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Laufey has always felt "undefined." Whether it was her unique, modern jazz sound or her identity as a Chinese Icelandic artist, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter and producer tells POPSUGAR she "always felt like an anomaly and a bit of an outsider in my communities." "Being a bit different became my status quo." The artist, who recently took home her first Grammy for best traditional pop vocal album, has taken the music world - and TikTok - by storm. Since going viral on the platform in early 2022, she's released two albums, the second of which earned her the accolade. "Being a bit different became my status quo. I took my experience of being undefined into the music industry," she says. Laufey's background growing up with Chinese and Icelandic parents in Iceland and later living in the US was pivotal to building her sound and, eventually, her career in music. "I had such a mix of experiences learning music," she says. Her first foray into music was connected to her Chinese culture - through her mother, a world-class violinist, and her maternal grandfather, who taught the instrument. Laufey took piano lessons at Beijing's prestigious Central Conservatory of Music, and she performed as a solo cellist for the Iceland Symphony Orchestra at 15. When she started attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, she learned jazz and pop for the first time. "All of those experiences allowed me to grow up hearing the different sounds of each of my cultures and taught me about the things that bind different musical disciplines together and what sets them apart," she explains. Her blend of jazz, classical, and pop is so unique that there's often debate over defining her exact genre of music. Related: "The Brothers Sun" Star Sam Song Li Shares Why His Breakout Role Is Deeply Personal In addition to influencing her music, her college experience allowed her to embrace more of her Asian heritage, which she says she wasn't exposed to growing up in Iceland. "Living in the US has given me exposure to bigger Asian communities that I didn't necessarily have growing up in Iceland, where my mother and a few of her friends were the extent of my Asian community," she says. "Outside of the music industry, I've been able to embrace my identity as an Asian and be more proud of that side of me." In turn, that shift has given her the opportunity to "connect on a deeper level" with her fans of Asian descent. And now, as a young woman in the music industry, Laufey is passionate about opening up opportunities for other women artists, particularly those of color. She can count the number of women producers she's worked with on one hand. Through Bose's Turn the Dial initiative, which aims to close the gender gap in music production, the musician collaborated with Eunike Tanzil, a rising producer and composer, to create a song from scratch in just three hours. "Eunike has such a beautiful way of approaching a simple melody, which is what drew me to her in the beginning," Laufey says. "It's an honor to create music with other Asian women in the industry. Together, we bring to our music a type of sincerity that is unique to our backgrounds." As she continues to climb the charts, Laufey understands her undefined genre and identity represent what mainstream music and media have been missing. For Laufey, her recent Grammy win was "for those who couldn't figure out who they wanted to be." As she puts it: "It was a stamp of approval proving that you don't have to follow a certain path in order to succeed in music."

Welcome to March! This is a month where we celebrate our duality by embracing our inner chillona y chingona archetypes. Thanks to the month's resident zodiac season inhabitants of Pisces and Aries, there's no shortage of emotional exploration or fiery inspiration. The first eclipse of 2024 makes its way into your reality on Mar. 25. Occurring in the sign of Libra, this lunar eclipse will tug you towards reevaluating your relationships. There's an emphasis on love and business with this one. There could be a consideration around leaving a romantic connection as a direct result of the eclipse's influence. If love isn't on the mind, expect long-awaited closure surrounding business partnerships that have fallen flat. Either way, you can anticipate big endings that are geared towards prioritizing elevated exchanges in heart-centered intentions. Before then, the Pisces new moon on Mar. 10 activates a powerful stellium in the sky joined by Neptune and Saturn in Pisces. Neptune will be playing closely in this lunar cycle, which is guaranteed to help you remove rose-colored glasses. This will help you to address the elephant in the room and let go of avoidance tactics with this delicate new moon transiting the water sign known for its escapist tendencies. Practicing water rituals at this time with the key focus of cleansing and renewing efforts will be favorable and impactful. By the end of the month, you'll begin to feel the pre-shadow phase of Mercury retrograde. The first Mercury retrograde of 2024 will transit the sign of Aries beginning on April 1 for an April Fool's Day to remember. You know what that means? Time to back up all your data, be intentional with the words you use and move slowly as you undergo Mercury's ruckus. Related: A Latina Bruja's Guide to an Egg Cleanse (Huevo Limpia) Tarot Card of the Month: Four of Wands The overall tarot card pull for the general collective is the four of wands. March is conspiring in your favor, chica. This month presents a lot of potential and promises to uplift your spirits. You could find yourself quite busy while also celebrating others' achievements. Lean into the energy of the four of wands by participating in group efforts or by extending an invitation to collaborate with others to create prosperity. There will be something worth celebrating by the end of the month. You'll benefit from getting out of your comfort zone and it's certainly not a month to bed rot. Go out and get some sun, and enjoy the company of others. Now what does your tarotscope have in store for you? Tarotscopes merge the divination tools of tarot and astrology horoscopes based on your zodiac sign to provide you with a magical fusion of forecasting. Read on for your sun sign and rising sign to understand how March's tarot reading will influence you.

