When the 2024 Summer Olympics ended, few knew we weren’t quite done marveling at elite-level humans at the top of their game. America’s Got Talent returned from its two week hiatus in August 2024 with eleven incredible acts, but it was R&B singer Liv Warfield who stole the show with her rendition of “The Unexpected,” a song that just so happened to be written specifically for her by Prince. No big deal. Warfield had already wowed audiences with her initial audition, which earned a Golden Buzzer from Simon Cowell. But her follow-up performance had Cowell saying, “If this was the Olympics for singing, you would have won the gold medal.” Liv Warfield after receiving the Golden Buzzer. Photo credit: NBCUniversal. Judges Sofia Vergara and Howie Mandel echoed similar praises. Vergara called Warfield’s set “perfection,” while Mandel, a self-proclaimed Prince fan, told Warfield that “The Purple One knew what he was doing when he gave you this gem. That was a million-dollar performance.” And it’s not hard to see why Warfield got such high remarks. Beyond her unbelievable vocals was her undeniable star power and ability to transport us all back in time to the days of 70s rock n’ roll. As one viewer put it, “If Prince and Janis Joplin had a baby = Liv Warfield!” Just watch:   From Prince to AGT Warfield’s connection to Prince began in 2009, when she joined his New Power Generation band. Though she noted that “backing up Prince was a dream,” not to mention the fact that she’s already made several chart topping achievements on her own, she still felt like her ultimate potential had yet to be reached, hence her AGT audition. Now, her quarterfinal performance has made Cowell declare another defining moment in her career. “It felt to me like all those years you’ve been climbing the ladder to where you want to be, it all came out in those three minutes,” he said. Indeed, what a testament to the power of steadily going after your dreams. Raw talent is great, but even with God-given gifts, there’s still so much work that goes into being ready for big opportunities. Though she didn’t win the competition in the end, Warfield is already a winner through and through. Learning from the master Warfield is continuing on her musical path in her hometown of Chicago and was invited to perform the Star-Spangled Banner at a Chicago Cubs baseball game in May of 2025. @livwarfield Thank you @cubs for inviting me out to sing. Beautiful Day, Beautiful People,Energy at @cubs game! With my @zinzannichicago Family. Although sis, was hiding out like the that I am. Love y’all! Yesterday was necessary . PR Queen @aidanhenri @princenolov3 ♬ original sound – LiV Warfield Her Prince roots are alive and well in her stage performances as she performed in a tribute concert series during the summer of 2025. She also has multiple albums under her belt, beginning with “Embrace Me” in 2006 and continuing through her 2023 album “The Edge.” Warfield has credited Prince with her musical development, telling NPR in 2014: “He’s influenced me first and foremost, as a performer. Just kind of like taking chances first. It took me a while. Like I thought I was a good performer, but when I got part of the New Power Generation, I was like, ‘Whoa this is a whole new world for me.’ And even in the writing and arranging, and him just teaching me how to really listen to the music. Listen to every instrument, give space, and I wasn’t really thinking about those things. I just wanted to hear everything. I thought, ‘If everybody plays, it’s good.’ … Sometimes it could sound like noise, but he just really kind of developed my ear.” Liv Warfield performing on AGT. Photo credit: NBCUniversal Just more proof that musical legends live on not only in the music they leave behind but in the talent they help nurture and develop. This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated. The post Prince wrote a singer an original song. Her performance left ‘AGT’ judges astounded. appeared first on Upworthy.

