Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul><li>As the restrictions on the AlcoBev category grew stronger, there was an upsurge in music associations</li><li>Bacardí was among one of the first brands to marry music into its marketing strategy and in the last 20 years, the way it has used music has also evolved</li><li>The last song released under <keyword id="8065961" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bacardi-House-Party-Sessions">Bacardi House Party Sessions</keyword> was Sage by Ritviz, which gained a lot of love from millennials and we asked <keyword id="7306339" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anshuman-Goenka">Anshuman Goenka</keyword> how much it helped the brand</li></ul> Bacardí India has leveraged music since its inception in India, forming a strong brand identity for its rum portfolio. The brand’s journey from the beginning of <keyword id="20541" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="bacardi-blast">Bacardi Blast</keyword> in the early 2000s to <keyword id="497469" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="NH7-Weekender">NH7 Weekender</keyword>, to <a href="https://youtu.be/qnAo7OgHfi8" data-type="tilCustomLink">Bacardí House Party Sessions</a> (BHPS) proves how music was the anchor to its growth, as if its inseparable from its brand identity. In the last four to five years, as the restrictions on the AlcoBev category grew stronger, there was an upsurge in music associations. However, Bacardí was among one of the first brands to marry music into its marketing strategy and in the last 20 years, the way it has used music has also evolved. Anshuman Goenka, Head of Marketing, Bacardí India shared how music has helped <keyword id="15277" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="bacardi">Bacardi</keyword> maintain a strong brand recall, surf through the restrictions on alcobev brands in our country, and how it has pushed the brand to come up with innovative solutions every time. Out of all their properties, Goenka holds Bacardí NH7 Weekender closest to his heart. As he feels nostalgic for the golden days and excited for their on-going campaign called ‘<a href="https://youtu.be/uL-aOQD2CQQ" data-type="tilCustomLink">Do What Moves You</a>,’ we are bringing to you some excerpts from our interview: Q. Can you walk me through Bacardí's music journey? Which musical property do you place close to your heart? In its 20 odd years in India, Bacardí has gone from being famous for hosting parties way beyond it’s time like the Bacardí Blast campaign and that one early jingle “Be what you wanna be”, to associating with iconic music festivals and content creators. In 1999, when we launched the Bacardí Blast campaign, we literally took the concept of nightclubs out in the open, pioneering the idea of open-air music experiences. For the last couple of years, we have used every platform possible to give our artists a bigger and better stage to create the music that moves them and showcases their talent. Continuing to work with music, we realized that there seemed to be no platform where music-lovers could just spend a few days in the company of what they enjoyed the most. That is when the brand along with OML created Bacardí NH7 Weekender to bring the best of music - independent artists, local and international to perform to the cheering crowds in India, a few days of pure music bliss. This platform helped us create several new relationships with the indie scene and we slowly came to understand the gaps these talented artists face leading to the culmination of Bacardí House Party Sessions, an avenue for independent artists to create, develop and promote their music with the benefit of every resource possible and mentorship. Yet, of all of our properties, the one that remains closest to our hearts, will have to be Bacardí NH7 Weekender. We take immense pride in having built one of the most anticipated music festivals in the Indian calendar, or better yet, one of the happiest music festivals. This year, we’re celebrating a decade of Bacardí NH7 Weekender, one of the first, large scale music festivals India had ever seen. When we see the online excitement leading up to the Weekender, the crowds lining up to enter and audiences singing along to indie artists, it’s worth far more than any measurable outcome. Q. Bacardí was one of the first few brands in our country to leverage music as a marketing strategy. Tell me how has this played out – how has using music benefited the brand so far? From Bacardí Blast to Bacardí NH7 Weekender, music is truly entrenched in Bacardí’s DNA and we understand that building equity takes years of both consistent interest and investment, and seeing real impact requires long-term assessment. When we look at the benefits from campaigns such as Bacardí House Party Sessions, we see the rise in brand uplift scores and based on our brand surveys, over 80% of Bacardí NH7 Weekender attendees have a strong brand recall and resonate with the fact that Bacardí stands for great musical experiences. The increase in engagement that we’ve been garnering on digital platforms, the artist’s familiarity across regions and sheer audience love at BNH7 Weekender, where these songs are sung along within a week of their release, are a testament to our efforts and investments. Q. Do you think music has been a great alternative for AlcoBev brands in India? How do you see the category using it now v/s when you began? In the last 5-6 years, there has been a surge of AlcoBev brands in India associating with music. Music knows no boundaries and increasingly, brands are starting to latch on to this emerging trend because it allows them to communicate to a wider target audience. This began in the late 2000s with the outbreak of several sponsored music festivals and events cropping up across the region. However, brands have long moved beyond mere sponsorships and are now engaging with the community by curating meaningful experiences. Workshops, panel discussions and intimate house gigs are a few of the prominent mediums that brands have employed. Some have even gone further to facilitate long-term collaborations directly with artists building creative brand narratives through these artists’ voices. For Bacardí itself, music was never just a tool, but a means for us to give back to our audiences. Our approach has consistently been to engage and uplift the music community and our consumers, leading up to our most recent and focused campaign BHPS. It is a platform that identifies artists with a unique sound, followed by a dedicated team that works with them right from production to marketing. From our experience, right from Bacardí Blast and Bacardí NH7 Weekender, to Bacardí House Party Sessions, we have realised that music opens avenues for brands to own a space and host global platforms that resonate with consumers over a long time. Q. Do you think Bacardí was able to create a niche by focusing specifically on independent music? While we’re not the only brand to work with independent musicians, with Bacardí House Party Sessions, we are unique in the way that we help artists scale their careers. We work only with emerging artists year on year, giving them the right exposure and opportunity, allowing them to break through in a much shorter time frame. We identify artists who we feel have a unique sound, followed by a dedicated team that works with them to create, curate and promote their music. We also give them an opportunity to work with and learn from the best in the industry. This year, we had mentors like Amit Trivedi, Benny Dayal and Mohini Dey on board, who help the artists craft their music better. Bacardí supports the artist from the moment the music is penned, to the point where people sing along to their songs, from the production of their music to the promotion of the videos we helped create. This approach has helped us create a niche not only within independent music but also as an enabler of a community that requires resources, recognition and mentorship. That’s where we feel that we have bridged the gaps just nudging the undeniable talent that already exists in our country. Q. How are these associations being leveraged digitally, considering the restrictions placed on alcohol marketing in India? India is a challenging market, one that encourages us to find innovative and interesting ways to connect with our consumers. Bacardí functions on a unique content-creator model wherein we work with artists like comedians, dancers and musicians, and allow them to curate their content while keeping our brand ethos in mind, which is ‘Do what moves you’. This encourages the artists to do their thing, without fear of interference from the brand. Digitally, this approach works well with audiences who identify with our campaigns much more, when the artist is the hero of the story. It ensures that our content is original and more relevant, especially for millennial viewers. BHPS itself has taken off entirely through a digital approach lately. A combination of both mediums (digital and on-ground) is what we believe will really sustain our work.

