THE BACHELOR S29. E7. | THE WOMEN TELL ALL

PHOTO CREDIT | ABC/The Bachelor Key Art

PHOTO CREDIT FOR THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS | Disney/Matt Sayles

We’re getting towards the end of the season of ABC’s The Bachelor! Last week was Hometowns and next week will be Fantasy Suites - that means tonight is the Women Tell All where we catch up with those who were eliminated and some of the story lines that surrounded Grant and the cast. We also get to hear Jesse Palmer’s take on all of it.

We look at the season overall in terms of an extended trailer and Jesse digs in on some of the moments and storylines that took place during the women’s time on the show. Of course, they mention that Zoe took Grant away for an hour during the group basketball date, he also talks about Carolina and how she became a villain (of course, she shows up to the WTA with a jacket with some of her “famous” quotes), and they try to get into what took place between her and Rose that also became a source of contention as well. Carolina leaves the set as they go to commercial and no one is surprised!

Coming back from commercial, Carolina is still not there but Alexe talks about their relationship with Jesse on the hot seat. Everyone thought that they would go the distance - or at least Hometowns, but Jesse brings another love of her life - the No Drama Llama! During their conversation Carolina comes back walking in front of a camera (couldn’t production have made sure that didn’t happen)? We then hear from Sarafiena who was also someone we thought would make it to Hometowns. Last up is Dina who gets to chat with Jesse. We kind of felt that when her family didn’t come to their date, that would be an issue for him. But it’s not like she didn’t have any representation and it’s a shame that he let her feel that them not being there wouldn’t be an issue for him. It’s an interesting take that because there were some in her family that was interested in meeting Grant and those that weren’t, she didn’t want to create division so she opted to just have her friends there. Of course, Carolina is the final person who comes to the hot seat. She continues to deflect and not take accountability while asking and hoping that Grant will be able to do so!

Grant finally makes his way onto the stage. He talks with a number of the women to talk about their time in the house and lets them know that ultimately, he was looking for the best fit for him. He also chats with Jesse and has a Chubby Bunny competition with him - Jesse won. We also get a bit of a peek into the season finale as well.

RECEIVED A ROSE DURING HOMETOWNS | Litia, Julianna, and Zoe.

DIDN’T RECEIVE A ROSE |

Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

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WHO WE’LL SEE AT FANTASY SUITES

JULIANA

LITIA

ZOE

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THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS

ALEXE

ALLI JO

ALLYSHIA

BAILEY

BEVERLY

CAROLINA

CHLOIE

CHRISTINA

DINA

ELLA

J'NAE

JULIANA

KELSEY

KYLEIGH

LITIA

NATALIE

NEICEY

PARISA

RADHIKA

REBEKAH

ROSE

SARAFIENA

SAVANNAH

VICKY

ZOE

THE BACHELOR S29. E6. | IT'S TIME FOR HOMETOWNS

PHOTO CREDIT | ABC/The Bachelor Key Art

PHOTO CREDIT FOR THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS | Disney/Matt Sayles

This season has moved quickly - it’s Hometowns on ABC’s The Bachelor. Grant heads to Boston to meet up with Julianna. They’re going to enjoy Little Italy in her hometown and he learns how to make pizza. They pick flowers together and they even make canolis which is a fun way for them to continue to meet one another.

They make their way to her home and he meets so many people and has 1-on-1 conversations with her parents and you can see that they get along. He lets her know that he is falling in love with her as she told him that last week!

He heads out to NYC to enjoy his next Hometown with Zoe. We see them in Central Park walking around. We know that Grant is originally from NJ so it’s familiar for him. He’s going to meet her family and friends. In addition to her working in tech, she takes him to a shoot with BRIDE’S magazine where they will do 3 looks together. They also meet her family and get to know them more. It seems that it went well although we don’t see them going the distance.

His next date takes him to Wyoming to meet Litia. He is nervous as he knows that not being Mormon may be an issue. They ride horses in the countryside together. They meet her family and then her mom lets her know that she has a surprise and there are even more people there then who he met at Julianna’s! Litia’s mom lets her know that she needs to let Grant know how she feels.

The final Hometowns takes place in Chicago with Dina! She tells him that her family is not going to meet with him because they don’t like the process although it is not a reflection on him. She lets him know that if they go forward, he would get to meet them and they would support their relationship. In addition, she lets him know that they will get to be with her friends, but she is nervous about what this will mean for their relationship. Meeting her friends, we think that he can see how they are her family as well and they reassure him that when he finally meets her family, he will be embraced! The fact that none of her 11 siblings showed up is quite a pill to swallow - you would think that someone would have stepped forward.

With the Hometowns being over, Grant meets up with Joey to get his perspective on how he needs to look at the days ahead. While Joey chats with him, the women are back talking with one another. They realize that there isn’t much time left and they talk about their Hometown dates. Dina hears how everyone had people (and in many cases large families there).

The rose ceremony brings the 4 ladies together as he makes his choices. We finally see Jesse Palmer as he decides between Dina and Zoe for the final rose. playing golf and chatting with one another.

RECEIVED A ROSE | Litia, Julianna, and Zoe.

DIDN’T RECEIVE A ROSE | Dina

Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

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WHO MADE IT PAST HOMETOWNS

JULIANA

LITIA

ZOE

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THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS

ALEXE

ALLI JO

ALLYSHIA

BAILEY

BEVERLY

CAROLINA

CHLOIE

CHRISTINA

DINA

ELLA

J'NAE

JULIANA

KELSEY

KYLEIGH

LITIA

NATALIE

NEICEY

PARISA

RADHIKA

REBEKAH

ROSE

SARAFIENA

SAVANNAH

VICKY

ZOE

ATHLEISURE MAG #110 | FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.

In this month’s issue, our front and back cover story is undefeated boxer and promoter with 15 Major World Champion over 5 weightclass and entrepreneur Floyd Mayweather. We talked with him about his phenomenal career, how he approached his fights, exhibition boxing, his latest projects 1O1 supplements, and his real estate empire.

We sat down with HBO's CELTICS CITY director Lauren Stowell and Producer Gabe Honig to talk about this 9 episode docuseries which will debut on on Mar 3rd. They talk with us on how they approached covering the 75 years of the Boston Celtics as well as being a dynasty with their 18 Championships that they have won.

We also talked with Alex Donnelly, the director of ROKU's United States of Rugby which looks at growing the game in the US and specifically Major League Rugby's Chicago Hounds. We also talked with 2 of the stars from this franchise Noah Brown and Charlie Abel.

S4 of STARZ's Power Book III: Raising Kanan will drop on Mar 7th. We caught up with the cast London Brown, Hailey Kilgore, and Malcolm Mays to find out more about who they play and what we can expect from the upcoming season.

We took some time with HGTV's Married to Real Estate stars and power couple, Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson. We talk about how they got into real estate, being an agent, broker, interior design, and construction. They also talk about how they got into TV, upcoming projects, and small businesses.

During NYFW FW25 which took place early Feb, we saw a number of runway shows, presentations, and events that gave us insight to trends and aesthetics that we can look forward to later this month. We share our finds from Frederick Anderson, NYMD, FILIPINXT, and more.

We make our way to Ireland to sit down with Chef Vincent Crepel of Terre to talk about how he got into culinary, where he trained as well as what we can expect when we are coming into his restaurant.

This month's The Art of the Snack takes us to DC with Tapori which recently opened on H Street and has a menu of Indian street food and phenomenal cocktails. We chatted with restaurateur Dante Datta about this new spot.

This month's Athleisure List comes from The Class, created by Taryn Toomey and is located in Tribeca as well as in Santa Monica. In addition, we also have the Gayn Museum in Jaipur, India which has a number of stunning apparel and accessories that can be viewed via private appointment.

This month we have our 9PLAYLIST from NFL Super Bowl Champion Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from Team USA Olympic Gymnast Nastia Liukin (G1,S2,B1). This month's THE 9LIST 9CH3FS comes from Chef Jeffrey Budnechky of Apocalypse BBQ, Chef PJ Calapa of Marea Beverly Hills and our THE 9LIST 9B-L-D comes from Sommelier Belinda Chang as she shares what wines she would pair with Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Read the FEB ISSUE #110 of Athleisure Mag.

THE BACHELOR S29. E5. | WELCOME TO EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

PHOTO CREDIT | ABC/The Bachelor Key Art

PHOTO CREDIT FOR THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS | Disney/Matt Sayles

We left Madrid and now we’ve moved onto Edinburgh, Scotland for this week’s ABC’s The Bachelor. We see the women walking around the city and taking in the culture and we know this one is key since Hometowns are next week!

We also catch up with Grant Ellis and Jesse Palmer playing golf and chatting with one another. Jesse meets up with the women to let them know that this week is key and that there will be no roses on the dates, but there will be 2 1-on-1 dates during the week. We learn that Julianna is getting the first 1-on-1 date.

Their date takes them away on a helicopter - the other women see them lift off. They arrive at their castle for the day. Upon entering the castle, they meet a stylist who allows them to select a look for an activity that they will enjoy later on. After a selecting a formal outfit, they walk into a ballroom where a quartet plays for them and they are joined by others dancing.

Back with the rest of the women, the next date card arrives. Sarafiena, Alexe. Carolina, Dina, and Zoe are all on the group date together. Litia receives the 1-on-1. Zoe is bummed that she is the only person who has not gotten the 1-on-1. Zoe is sad and opts to go to bed, but Carolina of course is always the wet blanket of the group.

Back on Julianna’s and Grant’s date, they are having dinner together and getting to know one another a lot more. They connect on a series of similarities and we can tell that Julianna is a shoe in to go to Hometowns.

At the group date, they take in the culture of dancing, eating food of the region, and more. Carolina in her confessional says that dating as a group sucks and she doesn’t recomment it and that she will try to stay lowkey - I don’t see it. They begin to play games and to have a good time. Carolina of course goes back to pulling him away from everyone by refusing to play and interact with everyone else. The rest of the women on the date are ariing their grievances with one another about how Carolina operates and steals Grant at every turn. He was gone for the rest of the day. Now, the group date is in the second portion of the date. He lets them know he has fun, but the other women feel that their time was taken and they couldn’t share more about themselves.

The women let you Carolina know that stealing him throughout the date was rude and they can’t understand why she continues to pout and look like a damsel in distress. Dina also tells Grant that Carolina is a lot and he needs to think about whether he is really a match for her. Although he has heard this for weeks, he values Dina’s opinion and feels that there is more credability to what he has been hearing.

His date with Litia takes him around the town and you can see how easy it is with her. We’ve always like her for him and it’ll be interesting to see who will get the roses tonight as there have generally been good dates this week. We know that there will be more conversation between the 2 of them at dinner. She lets him know that she is Mormon and he listens to her and you can see their mutual connection.

The women arrive to find out whether they will move onto Hometowns. Carolina asks to talk with Dina before the ceremony starts. Carolina lets her know that she cares about her and recognizes how Dina stood up for her. Thankfully they get back downstairs in time for the ceremony.

RECEIVED A ROSE | Dina, Litia, Julianna, and Zoe.

DIDN’T RECEIVE A ROSE | Alexe, Carolina, Sarafiena

Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

---

WHO’S GOING TO HOMETOWNS

DINA

JULIANA

LITIA

ZOE

---

THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS

ALEXE

ALLI JO

ALLYSHIA

BAILEY

BEVERLY

CAROLINA

CHLOIE

CHRISTINA

DINA

ELLA

J'NAE

JULIANA

KELSEY

KYLEIGH

LITIA

NATALIE

NEICEY

PARISA

RADHIKA

REBEKAH

ROSE

SARAFIENA

SAVANNAH

VICKY

ZOE

BLESSED ICE | SIMONE I SMITH

We love a bling moment and when we were first introduced to Simone I Smith's line in 2011 and 2012, we loved her lollipop pendant, creating a line that is filled with statement jewelry that includes earrings, necklaces, and rings! She has collaborated with Celebrity Fashion Stylist Misa Hylton as well as 9X Grammy Award winner (32X Nominated), 8 multi-platinum albums, 2X Golden Globe nominee and SAG nominee Executive Producer and actress, Mary J. Blige (Power Book II: Ghost, Respect, How to Get Away with Murder)! Her line empowers those who wear it and she continues to expand her design aesthetic so that we can put our best foot forward. We sat down with Simone to find out more about her namesake line, her creative process, her recent launch of Majesty, her men's jewelry line where her sons and husband, Todd Smith aka LL Cool J (Oz, Deep Blue Sea, NCIS: Los Angeles) participated in her campaign, and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: I love the earrings, of course. Well, thank you so much for taking the time I met you briefly at your launch event with you and Misa Hylton last Spring which was amazing and you debuted your Denim and Diamonds collection which was beautiful. I've been a fan of yours for a number of years, so I'm just so excited to chat with you.

SIS: Thank you, I'm excited to chat with you too!

AM: Well, when did you first fall in love with fashion and accessories?

SIS: When I was a teenager, you know, like 17, 18 years, when I met my husband and that was in ‘87 and it was right when they called it back then, it was called Truck Jewelry (Editor’s Note: Truck Jewelry is a Hip-Hop style of jewelry representing the intersection of religion, faith, and the culture. It showcases wealth, power, and social statsus. It’s often associated with large hoop earrings, rings, chains, watches, and medallions. It has influenced fashion globally.). But it was, when the Doorknockers were out there and you know, I had the Triangle Earrings. Todd gave me my first pair of Doorknocker Earrings and I was 17 years old and that's when I like fell in love with big hoops.

But fashion was always something that I've just always loved! I was always in my mother's closet always trying to wear her stuff. You know, I would love to, you know, just like put really cool fashionable things together. But I would say my love, definitely started around 17.

AM: What led you to decide to design jewelry?

SIS: An opportunity was presented to me and I ran with it. I just grabbed it and I was like the opportunity was presented to design the jewelry line and I was like, absolutely. But the first things, first things, first is Hoops! It's gonna be hard to find.

AM: Yeah.

SIS: They were hard to find, it was a big void in the marketplace. You couldn't really find good quality hoop earrings that were affordable. At that time, I was actually able to find like sterling silver hoops right?

AM: Yeah.

SIS: Just the color sterling jewelry ones. Because all of my jewelry is sterling silver. But the gold ones have a sterling silver base with 18K, plating on top of it. Just to find good quality gold hoops without having to spend $5,000 because they're 14K gold which is good quality hoops and I just wanted to be that designer that just blessed women with really fabulous, good quality, affordable hoops which I have been able to do.

AM: Which have a good wearable weight to them too.

SIS: Right, they’re not too heavy. We have a few pairs that may have a little weight to them, but that's because of the design and thickness, but even my thickest earrings, aren't that heavy because the base is sterling silver and not Stainless Steel.

AM: I remember the very first jewelry piece that I had seen from you was your Lollipop Pendant, which I remember when those came out. What was the first piece that you remember just designing?

SIS: The first piece I designed – okay, the first earring that I designed was my logo earring and It was because I fell in love with my logo. When I decided and I chose my logo, I said, “oh my God, these are going to be the hottest freaking hoops! This is going to be a hot hoop.”

AM: Yeah!

SIS: That was my first earring that I designed, and we named, well, my husband actually named it Infinite Love because if you look at my logo, it looks like an infinity sign, you see a heart, and you see a butterfly. So, Todd actually named those earrings for me and they're called Infinite Love. And then my second design was my lollipop and that's, because by the grace of God, thank you Jesus. I am a 20-year cancer survivor going on 21.

I had a lollipop tattoo on my left leg. Let me back up, they found a chondrosarcoma in my right, tibia bone. So I had to have Microvascular Reconstructive surgery, so they had to remove my whole tibia bone and replace it with my left, fibular bone. So when they had to go into my left leg to take my fibula bone out, the surgeon said, “Simone, you may wake up and your lollipop tattoo may not be there." And I was like, “well if there's any way you can avoid from messing up my lollipop tattoo, I would really appreciate it.” I woke up and a part of the lollipop tattoo was on the front of my right leg because they had to do a skin graft -

AM: Oh wow.

SIS: To cover the scarring on where they had to open up. So, when I had created my lollipop pendant, my lollipop tattoo actually looked like somebody took a bite out of it. So I designed my lollipop, exactly the way it looked after my surgery and I called it A Sweet Touch of Hope.

AM: Yeah.

SIS: Because the candy represents how sweet life is and the bite represents what cancer does.

AM: Yeah.

SIS: In the bite, my logo, emerges out of it because it's just a reminder of me being a cancer survivor, getting well, staying well, and it's all a part of my journey because life is really sweet. Life is a gift. Because everybody's cancer journey is different and I praise God that I'm here 20 years cancer free. I can walk. I can wear heels.

AM: You surely can walk in those heels as you looked great at the event!

SIS: I can’t chase dogs or anything, but I’m here. You know, praise God. And I can workout and I can wear heels and And, you know, and I'm just healthy.

AM: Where do you start in terms of your design process? Where do you get the inspiration from?