In 1998, The Bee Gees, brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, stopped by ITV’s “Des O’Connor Tonight” with acoustic guitars in hand to promote their recent release, “One Night Only,” an album and live concert DVD featuring many of the band’s biggest hits. The highlight of the performance was when Barry got ready to strum his guitar for a performance of “How Deep Is Your Love,” the 1977 megahit from the “Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack,” but instead chose to sing the song a cappella. Their signature sound Barry starts the song solo in his beautiful falsetto, but then, when his brothers join him, they create a wonderful harmony that only brothers can make. The show’s host, Des O’Connor, a notable singer himself, even joins in for a few bars. Earlier in the performance, the brothers played their version of “Islands in the Stream,” a song made famous by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers in 1983 that was written by the Bee Gees. In 1998, the song was enjoying a resurgence as its melody was used in the song “Ghetto Supastar” by Pras of The Fugees. Writing for music icons Robin Gibb later admitted that the song was initially written for Marvin Gaye to sing, but he was tragically murdered in 1984 by his father. The band also had Diana Ross in mind while composing the tune. During the appearance, the band also sang “Guilty,” a song that the Bee Gees wrote for Barbara Streisand and Barry produced in 1980. You can watch the entire performance here: The Gibb brothers started making music together when they were children, and after their first public appearance together at a local movie theater in 1956, they were hooked on performing. “It was the feeling of standing in front of an audience that was so amazing,” said Barry. “We’d never seen anything like it. We were very young, but it made an enormous impression. We didn’t want to do anything else but make music.” After the family moved to Australia in 1958, Barry, Maurice, and Robin were “discovered” at the Redcliffe Speedway, where they had asked to perform between races. Even over the tinny PA system, their harmonies made an impression. Speedway manager Bill Goode introduced the trio to DJ Bill Gates, who set them up with a recording session. From a land down under If you’ve ever wondered how the Bee Gees got their name, that was it: Bill Goode, Bill Gates, Barry Gibb, and the brothers’ mother Barbara Gibb all had the initials B.G. After a strong reception on the airwaves in Brisbane, Gates forwarded the brothers’ recordings to a Sydney radio station. They got a lot of airtime there as well, and the band had a run of success performing in Australia, but it wasn’t until their return to England in 1967 that they became the international sensation we all know today. Manager Robert Stigwood had received tapes from the Gibbs brothers and called them up within weeks of their arrival in the U.K. “I loved their composing,” Stigwood told Rolling Stone in 1977. “I also loved their harmony singing. It was unique, the sound they made; I suppose it was a sound only brothers could make.”   More than just disco And, as they say, the rest is history. The award-winning 2020 HBO documentary, “The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” tells the story of the band with loads of footage from throughout their 40-year career, which includes not only their disco-era fame, but the various phases of their musical journey and the countless songs they wrote for other artists. As one commenter wrote, “People that call the Bee Gees a ‘disco group’ don’t have a clue. They had 10 albums out before they ventured into ‘disco.’ Their song catalogue is amazing and some of their very best songs were written long before Saturday Night Fever. Those ‘disco’ songs are classics as well. It is nice to see they are finally getting the recognition they deserve.” This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.   The post The Bee Gees perform ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ live and a capella in resurfaced 1998 clip appeared first on Upworthy.

Fast food lovers know that chicken is having a moment across the board. More and more restaurants are changing, expanding, and adding chicken to their menus to drive more business through their doors. It’s working, and fans keep coming back for more. We waited years for McDonald’s to bring back the Snack Wrap, and when they did, the star of the show was the McCrispy Strips. It looks like Ronald and pals heard the call for more chicken, and they’re quietly testing some bold new flavors. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Snackolator (@snackolator) There’s a New McCrispy Strips Flavor for Everyone Whether you are a sweet, spicy, saucy, or dry rub chicken lover, the new test flavors for McCrispy Strips have you covered. Instagrammer Snackolator shared some images of the new Teriyaki, Sweet Chili, Kickin’ BBQ, Garlic Parm, Spicy Chili Garlic, and Sweet Asian flavors. He’s tried them, and he loved them. “McDonald’s is still testing new Glazed or Seasoned McCrispy Strips and these NEED to go nationwide! They’ve got six options that really unlock the potential of the McCrispy Strips- i really loved the seasoned ones,” Snackolator wrote. “Which flavors would you try? It’s a good sign they’re still being tested…” Seeing new potential McCrispy Strips flavors made a lot of people excited. “The spicy chili garlic ones look amazing!” Someone begged. “The bbq ones were so good. They need to bring those back,” another person wrote. “If the kickin bbq chicken taste like the chipotle bbq they had (they still have it in Canada) i want it,” a follower agreed. McCrispy Strips fans think these might juyst be the snack of the summer. “No lie. I can lowkey see dis rolling out for summer time,” a fan predicted. Which sounds good to you? This story’s featured image is by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

