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• The Hall & Oates rocker struggled with the bulky costume, and nearly fainted during his elimination

• He appeared on season 10 of the hit series in 2023 as Anteater

John Oatesis no longer masking his true feelings on his time spent competing onThe Masked Singer.

The former Hall & Oates rocker, 77, came in sixth place when he competed as Anteater on season 10 of the Fox series in the fall of 2023. But in a new interview on theRock & Roll High Schoolpodcast, Oates said his experience wasn't exactly the best.

"It's either a high point in my career or a low point in my career. Maybe a little of both," he said on Thursday, April 2. "I took a leap of faith and I said, 'Sure, let me give it a try.' I didn't know what I was getting myself into. It was really weird, I have to say. In fact, it was the weirdest thing I've ever done."

Oates said he'd never seen the show before, but is at a point in his career where he "just want[s] to do stuff." Still, he faced difficulty singing, moving and seeing while stuck inside the bulky costume.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer explained that he wasn't allowed to tell anyone that he was filming the show, so "made up some bulls---" about filming a TV pilot to explain why he was constantly flying to and from Los Angeles.

On the day he was eliminated, Oates had flown into L.A. around 2:30 a.m. after playing theNewport Folk Festival, and had to report to set at 8:30 a.m.

"So I go from folk music to wearing an anteater suit, and then I get out there and I was starting to feel dizzy and really weird," he recalled.

After his performance, Oates was semi-eliminated, and had to compete in a sing-off to battle it out in an attempt to stick around.

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"I'm on stage and I'm literally thinking, 'I'm gonna fall over. I know I'm going to fall over.' I'm sweating and I felt so s---ty," he said. "And so luckily, I lost. And when they told me I lost, I was so happy. I couldn't wait to take that head off."

He continued: "I did my best to act like I was having fun, but honestly, I swear to God, I thought I was going to faint. And I said, 'Okay, that's it.' I was never so happy to lose."

Other stars on Oates' season ofThe Masked Singerincluded tennis playerBillie Jean Kingand singersMacy GrayandKeyshia Cole. Cow — who turned out to beNe-Yo— was eventually crowned the winner.

During his stint on the series, Oates sang hits including "Walking in Memphis" by Marc Cohn, "I Want it That Way" byBackstreet Boysand Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode."

During his unmasking, Oates appeared somewhat relieved as the judging panel expressed shock that they hadn't been able to guess his identity.

"I'll tell you what. I've done a lot of crazy stuff in my career. This is one of the best things I've ever done. So thank you very much" he said on stage at the time. "It's been a blast. It's so great to be in this costume and just sing whatever you want. No one knows.. This is crazy."

Oates released his self-titled solo album in August, which followed his 2024 solo recordReunion.

"I spent the entire early 2000s squeezing my individual creativity into this very regimented schedule of touring and business," hetold PEOPLE in 2024. "It was debilitating for me, and I couldn't do it anymore. There was really no creativity left for me in that. It was just about celebrating our past," he said, noting that Reunion felt like the first time he'd been able to "fully commit."

Read the original article onPeople

The hip-hop mogul, formerly known asKanye West,hit the stage at SoFi Stadium on Wednesday, April 1, for his first of two shows following recent performances in Mexico City and China, and his first apology in years for the antisemitic messages he spewed. The rapper previously sharedrhetoric widely deemed as antisemiticon social media, used a 2025 Super Bowl ad to redirect viewers to a website selling a $20 swastika T-shirt, and dropped asong praising Adolf Hitler.

In a lengthy advertisement fromThe Wall Street Journal's Jan. 26 issueaddressed to "those I've hurt," Ye stated he was not an "antisemite" and detailed a rocky mental health history, which included his bipolar disorder diagnosis, that he said fueled his behavior.

"My words as a leader in my community have global impact and influence. In my mania, I lost complete sight of that," he wrote.

Here's what the artist said at his first show back, and how critics and fans at the show responded.

Born Kanye Omari West, Ye transformed himself from a college dropout in Chicago to an undisputable icon of music and fashion. But a string of controversies has the rapper facing a fallout. In October 2022, several companies, including Adidas and Balenciaga fashion house, cut ties with the star after he made antisemitic remarks.