SIS: My inspiration comes from nature, you know what I'm saying? Like, I remember one day, I was eating some strawberries, and I was like, you know what, I want to make it, I'm gonna design an earring, that's the shape of a strawberry. So, anything inspires me, you know? So with the strawberry shape, like I came with the earring called Precious Fruit. So Precious Fruit is one of the classics. It was in the first collection of my earrings that I designed and it's still a very popular piece because the earring is actually shaped like a strawberry. My inspiration comes from fashion, my inspiration comes from my children.

AM: Mmm

SIS: If I look at flowers, it’s like, it's so many things that my inspiration is also women always just want to make sure that women have like great earrings. My inspiration just comes from the culture. My inspiration comes from just growing up in New York. You know the New York fashion to me, I don't think anybody has it. New York fashion is amazing.

What else inspires me? Like growing up being a teenager, you know, in the late ‘80s and meeting my husband. And when I think about sister love and me and Mary J. Blige coming together, and creating Sister Love the whole Sister Love brand is about creating big bold jewelry for women, because that's what we grew up on big bold jewelry!

AM: Right.

SIS: So, Hip-Hop is definitely an inspiration when it comes down to certain designs on Sister Love like all of the Fly Girls and the Bam Beauties (Editor’s Note: Bam Beauties are earrings and hoops inspired by bamboo), and bringing back the Doorknocker Earrings, but recreating them and modernizing them, and making them high polished with beautiful crystals and all of that. Even though I create that, I don't want to be pigeonholed as just an urban jewelry designer.

AM: Right.

SIS: Because when you look at all of my pieces, it's like, they're not all urban, but they like to pigeonhole me as an urban designer because I'm a Black female designer. If I wasn’t Black and I was designing all of this stuff, I wouldn't be called an urban designer. I'm a jewelry designer. I’m Simone I Smith that happens to be a Black woman.

So that’s my inspiration. It’s inspired by life!

AM: It’s clear in using, wearing, and styling your pieces that they hold their own in luxury, they illustrate a focus craftsmanship, and it is something that is very versatile that regardless of your personal style that can be worn. So when I'm looking at your pieces, I see a point of view for that person who wants to wear statement pieces unapologetically.

SIS: Thank you, thank you!

AM: I will say that what I love most about it is that I live in New York now, and have wow since 2001. I was born in ‘79 and I'm from the Midwest. So growing up watching Salt-N-Pepa and all these people, when I first saw the collection years ago I loved the themes woven in them that took Hip-Hop elements, but then elevating it to be something that could be mixed in with like your Gucci wear or whatever your style is. It was just so exciting to see the homage and where each person can take it to when they wear it. As someone who's a stylist, who really likes to infuse my looks with accessories, there's just such a visual texture to what you're creating in your line.

SIS: Thank you. Thank you. Look, it goes with your Gucci wear, but it also goes if you're wearing a beautiful gown. If you're putting on a suit and going into the office. Which is why, you know, we have the medium-sized hoops and we have the large hoops and then we have the extra-large hoops and then we have extra extra-large hoops. So, it's really about your fashion.

AM: Yup.

SIS: And fashion as you know, as a stylist, fashion is personal.

AM: Very much so.

SIS: You know what I’m saying? Fashion is your own identity. I encourage women that come to my trunk shows like when they go, “oh, you know, I work in Corporate America, I can't wear this size hoop.” Well, who told you that?

AM: Exactly.

SIS: Who made up the rule that you can't wear a 60mm hoop? You may not want to wear 80mm hoop. But maybe you might, if you have the boldness, and the security to wear it. You could walk in that room with your suit on with a nice big hoop earring. As long as you're wearing it, nobody's gonna notice it unless you feel uncomfortable.

AM: Exactly.

SIS: You understand what I’m saying? If you’re working it and owning it, people are going to say okay.

AM: Who is the Simone I Smith customer and what do you feel that they're looking for when they're coming to your site and to your brand?

SIS: I think the Simone I Smith customer is a woman who knows who she is. Who loves hoops, who is looking for a good quality piece of jewelry and who wants to be inspired. Not only do I have hoops, I have beautiful necklaces, I am a God fearing woman. Women can come on to Simona I Smith site and they can get beautiful scrolls that reminds them of how good God is. It reminds them who they are to God, to give them inspiration. You know, one of my famous scrolls is Let Your Light So Shine and I think women shine and I think women come to the Simone I Smith site because they want to be inspired, they want to shine. They want to look good. They want to feel good and my focus is making jewelry to make women look good and feel good.

AM: As you go from season to season, are there core pieces of the collection that are essentials and carry over?

SIS: I would say that my jewelry is for every season, I'm gonna be honest. It’s for every season. I’m not going to say that this is for the Fall. It’s classic, it’s timeless, and it’s for every season.

AM: What do you look for in a collaboration? Talking about before with sister, love with Mary, J. Blige, obviously Misa Hylton. You have another Misa Hylton, collaboration that's come out. What do you look for when it comes to collaborating?

SIS: I look for people who are just as inspired with passion, and the love of big hoop earrings. That's what I look for. You know, if you inspire me like Misa inspires me, Mary inspires me like we have a couple of collaborations that we're working on now that I can't announce, you know, until you know, they actually come into fruition. But everybody that I work with that I'm going to be working with they inspire me, they love God, they love fashion, and they love jewelry. They love the love of big hoops. I think it's important to show other women that women can work together. That's so important because you know, we know women can be so catty and can be so competitive. We're all flowers so we should all bloom and we can bloom together. We make a beautiful bouquet, right?

AM: 100%.

SIS: We make a beautiful bouquet so it's about supporting one another and then showing these young women, showing these young girls, we're better together, let's work together. So that's so important to me. Just working with people that you know that are not necessarily like-minded but right-minded!

AM: That’s a word, I like that!

SIS: Yeah and then have a love for accessories and making women feel good and look good, you know?

AM: Well, I received your Cosmic Ice Hoops which are beautiful another great collab between you and Misa!

SIS: Aren’t they so cute?

AM: So cute! When I got them out of their duster bags it was so exciting to see them.

SIS: I'm so happy you love them!

AM: I can't wait to wear them as well as include them in our next shoot, that comes up!

SIS: You could have had them on today honey!

AM: I should have but honestly I just finished my hot pilates class and time got away from me!

I love that this is called Cosmic Ice hoops. So, what was the inspiration behind it?

SIS: The inspiration behind it was whoa. Are you talking about the actual name?

AM: Well, the name and then also, this particular collection in its design, yes.

SIS: Okay, so Cosmic Ice, you know, me and Misa, we were in a design meeting and we were just talking about, making a pair of earrings that just kind of like reminded us of like the solar system. We wanted to give the women a little bit of ice and a little bit of pearl. But then it winds up just being kind of like balls with ice and how could we create the earring that kind of reminds us of the solar system? It's kind of like just started, you know, Misa got to sketching - it's so interesting the way these meetings happen because they're kind of hard to explain. We would definitely talk about how can we make a solar system on a pair hoops that’s not a dangle. We decided to put it on the outside and then once the samples came, a lot of times the samples can come back one time, which it doesn't always happen when you come back one time, but the samples, you just take about two or three times, and then when you get that one sample and it's perfect - as soon as we looked at it, I said, Misa, we need to call these Cosmic Ice.

AM: Wow.

SIS: We got our solar system hoops, but now, we're going to call them Cosmic Ice because they have a touch of ice and the circles.

AM: I love that.

SIS: I hope that that is a good explanation.

AM: I think it is. A lot of times, you don't know until you see it. I mean I've designed lines and you know it's in your head but until like you said, you get that 1st, 2nd, 3rd pass, you're like, alright, that's what that is.

SIS: Until things are being sketched up, you have your visual, and it's like, okay, these are going to be dope and then once you get them and then it's like, oh, these are hot. Like you have the visual in your mind. There have been plenty of things that were sketched out, you see the finished product and you're like nah!

AM: Nope.

SIS: It didn’t come out the way I wanted it to – nope, we’re not doing this. This isn't what I envisioned.

AM: It's always about getting that tingle in your skin when you see it, and everybody's faces light up, but if it doesn't happen, it's like, let's just put that to the side. Rework it.

SIS: Some things can't even be reworked.

AM: Well, then there's that!

What are 3 pieces from your collection like across your collection that if someone says these are three essential pieces, I need to have. What would you suggest?

SIS: The 3 essential pieces you need to have, I would probably say let me think because it depends on the someone.

AM: Oh well, that's true.

SIS: It depends on the someone because if it's someone that likes a big hoop, if it's someone that likes a really big hoop, right? I would probably say the 3 essential hoop earrings that you should have from the Simone I Smith - are we talking about Simone I Smith or Sister Love?

AM: Well that is up to you. It can be from Simone I Smith, Sister Love, Denim and Diamonds, Cosmic Ice – it’s up to you!

SIS: Okay, so let me think. So you have 3 essential pieces that you should have from the Simone I Smith collection. If you're a big hoop girl, I would say are the Brilliance Hoops in XL because those are my go-to's. Those are like my go-to. I would say the Brilliance. I would say Precious Fruit size L because Precious Fruit size, L with the diamond embellishments, you could dress that hoop up, you could dress that hoop down. And I would probably say, The Bangles. Yeah, I would say more than 1 because I wear 10 of them.

AM: Nice, I love a good wrist stack.

SIS: You know, I would say an arm full of Bangles, Brilliance XL - Gold or silver. Ooo can I add a fourth one please?

AM: Yes ma’am you can.

SIS: I would definitely say my Blessed Necklace. I think that women should wake up and they should feel every day that they open up their eyes that they are blessed. Lord, thank you for waking me up this morning to see another day. Thank you for waking me up in my right mind. Thank you for starting me, guide my thoughts, guide my steps. I am blessed. I want women to wake up every morning and feel like they're blessed. And I think my Blessed Necklace is definitely in there. If you to narrow it down, I would say the Brilliance Hoops, the Blessed Necklace and an arm full of Bangles.

AM: Well we're giving you all four.

SIS: Thank you!

AM: You also launched Majesty. I'm loving right now that jewelry lines that I really love that maybe began with women are now adding a men's collection to it. So what was the inspiration behind that?

SIS: The inspiration behind Majesty was to create an affordable luxe line for men to wear because everybody can’t afford a $5,000 or a $10,000 chain and a lot of those Cuban links with the beautiful links with the ice with real diamonds cost of a lot of money.

AM: For sure.

SIS: For so many years, many of my girlfriends' husbands or if guys would come to my trunk shows and buy things for their wives, they were like, “when are you gonna make something for us guys?” Women would say the same thing asking about jewelry for their guys. The time was right to create Majesty and really men inspired me to do it. My husband inspired me to do it. My son inspired me to do it. And thank you Jesus, they were able to be my models.

AM: Which is amazing.

SIS: They did a cool video and a photo shoot and it was really just, you know, blessing the brothers with some really great good quality jewelry, so that they could feel fly, they feel good and they can have great bracelets and nice link chains that are affordable, but look good and make them feel good.

AM: What are 3 from the Majesty Collection that you want to highlight that are great, you know essentials to start with to add to your style?

SIS: I would definitely say that The Truth Necklace is a classic and it is probably our number 1 seller. The Lion of Judah, I believe it is 2 of 3 different pendants. Lions represent strength, royalty, courage, and all of that. It's something about that lion pendant, that men don't mind wearing. I would probably say, the 3rd piece would be like Divine Ice and it gives them that touch of ice and makes them feel like they’re blinging today and they have some luxe on.

AM: Are there things coming up that we should keep an eye out for?

SIS: Well, you know, I always drop something exciting for my birthday so you can keep your eyes out for that. I'm not sure what it's going to be. We’re still kind of like, working on designs and everything. For Valentine's Day, during the holidays, we dropped Couture and I don’t know if you checked that out yet, but it’s really beautiful. It’s nice, big, bold chains for women.

AM: I'm going to check it out.

SIS: Check out the Guetty Necklace and the Guetty Bracelet. So with this Couture we have a piece dropping for Valentine's Day that I'm excited about, and my fingers are crossed that they get here in time because I'm super excited about that. So we had some really cute stuff wrapping for Valentine's Day. Something for my birthday. There are some new collaborations coming so I'm excited about that. Just stay tuned, cuz you know, SIS always has the products that I will continue to bless you ladies with fabulous hoops and fabulous bangles and all of that good stuff just to make you feel good.

IG @simoneismith

@sislovespurple

PHOTOS COURTESY | Simone I Smith

Read the JAN ISSUE #109 of Athleisure Mag and see BLESSED ICE | Simone I Smith in mag.

THE BACHELOR S29. E4. | WELCOME TO MADRID

PHOTO CREDIT | ABC/The Bachelor Key Art

PHOTO CREDIT FOR THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS | Disney/Matt Sayles

It’s time to travel and we’re making our way to Madris with Grant Ellis and the ladies who are competing for him in this week’s episode ofABC’s The Bachelor. Before we head out, the fallout of The Prom and all the drama that took place between Carolina and Rose took the wind out of everyone’s sales. The women talk about what took place and everyone feels that her extra took time took away from everyone else. She felt that she got the clarity that she needed although it may not have been ideal for everyone.

Jesse Palmer lets them know that they are heading to Madrid and need to meet up with Grant as he has already left. We fast forward to watching Grant walk around the city and the women arrive seeing where they will stay for the next few days. Grant and Jesse catch up playing basketball as well as finding out how the process is going with him. Finally, Grant meets up with the women as they all enjoy sangria. He lets them know there is a 1-on-1 date and he selected Dina to join him. They walk around the city and play soccer with kids in the street randomly. They also dance in the streets for an impromptu session. They head to the Store of Wishes which has letters outside of the shop and they are asked to write a note to affix to the wall. They even take a boat as he navigates around the area. They continue on to dinner where they can get to know one another better. The date ends with them being serenaded as they dance and she receives the rose of the night.

Back at the hotel, the other women are enjoying some down time. They all believe that Dina is coming back with a 1-on-1 and they mention that they would like to have a 1-on-1. Carolina says that she wishes she had more time, but she had her time with him in Vegas and other women have only been on group dates. The women feel that she is ungrateful and entitled and it shows that she does not play by the rules when it comes to sharing him. The group date card arrives and Alexe, Litia, Carolina, Natalie, Rose, Parisa, Julianna, and Zoe will be on the next date. Sarcastically, during Carolina’s confessional, she shares with the audience that of course she is excited to be on a date with multiple women and maybe she will see him kiss other women. That means that Sarafiena will have a 1-on-1 with him.

The group date has arrived and the women are navigating the city on their way to meeting him. They will enjoy a tour and they will ride through the city on donkeys. They train how to be matadors with a wheelbarrow bull. They change into their outfits to compete against one another. Whoever stays on the longest on the mechanical bull will be the winner. They even have an intimate audience watching as well as commentators. Each of the women use a different technique to try and stay on. Alexe and Zoe are the frontrunners and Zoe ends up getting special time with Grant ultimately.

At the after date cocktail party, the women look to spend more time with him. He wants to have good vibes and to be able to learn more about them. Rose chats with Grant about what took place the week before and she lets him know that she didn’t know if she would still be able to stay and hopes that they can continue building on what they have. He lets her know that there is room for growth.

In Zoe’s time with Grant, she lets him know that she can have a hard time opening up to people because she grew up in the South, was adopted, , and there was a lot of abuse that she was involved in. It definitely gives another perspective into how she operates the way that she does.

Carolina complains to the women again about her issues that she has with Grant when she always feels that something wrong is going on. Julianna pulls her aside and lets her know that when she does that and talking about being unsure, she would leave as she thinks it’s unfair for her to stay.

Although she was pulled away, when she comes back Carolina brings it up and they all chat. By the time Grant arrives, she is full on crying and he pulls her aside (again to chat with her) and tries to make her feel better. He decides not to give out a rose for the group date. Julianna feels bad that in pulling her aside to chat has now made all the women get wrapped up in the event.

The 1-on-1 date with Sarafiena kicks off as they are riding around Madrid. They are jumping off the bridge in the pouring rain? After the jump, they make their way to dinner to get to know more about one another. She shares how many times peopel feel that she is good on paper and then things don’t go past that. She lets him know that she is there for the right reason and she wants to be a mom and to have a family. She knows that she didn’t have that kind of love in her life with her family. She gets the date night rose.

The cocktail party arrives for the rose ceremony for the women. Carolina hopes that she won’t cry again which she shares with the women. He lets them know that he has had a great time with the women and that the group date party was a bit much and he heard a few things that were a bit concerning. He asks to see Julianna to find out her side of the story. Julianna tells him that she and the other women do not like hearing the negative things that Carolina says and it bothers them. He tells her that he appreciates her sharing and that it shows how mature she is. Even Grant says that having a private jet and being in Vegas wasn’t enough for her and he finds her behavior to be immature.

