red-haired rapunzel spotted in nyc

the buzz #15 - on refreshing rumours, surprise statements, and hollywood callouts

Jul 13, 2025

party people! hello! there are a lot of new faces here, so let me reintroduce myself: i’m chloe, your self-appointed pop culture bestie who breaks down all the tea from the last week, but also questions why it all happens! and a big warm welcome to buzzing. read on to see what’s hot this week →

Current Obsessions:

On The Table: raw oysters! they taste like summer & are my fave ever

On the Screen: The Odyssey’s 70-second trailer in theatres… i’m obsessed

In the Queue: alll the pop girlies from this summer & last!

On My Mind: Renee Rapp being mad on TikTok live when fans wouldn’t stop sending her ‘gifts’ & Bette Davis Eyes having not one but TWO terrible covers this week (AJLT and Jojo Siwa **face palm**)

Inspiration for 07/07/25 - 07/13/25:

Could “The Subway” Finally Be Coming? Footage From Chappell Roan's New Music Video Has Fans Talking — *she’s got awayy, she’s got awayyy, she’s got a wayyyyyy!*

The Buzz #15:

Justin’s Swaggy Surprise Release!

To the surprise of probably everyone (unless you’re a fortune teller and predicted this), Justin Bieber just dropped his seventh studio album, SWAG. After fans spotted cryptic billboards in Iceland and Los Angeles (some even revealing the track list), speculation began bubbling. But who ever expected a same-day drop?! Best part? Justin hasn’t said a word - he’s letting the music do the talking.
This album comes at a weird time for Justin. He’s been in headlines recently for allegedly dissing his wife Hailey Bieber, yelling at paparazzi, and posting some pretty odd stuff on social. Hailey was even seen without her wedding ring at dinner a couple weeks ago, prompting even more breakup rumours. SWAG seems to shut it all down. Instead of speaking out, Justin sings about it. And honestly? He does a damn good job doing it.
In Go Baby, Justin references Hailey and her company, Rhode, while offering real support:
“That's my baby, she's iconic, iPhone case, lip gloss on it… Cry on my shoulder whenever you need it/You better believe that I can hold all the weight that you feel inside.”
In Walking Away, he goes deeper, reflecting on wedding vows and personal growth:
“Baby, I ain't walking away / You were my diamond / Gave you a ring / I made you a promise / I told you I'd change / It's just human nature / These growing pains.”
Then there’s Standing on Business, a spoken word interlude with comedian Druski, referencing that viral pap moment where Justin said, “It’s not clocking to you” (that quote even showed up on a billboard!). A commenter put it best, “Justin has been leaving breadcrumbs all over his social media but most thought he was just crashing out…” Guilty!
The album’s R&B-influenced sound gives Justin space to actually say what he wants. As one pop culture analyst put it, Justin’s been pushed to fit a certain sound and brand his whole life. Now that he controls his career, we’re finally hearing his version of music. Unexpected? Yes. Effective? Absolutely.
Oh no.. I feel myself getting warm… is that Bieber Fever?!

Red-Haired Rapunzel Spotted in NYC (Yes, Really)

Chappell Roan is in New York. With red hair. And a camera crew. You know what that means: The Subway is finally coming.
If you’re confused, The Subway is an unreleased ballad Chappell performed at music festivals last year. It quickly became the fan favourite. It’s about a girl on the subway who’s both “got away” and “got a way”. Iconic.
Now, after nearly a year of begging, it looks like the studio version is finally coming. A few TikToks confirm she’s singing these iconic lyrics while playing a Rapunzel-esque Chappell in New York City. I am so here for it.
Chappell’s admitted it’s been tough capturing the live magic in a studio version, but fans have not let up. The Rapunzel parallel works perfectly: the song is about longing, feeling stuck, and desiring something you can’t have. We’ve been locked in this tower waiting for the track to drop, and I’m ready to be freed. Let down your hair, Chappell!

Girls Will Always Have A Grip (Thank You Lena Dunham)

Lena Dunham is back in the pop culture stratosphere to promote her latest project, Too Much (it’s next on my ‘to be watched’), but of course, Girls comes up in all her interviews. As her possible magnum opus (yes, it’s that damn good), it’s not surprising for interviewers to ask Lena her opinion now on the brilliant show. Unlike many celebs who tend to shy away from talking about their biggest past work, Lena is embracing it and it’s so refreshing.
She’s not just tossing out polite soundbites either. Lena’s genuinely answering fan questions, sharing where she thinks the Girls characters would be now, and even went on the Girls Rewatch Podcast to dive deep. She praised the podcast hosts and thanked them for celebrating something she created, noting how rare it is to experience that level of long-term love from fans. She’s fully embracing the moment that is Girls and how it truly resonates with people. It almost makes me emotional :’)
It all reminded me how timeless good art can be. With TikTok and streaming, you never know when something could might go viral (like Charli XCX’s party 4 u charting on Billboard Hot 100 for the first time, five years after release). Art doesn’t have an expiration date. Lena knows that, and instead of hiding from her early work, she’s openly proud of it.
P.S. Lena said she’s a Shoshanna, and I’m living for that. Same girl, same.

Brad Pitt Is Not My Comeback King

Brad Pitt is back in the limelight to promote his new movie, F1 and I’m not here for it. The reviews for the film are strong, but I can’t believe we’re letting Brad slide back into the spotlight with zero real reckoning. Let me explain (and yes, my hating hat is firmly on).
Brad Pitt has been accused of abuse and cheating. Let that sink in. Everyone knows about the infamous Brangelina scandal of the 2000s, and how if anything, Jen and Angelina were demonized while Brad just… coasted. A decade later, Brad was accused of abuse by Angelina, and every one of his kids over 18 have removed Pitt from their last names… that says a lot.
Now, he’s playing the charming dad in press interviews and getting paid $200 million for his role. Meanwhile, his messy history is swept under the rug (except for this culture enthusiast).
It raises a bigger question: who gets to come back from controversy? Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, and Chris Brown seem to come back scot free, while Jonathan Majors and R. Kelly are deemed incredibly bad (rightfully so). Where’s the line? What matters more: the severity of the crime, or public likability?
I think we need to think more critically about who gets that second chance. Because I promise, there are actors out there just as talented who don’t come with this kind of baggage.

Finally, a Normal Celebrity Couple Age Gap

Rumour has it… Sofia Vergara and Tom Brady might be a thing. Finally, a normal age gap couple!
After reports of a “summer romance” in Ibiza and a slightly cryptic Instagram post (see below!), people are speculating. Tom’s team hasn’t confirmed anything, but they did say Sofia would never be “too old” for Tom (sure, it’s low-bar feminism, but we’ll take it).
Let’s be real: most men like Tom end up dating women at least 20 years younger. So it’s so refreshing to see a pair of two attractive, successful people together that are also around the same age. I’m not the biggest fan of either, but I ship it! Please let the rumours be true.