Look back on Ye's life and career, from his marriage and divorce from Kim Kardashian to his polarizing political statements. Here, Ye and Bianca Censori attend the 67th Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye gestures upon arriving at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on July 11, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye hit the 2025 Grammys red carpet donning a black shirt and pants, sunglasses and a chain. Meanwhile, wife Bianca Censori wore a black fur coat that she removed to pose in a nearly nude, see-through dress as photographers captured the couple's appearance.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye and Bianca Censori attend the Marni fall/winter 2024 fashion show on Feb. 23, 2024, in Milan, Italy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye and Bianca Censori are seen in the stands during the UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg football match Inter Milan vs Atletico Madrid at the San Siro stadium in Milan on Feb. 20, 2024.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Charlie Wilson, left, and Ye attend Wilson's Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony on Jan. 29, 2024, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye attended the premiere for "The Greatest Lie Ever Sold: George Floyd and the Rise of BLM," a documentary by conservative political commentator Candace Owens, on Oct. 12, 2022.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> during an appearance on the “Drink Champs” podcast a few days after the event found the rapper making controversial statements on the manner of Floyd's death." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ye and his children Saint West, Chicago West and Psalm West, who he shares with ex Kim Kardashian, attended the Balenciaga womenswear spring/summer 2023 show at Paris Fashion Week on Oct. 2, 2022.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> gave an impassioned speech about Diddy, who he called his "brother."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> were rumored to be romantically linked at the time." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> then-girlfriend Julia Fox, an actress and model, attended the Kenzo Fall/Winter 2022/2023 show during Paris Fashion Week on Jan. 23, 2022." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> temporarily moved into the venue following the event while he finished work on his 10th studio album "Donda," named after his late mother Donda West." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Easter Sunday service during the 2019 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 21, 2019." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "feel like Superman." Trump called him "a smart cookie."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

See Kanye West, Ye, the polarizing rapper, fashion mogul

Born Kanye Omari West, Ye transformed himself from a college dropout in Chicago to an undisputable icon of music and fashion. But a string of controversies has the rapper facing a fallout. In October 2022, several companies, including Adidas and Balenciaga fashion house,cut ties with the starafter he made antisemitic remarks.Look back on Ye's life and career, from his marriage and divorce from Kim Kardashian to his polarizing political statements. Here, Ye and Bianca Censori attend the 67th Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles.

What did Ye say at his concert?

At Wednesday's show, Ye did not address any controversies; instead, he focused on performing 32 tracks, including many from his new studio album "Bully," which dropped on March 28. The show also featured guest performances from rapperDon Toliver, who played the "Donda" track "Moon," and Ye's 12-year-old daughterNorth West, whom he shares withKim Kardashian.

Ye's only commentary at the show, according toThe New York Times, was berating stage technicians over the pace of the lighting.

"Is this an 'SNL' skit or something?" Ye said on stage as the crowd laughed, the Times reported. "Stop doing the vibrating, Vegas lights, bro. We went over this in rehearsal."

What did critics say about Ye's concert?

TheLos Angeles Times' music critic Mikael Wood said the show had a tense, unsettling environment as Ye reportedly scolded people on stage, including collaborators and dancers, in what Wood described as a "bully's arena."

"The show felt less like a concert and more like watching a superstar bully everyone in his orbit," Wood's review reads.

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TheHollywood Reporter's Ethan Millman called Ye's live vocals "muddy at times as well," emphasizing the difficulty in distinguishing his actual voice from his recorded vocals and backing tracks.

Variety's Steven J. Horowitzalso highlighted the backing vocals being louder than his and stated that the stage fog blocked the crowd's ability to see him.

"But that was of little concern to those who seemed to forget about the very heavy baggage accompanying the performance. It was an evening to remember the greatness of Ye as he once was, and perhaps still is: imaginative, boundlessly creative and transformative," his review reads.

What did concertgoers say?

Based on several reviews of the show, the audience seemed thrilled to see Ye return to the United States, with some saying that his new "Bully" album brought them back to the "old Kanye" era, according to Millman with The Hollywood Reporter.

Ahead of the show, fans seemed willing to separate Ye's past actions from his music and ability to put on a good show.

"We know his medical history and why he has his rants, he talks about being bipolar," 32-year-old Chris Gutierrez told the Hollywood Reporter. "We're coming here more to appreciate the music."

Gutierrez said he understands why many former fans stopped listening to him after his recent controversies.

"It's hard, I get it. I come from a psych background," Gutierrez told the Hollywood Reporter. "I don't know if he was lucid enough or he wasn't. But we're here more for the music."

Julian Caratachea, 20, also emphasized separating the process of separating art from the artist to the New York Times.

"His music never did nothing to us," Caratachea told the Times, expressing excitement for Ye to do more live events. "As long as you're here for the music and you're not here just on your opinion of something, then that's all that matters. That's what's going to bring us together — the music."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Ye returns to US stage after his apology. What did critics, fans think

On April 3, 2008, the Queen of Christmas knocked the King of Rock and Roll,Elvis Presleyout of second place for the most No. 1 hits on theBillboardHot 100 chart of any artist.