Sure, a whimsical meet-cute at a book store or on the side of the street sounds like a lovely way to meet someone. But in the year 2024, dating apps are proving to be a more realistic way of finding love - and most of the time, for free. Paid versions of the apps, however, became an option when Tinder and Hinge introduced premium subscriptions in 2015 and 2016. Originally, the paid options were marketed toward dating-app users as a way to boost singles' chances at finding love. It's worth noting that they might not be entirely built for that, though: a new class-action lawsuit alleges Match Group-owned apps like Tinder and Hinge violate consumer protection laws and are "purposefully addictive." Still, more people than you think are paying for premium memberships in an attempt to find love. According to a Tinder spokesperson, revenue from users with paid subscriptions increased in 2023. A spokesperson from Hinge confirmed that subscriptions grew 33 percent in 2023 compared to 2022. But still, why is no one talking about it? "It's uncomfortable that I'm on the apps in the first place, but it's kind of embarrassing to admit that you're investing in yourself [by paying for them too]," Mary, a 42-year-old guidance counselor who pays for premium versions of both Bumble and Hinge, tells POPSUGAR. But as Mary points out, people "put themselves first" by shelling out for trainers and financial planners without shame. So why should dating apps be any different? Ahead, we take a look at why some people may choose to pay for a dating app, and why, according to experts, there is so much shame in doing so. Related: I'm Single and Dating in My 30s - and This Is What I've Learned Why Pay For a Dating App? Doling out your hard-earned cash for Hinge unlocks new features and pays off in more dates, the spokesperson from Hinge says. According to Hinge's data, users who subscribe to Hinge+ ($33 per month), an upgraded version of the app that allows you to set advanced preferences and send an unlimited number of likes per day, go on twice as many dates as those who have the free membership. Subscribers to HingeX ($50 per month) have boosted profile visibility and access to enhanced match recommendations. They also go on three times as many dates as nonpaying users. This tracks for Kaitlyn, a 28-year-old advertising sales representative who started using a paid subscription in early January. She found that paying for Hinge+ led to better conversations and date success as compared to the free version. "I feel like people are more open to having real conversations on the paid version, which is more intriguing to me because I'd rather go out on a date with somebody who's actually holding a conversation," she tells POPSUGAR. Kaitlyn also found that paying for Hinge+ led to a more refined and accurate search, noting that the free version often showed her matches who lived over 100 miles away, despite her location settings. Another reason to pay? An enhanced vetting process. "Quite frankly, I decided to pay for Raya after I legitimately ran out of swipes on other apps like Bumble and Hinge," Danielle, a 33-year-old publicist in Florida, tells POPSUGAR. Danielle says that when using the free versions of these apps, she'd often match with frauds and catfishers - something that, in her experience, doesn't happen on Raya. But despite the benefits of premium subscriptions, people are very, very shy to admit they pay for dating apps. Mary notes that even though she is literally investing in herself and doing what she thinks is best, there's still some embarrassment. Why Is There So Much Shame Paying For Dating Apps? First, there's internalized stigma. People are self-critical about paying for dating apps because there's a cultural perception that dating apps have made it easier to find dates and romance, especially if your friends found love online, says Lily Womble, a feminist dating coach and the author of the upcoming book "Thank You, More Please." This is true for Mary, who isn't up-front about paying for the apps because it feeds into the mindset that if she hasn't found a partner yet, she might not ever. [P]aying for your dating life doesn't make you weak, it means you're taking action. "The truth is that dating apps make dating more anxiety-producing and overwhelming for most, and for many singles, there's an internalized stigma toward spending money on your dating life, as if you're paying for something your friend found for free," Womble explains. "Singles might have a fear that paying for dating apps signals that they're broken or bad at dating in some way, though this couldn't be further from the truth." People are also worried what others will think of them, Womble says. This fear of judgment can be heightened by friends or family who found love "quickly" or "easily," she adds. As Kaitlyn points out, when you have to explain the process of dating apps or justify your actions, it seems like paying for the apps is a last resort or a sign of being desperate. But here's the thing. Instead of viewing paid dating apps in a negative or shameful light, Womble says to look at it as an added bonus that could lead to a more empowering app experience. "If you have the money to spend on an app upgrade, it can be a great high-quality experiment in your dating life to see if there's a difference for you." Give yourself permission to get support in the pursuit of what you want, because paying for your dating life doesn't make you weak, it means you're