Friday, November 6, 2026

Shania Twain developed ‘stage fright’ in her early years

Shania Twain "developed stage fright" during the early years of her music career. The 61-year-old singer has recalled performing...

KATSEYE postpone more Wildworld Tour shows as Megan Skiendiel recovers from concussion

KATSEYE's Wildworld Tour has been hit by further disruption after Megan Skiendiel's concussion forced the postponement of two more arena shows.

Hilary Duff teases next album after comeback success

Hilary Duff has vowed to make another album after the success of this year's comeback record luck… or something.

Nile Rodgers defends AI-made music video amid fan backlash

Nile Rodgers has defended his use of AI to create the music video for his new version of The Christmas Song.

U2 insist they’re not saying goodbye despite album ‘grudge match’

U2 have no plans to call it quits - despite admitting making albums is like a "grudge match". The...

Latest Articles

Kasabian to headline Glastonbury


Kasabian will headline this year's Glastonbury festival with Arcade Fire.
The 'Fire' hitmakers will close the event at Worthy Farm on Sunday, June 29, joining headliners Arcade Fire on Friday, June 27, while the Saturday headliner is yet to be announced.
Kasabian - made up of Serge Pizzorno, Chris Edwards, Tim Carter and Ian Matthews - will make their debut at the festival ahead of the release of their new album and Serge insists he can now "die a happy man".
He told NME.com: "We knew we were in the running which was amazing. Being in the running is fine but you don't want to be in the race, you want to win it. You want to be on the podium. We got the phone call - I felt relieved because we've always wanted to do it from the first rehearsal, day one of the first rehearsal. We kicked into a tune and sort of went, 'Glastonbury!', a full on shout out."
Festival founder Michael Eavis had promised this year's festival would feature fresh headliners and rumours are Prince could still be announced for the Saturday night.
Michael's daughter Emily Eavis said: "We always take great pride in putting a great British band on to headline the Pyramid [stage] and this time it's Kasabian, who are one of the most requested bands from Glastonbury-goers and an amazing live act. It's going to be one hell of a show!"
Kasabian join 87 names added to this year's line-up, which now includes Elbow, Pixies, MIA and Skrillex.
'Where Is My Mind?' hitmakers Pixies have not performed at the festival since 1989 and are set to release their fifth album, 'Indie Cindy', their first record in 23 years.
Dolly Parton, Jack White, The Black Keys, Robert Plant, Lily Allen, Blondie, Lana Del Rey, Disclosure, Paolo Nutini, Manic Street Preachers and Ed Sheeran are also on the bill for the event.
The festival has already sold out but a re-sale of tickets that have been cancelled or refunded will go back on sale to the public at the end of April visit Glastonbury.seetickets.com for more.

Klaxons work with big dance names for record


Klaxons have teamed up with some of the biggest names in the dance world for their new album 'Love Frequency'.
The band - made up of Jamie Reynolds, James Righton and Simon Taylor - have been working with The Chemical Brothers' Tom Reynolds, James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem and electro DJ Erol Alkan for their new record, which is out on June 2.
Guitarist Simon, 31, told the Daily Star newspaper: "We've hand-picked our heroes to produce us, and they were all up for it. I don't know how we've blagged this."
The new album comes four years after their last release 'Surfing The Void' but Simon insists they've been busy.
He explained: "We've not stopped, but it's been an ongoing process of tweaking songs.
"We don't go into the studio and come out at the end of the day with a song. We make multiple versions with our producers.
"We want to define ourselves as an oddball pop band."
The new album is the first time The Chemical Brothers have produced a band and Simon is incredibly grateful to have had Tom on board.
He added: "It's an absolute honour. But us being Tom's first production work feels like there's a lot at stake for Tom as well.
"His studio is like a spaceship, and he gave us a psychedelic Czech vocal sample to work with. That was a new way to write."
The band's latest single 'There Is No Other' is out now.

