything from "GAGA IS ENGAGED" to "OH MOTHER." (If you can't tell, TikTok users love to use all caps.)

"Although I am not a French artist, I have always felt a very special connection with French people and singing French music—I wanted nothing more than to create a performance that would warm the heart of France," Lady Gaga says on X (formerly Twitter). "And to everyone in France, thank you so much for welcoming me to your country to sing in honor of you—it’s a gift I’ll never forget!"

What does Michael Polansky do?

Michael Polansky is a businessman and entrepreneur, and serves as a board member for the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. According to a People source, the couple actually bonded over their "focus" on charity!

How old is Michael Polansky?

Michael Polansky, who was born in 1978, is 46 years old. Lady Gaga, born in 1986, is 38, meaning there's an eight year difference between the two.

What is the history of country music?

The Carter Family may be known as the first family of country music, but they didn’t create the popularized sound. Country music is heavily influenced by blues and gospel that their associate — Black guitarist Lesley Riddle — introduced them to. Riddle himself was taught by his uncle and simply put his own signature twist on what he’d learned. After meeting A.P. Carter, the two developed a friendship and Riddle even taught Maybelle Carter a few things. Besides Riddle, musicians such as Gus Cannon (“Banjo Joe”) and Rufus Payne (“Tee Tot”) also had an influence on country music’s sound. Time made sure to dig deeper and found that the banjo actually even derives from West African lutes which became a huge part of music in southern states.

Interestingly enough, harmonica player DeFord Bailey began playing what he called “Black hillbilly music” and — according to National Geographic — was the first person to perform on the Grand Ole Opry. National Geographic also mentioned how Black artists such as Ray Charles, Tina Turner, and Millie Jackson dabbled in country music, proving that Beyoncé is NOT using this genre as a quick cash grab. As a matter of fact, Black rappers like Snoop Dogg and Nelly have their own country songs. I mean, I’m still listening to Nelly’s song with Tim McGraw called “Over and Over.”

What inspired Beyoncé to write "Cowboy Carter?"

Beyoncé recorded "Daddy Lessons" for her album Lemonade in 2016 and even performed it with The Chicks at the CMAs, but not all country fans were happy about it. Los Angeles Times pointed out that someone went as far as to say that the entertainer didn't belong there. While that’s bad enough, Apparently she experienced more backlash behind the scenes. However, learning the brief history of the genre with a quick google search would dispel that sentiment.

Although she didn't explicitly refer to this experience, but it's heavily implied in a lengthy caption on Instagram that details her inspiration for creating this album stem from it. She wrote, "This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive...The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work."

Beyoncé's from Houston, Texas — home of The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo — with parents that are from Alabama and Louisiana. To tell a Black person who's from the south that they don't belong in country settings doesn't make sense. But, it still makes me smile knowing Black country artists continue building on the pillars of those who came before them. That they're making sure all voices are heard whether others want to validate it or not.

Black Country Artists Featured on 'Cowboy Carter'

Tanner Adell

I first came across Tanner Adell’s music via Instagram when I heard her catchy song “Buckle Bunny,” realizing it featured a familiar twang I love. As told to Utah Valley University, she shared how their commercial music program helped her hone her voice and performance skills. BET also learned that Adell attended many demolition derbys where she bore witness to her mom’s status as a rodeo queen.

She’s grown her fan base over the years with songs like “Honky Tonk Heartbreak” and “FU-150,” but it’s interesting that one line in “Buckle Bunny” seemed to serve as a manifestation tool. She went from singing, “Lookin’ like Beyoncé with a lasso” to literally being featured on “AMERICAN REQIUEM” and “BLACKBIIRD.”

She expressed her joy at going from attending one of Beyoncé’s concerts to being featured on the album with a heartfelt TikTok. She told W Magazine, “Everyone has the ability to manifest their dreams, and I don’t think I’m different. I’ve been working really hard the last couple of years to get my music and my presence to a place where I’d be ready when someone like Beyoncé gives me the green light…”

You won’t have to wait long to hear more of her music because her new single “Whiskey Blues” debuts April 12! Be sure to pre-save it on Spotfiy or Apple Music!

Brittney Spencer

Brittney Spencer is certainly no stranger to country music with her cover of The Highwomen’s “Crowded Table” and her song “Sober & Skinny.” She told Billboard, “Being Black, a woman, and not a size 2 has certainly presented additional obstacles on my musical journey here in Nashville.” Yet, she hasn’t let any challenges she’s faced deter her from sharing her musical gifts in the world of country music.