How Keeping Music at the Heart of Bacardi’s Identity Helped it Create Strong Brand Recall

The indie-music scene is India booming and the direct result of that are the music festivals that have been cropping up, not just in the metros but tier-2 and tier-3 cities too. The music is varied; from integrating regional languages to mainstream pop music, to experiments with Indian folk music with western languages and genres, the audience has a lot of options, for every musical palate. 
 
With gigs happening with such fervor, the artists are benefiting; it’s no longer taboo to be a singer-songwriter as young bands from schools and colleges score an opportunity to showcase their talent. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/vh1-supersonic-2017-is-the-multi-genre-music-festival-you-should-be-attending/articleshow/57006545.cms">ALSO READ: Vh1 Supersonic 2017 is the multi-genre music fest you should be attending</a> 
 One such <keyword id="1244359" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="indie">indie</keyword> singer-songwriter from Mumbai raised two lakhs in under six hours of his <keyword id="990338" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="crowdfunding">crowdfunding</keyword> campaign, a feat that could’ve only been dreamt of in a country like ours where while the <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> industry thrives, the independent <keyword id="6367711" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Musicians">musicians</keyword> still struggle to get the limelight. 
 <keyword id="824043" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Insider">Business Insider</keyword> caught up with <keyword id="1355290" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tejas-Menon">Tejas Menon</keyword>, the man of the ‘music’ hour to chat about how crowdfunding an album makes sense for the musicians who want to ‘Make it happen’. 
 <keyword id="17256" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Menon">Menon</keyword> defines his music as ‘A range of influences including 80’s pop-rock, musical theater and adult-contemporary songwriters, developed into his unique style of lyric-heavy pop-rock.’ 
 The singer has played in popular music festivals like <keyword id="15277" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="bacardi">Bacardi</keyword> NH7 Weekender, Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, and Mahindra Blues Festival and he is comfortable both with playing in a band and just by himself and his acoustic guitar. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-how-you-could-become-a-filmmaker-at-kala-ghoda-festival-2017-with-snapdeal/articleshow/56998397.cms">ALSO READ: Here’s how you could become a filmmaker at Kala Ghoda Festival 2017 with Snapdeal</a> 
 
''For someone who released his first EP(Extended Play) ‘Small Victories’ in late 2014, I’m finally ready to do a full-length album called ‘Make it happen’ which will feature 10 songs. In the past two years, I did try to get a label on board for this but I felt that after performing all over the country, I’ll let the people who like my music help me out to do this by myself’’ he says, in an optimistic fervor. 
 
Taking the independent part to the next level literally, Menon believes that is easier than it has ever been to make a good album these days, however, good studios and album production still cost a great deal, wherein comes the crowd funding. 
 
 
 
The Campaign 
 Menon had started a campaign on the crowdfunding platform <keyword id="1927134" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wishberry">Wishberry</keyword>, which had an initial goal of Rs. 2 lakhs to be completed in 30 days, to fulfill costs like Studio Cost (Rs. 90000), Admin fees(Rs. 20000), Mixing (Rs. 50000), Mastering (Rs. 30000) and <keyword id="2426054" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="misc">Misc</keyword>. (Rs. 10000). As he’s hit the goal in under a day, the bigger goal has been set to Rs. 4 lakhs. 
 If he hits the new goal, <keyword id="6373601" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vishal-Dadlani">Vishal Dadlani</keyword>, the frontman of one of the first indie bands, Pentagram will feature on his album for a song called ‘Kindness’. 
 
