Festivals and Music Tours

ELLIE GOULDING has confirmed she’s about to drop her sixth album, five months after I told you she was gearing up to release it.

The pop powerhouse teased that the follow-up to 2023 No1 Higher Than Heaven will be out “soon”.

In an exclusive chat after her headline set at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Sunderland, Ellie added: “I’ve spent the past few years working really closely with a brilliantly talented producer and multi-instrumentalist called Jack Rochon.

“I actually found him on TikTok when he was still relatively undiscovered, living in Canada.

“He’s since moved to LA and worked with Beyonce.

“I immediately connected with what he was doing creatively.

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“I have always loved discovering emerging talent and championing new voices, just like I did when I first started out and discovered Starsmith.

“We’ve recorded hundreds of songs together, and I loved the freedom of exploring different sounds, feelings, thoughts and experiences.

“It felt really organic and honest, like journaling through music.”

During her incredible set, where she was watched live for the first time by young son Arthur, Ellie debuted upcoming single Black Prada Dress.

Ellie said of the song: “There’s not one definitive experience that inspired it.

“It’s directed at that negative, critical voice bringing you down. And that voice could be your own, internal voice — that self-critical, destructive one.

“I feel like we all have one of those, just like we have different versions of ourselves.

“I love the honesty of it, the rawness, and I hope people can connect to it in their own way.”

Ellie lit up the crowd in Sunderland, kicking off with I Need You Love before hits including Still Falling For You, Love Me Like You Do and Lights.

The singer added with a grin: “It felt so, so good to be back performing at Radio 1 Big Weekend.

“The crowd was amazing, the sun was shining. Great vibes all round.

“I remember my first-ever Radio 1 Big Weekend performance back in 2010.

“My debut album had just gone to No1 and I was on cloud nine.

“It’s been four albums since then.

“So to come back to debut Black Prada Dress in the mix with some of my old favourites feels like a real full-circle moment.”

It was made all the more special for Ellie, who gave birth to her second child, Iris, in March.

She said: “It’s such a joy, my son is here today.

“I love playing music to them, especially classical music.”

With a potential record of classical music in the works, too, I wouldn’t be surprised if Ellie had already given the kids a taster.

Ra-ra Larsson

ZARA LARSSON delivered what could easily go down as her best Big Weekend performance.

The Swedish singer, wearing a light blue ra-ra skirt, pulled out all the stops during her fourth appearance at the festival on Saturday.

She opened with Midnight Sun before blasting through tracks including Can’t Tame Her, Ain’t My Fault, Lush Life and finishing with a cover of Clean Bandit’s Symphony, the No1 song she featured on in 2017.

But the standout moment came when Zara invited one lucky fan, Kayleigh, up to join her.

“This is my favourite part of the show but it’s also the hardest,” Zara said.

“Because I see so many of you are giving me the best energy ever.”

Welcoming Kayleigh on to the stage, Zara immediately recognised her from a previous show in America.

Zara then spray-painted a personalised T-shirt for Kayleigh in front of the crowds after she revealed she was flying over to LA in the coming weeks to watch her perform again.

Now that’s dedication.

EMMA’S GOT NOTHING BUT PRAISE FOR THIEVES

WEDNESDAY actress Emma Myers showed she is a Radio 1 superfan and was spotted hanging out backstage.

Presenter Greg James bought her out on stage to introduce Nothing But Thieves.

My mole told me: “Emma is a massive fan of the band and a close personal friend, so they asked her to come out on stage and introduce them. She is so down to earth and lovely. Everyone was obsessed with her.”

Emma said on stage: “I’m having so much fun, I’m seeing so many incredible artists, it’s so lovely to be here.”

Of Nothing But Thieves, she added: “They were my soundtrack when I was shooting season one of The Good Girl’s Guide To Murder, so I have them on repeat.”

NIALL LOVES A TEE PARTY

NIALL HORAN has revealed he only tours so he can play golf courses around the world.

And he ends up spending more time on makeshift greens than in the studio when writing albums.

The former One Direction singer was on stage at the Big Weekend yesterday in Herrington Country Park, right next to Wearside Golf Club.

Niall, who has a handicap of eight, said: “It’s Niall’s golf tour with music, especially in the States.

“Florida is great – there’s so much good golf in Florida, and we’ll hit random places in Ohio. If we do 30-something shows, I’ll try and get in ten rounds.”

And it doesn’t stop there.

Talking about a place he rented out with songwriter pals to work on his upcoming fourth solo album, Niall said: “When we stayed in this house in the countryside in the UK, we made up our own golf course.

“We put flowerpots in places and made our own courses and chipped balls around.

“We did this all over the world. We make up our own little golf courses in the backyard of wherever we’re playing and we do more of that than we do songwriting.

“On that trip, we wrote Dinner Party – but after a round of golf, of course.”

Now Niall’s eyeing up something entirely different.

When asked on the And The Writer Is podcast if he would pen a musical, he said: “I’d love to. I’ve often thought about that.

“That would be such a cool thing, to put some time aside to actually dig in for six months to try and write something. But I haven’t had the offer yet.”

VICKY: A FAT LOT OF GOOD

DJ VICKY HAWKESWORTH managed to catch some performances between her own sets at Big Weekend.

She said backstage: “Nothing But Thieves were amazing and Fatboy Slim was so good . . .  way better than I thought.

“Not that I thought he wouldn’t be good, but you know what I mean.

“Also, those visuals. If I was off my nut, I’d be, like, ‘I’m not well’.”

Luckily for Vicky, she was as sober as a judge.

MY one to watch from the festival is rising talent Alessi Rose.

The Skin singer smashed her set on the New Music stage and will play a run of shows at festivals this summer, as well as supporting Lewis Capaldi and Lorde at their concerts in July and August.

A STELLAR SMITH GOES EXTRA MYLES ON STAGE

★★★★★

MYLES SMITH had Sunderland belting out every word as he smashed his 30-minute set – complete with support from his Drive Safe collaborator Niall Horan.

Sprinting up and down the stage, the soulful singer powered through nine tracks yesterday, including a cover of iloveitiloveitiloveit by his friend Bella Kay.

Speaking about the US singer-songwriter, Myles told the crowd: “This is someone that I’ve been following for a little while now.

“They can’t be here this Big Weekend, but I’m sure they’re gonna be here for many more, so hopefully you can enjoy this song with me.”