Vibe shared that she’s gone on to perform with artists like Reba McEntire which would make anyone’s journey feel worthwhile. As far as how she feels about being on Cowboy Carter, she wrote a genuine caption on Instagram that says, “i’ve typed and deleted at least 10 captions. i don’t hv anything clever or curated to say. i’m on a beyonce record. the album is a masterpiece. ily @beyonce 🐝🌻.”

Tiera Kennedy

Tiera Kennedy describes her music as “an earnest storytelling-based country laced with the influence of R&B.” Her single “Found It In You” is the perfect example of this as she sings about the love she has for her husband and creative director Kamren Kennedy. She’s the host of Apple Music Country and has been named as Nashville Scene declaring that she’s the “total package.”

Her new single “I Ain’t a Cowgirl” debuts April 26, 2024!

Reyna Roberts

One of the other black country artists that should definitely be on your radar is Reyna Roberts, an Alaskan native with a sound that’s equal parts sugar and spice. She released “Raised Right” in 2021 and it echoes this sentiment with lyrics like, “I'm a little bit of whiskey in my sweet tea.” She was featured in Amazon Prime’s documentary about black country artists called For Love & Country and went on to release her debut album Bad Girl Bible, Vol. 1 last year.

She also captured a sweet moment where she told one of her besties that she’s featured on Cowboy Carter on Instagram. She captioned the video, “Episode 1: Telling one of my best friends that I’m on Cowboy Carter! We’ve been dreaming about this day since we were 8 years old!!💙🥹🎉”

Shaboozey

Known for fusing the sounds of hip-hop and country, Shaboozey lends his flow to parts of “SPAGHETTII” and “SWEET HONEY BUCKIIN’” on Cowboy Carter. One of my favorite lyrics of his in the latter song is, “It don’t matter what nobody says. Country boy ‘til the day that I’m dead.” But what the artist is most known for is his own body of work.

His released his EP Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die in 2022 and garnered popularity with the single “Beverly Hills.” If you need more of his music in your life, his new album Where I’ve Been, isn’t Where I’m Going debuts May 31!

Willie Jones

Louisiana born country artist Willie Jones may be featured on “JUST FOR FUN,” but his voice flowed through our phones via TikTok before this. After he wowed judges and the audience of The Voice in 2012, he went on to release songs like “Back Porch” and “Down by the Riverside” that also blend the sounds of hip-hop and country.

It just goes to show that country can still maintain the sounds of what it’s known for, but it can also complement other genres.

Linda Martell

Last but not least, queen Linda Martellis featured talking on “SPAGHETTII” & “THE LINDA MARTELL SHOW,” which briefly shed light on how much she contributed to country music. According to her website, she was the “first commercially successful Black female artist in country music.” She was also the first black woman to hit the stage at the Grand Ole Opry.

It’s great to see that she’s finally getting her flowers in such a mainstream way. It’s also telling that people are discrediting an album that she’s featured on.

Is Taylor Swift friends with Blake Lively's kids?

Yes, Taylor Swift loves Blake Lively's kids! The family has shown up to the Eras Tour multiple times, and most recently supported the popstar at her concert in New Orleans, Louisiana. Blake and Ryan were joined by oldest daughter James (who looked amazing in a Reputation-inspired 'fit), and I can't believe how much James and Blake look alike! She's truly her mini-me! At the Philadelphia show of the Eras Tour, which Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively attended, Taylor said hello from the stage.

One funny detail about Ryan Reynolds' kids that I love is when he mentioned the girls finally realized Taylor Swift was a popstar. "I think what's most exciting for them is that for the longest time they just thought Taylor's just like an aunt, like a friend of Mommy and Daddy that's very, very close, almost family," he tellsThe Jess Cagle Show. "And then they went to a concert one day and were like, 'Ohhhhh, this isn't a hobby.'"

For Super Bowl Sunday in 2024, Blake Lively joined Taylor Swift to support beau (and KC Chiefs tight end) Travis Kelce. "Last week I left my kids for the first time ever," she says on Instagram. "I took pictures upside down and had no clue. I treated a friendship bracelet like a Flat Stanley for my husband like I didn’t realize it wasn’t ‘07. I borrowed more jewelry than the skeleton in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. And I went clubbing. Now I know what my episode of TheTwilight Zone would look like."

How do Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively prioritize their kids?