For the fans, by the fans 
 
The incentive for the fans here is multifold, as Menon has decided to use the funds to give out rewards in forms of a copy of an album, an artsy signed poster, a songbook with all the lyrics, a deluxe edition of the album due to release later in the year, free passes to his gigs and much more. 
 
The rewards increase with the contribution as the campaign allows you to fund the project either in categories, or you can also be the rogue one and contribute any amount without any expectation of a reward. 
 
Menon has already started working on the album and expects it to release by May, this year by when all the contributors can expect to start reaping the rewards that they’ve sown. 
 
Crowdfunding for the win 
 Menon isn’t the first artist to have crowdfunded his album, with artists like <keyword id="1144733" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Parvaaz">Parvaaz</keyword> with their album ‘<keyword id="226613" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Baran">Baran</keyword>’ already doing it in 2014 and <keyword id="33360" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vasudha-Sharma">Vasudha Sharma</keyword>, another indie musician, did it for her album ‘Attuned spirits’ in 2013. 
 
''Crowdfunding is great as it reinstates the fact that they’re people who’re willing to back you up not just with compliments but with real investment, how big or small that might be,’’ says Menon about why he thinks it’s a great idea not just for social causes or businesses but also for creative geniuses to the likes of him. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/kfc-gives-customers-a-chance-to-taste-nashville-chicken-using-their-minds/articleshow/56952524.cms">ALSO READ: KFC gives customers a chance to taste ‘Nashville Chicken’ using their minds</a> 
 
The bursting artist in Menon lights up when we asked him what next if he hits the new monetary goal as 28 days are left to the campaign with it garnering a support of 85 backers with Rs. 3,59,170 collected and counting. 
 The 27-year old says that he’d like to collaborate with more artists and diversify his album further with Pop, Rock, Blues, Funk, R'nB, <keyword id="856224" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="electronica">Electronica</keyword> and Soul elements that he has used to create ''a seamless musical experience that has pushed well past his creative limits.’’ 
 
May the force be with this independent movement that is edging to change the way Indians consume and view music, forever. 
 
Check out the crowdfunding campaign <a href="https://www.wishberry.in/campaign/make-it-happen/#/campaign-new">here.</a>

Exclusive: This Indie-musician raised more than Two Lakhs in Six Hours through crowdfunding for his upcoming album

