Before we step into the new year, I would be remiss if I didn’t send a final newsletter for 2023. Between freelancing going well and life getting a little busier, I have totally neglected my first major project!!! Pop culture was really doing its thing this year, and we famously celebrate that at handle with care. I made a list of my personal top 23 moments (in no particular order), ready to share with you. Happy New Year!
Taylor & Travis
On April 8, 2023, Kansas City Chiefs football player Travis Kelce must have gotten the best Pop Crave tweet notification of his life. After Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn broke up this spring, she had the scariest rebound relationship of her life (more on that later). Travis went to the Eras Tour in July with a friendship bracelet that had his phone number on it to give Taylor. He failed to do so, but I have to assume Taylor was charmed nonetheless, because they started hanging out privately.
Then, Taylor showed up at a Chiefs game in late September. I was overjoyed because she was finally dating somebody with a car. Since their first public appearance together, they’ve made cameos on Saturday Night Live, had pap walks, and he flew to South America to see her on tour. When Taylor sang, “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs, coming straight home to me,” the world stopped. I think they’re so cute together!
Harry Styles & Taylor Russell
This is Haylor: The Re-Up. Harry Styles started dating Bones & All actress Taylor Russell over the summer, which is pleasing to me.
The Eras Tour
I’ve already talked about this too much, so read this and this if you want to know more of my thoughts. But she deserved a spot on this list!
Renaissance World Tour
I wrote about my experience seeing Beyoncé briefly in my last newsletter. There’s just no denying that she influences culture with everything she does. This tour spawned the “mute challenge,” where everyone hushes when Beyoncé sings, “look around, everybody on mute,” during her song “ENERGY.” Like, teachers even use this as a call and response with their students.
Plus, we have to thank Blue Ivy for the “she ain’t no diva” meme. The prodigy convinced Beyoncé to add “Diva” to the tour setlist, as seen in Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé. We got this moment, which resulted in this TikTok of the year:
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Melissa Barrera getting fired from Scream VII
In the wake of the genocide Israel is committing in Gaza, Mexican actress Melissa Barrera has been sharing information in support of Palestine on her Instagram. Spyglass fired her from the next Scream movie, telling Variety that her posts crossed the line into hate speech. Except her posts weren’t hate speech or antisemitic at all:
“Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp. Cornering everyone together, with no where [sic] to go, no electricity no water … People have learnt nothing from our histories. And just like our histories, people are still silently watching it all happen. THIS IS GENOCIDE & ETHNIC CLEANSING.”
Additionally, co-star Jenna Ortega is also not returning to Scream VII because of scheduling issues. This news didn’t come out until after Barrera’s firing, but maybe that was intentional.
Succession S4E3: “Connor’s Wedding”
You just had to be there. Luckily, I avoided social media before watching the episode and was totally shocked at the events that unfolded.
Barbie
It’ll be interesting to see how this fast-approaching awards season pans out for the Greta Gerwig directed film. Not only is it the highest grossing film of 2023, it was an event. I wrote more about it in my last newsletter!
Super Nintendo World
The Mario-inspired land opened in Universal Studios Hollywood in February, and it just looks so fun! I hope I get to go in 2024, because I need a little Toad mushroom hat and meet him.
This mugshot
Sonny Angels
I am the proud owner of nine Sonny Angel babies, my first one being the vanilla ice cream cone. According to the New York Times, these figures were created to be a “companion for working women in their mid-20s dealing with the stresses of adulthood.” That makes me the target demo!!
“BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 53” by Shakira
I am in fact plugging the blurb I wrote about this song and its impact from Remezcla’s Best of Pop list. She ate the soccer man up bad.
1989 (Taylor’s Version)
My favorite Taylor Swift album was rerecorded this year! I did mean to do a whole newsletter dedicated to it, but time got away from me. It’s crazy because I used to play the original 1989 while I did homework in high school. I loved when she went full pop after experimenting during Red; it felt like a natural progression.
