Rapper Cardi B has opened up about her experiences of suffering from post-partum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kulture Kiari.
The I Like It singer revealed her emotional rollercoaster following childbirth, explaining how she assumed she'd "avoid" developing the common condition.
The 26-year-old spoke to Harper Bazaar for the March cover issue, and elaborated on the difficulties of facing life with the feeling of heaviness.
Cardi explained that she felt fine six months ago, when Kulture was first born, until post-partum depression hit her unexpectedly;
“I thought I was going to avoid it,” she revealed to the magazine. “When I gave birth, the doctor told me about postpartum, and I was like: ‘Well, I’m doing good right now, I don’t think that’s going to happen."
She continued; “But out of nowhere, the world was heavy on my shoulders.”
She also got candid about the feeling of losing control over your body following pregnancy, admitting that her body "doesn't feel the same".
She said: “For some reason, I still don’t feel like my body’s the same. I feel like I don’t have my balance right yet. When it comes to heels, I’m not as good at walking anymore."
“I feel like I’m holding a weight on me. I don’t know why because I’m skinnier than I’ve ever been. But there’s an energy I haven’t gotten back yet that I had before I was pregnant. It’s just the weirdest thing.”
Cardi B welcomed Kulture in July with her rapper husband Offset, but the pair announced their divorce shortly afterwards.
The couple secretly wed in September 2017, insisted that the split was good for both of them, and that they simply "fell out of love".
Taking to Instagram, the Grammy-nominated artist said:
“We’re really good friends and you know we’re really good business partners and you know, he’s always somebody that I run to, to talk to and we got a lot of love for each other, but things just haven’t been working out between us for a long time.
The 49-year-old has an amazingly varied career which included professions like chart-topping singer, Hollywood actor, and producer.
Plus, she's Jenny from the block.
And she is also a mum to two gorgeous twins, Max and Emme.
The ten-year-olds are her children from her marriage to ex-husband Marc Anthony, and she has opened up about the valuable lesson she is teaching her daughter Emme.
She has been dating former American footballer Alex Rodriguez for a year.
Alex is also a parent, he has two kids with his ex-wife -14-year-old Natasha and ten-year-old Ella.
Jennifer revealed that one of the many reasons she and Alex get along so well is their approach to parenting.
She said, ''We have the same work ethic. We also appreciate and know that coming from nothing, we always want to try to help and give back and teach our kids that."
She sounds like she's a fabulous mum to Max and Emme and they're lucky to have her.
It really is the year of nostalgia; Between the Spice Girls, Westlife and Carrie Bradshaw, it's clearly comeback o'clock.
News recently broke that one of the biggest legends of the early 2000s is making a musical return, with her sophomore album expecting to be released before the end of 2019.
We've all got more than fond memories of tunes such as Gotta Tell You and Always Come Back To Your Love, and soon we'll be hearing brand new music from the versatile singer.
We sat down for a chat with the woman herself, and once our starstruck fever calmed down, we managed to ask her a few questions.
There have been whispers of musical comebacks for many years now, considering her first album Gotta Tell You was released back in 2000 when she was only sixteen-years-old.
While the rest of us were figuring out creative ways to abandon school for a few hours and day-dreaming of Zack Morris from Saved By The Bell, Samantha was making CHUNES.
So why choose now to release her long-awaited album number two? Samantha is a woman of many talents, trying her hand at Masterchef in 2017, as well as appearances in Dancing On Ice and on ITV's Loose Women.
“It’s been in the works for a couple of months, so for me I did Manchester Pride last summer, and I was so blown away by the response. As I was onstage I was literally like, why don’t I have any new music to perform? This is stupid, like it’s ridiculous. I’m one of those people who gets in their own way all the time. Even if I think of doing something, I’ll think of 20 reasons not to do it. I thought, ‘No, enough it enough’. I was afraid to do it again. The timing just feels good, and now I’m seeing that everyone is coming back, I thought, ‘What is going on?’ Hang on a second, I was coming back first!”
Damn right she was. Samantha's popularity with a range of audiences and people of all ages has to be noted, but why do so many listeners seem to relate to her?