taking action, she adds. To help reduce any shame you may feel, relationship expert Nicole Moore suggests embracing the digital era of convenience. Focus on paying for an app as a convenient way to date, just like you pay for an Uber as a convenient way to get from place to place, she explains. "See your online dating app with the same neutrality you see any other app that you use for convenience." It's also helpful to focus on the potential positive outcome of a dating app. See yourself as someone who is worthy of a higher-caliber dating experience, says Moore. "Instead of thinking that you're paying for a dating app because there's something wrong with you and you need to do this to have a chance at finding love, start focusing on what a great match you are, and therefore, you deserve a great match too," she explains. After all, people tend to pay for the things they find valuable, so it makes sense to put yourself into a pool of people who also value love, she adds. All that said, if shame comes up, acknowledge it, then shift your focus to the future positive outcome you desire, Moore says. Because the truth is, once you've found an amazing person, you won't care about how you met them. In the end, you'll just be incredibly happy that you did. Related: I Used an AI-Powered Dating Assistant to Help Land Me a Date

Image Source: Courtesy of Angela Udongwo There are so many aspects of health that disproportionately affect the Black community, and yet less than six percent of US doctors are Black - a deficit that only further harms public health. Many of the Black folks who work in healthcare have dedicated their careers to combating inequities. That's why, this Black History Month, PS is crowning our Black Health Heroes: physicians, sexologists, doulas, and more who are advocating for the Black community in their respective fields. Meet them all here. Angela Udongwo calls her journey to becoming a Black health hero "serendipity." If you've yet to learn about her work, Udongwo, who is a third-year medical student at Temple University, has been examining how braids, twists, and locs (referred to as BTLs) present in medical imaging. "We're looking at x-rays for the most part, but also magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) and computed tomography scans (CTs)," Udongwo tells POPSUGAR. After the scans are taken, Udongwo also looks at how physicians interact with them. "We examine how often they see images with BTLs, how comfortable they are with how the hair presents, as well as how knowledgeable they are with this phenomenon of how hair can present in this imaging," she explains. For a bit of background, Udongwo came across this project after working with Hillel Maresky, MD, her research mentor and an assistant radiology professor at Temple. Dr. Maresky wanted to build a knowledge base that works to distinguish protective hairstyles when looking at radiological scans, as he noticed that artifacts, which present as brighter spots or squiggly lines, would show up in quite a few scans for his patients, but he didn't know what they were. Because there wasn't a lot of literature about this phenomenon, Maresky's secretary suggested that what he was seeing may be a traditional Black hairstyle. "With CT scans, you can reconstruct images and see density-wise, the different types of hair that a patient had on their head, meaning you can essentially see their hairstyles," Udongwo says. "He ended up having this bank of images that he was going to use just to better his own practice, but when I came to him, he thought I would be interested in the project." As Udongwo dug further into the research, she saw that this lack of knowledge had a host of adverse effects. It resulted in imaging results being mistaken for disease; patients being requested to come back in for more imaging, which is highly inconvenient and exposed them to more radiation; and patients having to be seen by multiple radiologists. "I was shocked that there was really no literature on this issue - save for a single case study from years ago - because there are very few subjects that there is little research on," Udongwo says. "Additionally, it was interesting to see the recommendations be that people take their hair out, because it doesn't take into consideration what it takes to get BTLs done or what it takes to take them down." Once she realized the ramifications of this glaring gap, she decided she would fully commit to the study. For Udongwo, this work is particularly crucial because she is well aware of how important hair is in the Black community. "Your hair makes up so much of your image," she says. "For me, I feel like different people when I have my natural hair out versus when I do french curls or knotless braids, and then again when I do blond. So much of your identity can be wrapped up in what you look like and for that to impede someone's healthcare is astonishing to me." Udongwo hopes that this study will offer a baseline piece of literature for people to refer back to when this issue arises in the future. "Just having something out there that normalizes this work can provide comfort to people," Udongwo says. "With patients, especially now more than ever taking ownership over their healthcare, this work can help both them and their care providers have a foundation to work off. This is the ultimate goal of this study. Better-educated physicians, more informed patients, and another healthcare disparity being appropriately addressed."

