Welcome 2023: 5 Up-and-Coming Pop Culture Moments 

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From the release of “Midnights” (hear it here) to Will Smith’s infamous slap, 2022 was full of unforgettable pop culture moments. But don’t fret, 2023 is bound to be just as memorable, if not more. Here are 6 pop culture moments to look forward to in the new year. 

Artist Taylor Swift has not gone on tour since the COVID-19 pandemic canceled her planned “Loverfest” tour. (Photo/Wikimedia Commons)
  1. The Eras Tour: The lucky Swifties who  managed to purchase tickets will get the chance to see Taylor Swift on tour for the first time since 2016. Ticketmaster continues to face backlash and even lawsuits about the fiasco that left countless upset fans ticketless. The tour will be starting in Arizona on March 17. The eleven-time Grammy award winner has reportedly started practicing for the tour with her back-up singers and dancers. Tour preparations at various stadiums are also underway. 
Beyoncé has not been on tour since 2018, causing fans to be ecstatic about seeing “Queen Bee” back on stage. (Photo/Flickr)
  1. “Renaissance” Tour: Swift is not the only global superstar touring in 2023. Beyoncé announced her global Renaissance tour Oct. 22. After launching her solo career back in 2003, this event will mark her 20-year anniversary of being in the music industry. Tickets have not been released for sale and neither have official tour dates. 
Rihanna has not produced music since 2016, having kept busy with FENTY Beauty and welcoming her first baby son back in May. (Photo/Flickr)
  1. Super Bowl Half-Time Show: Football fans will not be the only ones waiting anxiously for the Super Bowl, as Rihanna is set to make her return to the stage. After having not released an album since 2016, Riri’s return to music has been highly anticipated among the pop and R&B world. The Super Bowl will take place Sunday, Feb. 12 in Glendale, Arizona. Jay-Z is helping Rih organize the show, ensuring it will be unforgettable. 
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023 Movie) - Reveal - YouTube
The fifth installment of the Hunger Games film series, “A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” tells the story of Coriolanus Snow, the villain in the original trilogy. (Screenshot/Emma Delgado)
  1. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: Hunger Games fans are ready to return to the land of Panem in a prelude to the original Hunger Games trilogy. This movie will be adapted from the same-named novel released earlier in 2020 by author Suzanne Collins. It stars Tom Blyth, Hunter Schafer and Rachel Zegler. Fans may remember Zegler who played Maria in the recent Steven Spielberg adaptation of West Side Story. In this movie, Zegler plays Lucy Gray Baird, a tribute from district 12 who forms a friendship with the ever cold Coriolanus Snow, played by Blyth. The film will be released in theaters Nov. 17. 
A woman and man wear matching neon-colored outfits at Venice Beach.
Warner Bros. will release the Barbie movie in July, which follows Barbie as she leaves “Barbieland” to head to the real world to find true love. (Photo/Vox)
  1. Let’s go Barbie: For those who are still a child at heart, award-winning director Greta Gerwig just announced her newest project, a live-action Barbie movie based on the iconic Mattel dolls. Not much is known about the project yet, but the cast is star-studded, with icons like Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken (pictured above), as well as Will Ferrell and Emma Mackey. The film is scheduled to be released July 21. 

As a rising senior, this is Emma’s third year in the Patriot Post and she’s excited to be the Online Editor this year. Outside of newspaper, she’s Co-President of the journalism honor society, Quill and Scroll, and also the Editor-in-Chief of the Sigma Xi Honor Society magazine. She is also involved in and has officer positions in Science Research, Sigma Xi, FBLA, Model UN, SNHS, and other clubs, including honor societies and her own nonprofit. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching dramas on Netflix, listening to Taylor Swift, and hanging out with friends and family. She’s very excited to work on the Patriot Post this year!