He talks with Carolina and lets her know to hear these conversations are having and that she is not telling him what is going on. They speak and yet again there is an issue between Rose and Carolina and other women no longer get the opportunity to speak with him. In addition, Rose decides to leave because she doesn’t feel that it is a healthy environment for her. He lets the women know that Rose has left.

RECEIVED A ROSE | Alexe, Carolina, Dina, Litia, Julianna, Sarafiena, and Zoe.

DIDN’T RECEIVE A ROSE | Natalie, Parisa, Rose (decides to leave)

Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

---

WHO WE THINK WILL GO TO HOMETOWNS

ALEXE

CAROLINA

JULIANA

LITIA

---

THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS

ALEXE

ALLI JO

ALLYSHIA

BAILEY

BEVERLY

CAROLINA

CHLOIE

CHRISTINA

DINA

ELLA

J'NAE

JULIANA

KELSEY

KYLEIGH

LITIA

NATALIE

NEICEY

PARISA

RADHIKA

REBEKAH

ROSE

SARAFIENA

SAVANNAH

VICKY

ZOE

THE BACHELOR S29. E3. | CONTINUING ON THE JOURNEY

PHOTO CREDIT | ABC/The Bachelor Key Art

PHOTO CREDIT FOR THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS | Disney/Matt Sayles

We continue on as Grant Ellist navigates the world of ABC’s The Bachelor. We see the ladies competing for him settle into the house and interact with one another. Jesse Palmer arrives and lets them know that in addition to it being an emotional night, he wants them to know about the 2 1-on-1 dates and there will be 1 large group date. The group date includes Natalie, Bailey, Alexe, Alli Jo, Chloie, Serafina, Parisa, Dina, Rose, Litia, Zoe, and Julianna.

With the group date set, we know that Carolina and Beverly will have a 1-on-1 date.

The group date involves The Bachelor School of Finance. Hannah Berner and Daniel Lubetzky of Kind Snacks are part of the date as well. The women don colorful power suits. Whoever wins the most Grant Bucks will win perks in the After Party. Grant Bucks are acquired by answering an array of questions some being finance-oriented and others that weren’t. Bailey ends up winning the most Grant Bucks and looks forward to seeing what that will give her later.

At the After Party, Bailey (in front of the other girls) is given a menu of what she can spend her Grant Bucks on. She decides that she will buy a shirt of his to sleep in as well as desert with him. She leaves him wearing his shirt. Zoe has decided to bring everyone down by being upset in general. She then goes to him and says that she feels that she is being belittled by the other women. He connects with all of the women and gets to know more about the women. Parisa gets the group date rose. He lets the women know that bullying should not taka place. The women figure out the Zoe created this and even when they tried to find out from her, she says that they are being mean to her.

The day after he group date, the women are crying because of how Zoe left everything. Thankfully, we move on to Carolina’s date which starts off with a private jet that will take them to Vegas. They jumped off the side of a building which made them closer and Grant is looking forward to having dinner with her at a beach club. She wants to chat with him to tell her about a condition that she is battling as she knows that for some people, it has been a turnoff. She is prone to seizures and she was very upset by telling him this and he said that he would be there for her.

We find out that Beverly’s 1-on-1 won’t be happening as she is sick and that she won’t be coming back! A date is still in the works as Sarafiena, Litia, and Dina will be going to Vanderpump Dogs to hang out with some puppies. They have photoshoots with the dogs and they take pictures of one another. Lisa Vanderpump herself makes an appearance to see them. She lets them know that they will volunteer with the dogs. Dina and Grant wash a dog together and get to know each other a bit more. Sarafiena and Grant walk a dog together. Litia and him sit outside with their dog to talk about what attracts them to one another. With this 3-on-1 date going so well, he decides to take Litia out for dinner and the other women will go back to the house.

They go to City Hall to have dinner together. He tells Litia about his family life and how his father suffered from his addictions and his mom kept the family going. Litia shares her backstory as she lets him know that her father passed away and they both see that they want to have a solid family. She is given the rose.

Allegedly, Rose tells Carolina that during their first group date, while he was dancing with her, he was actually thinking of Rose which kept her going into a deeper spiral. As the girls talk about the date, Carolina is annoyed that Litia has a rose and even told women earlier that she wishes she didn’t even have her date although it went well. The cocktail party is themed with a prom theme and he sends corsages to all of them. He arrives and let them know that he never went to his high school prom because he focused on basketball. Gary, Jack, Keith and Jonathan from The Golden Bachelorette are with him They all start dancing and take in all of the fun! They enjoy games, pictures, and advice from the men. Even Jack is grilling up a storm - as per usual.

Carolina is so annoyed that while Rose is chatting with Grant, she calls him loudly to say that someone told her that he was thinking of her while she was being danced with. He asks her who said that and lets her know that not only is it a lie, but he doesn’t like that his character is being questioned. Carolina says that she doesn’t want to make it a thing and won’t tell him. Through a process of elimination he realizes it has to be Rose. He asks her and Rose says that that is what she thought she heard him say. He lets her know that that is not what was said and we think that her time is going to be shortlived in the house. The Golden Bachelorette men give Grant the crown as King and each of the women get them as Queens. In dealing with the Rose and Carolina situation the remaining ladies that didn’t have a chance to chat with him are even more annoyed as Carolina had a rose and they had been watching her spiral over the past few days.

RECEIVED A ROSE | Alexe, Carolina, Dina, Litia, Julianna, Natalie, Rose, Sarafiena, and Zoe.

DIDN’T RECEIVE A ROSE | Alli Jo, Bailey, Beverly, Chloie, and Parisa.

Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

---

WHO WE THINK WILL GO TO HOMETOWNS

ALEXE

CAROLINA

JULIANA

LITIA

---

THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS

ALEXE

ALLI JO

ALLYSHIA

BAILEY

BEVERLY

CAROLINA

CHLOIE

CHRISTINA

DINA

ELLA

J'NAE

JULIANA

KELSEY

KYLEIGH

LITIA

NATALIE

NEICEY

PARISA

RADHIKA

REBEKAH

ROSE

SARAFIENA

SAVANNAH

VICKY

ZOE

THE BACHELOR S29. E2. | THE DATES BEGIN

PHOTO CREDIT | ABC/The Bachelor Key Art

PHOTO CREDIT FOR THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS | Disney/Matt Sayles

We met the women of this season’s S29 of ABC’s The Bachelor. We also got to learn more about Grant Ellis and what he is looking for as well. We see the women settling in and what they do during their downtime when they are in between dates. Jesse Palmer pops in and he lets them know that they are the 18 women who will get to continue. He reminds Alexe that since she got the First Impression rose, wh will have the first 1-on-1 date. He leaves the date card after telling them that there will be 3 dates. Beverly, Sarafiena, Alli Jo, Natalie, Parisa, Vicky, Chloie, Zoe, Julianna, and Allyshia will be on the first group date. It seems like this date will involve basketball and their date starts now. This date also involves children playing with them as well. They all shoot around, dunk, etc and then when it’s time for Zoe to do it, she forfeits and then decides to shoot her shot by taking Grant upstairs to have a few minutes alone with him. Clearly, the women are not pleased with this move as they felt that it wasn’t the time to do that then. When they arrive to the other women giving them some severe stares, they learn that they will play 5-on-5 and whoever the MVP is will get Grant’s Letterman Jacket in The Bachelor Basketball Showdown. Chloie ends up winning as MVP and gets Grant’s jacket. The women definitely battled it out on the court and even lost some of their press on nails! There are definitely a lot of feelings that took place.

At the cocktail party for the group date, he congratulates them on putting their effort forward. He asks Chloie to spend some time with him and he lets her know that the radiance that she has is amazing. She got a kiss when they were together and she also got one when she received the jacket. While Chloie is with Grant, the ladies let her know that she overstepped when he took her away.

The Group Date Rose is given to Natalie (she helped one of the little girls calm down when she was out of breath) and you can see the other women happy that at least Zoe didn’t get the rose as she had monopolized Grant’s time multiple times throughout the date and cocktail party.

The next day, we see the women lounging and enjoying the house. Alexe has her 1-on-1 date with Grant which is taking place at the Beverly Center which is closed. They enjoy getting to know one another and she received the rose.

The group date is about to kick off as we get to the next day. Bailey, Carolina, Dina, Ella, Litia, Rebekah, and Rose walk into the space and Mario is serenading them! They’re going to write a song to Grant, perform it, and dance in front of a live audience. Robin Antin assisted them with choreography and she is the creator of the Pussycat Dolls. Carolina wins for her lyrics and she gets to dance with Grant and get serenaded by Mario! She also straddles him and goes in for an epic kiss (that was quite long). Clearly that would be uncomfortable for the other women to see.

The cocktail party after the group date begins. He lets them know that he had a great time with them but he feels that the vibe is off (it’s probably because of the makeout session that they all had to watch). He asked to chat with Rebekah and he asked her if he did something wrong. She lets him know that group dates are tough but she understands that he will need to do what is necessary in order to find his person She walks away feeling good with their interaction. Rebekah chats with the women and Caroline asks for why she feels that the vibe is off - she says it’s tough when he can only choose one person. It’s great that she didn’t say, “well you did a major make out session that we all saw.”

He talks with each of the women to know more about them and where they are coming from. He tells Litia that he is also sick of dating and he gets it. Caroline brings up her experience as well. It was definitely a safe space for all of the women. Grant gives the Group Date Rose to Litia.

As the women get ready for the Cocktail Party, all the women are thinking about the time that they have with Grant. He lets them know that he is happy that they are there and he is appreciative of them giving their time to him. He feels that his person is in the room. Each of the women spends time with him to find out more about what he thinks about things that matter to him.

RECEIVED A ROSE | Alexe, Alli Jo, Bailey, Beverly, Carolina, Chloie, Dina, Litia, Julianna, Natalie, Parisa, Rose, Sarafiena, and Zoe.

DIDN’T RECEIVE A ROSE | Allyshia, Ella, Rebekah, and Vicky,

Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

---

WHO WE THINK WILL GO TO HOMETOWNS

ALEXE

ALLI JO

CAROLINA

JULIANA

---

THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS

ALEXE

ALLI JO

ALLYSHIA

BAILEY

BEVERLY

CAROLINA

CHLOIE

CHRISTINA

DINA

ELLA

J'NAE

JULIANA

KELSEY

KYLEIGH

LITIA

NATALIE

NEICEY (

PARISA

RADHIKA

REBEKAH

ROSE

SARAFIENA

SAVANNAH

VICKY

ZOE

AWARDS SEASON | GRAMMYS WINNERS

Today, the GRAMMYs announced then winners for the 67th award show which took place today on Feb 2nd on CBS at 8pm ET. Music’s biggest night did not disappoint! As we do throughout Awards Season, we shared our predictions in bold, the ones we correctly identified as winners are in bold italics and winners that we didn’t predict are in italics. On the night of the event, we will share who we predicted correctly as well as those we didn’t that won.

RECORD OF THE YEAR

“Now and Then” The Beatles

“Texas Hold ‘Em” Beyoncé

“Espresso” Sabrina Carpenter

“360” Charli XCX

“Birds of a Feather” Billie Eilish

“Not Like Us” Kendrick Lamar

“Good Luck, Babe!” Chappell Roan

“Fortnight” Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

“New Blue Sun” André 3000

“Cowboy Carter” Beyoncé

“Short n’ Sweet” Sabrina Carpenter

“Brat” Charli XCX

“Djesse Vol. 4” Jacob Collier

“Hit Me Hard and Soft” Billie Eilish

“The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” Chappell Roan

“The Tortured Poets Department” Taylor Swift

SONG OF THE YEAR

“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” Sean Cook, Jerrel Jones, Joe Kent, Chibueze Collins Obinna, Nevin Sastry & Mark Williams, songwriters (Shaboozey)

“Birds of a Feather” Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas, songwriters (Billie Eilish)

“Die With a Smile” Dernst Emile II, James Fauntleroy, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars)

“Fortnight” Jack Antonoff, Austin Post & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone)

“Good Luck, Babe!” Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, Daniel Nigro & Justin Tranter, songwriters (Chappell Roan)

“Not Like Us” Kendrick Lamar, songwriter (Kendrick Lamar)

“Please Please Please” Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff & Sabrina Carpenter, songwriters (Sabrina Carpenter)

“Texas Hold ‘Em” Brian Bates, Beyoncé, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Nate Ferraro & Raphael Saadiq, songwriters (Beyoncé)

BEST NEW ARTIST

Benson Boone

Sabrina Carpenter

Doechii

Khruangbin

Raye

Chappell Roan

Shaboozey

Teddy Swims

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR (NON-CLASSICAL)

Alissia

Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II

Ian Fitchuk

Mustard

Daniel Nigro

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Jessi Alexander

Amy Allen

Edgar Barrera

Jessie Jo Dillon

Raye

BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE

“Bodyguard” Beyoncé

“Espresso” Sabrina Carpenter

“Apple” Charli xcx

“Birds of a Feather” Billie Eilish

“Good Luck, Babe!” Chappell Roan

BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE

“Us” Gracie Abrams Featuring Taylor Swift

“Levii’s Jeans” Beyoncé Featuring Post Malone

“Guess” Charli XCX & Billie Eilish

“The Boy Is Mine” Ariana Grande, Brandy & Monica

“Die With a Smile” Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars’

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM

“Short n’ Sweet” Sabrina Carpenter

“Hit Me Hard and Soft” Billie Eilish

“Eternal Sunshine” Ariana Grande

“The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” Chappell Roan

“The Tortured Poets Department” Taylor Swift

BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC RECORDING

“She’s Gone, Dance On” Disclosure

“Loved” Four Tet

“Leavemealone” Fred Again & Baby Keem

“Neverender” Justice & Tame Impala

“Witchy” Kaytranada Featuring Childish Gambino

BEST DANCE POP RECORDING

“Make You Mine” Madison Beer

“Von Dutch” Charli XCX

“L’Amour de Ma Vie [Over Now Extended Edit]” Billie Eilish

“Yes, And?” Ariana Grande

“Got Me Started” Troye Sivan

BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC ALBUM

“Brat” Charli XCX

“Three” Four Tet

“Hyperdrama” Justice

“Timeless” Kaytranada

“Telos” Zedd

BEST REMIXED RECORDING

“Alter Ego – Kaytranada Remix” Kaytranada, remixer (Doechii Featuring JT)

“A Bar Song (Tipsy) [Remix]” David Guetta, remixer (Shaboozey & David Guetta)

“Espresso (Mark Ronson x FNZ Working Late Remix)” FNZ & Mark Ronson, remixers (Sabrina Carpenter)

“Jah Sees Them – Amapiano Remix” Alexx Antaeus, Footsteps & MrMyish, remixers (Julian Marley & Antaeus)

“Von Dutch” A.G. Cook, remixer (Charli xcx & A.G. Cook Featuring Addison Rae)

BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM

À Fleur De Peau Cyrille Aimée

Visions Norah Jones

Good Together Lake Street Dive

Impossible Dream Aaron Lazar

Christmas Wish Gregory Porter

BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE

“Now and Then” The Beatles

“Beautiful People (Stay High)” The Black Keys

“The American Dream Is Killing Me” Green Day

“Gift Horse” Idles

“Dark Matter” Pearl Jam

“Broken Man” St. Vincent

BEST METAL PERFORMANCE

“Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)” Gojira, Marina Viotti & Victor Le Masne

“Crown of Horns” Judas Priest

“Suffocate” Knocked Loose Featuring Poppy

“Screaming Suicide” Metallica

“Cellar Door” Spiritbox

BEST ROCK ALBUM

“Happiness Bastards” The Black Crowes

“Romance” Fontaines D.C.

“Saviors” Green Day

“TANGK” Idles

“Dark Matter” Pearl Jam

“Hackney Diamonds” The Rolling Stones

“No Name” Jack White

BEST ROCK SONG

“Beautiful People (Stay High)” Dan Auerbach, Patrick Carney, Beck Hansen & Daniel Nakamura, songwriters (The Black Keys)

“Broken Man” Annie Clark, songwriter (St. Vincent)

“Dark Matter” Jeff Ament, Matt Cameron, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Pearl Jam)

“Dilemma” Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt & Tré Cool, songwriters (Green Day)

“Gift Horse” Jon Beavis, Mark Bowen, Adam Devonshire, Lee Kiernan & Joe Talbot, songwriters (Idles)

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCE

“Neon Pill” Cage the Elephant

“Song of the Lake” Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

“Starburster” Fontaines D.C.