At the end of September, Ryan Reynolds revealed how different parenting seems to be now than when he was a kid. "Parents today are so different. We're so soft," he said at HubSpot’s INBOUND tech conference (via People). "I don't yell. I grew up with like — it was nuts, it was an improvised militia.”

“Now it's like, I can go look at all my resources for parenting and remind myself how to be perfectly compassionate,” he continued. "Something I love about [conflict resolution], and I know this is not very fancy, but what I love about it is that you can meet somebody where they are, and you don't have to be right or wrong...You can disagree and still connect."

Blake Lively recently joined an episode of her Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' costar Amber Tamblyn's Further Adoand revealed the one unbreakable rule she made with Ryan Reynolds.

“When Ryan and I got together, we made a rule not to work at the same time,” she says. “So that we could always prioritize our personal life...That takes working really hard when we're not. Just like financial planning and sustaining that; it takes balance.”

I love that Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are serious about their family life, and that they have identified what works for them and are sticking with it.

What is the name of Blake Lively's 4th baby?

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' fourth baby is named Olin, which he revealed during the July 22 premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine!

Before Ryan chose to reveal the name, he appeared on the Today show and made a cheeky joke about it after the hosts urged him to spill the beans. He said, "We always wait for Taylor to tell us what the child's name will be. We'll say this: we're still waiting."

What are Blake Lively kids ages?

Blake Lively's kids are all under 10. James is 9 (turning 10 on December 16), Inez is 7 (turning 8 on September 30), Betty is 4 (turning 5 on October 4), and Olin turned 1 in February.

What gender is Ryan and Blake's fourth child?

On July 26, Ryan Reynolds confirmed that he and Blake Lively's fourth baby, born in February 2023, is a boy in an Instagram video supporting mental health charity Walking 4 Hope. Speaking with founder John Bell, who struggled with suicidal ideation after the 2020 loss of his son Jake, Reynolds says, “I want to share with you that I, too, have a son...Boy, John, if I love him one-tenth as much as you love Jake, I’ll feel like I’ve done a pretty d—mn good job.”

Considering how adorable James, Inez, and Betty are, I can only imagine how cute Blake Lively's son is!

How many children do Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have?

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have four kids. They welcomed their third daughter in 2019, making this new addition to the family their fourth child.

Did Blake Lively have a 4th baby?

Blake Lively posted a pic on Super Bowl Sunday in 2023 showing what appears to be a post-baby body with the caption "Been busy."

Lively confirmed her fourth pregnancy in September 2022 when she arrived at her Forbes event in NYC cradling a baby bump and by posting her own personal photos on Instagramhoping that "the 11 guys waiting outside [her] home for a 🦄 sighting will leave [her] alone."

How old was Blake Lively when she had her first child?

Blake Lively was 27 when she gave birth to her first daughter, James, in December of 2014.

Why did Blake Lively name her daughter James?

The couple decided to name their daughter James after Reynolds' late father. While the name connects both James and Reynolds to his father, it also gives Lively the chance to bond with her daughter over having historically male names. "I liked having a boy's name," Lively said on Good Morning Americain 2015. "I thought I'd pass it on."

Their third daughter Betty's name is a tribute to Lively's late father. We didn't know the name of the couple's third baby until Taylor Swift used all three names in her 2020 album folklore. Swift also used James' voice at the beginning of her 2017 track "Gorgeous"! Does that mean we'll hear one of Ryan Reynolds' children in Reputation (Taylor's Version)? I hope so!

What has Ryan Reynolds said about raising their kids?

In a conversation with Hugh Jackman ahead of Deadpool & Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds opened up about how his family has helped his anxiety. "I think it makes it better because your focus is less on yourself and more on your kids," he says (via People). "I love that I've had anxiety because when I see my kids experiencing some of that, which is probably genetic, I know how to address it in a way that is compassionate, that actually allows them to feel seen. I know that I can't just fix it. And I can communicate all that stuff to them and with them. I'm always grateful for it."

Per People, Ryan Reynolds has also made it clear he and Blake are wholly invested in the kids' daily lives. The doting husband and father enjoys the moments of "walking them to school and walking them back" as it deepens their bond. More than anything, Ryan and Blake's main goal is to make sure they teach their kids how to be introspective with Ryan saying "the thing we sort of hang our hat on the most is self-awareness with our kids."

However, that doesn't mean Blake and Ryan don't absolutely love being parents. "We're very excited [and] we wouldn't do this four times if we didn't love it," he says in an interview with CNBC's Power Lunch. "Everybody's doing great. Everybody's actually doing fantastic. I think if we hadn't figured it out by now, I think we'd be in deep, deep trouble."