His energy was off the charts as he worked his way through hits including Behind, Hold Me In The Dark and Nice To Meet You.

Myles jumped off the stage and into the pit to hug fans before singing Gold.

Out of puff as he climbed back up, he said with a laugh: “I need to go back to the gym.”

Myles finished off his belting show with the stellar Stargazing.

Fans are now counting down the days until he releases his new album My Mess, My Heart, My Life on June 19.

FREYA FRASER

FAMOUS FACES HAVE A DAY TO REMEMBER

THERE are celebrations popping off all over the place.

Not only is it looking like being a scorcher of a Bank Holiday, but famous names from television, music and sport are also coming together to take part in a national “Big Toast” tonight.

At 7pm, people across the country will raise a glass for Celebration Day in memory of people who shaped their lives.

Stephen Fry, Spencer Matthews, Prue Leith and Jake Humphrey are all taking part.

Five-time Paralympic swimming gold medallist Ellie Simmonds is also on board.

She said: “On this Celebration Day, I’m raising a cup of tea to my auntie Shirley and my grandma.

“I’ve got so many memories of them.

“When I was at my biggest events, they were always up there in the crowd, cheering me on, decked in their Team GB flags.”

ZARA McDermott looked proud as punch as she watched boyfriend Louis Tomlinson perform from the side of the stage.

The reality star stood in pride of place throughout his set at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Sunderland.

Zara, 28, kept it casual for the festival outing in a black cropped T-shirt teamed with low-rise green trousers.

The former Love Island star accessorised with a beige Miu Miu baseball cap while wearing her brunette hair loose over her shoulders.

Holding a can of Diet Coke, Zara appeared animated as she chatted and clapped from the VIP viewing area while watching Louis, 33, perform.

Their relationship was recently rocked by rumours Zara was more than just good friends with Joey Essex.

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The pair formed a tight-knit bond after meeting while starring together on ITV’s Cooking With The Stars.

In pictures taken after filming wrapped on the reality show, Zara and Joey were seen together, with him leaning in to kiss her on the cheek.

Zara was met with furious trolling despite multiple reports insisting the snaps were completely innocent.

Zara and Louis were first linked in March 2025 after fans noticed they had followed each other on Instagram, with many believing the pair were introduced through the singer’s sisters.

The couple have proved an unlikely match given the singer’s past views on Love Island, the ITV2 dating show that made her famous in 2018.

When Zara’s series came to an end, Louis publicly celebrated online, tweeting: “Can I just say, thank f**k Love Island is over!”

He later doubled down on his criticism of the programme, claiming the hit reality series was “not a good message for the younger people watching”.

IT’S the news that all Mis-Teeq fans have been waiting for – the band have announced they are reuniting.

The noughties girlband, made up of Alesha Dixon, 47, Sabrina Washington, 47, and Su-Elise Nash, 45, shared their exciting news this morning.

Announcing the news in Vogue, the trio revealed they would be doing a one-off show at Wembley Arena in September.

Revealing why they got back together, Alesha said: “We’ve been offered reunion stuff over the years, but it’s never felt right.

““This time, everything just lined up.”

The BGT star added: “It feels like it is just slotting back into place, guys.

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“It’s just like it used to be – me saying too much and them two looking at me like, ‘Oh, here she goes!’”

The band’s reunion is to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their debut album, Lickin’ On Both Sides.

The record, which came out in October 2001, peaked at No3 in the Official Album Charts and bagged them five Top Ten singles including All I Want, One Night Stand and B With Me.

The Sun revealed in January that the band would be getting back together.

A source said at the time: “Alesha has been excitedly talking about this for a while and would love a Mis-Teeq reunion with Sabrina and Su-Elise to happen.

“Fans shouldn’t expect a Girls Aloud-style comeback tour, though.

“At the minute, lots of things are being discussed and one thing that has come up is the idea of a one-off show. It could be an intimate gig for their die-hard fans or a performance on a big TV programme such as Britain’s Got Talent — which Alesha is a judge on.

“Nothing has formally been offered but nothing is off the table.

“Lickin’ On Both Sides launched Alesha, Sabrina and Su-Elise’s music careers and that record holds a really special place in their hearts.

“They want to celebrate that album with their fans.”

More on this story to follow…

OUR Spotlight On column takes an in-depth look at the best things to see and do in popular holiday destinations, as well as shining a light on the lesser-known spots.

This week we’re heading to Vilnius in Lithuania, and Travel Reporter Alice Penwill recently visited.

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill recently visited and was stunned by how cheap it was.

She said: “Eating and drinking out is such a bargain, so it makes for an insanely affordable European weekend break.

“I found bars serving beer for around £2.60, and coffee for just a few quid.

“Even cocktails like Aperol Spritzes were under a fiver – and make sure to soak it up with some ‘kepta douna’ (a local garlic fried bread that’s a popular bar snack).”

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MUST SEE / DO

Yes, Vilnius has one of Europe’s oldest and best-preserved medieval Old Towns but it’s quickly gaining a reputation as a capital of cool.

With a thriving arts scene and a vibrant coffee shop culture, it’s a great value option for a weekend break with beers from £3.50 and a traditional lunch for under £9.

It’s also just 15 minutes from the airport to the city centre.

While there’s history and amazing architecture aplenty in the Old Town, cross Vilnele River to enter the self-declared ‘Republic’ of Uzupis.

This bohemian neighbourhood has its own constitution, president, currency and anthem celebrating free spirit, art and community with lots of cafes, galleries and bars.

Don’t miss Literatų Gatvė (Literature Street), a winding alleyway decorated with more than 200 small pieces of art dedicated to famous writers.

HIDDEN GEM

Lukiškės Prison 2.0 has seen a high security prison that doubled as a filming location for the Netflix smash Stranger Things transformed into a museum and arts venue.

There are more than 250 creators working in the repurposed former cells. Take a tour to find out about its grim history then stay for a gig or a drink in the courtyard in the evening.

BEST VIEW

Take in the Old Town’s unique red-tiled roofs, church spires and narrow streets from 14th Century Gediminas Tower.

Set at the top of Gediminas Hill, it houses an interactive exhibition. Also great for panoramic views is the Hill of Three Crosses.

RATED RESTAURANT

You can’t go to Vilnius and not try its legendary Pink Soup – a cold beetroot soup.