Taking care of yourself is essential, but sometimes easier said than done. Whether it's taking a walk or journaling every day, it's important to prioritize your wellness from a holistic perspective, ensuring that your physical and mental health are in alignment. Self-care can be fun, too, like indulging in at-home spa days with face masks and undereye patches, giving yourself a manicure or pedicure refresh, and of course partaking in a relaxing bath. Bath time can look like many things, from sensorial bubbles to muscle-soothing salts to mood-setting candles. That's why POPSUGAR has released an exclusive line of affordable bath products at Walmart to help you step up your R&R routine, whatever that means to you. The POPSUGAR Bath range features two main scent categories: lavender and eucalyptus. Whether you prefer something soothing and floral or refreshing and minty, there is something for everyone's unwinding needs. Give your muscles some much-needed rest and recuperation with the Magnesium Bath Flakes, which will get your mind and body ready for bed. Need a moisture boost? Add a few of the Bath Oil Beads, made to hydrate your skin in a calming, sensorial atmosphere. If you don't have a bathtub, don't worry - we also have Shower Steamers, which will transform your bathroom into a spa-like experience. Shop the POPSUGAR Bath collection ahead and treat yourself to some much-needed self-care and me time. Related: Level Up Your Workouts With POPSUGAR's Colorful Fitness Collection at Walmart

The "Barbie" movie may have come and gone, but its impact will last forever. On Feb. 25, the film's leading lady Margot Robbie attended the Screen Actor's Guild awards in California wearing a Schiaparelli mini dress and loose waves flowing down her shoulders. If it didn't already look like she was ready to step back into "Barbieland" for a role reprisal, there was another detail that drove it all home: her jelly pink nails. Robbie's manicure came courtesy of celebrity nail artist Betina Goldstein, who shared the deeper meaning behind the look. "[Margot's] jelly-pink nails are inspired by the classic vintage Barbie jelly shoes and color matched to her dress," she captioned a behind-the-scenes photo of the star on Instagram. Goldstein also broke down the exact Chanel nail products that she used to get the look, which included Le Vernis ($32) in Skeiuse, Diva, and Sun Drop, and Le Top Gel Coat ($32). At the height of the "Barbie" frenzy, the color pink was everywhere and it wasn't uncommon to see celebrities like Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly wearing the color in their hair, on their nails, and through makeup. This naturally inspired the creation of ultra-feminine beauty trends like coquette nails and hair, which often use some variation of pink nail art and charms or bows. Whether you're still in a "Barbie" world or are just looking for a subtle new manicure to try, take a closer look at Robbie's nails below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Betina R. Goldstein (@betina_goldstein)

I have now been a mom for a little over a year - and looking back at my journey, the best decision I made for my mental health was going to a postpartum care center. Heading into my third trimester, I was scared. I didn't know what to expect in the delivery room, so I spent hours researching the labor process - what did contractions feel like and how would I get through them? While poring over baby blogs, I also kept reading about postpartum depression and baby blues and became worried about what life would be like after giving birth. I had family living nearby and was grateful that I knew I'd be able to lean on them for support, but that alone didn't ease my anxiety. Then I was introduced to Boram. Founded in 2022, Boram is a postnatal retreat designed to help new parents build a strong postpartum foundation by offering coaching sessions on topics like infant soothing, swaddling, coping with postpartum depression or anxiety, and newborn feeding (whether that's formula or breast milk). At the heart of Boram's mission is the belief that parents deserve rest, care, and support after welcoming their new baby. Prioritizing rest for new moms is popular in Asian cultures, and I was excited that finally a place like this existed in New York City. So, I reached out to Boram in November, just as I was about to enter my third trimester, about arranging a retreat. (Rates for overnight retreats vary by length of time spent at the clinic: a three-night stay starts at $1,050 per night, while a seven-night stay starts at $950 per night. Boram covered the costs of my weeklong stay.) The folks at Boram advised that I would go