At the start of her career in the latter half of the 2010’s decade, London, England act Ella Mai was one of the trendiest R&B voices. She went viral for singles such as “Boo’d Up” and “Trip,” with the latter famously being remixed by Jacquees. However, she sort of faded a bit and stepped out of the limelight. She did lay down some features sporadically after 2018 for Chris Brown, Lil Durk, Wizkid, and most recently for Mustard’s Faith Of A Mustard Seed. But she’s been slowly working her way back in terms of her solo catalog. In 2022 she reappeared with her sophomore LP Heart On My Sleeve and then put out a deluxe almost a year later. Despite this, she’s been making more news for her relationship with Boston Celtics superstar and NBA champion boyfriend, Jayson Tatum.
They have stirred up pregnancy rumors and even matching “3” tattoos right behind their ears. Ironically, that ink has even more weight to it now, as 3 is the title of Ella Mai’s surprise EP. Fans have been running with theories that the lyrics on this three-song package are all references to their relationship (via Uproxx). The name of the EP certainly bolsters those beliefs as it could be a call back to the tattoo we just mentioned. While the speculation about their mysterious relationship is entertaining, a concrete reason as to why this EP is here is because Mai just turned 30! This is certainly a great way to celebrate the big day (November 3) and she felt there wasn’t a better time to drop. “My 30th birthday gift to you all 3 songs. November 3rd. One of my favourite numbers. I’ve missed you all, three times over ,” she adorably wrote on IG. Check out 3 with the DSP links below and let us know what you think below.
As a birthday surprise for her fans, Grammy Award-winning R&B singer and songwriter Ella Mai releases her new EP, 3, available on all streaming platforms. Following her critically acclaimed 2022 album, Heart On My Sleeve, the three-track project introduces a fresh chapter for Mai, reinforcing her signature soulful sound and bringing listeners on a journey of love, connection, and self-awareness.
As she turns 30 this year, the significance of the number 3 mirrors her personal growth and evolution, aligning beautifully with the themes of maturity and discovery reflected in her music. The number 3, often referred to as the number of joy, is linked to communication and happiness, perfectly aligning with the uplifting spirit of this release. “Hearts On Deck” is a flirtatious anthem celebrating confidence and playfulness as Mai asserts her power and poise while allowing vulnerability to draw her love interest closer. “One of These” is an upbeat and playful track showcasing the thrill of finding an unexpected love that meets all her desires, capturing the irresistible pull of deep connection. “Little Things” is a warm and reflective piece that celebrates love in its simplest forms, showcasing Mai’s appreciation for small acts of devotion and how these “little things” build meaningful relationships.
Since before the release of her 2018 debut album, Ella Mai has maintained an elusive public persona. But after the “Not Another Love Song” singer shared her sophomore album, Heart On My Sleeve, Ella Mai slowly began to disappear from the public’s eye.
Today (November 3), Ella Mai reappeared online to announce her surprise EP, 3, to celebrate her birthday.
“AVAILABLE NOW EVERYWHERE! My 30th birthday gift to you all. 3 songs. November 3rd. one of my favorite numbers I’ve missed you all, three times over ,” she wrote in the Instagram post’s caption.
With striking photo of Ella’s profile against an emerald green backdrop, she also revealed some new ink. Behind Ella’s ear you can see her latest tattoo of the number 3. Immediately fans of Ella Mai’s NBA Champion boyfriend and father of her child, Jayson Tatum’s matching body art (viewable here).
After listening to the project, supporters believe 3 is a lover letter to Tatum. On the track “Little Things,” Ella sings: “Be right hеre when you’re wakin’ up / Breakfast on the table, know you like / Eggs, and they’re all scrambled up / Pancakes, bacon, OJ on the side / Packed your bag with extra clothes, your toothbrush in the Louis tote / Love notes for when you on the road / Cleaned your watch and Cuban links / Silk pillowcase for you to take / Boy, you deserve the little things.”
The line hints at Tatum’s demanding sports schedule with the Boston Celtics. This heartfelt fluttering can also be heard on “One Of Those,” where Ella sings: “Girl you better get you one of these / Wake up in the morning, he got flowers at my feet / Get one of these, yeah, I don’t wanna leave / Dancing ’round him got me like a puppet / I’ma let him pull my strings / Get you one of these / Kinda man that get you what you want, then he gon’ give you want you need / I’m just saying get you one of these.”
Continue below to view Ella Mai’s 3 tracklist and cover.