The traditional dish is so popular there’s even an Pink Soup Festival with themed food, music and festivities to kick off summer.

This year it runs from May 29 to 31.

And you can try the soup at any time of year at Lokys in the Old Town where a bowl costs £7.50 and comes with baby potatoes.

BEST BAR

For sheer quirkiness, check out Peronas Bar, literally next to the tracks at the main train station and great for live music – don’t miss the giant statue of Tony Soprano by the al-fresco tables!

For pint professionals, head to Alaus Biblioteka – an actual Beer Library where there are 60 styles of beer with 17 beer taps and almost 500 bottled beers from around the world.

HOTEL PICK

The 4* Neringa Hotel has a great combination of historic vibes and modern touches.

Freshly revamped, there’s a restaurant and rooftop bar to admire the views and you’re within walking distance of all the main sights.

Rooms are very Scandi-chic and prices are keen.

Three nights’ room-only is from £240pp including flights from Stansted in June. See onthebeach.co.uk.

JASON ISBELL is a song writer’s song writer. You can tell by the company he keeps.

He’ll never forget the moment some years ago when he heard a certain person singing one of his choruses back to him in unmistakeable tones.

“I’ve grown tired of travelling alone. Won’t you ride with me? Won’t you ride? Won’t you ride? ”

Isbell recalls: “At first, I thought it was somebody doing a Bruce Springsteen impersonation of singing my song. And then I realised, ‘No, that’s actually him!’

“It was a huge deal for me to meet Bruce, and for him to know who I was.”

Turned out that one of Springsteen’s sons had brought to his dad’s attention Isbell’s breakthrough 2013 solo album Southeastern, complete with the track Traveling Alone.

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To the 47-year-old born in northern Alabama, two miles from the Tennessee state line, it was validation — just like his six Grammys and the fact that Southeastern appears in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of greatest albums of all time.

“I’m a punk but I’m not that big of a punk to pretend something’s not an honour,” the one-time member of Drive-By Truckers decides in his Southern drawl.

“I met Randy Newman and it was the same kind of thing,” he continues, casting his mind back to the 2021 Newport Folk Festival when both artists were on the same bill.

“I was so nervous to talk to Randy but I said to him, ‘Man, your songs are very important to me as a musician, as a human being’ — and he leaned in and said, ‘I like your songs, too’.

“I knew Randy was probably not the sort of person to bulls**t you.”

I’m speaking to Isbell as he prepares to hit these shores with his ace band, The 400 Unit, for a tour of the UK and Ireland which culminates with a night at London’s hallowed Royal Albert Hall on June 11.

But on this day, the hard- working singer is in Dallas for a solo acoustic show, showcasing last year’s captivating, intimate Foxes In The Snow album, when we’re connected via video call.

“My flight was cancelled last night because of bad weather so I drove here — took me nine and a half hours,” he reports from his hotel.

It’s 10am US Central Time and 4pm UK time and, despite the previous day’s exertions, Isbell seems fresh and focused for a deep dive into his life in music — and the songs that define him.

It’s clear from talking to this thoughtful soul that his career can be divided into two distinct categories — before and after he got sober — which he describes in depth later.

But first, we go back to his early life as the son of teenage parents, the subject of his song Children Of Children, and his early introduction to music.

Mom Angela was 17 and dad Mike was 19 when he was born so “I got to spend a lot of time with my grandad, who preached in a Pentecostal church in Alabama, and played guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo.

“And my uncle, my dad’s little brother, played guitar in a rock band.

“When I was around four, my parents would take me to band practice in his friend’s garage, and I would fall asleep, usually when they did Neil Young’s Like A ­Hurricane.

“Though my dad and mom didn’t play music, pretty much everybody else in my family did, at least as a hobby. It was seen as a birthright thing.

“I know this sounds like down-home Southern horses**t, but my grandad would make me play gospel music with him for a ­couple of hours a day.

“Then if I could get through it without getting lazy, I could play rhythm guitar. The guitar was huge, and I was small, and it would take a lot of work.”

Isbell became “obsessed” with blues after hearing Robert Johnson’s recordings and “this little white kid from a hillbilly town” would bombard his music teacher with questions about the Mississippi Delta pioneers.

“My teacher was a big rock and roll guy who had a different Rolling Stones T-shirt for every day of the week,” he says.

“He would call me out of class on the loudspeaker in a really gruff voice, so it sounded like I was in trouble. But I knew that he had made me a mixtape.

“There were a lot of people who took an interest in me early on. I got very lucky that way.”

As a teenager in the Eighties, “radio was huge” for Isbell, who singles out Crowded House and Elvis Costello in particular.

“As my parents were not much older than me, we listened to a lot of the same music,” he says.

“In those days, it was big arena bands like Journey and Foreigner, My dad liked country music, too, so he had Merle Haggard and Hank Williams records.”

At this time, Isbell started playing bars in the Southern music mecca of Florence and Muscle Shoals, which, “because of the liquor laws”, also had to sell food.

He says: “They would check the receipts to make sure you sold more food than alcohol, which was terrible for any kind of music scene — but really good for a 15-year-old kid because they couldn’t kick me out!”

In these places, he got to see legendary session men like Spooner Oldham, Donnie Fritts and, crucially, bass player and trombonist David Hood, father of Drive-By Truckers frontman Patterson Hood.

In 2001, Isbell joined the Truckers and hit the ground running by contributing two outstanding songs to their 2003 album Decoration Day, the title track and Outfit.

He says: “I liked playing guitar and singing background vocals, but I had a lot to prove.”

He describes how his dark, Southern gothic magnum opus about a multi-generational family feud came into being: “I wrote Decoration Day on the road, in Carbondale, Illinois, I think.

“We were staying at a friend’s and everybody else was asleep in the house.

“One person always had to sleep in the van to stop people stealing our gear. That night, it was me.

“I woke up early — around eight o’clock in the morning. So I had a couple of hours before everybody else started moving and I came up with Decoration Day.”

Another memorable Drive-By Truckers effort by Isbell is Danko/Manuel, his tribute to roots rock icons The Band, which appeared on the 2004 album The Dirty South.

He says: “At the time, Rick Danko and Richard Manuel were the only two not still alive. Now, none of them are.

“I was reading [drummer] Levon Helm’s book, This Wheel’s On Fire. He talked about having to siphon gas out of cars in parking lots while the rest of them were on stage. They were a bunch of feral kids in the early days.”