“That’s a great question, and I don’t really know the answer. It’s just one of those things, a nostalgia thing. I also think because I was so young when I started, a lot of people literally feel, and they have, like they’ve grown up with me. People have even stopped me in the street to say, ‘Oh hey, how are you?’ as if they know me. I’ve been around for a while, I think there’s that kind of connection where people have really gotten behind me, it’s like I’m a cousin of theirs. It’s that kind of thing, it’s brilliant.”
Samantha still returns home to Dublin fairly regularly, and her little daughter Sage calls it her home too. We wondered if she had stayed up to date on Ireland's current homelessness crisis?
“It’s scandalous, it’s absolutely shocking. That’s why I thought this Just Eat campaign was just such a no-brainer. I’d love if they could double what they did last year, which in itself was incredible. Even especially being home at the minute, and it’s so cold, you just think, ‘Oh my God’, it’s not right. There’s a lot of young kids that are homeless, and it’s heartbreaking. Being a mother now myself, it’s just awful. You never know what goes on in someone’s life, it can happen to anybody, you just never know what kind of bad things could come somebody’s way. It can happen to everybody, and everybody should chip in," she says.
She's partnered up with Just Eat this year for their annual National Takeaway Tuesday to raise funds for the Peter McVerry Trust, who do vital work for the homeless. To date, Just Eat customers have generated over €50,000 for the Peter McVerry Trust, enough to move five people out of homelessness and into better futures.
Samantha comments; "This takeaway campaign is perfect, because you can order food on a Tuesday, get a 10 percent discount and chip in 10 percent to 2019’s Just Eat charity of choice, the Peter McVerry Trust. So you’re doing something good."
Does she notice the homelessness which is also prevalent in Los Angeles too, while she's spending her down-time there?
“Again, who am I to talk about anything, but there are definite areas. Santa Monica area and Downtown area, what I find is that a lot of the problems there are mental health. These people should be in facilities, in LA for me I notice, it’s a lot more of that. Whereas here, it’s more people who are getting a bad run of things. It just seems to be different circumstances, I suppose," she emphasises.
Her daughter Sage was born in 2015, with her husband Torray Scales. We're immediately jealous of Sage, because she's already heard some of her mum's new material;
‘Nightmare before Christmas is her thing. We listen to that soundtrack, and I love it as well, so it’s great. Sometimes she said, ‘I wanna hear mummy’s songs’, she approves of the new songs, thankfully. She’s very sweet, but other times she’s like, ‘Ok, back to Disney’, she laughs.
“She says she lives in LA and lives in Dublin, she loves being home. She gets totally spoilt rotten at home. The back and forth is her norm, she doesn’t know any different.”
We couldn't let Samantha go without trying to get the dates for her new music to be released, it had to be done. For the good of mankind. Luckily, she was ready for the question;
“I was hoping to have a date already. I have to have it within the next two weeks, because I want my first release to be latest end of March, early April. So we’re working on it. I’d love to have two singles out by the summer, and the album definitely will be later on in the year, but I’m on it.”
Me: “Calm down, Shane. It’s only January 4th.”
Also me: “Okay, Samantha Mumba and Madonna, it’s 2019–where are the new albums?!?”
One core difference between now and when Samantha started is, of course, the power of social media. She's aware of it as a tool, and this time it's going to connect her even more to her fans;
“That’s what I’m enjoying the most, there’s no random people telling me what I have to do, I’m fully in control of everything. That’s kind of the most exciting part for me. The people I’ve been working with in the States are so creative, they’re really pushing me out of my comfort zone.”
In terms of teasing some collaborations in the pipeline, she's revealed a song with MNEK has been created, and we are SO HERE for it. The artist is known for working with some of pop's biggest names, among them are Dua Lipa and Zara Larsson.
“MNEK I have done work with, yes, I adore him. He’s incredible, he’s so talented. I have done one song with him, and I have my core group of people to work with. I think he’ll actually be in LA again in another couple of weeks, so we’ll do another session there as well. I’d love to bring him in with my people, because I think they’d all mesh really well. I’m excited for what that will bring. He’s such a talent and a joy to work with.”
