Celebrity Coverage
Simone Biles Creates HERstory (Again) During the 2024 Paris Olympics – and Admits It’s Because of Therapy – Essence
PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 1: (EDITOR’S NOTE: Alternate version) Gold medalist Simone Biles of Team USA poses with the Olympic rings and a goat pendant on her necklace during the medal ceremony in the women’s all-around final in artistic gymnastics on day six of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Bercy Arena on August 1, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
There’s no denying her greatness, and Simone Biles is just the GOAT relating to her sport of gymnastics and track and field. On August 1, 2024, the nine-time Olympic medalist won gold after a difficult but good performance in Paris during the women’s all-around final.
She won, beating Brazilian Rebeca Andrade, who took silver, and U.S. teammate Suni Lee, who took bronze.
The gymnastics star made history once more by becoming the first woman since 1968 to win two all-around Olympic titles, having first won them in Rio in 2016. But her path to the 2024 Games has not been easy.
“Three years ago, I never thought I’d ever step foot on a gymnastics floor again, just because of everything that happened. But with the help of Cecile and Laurent (her coaches), I got back in the gym and worked really hard physically and mentally,” the 2024 women’s all-around Olympic gold medalist said after her historic event.
“Even this morning at 7 a.m. I met with my therapist and the time change happened. She’s amazing that she’s allowed me to do this the last few days in Paris. So she’s just making sure that I’m in good mental shape and I think that shows on the competition floor.”
This is Biles’ second gold medal at the Summer Olympics. She first won on July 30, 2024, in the U.S. women’s all-around final. Next week, Biles will compete in three additional equipment finals, which could bring her total number of Olympic medals in 2024 to 5.
After a somewhat shaky performance on the asymmetric bars during the individual finals, Biles was seen on the sidelines in a meditative state that was seen by those watching around the world as a return to zen, especially since she has been very open about her mental health — revealing that she sees her therapist almost day by day during the games and once per week overall.
“I’m not sure what the camera caught or what I was doing, but I was probably trying to focus and center myself. Because it’s not over until it’s over.”
The bars were the second event of the night, and the most decorated gymnast of all time was under pressure. Brazil’s Andrade also had something to prove, and based on Biles, she’s at all times the only woman in the sport who can truly match her. The two battled it out for 4 rotations, with the 25-yr-old Brazilian taking first place after rotation 3. It all got here all the way down to the freestyle, which proved to be the best event for each women.
With Beyoncé’s songs incorporated into each routines, the ladies gave it their all and left their hearts on the mat. In the end, Biles won gold together with her best floor performance of the Paris Games, scoring 15.066 points. When it was all said and done, the two ladies could possibly be seen embracing, genuinely blissful for one another despite the media’s attempts to pit them against one another.
“I don’t want to compete with Rebecca anymore, I’m tired,” Biles joked during a post-event interview. “She’s definitely too close, I’ve never been that close to any competitor, so that definitely put me on my feet. But it definitely brought out the best competitor in me and I’m proud to compete with her. I was.”
“Overall, I’m super proud of my performance today and the fight I’ve put in over the last three years, mentally and physically, just to get back to competing on the world stage. I couldn’t be more proud.”
With gymnastics competition coming to a detailed soon, fans are wondering what’s next for Biles. Will she officially retire from competition or proceed competing internationally? While nothing has been confirmed yet, she did say at the 2024 USA Gymnastics tryouts that she would deal with the 2024 Gold Over America Tour in Paris, and once that’s done, she’ll make a choice on what’s next.
Celebrity Coverage
How Diana Ross’s Halloween look was created Uche Moxama – essence
Courtesy of Cindy Romero
Halloween is the perfect time of 12 months to advertise an icon. This 12 months, for instance, Beyoncé morphed into funk rock star Betty Davis and Coco Jones referenced Donna Summer’s album covers. And for the content creator Uche Moxamrecreation of the 1969 Diana Ross film.I’ll wash this guy out of my hair” on the duvet, the immediate answer was “yes.”
“I grew up listening to great artists: Whitney, Diana, Donna Summer, the list goes on,” Moxam tells ESSENCE. “Not only were they the powerhouse of their decade, but they also provided representation of beautiful, strong and talented black women who were rarely represented in the media at the time.”
For a protracted time, Moxam had been waiting for the suitable moment to rework into Diana Ross’s mountain of curls (as if released from a set of very large curlers) from the GIT Broadway special. However, probably the most iconic a part of the look was also probably the most difficult to create. “The biggest challenge was supposed to be the hair,” she says, contacting a hair stylist Alan Schober.
“Alana managed to arrange each bundle of hair individually and artistically to achieve the effect shown in Diana’s film,” he says. “I wanted the hair texture to be three-dimensional, not just using Photoshop or a black board.” Using a 65-inch cardboard as a base and more bundles of hair than she could count interwoven with Moxam’s real hair, Schober turned her costume right into a masterpiece.