Queen Elizabeth visits Pope Francis at the Vatican


Britain's Queen Elizabeth met Pope Francis for the first time on Thursday (03.04.14).
The monarch - who was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh - embarked on her first visit to Rome in 14 years where she was more than 20 minutes late to meet the leader of the Catholic Church following a meal with President Giorgio Napolitano at his official residence, the Quirinale palace.
She has been reported saying: "Sorry to keep you waiting. We were having a very pleasant lunch with the president."
The queen gifted the pope with a range of treats including Balmoral whisky, a rib of Windsor beef, and honey produced in the gardens of Buckingham Palace.
She said: "I've also brought something from all our estates which is for you personally and two extra bits which wouldn't fit into the basket."
The pope gave her a blue orb which had a silver cross on top for her eight-month-old grandchild Prince George - son of Duchess Catherine and Prince William.
He said: "It's for the little boy."
Elizabeth replied: "That's very nice, he will be thrilled."
Before adding: "When he's a little older."
Italy will have another royal visit soon as Prince Harry is due to attend the 70th anniversary commemoration of the bloody Battle of Monte Cassino next month.

Simon Cowell lowers X Factor audition age to 14


Simon Cowell has lowered the 'X Factor' audition age to 14.
The music mogul has found young stars have been incredibly successful following their debut on the ITV singing contest, including the likes of One Direction and Cher Lloyd, and consequently he wants to broaden the boundary to help find the next talented musician.
The last time the age limit was 14 was in 2008 after which it was put up to 16, where it has stood until the forthcoming series.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "Simon knows that young people make the best pop stars. He desperately wants another One Direction or Cher Lloyd, and they were very young when they appeared on the show."
Simon will be on the judges panel alongside Cheryl Cole who was enticed to join the show because she's keen to find talent to match those who appeared on the last series she appeared on in 2010.
Simon previously said: "You know why she came back ... we were having a conversation at my house and we were talking about the talent we had that final year in 2010 - One Direction, Rebecca Ferguson, Cher Lloyd, Matt Cardle - we just had great people, and we just suddenly thought we want to do it all over again. And that was the incentive to do it because there are still great people in this country left."
This year's first open audition will takes place at Dublin's Convention Centre on April 5.

Victoria Beckham’s horse-themed birthday


Victoria Beckham is planning a horse-themed party for her 40th birthday.
The fashion designer, who will celebrate the milestone on April 17, has joined a riding club in Los Angeles and is reportedly planning to gallop around the Hollywood Hills with friends to mark her big day.
A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "Victoria actually went riding properly for the first time a couple of years ago and loved it. But over the past few months she has stepped things up a notch and got really good.
"Obviously she can't keep a horse in her back garden in west London, but when she is in LA, which is around once every five or six weeks, she goes riding daily in the hills.
"Not only is it great exercise, but in her helmet Victoria can go about largely unnoticed."
The 39-year-old star, who has children Brooklyn, 14, Romeo 11, Cruz, eight, and Harper, two, with husband David, is reportedly having two birthday bashes in Los Angeles and London, with the US celebration being an afternoon out in the hills horse-riding with her pals, including actress Eva Longoria and hairdresser Ken Paves.
The source added: "The evening do is dinner out at Eva's restaurant Beso, with most of Victoria and David's Hollywood chums, including the Ramsays - Gordon and Tana. She is also having a civilised family dinner party at home in London, which her mum is helping to organise.
"Gordon will probably be roped in to do the cooking. And obviously David, the boys and Harper are planning their own surprise."

Hilary Duff congratulates sister on engagement


Hilary Duff has congratulated her sister on her engagement.
The 'Cheaper By The Dozen 2' star took to Twitter today (04.04.14) to praise Haylie Duff's "amazing" boyfriend Matt Rosenberg following news the pair are set to tie the knot.
Hilary appeared to suggest she had been keeping the happy news a secret, as she wrote: "So happy to not have to keep this news in!! My beautiful sister @HaylieDuff and her amazing boyfriend @Matt_STS are engaged!!!! (sic)."
Hilary - who split from husband Mike Comrie after three years of marriage earlier this year - posted a picture of the happy couple snuggling up to each other, with the accompanying caption: "Love you guys so much!!!! (sic)"
Haylie, who has just landed her own show 'Real Girl's Kitchen' on the Cooking Channel, shared the news on her blog on Thursday (03.04.14) after Matt popped the question on April Fools Day (01.04.14).
Speaking on the proposal, Haylie wrote: "The moment was genuine and sweet (like him!) and I couldn't wait to say yes! We are so excited and happy to share our wonderful news with everyone! We both feel so blessed to have the love and support of our family and friends and can't wait to start this new adventure! (sic)."