The four astronauts on the Artemis II NASA mission have broken a 55-year-old record, traveling farther into space than any human has gone before. Every human milestone is significant, and an Easter message from the mission’s pilot, Victor Glover, reminds us why. Speaking with the astronauts, a CBS News reporter noted that the Apollo 8 crew delivered a Christmas Eve message during their 1968 mission. He asked whether the Artemis II crew had a message to share for Easter. When the microphone floated to Glover, he said he hadn’t prepared anything, but offered some impromptu thoughts: “We are the same thing” “I think these observances are important, as we are so far from Earth and looking back at the beauty of creation. I think for me, one of the really important personal perspectives that I have up here is I can really see Earth as one thing. And you know, when I read the Bible, and I look at all of the amazing things that were done for us, who we’re created, it’s…you have this amazing place, this spaceship. You guys are talking to us because we’re in a spaceship really far from Earth. But you’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe, in the cosmos. There are no words. pic.twitter.com/W7JRAN8JeJ— Reid Wiseman (@astro_reid) April 5, 2026 Maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we’re doing is special. But we’re the same distance from you, and I’m trying to tell you—just trust me—you are special. In all of this emptiness—this is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe—you have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist together. I think as we go into Easter Sunday, thinking about all the cultures all around the world, whether you celebrate it or not, whether you believe in God or not, this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing, and that we got to get through this together.” @corybooker This is beautiful. op: keithdmedia via IG ♬ original sound – Cory People of all faiths—and no faith—appreciated the message Commenters appreciated Glover’s perspective as he looked out at all 8 billion of us on our beautiful “pale blue dot.” “One of the most beautiful perspectives I’ve ever heard on this topic. Thank you Victor.” “Beautiful unifying message.” “I am not a religious person at all but this speech made me cry.” “It gave me chills. What a beautiful message.” “As someone who’s not religious this is the perfect message conveyed by someone of faith without feeling unwarranted or preaching in a way that doesn’t land. Delivered perfectly and I respect him for that.” “What a beautiful sentiment we all so desperately need to hear.” Glover’s remarks reflect what others who have viewed Earth from space have said. The emotional experience of that perspective, known as the “overview effect,” often results in a profound awareness of humanity’s place in the universe. The “overview effect” is a common experience for people who see Earth from space For Star Trek actor William Shatner, who went to space at age 90 in 2021, that awareness gave him a surprising feeling of deep grief. “It was the death that I saw in space and the lifeforce that I saw coming from the planet — the blue, the beige and the white,” he said. “And I realized one was death and the other was life.” Earth and life are “so fragile,” Shatner said. “We hang by a thread…we’re just dangling.” Seeing humanity from that distance put conflicts between humans into perspective. “We’re entangled with each other,” he said. “We have a war…the stupidity of it all is so obvious.” Frank White, the space philosopher who coined the term “overview effect” in his 1987 book of the same name, wrote that astronauts who leave Earth generally come back with “a greater distaste for war and violence, and a desire to do something to improve life back on the surface, because they’ve seen the truth of our situation.” Space travel highlights our shared humanity When Glover referred to Earth as a spaceship, he wasn’t just being metaphorical. Our planet is a self-contained, closed-loop system, meaning its resources are produced and recycled here. And we are hurtling through space at about 67,100 miles per hour—much faster than any spacecraft we’ve sent into space. For all intents and purposes, we are traveling together on a giant, round spaceship. The universe is vast, yet it’s so easy to get wrapped up in the little details of life on our planetary ship. Zooming out—seeing Earth from a distance—can help us view ourselves and our lives in a different light. Seeing our home, our people, our lives as one has the power to change something within us. It’s a potent reminder that, for all our uniqueness, we really are one. Watch the highlights from Day 4 of the Artemis II mission: The post Artemis II pilot delivered an impromptu Easter message we all need to hear appeared first on Upworthy.