In 2007, largely thanks to heavy drinking and unreliable behaviour, Isbell left the Truckers and went solo.

It’s good to report that he’s on friendly terms with his old bandmates these days and joined them on stage last year for Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show.

He says: “We were very close at one point. It’s not easy to make friends in general so I try to keep the ones that I can.

“Even after I got sober, I didn’t quite know why I’d had drinking problems to start with.

“At first, you’re just hanging on for dear life and trying to stay sober. Eventually, if you do it right, you do repair the parts of yourself that you were ignoring.

“Once that happened for me, I was able to reconnect with those guys. We were able to be friends again and they’ve continued to make really valuable music.”

When it came to Isbell making his first solo album, Sirens Of The Ditch in 2007, highlighted by a couple of fan favourites, Dress Blues and The Magician, he had a lot to learn — and fast.

“I didn’t know what the hell I was doing,” he sighs. “I know I had to argue a lot, which actually turned out to be a good thing.”

A big moment for him arrived with a yearning composition on his third album, Here We Rest (2011), his second with his band The 400 Unit and the last before he went into rehab for ­alcohol addiction.

To this day, Alabama Pines is one of his most performed live songs.

“When I wrote it, everything else in my life sucked,” he says. “It was a very dark time. I was in physical and psychological pain. Working on it was the most relief I got.”

He adds: “The complication in that song adds a lot of value to it — the fact that you’re yearning for a place that isn’t perfect.

“It’s a dynamic that finds its way into a lot of Drive-By Truckers’ work and a lot of my own. It’s very possible to miss a place that wasn’t necessarily all that good to you.

“That song doesn’t have a chorus, it never gets huge so it’s not an anthem. But it stands out in my solo work and I still like it. It has never let me down.”

Everything changed for Isbell after rehab and first notice of his sober approach is 2013’s breathtaking Southeastern with its enduring keepers, Cover Me Up, Stockholm, Elephant and the aforementioned Traveling Alone.

“I wasn’t in the same type of pain,” he says. “Recovering from addiction heavily involved dealing with myself — my life, my emotions, my situation — not postponing it.

“When I was drinking, I would write until the sun went down and then I’d think, ‘I need a drink’.

“With Southeastern, I would stay working for hours and hours at a time because I didn’t have anything else to do. It’s not like I was going to the bar.”

The record proved a big commercial success even if a song like Cover Me Up, recently covered by Morgan Wallen, is about recovering from addiction and the healing power of love, while Elephant is an unflinching study of mortality and the impact of cancer.

Today, Isbell performs such tracks from a slightly different perspective.

“With a room full of people cheering for these songs, we get to celebrate the fact that these horribly sad songs exist,” he smiles.

Next, we rattle through a few more Isbell staples like 24 Frames from 2015’s Something More Than Free with its sparkling electric ­guitar passages.

“I may have doubled up two exact same slide-guitar parts on that. It’s the old George Harrison trick from My Sweet Lord and it works every f***ing time.”

He sees guitar playing as his “hobby”. “My girlfriend paints very seriously and that’s her work,” he says by way of example.

“Lately she started working with miniatures and building doll houses, and that’s her hobby. It’s very close to painting but it’s not a commercialised part of her life.

“That’s how I look at guitar playing. Singing, songwriting, touring — that’s my job. If left alone for a couple of hours, I just sit and play guitar — that’s my hobby.”

There’s a profound Isbell song on 2017’s The Nashville Sound, If We Were Vampires, a big favourite of his friend, the late, great singer John Prine, who he describes as “thoughtful, witty, highly intelligent and emotionally open”.

“There’s some magic in that song,” he says. “Everything else on the album was written when I thought, ‘There’s so many f***ing love songs, why would I bother to do another one?’

“By the time I got to the chorus of If We Were Vampires, something hit me — the reason you love somebody, go through all that effort and pain, is because you’re going to die.

“Without death, we wouldn’t be motivated to live. It was one of those moments where I was like, ‘Wow! Thank God I weaved my way to that path’.”

A telling Isbell insight is revealed by It Gets Easier with its line, “it gets easier, but it never gets easy”, from the 2020 album Reunions.

It addresses his sobriety and brings this reflection: “I don’t think about drinking as much as I used to, but I do sometimes, not necessarily when things are bad.

“When it is going badly, the first thing you do is you make a plan – talk to friends, talk to a therapist, go to a meeting.

“For quite a few years, the hardest times have been to not think about drinking when things are going really well.”

Isbell’s consistently fine recorded output includes 2023’s Weathervanes, with standouts like reflective acoustic ballad Cast Iron Skillet and gritty rocker King Of Oklahoma, about the downward spiral of a blue-collar worker who turns to prescription meds.

Mention of them is cue for him to offer a warning to those attending his upcoming shows.

“When I’m writing a record, I think, ‘How am I going to make these people hold their pee for four more minutes?’

“Because when the new material comes out, that’s usually when everybody heads to the bar!”

• Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit play Belfast June 2, Dublin June 3, Bristol June 5, Gateshead June 6, Glasgow June 7, Manchester June 8, Birmingham June 10 and London’s Royal Albert Hall June 11

HER last tour in 2020 was cut short thanks to the Covid pandemic but now Louise is gearing up to go back on the road.

The Borderline singer will play five live shows as part of her Naked/Confessions tour next April, taking in cities including London, Birmingham and Manchester, with tickets on sale today.

And in an exclusive interview to celebrate the announcement, ex-Eternal star Louise says she’s never felt so inspired after her last album Confessions became her fourth top ten record.

“I’m so proud of that album,” Louise tells me.

“That’s really what spurred me on to carry on writing.

“It taught me that it’s OK not to please everybody.

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“I’m enjoying the creative process of not worrying about if people might hate on it.

“Knowing that you just can’t please everyone.

“It’s all about the mindset and the confidence.

“I do think that comes with age as well.”

After saying yes to going back on the road, Louise reveals she’s learned the power of saying no — and was inspired by pop royalty Madonna.

“I am a big fan, I loved the show she did with Sabrina Carpenter. As a woman, for me, it’s about celebrating people and their achievements,” Louise says.

“I hated reading anything negative about that because for me, she is a genius. I’m at that stage where I’m trying to embrace everything and go with it, but I am also saying no.

“I just wrote a song about saying no and I love it.

“The basis of the song is when you finally learn to say, ‘That’s not for me.’