Is there anyone she's especially got her eye on, in terms of new female talent?
“I just discovered her and I’m obsessed, it’s Donna Missal from the US. She’s incredible, I love her."
Samantha is 36-years-old, and time has only given her even more glamour, wisdom and thick-skin for the tough music industry.
Her new album is set to encompass that sense of maturity;
My new music is pop R’N’B, it’s current to where I am, I’m a grown woman who’s lived a life. I have a lot of things to say. I’m just expressing them, and hopefully other women will relate to it."
Samantha is the newest 2019 mood; let her reign begin anew.
R Kelly's estranged daughter, Joann Kelly (known as Buku Abi) is now speaking out following the airing of explosive Lifetime documentary, Surviving R Kelly.
Buku Abi's father has been under increased spotlight since the horrific sexual abuse allegations were broadcasted in the six-hour series, and now his daughter is voicing her support for his victims.
In a lengthy Instagram post, she wrote a testimonial where she referred to her apparent sexual predator father as a 'monster'.
She writes that it has taken her "three days just to find the right words" to include in her message, following 30 years of disturbing abuse claims against R Kelly.
Celebrities and the public alike were deeply shocked at the magnitude of the allegations, which featured dozens of his apparent victims telling their stories.
Their testimonies shared the same stomach-churning pattern of sexual assault, rape, mind-control as well as physical and mental abuse.
A number of women were allegedly held hostage in his homes, and some still remain in his custody. His daughter is now sharing her story.
Abi writes in a letter that she no longer has any relationship with her biological father, and her and her siblings have not had contact with him in years.
“My mother ( R. Kelly's ex-wife Andrea Kelly), siblings, and I would never condone, support or be apart of ANYTHING negative he has done and continues to do in his life,” she claims.
“The same monster you all confronting me about is my father. I am well aware of who and what he is,” she added, in what must have been a difficult post for her to curate.
“I grew up in that house. My choice to not speak on him and what he does is for my peace of mind. My emotional state. And for MY healing. I have to do and move in a manner that is best for me.”
"Going through all I have gone through in my life, I would never want anyone to feel the pain I have felt."
"Reminders of how terrible my father is, and how we should be speaking up against him, rude comments about my family, fabricating me, my siblings, & our mother's "part," etc., does not help my family in our healing process."
"Nor does it allow a safe space for other victims who are scared to speak up, speak up."
Lastly, she offers her prayers for his victims, showing her support for their recovery as well as emphasising how hard this period has been on herself;
"I pray for all the families & women who have been affected by my father's actions. Trust, I have been deeply affected by all of this. However, it has been very difficult to process it all."
"I am speaking from the heart, nothing I say or do not say is to hurt any party reading or affected by this. To the people that feel I should be speaking up/against everything that is going on right now," she continued.
"I just want you all to understand that devastated is an understatement for all that I feel currently. I do apologise if my silence to all that is happening comes off as careless," she concludes.
She makes sure to thank the public for the support and love which she and her family have received in the wake of the documentary.
The R&B singer is now under criminal investigation in Atlanta and Illinois.
I'm sure we've all told our parents how embarrassing we think they are, how they mortify us beyond the valley of shame for merely existing.
Normally most of the things they do genuinely aren't embarrassing, we're just being dramatic.
In this case, however: one Twitter user explained a genuinely unfortunate mishap which happened when her mother was selling a wardrobe… and it's HILARIOUS.
Sophie Eke captioned the image: "Nice one mum", with texts from a buyer who reportedly could see her poor mums' boobs in the mirror of the item up for sale.
The buyer texted Julie saying: "Hi Julie, I don't mean to sound rude but just thought I'd let you know as I noticed straight away… the photo you uploaded of the wardrobes, I'm unsure if its what I think but it seems that there are some boobs in the mirror!"
"Sorry just wanted to let you know xxx"
Thank God, her daughter didn't upload the full X-rated image, but the tweet has since gone viral. It has been retweeted over 28k times and has over 100k likes, our mums would MURDER us for this.