Carey's hit song "Touch My Body" became her 18th song to hit No. 1, surpassing Elvis' previous record of 17. (Elvis was in the second place position overall, behindThe Beatleswith 20, but he held the record of the most No. 1's for a solo artist—until Carey, that is.)

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"Touch My Body" was released in February 2008 as the lead single of Carey's 11th studio album,E=MC². It became her 18th No. 1 hit, spending two consecutive weeks at the top.

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But Carey has since added one more chart-topper to her resume. In 2019 her iconic holiday hit "All I Want For Christmas Is You" reached the summit of the Hot 100 nearly 20 years after its initial release, becoming her 19th career No. 1.

All of Mariah Carey's No. 1 Hit Songs:

1. "All I Want For Christmas Is You" - 22 weeks

2. "We Belong Together" - 14 weeks

3. "Always Be My Baby" - 2 weeks

4. "Hero" - 4 weeks

5. "Dreamlover" - 8 weeks

6. "One Sweet Day" (with Boyz II Men) - 16 weeks

7. "Love Takes Time" - 3 weeks

8. "Fantasy" - 8 weeks

9. "Vision of Love" - 4 weeks

10. "Don't Forget About Us" - 2 weeks

11. "Touch My Body" - 2 weeks

12. "Heartbreaker" ft. Jay Z - 2 weeks

13. "Thank God I Found You" ft. Joe and 98 Degrees - 1 week

14. "Emotions" - 3 weeks

15. "I'll Be There" - 2 weeks

16. "Honey" - 3 weeks

17. "My All" - 1 week

18. "Someday" - 2 weeks

19. "I Don't Wanna Cry" - 2 weeks

All of Elvis Presley's No. 1 Hit Songs

Many of Elvis' No. 1 hit songs predated the Hot 100 chart, butBillboardhas factored in the numbers he accumulated on now-retired rankings, like the Top 100, disc jockey and juke box charts.

Here are the 17 songsBillboardconsidersto be Elvis' 17 No. 1 hits:

1. "Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog" - 11 weeks

2. "All Shook Up" - 9 weeks

3. "Heartbreak Hotel" - 8 weeks

4. "Jailhouse Rock" - 7 weeks

5. "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" - 7 weeks

6. "Are You Lonesome To-night?" - 6 weeks

7. "It's Now Or Never" - 5 weeks

8. "Don't" - 5 weeks

9. "Love Me Tender" - 5 weeks

10. "Stuck on You" - 4 weeks

11. "Too Much" - 3 weeks

12. "A Big Hunk O'Love" - 2 weeks

13. "Good Luck Charm" - 2 weeks

14. "Surrender" - 2 weeks

15. "Hard Headed Woman" - 2 weeks

16. "Suspicious Minds" - 1 week

17. "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" - 1 week

Related: On This Day in 1957, Elvis Presley Released One of His Biggest No. 1 Hits

This story was originally published byParadeon Apr 3, 2026, where it first appeared in theNewssection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.

China Congress

It is China's latest push for a more prominent role in global affairs, though it may prove to be more rhetorical than substantive, with the U.S. appearing uninterested in Beijing's efforts.

"The war with Iran is the priority of all countries in and outside the region," said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, a Washington-based think tank. "It is an opportunity China will not miss to demonstrate its leadership and diplomatic initiative."

Danny Russel, a former senior U.S. diplomat, described China's diplomacy as "performative" and compared the five-point proposal for ending the Iran war with its 12-point plan for Ukraine in 2023, which was "filled with platitudes but never acted on."

"Its narrative is that while Washington is reckless, aggressive and heedless of the cost to others, China is a principled and responsible champion of peace," said Russel, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute. "What we are seeing from China is messaging, not mediation."

China has been working "tirelessly for peace" since the outbreak of the war, said Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington.

How the US views China's diplomacy

The Trump administration appears to have little enthusiasm for the prospect of China's mediation, according to U.S. officials.

The U.S. has soured on third-party mediation efforts, and it has little interest in boosting China's international stature or giving it an opening to claim success in the Middle East, said three U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss potential diplomatic options.

One of the officials described the administration's position on the Chinese-Pakistani effort as "agnostic," neither endorsement nor rejection, but all three stressed that could change if President Donald Trump weighs in before hisplanned summitwith Chinese President Xi Jinping.

For Beijing, there could be an incentive to see the war subside before Trump travels to China in mid-May. Citing demands of the war, Trump postponed the trip initially set for the end of March.

"There is no guarantee that Trump may not delay the trip to China again if the war rages on," Sun said.