straight to the care center from the hospital after being discharged. That way, I could gain maximum support with recovery and receive round-the-clock care for my baby. I agreed and that was the plan. But as we all know, sometimes plans fall through. My First Days as a New Mom My birth experience was far from what I had planned and envisioned. Two minutes after my newborn son was placed on my chest for skin-to-skin contact, the nurses swept him away again. He was experiencing health complications and needed more examinations. All I remember was a rush of doctors and nurses barging in while I was in the middle of delivering my placenta. This was not what I thought my introduction to motherhood would look like. As I stared at the bright hospital lights and heard loud monitor sounds, I felt nauseous and hot. I spiked a fever. It felt like I was having an out-of-body experience, like I was watching myself in the hospital and also watching the doctors tend to my baby. Instead of checking in at Boram, my son and I were transferred to another hospital, where he stayed in the NICU for 10 days. People don't talk enough about the fourth trimester and what happens to a woman's body and mind after giving birth. As we birth a baby, we also experience a rebirth in our own way. I spent two weeks at home after my hospital stay before I was able to begin my retreat at Boram. As we birth a baby, we also experience a rebirth in our own way. During this time, dealing with a newborn and sleep deprivation challenged my patience and strength. I was drowning in my thoughts and felt like screaming at the top of my lungs for air. I struggled with conflicting feelings and postpartum rage: how could I feel so grateful and happy with this new love in my life, yet feel anxious, alone, and overwhelmed with this new identity and life? I felt lost and cried almost every day. Little did I know, help was around the corner. What It's Like to Stay at a Postpartum Retreat Center When my partner and I arrived at Boram, we were immediately greeted with warmth. The team all had smiles and brought me straight to my suite, a spacious, quiet room with a king-size bed and huge windows overlooking Midtown. Before I settled in, a care associate gave me a postpartum depression evaluation to fill out and told me she would return so we could talk about my stay and answer any questions I had. During my one-on-one talk, I told the associate about my baby's time in the NICU and the poor state of my mental health. The care associate was attentive in hearing my concerns and we talked about my options for my stay at the retreat. It was actually the first time I talked to someone about how I was truly feeling as a new mom. I felt supported by the time and attention she paid me - and, coming from my traumatic birth experience, I was open to receiving all the help I could get. I was happy to know that I had full control over how my stay at Boram would look. There weren't any obligatory activities - except to rest. During my first day at Boram, I decided to have my son stay in the 24/7 nursery overnight so I could catch up on sleep. It wasn't an easy decision and I felt immense mom guilt. However, the team told me that I could always request for my baby back and the nursery was just down the hall. Whenever I pumped or used the bathroom in the middle of the night, I would check on the monitor to make sure my son was OK. I sometimes even messaged the staff for updates and they would respond immediately, so all my concerns were addressed. It's amazing how well-rested I felt after the first night. I had my son back in my arms at 6 a.m. and my day revolved around feeding, changing diapers, cuddling, and putting him to sleep. Boram had a schedule of workshops I could choose to attend. I found the baby CPR workshop the most helpful because it was something that I honestly didn't think to look into, considering how full my plate already felt with a newborn. All I had to do was send the Boram team a text about my interests and they would send someone into my room for the intimate one-on-one session. I had a lactation consultant come and teach me different breastfeeding positions in real time because I had trouble latching. I learned the benefits of baby wearing and had an associate show me different types of carriers and how to use them. I even had a care associate give my son his first sponge bath in the sink and give me pointers on the temperature of water, techniques on how to hold him during bathing, and how to dry him after. I mastered the art of swaddling all thanks to the team showing me step by step how to swaddle my son. Aside from the scheduled sessions, Boram was only