My beautiful new daughter just appeared in our kitchen and said: ‘Please don’t dance or sing mum. You’re embarrassing at both.’
We hope she finds it funny, otherwise she might be pretty damn mad (understandably) with her daughter for putting the tweet up about her in the first place.
It just goes to show, be careful what you put on the internet gals, and maybe check your photos for any nudity BEFORE you upload them?
Huge congratulations are in order for Patrick Adams and Troian Bellisario who have welcomed their first child together. The actors kept Troian’s pregnancy a secret because they wanted to enjoy this big chapter of their lives in private.
The proud parents posted the sweetest photo to confirm the news. Suits actor Patrick posted a snap of him and Troian holding their baby’s hand.
The actor confirmed Troian had given birth to a beautiful baby girl. The proud dad vowed to protect his daughter and let her be who she wants to be in life.
“The world just got 8lbs heavier. Thank you to everyone who fought for and protected our privacy during this incredible and beautiful time in our lives."
He confirmed Pretty Little Liars alum Troain had a safe labour and both mum and baby are doing well: “Everyone is happy and healthy and loving every moment of this.”
“I could not be more excited to bring a baby girl into this world at this moment. We will raise her to be powerful, to always speak her mind and heart and to live without fear,” he gushed.
“It’s a brand new day and a brave new world and they are both beautiful.”
Troain also posted the same snap of her daughter’s tiny hand to her Instagram account and stressed the fact that they would raise a bright, strong young girl.
“I couldn’t be more proud to be her mother. To bring a new girl into this world and to do my best to raise her to be kind, strong and whatever the heck she wants to be.”
The actress also thanked her husband who was her rock throughout her entire pregnancy: “To my @halfadams for being so supportive during every moment of my pregnancy and her birth.”
We cannot wait to find out what name Patrick and Troaian chose for their baby girl.
Kate announced her birth on Instagram as well as her unusual choice for a name.
She wrote, ''we have decided to name our daughter Rani (pronounced Ronnie) after her grandfather, Ron Fujikawa. Ron was the most special man who we all miss dearly. To name her after him is an honour."
She also spoke about how she is adjusting to the new family life saying, ''everyone is doing well and happy as can be. Our family thank you for all the love and blessings that have been sent our way and we send our right back.
Rani is Kate's first child with boyfriend Danny but she has two sons from previous relationships – 14-year-old Ryder, with ex-husband Chris Robinson, and 6-year-old Bingham, with ex-fiancé Matt Bellamy.
The special event was caught on camera and shows Salma relaxing in a marble bath, draped in a white robe.
Valentina looks like a pro as she snips away at her mum's hair to the sound of Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations playing in the background.
Literal #famgoals.
Th 52-year-old captioned it,, ''happy birthday Valentina. You are so awesome and handy too! Thank you for cutting my hair! I love you more than love itself. Feliz cumpleaños mi niña hermosa, eres lo máximo y súper talentosa! Gracias por cortarme el pelo. Te amo más que al amor filmed and edited by @bucuaron.''
Director Alfonso Cuarón’s 14-year-old daughter Tess Bu Cuarón, captured the video.
Salma's 7.6 million followers were quick to comment their well wishes.
One wrote, ''cutest ever! I want to do that with my daughter one day too…but maybe I’ll give her another 5 years…'' while another said, ''what an awesome way to get your haircut for your Birthday. I love it enjoy your day!''
Salma and French billionaire François-Henri Pinault have Valentia togther while Henri also has son François, 20, and daughter Mathilde, 17, with ex-wife Dorothée Lepère and as son Augustin “Augie” James Evangelista, 11, with model Linda Evangelista.
Salma recently posted a photo on Instagram of the couple with Valentina, François and Mathilde when they were younger, writing, “they grow so fast. Crecen tan rápido. #tbt.”
Her mum looks fondly at her while the two hold hands and relish the lovely mother-daughter bond they share.
Now the gorgeous model is grown with children of her own and fully embraces her Thai culture.