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater reportedly began dating on the "Wicked" movie set.</li><li>Though neither has publicly confirmed their relationship, both split from their spouses in 2023.</li></ul>Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater seem to be going strong, several months after news of their relationship made headlines.The "Thank U, Next" singer, 30, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-ethan-slater-ariana-grande-boyfriend-spongebob-broadway-2023-7">Broadway star</a>, 31, were both married to other people when they met on the set of "Wicked." One year later, <a target="_blank" href="https://people.com/ariana-grande-ethan-slater-are-full-on-dating-sweet-on-set-exclusive-7565997">the two have become a "full-on couple,"</a> according to sources. Some even claim they're already living together in New York City.Keep reading for a complete timeline of their friendship-turned-romance.<h2>December 2022: Grande begins filming the 'Wicked' movie</h2>Back in 2021, <a target="_blank" href="https://playbill.com/article/cynthia-erivo-and-ariana-grande-will-star-in-wicked-musical-movie-adaptation">Grande and Cynthia Erivo were cast</a> in the big-screen "Wicked" adaptation as Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba the Wicked Witch, respectively.On December 7, 2022, director Jon M. Chu <a target="_blank" href="https://www.billboard.com/culture/tv-film/wicked-filming-ethan-slater-casted-boq-1235183096/">confirmed</a> that filming was underway."My daughter wrote a note and drew a picture to commemorate the first day of shooting," he wrote on his Instagram story. Grande also reshared the photo, adding, "My heart." That same day, <a target="_blank" href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/wicked-movie-cast-ethan-slater-1235452035/">Variety</a> announced Slater's addition to the cast as Boq, the love interest of Elphaba's younger sister, Nessarose.At that point, Slater was best known for his Tony-nominated role in "SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical."<h2>January 2023: Grande reportedly separates from her husband, Dalton Gomez</h2> According to reports from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/07/17/ariana-grande-dalton-gomez-separated-divorce-ring-seperated/">TMZ</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://people.com/ariana-grande-dalton-gomez-separate-7561850">People</a>, Grande and Gomez broke up shortly after she went to England to film "Wicked."TMZ claimed their relationship suffered after pandemic restrictions were lifted because Gomez was "taken aback" by his wife's fame. He was reportedly displeased with the constant presence of paparazzi and Grande's need for security.<h2>March 2023: Grande and Slater are photographed together</h2><div type="image" title="ariana grande ethan slater photo together wicked cast" height="989" width="1440" msid="106358645" hostid="261"></div>The cast of "Wicked" <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/multimomedia/status/1640146157195100162?s=20">shared several photos online</a> while celebrating <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/oscar-winner-michelle-yeoh-calls-out-ageism-in-hollywood-2023-3">Michelle Yeoh's Oscar win</a> in London.One photo, posted by Yeoh herself, shows Grande sitting between Erivo and Slater.<h2>April 3, 2023: Grande shares a tribute to her 'Wicked' costars</h2> Grande announced that filming "Wicked" was halfway done with a sentimental post on Instagram."i am so grateful, i don't know what to do or say… to be here in Oz where everyday is a life changing one… to be feeling, learning and growing so much at such a disarming speed," she wrote in the caption. "to be transforming and healing parts of me that i never knew needed it. or maybe did."Grande also wished a "happy halfway" to her crew and costars, whom she described as "my fellow Ozians.""my heart will be stuck here forever," she added.<h2>May 15, 2023: Grande shares a photo with Gomez to celebrate their second wedding anniversary</h2>In a sweet Instagram story, Grande shared a photo of her and Gomez kissing at their wedding. She wrote that they'd <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ariana-grande-dalton-gomez-relationship-timeline">been together for over three years</a>, adding, "I love him so." Later that month, <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/PopCrave/status/1662749072183394304?lang=en">Grande deleted thousands of posts</a> from her Instagram grid.<h2>July 17, 2023: News breaks that Grande and Gomez are 'heading for divorce'</h2>Rumors were already swirling about Grande's split from Gomez when she <a target="_blank" href="https://www.eonline.com/news/1380392/ariana-grande-spotted-without-wedding-ring-at-wimbledon-2023-amid-dalton-gomez-breakup">attended a Wimbledon tennis match</a> without her wedding ring.The following day, TMZ published a report that she and Gomez had been <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ariana-grande-dalton-gomez-separated-breakup-2023-7">separated for several months</a> and were "heading for divorce," citing anonymous sources close to the couple.Another source confirmed the news to People, claiming that Grande and Gomez "have been quietly and lovingly working on their friendship."<h2>July 20, 2023: Grande and Slater's new relationship makes headlines</h2><div type="image" title="ariana grande ethan slater" height="900" width="1200" msid="106358647" hostid="261"></div>Once again, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/07/20/ariana-grande-dating-wicked-costar-ethan-slater-split-husband-dalton-gomez/">TMZ</a> broke the news that Grande and Slater were a couple. According to the tabloid, they began dating while filming "Wicked."Slater had been married to his high-school sweetheart, Lilly Jay, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CHdPHwRMIGr/">since 2018</a>. The couple welcomed a son in August 2022; Slater shared <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CsPJw8JMB_u/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MjJkMmIyYzQxYw==">a Mother's Day tribute</a> on May 14, 2023, describing Jay as "the most loving caring and wonderful mom/person in the world." (Grande liked the post.)When his relationship with Grande made headlines, neither Slater nor Jay had yet announced their separation. Later that day, <a target="_blank" href="https://people.com/ariana-grande-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-separated-wife-lilly-jay-after-baby-7563559">People confirmed</a> that Slater and Jay had "gone their separate ways," but did not provide a timeline for their split.<h2>July 26, 2023: Slater files for divorce from Jay</h2>According to legal documents obtained by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/07/26/ariana-grande-boyfriend-ethan-slater-file-divorce-wife-lilly-jay/">TMZ</a>, Slater filed for divorce from Jay in New York.The specific reason Slater listed for the split has not been made public.<h2>July 27, 2023: Slater's estranged wife says Grande is 'not a girl's girl'</h2><div type="image" title="ethan slater wife lily jay" height="1500" width="2000" msid="106358650" hostid="261"></div>One day after Slater filed for divorce, Jay gave a short interview to Page Six's Francesca Bacardi, in which <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ethan-slater-wife-family-ariana-grande-relationship-2023-7">she described Grande as "not a girl's girl."</a>"My family is just collateral damage," Jay told Bacardi, adding, "The story is her and Dalton."Jay also said she's focused on being a "good mom" to her 1-year-old son.According to an anonymous source, Slater and Jay had been separated for two months before he pursued a relationship with Grande."Ethan is trying to take the high road and hopes he can resolve this situation for the sake of their child," the source told Page Six.