Tracklist
1. “Hearts On Deck”
2. “One Of These”
3. “Little Things”
Artwork
Interscope
3 is out now via 10 Summers/Interscope. Find more information here.
Ella Mai and Jayson Tatum introduced their new baby at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The long-rumored, never publicly confirmed relationship made its first public appearance as Tatum celebrated his gold medal. He, Mai, the newborn, Tatum’s first child Deuce, and family were seen celebrating in behind-the-scenes pictures and video. You can see the pieces below.
If privacy was a person, it would undoubtably be Ella Mai. Since 2023, the “Not Another Love Song” singer quietly slipped out of the public eye. Following the deluxe edition release of her album, Heart On My Sleeve and wrapping up its supporting tour, Ella Mai even took a hiatus from social media.
Although Ella Mai nor Jayson Tatum have shared any family photos online, fans immediately began to congratulate the couple once behind-the-scenes clips of the Team USA family photoshoot were posted to X (formerly Twitter).
In the video (seen here), Tatum and his family gather to commemorate the men’s Olympic basketball team’s gold medal victory. As the visual progresses, Tatum is joined by Ella Mai and an infant child, all seemingly dressed in matching Team USA gear. This marks Ella Mai’s first child. For Jayson Tatum, this is his second. Tatum has a son, Jayson Jr, more affectionately known as Deuce, from a previous relationship.
Grammy-award-winning producer and artist Mustard has surprised fans by releasing a new song, “One Bad Decision,” just days before the drop of his highly anticipated album, Faith of a Mustard Seed. This track features powerhouse collaborators Roddy Ricch and Ella Mai, rekindling the magic of their previous hit “Ballin’,” which went 7x platinum.
“One Bad Decision” opens with Ella Mai’s emotionally charged delivery, setting a poignant tone for a narrative of heartbreak and betrayal. Roddy Ricch follows with a raw and confessional verse, painting a vivid picture of a tumultuous relationship teetering on the brink of collapse due to infidelity and distrust. The song captures the intensity of emotions stemming from love, betrayal, and the dire consequences of one misstep.
This track showcases the seamless blend of Ella Mai’s soulful vocals and Roddy Ricch’s gritty rap delivery, all elevated by Mustard’s masterful production. The distinct chord progressions and intricate beats highlight Mustard’s unique approach to music production, marking a departure from his previous work.
Faith of a Mustard Seed promises to explore a diverse range of themes and sounds, reflecting Mustard’s evolution as an artist and his commitment to delivering groundbreaking music. Fans eagerly anticipate the album’s release, excited for more of Mustard’s signature style and innovative collaborations.
The Boston Celtics are the NBA Champions of 2024. It’s a truth that lots of fans are reluctant to embrace. Most Celtics haters have resorted to mocking Jayson Tatum, and his tendency to copy the iconic quotes of his predecessors. The thing that shocked everybody, though, hater or not, were the photos of Tatum’s girlfriend, Ella Mai. The two were seen celebrating the title together, and it looked as though the R&B singer was pregnant with Tatum’s child. Social media didn’t know to react.
Ella Mai was seen in various photos and videos alongside her boyfriend, and it does appear as though she’s expecting. The R&B singer has not confirmed or denied these rumors, nor has Tatum. The two celebrities have been dating since 2019, but the lack of information about their personal lives should come as no surprise.
Neither party has confirmed that they’re in a relationship, despite the fact that they’ve been at each other’s side for five years. Ella Mai was asked point blank whether she was with Tatum during a 2022 appearance on The Breakfast Club. She refused to clarify. “I’m a basketball fan definitely,” she told the hosts. “But you know I’m not one to talk about my dating life.”
The reaction to Mai’s alleged pregnancy was split between surprise and happiness. Twitter users were happy for the singer, even if they were irate over Tatum being an NBA champion. There was also plenty of “Boo’d Up” jokes, as one would expect from any social media interaction involving the “Boo’d Up” singer.
— Certified Hoodie Thief (@KryssyLaReina) June 18, 2024
Some users even praised Ella Mai for keeping her personal life private. “The way Ella Mai be out the way and to herself,” one user noted. “Is why I’m glad to see folks like her and other artists/celebrities that keep they stuff private getting to peacefully enjoy their relationship and making families.”
Keep scrolling to read more social media reactions to Ella Mai’s alleged pregnancy. Do you believe the rumors? Are you happy for the singer and Jayson Tatum? Let us know in the comments, and check back later for more music/pop culture news updates.
these 3 pics being the only photographic evidence we have of ella mai and jayson tatum (the first pic being the only one for years) .. now they’ve unintentionally announced they are expecting right after jayson won an NBA championship with the celtics.. PRIVATE NOT SECRET! pic.twitter.com/wkoope6kcK
NBA Champion, $350M contract extension, gold medal next month, got ella mai pregnant, Tatum can’t keep getting away with this pic.twitter.com/HhAxrELyGM
A lot of celebrity relationships tend to be front-page news, but one that tends to fly relatively under the radar is the supposed duo of Grammy-winning singer Ella Mai and Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum. Tatum and his Celtics just won the NBA Finals, of course, so all eyes are on him. That makes now a good time to ask:
Are Ella Mai And Jayson Tatum Still Dating?
As People notes, the two have been linked since 2020, but neither of them have actually publicly confirmed the apparent relationship. The two made their first public appearance together, though, at Michael Rubin’s Fourth Of July White Party in the Hamptons in 2020.
The two were also both at former Celtic teammate Marcus Smart’s wedding in 2023, and Tatum was spotted at Mai’s birthday party last November.
As for where things stand with Tatum and Mai now, the singer was spotted rocking a Tatum jersey as she celebrated the Celtics’ victory last night. So, whatever connection Tatum and Mai have, it appears to be doing just fine.
Meanwhile, Mai’s latest album is 2022’s Heart On My Sleeve, which followed her Billboard 200 top-5 self-titled debut album from 2018. Her biggest hit song to date is 2018’s “Boo’d Up,” which managed a peak at No. 5 on the Hot 100 chart.
Jayson Tatum and Ella Mai were all smiles are the recent wedding of Tatum’s former teammate, Marcus Smart. Tatum rocked a sharp mint pinstripe suit while Mai was radiant in a chartreuse gown with a plunging neckline. The couple has been together since October 2020 and their pandemic romance has persisted ever since. While they kept things under wraps, Mai let things slip when she posted a TikTok from Tatum’s home during the 2021 offseason. They stepped out in public together for the first time in July 2022 at Michael Rubin’s 4th of July White Party.
However, the couple was in California this past weekend to attend Marcus Smart’s wedding. Smart and Tatum were Celtics teammates for six seasons between 2017 and 2023. However, Smart was traded this offseason as part of the deal that brought Kristaps Porziņģis to Boston. After Smart’s trade, Tatum only had good things to say about his ex-teammate. “He’s gonna love it, and the fans are gonna love him, the city is gonna love him. Sad to see him go, but happy for him to get a new start and excited to see what he does. They’re getting a leader. They’re getting a guy who’s a winner, who’s been to the playoffs every year. We’ve been to the Finals together obviously, so he knows what it takes to get there. Obviously extremely talented, the best defender in the league. He’s just a guy that you love to have on your team.”
Elsewhere, Tatum recently linked up with another Missourian. Tatum was born and raised in St. Louis and attended high school in Creve Coeur. However, he went out of state for college, committing to Duke and Coach K. Last month, Tatum was pictured kicking it with Sexyy Red, a product of St. Louis herself. Red posted an image of her hanging with Tatum on her Instagram, adding the caption “St. Louis sht man” along with a blood drop emoji. Tatum appeared dressed very casually in jeans and a Kobe-Jordan shirt. Meanwhile, Red has donned a blonde wig and was wearing a revealing purple outfit. Something was written across the ass of her shorts. However, only the word “Daddy” is clearly visible in the picture.
The internet had a lot of fun with the image, especially in roasting Tatum’s somewhat awkward stance. “Tatum scared to grab them cheeks ,” one person noted. “That boy fist sweating Didn’t even open his hand up. Everyone looks like a fan next to you,” added another. Meanwhile, other commenters referenced Red’s alleged relationship with Drake. “Not sure DRAKE will be happy with u taking pic with that dawg,” warned one individual.
The BET Award for Best International Act was first introduced in 2010 to highlight talents outside of the United States. Between 2011 and 2017, the category was split into two — Africa and the UK. However, since 2018, the award has become a more inclusive one. Accordingly, the 2023 BET nominees for the Best International Act include acts from all over the globe.
This year’s BET Awards will be held on June 25 in Los Angeles. These are the 10 artists up for the International Act award.
The recently announced nominations mark Aya Nakamura’s third time being recognized for the BET Award for Best International Act. Her first two nominations came as a result of her second and third albums, Nakamura and Aya, respectfuly. The French R&B singer earned her third nod due to her stellar fourth album, DNK. Nakamura released two singles, “SMS” and “Baby”, ahead of the album’s release, which made waves across Europe, particularly France. As was the case for her previous albums, DNK performed very well on the French Album chart, as well as the Belgian and Swiss charts.
Ayra Starr’s rise to fame began in 2021 with the release of her eponymous debut EP. After gaining momentum, she eventually released her debut album, 19 & Dangerous, only a few months later. By 2022, she had become a huge sensation. Ayra Starr’s music is predominantly R&B and Afrobeats. Her 2022 single “Rush”, propelled her into the European market, and she eventually worked with Kelly Rowland for a remix to her song, “Bloody Samaritan”. “Rush” would also eventually peak at the 24th spot on the UK Singles chart. This is her first nomination.
Burna Boy needs no introduction as far as the BET Awards go. The global sensation is no stranger to the BET Award for Best International Act. He famously pulled off a trifecta by taking the award three years in a row in 2019, 2020, and 2021. In the same vein as his previous works, his most recent album, Love, Damini was released in 2022 to critical acclaim. Straightaway, it became the highest-charting African album on the Billboard 200 upon its release. Love, Damini famously housed the popular single, “Last Last” and also featured other prominent artists like J Hus, Kehlani, Ed Sheeran, Khalid, and Blxst.
Oakley Caesar-Su, better known as Central Cee is a London-born rapper. In 2022, Central Cee became the first UK rapper to achieve one billion Spotify streams in a year. This was thanks to his viral hits “23”, “Doja”, “One Up” and “Let Go.” His latest EP No More Leaks arrived in October. This is his first-ever nomination for Best International Act at the BET Awards.
English singer Ella Mai made a successful crossover into the US market with her global hit single “Boo’d Up”. Following the release of her acclaimed sophomore album, Heart on My Sleeve, she has earned her first BET Award nod for Best International Act. The album features notable names, including Ty Dolla Sign, Latto, Roddy Rich, and Lucky Daye.
Ntokozo Mdluli, better known as K.O, started off as a member of the Hip Hop group, Teargas. Today, he’s made his name as one of South Africa’s most interesting rappers. Furthermore, his fourth album, Skhanda Republic 3 was released to critical acclaim. The lead single “SETE” was widely praised and became one of the most admired tracks of 2022.
Brazil’s L7nnon, also known as L7, enjoyed a massive breakthrough in 2022. He’s not only an accomplished rapper and rising star but is also a brilliant skateboarder who’s trying to go pro. L7nnon released several singles that took off in his native Brazil, including “Ai Preto” and “Facilitei.” He is also the third Brazilian nominated for the Best International Act award, following Emicida and Ludmilla’s nods in 2021 and 2022.
Stormzy is unarguably one of the UK’s most recognized rappers. He’s been nominated for the BET Award for Best International Act twice in the past. These nods came after his first and second albums, Gang Signs & Prayer, and Heavy is the Head. Stormzy’s third album was titled This Is What I Mean and released in late 2022. It earned critical acclaim for its genre-infused tracks and intimacy. The project has spurred his third nod for the award.
William Mundola, popularly known by his moniker Tiakola, is a French rapper. The rising star rose to fame in his native country as a member of the R&B and Hip Hop group, 4Keus. As the group is currently on a hiatus, Tiakola has gained even more fame as a solo artist. His debut album Mélo eventually hit the top spot on the French Album charts. Mélo featured several notable French rappers, including Hamza, Niska, Gazo, and more.
Uncle Waffles has been dubbed the “Princess of Amapiano”. This title is due to her infectious beats and swagged out style. The Eswatini-born DJ and producer has made South Africa her home and is gradually taking the continent of Africa by storm. Throughout Uncle Waffle’s career, she became an international sensation who performed across the globe. She is also the first amapiano act to play at Coachella. “Tanzania”, her debut single, became a huge hit, and was recently used by Beyoncé in a dance break during her Renaissance World Tour.
,” she adorably wrote on IG. Check out 3 with the DSP links below and let us know what you think below. 
(@KryssyLaReina) 
(@wateryonce) 
|They Got Me (@easymoneyyMo) 
,” one person noted. “That boy fist sweating
Didn’t even open his hand up. Everyone looks like a fan next to you