“Bye Bye” Kim Gordon

“Flea” St. Vincent

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM

“Wild God” Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

“Charm” Clairo

“The Collective” Kim Gordon

“What Now” Brittany Howard

“All Born Screaming” St. Vincent

BEST R&B PERFORMANCE

“Guidance” Jhené Aiko

“Residuals” Chris Brown

“Here We Go (Uh Oh)” Coco Jones

“Made For Me (Live On BET)” Muni Long

“Saturn” SZA

BEST TRADITIONAL R&B PERFORMANCE

“Wet” Marsha Ambrosius

“Can I Have This Groove” Kenyon Dixon

“No Lie” Lalah Hathaway Featuring Michael McDonald

“Make Me Forget” Muni Long

“That’s You” Lucky Daye

BEST PROGRESSIVE R&B ALBUM

“So Glad to Know You” Avery*Sunshine

“En Route” Durand Bernarr

“Bando Stone and the New World” Childish Gambino

“Crash” Kehlani

“Why Lawd?” NxWorries (Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge)

BEST R&B SONG

“After Hours” Diovanna Frazier, Alex Goldblatt, Kehlani Parrish, Khris Riddick-Tynes & Daniel Upchurch, songwriters (Kehlani)

“Burning” Ronald Banful & Temilade Openiyi, songwriters (Tems)

“Here We Go (Uh Oh)” Sara Diamond, Sydney Floyd, Marisela Jackson, Courtney Jones, Carl McCormick & Kelvin Wooten, songwriters (Coco Jones)

“Ruined Me” Jeff Gitelman, Priscilla Renea & Kevin Theodore, songwriters (Muni Long)

“Saturn” Rob Bisel, Carter Lang, Solána Rowe, Jared Solomon & Scott Zhang, songwriters (SZA)

BEST R&B ALBUM

“11:11 (Deluxe)” Chris Brown

“Vantablack” Lalah Hathaway

“Revenge” Muni Long

“Algorithm” Lucky Daye

“Coming Home” Usher

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE

“Enough (Miami)” Cardi B

“When the Sun Shines Again” Common & Pete Rock Featuring Posdnuos

“Nissan Altima” Doechii

“Houdini” Eminem

“Like That” Future & Metro Boomin Featuring Kendrick Lamar

“Yeah Glo!” GloRilla

“Not Like Us” Kendrick Lamar

BEST MELODIC RAP PERFORMANCE

“Kehlani” Jordan Adetunji Featuring Kehlani

“Spaghettii” Beyoncé Featuring Linda Martell & Shaboozey

“We Still Don’t Trust You” Future & Metro Boomin Featuring The Weeknd

“Big Mama” Latto

“3:AM” Rapsody Featuring Erykah Badu

BEST RAP ALBUM

“Might Delete Later” J. Cole

“The Auditorium, Vol. 1” Common & Pete Rock

“Alligator Bites Never Heal” Doechii

“The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)” Eminem

“We Don’t Trust You” Future & Metro Boomin

BEST RAP SONG

“Asteroids” Marlanna Evans, songwriter (Rapsody Featuring Hit-Boy)

“Carnival” Jordan Carter, Raul Cubina, Grant Dickinson, Samuel Lindley, Nasir Pemberton, Dimitri Roger, Ty Dolla $ign, Kanye West & Mark Carl Stolinski Williams, songwriters (¥$ (Kanye West & Ty Dolla $Ign)
Featuring Rich The Kid & Playboi Carti)

“Like That” Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, Kobe “BbyKobe” Hood, Leland Wayne & Nayvadius Wilburn, songwriters (Future & Metro Boomin Featuring Kendrick Lamar)

“Not Like Us” Kendrick Lamar, songwriter (Kendrick Lamar)

“Yeah Glo!” Ronnie Jackson, Jaucquez Lowe, Timothy McKibbins, Kevin Andre Price, Julius Rivera III & Gloria Woods, songwriters (GloRilla)

BEST SPOKEN WORD POETRY ALBUM

“Civil Writes: The South Got Something To Say” Queen Sheba

“Concrete & Whiskey Act II Part 1: A Bourbon 30 Series” Omari Hardwick

“Good M.U.S.I.C. Universe Sonic Sinema: Episode 1 In the Beginning Was the Word” Malik Yusef

“The Heart, the Mind, the Soul” Tank and the Bangas

“The Seven Number Ones” Mad Skillz

BEST COUNTRY SOLO PERFORMANCE

16 Carriages Beyoncé

I Am Not Okay Jelly Roll

The Architect Kacey Musgraves

A Bar Song (Tipsy) Shaboozey

It Takes A Woman Chris Stapleton

BEST COUNTRY DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE

Cowboys Cry Too Kelsea Ballerini With Noah Kahan

II Most Wanted Beyoncé Featuring Miley Cyrus

Break Mine Brothers Osborne

Bigger Houses Dan + Shay

I Had Some Help Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen

BEST COUNTRY SONG

The Architect Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)

A Bar Song (Tipsy) Sean Cook, Jerrel Jones, Joe Kent, Chibueze Collins Obinna, Nevin Sastry & Mark Williams, songwriters (Shaboozey)

I Am Not Okay Casey Brown, Jason DeFord, Ashley Gorley & Taylor Phillips, songwriters (Jelly Roll)

I Had Some Help Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Smith, Ryan Vojtesak, Morgan Wallen & Chandler Paul Walters, songwriters (Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen)

Texas Hold ‘Em Brian Bates, Beyoncé, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Nate Ferraro & Raphael Saadiq, songwriters (Beyoncé)

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM

Cowboy Carter Beyoncé

F-1 Trillion Post Malone

Deeper Well Kacey Musgraves

Higher Chris Stapleton

Whirlwind Lainey Wilson

BEST AMERICAN ROOTS PERFORMANCE

Blame It On Eve Shemekia Copeland

Nothing In Rambling The Fabulous Thunderbirds Featuring Bonnie Raitt, Keb’ Mo’, Taj Mahal & Mick Fleetwood

Lighthouse Sierra Ferrell

The Ballad Of Sally Anne Rhiannon Giddens

BEST AMERICANA PERFORMANCE

Ya Ya Beyoncé

Subtitles Madison Cunningham

Don’t Do Me Good Madi Diaz Featuring Kacey Musgraves

American Dreaming Sierra Ferrell

Runaway Train Sarah Jarosz

Empty Trainload of Sky Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

BEST AMERICAN ROOTS SONG

Ahead of the Game Mark Knopfler, songwriter (Mark Knopfler)

All In Good Time Sam Beam, songwriter (Iron & Wine Featuring Fiona Apple)

All My Friends Aoife O’Donovan, songwriter (Aoife O’Donovan)

American Dreaming Sierra Ferrell & Melody Walker, songwriters (Sierra Ferrell)

Blame It on Eve John Hahn & Will Kimbrough, songwriters (Shemekia Copeland)

BEST AMERICANA ALBUM

The Other Side T Bone Burnett

$10 Cowboy Charley Crockett

Trail Of Flowers Sierra Ferrell

Polaroid Lovers Sarah Jarosz

No One Gets Out Alive Maggie Rose

Tigers Blood Waxahatchee

BEST BLUEGRASS ALBUM

I Built A World Bronwyn Keith-Hynes

Songs of Love and Life The Del McCoury Band

No Fear Sister Sadie

Live Vol. 1 Billy Strings

Earl Jam Tony Trischka

Dan Tyminski: Live From the Ryman Dan Tyminski

BEST TRADITIONAL BLUES ALBUM

Hill Country Love Cedric Burnside

Struck Down The Fabulous Thunderbirds

One Guitar Woman Sue Foley

Sam’s Place Little Feat

Swingin’ Live at the Church In Tulsa The Taj Mahal Sextet

BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES ALBUM

Blues Deluxe Vol. 2 Joe Bonamassa

Blame It On Eve Shemekia Copeland

Friendlytown Steve Cropper & The Midnight Hour

Mileage Ruthie Foster

The Fury Antonio Vergara

BEST FOLK ALBUM

American Patchwork Quartet American Patchwork Quartet

Weird Faith Madi Diaz

Bright Future Adrianne Lenker

All My Friends Aoife O’Donovan

Woodland Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

BEST REGIONAL ROOTS MUSIC ALBUM

25 Back To My Roots Sean Ardoin And Kreole Rock And Soul

Live At The 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & The Golden Eagles Featuring J’Wan Boudreaux

Live At The 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival New Breed Brass Band Featuring Trombone Shorty

Kuini Kalani Pe’a

Stories From The Battlefield The Rumble Featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr.

BEST GOSPEL PERFORMANCE/SONG

Church Doors Yolanda Adams; Donald Lawrence & Sir William James Baptist, songwriters

Yesterday Melvin Crispell III

Hold On (Live) Ricky Dillard

Holy Hands DOE; Jesse Paul Barrera, Jeffrey Castro Bernat, Dominique Jones, Timothy Ferguson, Kelby Shavon Johnson, Jr., Jonathan McReynolds, Rickey Slikk Muzik Offord & Juan Winans, songwriters

One Hallelujah Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Erica Campbell & Israel Houghton Featuring Jonathan McReynolds & Jekalyn Carr; G. Morris Coleman, Israel Houghton, Kenneth Leonard, Jr., Tasha Cobbs Leonard & Naomi Raine, songwriters

BEST CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC PERFORMANCE/SONG

Holy Forever (Live) Bethel Music, Jenn Johnson Featuring CeCe Winans

Praise Elevation Worship Featuring Brandon Lake, Chris Brown & Chandler Moore; Pat Barrett, Chris Brown, Cody Carnes, Steven Furtick, Brandon Lake & Chandler Moore, songwriters

Firm Foundation (He Won’t) Honor & Glory Featuring Disciple

In The Name Of Jesus JWLKRS Worship & Maverick City Music Featuring Chandler Moore; Austin Armstrong, Ran Jackson, Chandler Moore, Sajan Nauriyal, Ella Schnacky, Noah Schnacky & Ilya Toshinskiy, songwriters

In The Room Maverick City Music, Naomi Raine & Chandler Moore Featuring Tasha Cobbs Leonard; G. Morris Coleman, Tasha Cobbs Leonard & Naomi Raine, songwriters

That’s My King CeCe Winans; Taylor Agan, Kellie Gamble, Lloyd Nicks & Jess Russ, songwriters

BEST GOSPEL ALBUM

Covered Vol. 1 Melvin Crispell III

Choirmaster II (Live) Ricky Dillard

Father’s Day Kirk Franklin

Still Karen Karen Clark Sheard

More Than This CeCe Winans

BEST CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC ALBUM

Heart Of A Human DOE

When Wind Meets Fire Elevation Worship

Child Of God Forrest Frank

Coat Of Many Colors Brandon Lake

The Maverick Way Complete Maverick City Music, Naomi Raine & Chandler Moore

BEST ROOTS GOSPEL ALBUM

The Gospel Sessions, Vol 2 Authentic Unlimited

The Gospel According To Mark Mark D. Conklin

Rhapsody The Harlem Gospel Travelers

Church Cory Henry

Loving You The Nelons

BEST LATIN POP ALBUM

Funk Generation Anitta

El Viaje Luis Fonsi

GARCÍA Kany García

Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Shakira

ORQUÍDEAS Kali Uchis

BEST MUSICA URBANA ALBUM

nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana Bad Bunny

Rayo J Balvin

FERXXOCALIPSIS Feid

LAS LETRAS YA NO IMPORTAN Residente

att. Young Miko

BEST LATIN ROCK OR ALTERNATIVE ALBUM

Compita del Destino El David Aguilar

Pa’ Tu Cuerpa Cimafunk

Autopoiética Mon Laferte

GRASA NATHY PELUSO

¿Quién trae las cornetas? Rawayana

BEST MUSICA MEXICANA ALBUM (INCLUDING TEJANO)

Diamantes Chiquis

Boca Chueca, Vol. 1 Carín León

ÉXODO Peso Pluma

De Lejitos Jessi Uribe

BEST TROPICAL LATIN ALBUM

MUEVENSE Marc Anthony

Bailar Sheila E.

Radio Güira Juan Luis Guerra 4.40

Alma, Corazón y Salsa (Live at Gran Teatro Nacional) Tony Succar, Mimy Succar

Vacilón Santiaguero Kiki Valera

BEST CHILDREN’S MUSIC ALBUM

Brillo, Brillo! Lucky Diaz And The Family Jam Band

Creciendo Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats

My Favorite Dream John Legend

Solid Rock Revival Rock For Children

World Wide Playdate Divinity Roxx and Divi Roxx Kids

BEST COMEDY ALBUM

Armageddon Ricky Gervais

The Dreamer Dave Chappelle

The Prisoner Jim Gaffigan

Someday You’ll Die Nikki Glaser

Where Was I Trevor Noah

BEST AUDIOBOOK, NARRATION, AND STORYTELLING RECORDING

All You Need Is Love: The Beatles In Their Own Words (Various Artists) Guy Oldfield, producer

…And Your Ass Will Follow George Clinton

Behind The Seams: My Life In Rhinestones Dolly Parton

Last Sundays In Plains: A Centennial Celebration Jimmy Carter

My Name Is Barbra Barbra Streisand

BEST MUSICAL THEATER ALBUM

Hell’s Kitchen Shoshana Bean, Brandon Victor Dixon, Kecia Lewis & Meleah Joi Moon, principal vocalists; Adam Blackstone, Alicia Keys & Tom Kitt, producers (Alicia Keys, composer & lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast)

Merrily We Roll Along Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez & Daniel Radcliffe, principal vocalists; David Caddick, Joel Fram, Maria Friedman & David Lai, producers (Stephen Sondheim, composer & lyricist) (New Broadway Cast)

The Notebook John Clancy, Carmel Dean, Kurt Deutsch, Derik Lee, Kevin McCollum & Ingrid Michaelson, producers; Ingrid Michaelson, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)

The Outsiders Joshua Boone, Brent Comer, Brody Grant & Sky Lakota-Lynch, principal vocalists; Zach Chance, Jonathan Clay, Matt Hinkley, Justin Levine & Lawrence Manchester, producers; Zach Chance, Jonathan Clay & Justin Levine, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast)

Suffs Andrea Grody, Dean Sharenow & Shaina Taub, producers; Shaina Taub, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)

The Wiz Wayne Brady, Deborah Cox, Nichelle Lewis & Avery Wilson, principal vocalists; Joseph Joubert, Allen René Louis & Lawrence Manchester, producers (Charlie Smalls, composer & lyricist) (2024 Broadway Cast Recording)

BEST COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK FOR VISUAL MEDIA

The Color Purple (Various Artists)

Deadpool & Wolverine (Various Artists)

Maestro: Music By Leonard Bernstein London Symphony Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Bradley Cooper

Saltburn (Various Artists)

Twisters: The Album (Various Artists)

BEST SCORE SOUNDTRACK FOR VISUAL MEDIA

American Fiction Laura Karpman, composer

Challengers Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, composers

The Color Purple Kris Bowers, composer

Dune: Part Two Hans Zimmer, composer

Shōgun Nick Chuba, Atticus Ross & Leopold Ross, composers

BEST SCORE SOUNDTRACK FOR VIDEO GAMES AND OTHER INTERACTIVE MEDIA

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Pinar Toprak, composer

God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla Bear McCreary, composer

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 John Paesano, composer

Star Wars Outlaws Wilbert Roget, II, composer

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord Winifred Phillips, composer

BEST SONG WRITTEN FOR VISUAL MEDIA

Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma [From “Twisters: The Album”] Jessi Alexander, Luke Combs & Jonathan Singleton, songwriters (Luke Combs)

Better Place [From “TROLLS Band Together”] Amy Allen, Shellback & Justin Timberlake, songwriters (*NSYNC & Justin Timberlake)

Can’t Catch Me Now [From “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes”] Daniel Nigro & Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Olivia Rodrigo)

It Never Went Away [From “American Symphony”] Jon Batiste & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Jon Batiste)

Love Will Survive [From “The Tattooist of Auschwitz”] Walter Afanasieff, Charlie Midnight, Kara Talve & Hans Zimmer, songwriters (Barbra Streisand)

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

Tailor Swif A$AP Rocky Vania Heymann & Gal Muggia, video directors

360 Charli XCX Aidan Zamiri, video director; Jami Arceo & Evan Thicke, video producers

Houdini Eminem Rich Lee, video director; Kathy Angstadt, Lisa Arianna & Justin Diener, video producers

Not Like Us Kendrick Lamar Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar, video directors; Jack Begert, Sam Canter & Jamie Rabineau, video producers

Fortnight Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone Taylor Swift, video director; Jil Hardin, video producer

BEST MUSIC FILM

American Symphony Jon Batiste Matthew Heineman, video director; Lauren Domino, Matthew Heineman & Joedan Okun, video producers

June (June Carter Cash) Kristen Vaurio, video director; Josh Matas, Sarah Olson, Jason Owen, Mary Robertson & Kristen Vaurio, video producers

Kings From Queens Run DMC Kirk Fraser, video director; William H. Masterson III, video producer

Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple Steven Van Zandt Bill Teck, video director; Robert Cotto, David Fisher & Bill Teck, video producers

The Greatest Night In Pop (Various Artists) Bao Nguyen, video director; Bruce Eskowitz, George Hencken, Larry Klein, Julia Nottingham, Lionel Richie & Harriet Sternberg, video producers

