Category: Music

Selena Gomez‘s character, Alex Russo, has come a long way since the premiere of Wizards of Waverly Place back in 2007 — but on the latest episode of the Disney Channel show’s reboot, her story may have just come to an end. (Spoiler alert!)

The Wizards Beyond Waverly Place season 2 finale arrived Wednesday (Oct. 8) on Disney+, revealing the answers to some series-long questions. Costarring and executive produced by Gomez and David Henrie — who reprises his role as Justin Russo from the original Wizards — the reboot launched in 2024 with the premise that Alex wanted Justin to help her train a young wizard named Billie Russo, played by Janice LeAnn Brown.

At the beginning, Billie’s past and family were total mysteries. But in the new finale, it was finally revealed: Alex is her mom. And yes, the Rare Beauty founder’s character knew all along.

In the finale, a magic locket activated by Alex’s tears unleashes a memory of the lovably snarky hellraiser wiping a much younger Billie’s memories and sending her off to boarding school to protect her from an evil wizard named Lord Morsus (who also happens to be Billie’s paternal grandfather). “I would do anything to be with you,” Alex tells Billie in the memory. “But right now, there’s someone out there trying to find you, and I can’t let that happen.”

But Alex secretly being a mother wasn’t the only jaw-dropping moment the finale had to offer. During a final confrontation with Lord Morsus, Gomez’s character sacrifices herself by sealing herself inside a portal, dragging the villain in with her. That might be the last fans see of Ms. Russo — unless Billie, Justin and his kids have anything to say about it. At the very end, the gang resolves to find a way to locate and save Alex.

Since its premiere in October last year, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place has brought a new generation of fans into the magical world Disney Channel created in the late 2000s. The original show — which propelled Gomez into superstardom — wrapped in 2012.

And while the actress has her hands full with almost too many projects to count, from running her Rare Beauty empire to starring in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, Gomez has said that returning to her roots has been extremely fulfilling for her. “It’s the best feeling in the whole world to be able to bring this back for you and to all the people who have never seen it before,” she told People in 2024.

She added at the time, “This is what gave me everything that I have today, and I’ll never forget that this is where I started.”

Both seasons of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place are streaming now on Disney+.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

With Amazon’s annual Prime Day October event finally here, shoppers can save big on sought-after tech gadgets, beauty products, and premium gaming equipment starting October 7 and 8. However, the best deals don’t stop there. If you’re a cinephile, new and existing Prime members can enjoy deals on Prime Video as well. With discounts as low as $1.99/month for 2 months, users can save big on 27 add-on subscriptions like STARZ, AMC and BET+. There’s no better time to subscribe to Prime Video.

There are a slew of providers on the market these days that offer a singular service, but Prime Video serves as a one-stop destination for all your favorite streaming platforms. Through the Amazon service, subscribers can gain access to 100 add-on subscriptions available to you with the touch of a button, including Apple TV+, Max, Paramount+, BET+, Crunchyroll, MGM+ and STARZ.

Shop Prime Day deals: October Prime Day 2025 deals | Best Prime Day tech deals | Best Prime Day deals under $100 | Prime Day Beauty deals | Prime Day Headphone deals | Prime Day Medicube deals | Prime Day Funko Pop deals

Starz Prime Day Deal

One of the best Amazon Prime Channels deals right now is a subscription to Starz for just $2.99/month for three months. Regularly $10.99/month, the deal saves you a whopping 73% off for a limited time. The same low price deal is also offered for BET+, and MGM+.

AMC/MGM+ Bundle Prime Day Deal

A typical AMC+/MGM+ ad-free bundle costs $12.99/month, but during the Prime Day October event, you can subscribe for just $5.99 a month for two months. Users will get full access to the AMC+, MGM+, Shudder, IFC Films and Sundance Now film and TV catalogs, as well as six live-TV channels, including BBC America, AMC, IFC and Sundance TV.

BET+ Prime Day Deal

Other streamers on sale include BET+, Acorn TV, PBS Masterpiece, Discovery+, Cinemax, Britbox and more. The deals make it a prime opportunity (no pun intended) to sign-up for these entertainment streamers. See the full list of discounted streaming services here.

NBA League Pass

With the start of the 2025-26 NBA season only weeks away, catch every dunk, crossover and buzzer beater with NBA League Pass. For Prime Day, users can take advantage of a discounted subscription of 25% off for two months ($12.74/month for two months, down from $16.99/month) on a regular League Pass subscription. You’ll get access to hundreds of live and on-demand basketball games throughout the season.

Prime Video Free Trial

Amazon typically only offers streaming discounts during Prime Day and Black Friday, so this is a rare opportunity to save on subscriptions through the site. Keep in mind, you’ll need to be an Prime member to redeem the streaming offer. Luckily, Prime Video offers a 30-day free trial for new users.

