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Saturday 22nd August 2026

Music News 🎵

Fresh from Poppie's artists

Sabrina Carpenter's Breakout Single Finally Hits No. 1

It's official: Sabrina Carpenter's breakout single, the song that turned her into one of pop's biggest names, has finally climbed all the way to number one. It's been on the way up for what feels like forever, teasing fans by getting agonisingly close before finally smashing through to the top spot. For an artist who's been everywhere this year, from awards stages to viral moments, this is the kind of milestone that cements her as a genuine chart force rather than just a flash in the pan. Forbes reports it as the crowning achievement of her breakout run, and it is easy to see why: this is the song that started it all finally getting the recognition it deserves. Expect the celebrations, and the victory laps, to be loud. If you loved this one from the very start, you have officially got great taste.

via Forbes

KATSEYE Score Their First Ever Number One

KATSEYE have hit a huge milestone, scoring their first ever number one, this time in Australia, according to Billboard. It's a massive deal for a group who only broke through recently and have been climbing charts everywhere they go, and it comes hot on the heels of a career-best number two on the UK albums chart. Going from newcomers to chart-toppers this fast shows just how quickly their fanbase, the EYEKONS, has grown around the world. For a group built from a global talent search, cracking number one anywhere is proof the whole experiment has paid off spectacularly. If Australia has fallen for them this hard, do not be surprised if the rest of the world follows soon. Keep watching, because at this rate, more number ones feel like only a matter of time.

via Billboard

Taylor Swift's 'Smiley Dog' Breed Is Booming

Move over, cockapoos, there is a new top dog in town. Experts say the breed nicknamed the 'smiley dog', famous for its permanently grinning face, is soaring in popularity, and Taylor Swift gets a lot of the credit for the trend. Whenever a star like Taylor is spotted with a pet, it tends to send that breed's popularity rocketing, and this cheerful pup is no exception. The 'smiley dog' has been popping up everywhere lately, winning hearts with that unmistakable grin, and it looks set to become the breed everyone wants next. If you have been begging for a puppy, you now have the perfect excuse to point your parents towards the happiest-looking dog on the internet. Just do not expect them to say yes that easily.

via The Irish Sun

🎧 Poppie's Song of the Day Die On This Hill – Sienna Spiro (still the editor's pick!)
Poppie's Gym Class 🤸 · one lesson a day

Today's Lesson: The Splits

real Poppie words

Warm up: this one really matters

  1. Never stretch into the splits when you're cold. Do some star jumps or run on the spot first to warm your legs up.
  2. Sit on a soft mat or carpet, never a hard floor.

Ease into it

  1. Kneel down, then slide one leg out straight in front of you and the other leg back behind you.
  2. Put your hands on the floor either side of you to hold your weight. You're in control, you're not just flopping down.
  3. Slide down only as far as feels like a gentle stretch. A stretch should feel like a pull, never a sharp pain. If it hurts, come back up.

Get lower over time

  1. Hold it gently for about 20 or 30 seconds, breathing out as you relax down. Then swap legs and do the other side. Always do both.
  2. Splits take weeks, not one day. A tiny bit lower each time is exactly how every gymnast does it. Don't force it.

Little helpers

  1. Try resting your front leg on a cushion, then a thinner one, then none, as you slowly get lower.
  2. Point your toes and keep your back leg straight out behind you, not turned to the side. That's a proper gymnast's split.

Coach's tip: flexibility comes from little and often, not from forcing it once. Warm legs, gentle stretch, both sides, every day, and you'll get there. 💜

Yesterday's lesson: The Round-Off. Every lesson stays safe in the archive

Poppie's Kitchen 🍳

Recipe 3: Fluffy Pancakes

real Poppie words

Before you start

  1. Wash your hands.
  2. Get everything out: 1 mug of self-raising flour, 1 mug of milk, 1 egg, a spoon of sugar, and a little butter for the pan. A whisk and a ladle too.

Make the batter

  1. Flour and sugar into a bowl, then crack the egg into the middle.
  2. Pour in about half the milk and whisk it into a thick paste with no lumps, then whisk in the rest until it's smooth and pours off the whisk like thick cream.
  3. Let it sit for a few minutes while the pan heats. A little rest makes them fluffier.

Cook them

  1. Low to medium heat, and a tiny bit of butter rubbed round the pan. Too hot and they burn before they cook in the middle.
  2. Ladle in a puddle of batter and don't touch it. Wait until you see little bubbles pop all over the top.
  3. Now flip it (ask a grown-up the first couple of times) and give it another minute until it's golden underneath.
  4. Keep them warm on a plate while you cook the rest.

The best bit

  1. Stack them up and pile on whatever you love: berries, banana, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, or a little chocolate spread.

Chef's tip: wait for the bubbles before you flip. When little bubbles pop all over the top, that's the pancake telling you it's ready. Flip too soon and it tears. 🥞

Coming soon from Poppie's Kitchen: lasagne · Caesar salad · avocado toast with a sunny-side-up egg

Funny Story of the Day 😄

World's Fastest Motorised Clog Shoe Hits 70mph

Someone has built the world's fastest motorised clog, and it can reach an eye-watering 70mph. Yes, an actual wooden shoe, souped up like a rocket. It is completely ridiculous, wonderfully pointless, and exactly the kind of world record that makes you grin from ear to ear.

via rss.upi.com