BEST CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM

Plot Armor Taylor Eigsti

Rhapsody In Blue Béla Fleck

Orchestras (Live) Bill Frisell Featuring Alexander Hanson, Brussels Philharmonic, Rudy Royston & Thomas Morgan

Mark Mark Guiliana

Speak To Me Julian Lage

BEST JAZZ PERFORMANCE

“Walk With Me, Lord (SOUND | SPIRIT)” The Baylor Project

“Phoenix Reimagined (Live)” Lakecia Benjamin Featuring Randy Brecker, Jeff “Tain” Watts & John Scofield

“Juno” Chick Corea & Béla Fleck

“Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” Samara Joy Featuring Sullivan Fortner

“Little Fears” Dan Pugach Big Band Featuring Nicole Zuraitis & Troy Roberts

BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM

Journey In Black Christie Dashiell

Wildflowers Vol. 1 Kurt Elling & Sullivan Fortner

A Joyful Holiday Samara Joy

Milton + Esperanza Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding

My Ideal Catherine Russell & Sean Mason

BEST JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM

Owl Song Ambrose Akinmusire Featuring Bill Frisell & Herlin Riley

Beyond This Place Kenny Barron Featuring Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Johnathan Blake, Immanuel Wilkins & Steve Nelson

Phoenix Reimagined (Live) Lakecia Benjamin

Remembrance Chick Corea & Béla Fleck

Solo Game Sullivan Fortner

BEST LARGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE ALBUM

Returning To Forever John Beasley & Frankfurt Radio Big Band

And So It Goes The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra

Walk A Mile In My Shoe Orrin Evans & The Captain Black Big Band

Bianca Reimagined: Music For Paws And Persistence Dan Pugach Big Band

Golden City Miguel Zenón

BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM

Spain Forever Again Michel Camilo & Tomatito

Cubop Lives! Zaccai Curtis

COLLAB Hamilton de Holanda & Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Time And Again Eliane Elias

El Trio: Live in Italy Horacio ‘El Negro’ Hernández, John Beasley & José Gola

Cuba And Beyond Chucho Valdés & Royal Quartet

As I Travel Donald Vega Featuring Lewis Nash, John Patitucci & Luisito Quintero

BEST ALTERNATIVE JAZZ ALBUM

Night Reign Arooj Aftab

New Blue Sun André 3000

Code Derivation Robert Glasper

Foreverland Keyon Harrold

No More Water: The Gospel Of James Baldwin Meshell Ndegeocello

BEST GLOBAL MUSIC PERFORMANCE

Raat Ki Rani Arooj Aftab

A Rock Somewhere Jacob Collier Featuring Anoushka Shankar & Varijashree Venugopal

Rise Rocky Dawuni

Bemba Colorá Sheila E. Featuring Gloria Estefan & Mimy Succar

Sunlight To My Soul Angélique Kidjo Featuring Soweto Gospel Choir

Kashira Masa Takumi Featuring Ron Korb, Noshir Mody & Dale Edward Chung

BEST AFRICAN MUSIC PERFORMANCE

Tomorrow Yemi Alade

MMS Asake & Wizkid

Sensational Chris Brown Featuring Davido & Lojay

Higher Burna Boy

Love Me JeJe Tems

BEST GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUM

Alkebulan II Matt B Featuring Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Paisajes Ciro Hurtado

Heis Rema

Historias De Un Flamenco Antonio Rey

Born In The Wild Tems

BEST REGGAE ALBUM

Take It Easy Collie Buddz

Party With Me Vybz Kartel

Never Gets Late Here Shenseea

Bob Marley: One Love – Music Inspired By The Film (Deluxe) (Various Artists)

Evolution The Wailers

BEST NEW AGE, AMBIENT OR CHANT ALBUM

Break Of Daw Ricky Kej

Triveni Wouter Kellerman, Éru Matsumoto & Chandrika Tandon

Visions Of Sounds De Luxe Chris Redding

Opus Ryuichi Sakamoto

Chapter II: How Dark It Is Before Dawn Anoushka Shankar

Warriors Of Light Radhika Vekaria

BEST RECORDING PACKAGE

The Avett Brothers Jonny Black & Giorgia Sage, art directors (The Avett Brothers)

Baker Hotel Sarah Dodds & Shauna Dodds, art directors (William Clark Green)

BRAT Brent David Freaney & Imogene Strauss, art directors (Charli XCX)

F-1 Trillion Archie Lee Coates IV, Jeffrey Franklin, Blossom Liu, Kylie McMahon & Ana Cecilia Thompson Motta, art directors (Post Malone)

Hounds Of Love The Baskerville Edition Kate Bush & Albert McIntosh, art directors (Kate Bush)

Jug Band Millionaire Andrew Wong & Julie Yeh, art directors (The Muddy Basin Ramblers)

Pregnancy, Breakdown, And Disease Lee Pei-Tzu, art director (iWhoiWhoo)

BEST BOXED OR SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION PACKAGE

Half Living Things Patrick Galvin, art director (Alpha Wolf)

Hounds Of Love The Boxes Of Lost At Sea Kate Bush & Albert McIntosh, art directors (Kate Bush)

In Utero Doug Cunningham & Jason Noto, art directors (Nirvana)

Mind Games Simon Hilton & Sean Ono Lennon, art directors (John Lennon)

Unsuk Chin Takahiro Kurashima & Marek Polewski, art directors (Unsuk Chin & Berliner Philharmoniker)

We Blame Chicago Rebeka Arce & Farbod Kokabi, art directors (90 Day Men)

BEST ALBUM NOTES

After Midnight Tim Brooks, album notes writer (Ford Dabney’s Syncopated Orchestras)

The Carnegie Hall Concert Lauren Du Graf, album notes writer (Alice Coltrane)

Centennial Ricky Riccardi, album notes writer (King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band & Various Artists)

John Culshaw – The Art Of The Producer – The Early Years 1948-55 Dominic Fyfe, album notes writer (John Culshaw)

SONtrack Original De La Película “Al Son De Beno” Josh Kun, album notes writer (Various Artists)

BEST HISTORICAL ALBUM

Centennial Meagan Hennessey & Richard Martin, compilation producers; Richard Martin, mastering engineer (King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band And Various Artists)

Diamonds And Pearls: Super Deluxe Edition Charles F. Spicer, Jr. & Duane Tudahl, compilation producers; Brad Blackwood & Bernie Grundman,
mastering engineers (Prince & The New Power Generation)

Paul Robeson – Voice of Freedom: His Complete Columbia, RCA, HMV, and Victor Recordings Tom Laskey & Robert Russ, compilation producers; Nancy Conforti & Andreas K. Meyer, mastering engineers (Paul Robeson)

Pepito Y Paquito Pepe De Lucía & Javier Doria, compilation producers; Jesús Bola, mastering engineer (Pepe De Lucía And Paco De Lucía)

The Sound Of Music (Original Soundtrack Recording – Super Deluxe Edition) Mike Matessino & Mark Piro, compilation producers; Steve Genewick & Mike Matessino, mastering engineers (Rodgers & Hammerstein & Julie Andrews)

BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM, NON-CLASSICAL

Algorithm Dernst Emile II, Michael B. Hunter, Stephan Johnson, Rachel Keen, John Kercy, Charles Moniz & Todd Robinson, engineers; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer (Lucky Daye)

Cyan Blue Jack Emblem, Jack Rochon & Charlotte Day Wilson, engineers; Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer (Charlotte Day Wilson)

Deeper Well Craig Alvin, Shawn Everett, Mai Leisz, Todd Lombardo, John Rooney, Konrad Snyder & Daniel Tashian, engineers; Greg Calbi, mastering engineer (Kacey Musgraves)

empathogen Beatriz Artola, Zach Brown, Oscar Cornejo, Chris Greatti & Mitch McCarthy, engineers; Joe La Porta, mastering engineer (WILLOW)

i/o Tchad Blake, Oli Jacobs, Katie May & Dom Shaw, engineers; Matt Colton, mastering engineer (Peter Gabriel)

Short n’ Sweet Bryce Bordone, Julian Bunetta, Serban Ghenea, Jeff Gunnell, Oli Jacobs, Ian Kirkpatrick, Jack Manning, Manny Marroquin, John Ryan & Laura Sisk, engineers; Nathan Dantzler & Ruairi O’Flaherty, mastering engineers (Sabrina Carpenter)

BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM, CLASSICAL

Adams: Girls Of The Golden West Alexander Lipay & Dmitriy Lipay, engineers; Alexander Lipay & Dmitriy Lipay, mastering engineers (John Adams, Daniela Mack, Ryan McKinny, Paul Appleby, Hye Jung Lee, Elliot Madore, Julia Bullock, Davóne Tines, Los Angeles Philharmonic & Los Angeles Master Chorale)

Andres: The Blind Banister Silas Brown, Doron Schachter & Michael Schwartz, engineers; Matt Colton, mastering engineer (Andrew Cyr, Inbal Segev & Metropolis Ensemble)

Bruckner: Symphony No. 7; Bates: Resurrexit Mark Donahue & John Newton, engineers; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

Clear Voices In The Dark Daniel Shores, engineer; Daniel Shores, mastering engineer (Matthew Guard & Skylark Vocal Ensemble)

Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina Alexander Lipay & Dmitriy Lipay, engineers; Alexander Lipay & Dmitriy Lipay, mastering engineers (Gustavo Dudamel, María Dueñas, Los Angeles Philharmonic & Los Angeles Master Chorale)

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, CLASSICAL

Erica Brenner

Christoph Franke

Morten Lindberg

Dmitriy Lipay

Elaine Martone

Dirk Sobotka

BEST IMMERSIVE AUDIO ALBUM

Avalon Bob Clearmountain, immersive mix engineer; Rhett Davies & Bryan Ferry, immersive producers (Roxy Music)

Genius Loves Company Michael Romanowski, Eric Schilling & Herbert Waltl, immersive mix engineers; Michael Romanowski,
immersive mastering engineer; John Burk, immersive producer (Ray Charles With Various Artists)

Henning Sommerro: Borders Morten Lindberg, immersive mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive mastering engineer; Morten
Lindberg, immersive producer (Trondheim Symphony Orchestra)

i/o (In-Side Mix) Hans-Martin Buff, immersive mix engineer; Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel & Richard Russell, immersive producers (Peter Gabriel)

Pax Morten Lindberg, immersive mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive mastering engineer; Morten
Lindberg, immersive producer (Ensemble 96 & Current Saxophone Quartet)

BEST INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITION

At Last Shelton G. Berg, composer (Shelly Berg)

Communion Christopher Zuar, composer (Christopher Zuar Orchestra)

I Swear, I Really Wanted To Make A “Rap” Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time André 3000, Surya Botofasina, Nate Mercereau & Carlos Niño, composers (André 3000)

Remembrance Chick Corea, composer (Chick Corea & Béla Fleck)

Strands Pascal Le Boeuf, composer (Akropolis Reed Quintet, Pascal Le Boeuf & Christian Euman)

BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTAL OR A CAPPELLA

Baby Elephant Walk – Encore Michael League, arranger (Snarky Puppy)

Bridge Over Troubled Water Jacob Collier, Tori Kelly & John Legend, arrangers (Jacob Collier Featuring John Legend & Tori Kelly)

Rhapsody In Blue(Grass) Béla Fleck & Ferde Grofé, arrangers (Béla Fleck Featuring Michael Cleveland, Sierra Hull, Justin
Moses, Mark Schatz & Bryan Sutton)

Rose Without The Thorns Erin Bentlage, Alexander Lloyd Blake, Scott Hoying, A.J. Sealy & Amanda Taylor, arrangers (Scott Hoying Featuring säje & Tonality)

Silent Night Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick & Amanda Taylor, arrangers (säje)

BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTS AND VOCALS

Alma Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johanye Kendrick & Amanda Taylor, arrangers (säje Featuring Regina Carter)

Always Come Back Matt Jones, arranger (John Legend)

b i g f e e l i n g s Willow, arranger (WILLOW)

Last Surprise (From “Persona 5”) Charlie Rosen & Jake Silverman, arrangers (The 8-Bit Big Band Featuring Jonah Nilsson & Button Masher)

The Sound Of Silence Cody Fry, arranger (Cody Fry Featuring Sleeping At Last)

BEST ORCHESTRAL PERFORMANCE

Adams: City Noir, Fearful Symmetries & Lola Montez Does The Spider Dance Marin Alsop, conductor (ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra)

Kodály: Háry János Suite; Summer Evening & Symphony In C Major JoAnn Falletta, conductor (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra)

Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)

Sibelius: Karelia Suite, Rakastava, & Lemminkäinen Susanna Mälkki, conductor (Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra)

Stravinsky: The Firebird Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor (San Francisco Symphony)

BEST OPERA RECORDING

Adams: Girls Of The Golden West John Adams, conductor; Paul Appleby, Julia Bullock, Hye Jung Lee, Daniela Mack, Elliot Madore, Ryan McKinny & Davóne Tines; Dmitriy Lipay, producer (Los Angeles Philharmonic; Los Angeles Master Chorale)

Catán: Florencia En El Amazonas Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Mario Chang, Michael Chioldi, Greer Grimsley, Nancy Fabiola
Herrera, Mattia Olivieri, Ailyn Pérez & Gabriella Reyes; David Frost, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)

Moravec: The Shining Gerard Schwarz, conductor; Tristan Hallett, Kelly Kaduce & Edward Parks; Blanton Alspaugh, producer (Kansas City Symphony; Lyric Opera Of Kansas City Chorus)

Puts: The Hours Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Joyce DiDonato, Renée Fleming & Kelli O’Hara; David Frost, producer (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Metropolitan Opera Chorus)

Saariaho: Adriana Mater Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor; Fleur Barron, Axelle Fanyo, Nicholas Phan & Christopher Purves; Jason O’Connell, producer (San Francisco Symphony; San Francisco Symphony Chorus; Timo Kurkikangas)

BEST CHORAL PERFORMANCE

Clear Voices In The Dark Matthew Guard, conductor (Carrie Cheron, Nathan Hodgson, Helen Karloski & Clare McNamara; Skylark Vocal Ensemble)

A Dream So Bright – Choral Music Of Jake Runestad Eric Holtan, conductor (Jeffrey Biegel; True Concord Orchestra; True Concord Voices)

Handel: Israel In Egypt Jeannette Sorrell, conductor (Margaret Carpenter Haigh, Daniel Moody, Molly Netter, Jacob Perry &
Edward Vogel; Apollo’s Fire; Apollo’s Singers)

Ochre Donald Nally, conductor (The Crossing)

Sheehan: Akathist Elaine Kelly, conductor; Melissa Attebury, Stephen Sands & Benedict Sheehan, chorus masters (Elizabeth Bates, Paul D’Arcy, Tynan Davis, Aine Hakamatsuka, Steven Hrycelak, Helen Karloski, Enrico Lagasca, Edmund Milly, Fotina Naumenko, Neil Netherly, Timothy Parsons, Stephen Sands, Miriam Sheehan & Pamela Terry; Novus NY; Artefact Ensemble, The Choir Of Trinity Wall Street, Downtown Voices & Trinity Youth Chorus)

BEST CHAMBER MUSIC/SMALL ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE

Adams, J.L.: Waves & Particles JACK Quartet

Beethoven For Three: Symphony No. 4 And Op. 97, ‘Archduke’ Yo-Yo Ma, Leonidas Kavakos & Emanuel Ax

Cerrone: Beaufort Scales Beth Willer, Christopher Cerrone & Lorelei Ensemble

Home Miró Quartet

Rectangles And Circumstance Caroline Shaw & Sō Percussion

BEST CLASSICAL INSTRUMENTAL SOLO

Akiho: Longing Andy Akiho

Bach: Goldberg Variations Víkingur Ólafsson

Eastman: The Holy Presence Of Joan D’Arc Seth Parker Woods; Christopher Rountree, conductor (Wild Up)

Entourer Mak Grgić (Ensemble Dissonance)

Perry: Concerto For Violin & Orchestra Curtis Stewart; James Blachly, conductor (Experiential Orchestra)

BEST CLASSICAL VOCAL SOLO ALBUM

Beyond The Years – Unpublished Songs Of Florence Price Karen Slack, soloist; Michelle Cann, pianist

A Change Is Gonna Come Nicholas Phan, soloist; Palaver Strings, ensembles

Newman: Bespoke Songs Fotina Naumenko, soloist; Marika Bournaki, pianist (Nadège Foofat; Julietta Curenton, Colin Davin, Mark Edwards, Nadia Pessoa, Timothy Roberts, Ryan Romine, Akemi Takayama, Karlyn Viña & Garrick Zoeter)

Show Me The Way Will Liverman, soloist; Jonathan King, pianist

Wagner: Wesendonck Lieder Joyce DiDonato, soloist; Maxim Emelyanychev, conductor (Il Pomo d’Oro)

BEST CLASSICAL COMPENDIUM

Akiho: BeLonging Andy Akiho & Imani Winds; Andy Akiho, Sean Dixon & Mark Dover, producers

American Counterpoints Curtis Stewart; James Blachly, conductor; Blanton Alspaugh, producer

Foss: Symphony No. 1; Renaissance Concerto; Three American Pieces; Ode JoAnn Falletta, conductor; Bernd Gottinger, producer

Mythologies II Sangeeta Kaur, Omar Najmi, Hilá Plitmann, Robert Thies & Danaë Xanthe Vlasse; Michael Shapiro,
conductor; Jeff Atmajian, Emilio D. Miler, Hai Nguyen, Robert Thies, Danaë Xanthe Vlasse & Kitt Wakeley, Producers

Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Dmitriy Lipay, producer

BEST CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL COMPOSITION

Casarrubios: Seven For Solo Cello Andrea Casarrubios, composer (Andrea Casarrubios)

Coleman: Revelry Valerie Coleman, composer (Decoda)

Lang: Composition As Explanation David Lang, composer (Eighth Blackbird)

Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina Gabriela Ortiz, composer (Gustavo Dudamel, Los Angeles Philharmonic & Los Angeles Master Chorale)

Saariaho: Adriana Mater Kaija Saariaho, composer (Esa-Pekka Salonen, Fleur Barron, Nicholas Phan, Christopher Purves, Axelle Fanyo, San Francisco Symphony Chorus & Orchestra)

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

THE BACHELOR S29. E1. | WELCOME TO THE BACHELOR SEASON 29!