1989 (Taylor’s Version) gave me a new appreciation for some songs including “All You Had To Do Was Stay” and “I Know Places.” And obviously, “Clean (Taylor’s Version)” has been everything to me! This vault is my favorite out of all of them, even surpassing my beloved Fearless (Taylor’s Version) vault. I love every single song, even “Suburban Legends,” which I see getting less love online. It’s so Tumblr coded, I feel like it should’ve made the original album because she was so active on her blog at that time.
Michelle Yeoh winning Best Actress
History was made at the Oscars this year when Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian woman and second woman of color ever to win Best Actress. I better see a standing ovation when she walks out to present the same award at the next ceremony!
Ariana Madix dancing to “I’m a Slave 4 U” by Britney Spears on Dancing With The Stars
I am not well versed in anything from Bravo, so I did not know who Ariana Madix was until Scandoval happened. I do however watch Dancing With The Stars with my mom, and we agreed that she ate this dance during their music video-themed night.
Dee Valladares winning Survivor 45
Since getting Survivor-pilled over the summer, it’s safe to say this is probably my favorite reality show ever. I simply can’t like anything a normal amount. Survivor 45 was the first season of the show I got to watch in real-time, and wow, it’s one of my favorites! The cast was perfect, and there was even a showmance between the winner & runner-up.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure Dee Valladares became the second Latina to win Survivor. She dominated the game, while giving me iconic Twitter reaction videos: “Oh hell no. We gotta go,” and “We’re gonna eat guys.” I think my first goal of the year should be to interview her.
Taylor Swift dumping Matty Healy
After her breakup with Joe Alwyn, Taylor Swift started casually dating lead singer of The 1975, Matty Healy. The controversial relationship lasted about a month, and it just wasn’t it. He once called the idea of dating her “emasculating,” and Healy has made racist comments about Asians and rapper Ice Spice.
Flerkittens in The Marvels
Kitten culture was strong in 2023. I mean, I got one in May! So naturally, I was obsessed with all the little kitties in The Marvels.
Panera Bread’s Charged Lemonade
The restaurant’s highly caffeinated lemonade is allegedly causing deaths among people with heart issues. Panera Bread was hit with a second wrongful death lawsuit earlier this month, after the first in October.
Coquettification
I feel like bows started to trend in summer 2022, so it made sense to see the absolute bow explosion this year. From the Sandy Liang and Baggu collab, to bow Christmas trees, to coquette Wing Stop, it’s currently in overdrive.
Kylie Jenner & Timothée Chalamet
The more I heard about this couple, the more it made sense to me. Like, sure it sounded kind of bizarre at first… but he could be the father that stepped up. My favorite Kylie and Timothée moment has to be when they went to the Renaissance Tour together, and he was smoking a cigarette inside SoFi Stadium. It was giving King Kylie in a way I can’t explain.
Riverdale ending
The CW’s crown jewel, Riverdale, ended after seven seasons this August. Yes, the cast is free to expand their acting careers now, but I loved this stupid show so much. Speaking of, Charles Melton—who played Archie’s bestie Reggie—is receiving critical acclaim for his performance in May December. He recently told i-D, “Riverdale was my Julliard,” and he could very well earn an Oscar nomination in a few weeks. Riverdale’s contributions to cinema will be studied in the future.
Rihanna’s pregnancy reveal at the Super Bowl
I wrote about the singer’s halftime show back in February, but had to include this in the list because she recently revealed that showing her baby bump wasn’t planned.
The Golden Bachelor
I watched the senior version of The Bachelor this fall, thinking to myself, ‘Now why isn’t the main show one-hour long too?’ This debut season followed 71-year-old widower Gerry Turner, and his journey dating 23 women. He got engaged to 70-year-old financial services professional, Theresa Nist, and they’re literally getting married on TV this week. And I’ll be seated, especially after tabloids reporting that he’s upset she wants him to sign a prenup. IMO, it adds up after this exposé about Turner came out in The Hollywood Reporter.
Thank you for reading! I want to write handle with care regularly in 2024, and with awards season coming up, it should motivate me! I think I was burnt out for a while, but I’m excited for a fresh start. I hope you all have a happy new year!!