“I focus on a natural look [for everyday beauty] but Halloween is truly a time to become someone else,” she says.
However, Uche Moxam’s makeup veered away from Ross’s neutral lip with glazed lips and cheeks sculpted with blush, becoming an icon in its own right. “I’ve been wanting to bring it to life for some time and this year I managed to do it.”
Celebrity Coverage
The best beauty moments of Halloween 2024 – essence
@janellemonae / Instagram
Celebrities have been known to bring creative costumes every Halloween. From area of interest cosplay to Heidi Klum’s annual Halloween party with high-budget SFX makeup and rugged references, stars never fail to live as much as their past looks. And last night turned out to be no different.
For example, when Janelle Monaé called a surreal version of ET, it took a team of five SFX artists to create the life-size costume. Lizzo has 4 looks starting from red body paint to scissored skin: the set includes an Ozempic pack, a honey bunny, Edward Scissorhands, and a never-rejected face card.
Although Doja Cat as a sunflower is a reference to the 2001 video game, Halloween will not be limited to fictional characters. Beyoncé took on the persona of funk-rock singer Betty Davis, Winnie Harlow referenced Diana Ross, and Coco Jones referenced Donna Summer’s album covers. Meanwhile, Megan Thee Stallion proved that Halloween lasts all 12 months long by dressing up within the anime cosplay she probably would ever wear.
Below, ESSENCE rounds up our favourite beauty moments from Halloween 2024.
Celebrity Coverage
WNBA earnings are rising, but will they be enough? The real story behind the numbers – the essence
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 06: A’ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces brings the ball up the court against Betnijah Laney-Hamilton #44 of the New York Liberty in the first quarter of Game 4 of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs Semifinals at Michelob ULTRA Arena on October 6, 2024 . in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Liberty defeated the Aces 76-62, winning the series three games to 1. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and/or using this image, User consents to the terms of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
When Angel Reese signed with the Chicago Sky and was chosen seventh overall in the 2024 WNBA draft, it entered a league completely different than five years ago. The compensation landscape has modified dramatically – but let’s be honest about whether these changes are truly transformational or simply an incremental step towards what these athletes deserve.
The raw numbers tell the story of progress. 2024 WNBA season boasts the highest earnings in the history of the leagueand top players will be capable of earn as much as $241,984. Supermax pay has increased 94% since 2019, when the league’s elite players reached $121,500. Even minimum wage for newbies increased to $64,154 – greater than double the amount in 2019. But that is where it gets complicated. While The WNBA salary cap has reached $1.4 million per team in 2024, The NBA salary cap is $140 million. Yes, you read that right. And before anyone makes the “but revenue” argument, let’s acknowledge that even after accounting for differences in league revenue, WNBA players receive about 33% of the league’s revenue, while NBA players receive about 50%.
For most WNBA players, to make it work, meaning playing year-round. According to AP, about 50% of players also compete abroad during the WNBA off-season. Stars like Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson can fetch top dollar in each markets, but this double duty comes at a value – physical fatigue, time away from family and the mental strain of never really having an off-season season.
Marketing dollars tell a totally different story. League Collective labor agreement for 2020 included provisions for increased marketing opportunities, but in 2023, only a handful of players have signed deals with major brands. Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark’s NIL valuation has reached $3.1 million before she even declared for the WNBA draft – highlighting each the potential and the disparity in how women’s basketball talent is valued.
The racial dynamics are particularly striking. In the league where over 60% of gamers are black womenthe conversation around fair pay is not only about gender – it’s about racial equality in sports. When we discuss WNBA salaries, we’re talking about undervaluing the work of Black women, and it is a story that reverberates far beyond the basketball court.
The league has taken steps in the right direction. The latest CBA introduces progressive elements similar to fully paid maternity leave, improved travel accommodations and potential income sharing opportunities. These changes come after years of player activism, led by women like Angel McCoughtry and Nneka Ogwumike who weren’t afraid to demand higher.
But let’s be clear, higher than before does not imply ok. When the WNBA minimum salary is barely above median household income in the USwe’re not only talking about the gender pay gap – we’re talking about the fundamental devaluation of girls’s skilled sport.
The query is not whether WNBA players should be grateful for these raises. The query is why, in 2024, we still have to make the case for fair compensation for skilled athletes who consistently produce world-class results, drive civil conversations, and encourage the next generation of athletes.
Pay rises are the starting, not the end. As viewership increased, the 2024 WNBA Finals saw: Viewership increase by 115%. in comparison with the previous 12 months – the pace of real changes is gaining momentum. The numbers are growing, yes, but until they reflect the true value these athletes bring to the game, our work isn’t done.
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