Not a Prime member? Amazon is offering a 30-day free trial for new users who sign up. That’ll give you instant access to shop this Prime Channel deal along with exclusive Prime member-only sales including Prime Big Deal Days offers, early access deals and more Prime exclusive perks.

Amazon Prime members can access all their streaming services in one handy location thanks to Prime Video. Access your streamers on your computer, tablet, phone or smart TV (via the Prime Video app).

This new Prime Channel promotion comes on the heels of Amazon’s other TV deals and streaming device discounts.

For more product recommendations, check out ShopBillboard‘s roundups of the best tablet deals, affordable streaming options and student streaming deals.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Amazon Prime Day is here, which means you’ll be snagging incredible deals on just about everything, and that includes holiday gear.

Our favorite find this Prime Day? Funko Pop Advent calendars. Why not get ahead of the curve and do some holiday shopping early while the deals are still hot? We’re talking up to 16% off on interactive calendars themed like Marvel characters, Disney princesses and Nightmare Before Christmas, among others.

Each themed calendar comes with labeled boxes for 24 days, all filled with surprise collectible vinyl figures, kind of like a blind box but bigger and more holiday-esque. These figures will coordinate with the calendar’s theme. No matter which themed calendar you pick, it’ll be a whole lot more exciting than just ticking off boxes on a calendar.

Figures included in every Funko Pop Advent Calendar are made of sturdy vinyl and stand at 0.9 inches. These figures are not for those under the age of three and can be played with or displayed like any other collectible. The figures are extremely detailed, depicting some of your favorite characters, including Stitch, Ironman and Princess Tiana in Christmas attire including little fuzzy hats.

Funko Pop! Bitty Countdown Calendar: Stitch Holiday

$29.49 $34.99 16% off

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A Lilo & Stitch themed Advent calendar.

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Funko Pop! Bitty Countdown Calendar: Marvel Comics

$29.49 $34.99 16% off

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A Marvel superhero-themed Advent calendar.

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ShopBillboard especially loves the Nightmare Before Christmas offering, given it’s the most on-theme calendar of all four we’ve picked. You’ve got your familiar faces like Jack Skellington, along with timid little Sally and the loveable ghost dog Zero. The Marvel-themed calendar is also a hit, especially with comic book fans. Every hero from Captain America to Spiderman is decked out in proper Christmas attire, ready to fight crime and keep the city safe, snow or shine. If you’re not into opening up these calendars one by one, you can also use the little accompanying figures as stocking stuffers or situated atop a cake.

Funko has created a slew of themed Advent calendars, all available on Amazon. While some of them aren’t currently on sale, they’re still worth a splurge, especially if you have little ones you want to impress this holiday season. These calendars are both interactive and decorative, the best of both worlds.

These figures are classified as Bitty Pops, a subsection of Funko Pop figures that are miniature. Don’t let their size fool you; these figures are extremely expressive and colorful, making any space they’re placed in come alive. Funko sells these miniatures beyond their Advent calendars, sometimes solo, other times in packs with miniature display sets.

Funko Pop! Bitty Countdown Calendar: Disney Princess

$29.49 $34.99 16% off

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A Disney princess themed Advent calendar.

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Funko Pop! Countdown Calendar: The Nightmare Before Christmas

$42.49 $54.16 22% off

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A Nightmare Before Christmas Advent calendar.

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BRISBANE, Australia — Sam Hales is the latest signing to Warner Chappell Music, striking a global deal with the music publishing giant.

With the new arrangement, the celebrated Australian songwriter’s entire catalogue and future works will be represented by Warner Chappell, Billboard.com can exclusively reveal.

“I am thrilled to welcome Sam Hales to our international roster of songwriters and producers at Warner Chappell,” comments Dan Rosen, president of Warner Music Australasia, in a statement. “Sam is an exceptional talent with a global vision. His songwriting has not only shaped the Australian music landscape but continues to make an impact on a global scale. At Warner Chappell Music, we’re excited to support the next chapter of Sam’s creative journey.”

Hales is a busy man. He’s the vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter of Brisbane indie band The Jungle Giants, whose fourth and most recent album, Love Signs, opened at No. 1 on the ARIA Chart following its release in July 2021.

His co-writing credits include tracks with Australian Music Prize winners Hermitude and Mexican breakout star RENEE, and remix collaborations with the likes of Odd Mob, Joe Goddard from Hot Chip, Chromeo and Tom Trago. Also, Hales recently produced the lead single for Love Fame Tragedy, the solo project of The Wombats’ Matthew Murphy.

Hales was a regular contributor to Confidence Man, leaving the electro-pop act some two-and-a-half years ago. The new deal is understood to cover his works with ConMan for Australia and New Zealand only.