Lorde hates being told to smile


Lorde hates being told to smile.
The 'Royals' singer doesn't want to be pigeonholed as a stereotypical pop princess and says she most admires women like Patti Smith who have strong opinions and a feisty personality.
She told the new issue of Fashion magazine: "I'm drawn to women who aren't painted in history as sweet figures. Patti Smith was prickly. She was frustrated. She didn't take people's s**t.
"There's no better music idol for young women, because there is a lot of pressure for us to be really positive all the time. Every photo shoot I do, I get asked for big smiles, and I shouldn't have to be that way."
The 17-year-old singer tries to be honest with her fans about who she is because she feels teenagers these days are too savvy to take any "bulls**t" from musicians.
Lorde said: "Young people have changed the way we view pop culture ... we now have this discerning power. We all have Tumblers, we curate imagery every day. We can sniff out bulls**t faster."
And the New Zealand-born star hopes to inspire people to follow their dreams, no mater where they come from.
She added: "There are very few limits on what can be achieved by anyone of any age, living anywhere and of any race, because of the web ... I'm proof of that."

Rita Ora suing company over image rights


Rita Ora is reportedly suing a merchandising company over image rights.
The 'How We Do' hitmaker claims she was exploited by Scottish firm GL Dameck Ltd, which specialises in clothing lines, and she's planning to sue them for more than £100,000, according to The Sun newspaper.
Court documents reportedly show Rita is looking to win £108,000 from the firm, who she says owe her from an agreement in November 2012.
The sum is said to be based on an initial demand of £90,000 which when VAT, costs and interests have been added on, totals over £100,000 and she also wants an injunction to stop the company from selling goods linked to her.
The 23-year-old star was signed as the face of GL Dameck label Superga last year and the range was sold through the subsidiary Milanclothing.com but the goods she fronted no longer feature on either of the firm's websites.
Rita - who has been dating surperstar DJ Calvin Harris on and off for over a year - recently revealed she had turned down the opportunity to be a judge on the UK version of 'The X Factor' because she wanted to focus on her own career.
She said: "I have so much to accomplish first and it's kind of a full-time job being on X Factor. It's not like a nine to five. It's constant, for months."

Paolo Nutini’s stage fright


Paolo Nutini says "walking on stage scares the s**t" out of him.
The 'Last Request' hitmaker - who will be on tour in the UK between May and June this year - insists his "nerves" drive him to take to the stage despite fears about performing in front of an audience.
He told The Sun newspaper: "It's a challenge stepping out in front of all those people. It's never felt entirely natural and I don't think it ever will.
"Walking on stage scares the s**t out of me, big time. But it's not a bad thing because those nerves drive me. Now I'm ready for it."
The star found "success" difficult to come to terms with an often has to "disappear" to find space to take it all in, much to the frustration of friends and family.
He explained: "I needed to try and experience something else. The success was a difficult thing for me to get my head round. When it gets too much I just have to disappear, to sort my head.
"It frustrates friends and family, they start to take it personally and it really isn't like that. They're getting used to me when I vanish to deal with stuff."
Paolo's biggest fan is his mother, Linda, and he wrote 'Looking For Something' for her, but still hasn't had a chance to play it to her yet.
He added: "I'd already written a song about my dad so owed Mum a tune.
"I think she is just happy that I'm back singing because she gets to go to all the gigs and hotels.
"She came to Dublin and is already asking when am I going back to Vegas so she can come too.
"She turned up a night early at a recent show in London.
"And I still haven't had the chance to play her that song properly.
"She's heard it played live twice but I've still not played her the finished version. I'm waiting to give her the record."