PHOTO CREDIT | ABC/The Bachelor Key Art

PHOTO CREDIT FOR THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS | Disney/Matt Sayles

We are back with S29 of ABC’s The Bachelor which is led by Grant Ellis who was on Jenn Tran’s S21 of The Bachelorette! We watched him navigate his relationship with her until he was eliminated in week 6 right before Hometowns.

We get to meet Grant through a series of photoshoots, seeing him play basketball, we meet his family, and we catch up with why he’s ready to be The Bachelor and how he will navigate the process. We hear about his father’s addiction, his parents divorced, and how he felt that although he loved them, they didn’t say that to one another. Basketball gave him the ability to focus on what he was going through.

We also see him give his First Impression Rose to his grandmother to let her know that he will always love her and she is his number one. He meets Jesse Palmer as his journey is moments from starting and they figure out how he will take on the night.

We meet Rose who steps out of the limo first and she asks him, will he accept this rose? Litia is a cutie who is Mormon and was born in Hawaii. SHe comes from a large family and although she’s not great at basketball, she says that he can bring the skills and she will bring the sparkle. J’nae brought chalk and it was such a cute moment between the 2 of them because she is a basketball fan. The women really brought it by sharing themselves and finding cute ways for him to remember them. It’s always interesting to see the reactions of the other castmembers as they watch the other entrances and this year, having a Llama in the group is quite a sight to see.

All the women have finally arrived and are in the house. He welcomes all of them and thanks them for their entrance and being there. He lets the know he is looking for a wife, he wants, a family and he asks them what does love mean to them? He lets them know what it means to him. He also shares that his mom signed him up for the show in case they weren’t aware. Grant’s sister also swings by to let the women know more about him as well as to meet him.

The First Impression Rose means a lot more this season as she will be guaranteed to come into the mansion but she will also get the first 1-on-1 dayte! Alexe is the first one to get the rose. Going into tonight’s episode, we guessed based on profiles alone that Alexe, Alli Jo, Allyshia, and Julianna would go to Hometowns. We now know that so far all of the women we predicted are closer to getting there.

RECEIVED A ROSE | Alexe, Alli Jo, Allyshia, Bailey, Beverly, Carolina, Chloie, Dina, Ella, Litia, Julianna, Natalie, Parisa, Rebekah, Rose, Sarafiena, Vicky, and Zoe

DIDN’T RECEIVE A ROSE | Christina, J’Nae, Kelsey, Kyleigh, Neicey, Radhika, and Savannah

Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

---

WHO WE THINK WILL GO TO HOMETOWNS

ALEXE

ALLI JO

ALLYSHIA

JULIANA

---

THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS

ALEXE

ALLI JO

ALLYSHIA

BAILEY

BEVERLY

CAROLINA

CHLOIE

CHRISTINA

DINA

ELLA

J'NAE

JULIANA

KELSEY

KYLEIGH

LITIA

NATALIE

NEICEY

PARISA

RADHIKA

REBEKAH

ROSE

SARAFIENA

SAVANNAH

VICKY

ZOE

FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU LOVE | JACK HUSTON + MICHAEL C. PITT

Last month Day of the Fight was released into theaters. It tells the story of Irish Mike as he prepares for his fight at Madison Square Garden. As we lead up to this big event, we also get to see the people, places, and things that make up his life. With an incredible cast that includes Michael C Pitt (Boardwalk Empire, Asphalt City, Reptile), Ron Perlman (Hellboy franchise, Sons of Anarchy, StartUp), Joe Pesci (Goodfellas, Casino, The Irishman), and Steve Buscemi (The Sopranos, Fargo, Boardwalk Empire) to name a few - we're drawn into his world as well as the decisions that he makes.

We had the pleasure to sit down with Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire, Expats, House of Gucci), writer, producer and making his directorial debut along with lead actor, Michael to talk about this film, how it came to be, moments that they enjoyed, the takeaway that they want others to have from it, and the power of cinema.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We watched this movie last night and we’re boxing fans. So we were already excited to see the movie. It was even better that it was not the traditional and formulaic boxing film that we are used to seeing! Before we delve into the movie, Jack you wrote, directed, and produced it. What led you to creating this film? Michael, what made you want to be part of this film?

JACK HUSTON: I had the great opportunity to work with Michael many years ago on Boardwalk Empire.

AM: Which was an amazing series!

JH: Thank you! I always had memories of Michael punching sandbags and going off to the boxing gym. So maybe, I had him there in my head. But I also had the memories of just how much I loved working with Michael just him being such a beautiful actor and he has always elevated any season that he was in. Somebody who just conveys so much through his eyes. He has this amazing sense of sensitivity and vulnerability with a hard exterior you know and he could play every part. When I sort of conceived the film, I could not imagine anybody else in the role. It’s amazing where you have these moments where you are literally right there with someone else’s voice in your head. So, I wrote and came up with the idea for the film with Michael in the role and I went to him and said, you’ve got to do this role! He asked me, where’s the script and I was like, well I haven’t written it yet. So we worked and sort of developed it through the years. It was a great fight worth having to get Michael to play this part. I thank God everyday that I got the opportunity to do it with him.

AM: Wow, that’s great to hear. What drew you to the film Michael?

MICHAEL C. PITT: Permission to speak freely?

AM: Of course.

MCP: This film chose me. Jack chose me. My very good friend, my buddy, and my collaborator basically said that he wanted me to do this. He pulled me out of the gutter to play this film. We made it with a lot of love and a lot of heart. We made it to inspire the younger generation and so I hope we do.

AM: It was incredible. The casting was incredible obviously in addition to Michael, Joe Pesci, Steve Buscemi, Ron Perlman -

MCP: Well that’s all Jack! I have no idea how – I mean I used to call him The Prince! I have no idea in hell how he did it!

AM: That part!

MCP: Yeah, how he assembled those older men – they are not the easiest and they are set in their ways.

AM: Haha you are basically asking what we’re trying to say so I thank you for navigating that one! How'd you do that?

MCP: To get them in the room. That was all Jack. All Jack. Thank God we were able to get those guys!

JH: You know, it’s funny. When you write it for certain people, I think that just like Michael said, the film was all heart and it was all love. The two elements or the two characters that were written specifically for the film were Mike and Joe. Joe was – you know, I heard his voice and that’s him singing in the movie. I was developing this character that had dementia and we needed an actor with such a history and almost where their reputation proceeded them the way that they find them in the film, they have to have such a body of work because they are suffering from dementia. Then I heard him sing and I thought, what if he doesn’t speak, but you hear him sing? That’s what brings back the memories because when my grandma when she was suffering from dementia, music would bring her back in the room. She gained that lucidity through that – through music and that’s what sort of happened.

But, getting Joe was landing the white whale because the film wouldn’t have happened. He pretty much secured our financing! I think it was kind of like, “ha ha if you get Joe Pesci, we’ll secure your financing for the movie.” Then we went ahead and got Joe Pesci. Then they were like oh shit, we have to finance the movie. But it was a big gamble and I think again it came down to the collective love of what we were trying to make and a bit of a throwback to the movies that aren’t made like this anymore. It is an homage to that type of picture. It’s all about feeling, all about character, all about the sort of real human struggle and the human condition. The kinds of films like Mike was saying that made us fall in love with cinema and hopefully, it will inspire other people to fall in love with cinema all over again.

AM: What did you draw from, Mike in terms of your character and how did you approach playing him?

MCP: Oh, that’s such a difficult question because it was set up – Jack set it up for me to experience this role. So it was a bit like, “ok, I set everything up, you’re trained, and now ding, ding, ding – go out there and do everything and get out into the ring and make me proud.” Basically, that’s how it was set up for me and it’s hard for me to watch, but I do notice that it does make people feel. I do think that that is a very important thing that Jack touches on. It’s really smart to be streetwise, it’s very good to keep your poker face up and to keep your guard on. But you need to feel things. We need to feel things or we’re not human. I hope that people have the courage to feel when they are watching the film.

AM: There were so many themes that we enjoyed when watching the film: redemption, resilience, fortitude, and even being able to establish things in the future that you know will not be yours to enjoy; however, you have created the fingerprint for that to happen. Of course, the whole past, present, future of everything that is going on in the film is just really great. What stuck out for you as moments in the film that you really enjoyed?

JH: God, there’s so much! You know what? It’s wonderful when you’re able to step back and say, this role is yours. Run, enjoy, feel it, and experience it. Witnessing the actors coming together and what was made, the writing was elevated to such an extent, but that is exactly again, going to the beauty of relationships. I have to say that I think that what Michael and a lot of our actors did is that they gave very honest performances. There’s a lot of truth in them and I think that everyone is always talking about forgetting to go to the movies. I always say that I like to remember things and I like to feel that scene in my heart and gut and I want to wake up thinking about that.

Certain images – I like when everything comes together and that’s usually as a common goal. There are a lot of surprising scenes that on the page read one way, but my God it’s gorgeous to witness 2 lovely actors take it and run with it. You know, it was magic. I spent a lot of time crying when I was looking at the monitors. It was huge moments of gratitude for me.

AM: Michael, was there anything that stuck out with you?

MCP: In the filming? Every single day! Every single day, every single moment. It’s a beautiful memory for me. Listening to Jack talk, you know, I don’t know why I started thinking about when I was a little boy and my mother has 4 kids tugging on her and we’re trying to make ends meet and she would buy $1 movies at Blockbuster. Blockbuster was going out of business and she would buy $1 movies, and I would just sit in front of all of these movies and I never saw a bad movie, I never saw a movie that I didn’t like.

JH: Yeah, right!

MCP: These films changed people. A film that makes you feel is a film that you see and it changes people. Those were films that changed my whole direction of life!

Every moment of every single day of every single second that I was filming, it was incredible! So people should go see it!

AM: In thinking about the concept of deadlines with the movie literally being the Day of the Fight, you know that you’re seeing everything that is happening or lead up to the day of the fight, but you also understand that there is this health condition that is going on so if he does box, this could be another timeline that takes place. What was the thought behind running these multiple timelines as well as the past, present, future, aspect as well?

MCP: Jack, you mentioned this wonderful quote by Hitchcock (Psycho, Rear Window, The Birds) and I think it’s so great that you need to say it.

JH: Yeah, Hitchcock did an early - well before I say that, in this film initially, you didn’t find out about his medical condition in this script until the fight and when he gets knocked down. Then you put things together and realize why this day has been like this.

It’s funny because when I was in the edit, I used an old Hitchcock quote which is, “2 people sitting at a table having a conversation and that’s one thing. You put a bomb under the table, the conversation becomes very different.”

MCP: So his condition is the bomb.

AM: Right.

JH: His condition is the bomb, but the audience –

MCP: Which is brilliant.

JH: It’s good for the audience to know that because every single one of those scenes where you know it’s a ticking bomb makes that scene all the more weighty because it’s possibly the last time that he is seeing any of these people. So you’re on this journey that only Irish Mike knows about!

MCP: From a writing standpoint, it’s a really brilliant thing for people to hear.

JH: Yeah.

MCP: It sets and puts the tension in every scene.

JH: Every scene!

MCP: It puts the motivation in every scene, every character, and so his condition is the bomb under the table during the conversation.

JH: And you know that, so it’s even better when you’re watching it for the second time. Even though you know it when you're watching it for the first time, it works great for the second time as it is really set in. A lot of people have come to multiple screenings and they have told me that they are so happy that they got to see it again. They gained so much more from the second viewing. I love films that you can watch over and over again! I think that this is a film that you can watch a bunch of times.

AM: Our thoughts exactly as we want to watch it again. Even when watching it last night in preparation for today’s discussion, it was incredible. We love a film that is in black and white. There was nothing to not love about this film. In an additional viewing, it will be great to see more of the little things that maybe weren’t seen the first time! Just from top to bottom, it was a great watch! Then to be able to see it and talk with both of you about this has been really amazing!

MCP: Ditto! Ditto! It’s really nice to talk to you as well.

AM: So great chatting with you and I hope that it gets all of the awards it deserves because it’s so great!

JH: You’re so sweet! Please go yell that at the rafters as we need people to come and support this movie!

AM: 100%

JH: We love you for it!

IG @dayofthefight

@thejackhuston

@michaelcarmenpitt

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Front/Back Cover, PG 16 - 27 + 30 - 43 Day of the Fight/Jeong Park | PG 28 Day of the Fight/Peter Simsonite |

Read the DEC ISSUE #108 of Athleisure Mag and see FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU LOVE | Jack Huston + Michael C. Pitt in mag.

IN TIME | CHARLES VANDERVAART

Currently, you can enjoy the second half of the S7 of STARZ's Outlander which is a historical romance time travel series based on the books written by Diana Gabaldonof the same name. It follows Claire Randall (Caitríona Balfe), a British nurse who travels from the 20th-century to 17th-century Scotland. In the new timeline, she meets and falls in love with a Highland warrior, Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan). With only 1 more season left, we're looking forward to see what other stories will be told in future spin-offs which we're looking forward to.

We sat down with Charles Vandervaart (Holly Hobbie, The Craft: Legacy, Murdoch Mysteries) who plays Jamie's son, William Ransom to find out about how he came to this show, what he loves about it, as well as upcoming projects that he is involved.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the first film or series that made you fall in love with acting and when did you realize that you wanted to be an actor?

CHARLES VANDERVAART: I was very young. I remember going to a play at my local theatre when I was about 6, and I was just enthralled by it. In the car home I asked my parents if I could try to do a play. I got my first ever gig at that same theatre. I fell in love with acting playing Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol.

AM: What do you enjoy about storytelling?

CV: Storytelling is so very human, we come together in the telling of stories. We can learn to empathize with and learn from others and in doing so, learn more about ourselves and the world around us. We endure through stories. Beauty that may otherwise be lost is protected and preserved in story.

AM: We've enjoyed watching Outlander and we know a number of fans also enjoy the book, how much did you know about this series before you came to it?

CV: My aunt has been a really big fan for years now. I remember her talking about the show when we would get together for holidays. I watched a couple of episodes on my own before I auditioned, but after my first audition I binged the whole thing and fell in love with the story.

AM: You play William Ransom. Can you tell us about your character and how he fits into the world of Outlander?

CV: William Henry Clarence George Ransom is the bastard son of Jamie Fraser, however he believes he is the biological son of the 8th Earl of Ellesmere, who died on the day of his birth along with his mother. He was raised by Lord John as the 9th Earl. He grew up in affluent circles, learning about the world through the lens of the ultra wealthy in England. English patriotism and a loyalty to the crown became major aspects of his identity. When William learns of his true parentage, his entire identity shatters. He becomes this tornado of rage, feeling betrayed by Lord John and everyone else who kept this secret from him.

AM: How do you approach playing William and what is it like acting in a period piece?

CV: Well I get a lot of help from the writing, costumes, accent, etc to create William. Carol Ann Crawford, the dialect coach on the show was a tremendous help in finding William’s accent. Once I start talking like him, the rest of William quickly followed.

AM: We know fans of the show enjoy the cast and of course, Sam Heughan. What is it like playing against him?

CV: I remember one of my last scenes in season 7 was with Sam, even though we’ve been filming for a year at this point it only hit me then that my character’s dad was Jamie Fraser. It felt a little like I was watching the show in real time. I was feeling very grateful for this amazing journey. He's a hell of a scene partner.

AM: A few weeks ago, S7 part 2 began releasing episodes what can you tell us about this portion of the season?

CV: Identity crisis is central for Mr. Ransom. S7 part 2 involves a great deal of pain for William. He also hurts a lot of people this season. Let's hope he grows from his pain and becomes better. I think he needs some therapy for sure.