one text away when I needed help in easing my son when he was gassy or fussy, wouldn't stop crying, or when I just needed to talk and vent. They even advised me to take walks outside while they watched my son in the nursery. It was refreshing to get some air, strolling through Central Park right next door. I even had a full-body postnatal massage as an added form of self-care. Boram offered three nutritious meals daily and cleaned and sterilized my pump parts and bottles. By taking these tasks off my to-do list, I was able to dedicate that extra time to bonding with my son without interruptions or stress. Boram wasn't just a facility or a postpartum care center - Boram became part of my village. Is a Postpartum Retreat Like Boram Worth It? Sleep is a luxury for parents, and this retreat reset and recharged me. I didn't know that I needed healing when I entered Boram. As I was filling my cup daily, I started to realize that my mood improved slowly. With a clearer mindset and a calmer headspace, I could attend better to my baby. Leaving Boram was bittersweet. I was sad to leave because they took great care of not only my son, but also me. But I left feeling confident that I could and would survive the newborn stage thanks to the toolbox of resources the care associates helped me compile during my stay. I still have a great relationship with the team, and they check up on me to this day. Going to Boram was the best decision I made in my postnatal recovery. My stay reminded me that it's OK to ask for help. It's OK to rest and it's OK to take time to feel all the feels and heal. The team at Boram essentially gave me permission to say yes to myself, and that is the greatest gift I could ask for. Related: Athena Gabriella Guice Is a Doula on a Mission to "Take Back Birth For the People"

Whether you live in a small space or just prefer more streamlined living, you can't go wrong with investing in multifunctional furniture pieces that have dual purposes - like sleeper sofas, storage coffee tables, and even daybeds. Daybeds can act as a bed and a sofa, so they're perfect for creating an inviting nook for lounging, a comfy place for sleeping, or an extra seating space for those with limited room in their homes. Since there are so many different styles to choose from (i.e., trundle daybeds, storage daybeds, outdoor daybeds, and more) you're bound to find one that fits your needs. To help you determine which type of daybed is best for you and your living space, we consulted Andrea Robles, an interior designer and founder of House of Robles Designs, for her expertise on the benefits of having a daybed. What to Look For When Buying a Daybed When looking for the right daybed for your space, it's important to first consider what gap you're hoping to fill in your home with the piece. "It all depends on the space you have - if you have a small space you can choose a smaller daybed with a low footprint to make the space feel lighter and and more breezy. If your home has empty spots that need to be filled up, thats when a larger daybed comes in handy for an extra seating alternative," Robles says. Next up, you'll want to take into account what type of frame or design you want. Perhaps you want a metal frame that's scratch resistant, a modern wood frame to blend with your space, or a fabric frame that's comfortable and welcoming. Once you've chosen the fabric and style of your daybed, you'll want to think about additional features, such as storage space and how many people you'll want your daybed to sleep (if you want it to sleep anyone at all). Robles notes that daybeds double as great alternatives to Murphy and loft beds since they're easy to style and convert into more functional, daytime furniture pieces. "A daybed can be styled with pretty pillows and throw blankets while you're not sleeping on it, so your space comes off more like a living room rather than a bedroom. [Typically] daybeds are as wide as twin beds, so when being used as a sofa, they are extra deep and downright delicious to cuddle up on." Some daybeds are better suited for lounging than sleeping and typically contain cushions instead of mattresses. Whether you're the ultimate host who wants a place for visitors to crash or are looking for a daybed to complete your reading nook or outdoor space, we've rounded up the best daybeds that you can shop online right now - with models that range in size, style, and price point. Keep reading to shop our favorite daybeds ahead and check out this detailed guide for everything you need to know about how to buy a couch. - Additional reporting by Haley Lyndes Related: I've Tried More Than a Dozen Sofas, and This Is My Favorite