“We all live in a world where we don’t want to say no to anything for a multitude of reasons.”

The tour, which kids off in Sunderland on April 8 next year, will see Louise picking her favourite tracks from her debut album Naked — which turns 30 in 2027 — and from Confessions for the set list.

And Louise — who will play The Mighty Hoopla festival in London next weekend — has promised to throw in some brand new tunes too.

Louise, who has scored nine Top Ten solo singles including 2 Faced and Pandora’s Kiss, adds: “I get that people will want the hits. It’s about celebrating Naked and Confessions — but I definitely will do new stuff on the tour.

“I don’t want to play it particularly safe.

“The one thing I have learned in this industry is that you have to keep changing.

“You have to keep finding new ways to motivate yourself. Whether that be music, what you’re wearing, the lyrics you’re writing.

“Now I know the lane that I’m in and I know what I want to do.”

Girls single minded

THEY have been together for over a decade, represented the UK at Eurovision and performed at Wembley Stadium.

Now, British girl group Remember Monday have given Bizarre’s Howell the exclusive that they’ve just completed work on their debut album in Prague – and have today dropped the first single, Delusional.

The trio, made up of Lauren Byrne, Charlotte Steele and Holly-Anne Hull first started work on the track two years ago, but only finished it last summer with the help of McFly’s Danny Jones and Dougie Poynter, after being introduced to them at the Capital Summertime Ball.

Lauren, who posed with her bandmates for the single artwork, said: “It feels like it was the first song that started the whole new era.

“After that session, it was like, this is the kind of music that we want to be working on now.”

Holly continued: “We just wanted to kind of hone in on our sound, really solidify what we want to say moving forward.

“I don’t know if we can say, but . . . well, we’re releasing an album.

“The sound that we’re going down is quite nostalgic. Like, we really love the Nineties rom-com energy of music.”

The group will support McFly on tour this summer.

They admit their path is not always easy given that they are independent artists without the financial backing of a major record label.

Referencing the title of their single, Charlotte said: “Our whole band is run and fuelled by delusion.”

Lauren added: “It’s weird to be around. But we do just talk about things as if they are happening regardless of whether we have the funds or contacts. We just speak it into existence.

“And it actually has worked. I don’t even know how we’ve got to this stage.”

It’s working so far ladies.

Good for you.

Too pretty for this ditty

SONGWRITER Linda Perry has revealed she almost turned down Christina Aguilera’s request for her song Beautiful after admitting she thought she was too pretty to sing it.

Linda wrote the track which ended up being one of Christina’s most enduring songs from her 2002 album Stripped.

Appearing on the Zach Sang Show, Linda said she played American star Christina, pictured at the Abbey’s 35th anniversary party in Hollywood, the track and explained: “She was like, ‘ I want that.’

“And I’m thinking, ‘No, you’re like, a hot chick. I’m not giving you this song. No way. Are you kidding me?”

It was only after Christina sang the track for Linda that she changed her mind, adding: “It broke the ice between the both of us when I saw that.

“That’s when I discovered beautiful people are actually insecure and just as damaged as I am.”

Sphere come all the Girls?

THE SPICE GIRLS might fancy zig-a-zig-ah-ing their way into a Las Vegas residency, but I’m told bosses at the Sphere aren’t interested in a quick nostalgia cash-in.

Insiders have confirmed bosses will only give the green light if Victoria Beckham, Melanie C, Melanie B, Geri Horner and Emma Bunton are all on board.

My Sphere insider said: “The Spice Girls would be a massive draw, but this couldn’t be done as a one-off or a short residency.

“The costs involved in creating a Sphere show are enormous. There’s special cameras, bespoke visuals and millions of dollars in production costs before a ticket is sold.

“They’d need all five on board and would want 40 to 60 shows.”

Last month Posh Spice teased that she was keen for the shows to go ahead, saying: “How good would the Spice Girls be at the Sphere? I love the idea of it.”

The venue, which has mind-blowing wraparound screens, has already hosted U2, The Eagles and No Doubt.

TREVOR NELSON was handed a top gong at last night’s Audio Academy Arias.

Rylan Clark hosted the bash at The Roundhouse in North London, which saw Radio 2 legend Trevor honoured with a Special Recognition Award.

He was handed the gong by my pal Craig David, who spoke about Trevor’s impact on the British music scene.

It was a great night for Radio 1 DJ Greg James too, with his Breakfast show landing the top prize in its category, while BBC Radio 6 Music’s Beth Ditto was handed Best New Presenter.

LOUIS TOMLINSON reckons there’s one man who could tempt him into a collaboration – fellow Doncaster star Yungblud.

Ex-One Direction singer Louis admitted he’s not keen on teaming up with artists for the sake of it, but working with the rock wild man would feel different.

Louis explained: “I really like his music and he’s from Doncaster, my hometown, I think that would make it even more interesting.”

But he joked that their might be a slight age gap issue.

Louis laughed: “I’d be the senior one in that conversation.”

Doncaster might be running the UK music scene soon . . . 

MY fellow Spurs fan AJ Tracey has joined talkSPORT as a World Cup pundit.

The Thiago Silva rapper will join footballer-turned-Strictly star Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Burnley ace Kyle Walker on the station’s line-up for the big event this summer.

CRUZ BECKHAM And The Breakers lead the new music releases today with their catchy new single, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.

DJ Sonny Fodera also drops his new tune, Let Me Be In Your Arms, ahead of his performance at Radio 1’s Big Weekend tonight.

LEGENDARY recording studio Abbey Road has announced its fifth annual Music Photography Awards.

This year’s judging panel is packed with music industry royalty, including Raye and Nile Rodgers.

Photographer to the stars, Rankin, is also on the panel ahead of the VIP ceremony on September 24.

Rankin said: “With another stellar judging panel joining us, I can’t wait to get stuck in and review the 2026 submissions. What are you waiting for?”
Submissions are open now.

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Join Sun Club for just £1.99 a month — don’t miss out.

From adrenaline-filled rollercoasters to family rides designed for all ages, there’s excitement around every corner, including guests under 90cm tall.

Younger guests can explore the magical world of Thomas Land™, Europe’s only Thomas & Friends™ themed area, featuring 25 rides and attractions inspired by the beloved characters from the Island of Sodor.

Families can also explore Drayton Manor’s zoo, home to animals from around the world, where they can swap rollercoasters for unforgettable animal experiences without ever leaving the park, making it both fun and educational.