AM: In terms of filming a show such as this, we imagine that it can be long hours - what do you do to prepare when you're going on set and what do you once you complete filming for the day?

CV: Coffee coffee coffee!! The long days and early starts can be a lot, no one likes to wake up at 4am. The Scottish Highland air help wakes you up though, one of the many perks of shooting in such a wonderful country.

AM: When you're not on set, how do you stay in shape and what are 3 workouts that you do that we should consider adding into our routines?

CV: Rock climbing has been my go to over the last couple of years. I absolutely love it. It feels nice to have such a simple task to complete that requires creativity and athleticism. As far as gyming goes, my three go to’s are probably hip thrusts for legs, pull ups for my back, and shoulder press for shoulders and triceps.

AM: When you're taking time for yourself, what would we find you doing?

CV: I love a good hike, outdoor rock climbing, gardening.. get me outside and I’m happy.

IG @charles_vandervaart

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 87 Dio Anthony/Groomer Valissa Yoe | PG 88-93 STARZ/Outlander |

Read the DEC ISSUE #108 of Athleisure Mag and see IN TIME | Charles Vandervaart in mag.

THE BACHELOR S29. E0. | MEET GRANT AND THE WOMEN ON THIS SEASON

PHOTO CREDIT | ABC/The Bachelor Key Art

PHOTO CREDIT FOR THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS | Disney/Matt Sayles

On Jan 27th, we will be glued to our screens to enjoy S29 of ABC’s The Bachelor which is being helmed by Grant Ellis who was on Jenn Tran’s S21 of The Bachelorette! We watched him navigate his relationship with her until he was eliminated in week 6 right before Hometowns!

A few weeks back, a first look of the women competing in his season was provided via ABC’s The Bachelor Facebook account!

They just released the contestants official images and we wanted to make sure you see these women.

As we do each season, we have shared these images (we’ll update their ABC gallery images) and we’ll begin to make the best guess on who will be going to Hometowns! We can’t wait to see how Grant and Jesse Palmer will vibe as he continues through the season and what surprises will be along the way.

Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

---

WHO WE THINK WILL GO TO HOMETOWNS

ALEXE

ALLI JO

ALLYSHIA

JULIANA

---

THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS

ALEXE

ALLI JO

ALLYSHIA

BAILEY

BEVERLY

CAROLINA

CHLOIE

CHRISTINA

DINA

ELLA

J'NAE

JULIANA

KELSEY

KYLEIGH

LITIA

NATALIE

NEICEY

PARISA

RADHIKA

REBEKAH

ROSE

SARAFIENA

SAVANNAH

VICKY

ZOE

FULL CIRCLE MOMENT | WALTON GOGGINS

This time of year is an exciting one as we begin to close one and look ahead to the next one. While we maintain our normal schedules, we also infuse it with the Holiday season - it’s great to share with friends and family, exchange gifts, increase celebratory moments, and so much more! We all know that they are key dates coming up that are focused on the exchange of gifts as well as obtaining them at various points. We took a moment to chat with Walton Goggins (Preadators, The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained) to find out about why he partnered with Walmart for the holiday season, what he loves about this time of year, and upcoming projects that he is involved in!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Obviously, we're going to talk about your amazing partnership with Walmart and what's going on with that. But we have a few questions to ask you because our readers are so excited that we're able to chat with you.

WALTON GOGGINS: Okay, okay, alright, fantastic!

AM: We've been a fan of yours since - you have too many things to name - Justified, Righteous Gemstones, George and Tammy, and the list can go on in film as well as in TV. We find you to be such an amazing actor who plays immersive and diverse characters. When did you realize that you wanted to be an actor?

WG: What a great question! I don't think that there was like a bolt of lightning that happened. I think it happened over the course of a very long period of time. I was raised mostly by women and a lot of interesting characters were around in my childhood and all of them just happened to be really interesting great storytellers.

AM: Right.

WG: So I'm listening to a lot of stories and then once I was given the microphone to start telling my own stories, you know, I had a natural kind of built in audience that just kept saying, “no, keep talking Walt."

So, you kind of have that encouragement, you know, right out of the gate. It's hard to kind of do anything else. I genuinely just wanted to see the world. That was the main thing. Then it just - one life kind of dovetailed into the other and the opportunity to see the world, and to be able to be a storyteller was just something that fit. You know, how do any of us really go about things? What are the decisions that any of us make that lead us on the road that we're going to be on for the rest of our lives? You know, is it fate or is it an accident?

AM: Mmm.

WG: What is it? That I don't know. But I'm so grateful for my life and grateful for the opportunities that I've had to tell the stories that I have!

AM: Absolutely!

WG: Including Walmart Black Friday Deals!

AM: Exactly! Without a doubt!

Why did you want to be connected to this amazing project and tell us more about it.

WG: Well, first and foremost, Walmart is a part of American culture. It’s not the whole culture, but it's certainly part of American culture. It is a corporation that has been in all of our lives for such a very long time! And where I come from on Fairburn Road, a lot of my friends as we got older, we started to work there and I had the good fortune - I'll tell you a little bit about my history with this company.

AM: Please.

WG: I was a poor kid from the South and I made really good grades and I had the opportunity to go to school. But we didn't have a lot of money and we had to pay the rent. I got a small Scholastic Scholarship, you know. But in addition to that, there was a gap of funding that we just couldn't make that square around that square if you will and my mom, you know through our friends or whatever, heard that Walmart, had a grant.

AM: Oh wow.

WG: It was a sizeable amount of money and when I went you know in 1988 or 1989. I’m dating myself, don’t tell anybody!

AM: Ha! That's okay!

WG: My mom encouraged me to write this essay, you know, to the Walmart. That's how it works and that’s what I did - and I won!

AM: Wow.

WG: The money that I, I desperately needed, you know, my first year in college and in addition to that incredible opportunity, this company gave me - they also printed an 8x10 picture of me. I don't know what it was. I think it was a headshot. It was my first headshot, I think that's what it was. They put it up in their store, you know, for the better part of 6 months. People would call me because you know we didn’t have cell phones then, but they would leave these stupid messages on my answering machine, “saw your picture in Walmart, Walton. Are you part of the Walton family?"

So anyway, that's kind of my history with this company. This opportunity kind of came along and they sent this script and I thought, “wow, what a what an interesting way to sell things, right?” You know, it's a hybrid between entertainment and doing what we're gonna do anyway, which is to find things for our loved ones at the holidays. Black Friday deals have been around for a long time. They played an important role in my family's ability to buy things for Christmas and it does for a lot of people in this country and all over the world and I thought, what a cool thing to be a part of. I'm so happy that I did it. There's all these wonderful actors that I work with like Ian Somerhalder. There are others like Lisa Rinna, Taye Diggs who I've known for a while, Anthony Ramos and it’s great folks and it's 10 stories. These stories are vignettes if you will. There’s a supernatural genre, action genre, mine is a Western genre!

AM: Shocker!

WG: But you know what? I've done action!

AM: Of course!

WG: I have done a lot of genres in my time, but this is one that they saw me in and invited me to kind of come along this journey. We had such a great time filming it. You know, it was just so much fun and they’re such a great company to work for and work with. So, when I think people will watch them and they'll see the things that they want to buy and some things featured in a way that makes them laugh. It brings a smile to their face and so it’s a great way to go about it!

AM: Well, do you know when your episode will drop, do they all drop at one time? Like what's kind of the flow?

WG: Well you know, there are ten. I’m not exactly sure when they all drop. I know mine will drop towards the end of November which is, which is kind of very, very exciting because it's getting close to Dec. I think more will be revealed as it goes on. The first one drops on Nov. 11th-17th. I think that’s the first block and they're kind of rolled out from there.

AM: Wow it’ll be great to see them!

What do you love about the holiday season?

WG: I just love the opportunity to commune with family and friends. You know, we all have our rituals right? We all have the things that we do but the thing that I do that I've been given the opportunity to do is I don't really watch a lot of sports. I’m not that guy even though I played a bunch of sports growing up.

I make a fire and I sit around that fire with my family and with my friends and I have a glass of wine and I listen to music. And I just commune. What better thing is there than that and to tell people that mean something to you how much you love them?

AM: That's really nice and very sweet!

You're always working on so many projects. I can't wait till White Lotus comes out and I know that you have a bunch of other stuff as well. Is there anything that you would like to share with us, that you're working on that we can keep an eye out for?

WG: Well, you know, I think you said it, you know, I got a bunch of things that are coming out. I have a few movies that are coming out. My wife has a movie that she wrote and directed called The Uninvited, which is dropping pretty soon.

Then there is The White Lotus and we just finished the new season of The Righteous Gemstones!

AM: So excited for both of those shows! I'm really excited for The Righteous Gemstones.

WG: So good. It's so good.

AM: Everytime I watch that show, I grew up in the Midwest with an Evangelical and Pentecostal background and there's just so many things that happen on that show and my boyfriend will ask, “Is that real?” and I'm like, “yes!”

WG: Oh yeah! That’s real and that one is real too!

We're going back to Fallout here pretty soon. And then, kind of beyond that, reading and waiting and seeing what the future brings everybody else! But right now, Walmart!

We enjoyed sitting down with Walton to talk about his career and the Christmas campaign that he is involved in. You can check out his videos for this campaign Something's Cooking and Can't Handle the Heat as well as an array of celebs that participated in Deals of Desire.

IG @waltongogginsbonafide

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Walmart/Tina Rowden

THE BACHELOR S29. E0. | MEET GRANT AND THE WOMEN ON HIS JOURNEY

PHOTO CREDIT | ABC/The Bachelor Key Art

On Jan 27th, we will be glued to our screens to enjoy S29 of ABC’s The Bachelor which is being helmed by Grant Ellis who was on Jenn Tran’s S21 of The Bachelorette! We watched him navigate his relationship with her until he was eliminated in week 6 right before Hometowns!

A few weeks back, a first look of the women competing in his season was provided via ABC’s The Bachelor Facebook account! (where you can see videos that include more information on him as well as sneak peeks on the upcoming season!

As we do each season, we have shared these images (we’ll update their ABC gallery images) and we’ll begin to make the best guess on who will be going to Hometowns! We can’t wait to see how Grant and Jesse Palmer will vibe as he continues through the season and what surprises will be along the way.

Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

---

WHO WE THINK WILL GO TO HOMETOWNS

ALEXE

ALLIE JO

ALLYSHIA

JULIANA

---

THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS

ALEXE

ALLIE JO

ALLYSHIA

ANDREA

BAILEY

BEVERLY

CAROLINA

CHLOIE

CHRISTINA

DINA

ELLA

J'NAE

JULIANA

KYLEIGH

KELSEY

LITIA

NATALIE

NEICEY

PARISA

RADHIKA

REBECCA L.

REBEKAH G.

ROSE

SAVANNAH

SARAFIENA

VICKY

ZOE

9LIST STORI3S | TAYE DIGGS

Read the NOV ISSUE #107 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S | Taye Diggs in mag.

9PLAYLIST | CHEF MICHAEL VOLTAGGIO

Read the NOV ISSUE #107 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | Chef Michael Voltaggio in mag and listen to his 9PLAYLIST.

YOUR NEXT HOMEGATE | CHEF EDDIE JACKSON

This time of year, we're enjoying the changing of the leaves, the crisp air, adding a few fun layers, and getting in all the football games possibly from college to pro! Whomever you're cheering for, it's an opportunity to gather with family, friends, and colleagues throughout the week whether you're tailgating or homegating!

We headed over to Chef Eddie Jackson, NFL veteran and host of Food Network shows' Outchef'd and Christmas Cookie Challenge to talk about how we can take our entertaining to the next level when our teams are hitting the field, how we can make it easy on ourselves, his football picks, and of course his upcoming show for the holiday season!

ATHLEISURE MAG: So what was the first dish that made you fall in love with food?

CHEF EDDIE JACKSON: Ooo, so I grew up in a family of chefs. My grandmothers on either sides were chefs. Yeah, and I just remember making biscuits in my grandmother's kitchen when I was like four or five years old.

AM: Well, you know, being an NFL Alum, we know that, you know, a thing or two about playing the game, we know you're watching it and of course what foods pair well with it. You know, whether we're tailgating or at the stadium or we're homegating, how can we make the perfect pairings for our next football game?

CHEF EJ: Well, first off football season is my favorite time of the year. For one, I love football, but two - it's all about tailgating and homegating. I made a cookbook that's all about homegating recipes, right? And so, I love giving people tips to show them how they can homegate tailgate, like a pro. And in this instance, I've teamed up and partnered up with Bota Box wine to create these delicious pairings, with some recipes. But then also, picking and choosing some of the wines that they have to go with different flavors that I created with the wings that I made for them.

AM: I mean, that's amazing and I love a good wing! I actually have a wing recipe coming out next year in a cookbook.

CHEF EJ: Hold on! You just have a wing recipe?

AM: So it's a compilation. So we've been doing different cookbook recipes where it's always been a number of other chefs that have also participated and this is our third one. I made a very tasty recipe that will be out next year! It’s a very zippy Mezcal Chimichurri wing!

CHEF EJ: Ooo, I see you Kimmie!

AM: I know right? I mean, I know you love a good chicken wing so how can we take our wings to the next level Chef Eddie style?

CHEF EJ: Alright! So I have a few things that I that I've created so the thing about homegating and tailgating is that you want to find different flavor upgrades, but you want to keep things simple, right?

AM: Exactly.

CHEF EJ: So I have some brawts that I've uh braised in some white wine. I have this Bota Box Pinot Grigio that we braise the brats in to kind of cut through some of the fattiness that brats can have. Another upgrade that you can do is like I have a slider recipe, right? So, sliders are simple. Everybody knows how to make a slider. So what we're going to do, is we're going to upgrade it and make a spicy ketchup. And in this instance, I'm making a jerk ketchup.

AM: Oh wow, okay!

CHEF EJ: I lived in Miami for a while and so I kind of fell in love with those jerk spices and jerk flavors. So we're gonna add that to some sliders to upgrade it. And then we get to the the piece de resistance, right? So we have some wings! I have a whole chapter in my book about wings!

Don't do, takeout, you can make wings! Wings are super easy! You can make your own different sauces and you can control the pairings, you can control the spice and smoky levels to the wings. So I have this wing recipe that's a little bit, smoky a little bit spicy and that's great to pair with something like this Bota Box Revolution, which is a red blend. It's going to cut through some of the greasiness that these wings have, right?

AM: Right.

And why did you want to, you know, partner up with Bota Box?

CHEF EJ: Well, first off. I love the brand. I have boxes of this at my house that they sent me. I thought, ok, this is delicious! Not only that, but I think that Bota Box brand is perfect for tailgating, right? So, no cork screw, it’s easily portable and it has a handle right on top, but not only that in this 3L box, you have 4 bottles of wine. Now, you look like the type of person that loves a little wine right? 4 bottles of wine in one box!

That’s perfect for tailgating, if I don't say something myself. But then it's just a great brand and it’s eco-friendly all these things. I think that, you know, the thing about tailgating is that you want one-handers. So you get you one of these 500ml - you got that in one hand. You got a brawt in the other hand. You know you’re just going back and forth. Take a little sip. Take a little bite of the bratwurst.

AM: Yup.

CHEF EJ: Perfect for a tailgate and overall, it's just a great company that I fell in love with once I did my research on it. I tasted some of the wines and felt that I could get behind the product and it's been a beautiful pairing. See what I did there?

AM: I caught what you did there! I Love the pairing.

CHEF EJ: It’s been a beautiful pairing ever since.

AM: So what tips do you have for people who are hosting? A lot of times we're so into creating that tailgate or that homegate that maybe we get lost in the kitchen as opposed to watching the game and hanging out with our friends. So what can we do to prep ourselves a little better?

CHEF EJ: So just like on the football field, it's all about preparation and execution. Like I said before, you want to focus on the food and the drink. So you want to keep it simple. So all of my recipes are really simple but I have these really good tricks and things to upgrade it so that you're not spending a lot of time. But then not only that, you take this Bota Box, it's already made for you. We're not spending time making the drinks. All you have to do is just twist it off and pour it. You don't have to worry about a corkscrew. So it's more time that you get to spend watching the game, hanging out with your friends and keeping it simple!

AM: Keeping it simple is always good! So we are in the thick of the football season right now. Who are you cheering for? Who do you predict is going to the Super Bowl?

CHEF EJ: You know, I keep getting this question over and over. I'm a huge football fan, right? My favorite team is the 49ers but we're not looking too good right now. We kind of had an up and down season so far just because of injuries, but this season has been very unique because it's so many teams that are good - that has have never been good.

