NEWS
Backstreet Boys in Las Vegas in September 2019.
Denise Truscello/Getty Images for iHeartMediaThe Backstreet Boys are putting a halt on their holiday music plans.
The boy band announced on social media Friday (Sept. 10) that their upcoming holiday album is postponed and their forthcoming holiday-themed Las Vegas residency is canceled because of COVID-19-related restrictions.
"With the current state of the world still limiting our travel and causing small things in these processes to take much longer, we have decided to wait until 2022 to release our Christmas album and subsequently will be canceling our limited Las Vegas run of Christmas shows," the Backstreet Boys wrote on Twitter.
The pop quintet -- comprising Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, AJ McLean and Kevin Richardson -- was scheduled for a residency in November and December at Las Vegas' Zappos Theater inside Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The A Very Backstreet Christmas Party dates were to be the group's "first-ever holiday shows, filled with classic holiday favorites, new originals and their biggest hits," the act's website states.
Ticket refunds for the Las Vegas residency will be issued automatically at the point of purchase.
The 12-show run was set to arrive three years after the band's record-shattering Backstreet Boys: Larger Than Life residency at the Zappos Theater. The group's residency grossed $34.4 million from the total 62 shows they performed at the legendary Vegas venue in 2017 and 2018, according to Billboard Boxscore.
In their message to fans, the Backstreet Boys said they've "been hard at work" on their upcoming holiday album for the past six months. "We are so excited and proud of what we have and the way it's all coming together. We feel that this is one of our best creations yet and that this creation deserves the best possible scenario and set up for success."
The boy band concluded, "While we are disappointed, we know this is for the best and we absolutely cannot wait to share the magic of this album with all of you when the time is right!"
See the Backstreet Boys' full statement below.
Samsung has officially answered the $15million lawsuit filed against them by Dua Lipa, denying the claims made by the singer.
The artist filed the lawsuit against the electronics giant earlier this month, accusing the company of using her image without approval to help market televisions.
The complaint focuses on cardboard TV packaging released by the brand in 2025, which allegedly featured a photo of the singer without compensation or permission being granted beforehand.
According to the lawsuit, her legal representatives attempted to stop Samsung from continuing to use the image, but claimed the company responded in a “dismissive and callous” manner. The filing also referenced reactions posted by fans on X/Twitter, where some users admitted the packaging influenced their interest in buying the TV.
“I’d get that TV just because Dua Lipa is on it,” one fan wrote, while another posted: “I wasn’t even planning on buying a tv but I saw the box so I decided to get it.”
The lawsuit includes allegations of copyright infringement, violations tied to California publicity rights laws, federal Lanham Act claims, and trademark related accusations.
Samsung has now issued a public response to the case and pushed back against the allegations made by the ‘Dance The Night’ hitmaker.
In a statement, Samsung explained: “The image of Dua Lipa was used in 2025 to display content from third-party partners available on Samsung TVs.
“Originally, the image was provided by a content partner for the free streaming service Samsung TV Plus. It was only used after the content partner had given explicit assurances that all necessary rights had been obtained – including use on sales packaging.”
The company also stated that it has “great respect for Dua Lipa” along with the intellectual property rights of artists, adding that it remains “open to a constructive solution” with the singer.
At this point, Dua Lipa’s representatives have not publicly addressed Samsung’s latest response.
Elsewhere, the singer recently curated the London Literature Festival 2026 at the Southbank Centre, surprised fans with an unexpected appearance during Tame Impala’s headline performance at The O2, and was also announced as part of the cast for a new A24 comedy titled Peaked.