Whether you are planning a big family day out, celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for a memorable adventure, Drayton Manor Theme Park & Zoo offers epic family fun.

How to get four tickets to Drayton Manor Resort

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Step 4: Once you have collected FOUR Sun Savers codes, enter them on Sun Savers to unclock booking from 11am Tuesday, May 26. Click the Redeem code button and get your unique code, then book tickets on the Drayton Manor website by midnight Tuesday, June 23.

Or join Sun Club at thesun.co.uk/club for just £1.99 a month. Head to the Drayton Manor Resort page on Sun Club hub. Click the Redeem code button and get your unique code, then book tickets on the Drayton Manor Resort website by midnight Tuesday, July 21.

Tickets are available from the start of June until the end of September, excluding August.

18+ UK only (exc. IoM & CI). Sun Savers multiple code collect 23/05/26-03/06/26 or subscription to Sun Club or Digital Newspaper required. Booking closes 23/06/26 (Sun Savers/Digital Newspaper) and 21/07/26 (Sun Club). Tickets available from 01/06/23 – 30/09/26 excluding August, 2026. Non-transferable & non-refundable. Subject to availability, daily allocation limits apply. Limit of 4 tickets per person (maximum 2 free tickets). New customer offer: £1.99 per month or £12 per year unless you cancel at least seven days before your next billing date. Full T&Cs apply, see sunsavers.co.uk or club.thesun.co.uk/sun-club.

Join Sun Club for just £1.99 a month — don’t miss out.

HIS love life has been almost as varied as his incredible songwriting catalogue.

Sir Paul McCartney endured the tragedy of losing first wife Linda to cancer and a catastrophic £24million divorce from Heather Mills before finally finding happiness again with American businesswoman Nancy Shevell.

But today The Sun can reveal the identity of the secret childhood crush who became Sir Paul’s “one that got away” — a pretty neighbour whose striking good looks inspired the opening track to his new album, which tells the story of his childhood in Liverpool.

The record was unveiled at a preview event in London this month, where the legendary Beatles songwriter recalled memories of a pretty neighbour called Jasmine, who lived close to his home.

Today, it has emerged she is retired mum-of-three Jasmine Howe, who left the area and resettled in Hertfordshire before retiring to the New Forest in Hampshire.

And the now 83-year-old’s ­family were stunned to learn of the £800million rock legend’s youthful infatuation — revealing she had “absolutely no idea” about his fondness for her.

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They explained: “It’s a cute story, she lived nearby and knew who he was, but she never got close to him — meanwhile, he obviously felt very differently!

“It’s an amazing story — a very long time ago now, but we’ve chatted as a family in the past about how Jasmine grew up close to Paul McCartney.
Goosebumps

“She just knew him as one of the boys in the local area. It’s enough to give you goosebumps!”

The Boys Of Dungeon Lane is Sir Paul’s first solo album in five years, and critics say it is his “most personal to date”.

The title is taken from Days We Left Behind, a wistful acoustic track that references Dungeon Lane, near the River Mersey, where McCartney played as a boy, as well as a “secret code” and mysterious promise made to John Lennon at the time, which he insists “will never be broken”.

At a special event, held at the iconic Abbey Road studios in London where the Fab Four ­produced their biggest hits, Sir Paul played tracks from the new record and explained their ­origins — beginning with opening song As You Lie There.

The lyrics recall: “Do I ever cross your mind as you lie there? As you lie across your bed, am I there inside your head?”

Revealing the inspiration to a small invited audience, Sir Paul explained: “Up in one of the ­windows, there was a girl I ­fancied called Jasmine.

“But I didn’t know how to approach her — I never spoke to her.

“The joke was, she did show up later that year and knocked on the door. I was indisposed — I was on the toilet — so I missed Jasmine!”

Turning to his wife Nancy, who he married in 2011, he grinned and quipped: “Sorry, Nancy.”

Prior to meeting his third wife, Macca famously had quite a ­colourful love life.

His first serious romance was with Dorothy ‘Dot’ Rhone, who he met at the Casbah Coffee Club in Liverpool in 1959.

The pair dated for more than two years and even got engaged, but split just before Beatlemania exploded.

In 1963, Paul met actress and model Jane Asher backstage at one of the band’s concerts.

The relationship would last five years and Paul even moved into the family home on London’s Wimpole Street.

Jane was his muse and introduced him to the avant-garde arts and classical music scene, which would inspire some of his most famous songs.

Despite being charmed by Jane’s cultured family and domestic life, Paul had secret flings with model Maggie McGivern and US writer Francie Schwartz — betrayals that ultimately shattered one of the Sixties’ most iconic romances.

He met his second wife, model and amputee activist Heather Mills, at a charity event in 1999, marrying her three years later.

Their daughter Beatrice was born the following year. However, the pair split acrimoniously three years later with a very publicly played-out divorce — one that cost the star £24million.

However, the singer enjoyed real happiness with his first wife, American photographer Linda.

They married in 1969, raised four children together, and were ­inseparable until her death from breast cancer in 1998.

Growing up, Sir Paul lived with his parents at 20 Forthlin Road in Allerton, Liverpool, while Jasmine lived with her family on the corner of neighbouring Hurstlyn Road, just 20 yards away.

Both properties still stand in the south Liverpool suburb, nestled in a series of brick-built terraces — though Sir Paul’s is now owned and maintained by The National Trust as a museum.

The Trust operates tours around Sir Paul’s home and also John Lennon’s childhood home nearby.

Inside, the three-bed property has been meticulously preserved as a snapshot of 1960s Liverpool, including some of the family’s original decor — and a blue plaque outside commemorates “The Birthplace of The Beatles” as Paul and pal John would meet there to compose their earliest songs.

Jasmine later married her boyfriend Charles, known to the family by his middle name, ­Christopher, and they had three sons — Philip, Matthew and, amusingly, Paul.

A photograph of Jasmine posted online by a family member shows her looking elegant in a navy blazer at a relative’s wedding, with carefully cropped blonde hair beneath a wide-brimmed hat.

The relative explained: “She is 83 now and lives quietly. She wouldn’t want it to become any more of a story than it is — she had no idea that Sir Paul liked her, but she’s happy to leave it as that.

“It’s a good story for our family.”