The war saw amajor escalation Fridaywhen Iran shot down two U.S. military aircraft, a first since the war began five weeks ago. Trump told NBC News that it would not impact negotiations with Iran, just days after declaring in anational addressthat the U.S. has "beaten and completely decimated Iran."

Beijing is calculating the pain from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz

For now, China is more insulated from the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz than other countries after diversifying its energy sources and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

China relies on Iran for only about 13% of its oil imports, and Beijing is working with Tehran to allow the passage of Chinese-flagged vessels through the critical waterway, where Iran's stranglehold has sent energy prices soaring. China also maintains a large strategic petroleum reserve.

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While China has positioned itself to cushion short-term shocks, analysts say Beijing is worried about a protracted war and has an interest in trying to bring it to an end.

"An escalation of the conflict will start to harm Chinese interests," Russel said. "Because China's growth model is so export-heavy, prolonged energy shocks and shipping disruption will mean costlier inputs and weaker global demand that damage its vulnerable economy."

Besides not wanting to see a long war, China "welcomes the opportunity to suggest that it is helping mitigate a crisis of America's making, especially as the Trump administration's lack of a considered strategy for containing the fallout becomes more apparent," said Ali Wyne, a senior research and advocacy adviser on U.S.-China relations at the International Crisis Group.

China has undertaken a flurry of diplomacy

After the war began, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with counterparts from Russia, Oman, Iran, France, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He told Iran that China cherished its friendship, urged Israel to cease military actions and expressed that China would be willing to play a role in seeking peace.

This past week, Wang hosted his Pakistani counterpart in Beijing to hash out their five-point proposal, calling for an end to hostilities and the reopening of the strait.

He has held more than 20 phone calls with regional foreign ministers, and a special envoy has visited several countries in the region, aiming to promote peace and deescalate tensions, Liu said.

Wang sought support for China's plan from the European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, telling her it represented "broad, international consensus," the Chinese foreign ministry said. Wang told Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan that halting the fighting was the most urgent matter.

Wang also spoke this week with Bahrain's foreign minister, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, to explain why China opposed Bahrain's U.N. proposal to allow military force to open the Strait of Hormuz. Wang said actions by the U.N. Security Council should help ease tensions "rather than endorse illegal acts of war, still less add fuel to the fire."

China and Russia argued that the U.S. or other countries could exploit a U.N.-backed mechanism to escalate the deadly war, according to a U.N. diplomat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss diplomatic conversations.

Both countries appear to have less immediate need to see the strait fully open. While China has been able to pay to get some of its ships through, Russia is benefiting from the high price of oil, its main export.

Hoping to avoid a veto, Bahrainsignificantly watered downits proposal to authorize defensive — but not offensive — action to ensure vessels can safely transit the strait. A vote was pushed back until next week.

To solve the problem of the strait, China says a ceasefire is needed. But its plan with Pakistan has been met with mostly silence from the U.S.

One of the U.S. officials said the plan is difficult to assess because it is less of a roadmap to peace than a vague appeal for respect for international law and the importance of diplomacy and the U.N.'s role.

Amiri reported from the United Nations.

The region ishighly seismically active,and quakes have caused thousands of deaths in recent years. Friday's earthquake had an epicenter in the Hindu Kush mountain range, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) east of the Afghan city of Kunduz, according to the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Center and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Hafizullah Basharat, a spokesman for the Kabul governor, said eight people were killed and a child was injured when a house collapsed on the outskirts of the capital. He said all were members of the same family.

Kabul is roughly 290 kilometers (180 miles) southwest of the epicenter. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries from areas closer to the epicenter. The area is remote, and it can often take several hours before local authorities can relay information back to Kabul.

With the epicenter at a depth of over 180 kilometers, the quake jolted a wide swath of Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Pakistan, it was felt in the cities and towns of Islamabad, Peshawar, Chitral, Swat and Shangla, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries in Pakistan.

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Afghanistan's Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said Kabul and provincial health authorities had been put on alert.

Last August,a 6.0 earthquakethat struck a remote, mountainous part of eastern Afghanistan killed more than 2,200 people, leveling villages and trapping people under rubble. Most casualties were in Kunar province, where people typically live in wood and mud-brick houses along steep valleys.

In November,a 6.3 earthquakestruck Samangan province in northern Afghanistan, killing at last 27 people and injuring more than 950. It also damaged historical sites, including Afghanistan's famed Blue Mosque in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, and the Bagh-e-Jahan Nama Palace in Khulm.

On Oct. 7, 2023,a 6.3 quakefollowed by strong aftershocks in western Afghanistan killed thousands of people.

Impoverished Afghanistanoften faces difficulty in responding to natural disasters, especially in remote regions. Many homes in rural and outlying areas are made from mud bricks and wood, with many poorly built.