Headlines: Carrie Underwood Holiday Feature, Maddie Poppe Heads Home

Home for Christmas: Maddie Poppe returns to Iowa stomping grounds for upcoming Grand Opera House show – “When I was younger, my dad would have me and my sister perform Christmas songs, and we’d make a Christmas album every year to give to family as a gift,” Poppe said in a phone interview. “It’s kind of funny, but that was where I cut my teeth. As I got older, I realized, ‘I think I’m OK at this. I enjoy this.’ That was a turning point for me.” It’s a fitting start given that her latest album and tour are centered around the holidays and will see her coming home for them at that. Poppe will return to Iowa to perform an intimate acoustic Christmas show on Sunday, Dec. 13, at Dubuque’s historic Grand Opera House. The concert, which is part of Poppe’s holiday tour across the state, will be presented in partnership with the Iowa Rock ’n’ Roll Music Association. – Read more at TelegraphHerald.com
The Voice Coaches Tease “Ridiculous” Season 19 During Drive-Thru Red Carpet—It Is 2020, After All – Legend, Clarkson, Shelton and Stefani joined host Carson Daly on the backlot of their sound studio for a drive thru-themed red carpet experience that surely kept them six feet apart thanks to individual retro-style cars. In addition to poking fun at each other, they also discussed the impact of COVID-19—and what it’s like to work as doctors and researchers race to secure a vaccine. “Everybody’s been struggling with the limitations of the pandemic,” Legend told E! News. “It’s really hit the music industry hard. We haven’t been able to tour. There’s been so much that we have not been able to do, but I’m so grateful for a show like The Voice that we can still make. We can still highlight these wonderful artists. We can still through the internet and all the other connections we have, we can still connect with our audience and spread this music and joy and love to the whole world.” – Read more at E News

“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” for Gabby Barrett when she sees eggnog – From Gabby Barrett’s perspective, the Christmas season has arrived when she sees cartons of eggnog filling grocery store aisles. The American Idol season 16 finalist admits that during her frequent trips to the supermarket, she knows the holiday season is in full swing by the sight of the creamy beverage. “When I see eggnog, that’s what does it for me every single time, because I go grocery shopping so often that when you see the eggnog all stacked up [then you know it’s Christmas],” Gabby says. But the singer admits that she’s never been a fan of the seasonal drink, unlike her husband and fellow AI contestant Cade Foehner. However, Gabby is open to the idea of it becoming a potential new pregnancy craving. – Read more at ABCNewsRadio

Tori Kelly Says She’s ‘Not in a Rush’ to Have Kids with Husband André Murillo – “Quarantine has been really okay. It’s kind of hard to say it’s been great,” the 27-year-old tells PEOPLE. “Having the studio in my house has really kept me busy the whole time, just down there recording. André’s been great. He would even bring me food sometimes because I would forget to eat — he’d bring me coffee.” “We were long-distance for most of our dating relationship so to basically be forced to be in the same place together for a long period of time, we couldn’t really complain because we’re so used to being apart,” she adds. “Maybe this is our way of making up for lost time.” – Read more at People

This Charming Man: Why We’re Wild About Harry Styles – The One Direction oeuvre, which counts some 42 million albums sold worldwide, includes songs written with such established hitmakers as Ryan Tedder, Savan Kotecha and Teddy Geiger. Being a studious, insatiable observer, Styles took it all in. “I learned so much,” he says of the experience. “When we were in the band, I used to try and write with as many different people as I could. I wanted to practice — and I wrote a lot of bad sh**.” “When you look at the history of people coming out of bands and starting solo careers, they feel this need to apologize for being in the band. ‘Don’t worry, everyone, that wasn’t me! Now I get to do what I really want to do.’ But we loved being in the band,” he says. – Read more at Variety.com

Tom Bergeron Opens Up About Life After ‘Dancing With the Stars’ & Being ‘Open to Surprises’ – When Tom Bergeron was fired last summer from ABC’s Dancing With the Stars — he’d hosted the popular show since its 2005 premiere — fans were shocked. As was he: Bergeron tells TV Guide Magazine in his first interview since exiting the ballroom, “I always thought Dancing would be where I end my hosting tenure,” though he thought it would be on his terms. When people say, “I’m not gonna watch until you’re back,” I say, “Well, there’s really no ‘until’ here.” This train has left the station. I appreciate the sentiment, and I don’t hold it against anybody if they [watch]. – Read more at TV Insider

America’s Got Talent Winner Brandon Leake Is Using Art to Make a Better World for His Daughter – My grandma warned me about the drugs and violence in our neighborhood, but she also warned me as a young Black man about how my Blackness would be an issue to the remainder of the world. In the ninth grade, my friend Evan and I were walking to grab a bite before a basketball game when a police officer pulled alongside us. He accused us of having sexually assaulted a young girl on the other side of town and said we fit the description of the suspects. He let us go, but a few weeks later, we found out that it was two young white kids who had done it. If his agenda was pushed forward, we would have been found guilty of a crime that we never even participated in. – Read more at People