Music News

The Year in Music 2020: Love, breakups & babies in the time of COVID-19

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David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

While the COVID-19 pandemic put many things on hold this year, artists’ personal lives were moving full speed ahead with hookups, breakups and babies.

Let’s start with the notable romances and splits:

Kelly Clarkson filed for divorce from husband Brandon Blackstock in June after seven years of marriage and two children together.  Things are now getting messy, with Brandon, who also worked as Kelly’s manager, suing her for unpaid commissions, and Kelly suing the management company for fraud.

Julia Michaels and JP Saxe confirmed they were dating as their duet, “If the World Was Ending,” became a timely pandemic hit and eventually earned them a Grammy nomination. They just released another Christmas duet, “Kissin’ in the Cold.”

Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes stayed close this year despite rumors to the contrary, quarantining at Camila’s Miami home and experiencing domestic bliss. Shawn says they’ve talked about getting engaged. Maybe in 2021?

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton got engaged in October after five years of dating.  They also scored two country hits in 2020 with the romantic duets “Happy Anywhere” and “Nobody but You.”

And now for the quarantine baby boom:

On March 23, Maren Morris and husband Ryan Hurd welcomed their first child, son Hayes Andrew Hurd.

In April, Andy Grammer and his wife Aijia welcomed their second child, daughter Israel Blue.

Joe Jonas and wife Sophie Turner welcomed their first child together, a baby girl reportedly named Willa. They confirmed the birth in July.

Katy Perry announced the birth of her first child with fiancé Orlando Bloom, a baby girl named Daisy Dove, on August 26, a mere 24 hours before she dropped her album, Smile. Katy and Orlando put their wedding plans on hold this year due to COVID-19.

Ed Sheeran became a dad. He announced in September that wife Cherry Seaborn had given birth to a daughter named Lyra Antarctica Seaborn Sheeran.

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel welcomed their second child together over the summer.  While the couple never confirmed their new arrival, their pals Lance Bass and Jimmy Fallon did it for them by commenting on how cute the baby is.

Meghan Trainor announced that she is pregnant with her first child, a boy, with husband Daryl Sabara. Their son is due in early 2021.

In August, “I Hope” singer Gabby Barrett announced that she and her husband, fellow American Idol alum Cade Foehner, were expecting their first child in early 2021.

By Andrea Tuccillo
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