<h2>September 18, 2023: Grande and Gomez simultaneously file for divorce</h2>Grande cited "irreconcilable differences" in her official divorce filing, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/09/18/ariana-grande-files-divorce-split-dalton-gomez-ethan-slater/">TMZ</a>. Gomez quickly followed suit with his own filing."They've been really caring and respectful of one another every step of this process," a source told the outlet.According to court documents, the date of their separation was listed as February 20, 2023.Their divorce was finalized just three weeks after filing on October 6, 2023, according to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://pagesix.com/2023/10/06/ariana-grande-dalton-gomez-settle-divorce-in-la-court/">multiple</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://people.com/ariana-grande-and-dalton-gomez-settle-divorce-8348933">outlets</a>. In accordance with the couple's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/10/06/ariana-grande-settles-divorce-dalton-gomez/">prenuptial agreement</a>, Gomez reportedly received $1,250,000 from Grande.Meanwhile, a source told <a target="_blank" href="https://people.com/ariana-grande-ethan-slaters-relationship-different-than-what-has-been-portrayed-7964979">People</a> that Grande is trying to keep her relationship with Slater out of the spotlight."While this entire situation has been blown out of proportion, it's much different than what has been portrayed in public," said a friend of the couple. "They are just trying to navigate their new relationship in private."<h2>September 29, 2023: Grande and Slater enjoys a night together at Disney World</h2>Grande and Slater were spotted <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/09/26/ariana-grande-ethan-slater-disneyland-date-night-divorce/">walking through Disney World</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/PopCrave/status/1706761116712341708?s=20">linking arms</a> in their first public outing."They went with a big group of friends as well her mom and brother," a source told <a target="_blank" href="https://people.com/ariana-grande-ethan-slater-disney-date-with-pals-her-friends-love-him-exclusive-source-7974707">People</a>, adding, "All of her friends love him."<h2>October 31, 2023: Grande is spotted cheering for the cast of Broadway's 'Spamalot,' which includes Slater</h2><div type="image" title="ethan slater spamalot" height="2007" width="3000" msid="106358652" hostid="261"></div>Grande was in the audience for the first preview performance of "Spamalot," a Monty Python-inspired musical. She can be seen <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzFwuNEtWru/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">cheering for the cast</a> in a video that made the rounds on social media.Fans assume she was primarily there to support Slater, who plays The Historian and Prince Herbert in the production."She has seen it during tech rehearsals," an anonymous attendee told <a target="_blank" href="https://people.com/ariana-grande-attends-boyfriend-ethan-slater-first-spamalot-broadway-performance-photo-8385457">People</a>. "She was so sweet last night, taking pictures with fans and gushing about how much she was enjoying the performances. She's a theater kid at her core, so you see she really feels at peace being around Broadway."Grande, who's currently working on the follow-up to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ariana-grande-positions-review-tracklist-breakdown-2020-10">her sixth album "Positions,"</a> got her start on Broadway as a teen in "13: The Musical."She attended the "Spamalot" preview with her former "13" and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/victorious-cast-then-and-now-photos-2019-3">"Victorious" costar</a>, Liz Gillies, who shared a selfie with Grande on her Instagram story."Had the BEST time at @spamalotbway last night. Run, don't walk!" Gillies wrote in the caption. Grande reshared the photo on her own story. <h2>November 12, 2023: The couple enjoys a theatrical date night</h2>Grande and Slater were spotted together at the James Earl Jones Theater, catching a performance of "Gutenberg! The Musical!" on Broadway.The couple also spent some time backstage with the production's costars, Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells. The former "Girls" actor later shared a photo of the foursome on Instagram. "We had some big fun in Schlimmer yesterday! Spamalot's Ethan Slater AND Michael Urie! Two great guys to eat dreams with," Rannells wrote in the caption. "Plus Ariana Grande! It was a perfect Sunday."<h2>November 16, 2023: Grande attends the opening night of 'Spamalot'</h2><div type="image" title="ariana grande" height="2900" width="2000" msid="106358653" hostid="261"></div>Once again, Grande was <a target="_blank" href="https://people.com/ariana-grande-supports-ethan-slater-spamalot-opening-on-broadway-8403910">spotted in the crowd</a> at the St. James Theatre for the official opening night of "Spamalot."She also brought her mother, Joan Grande, brother-in-law, Hale Grande, and a few friends along for the occasion (including Doug Middlebrook <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ariana-grande-thank-u-next-album-tracklist-what-every-song-is-about-2019-1">of "In My Head" fame</a>).Grande later shared <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzwfEScOhtp/?img_index=1">a slideshow of photos</a> from the evening, including a T-shirt that reads, "Happy Opening Of Broadway Show."In <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzwvtkHvR9Z/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MjJkMmIyYzQxYw==">his own slideshow</a>, Slater included a photo of himself wearing the same shirt.<h2>December 22, 2023: Grande includes an apparent nod to Slater in her holiday decor</h2><div type="image" title="ariana grande spam ornament instagram slideshow" height="900" width="1200" msid="106358654" hostid="261"></div>In <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C1IT1iIJsrB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">an Instagram slideshow</a> that she captioned with a heart, Grande included a photo of a Spam tree ornament.Many fans think the can of processed pork is a shoutout to Slater's role in "Spamalot."<h2>December 23, 2023: The couple are seen dining with Grande's father, Ed Butera, in New York City</h2>Grande, Slater, and Butera had dinner "at her family's favorite Italian restaurant" in Manhattan, <a target="_blank" href="https://pagesix.com/2023/12/26/entertainment/ariana-grande-and-boyfriend-ethan-slater-spotted-on-rare-outing-in-nyc/">according to Page Six</a>.They were photographed leaving the restaurant before heading to the Theater District, where Grande caught another performance of "Spamalot.""They love to support each other in their work," an anonymous source told the outlet. "When she's done with work, she loves going to the theater when she can." (This exact quote was also cited by <a target="_blank" href="https://people.com/ariana-grande-ethan-slater-step-out-together-new-york-city-8420261">People</a>.)<h2>December 28, 2023: TMZ reports that Grande and Slater are living together</h2>According to sources close to the couple, Grande and Slater are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/12/28/ariana-grande-ethan-slater-living-together-relationship-serious/?adid=social-tw">currently living together </a>in New York City. One source also said they "vibe together.""We're told each maintains a separate residence, but they are together almost all of the time," TMZ wrote.<h2>March 8, 2024: Grande releases her album 'Eternal Sunshine,' which may contain references to her new boyfriend</h2>Amid several breakup songs on Grande's seventh album, she sings about finding new love."I found a good boy and he's on my side / You're just my eternal sunshine," she sings in the title track, drawing a distinction between her ex and her new man. (Although Grande hasn't named any muses for "Eternal Sunshine," the information we have about her love life would indicate these are Gomez and Slater, respectively.)"Supernatural," "Imperfect For You," and "Ordinary Things" also allude to a recently sparked romance ("Nothing else felt this way inside me," "We crashed and we burned / Now I just can't go where you don't go," "There's never gonna be an ordinary thing as long as I'm with you").