Sean Hughes blasts BBC’s all-male panel show ban


Comedian Sean Hughes thinks that the BBC's ban on all-male panel shows is "disgraceful".
Hughes - who spent ten series as a team captain on BBC Two music quiz show 'Never Mind the Buzzcocks' - is shocked by Director of BBC Television Danny Cohen's recent ban on all-male panels on its comedy shows, insisting it is disrespectful to women.
Sean exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "It's inverted sexism in itself. They could have had a quiet word with producers and said, 'Try to get some more women on.' But making a grand statement like that was disrespectful to women."
Hughes thinks Cohen's ruling will actually be damaging, because it will lead to doubt among many female comedians about why they have been asked to appear on programmes.
He added: "Now if women are on a show they're going to be thinking, 'Am I here for the quota or am I here because I'm funny?'
"I think it's disgraceful to go about things like that."
There has been a huge backlash since Cohen earlier this year that at least one woman would be included in all their panel shows. Hughes, 48, is adamant gender in a comedy show line-up is irrelevant.
The comic - who hosts 'The Sean Hughes Show' on Sundays at 12:00 on FUBAR radio and is currently touring his 'Penguins' show - said: "If it's a situation where they are thinking of getting six people on that show and they look at 10 people and the six they pick happen to be men, then so be it. That's not sexism."

Kelly Brook ‘shelled out’ for engagement ring?


Kelly Brook "probably shelled out" for her own engagement ring.
The busty brunette's beau David McIntosh popped the question last month and she announced the news by posting a snap of her and the former 'Gladiators' star holding a balloon with the words 'Engaged' emblazoned across the front from her Instagram account.
However, sources allege David is "hardly" romantic and believe Kelly may have paid for the ring since she's got more money than him.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "David proposed without a ring and friends think Kelly probably shelled out for her own.
"He's hardly the most romantic man in the world and she's got far more cash than him."
Kelly and David - a former royal marine - have had an on/off relationship since they met on New Year's Eve (31.01.14) three months ago and it is believed they "rushed into the engagement".
Although David spent a large amount of time at Kelly's north London home in the early stages of their romance, the pair reportedly split up shortly after Valentine's Day (14.02.14).
The source added: "They rushed into the engagement and then realised they needed a ring to prove it's for real when they got photographed together. Her friends are privately saying they don't think the romance will last."

Nigella Lawson to take blood test for US entry?


Nigella Lawson may be forced to take a blood test before being allowed to travel to the US.
The glamorous chef - who admitted during the fraud trial of her former employees last year that she had taken cocaine and smoked marijuana - was banned from boarding a flight to the US on Sunday (30.03.14) because of her previous confession to taking drugs.
She was travelling alone and had cleared check in and security at London's Heathrow airport but was then told she couldn't get on the plane to Los Angeles and was forced to return to the first class check-in to collect her luggage.
Leading immigration lawyer Charlotte Slocombe told The Sun newspaper: "It will be the physician's job to determine whether or not she's a drug abuser.
"This includes an interview process and a possible blood sample.
"As long as the physician is certain that it's over a year since she took drugs, then she may get a visa.
"In theory, following the letter of the law, she could be inadmissible for a visa, full stop. It's complex."
It is thought US authorities had warned British Airways staff not to allow her to travel to California, as she would have been refused entry.
The country ask travellers if they have ever been arrested or convicted on drugs charges, and can prevent entry even if no charges were brought.
Nigella is expected to seek legal advice to help her get back into the US, which she visits regularly for both holidays and her work on 'The Taste'.
Her 'Taste' co-judge Anthony Bourdain was "mortified" with the decision not to let her into the US.
He wrote on Twitter: "I am absolutely mortified with embarrassment over the cruelty and hypocrisy of US actions re: #Nigella
travel. Unbelievable. (sic)"
Before adding: "Toronto mayor, Rob Ford? Welcome to the USA. Nigella Lawson? No. REALLY? Absolutely appalling misuse of our system. And by whom? How? (sic)"
Following the incident Nigella informed her fans she's taking a "holiday break".
She wrote on Twitter on Monday (31.03.14): "Off line for a while enjoying the ultimate; a holiday break with no signal! Will miss you all though. Know I will be eating on your behalf (sic)"