Cardi B debuts baby bump during Global Citizen Festival show

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Cardi B stepped up as a headliner at the 2025 Global Citizen Festival after The Weeknd pulled out just four days before his scheduled slot, citing “personal reasons.” On the night of the show, she performed four tracks: “Outside,” “ErrTime,” “Bodak Yellow,” and “I Like It.” She also revealed her baby bump, captured in photos by Complex, while wearing baggy jeans and a Vale Forever motocross jacket. At one point, she took off the jacket and showed the bump to the crowd gathered at Central Park’s Great Lawn.

Cardi had confirmed her pregnancy on September 17, only two days before releasing her second album Am I The Drama? This baby will be her fourth child overall and her first with her boyfriend Stefon Diggs.

She also made it clear that her pregnancy will not interfere with her upcoming Little Miss Drama Tour. Fans had been worried about possible cancellations, since her first planned arena run never materialized due to her pregnancy with her eldest child. Still, Cardi’s own reassurance and her vibrant set at Global Citizen point to very encouraging signs for fans eager to see her perform live.

Is Cardi B Pregnant?

This year’s Global Citizen Festival also brought sets from Shakira, Tyla, and Ayra Starr, alongside appearances from actors, politicians, and other public figures. Once again, the event proved to be a successful night of music and fundraising.

Cardi’s tour kicks off in February, with rehearsals set to begin soon. Musically, she has not slowed down since releasing her new album. She has already dropped a couple of fresh tracks, including “Don’t Do Too Much” and a Latto-assisted remix of “ErrTime.”

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Everywhere At Once Adds Fatboy Slim, Lucy Spraggan, Gene, D Double E, And More To Massive Festival Bill

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Fatboy Slim, Lucy Spraggan, Gene, D Double E and Westside Cowboy are among the latest artists added to the line up for Everywhere At Once, the new nationwide festival being described as a “Glastonbury replacement” during the festival’s fallow year.

The event is being organised by Music Venue Trust in partnership with The National Lottery and is scheduled to take place from June 26 to June 28. The dates coincide with what would normally have been Glastonbury weekend before the festival announced a break for 2026.

Rather than taking place at a single site, Everywhere At Once will spread across hundreds of grassroots music venues throughout the UK.

Across the three day event, venues from Inverness to Penzance will host performances from both major artists and rising acts. The goal of the festival is to reconnect fans with local independent venues while encouraging community support and music discovery.

Becky Hill, Tinie Tempah, The Lathums, Rizzle Kicks, The Divine Comedy and Master Peace had already been confirmed for the event. Now, Music Venue Trust has revealed another wave of performers joining the line up.

Fatboy Slim, Glenn Tilbrook, Lucy Spraggan, Gene, D Double E, P Money and Westside Cowboy are among the newest additions. Tilbrook is set to appear at Theatreship in Canary Wharf, East London, while Spraggan will perform at The Sub Rooms in Stroud.

Gene will also play shows in Southampton, Newport and Lancaster. D Double E is heading to The Brickworks in Nottingham, P Money will perform at Suki10c in Birmingham, and Westside Cowboy are scheduled for a hometown performance at Manchester’s Low Four.

The Lathums have additionally confirmed another date at Preston venue The Ferret after their two previously announced shows sold out within minutes.

Details surrounding Fatboy Slim’s appearance and ticket information are expected to be announced closer to the festival weekend.

Everywhere At Once line-up. CREDIT: PRESS

Speaking about the initiative, Fatboy Slim reflected on the importance of small venues in shaping artists and music culture.

“I’ve been lucky enough to play huge stages all over the world, but grassroots venues are where it all started for me and where music scenes really begin, where artists learn their craft, where communities form, and where people come together purely for the love of it. Without grassroots venues, independent promoters and local crowds taking a chance on something new, none of this exists,” he said.

“These spaces are vital for culture and for local communities, so if there’s anything I can do to help shine a light on them and help keep that spirit alive, I’m more than happy to be involved. And if you care about music, go out and support your local venues, buy a ticket, discover somebody new, and be part of keeping those scenes alive.”

Glenn Tilbrook also shared his thoughts on the value of grassroots venues, reflecting on how important they were during the early years of Squeeze.

“50 years ago Squeeze started out in the small venues of South East London. Later this year we will be playing our biggest UK tour, including at the O2 Arena across the Thames from the Theatreship. I still go out and play solo shows at grassroots venues and some of the best nights I’ve ever had playing music have been in tiny rooms packed with people who just love live music,” he explained.

“These venues don’t just support musicians, they become part of the fabric of local communities,” he added. “They give people a place to meet, connect and discover something new. We need to cherish them, if we lose them, we lose far more than somewhere to see a band. So show your support for your local venue, you never know where the next great artist, or the next great night, might come from.”

 

Lucy Spraggan also spoke about the wider impact grassroots venues have on the music industry, calling live music an “ecosystem”.

“Each night a venue supplies a stage for an artist, that artist is supported by their crew, just as the venue is supported by their staff. You can see the network of livelihoods that entwine through the umbrella that is ‘live music’, it’s pretty endless,” she said.

“There is a career for musicians, crew, artists, tour managers from smaller projects all the way to Taylor Swift sized projects, but only if we have the venues to support them,” she continued. “Grassroots venues give opportunities to a plethora of people and we, as artists and gig goers, breathe life back into the venues. We are all an important part of the ecosystem.”

The festival is being led by Music Venue Trust, Save Our Scene and the Association of Independent Promoters, while The National Lottery continues its support for the grassroots music sector. Their partnership first began in 2021 to help revive live music following the pandemic shutdowns.

During the three day event, fans will also have opportunities to support charities including War Child, Nordoff and Robbins, Help Musicians UK and Teenage Cancer Trust.

The launch of Everywhere At Once comes during a difficult period for the UK live music industry. Recent reports revealed that 30 grassroots venues permanently closed between July 2024 and July 2025, while more than half of the remaining venues operated without profit last year and over 6,000 jobs disappeared from the sector.

 

To help support smaller venues and developing artists, industry leaders have continued pushing for a ticket levy system. Under the proposal, a portion of ticket sales from arena and stadium shows would go toward helping grassroots venues survive and supporting touring artists.

The industry has until June 2026 to ensure that at least 50 per cent of major live events voluntarily contribute to the levy before the UK government considers making it mandatory through legislation. Live Nation has faced criticism for not moving as aggressively as some other companies.

Live Nation, which previously supported Harry Styles donating £1 from every ticket sold for his upcoming Wembley Stadium residency to the LIVE Trust, responded by saying it “supports artists’ choices on charitable donations, and has worked with numerous artists who have contributed to the voluntary levy, from Coldplay to Biffy Clyro, and will continue to do so.”

The levy proposal has often been compared to the financial structure used in Premier League football and received backing from the UK government in 2024.

Earlier this year, grassroots venues also received some relief after the government reversed a planned increase in business rates and introduced additional support measures for pubs and live music venues.

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