A complete timeline of Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater's relationship

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right click-to-enlarge"><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="REUTERS/Kacper Pempel" title_caption="Jay Z." class="zoomin" href="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/529f6907eab8eaf91e58f405-960/jay-z-20.jpg"></a>REUTERS/Kacper PempelJay Z.</div></div>Last week, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jay-zs-brand-is-suffering-because-people-dont-trust-him-anymore-2013-12">we wrote a story</a> about a survey that suggested millennial consumers think Jay Z suffers from a lack of authenticity.
As a result, the survey found, the Brooklyn-born rapper and business mogul has not been able to convince young consumers to buy the products he endorses.
The story drew sharp criticism from Jay Z's fans in both the marketing and hip-hop communities, many of whom either <a href="https://twitter.com/HarleyBlock/status/416265101638111232">took issue with the research methods</a> of celebrity branding expert Jeetendr Sehdev, or felt Business Insider <a href="https://twitter.com/Combat_Jack/status/416668655716282369">was not qualified</a> to write about hip-hop culture.
Now, Sehdev has been kind enough to share with us some of the exact quotes given to him by the 1,000 millennials he surveyed, many of whom gave Jay Z poor marks in the categories of honesty and trustworthiness. Here is what they said:
On Jay Z's lack of transparency with regard to his personal life:
<ul>
<li>"I don't really know much about his background. He seems quite guarded. I think he was a drug dealer."</li>
</ul>
On his partnership with Barney's, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Business/barneys-racial-profiling-petitioner-jay-squandering-opportunity/story?id=20939691">which was criticized</a> after the upscale retailer was sued for racially profiling black customers:
<ul>
<li>"I never really understood the Jay Z/Barney's deal. That should have never happened."</li>
<li>"I love Rocawear, but don't understand why he'd work with Barney's. It's kind of a contradiction."</li>
<li>"What's Barney's got to do with hip-hop?"</li>
</ul>
<div>On Jay Z's artistic integrity:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>"He supposedly made Rihanna but he's got a full team behind him. He probably doesn't even write his own songs."</li>
<li>"A pop star and a serious hip hop artist? He's sold out."</li>
</ul>
<div>On Jay Z selling his stake in the Brooklyn Nets shortly after he helped move the team from New Jersey:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>"I thought he was supporting his hood, Brooklyn, not his net income."</li>
<li>"It's a shame about what happened with the Brooklyn Nets. That said a lot about his loyalty."</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div>On the "Life + Times" lifestyle website, which some survey respondents found narcissistic:
<ul>
<li>"The website doesn't tell me much about his real life or times, just his real ego."</li>
</ul>
To be fair, some of these claims (particularly the one about whether Jay Z writes his own music) are sort of silly, and probably come from people who aren't inclined to be influenced by Jay Z either way.
Still, if Jay Z wants to help the brands he works with sell more of their products, Sehdev says he could work to consolidate his brand by only accepting endorsement deals that fit with the image he hopes to communicate to the public.
While millennials are likely to be drawn to Jay Z's entrepreneurial spirit, Sehdev said the hip-hop star is currently suffering from what he called "brand over-extension."
"He is publicly involved in everything from Barneys to Bacardi to Broadway," Sehdev said.
Though Jay Z's struggles growing up without a father in a poor Brooklyn housing project are the subject of much of his early work, Sehdev said he could benefit from doing more to show this more human side of himself to those who haven't yet experienced it.
"He is widely recognized and respected as a cool and successful businessperson, but millennials have their own struggles and relate well to those who do the same," Sehdev said.
</div>