The album, released on May 29, returns the world’s greatest living songwriter to many of his early memories and experiences, with Sir Paul going on to explain more about his 18th solo collection.

He said: “This was a lot of memories of Liverpool for me, but also any days we’ve left behind.

“Everyone’s got them, school, old mates  . . . It has memories of John in the middle — that’s lovely to go back to. Someone asked: ‘What’s the secret code?’ I’m not telling.

“You make up a lot of stuff when you write songs.”

And that admission may chime with Jasmine’s family, who later jokingly insisted: “She never ­actually knocked on his door.”

On another track, Salesman Saint, Sir Paul turns to his parents. “I was born in 1942, in the war. I was too young to appreciate that, but my parents weren’t.

“My dad was a fireman, putting out fires from the bombs. My mum was a nurse and midwife. But they carried on, because they had to.

“Like people in Ukraine, Gaza and elsewhere now.”

Meanwhile, Down South, one of the album’s most nostalgic tracks, recalls a story of hitchhiking with Lennon and fellow pal and later Beatles bandmate George Harrison.

The lyrics explain: “It was a good way to get to know you before we learned Twist & Shout.”

And reminiscing about the trip, Sir Paul reveals how he and George climbed on to a milk float.

He says: “There was the driver’s seat, a battery and a passenger seat. George got the battery. His jeans had a zip on the back and it connected with the battery. Later, he showed me the big zip burn.”

The new record was unveiled in Liverpool with a series of cryptic posters around the city.

Artwork for the project was designed by Sir Paul’s nephew, Josh.

It features cameos from Ringo Starr, The Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde and Texas frontwoman Sharlene Spiteri.

And its release coincides with a series of major Beatles retrospectives — including Peter Jackson’s seminal Get Back documentary put together from restored archive footage that details the creation of their final album, Let It Be, and the band’s break-up.

But still to come is a major new dramatisation of the band’s rise to fame directed by Sam Mendes and with Paul Mescal as Macca.

The blockbuster will be released simultaneously as a quadrilogy in 2028, with each movie focused on one of the Fab Four’s formative years, charting their coming together as the world’s greatest musical group.

Filming with Mescal as Paul, Harris Dickinson as John, Barry Keoghan as Ringo and Joseph Quinn as George has already begun.

IN the weeks before we lost The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson on June 11 last year, he had two special visitors. 

They were the group’s surviving founder members, his first cousin Mike Love, and his best friend from college, Al Jardine. 

It was their chance to say goodbye to the man who, above anyone, brought “good vibrations” to the world and created their 1966 magnum opus Pet Sounds. 

First to venture up the drive at Brian’s Beverly Hills mansion for one last time was Jardine.  

“I last saw him at the very end,” he says. “I came up to the house and he just pointed at me. 

“He said, ‘You started the band’, and I went, ‘Wait, come on, Brian, I’m sure you had a little something to do with it!’ 

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“He was very direct at times — he could be very unfiltered — but I think our friendship meant a lot to him. 

“He was always my best friend, right from when we started out.” 

Despite Brian’s well-documented struggles with mental health, Jardine insists that his old buddy never lost his passion for music. 

“His reputation remains solid,” he adds, before supplying an answer to his own question: “What’s the term? Legend.  

“His work will be appreciated for centuries to come. He had his own style. Just listen to his arrangements and his chord changes — they’re just so unusual.  

“His brother Dennis actually said it first, ‘Brian is The Beach Boys’. He created our sound and, as Mike Love would say, he heard things we couldn’t hear.” 

Of his last visit to Brian, Love says: “A couple of weeks before he passed away, I was able to go and see him. 

“We had a great time. We sang together, actually, which was a lot of fun.” 

Love leads the latest incarnation of The Beach Boys, keeping their songs alive in concert, including Pet Sounds classics God Only Knows, Wouldn’t It Be Nice and Sloop John B.  

“Brian’s still with us every night in that music,” he affirms 

If Brian, younger brothers Carl and Dennis, Mike and Al started out by singing about surfing, girls and open-top cars in the California sun, it was the elder Wilson sibling who took things to the next level with Pet Sounds. 

A themed song cycle employing pioneering production techniques, sublime harmonies, divine melodies and darker, soul-searching lyrics, it is regarded as Brian’s masterpiece.

He had been impressed with The Beatles’ sonic adventures on Rubber Soul — now he was pushing The Beach Boys to raise the bar higher, in turn inspiring their chart rivals to make Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. 

Paul McCartney maintains that God Only Knows is his favourite song and that Pet Sounds is among his top three albums.  

He once enthused: “The musical invention on that is, like, ‘Wow!’  

“I just thought, ‘Oh dear me, this is THE album of all time, what the hell are we gonna do?’” 

To mark its 60th anniversary, The Pet Sounds Sessions — including demos, alternate takes and outtakes — are receiving digital, CD and vinyl editions. They feature a host of a cappella tracks shining the spotlight on the breathtaking harmonies.  

Which is why I’m speaking to Brian’s bandmates via video calls that seem entirely appropriate for singers who epitomise California’s sunny beach vibes.  

As we’re connected, Love, 85, reports that he’s “driving down the Pacific Coast Highway outside of Malibu”. 

In a separate call, Jardine, 83, is sitting in his solarium under clear blue skies in Monterey, gateway to the rugged Big Sur coastal region. 

First, Love gives me insights into his Beach Boys journey, leading up to the groundbreaking Pet Sounds.  

His mother Glee was the sister of Murry Wilson, father of Brian, Carl and Dennis, “so every holiday — Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Fourth of July — and birthday was celebrated with music. 

“When Brian and I were teens, we’d get together and sing or listen to the radio, hearing groups like The Everly Brothers.” 

When they formed The Beach Boys, the clean-cut image involving surfing, sun and girls was, he says, “environmental because we lived a few miles from the sea”. 

Love continues: “We would often go to the beach for family outings. There, you’d find people who dressed a certain way, talked a certain way and had a certain attitude.  

“They were the surfers who inspired our first song, Surfin’ [released in 1961].” 

As to whether The Beach Boys joined the craze, he adds: “Dennis, Al and I had surfboards but we weren’t the greatest athletes. We appreciated it though, and we gave it a shot. 

“I’m not sure Brian ever tried it. He could only hear out of one ear and didn’t have much balance. You need all the balance you can get when you’re surfing.” 

Love recalls how he would “sit down at the piano with Brian while he figured out chord progressions, tempos and melodies.  