AM: 100%

CHEF EJ: Detroit Lions are really good. In the last couple of years, I’m like, where did they come from? They've been terrible for so long! So now all of a sudden, they’re really good! So I think that the Detroit Lions have a great chance of making it to the Super Bowl. Baltimore Ravens have a great chance to make it to the Super Bowl. Of course, the Kansas City Chiefs. You also have Buffalo. The Buffalo Bills are really good! Let's not forget about the Vikings and how good they're doing right now. So, it's just so many teams that are just killing it, this season. I mean, I'm really excited because, you know, it's kind of like, in basketball you get tired of seeing the Golden State Warriors every year.

I want to see a new team this year kind of shine and so, that's why I'm excited about this season.

AM: Well, we just came off of covering the Food Network NYC Wine Food Festival over the past four days. So it's been a hectic few days. It’s always great seeing you on Outchef’d or the Christmas Cookie Challenge. Are there any upcoming programs that we should be keeping an eye out for from you?

CHEF EJ: Yeah, so actually the Christmas Cookie Challenge is going to start up in a in a couple weeks now because believe it or not, we are getting into the holiday season. I can't believe that!

AM: I know right, this is the season!

CHEF EJ: I know! I also saw in a shopping strip that they had Christmas lights out a couple of days ago!

AM: I saw a Christmas commercial last night and heard Christmas music and I'm like, wait that's too soon! You at least have to wait until Halloween is over!

CHEF EJ: So that'll be coming out in a couple of weeks and, you know it’s the holiday time once Christmas Cookie Challenge comes on! We’re going into our 8th season. So once that starts to play that's when I know it's it's the holiday time!

AM: Are there other projects you have going on outside of TV that you would like for us to know about?

CHEF EJ: I mean, I stay busy. I have two young kids. I'm always busy. I woke up in the middle of the night and I was like, you know what? I'm ready to write my second cookbook.

AM: Alright now!

CHEF EJ: I'm gonna start working on my second cookbook and maybe Homegate Like a Pro 2.0, you know what I mean?

AM: For sure!

CHEF EJ: So maybe I will have a whole section in there with wine pairings. I don’t know.

AM: Nice, we’re here for the elevation!

IG @chefeddiejackson

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 55 Food Network/Christmas Cookie Challenge | PG 56 Outchef'd | PG 58 Bota Box |

Read the OCT ISSUE #106 of Athleisure Mag and see YOUR NEXT HOMEGATE | Chef Eddie Jackson in mag,

THE REALITY OF SELF-CARE | KAMIE CRAWFORD

For the past few years, we have enjoyed seeing Kamie Crawford on our screens in one of our long time favorite shows, Catfish! It's always fun to watch her dig into their cases, assist those being catfished, and offering a shoulder to cry on as she looks to understand what they are going through. In addition to her role here, she has expanded her TV Personality work in such shows as Are You The One, and she launched her own podcast, Relationsh*t where she talks about various relationships with her guests.

We caught up with Kamie while she was here in NY at a coffeeshop on the UES which felt like the perfect place to talk about her journey, how she engages in self-care, how she navigates this season and boosts her immunity, as well as some of her favorite reality shows.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We have been fans of yours since you were Miss Teen USA in 2010.

KAMIE CRAWFORD: Oh we go way back then. Oh yes, it’s so good to meet you!

AM: So good to meet you and it’s been great to see how you have built your career, and just all the different things that you've done! Did you ever think looking back that you would have been the co-host of Catfish for a number of seasons and doing TV personality, work, and being a voice of women and just all of these different things coming from the Midwest, which I am also from.

KC: I had no idea! So I was born in Cleveland, and as you know, I grew in Maryland, but my roots are still in Cleveland. My grandma still lives there.

I think that when I was younger, I always had it in my spirit that I wanted to do something to make people feel good about themselves. At the time, I thought that I wanted to be a dermatologist so my life was going to look completely different than it does now. But then I realized that I could do that through TV work.

AM: Yeah.

KC: Like, that is what I do on Catfish, it is what I do on my podcast. It’s what I do just in my everyday life. That is something that I strive to do. So, I think that I didn't think that it was going to look like this –

AM: Right

KC: But I knew that my life needed to be in service in some way.

AM: I love that

KC: Thank you!

AM: It's very cool.

You're constantly on the go traveling, where do you enjoy going and how do you stay healthy when you're going from place to place?

KC: Oh, well it is hard because I'm always on a plane and for some reason I always get sick when I travel.

AM: Yup.

KC: So, the good thing is that Mucinex Nightshift is now in my life and I have it as a part of my wellness kit - always with me. It's amazing because you can take it at night, so you can sleep better.

AM: Exactly.

KC: And then have a better morning the next day and be able to Girl Boss your way into things. But you can't Girl Boss when you're not feeling well!

AM: 100%

KC: It's very difficult for me. So that's definitely one tip that I have. The other one is making sure that I'm staying up to date with my vitamins. When my hormones are out of whack, I feel it.

AM: Oh yeah!

KC: I definitely feel it. I feel like newly into as a couple months, like cycle tracking and trying to balance my hormones. So taking the right supplements has been vital for me because you don't realize how many nutrients like you're depleted of. So that's definitely key. And then just like, making sure that I stick to my routines. My workout routine is not just a part of my physical health and well-being, but my mental health and well-being. So while I hate working out just as much as anyone else, I love the way I feel right when I do it. Like I just feel so accomplished.

AM: Yeah

KC: When you finish a workout class and you're like, oh I feel like that you feel good about yourself versus when you like go weeks without doing it - I hate that feeling.

AM: It's the worst feeling. You're like, all right I gotta get it together.

KC: Exactly.

That's why I like living a life with no regrets! It’s part of Mucinex's campaign. So that's what I like to do to make sure that I'm setting myself up right for the week.

AM: Wow.

Tell me about the Living With No Regrets Campaign.

KC: So Mucinex is all about, No Regrets and making sure that you are taking your next Nighshift the minute you feel those symptoms coming up that night. Take that medication so you can wake up the next day and have no regrets because sometimes we'll go through the symptoms and we'll be like “I'll just sleep it off.”

AM: Yeah.

KC: Then you wake up the next day and you feel like you just got hit by a bus! I've been there many times. It's always good and the right decision to set yourself up from that night so that you feel good the next day. But then also the funny thing is that Mr. Mucus, the Mucinex drug is now on Tinder. So if you're swiping and you see him –

AM: Ok –

KC: Make the decision that's best for you. But I went on a date with him today –

AM: Ha!

KC: And it was not great!

AM: Oh

KC: Don't make that regretful decision. Thank you.

AM: So this whole nighttime aspect of this product seems great.

What do you do for your self-care?

KC: Therapy is a part of my self-care. I am in therapy once a week. It's funny though. I've never met my therapist in person, only on Zoom.

AM: Nice.

KC: If we were to cross paths, I don't know what I would do. I think I would give her a huge hug because she's just amazing. So that's a part of my self-care, working out is a part of my self-care. Honestly, some people would say this is not self-care, but Doom Scrolling on TikTok. Sometimes when you're feeling down, you just need a laugh.

AM: I can see that.

KC: TikTok has all the laughs that I need. So I like to do that. But then I also like to spend time off my phone, with my friends, with my family, with my man, like I want to be out at, you know, a cafe with some chips and some Spinach and Artichoke Dip.

AM: Yes.

KC: Having a juicy conversation. Like that is self-care to me.

AM: That's amazing and well-rounded and nicely balanced. I got stuck in The TikTok of WTF Did I Marry! It was a busy time and at first I was like, what is this and then I remember a number of nights where I was on episode 42 getting all the details!

KC: Oh I saw all of the parts – all of the parts every single one!

AM: I'm still following her. Like what what's your life? Like what's going on?

KC: She's doing amazing!

AM: For sure, her life now got optioned into a show. I'll be watching all of it.

KC: She is doing great! I love her and shout out to Reesa Teesa!

AM: You’re killing it Reesa!

it feels like this time of year, you know, obviously we're in the Fall, but we're looking at the Holiday Season. So there's just a lot of stuff that's going on and then you also have the cold and flu season. So how do we prioritize our health and our wellness routines during this criticla portion of the year?

KC: Well I would say, you know, the change in weather and even the change in time affects everyone. It affects everyone. I don't know anyone who is like absolved from seasonal feelings, whether it's using depression, or just like seasonal sadness, we all go through it. The Holiday Season especially isn't happy and jolly for everybody.

AM: True.

KC: So I think that, you know, when you can spend your time with people that love you and care about you, you should prioritize that? Also making sure that you're not getting sick because then you will really miss out! I have had that. I have had the flu on Christmas one year and it was terrible.

AM: Oh no!

KC: This was before Mucinex’s Nightshift as it didn’t exist then, obviously. But I literally had to go to the hospital on Christmas night.

AM: That’s the worst!

KC: Terrible and that's not what we want. So make sure you're taking care of yourself. I'm sure that you're doing that mind-body and spirit all of it together.

AM: What are foods that you like to eat to boost your immune system? Like, I am always about keeping that immune system as high as I can.

KC: Oh yeah! Supplements, I take a lot of supplements, like I said, you know, balancing my hormones. That's a part of it. As women too, I feel like we're depleted of a lot of nutrients and we don't think about. So like B-12 is important, taking vitamin and making sure that you're getting all those things. Outside of vitamins, there's ways to get vitamins out of your food. Leafy greens have been a part of my life. It feels like a pain to have to consume as many leafy greens as we should -

AM: But that is what it is.

KC: That is what it is.

AM: Your body will thank you later!

KC: Kale is a necessary evil.

AM: I’m a big fan of kale!

KC: And then, you know, vitamin C, making sure that I'm drinking orange juice when I'm not feeling well. Another thing that I realized that helps me is like eliminating any kind of milky substance and I love a nice matcha latte, but when I'm feeling mucusy, anything with milk even if it's not whole milk no bueno. So that's like an elimination thing that I do.

AM: It’s always good to know what you have to navigate when you’re working around your health.

KC: Yeah, a lot of like spicy soups to get that nose going - I like to just drain it out.

AM: That’s always a smart one!

Tell me about your podcast.

KC: Relationsh*t!

AM: Yes!

KC: It's like my baby. It is - I love it. It's a relationship advice podcast. So we air every single Friday and I have different guests on every week to talk about a whole range of relationship topics. We say, we talk about all things relationships, the good, the bad and the straight up shitty. Because sometimes it's like that.

AM: Yeah.

KC: And it doesn't even just have to be romantic relationships. It could be the bad Tinder date that I went on. It could be the relationship that I have with myself, which I think is the most important relationship, sometimes even more important than a romantic relationship. But it could also be like I'm having a co-worker dispute or, you know, I'm having difficulty talking to my parents about coming out or anything and I like to bring on guests who can relate to the topic and, you know, we have celebrities, we have influencers, we have experts, you don't have to come on and like, spill your tea, but if you have something that relates to the topic – you’re more than welcome to share.

AM: I love that.

KC: Yeah. So it's a really nice little corner of my universe that I treasure.

AM: That is amazing!

Now I know you love reality shows, because I enjoy reading your posts when you're watching Love is Blind. Love is Blind is so good and I cannot wait for the last episodes.

KC: Exactly.

AM: And I think I'm going to start watching Love is Blind Habibi because I've heard so many things about it.

KC: Yeah I started that too!

AM: Yeah, I mean I have seen a number of the other global editions. Another fave is The Anonymous which just completed its first season.

KC: What is that?

AM: So The Anonymous is created by Studio Lambert which also does The Traitors, The Circle, Squid Game: The Challenge and Undercover Boss! It’s a social competition and when you’re watching it you can see elements from those shows in this. But basically people are all competing for something and then they go Anonymous and talk shit about someone, basically to get the person out. A lot of the competitors come from Survivor and other shows and they even have Andy King from Fyre Festival, but it’s on USA so you can see it on Peacock as well.

KC: Oh, okay. I’m going to have to watch The Anonymous!

AM: What reality shows are you watching?

KC: Love is Blind is everything and I highly recommend Love is Blind UK also!

AM: Same!

KC: It was so good.

AM: So good!

KC: So good - love that one. Love – Love Is Blind Habibi. Obviously I’m watching that. I love The Golden Bachelor.

AM: Yes!

KC: It's so good.

AM: In the best way possible in that the contestants in the house are just besties!

KC: They’re lika a little community. They are so loving and so sweet. Yeah. Just like, you know, they just are older and like don't care about the nonsense. So I love that. I did not watch this season of Love Island USA but I have been an avid Love Island UK watcher. I binged 6 seasons during the pandemic.

AM: Nice.

KC: I started thinking with an UK accent as it was so deeply ingrained in me. So, I love Love Island in general. I also love RuPaul’s Drag Race. Honestly, I don't think there's a reality show, that I haven't, at least tried once!

And obviously, the shows that I'm on, I love those too!

IG @kamiecrawford

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 40 - 45 Courtesy Kamie Crawford's IG | PG 46 MTV/Are You The One | PG 48 Joey Andrew |

Read the OCT ISSUE #106 of Athleisure Mag and see THE REALITY OF SELF-CARE | Kamie Crawford in mag.

FOOTBALL + FILM | TAYE DIGGS

After coming off of a full summer which is filled with food, events, and friends, the Fall continues our ability to enjoy staying outside and thankfully with Football season, it gives us a lot of reasons to enjoy games in the stadium, tailgating outside of it, and even having events in our homes. We caught up with actor Taye Diggs (How Stella Got Her Groove Back, The Best Man franchise, All-American) to talk about what he loves about football season, how he enjoys taking in this season's games, his partnership with Lysol and upcoming projects that we'll want to keep an eye out for!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you wanted to be an actor?

TAYE DIGGS: When I saw my mother on stage, she went from being my mother into this other person that I didn't know in front of all these people watching her. I was so taken aback and impressed, scared, curious. That was all it took.

AM: We're in the midst of football season - from watching game day with friends whether that’s at the game or elsewhere, tailgating, and just having good vibes. What do you love about football season?

TD: I like going over to a pal's house and watching the game and eating various sundry snacks. I like it a lot better now because I don't have to worry about germs as much because I use Lysol® Air Sanitizer. I used to be one of those people that would just glare at people that used to cough - people don't like to be around that. So I don't have to worry as much and I can enjoy the game and the company without worrying about getting sick. I don't like getting colds and it's that simple.

AM: What are your go-to watch party must-haves when you're watching the game and who are you cheering for?

TD: No specific team, I’m with my son and we like players. That's what the young people are into these days, I don't know that I agree with it, but it's not worth the argument with my son. So when we watch the players, I make sure that the fridge is stocked and that nobody gets too out of hand. I don't like when fights break out. So people know not to bring that mess into my house.

Lysol Air Sanitizer is another must-have for me during watch parties. It actually sanitizes the air - so I use it before people come over to get my space ready and after they leave to sanitize after all that cheering!

AM: You partnered with Lysol Air Sanitizer - why did you want to work with them and how important is it to have whether at a watch party or the stadium?

TD: Football season is one of my favorite times of year, especially hosting game-day watch parties at-home. But I learned through my partnership with Lysol that cheering for your team can result in viruses and bacteria expelled in the air – shouting can produce up to 100,000 droplets per minute (Source)! That’s why Lysol Air Sanitizer is my game day must-have. It kills 99.9% of airborne viruses and bacteria† to eliminate odors in the air*, so you can protect your home while cheering on your favorite team all season long!

AM: In All American, you played coach Billy Baker, a high school football coach. What did you love about playing this role and how did you look at football after doing this?

TD: I thought I knew a little bit about football before that role and realized that I knew nothing about football. I gained a ridiculous amount of respect for professional athletes because we were exposed to so many and the intelligence that these athletes have that people assume they don't. Which is really, really cool. Getting to understand something that you thought you knew. Being able to yell at all these young people, that's a situation where pretending was really, really fun because that is so far from who I am as a person. Which is one of the reasons why I took the role and it was so much fun because in this career, a lot of times you play characters that are kind of close to you and this one wasn't, and I really had a great time.

AM: You're always working on a number of amazing projects. The first film I remember seeing you in was How Stella Got Her Groove Back and I know that you are working on another project from Terry McMillan, Forever on Lifetime. What do you love about her work? Tell me about Forever.

TD: They're great stories and that's where all of this begins. If you don't have this story, for me, you don't have anything. That's where my interest begins. I've had experiences with her, so it was a no brainer. What was interesting about this film was I got to kind of chronicle how far I've come from How Stella Got Her Groove Back and that was kind of cool. I'm a different actor, the way I approach a role, all of that was different, and I noticed it. So that was cool.

AM: Do you have any other upcoming projects that you would like to share that we should keep an eye out for?

TD: I'm a judge on this new show coming out called Second Chance Stage where it gives performers that had a dream and put their dream by the wayside another chance to pursue this dream. It's very eye opening, it's very emotional. These folks are terribly talented and we were put in the positions to give them more opportunities and it was kind of life altering.

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 32 Joey Andrew | PG 34 Second Chance Stage/Magnolia Network | PG 36 - 38/Taye Diggs Social

Read the OCT ISSUE #106 of Athleisure Mag and see FOOTBALL + FILM | Taye Diggs in mag.