Here Are The Exact Reasons Millennials Say They've Stopped Trusting Jay Z

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Pusha T's music - a depiction of life as a former drug dealer - has been political in nature for decades. But the rapper says he's ready to take his activism and outspokenness to a more formal platform.Speaking to Business Insider recently at the Trump hotel in SoHo, New York, Pusha T (real name: Terrence Thornton) ruminated on the progression of his career, from his beginning as a quoteable upstart rapper, to his current role as hip-hop elder statesman&#xa0;who has&#xa0;become increasingly comfortable with speaking his mind about hot-button&#xa0;political issues.In his music, the 37-year-old has long&#xa0;eschewed more traditional pop beats and melodies for darker, more minimalist sonics, a fitting backdrop for his lyrical description&#xa0;of his past life.But recent high-profile police shootings, coupled with his increasing awareness of issues like prison overcrowding and sentencing reform,&#xa0;have motivated Pusha T to reexamine&#xa0;his life and his own past."I remember being young and being desensitized to so much. I was so desensitized to things that were happening within street culture - whether it was jail, whether it was death, things like that. And I feel like you know, there have been things that happen in my life, and with age, I've become re-sensitized to it," Pusha told Business Insider.As the Obama presidency winds to a close and the 2016 general election campaign heats up,&#xa0;Pusha, the president of Kanye West's label GOOD Music, has also been motivated to use&#xa0;his artistic platform&#xa0;as a mouthpiece for his political activism.The rapper lit up social media twice this summer, first when he tweeted to his 1.3 million followers an image of himself video-chatting&#xa0;with Hillary Clinton, and later&#xa0;when he announced the sale of pro-Clinton "Delete Your Account" t-shirts, a reference to Clinton's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hillary-clinton-sets-internet-on-fire-with-three-word-response-to-donald-trump-tweet-2016-6">infamous social-media diss directed at Donald Trump</a>.The rapper joked&#xa0;that although the Democratic presidential nominee&#xa0;probably isn't&#xa0;a fan of his music, she was excited&#xa0;by his support for her campaign, and emphasized&#xa0;his importance in driving voter turnout in his native Virginia."I'm sure she was hip and briefed," Pusha said of their video chat. "But [the conversation]&#xa0;was simply about engaging, and being engaged, and making sure that I engage people to vote, and get my demographic to vote. Get people out to the polls, that was her main thing."<div></div><div></div>Clinton wasn't the only major figure to ask for Pusha's support at the ballot box.In April, the rapper joined other hip-hop stars like Nicki Minaj, Ludacris, and Common at the White House for a meeting with President Barack Obama to discuss My Brother's Keeper, the president's mentorship program aimed at helping young African-American boys and men through school and out of trouble.During the meeting with Obama, Pusha said he volunteered to help with voter outreach and registration efforts, particularly in low-turnout local and midterm elections. The rapper told Business Insider that Clinton reiterated the importance to him, and noted the significance of Virginia, typically a battleground state, in the election."I know locally, I'm going to be speaking and going into the neighborhoods. Saying you know, you guys gotta get out here. We've gotta organize it a lot better," Pusha said of his efforts this election.Figures like Pusha T, who can speak to young voters and black voters in Virginia, are important to Democrats in the state. Though polls show Clinton with an overwhelming lead in Virginia, past elections have turned on whether the young and minority voters&#xa0;Pusha is seeking&#xa0;to connect with showed up. In 2013, it&#xa0;was largely&#xa0;<a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/11/06/how-high-african-american-turnout-gave-terry-mcauliffe-his-win-in-virginia.html">high black turnout</a> that helped current Gov. Terry McAuliffe win his gubernatorial bid, while high voter turnout among young voters <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2012/11/study-youth-vote-was-decisive-083510">helped Obama win the state in 2008 and 2012</a>.While Pusha has always seen himself as a "street journalist," as he's matured, he says&#xa0;he's trying to&#xa0;make better use of his platform outside of his art to further causes that affect him. He plans on being a part of a White House publicity push to raise awareness about the bipartisan criminal justice and sentencing reform efforts that the Obama administration hopes to push through Congress before the president&#xa0;leaves office."I volunteered to speak at the prisons. Anything I can do in regards to rehabilitation," Pusha said. "Because it's beyond just lessening the sentences. It's about when people get home, having an opportunity and a shot, a real shot, just whatever I can do."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>His music has become more steeped in <keyword id="6358883" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Politics">politics</keyword>, too. Pusha T's output has always had a political bent - early songs like "Virginia" and "Re-up Gang Intro" detail the deleterious effects that the drug trade can have on communities. But his recent work has been dotted with references to political discussions like police violence and sentencing, and political figures like Trump. In his 2015 song "Untouchable," the rapper dissed the Republican presidential nominee's plan to build a wall between the US and Mexico.Pusha emphasized that his new album "King Push," to be released later this year, focuses specifically on "restoring order in communities," which the rapper said acknowledges the cycle of crime and police tension that traps many&#xa0;underprivileged communities."You hear a record like 'Sunshine' that speaks about police brutality, but I also have on this record about like why the black youth are so violent, just about how they were raised, how they were brought up, the mentality, and so on and so fourth," Pusha said. "I want my community to be a bit more self-governing in regards to &#xa0;- when we see something wrong within us, we've gotta stop it. Let's stop it, let's speak on it, let's be accountable. And let's let the youth know that you've got somebody watching over you. Peers, mentors, whatever the case may be."But for now, Pusha has a more immediate goal: stopping Donald Trump from getting elected. Creating the "Delete Your Account" t-shirts, he&#xa0;felt that it was necessary to take on the Republican presidential nominee on his home turf: Twitter."He's pretty vocal on Twitter," Pusha said of Trump. "So I thought, 'Let's say something that will sort of galvanize our demographic, and speak directly to him.'"Pusha emphasized that Trump's controversial rhetoric makes him far less qualified than at least one potential&#xa0;future presidential candidate.&#xa0;"Kanye would be much, much, much, 1,000% more of a rational candidate than Donald Trump," he&#xa0;said. "He would be for progress and progression. He would be for you know, unity. He would not want to build walls. He would want to take in everybody and let everybody come together and be great together. So yes, Kanye could definitely run for president." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/star-wars-rogue-one-trailer-breakdown-2016-8">7 things you missed in the new Star Wars Rogue One trailer</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="13OGJhNTE68Cc5L60LaA3y_6wCo2nCYF" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