Although as a child in America she used to be embarrassed of her different heritage, the mum could not be prouder of who she is and where her family has come from.
She wishes for Luna to have a different experience as a child, feeling nothing but acceptance and pride in her culture.
Khloé Kardashian has been incredibly honest about the ups and downs of motherhood since welcoming her baby girl True into the world in the April of 2018.
The businesswoman has now opened up about her desire to have a baby boy in a Twitter Q&A. Khloé admitted that she longed to have a son, but “god blessed her with” baby True.
Khloé tweeted about why she hoped to have a son: “I wanted a boy so badly because Mason and I are so close. I love our bond.”
The mum continued: “I felt confident in having a boy but God blessed me with my precious True and now I wouldn’t know what to do with a boy.”
“True has made me sweeter and more gentle. God gives you what you need,” Khloé shared.
She gushed about the bond she shares with True, calling her “My BFF 4Life.”
I wanted a boy so badly Because Mason and I are so close. I love our bond. I felt confident in having a boy but God blessed me with my precious True and now I wouldn’t know what to do with a boy. True has made me sweeter and more gentle. God gives you what you need. My BFF 4Life
Motherhood isn’t an easy journey, but Khloé shared that the best thing about being a mum is having the opportunity to “raise a beautiful, strong and intelligent young lady.”
Khloé may be loving every moment she shares with her daughter, but she did admit there is one thing she’s not looking forward to.
She told one fan: “The teenage girl part I don’t think I’m that excited about LOL I remember how I was as a teenager,” she joked.
Meghan Markle has become quite the style icon in recent years. Her elegant and chic looks are the envy of millions of women around the world.
The Duchess manages to look like a million dollars in the simplest of ensembles. Since becoming a member of the royal family, Meghan certainly has access to more designer threads and stunning pieces of jewellery than ever before.
The former actress had the honour of wearing Queen Mary's Filigree tiara on her wedding day. The beautiful bride was also spotted wearing an aquamarine cocktail ring from Princess Diana’s personal collection, which was a gift from husband Prince Harry.
Meghan’s engagement ring even features diamonds from Diana’s personal collection, but the Suits star has one very special piece of jewellery from her own collection that she hopes to pass on to her future daughter.
Forget about tiaras and diamonds, Meghan revealed that one day she wants to pass on one stunning item that she purchased herself.
The Duchess of Sussex bought this item when her show Suits was renewed for a third season. She celebrated by splurging on a £4,200 Cartier watch.
In 2015, she told Hello! Magazine: “I’ve always coveted the Cartier French Tank watch,” adding that her dream was to “give it to [her] daughter one day.”
Meghan even had “To M.M, From M.M” engraved on the Cartier French Tank watch. The watch features a classy chain-link bracelet and a delicate rectangle shaped face.
The dainty piece of jewellery is the perfect family heirloom, and it looks like Meghan isn’t the only royal family member who is a fan of the timeless piece.
It is understood that Princess Diana also owned a similar Cartier watch.
Russell Brand and his wife Laura Gallacher welcomed their second child into the world over the weekend. The Sun confirmed that Laura gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.
They shared that the parents are overjoyed following their baby girl’s safe arrival.
“Obviously they are over the moon, and Russell will no doubt be gushing about her whenever he next performs stand-up,” the source said.
It is understood Russell and Laura want to keep their children out of the spotlight, so didn’t feel the need to make a grand announcement.
They are also parents to daughter Mabel, who will be two-years-old in November.
Russell previously admitted that becoming a dad made him a better man.
Appearing on TheView, the 42-year-old admitted: “I love being present and being a father to my daughter [11-month-old Mabel] – it’s completely changed my outlook.”
He continued: “I was a person who was obsessed with fame, obsessed with what people think of me…but I know nothing can make me happy except for my inner life, and my inner connection.”
“Having a baby is the materialisation of ‘I’m not the most important person in the world’,” he added.
Russell and style blogger Laura tied the knot last year, after two years of dating. The couple said "I do" in an intimate ceremony near their home in Henley-on-Thames.
We can’t wait to find out what name they chose for their daughter.