"It's a zoo over here," he jokes. "This is my office here, this is where I'll probably — to be honest, I'll probably spend the rest of my life in here."

We love how much energy Ryan and Blake are pouring into their kids. It's always beautiful when parents are able to be present with their kids and teach them how to be present with themselves. Ryan Reynolds has also mentioned how having daughters "has been such a ride." Since he comes from a family of all boys, having daughters is something that was beyond his wildest dreams! “I love being a girl dad,” Ryan tells Access in 2020. “I have three daughters, which I never in a million years would imagine.”

He mentioned his newest child in June of 2023, when he announced his new series Bedtime Stories. "The idea for a show made to help everyone fall asleep was born the same day as my fourth child," he says on Instagram.

The Deadpool actor also offered some parenting advice on Amanda Hirsch’s hit podcastNot Skinny But Not Fat. "Embrace the chaos,” he tells Hirsch. "[Blake] always says, ‘They're all under our roof right now. The whole family's under our roof right now. We have them all.’ And that is a fleeting thing. Not an infinite resource, you know?”

While Reynolds understands firsthand how overwhelming parenting can feel, he also doesn't wish away this time with four young kids: “Just say, ‘Think about what you would give in 40 years or 30 years to come back and enjoy this one moment.’"

Besides this, Ryan knows their kids' childhoods don't mirror his or Blake's. However, he's not trying to place a huge emphasis on that because he wants them to have "as normal a life as possible" (via Page Six).

"I try not to impose upon them the difference in their childhood to my childhood or my wife’s childhood," he said (via The Hollywood Reporter). "We both grew up very working class, and I remember when they were very young, I used to say or think, like, ‘Oh God, I would never have had a gift like this when I was a kid,’ or, ‘I never would’ve had this luxury of getting takeout,’ or whatever."

In his eyes, he doesn't feel like it's the kids' responsibility or "bag of rocks to carry" because they're full of "gratitude" and "have a strong sense of empathy." That's how he knows he and Blake are "doing an OK job" as parents.

How has motherhood affected Blake Lively?

Blake Lively opened up about how Ryan Reynolds and she monitor screen safety for their kids, which is definitely something top-of-mind in 2024. “This is not an ad. I get nothing out of this. I just love @tappityapp,” she said of the STEM-focused educational app. “It’s engaging, informative, fun and they care about safety."

She also jokes that she's learning new things right along with her kids! But, no matter how educational or fun an app is, Blake Lively also emphasizes the importance of engaging with her kids' devices: "I’m always triple checking any kids app constantly for safety because that’s my responsibility not an app’s, but I do LOVE this one.”

Despite its fun and funny moments, the actress has admitted being a mom is hard, but she did it with her signature dry sense of humor. “BettyBooze at your service," she wrote in an Instagram Story announcing the new brand. "These are recipes I’ve been making for loved ones for years. But I have 4 kids now. And I’m tired. So here they are. In a can."

However, Blake Lively absolutely loves motherhood, and says in a 2022 interview with Forbes that having children has made her feel more comfortable in her own skin. "Once I had children, that just became even more profound because my time was even more precious, but also I think having children for me made me feel so much more in my skin," she says. "I never felt more myself or at ease in my own body or more confident — not to say that there aren't a bevy of insecurities coming at me a million times a day, but I just feel incredibly settled."

Speaking with People in 2021, Lively also explains how important it is that her children see her accomplish things outside the home. "I want to be as present of a mother as humanly possible and I want them to feel my presence, but I also think the best way to be the best mother is to show them that you can have a life and have a passion and have an identity outside of just being a mother," Lively says.

While she acknowledges that motherhood is all-encompassing, and it looks different for everyone, she knows that having your own identity is very important. "Teaching them that they can maintain themselves and that everything is possible [is crucial]," she adds.

When did Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have their daughters?

Blake Lively's children were all born in the last 10 years. Blake Lively's daughters are James, Inez, Betty, and her fourth child is named Olin! Their fourth baby's name was announced during the premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine. Blake gave birth to James in 2014, while Inez was born in 2016. Lively gave birth to Betty in 2019 and Olin in February of 2023.

Do Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively's kids have nannies?

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' children don't have a nanny. "I feel like I could sometimes have a bit of a short fuse, but there's just been this weirdly endless supply of patience," Ryan told GQ in 2015. "I have no problem waking up five times in the middle of the night and changing diapers, and as exhausted as you get, I have this stupid grin on my face all the time."