“Sam is a phenomenal songwriter. His ability to craft songs that feel both deeply personal and universally anthemic is rare,” adds John Halstead, senior A&R manager at Warner Chappell Music Australia. “We’re proud to welcome him to Warner Chappell and excited to help take his music to even greater global heights.”

On signing with the music publisher, Hales says the timing couldn’t be better to “delve into more global co-writing. This has been a dream of mine for years, and the team couldn’t be more perfect.”

The publishing pact has a strong focus on the future, explains Stu McCullough, manager, Amplifire Music, and leans into more co-writing and producing opportunities for the talented creative. “We have waited for well over a decade to do a publishing deal for Sam and it feels like the right time and right team to take this next step in Sam’s career,” he tells Billboard. “We are all excited at the possibilities ahead of us.”

The Warner Chappell deal caps an eventful year for Hales, who was hospitalized in March following a motor accident. That didn’t prevent him from hitting the road with The Jungle Giants for the national Hold My Hand tour, in support of the January release “Hold My Hand,” their first in more than a year.

“Ether” lives forever.

Some fans have been lightheartedly reviving the Jay-Z vs. Nas feud as the pair of rap deities face off with opposing NYC casino bids.

Resorts World’s casino bid — which Nas partnered with — was approved by the Community Advisory Committee to bring an expanded $5.5 billion casino project to Queens, while Roc Nation’s proposal for a Times Square casino was shot down by the CAC.

Fans leaned into the former rivals’ battle when pitting the pair of opposing casinos against one another, with Nas taking the win, as Resorts World’s proposal just needs approval by the State Gaming Commission while Jay’s alongside SL Green and Caesars’ bid is all but dead.

Nas sat down with Rolling Stone earlier this week, where he reflected on fans bringing his feud with Jay-Z back up with the pair of rap legends as part of the bidding for casino licenses in NYC.

“It is just a thing that some people are going to talk about,” he stated. “No one has any control over things like that. I still study Rakim and Big Daddy Kane. Some rap fans just like to go off on those things from time to time. That’s it.”

Even Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. took a shot at Jay-Z following the Resorts World bid approval.

“There’s a theme in Queens, and I know that Nas was a part of this: Queens get the money. Sorry, Jay-Z, we win again,” Richards quipped. “You can let the Brooklyn borough president know that I send my regards to him.”

Of course, Jay and Nas have long squashed their beef. Tensions in the ’90s reached a boiling point in the early 2000s with the Queensbridge native’s “Stillmatic Freestyle,” which was followed by Hov’s “Takeover” and Nas’ “Ether.”

As for the casino, Resorts World NYC received unanimous approval with a 6-0 vote from the CAC on Sept. 25. Resorts World officials are looking to open the revamped Southeast Queens casino by July 2026, and the Aqueduct Park project is slated to be one of the largest in the U.S. at 350,000 square feet.

Resorts World is set to also open a brand new 7,000-person capacity entertainment venue, while NBA champion and Queens native Kenny “The Jet” Smith will assist in bringing a sports complex to the Resorts World campus.

The ambitious project hopes to bring 24,000 new jobs to Queens and $1 million in new revenue during its first year of operation.

Dolly Parton has millions of fans keeping her in their thoughts as she faces issues with her health, and her sister Freida is leading the charge.

In a post shared Tuesday (Oct. 7) on Facebook, Freida told followers that she had been “up all night praying for my sister, Dolly.”

“Many of you know she hasn’t been feeling her best lately,” the country icon’s sibling continued. “I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I have been [led] to ask all of the world that loves her to be prayer warriors and pray with me. She’s strong, she’s loved, and with all the prayers being lifted for her, I know in my heart she’s going to be just fine.

“Godspeed, my sissy Dolly,” Freida added. “We all love you!”

The post comes a little more than a week after Parton postponed her Las Vegas residency, citing “health challenges.”

“My doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures,” the 10-time Grammy winner wrote in a statement at the time, sounding optimistic that she’ll return to the stage soon. “As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000-mile check-up, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!”

Parton had originally been set to perform in Sin City throughout the first half of December, but the run of shows will now take place in September 2026. “I just need a little time to get show ready, as they say,” she added in her post announcing the delay. “And don’t worry about me quitting the business because God hasn’t said anything about stopping yet.”

The Dollywood founder has certainly overcome a lot this year. In addition to her health issues, Parton lost her husband of 60 years, with Carl Dean dying at the age of 82 in March. Even so, the singer has put on a strong front in the face of grief, at one point offering up advice based on her own experiences when Brandon Blackstock — the former stepson of Reba McEntire and ex-husband of Kelly Clarkson — died in August.

“I think you just have to be grateful for the years that you’ve had with someone, and you just try to remember the very best of all that, and take their energy that they had given you then and just kind of recycle that and let that become a part of you,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “Just honor their memory and know that they are in a better place than we are these days.”