How rapper Pusha T got passionate about politics and became a fighter for Hillary Clinton

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/power-pitbull-timber-rapper-reveals-691054">The Hollywood Reporter</a>"The only business that I knew growing up was flipping - that's what the music business is to me," Pitbull says he learned from his early drug dealing days.</div></div></div>Cuban-American rapper Pitbull, 33, has just two years to make his dream of becoming a billion-dollar brand by age 35 into a reality.
"Do I think it's realistic to be a billion-dollar company by [age] 35?," he asks <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/power-pitbull-timber-rapper-reveals-691054" target="_blank">The Hollywood Reporter</a> in a new cover story interview. "Absolutely."
And it's hard to not to believe him.
After just six years in the spotlight, Pitbull sums up his rise to fame into categories: "2009 is freedom; 2010, invasion; 2011, build empire; 2012, grow wealth; 2013, put the puzzle together; 2014, buckle up; 2015, make history." 
Thanks to seven albums, nine top 10 singles, and two No. 1 Billboard hits with this year's "Timber" and 2011's "Give Me Everything," Pitbull can now boast plenty of big brand name partnerships.
The rapper has sponsorships from Dr. Pepper, Kodak, Bud Light, Voli Vodka and, most recently, Playboy, which in March made him the new global face of the brand. He has a fragrance line, Pitbull Man and Pitbull Woman, which retail for $30 for a 1 oz. bottle.
The partnerships, combined with 150 performances in 25 countries in 2012 alone and 8.5 million downloads in the U.S. on just his two No.1 songs, puts Pitbull's net worth between $11 and $15 million, according to THR.
But don't expect to see any high-end collaborations from the Florida-raised musician, á la <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jay-zs-ridiculous-barneys-collection-photos-2013-11" target="_blank">Jay Z's $1,000 T-shirt for Barneys</a>. Instead, he says he is doing things differently from his colleagues by committing to the middle class.
"We're at the hotel, motel, Holiday Inn," says Pitbull, a former drug dealer, quoting a "Rapper's Delight" lyric. "The only business that I knew growing up was flipping - if I invested five dollars, I knew I could get back eight. If I got back eight, that meant I could live off three, invest another five, get another eight, stack another three. That's what the music business is to me - flip after a flip, a flip after a flip."
Pitbulls' longtime manager, Charles Chavez, echoes his client's sentiments of catering to the masses to live with the classes.
"We have a plan - with the music, TV projects [Pit boasts a development deal with Endemol, producer of Big Brother], films [he's teamed up with Ryan Seacrest for a TV miniseries on the Bacardi family], his businesses, the brands that we get involved with," says Chavez. "You never know, but it's the plan."
Part of that plan is playing into Pitbull's cultural roots.
He explains, "I'll be sitting in marketing meetings where they're going, 'Well, this is our multicultural budget,' and 'We'll make this a multicultural campaign,' and I say, 'Great!' knowing that they see me in the context of the Latin boom. 'Oh, he's the next Latin this or Latin that. …' But in my mind, I know this is the general market. I touch everybody at the end of the day."
But Pitbull knows that building an empire isn't easy, and won't happen overnight, which is why he preaches the importance of hard work to his six children.
"Why do interns make the best CEOs? Because they got the doughnuts and coffee, they cleaned the bathrooms," he says. "They learned that building in and out." 
And ultimately, hard work pays off - getting him fans from all walks of life.
After headlining the recent iTunes Music Festival at South by Southwest, an inebriated Apple executive professed, "I love you, Pitbull."
Read the rest of Pitbull's THR profile <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/power-pitbull-timber-rapper-reveals-691054" target="_blank">here &gt;</a>

You Searched For "Bacardi Song" and got 6 results

How Keeping Music at the Heart of Bacardi’s Identity Helped it Create Strong Brand Recall

Karuna Sharma

Exclusive: This Indie-musician raised more than Two Lakhs in Six Hours through crowdfunding for his upcoming album

Tanya Dubey

A complete timeline of Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater's relationship

Callie Ahlgrim

Here Are The Exact Reasons Millennials Say They've Stopped Trusting Jay Z

Aaron Taube

How rapper Pusha T got passionate about politics and became a fighter for Hillary Clinton

Maxwell Tani

How Pitbull Plans To Become A Billion-Dollar Empire By Appealing To The Middle Class

Aly Weisman

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides