Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Event/Special
CNN New Year's Eve Live; Paris Rings in 2026; Luanda, Angola Rings in 2026. CNN New Year's Eve Live. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired December 31, 2025 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Less than a minute. Woo.
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Here we go.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wow.
SANCHEZ: 30 seconds out now from 2026. Let's go ahead and enjoy this moment today, the sights and sounds.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need a countdown on CNN's New Year's Eve Live.
(LIVE PERFORMANCE BY LAUFEY)
[18:05:00]
(LIVE PERFORMANCE BY ALY AND A.J.)
[18:10:00]
SANCHEZ: That was incredible.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my ears.
SANCHEZ: That was incredible. That was also Aly and A.J. performing Potential Breakup Song from the Eastern and Atlanta, so thank you to them. But what a show, ten minutes of chest thumping fireworks in all sorts of colors.
And now we've got this delicious pastry. What is it called again?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are in 2026, so we can have this tart. First of all, we have to say Happy New Year. Happy New Year, all the best to you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy New Year.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And also the tradition, we kiss. Sorry, we got to -- yes. I'm here, I'm the tradition lady. Two kisses, oh, Happy New Year.
SANCHEZ: That is the way that it is done, now let's eat. What exactly is in this and what's it called again?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, it's called gallette des rois.
SANCHEZ: Gallette des rois?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, it's a king's cake and also there's a charm inside. So, Bruno (ph), maybe you have the first slice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do I have to?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And inside, if you do have actually the -- if you get the charm, then you are the queen or the king.
SANCHEZ: And one for you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Cheers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Cheers, enjoy.
SANCHEZ: All right, here we go.
And as we eat, we'll send it back to Laura. We'll find out who the king or queen is in just a moment. Laura, I hope you're having fun in London because we are having a blast here in Paris.
LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF LEGAL ANALYST: Are you kidding me? We are the home of the queen out here. And if any of you are to break your teeth on that king's cake, my father is a dentist. Just saying, everyone.
We've got so much more coming up. CNN's Lynda Kinkade is live at the Anzie Blue in Nashville with a live performance from none other than Chris Isaak.
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: That is right, Laura. As we countdown to the New Year, music takes center stage here in Nashville, the one and only Chris Isaak joining us in just a moment for an amazing performance. We can't wait. Happy New Year, Chris.
CHRIS ISAAK, MUSICIAN: Happy New Year. I like the sparkles.
KINKADE: I love yours too. We'll see you in just a moment. Omar?
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hello. Yes, we are here in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and if you're here in that beautiful, beautiful music, that's because we got a lot of Grammys on stage right now. You are listening to Keb' Mo on the right and Mr. Taj Mahal on the left, giving people the flavor of what you can define with here in Clarksdale, the birthplace of blues people.
(LIVE PERFORMANCE BY KEB' MO AND TAJ MAHAL)
[18:15:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COATES: We are partying over here, Boris. We're getting pumped in London. The D.J. is going. I'm so excited right now to get back to Nashville. We got a very special live performance.
SANCHEZ: Indeed we do. And even though I hear Farruko behind you singing Pepas, we're going to go over to Lynda Kinkade because she has a truly special live performance at the Anszie Blue right now.
Lynda, take it away.
KINKADE: Welcome to Nashville, Tennessee. How good is it here?
All right, I have with me the one, the only, Chris Isaak, Happy New Year.
ISAAK: Happy New Year. What are you going to sing?
[18:20:00]
KINKADE: What should we sing? I mean, you have had so many hits. Everyone knows this iconic riff, right? I mean, you've had dozens, over 13 studio albums. You're about to tour again. How are you feeling?
ISAAK: I feel good. We've been out on tour. We've had dogs on stage everywhere we go and we get dogs adopted. And that's the most fun we've had, and I hope to do it in the New Year.
KINKADE: That's amazing. So, in the New Year 2026, you're touring the U.S. You're going to take the tour on the road in Europe as well, right?
ISAAK: Yes. In Europe, they haven't heard of what we do and they haven't seen our act. So, we can get by with a lot.
KINKADE: I mean, back in the 1990s, we could game Baby, I Did a Bad, Bad Thing, these songs were not only massive hits, but they were also in films, right? Eyes Wide Shot, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman.
ISAAK: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman got -- I love Nicole Kidman because she put Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing in a movie that it was fantastic, to see her dancing to that song.
KINKADE: I mean, you've had some pretty good dancers, Helena Christensen.
ISAAK: Helena, pretty great. Nicole Kidman, I love.
KINKADE: Who doesn't love Nicole Kidman? And who doesn't love Chris Isaak?
As we look ahead to 2026, what is your hope?
ISAAK: I think in 2026 we're going to -- this bunch of guys is going to go out and make a lot of music and get a lot of dogs on stage and get dogs adopted.
KINKADE: Amazing, amazing. Keep up the amazing work. I am going to let you take it away because we are here for the music, right? Chris Isaak, Baby, I Did a Bad, Bad Thing, give it up.
(LIVE PERFORMANCE BY CHRIS ISAAK)
[18:25:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COATES: Okay, everyone, we're back in London waiting for midnight and those fireworks behind us, I'm wearing a new crown. It's not a queen tiara. But you know who's here, Isa Soares.
What do we -- she's got props.
ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: I'm always coming with props. You know me. Do you know what festival this is?
COATES: Tell me.
[18:30:00]
SOARES: So, this is Glastonbury.
COATES: I live at Glastonbury, so obviously I'm not British. Go ahead.
SOARES: Glastonbury.
COATES: Glastonbury.
SOARES: It's like Coachella, Running Man, a mix of both.
COATES: Okay, okay.
SOARES: Much older, 1970s. The first one, you got, free milk carton because it's on a farm. In terms of size, for those with me, size of 500 football pitches. It's, you know -- David Bowie was the first musician, and that was free. But this is like I'm embracing another great British tradition, everyone.
COATES: Look at this. And, you know what, I like the air crown.
SOARES: You love it?
COATES: I do. And, listen, the eye, the jewelry on the face. I want to take all it all in. You put so much effort into all that you do.
SOARES: I'm with you.
COATES: I love it.
SOARES: I've even got the wellies. You can't see.
COATES: You've got wellies.
SOARES: I've got the wellies. It got a peace sign. This is celebrate all next time you come to Wimbledon and try the strawberries. Have you done afternoon tea?
COATES: Well, only with you. Okay.
SOARES: Okay.
COATES: Coming up soon, everyone look at Isa Soares. Oh my God.
Let's go over right now to CNN's Omar Jimenez --
SOARES: He can play this.
COATES: -- who's at ground zero blues club for us.
JIMENEZ: Oh, yes. We are here in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and, come on, we've been talking about it the whole day that Clarksdale means blues music. And another thing it meant this year was it was portrayed fictional, less vampires here in real life, but in one of the biggest movies of the year in Sinners, and, man, one of my favorite songs that I've heard this year. We got some of them to perform it for us. Take a listen.
(LIVE PERFORMANCE BY MILES CATON AND ALICE SMITH)
SANCHEZ: Wow. Miles Caton and company taking us all the way there from the electric garden, that was incredible, Laura, one of many special moments we've seen tonight.
[18:35:04]
And Miles, that voice, only 20 years old, it's hard to believe, just impressive. I run out of superlatives for him.
I want to go live to CNN's Victor Blackwell, who is in Times Square for us, decked out in his finest attire. Victor, what are you seeing where you are? Look at him.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Well, I had to get a bit of a wardrobe change. And I hear those are going around tonight.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
BLACKWELL: But I'm here with another group of folks that come in from around the world.
This really is the cross world -- crossroads of the world. And later, we're going to take you to a firework show in Southwest Africa that is fantastic, and visit one of our correspondents there.
CNN's live coverage of New Year's 2026 continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:40:00]
BLACKWELL: Welcome back to Times Square. The big party is here tonight. Listen, Andy and Anderson are up in a couple of hours, but the party has started. We've got hundreds of thousands of people here and a billion people watching around the world. Let's meet some of the folks who've come in. What's your name?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My Korean name is So Yeung Kim (ph) and my English name is Carlette (ph).
BLACKWELL: And so why'd you come here? Why is this the place to be on New Year?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ah, because I came here to have my Christmas Day and New Year's Day in New York, and this is the moment that I was looking forward in my whole life.
BLACKWELL: Welcome to Times Square. Welcome to New Year's Eve. Welcome to 2026.
Listen, we are covering the New Year coming in across the world as you've watched all day.
I want to go to my colleague, Victoria Rubadiri, who is in the beautiful Southwest African nation of Angola, and she watches their year 2026 came in with a great fireworks show. Victoria?
VICTORIA RUBADIRI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Luanda is alive tonight. We're right by the waterfront. We are few seconds away from New Year's here in the port city, surrounded by a sea of white, and there we are, the fireworks display, Happy New Year from Luanda.
Amazing, and it is not New Year's without a fireworks display. This is how Angola, this is how the port city of Luanda is ringing in 2026 in a sea of white, pure excitement and anticipation for the New Year. This is how Angola welcomes 2026.
Back to you guys.
BLACKWELL: Hey, thank you, Victoria. A beautiful show there from Luanda.
Listen, we're crossing all the time zones today as we count into 2026. Musician and Singer Brian Adams is going on an epic world tour in 2026. Here he is performing his new single, Roll With the Punches, from Madison Square Garden from his album entitled, Roll With the Punches. Watch.
(LIVE PERFORMANCE BY BRYAN ADAMS)
[18:47:05]
LAURA COATES, CNN HOST: Oh my gosh. Bryan Adams. Isa, he was so good. And look, right here.
ISA SOARES, CNN HOST: Oh my gosh. His audience. COATES: We have a party happening.
SOARES: Totally happening right here in London.
COATES: We'll be here dancing.
SOARES: We've been dancing to the Spice Girls and level it up.
COATES: Now, Bruno Mars.
SOARES: Now Bruno Mars is really coming on now. Everyone's going standing up now. Everyone's --
COATES: Thousands of people around us.
SOARES: A hundred thousand, one side of the Thames, 100,000 on the other side of the Thames. It comes to the mayor of London.
You're going to see light. The skyline light up, of course, for 12 minutes and 12,000 --
COATES: Twelve minutes.
SOARES: Twelve minutes of fireworks, 12,000 fireworks.
COATES: Oh, if it's Abba, "Dancing Queen".
They got "Dancing Queen" playing out here, guys.
(SINGING)
COATES: Oh, my goodness, you have no idea --
SOARES: You have to give me your back.
COATES: Oh, wait.
(SINGING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:52:46]
COATES: In just a moment. We are going to be doing the countdown right here in London. And, of course, behind us at the London Eye. I'm with Isa Soares, who already matches the London fireworks decor. Look at this. It's going to come tonight.
SOARES: -- right here people.
COATES: Look at this. Fireworks right here for her. Are you kidding?
SOARES: This is great. Super excited. I know we've done this for the second year, but the vibe, the energy is just so good.
COATES: You can hear the crowd. Can we show the crowd? SOARES: Let's show them. Because they have been waiting. They've been
so good. They've been here.
COATES: Thousands of people.
SOARES: Hundred thousand on one side of the Thames, 100,000 on the other side. It is not as warm as last year.
COATES: It is not.
SOARES: We know. We can tell you, it's cold this year.
COATES: It is.
SOARES: But people have been here for hours waiting to see these fireworks that will go on for 12 minutes.
Okay. They won't break records like Abu Dhabi.
COATES: I mean, that was insane.
SOARES: It's going to be pretty impressive, according to London --
COATES: And look at where we are, we're right on the river. We've got the London Eye behind us. It's getting ready to light up seven minutes away. Less than that right now. And the music is bumping.
SOARES: And they're putting all the classics.
COATES: They are playing everything. I'm like throwing off my coat. I'm throwing on my coat, off my coat.
SOARES: Well, you guys didn't see is --
COATES: It's amazing.
SOARES: -- when we're not here, we are dancing and behind the scenes, everyone's dancing.
COATES: You can't help it.
SOARES: No. Also, another way to keep warm.
COATES: I mean, that's it. My feet are numb, but my heart is warm. Because right now, we're in London, getting ready to hear and see the magnificent fire. I mean, last year was unbelievable.
SOARES: And according to the London mayor, he was saying to us today when we spoke to him, that they're going to use voiceover from some very famous celebrities and musicians that played in the U.K. this year. So Beyonce played this year.
COATES: Oh my gosh.
SOARES: So I'm waiting to see how are they going to incorporate some of those voices within the performance. But people -- look, they've got their phones out. They're clearly
kitted out with all the gear.
COATES: Wait, did you, you say fit it out in all the gear because I know someone right now who has all the gear on right now.
SOARES: Are you talking about Max?
COATES: I'm talking about Max Foster.
Max, are you in Edinburgh?
SOARES: I've waited hours to see this.
COATES: What do you have on?
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I am in Edinburgh, and I'm competing on the outfit front. This is the -- this is the big moment here we are. Pan down, Will. I'm ready.
[18:55:00]
You guys are complaining about the cold. And here I am --
(CHEERING)
FOSTER: This is a little history lesson for you.
COATES: I've --
FOSTER: Above the knee. This is post-Queen Victoria who apparently lifted the size of the kilt from below the knee to above the knee, but she liked a bit of leg.
I don't know if you feel the same. You could be offended. And there's the sporran. I won't go into the detail about that. And I think I've been had by you too, by the way, because no one else is wearing a kilt.
Look at them. Show them. Well, not one person in Scotland is wearing a kilt.
SOARES: I --
FOSTER: Hogmanay.
SOARES: I think what viewers want to know around the world, Max, is a bit of tradition. Yes, Queen Victoria did like them slightly higher, but for traditions sake, what do you wear under the kilts?
COATES: What's under the kilt?
FOSTER: Isa, Isa, are you going to ask that question? And there is some protocol there. But this has been borrowed.
And the protocol, if you borrow, is not to go naked. You should know that. Some nice and warm-ish.
COATES: Yeah.
SOARES: Very good, Max. Very good. Touche.
COATES: Especially not on New Year's Eve. I mean, that's a whole new tradition.
(LAUGHTER)
SOARES: Max, great pair of legs. I don't think --
COATES: We love it.
SOARES: -- years we've seen you, I've ever seen your legs. Look at that. Look at that. Those sneakers.
COATES: You know, I mean, it's the socks for me.
SOARES: Look at that.
COATES: I think he's -- I think the new meme of 2026 will be pan down. There we go. And that's the new dance.
FOSTER: Enough.
SOARES: Because it's just great, Max. I think you keep it and you bring it to London. Okay.
COATES: Bring it. Bring it to the --
SOARES: I love the whole new look.
COATES: I love it, I mean, even the dance. What was the dance?
SOARES: Because a little shaky -- legs.
COATES: Okay.
FOSTER: That's just shaky, knobbly knees. Freezing, zero here.
(LAUGHTER)
COATES: All right. We have seen twerking on Copacabana. We have seen, like, the blues in Clarksdale. We have seen so much in Paris, including the Cancan.
SOARES: The Cancan.
COATES: And the Moulin Rouge.
SOARES: Yeah.
COATES: But in London, we are dancing.
SOARES: We are dancing. COATES: We are about to see fireworks.
SOARES: This is the moment that so many people have been waiting for. But three minutes or so, counting down. People are dancing people. Many are looking up to the sky. They've got their phones on.
COATES: Sorry. Not working. I'm sorry. Hold on.
SOARES: She's just like --
COATES: Okay, I'm working. I can't help it.
SOARES: And the lights. Look at the lights. You can't see on the other side as well. There'll be people on the other side and by the river just over --
COATES: A hundred thousand people you said are here? That's amazing.
SOARES: Ticketed, fully ticketed.
COATES: Wow.
SOARES: It is crazy. You saw coming in just how much police there was.
COATES: Can we see -- I mean, look at the London Eye.
SOARES: It's the London Eye, by the way, as we count down two minutes, 28 seconds was functional, was operating until about 4:00.
COATES: Really?
SOARES: It's not a Ferris wheel, people. Do not scream at the TV. Look at that wonderful Ferris Wheel. It is not a Ferris wheel.
COATES: I wrote it. It was not a Ferris wheel.
SOARES: You can ride on that.
COATES: On the sky that turns just like a Ferris wheel. But it was in London and they caught London Eye. So, it's not a Ferris wheel. And there was no cotton candy anywhere around it.
SOARES: Sorry to disappoint you.
COATES: No.
SOARES: We've got two minutes left or so. That will light up, the whole sky is going to light up. I'm looking forward to seeing what the London Eye.
COATES: No one's on that, right?
SOARES: No, at 4:00. It stops. That's the last people that got on.
COATES: Wow. SOARES: So, they can then light. Light the London Eye with all the
fireworks. Of course that will go on for 12 minutes.
COATES: Twelve whole minutes.
SOARES: With musicians' voices included and actors.
COATES: But wait, are we going to hear voices over it, a song? What are you here?
SOARES: We're going to listen to actors and musicians, people who have performed in the U.K. The only one I can think of is Beyonce, because one of our producers went to.
COATES: That's all anyone can think of, frankly, very much.
SOARES: I mean, come on, she just became a billionaire. The woman deserves a crown.
COATES: I mean --
SOARES: She's just fantastic, but it doesn't really matter. People are here for this moment. It is bitterly cold.
COATES: They were out. I mean, we've been out here for hours. We've had a ball.
SOARES: Yeah.
COATES: The 100,000 people have been out here for like four or five hours waiting for this very moment. It's going to come in almost, wait, less than a minute. A minute away.
SOARES: And you're going to start seeing people. If we get the shot on the side of the camera, you're going to start seeing people's arms just lift waiting for that moment.
COATES: This is magical.
SOARES: And you can bring that shot up for you so you can just see it. Everyone is just really electric moment right now. The music requests are coming in, and you can tell because people are saying where they come from pretty much everywhere, right? Every continent.
COATES: South America.
SOARES: South America, you can hear some of them in the U.K., Asia.
COATES: Everywhere.
SOARES: Asia, India, Pakistan. It is just electric here. Wanting a moment.
COATES: Have you heard that? Oh, my god, people are getting excited.
SOARES: This is the moment. COATES: This is a Big Ben, is it, that's going on. Is that Big Ben
that does the times?
SOARES: Yeah.
COATES: Oh, my goodness. Look at this.