Millions of Americans seek the help of therapists for mental health struggles, and many more could use some psychological care but aren’t getting it due to affordability, lack of access, or other barriers. One of the positives to come out of the social media era is professionals sharing thoughts, opinions, approaches, and tools that the public might find helpful. While “TikTok therapy” is certainly not a replacement for actual therapy, you can sometimes find some useful nuggets. For instance, clinical therapist Hattie Awe, LPC, shared a video laying out three things she tells her patients all the time, and judging by the four million views and 124,000+ saves of the video, people are finding it helpful. @miss.mad.hatter Therapist rant ♬ original sound – Hottytot “I am a therapist in higher level of care, and these are the three quotes that I use almost daily with the patients that I work with,” Awe begins. “It’s more of a fact, the first one, but your brain has never existed and will never exist to be happy. Your brain has no rationale of what that means, and your brain strictly operates off of safety and knowing. which doesn’t always align with what we want out of life.” Neuroscience backs this up. Evolutionary psychologists say our brain’s primary goal is survival, not happiness. That doesn’t mean we don’t want to be happy—of course we do. It means our brain isn’t hardwired for that. It’s wired to keep us safe and secure, which means it’s naturally prone to focus more on the negative than the positive. Brain Mind GIF by University of California Giphy Awe says that idea connects to the second quote that she probably uses more than any other: “Your nervous system will choose a familiar hell over an unfamiliar heaven every day of the week,” she says. “Your nervous system will gravitate towards the things that we know, the things that we see, the things that we’ve done over and over and over again because to the brain that’s safety. It doesn’t matter if the outcome is something that we don’t want, as long as our brain knows what’s coming, as long as we know what this is, as long as this is familiar, there’s a safety in that, which is why we might find ourselves doing the same shit, engaging in the same toxic relationships, engaging in the same behaviors over and over and over again, not knowing why we keep doing it, because it’s safe to the brain.” Somatic therapist Sarah Alpern used a similar phrase, “Your nervous system will always choose a familiar hell over an unfamiliar heaven” to explain why we might resist change even when it’s good for us and why we tend to gravitate toward the same patterns, behaviors, and situations even though they may be harming us. Predictability feels safer than change. “Change for the better represents uncertainty, and our brains perceive uncertainty as a potential threat,” Alpern writes. “It disrupts the familiar patterns and forces our nervous system to adapt to new circumstances, which can be scary and uncomfortable.” Change is often seen as a threat by the nervous system. Photo credit: Canva Understanding this can help us recognize when our instinctual brain functions are fighting us and why. “That leaves me to my third favorite little tidbit, little quote, which is you literally cannot hate yourself in the loving yourself,” says Awe. “There is no criticizing your way to confidence. There’s no shitting on yourself into a version of yourself that you enjoy. It doesn’t exist. and you’ve probably learned all of the lessons of life that you need by hating yourself. You might as well get to the fun part of life where you learn all the lessons of life by loving yourself.” “So validate the past versions of yourself,” she continues. “Validate the functions of the brain and the fact that it’s never really cared if you were happy. Validate how easy it is to fall in the habits of cyclical behavior, given the fact that our nervous system and brain is drawn to it. Have acceptance for that and be able to move forward. But we can’t act like the person before us doesn’t exist. And we can’t hate her for existing.” Therapy can help people better understand how their brain works. Photo credit: Canva People in the comments of her video shared how helpful they found Awe’s concise breakdown of these concepts. “There is no criticizing yourself into confidence HITS.” “u just linked up like 12 different concepts in my brain thank u.” “This was gold! How much do I owe you?” “I just listened to this three times through to let it sink in. I’m in a transition phase and finding it hard and I needed to hear this. Thanks!” “I love that by being happy, you’re basically being a rebel against your own brain and nervous system.” Lady Gaga Rebel GIF by Apple Music Giphy Other therapists weighed in on her video as well, some with quotes they frequently share with their clients: “As a fellow staff with youth in higher level of care, I can confirm that this way of thinking is their only way to get through everyday . It’s so black and white and everyday is such a struggle trying to get them back to baseline.” “Along with your third quote, something I’ve said to clients is something to the effect of ‘if talking to yourself that way/thinking that way worked, it would’ve worked by now.'” “I’m a therapist, and a quote I use frequently is ‘you can be comfortable or you can grow, but you can’t do both.'” “Psychiatrist here…. ‘Acceptance does not require approval’ is one of my favorites. I feel like acceptance is such a huge part of life but it’s such a struggle for so many people.” A two-minute video definitely won’t cure anyone’s mental health issues, but even short tidbits like this can sometimes help shift our perspective and allow us to see the workings of our brains in a new and helpful light. You can follow Awe at @miss.mad.hatter on TikTok for more. This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.The post Therapist shares 3 life-changing quotes she uses ‘almost daily’ with her patients appeared first on Upworthy.