“I felt it was up to me to come up with lyrics and sing lead on songs we were working on together such as Surfin’ USA, I Get Around and Fun Fun Fun.” 

Jardine, who currently fronts The Pet Sounds Band of ace Brian Wilson associates, also casts his mind back to the early days but is interrupted by “actual pet sounds”. 

“Hang on a second, we have a little dog outside and he’s barking — I gotta shut him up,” he reports.  

When calm returns, I ask Jardine how he came to form a band with three brothers and their cousin in 1961.  

He answers: “Well, Brian and I were classmates in high school but didn’t really know each other. 

“We were on the football team — he was quarterback and I was full back. He would call the plays, either pitching the ball to me or somebody else. 

“But we didn’t interact until we went to college. I’d heard him in concert and, in our second year, I bumped into him on campus and said, ‘We gotta start a band’.  

“We walked over to the music room and started playing music for each other.  

“I’d already been in a folk group and, when he heard me sing, he realised I had a gift. 

“Then he said, ‘I’ve got my little brothers and my cousin, Mike. I’ll introduce you to them. I rented instruments from a local music store but we didn’t know how to express ourselves at first, so we just sang a cappella. 

“Once we finally got around the piano, we were off and running. 

“I soon realised that Brian was a fine-tuned instrument. He had a great voice, a great knack for composition and already had a duet thing going on with Mike.” 

As for the surfer image, Jardine credits Dennis Wilson, the family rebel who played the drums. He says: “Dennis was a surfer and the rest of us were land lovers. He taught me how to surf but I sank like a stone. 

“But surfing was the craze so we put lyrics to our first song and called it Surfin’.” 

In 1964, Brian dropped the bombshell that he was stepping back from touring to concentrate on studio work.  

Love provides this insight into his cousin’s state of mind: “Brian wasn’t comfortable on the road — he got nervous and unhappy. He missed home and he missed the studio. 

“It was a drag to see him leave the live group but it was in his best interests.” 

Afforded fewer distractions, Brian applied himself to Pet Sounds and, in tandem with it, the sophisticated sonic miracle Good Vibrations — a standalone hit deemed not a good fit for the album. 

This period coincided with his experiments with LSD and marijuana.  

He once stated that drugs helped him achieve a deeper level of creativity but later expressed regrets over the damage to his mental health. 

Because of the complexity, Brian needed longer than usual to finish Pet Sounds so The Beach Boys released a stopgap party album, yielding one of their biggest hits, Barbara Ann. 

Then, after a tour of Japan in January 1966, with Bruce Johnston taking Brian’s place, Carl, Dennis, Mike, Al and Bruce returned for the momentous sessions.  

In their absence, Brian had employed lyricist Tony Asher and crack session musicians the Wrecking Crew, including, among many, Glen Campbell on guitar and banjo. 

Love says: “The tracks Brian had done were completely amazing. Our main job was to finish them vocally and we worked very hard.” 

One of the songs was God Only Knows, which he says was “sung so beautifully by my cousin Carl”. 

“We lost him many years ago to lung cancer. For concerts these days, my son Christian sings lead.” 

So what was Carl like? “He was our musical director on stage and the most proficient musician in the group,” replies Love. 

Jardine adds: “Carl could knock it out of the park. He was right in the centre of our harmonies with Mike’s baritone below and me higher, with Brian higher still.” 

And what about Dennis, who had a wild reputation and later befriended cult leader and killer Charles Manson? 

Love says: “He lived a dangerous life because of the alcohol and drugs he got involved with. He died [from drowning] in 1983.” 

Jardine adds: “Dennis was our Keith Moon. Oh boy, all he had to do was just stand up on stage and the crowd would go nuts.” 

It was self-confessed folkie Jardine who brought Bahamian sea shanty Sloop John B to Brian. He says: “I was a Kingston Trio fan. They were big Capitol Records guys, same label as us, and they wore striped shirts.  

“Learning all their songs was my musical training. When the time came to start The Beach Boys, I went out and bought striped shirts for us. 

“Sloop John B was my idea. I said, ‘Brian, if we add one major and one minor chord, it’ll sound like us instead of The Kingston Trio’. 

“He put it to good use. It became Pet Sounds’ lead single. Capitol always wanted a hit to sell an album.” 

Recalling the sessions, Jardine says that Brian’s abilities had been “growing exponentially” while they’d been away. 

“In spite of our jet lag, we were in the studio the day after we got home from Japan. We were extremely impressed with Brian’s arrangements. 

“People forget that he was a masterful producer. He knew the language. He could go into a studio and the studio became an instrument for him.” 

That said, it wasn’t all plain sailing, as Jardine explains: “Mike didn’t like the lyrics on some songs so he insisted on changing a couple around.  

“He thought a song called Hang On To Your Ego was too sophisticated for our crowd so he changed it to I Know There’s An Answer.” 

The story of Pet Sounds wouldn’t be complete without mention of the album title and cover shot of the boys among the goats at San Diego Zoo. Love says: “Brian didn’t know what to call the album.

“At the end [of final track Caroline, No], you hear a train going by and dogs are barking.  

“Those were Brian and [first wife] Marilyn’s dogs. So I said, ‘Why don’t we call it Pet Sounds? It was a double entendre, of course — and it stuck.” 

Jardine picks up the story of the photo shoot: “It was a total mystery to me.  

“We had to drive to San Diego, which was 200 miles away. We had our own zoo in Los Angeles, for God’s sake!” 

The resulting album cover has a quaint charm but it’s not exactly up there with Sgt Pepper’s iconic Peter Blake design. 

Love smiles at the memory and says: “I was in India at the Maharishi’s place when Paul McCartney and I had a conversation one night. 

“He was saying, ‘Mike, you ought to take more care with your album covers’. 

“So I told him, ‘Paul, you’re absolutely right.

We should’. 

“But we always felt that what went into the sleeve was more important than the cover itself.” 

And speaking of goats, to many including Macca, Pet Sounds is the GOAT. 

THE BEACH BOYS 

The Pet Sounds Session Highlights 

★★★★★

AN X Factor star has mysteriously pulled out of a major festival gig for “unforeseen” reasons.

The 30-year-old shot to fame on The X Factor in 2012 and went on to enjoy huge success as a musician.

The In It Together festival, which takes place this month in Wales, has announced that X Factor star Ella Henderson will not be appearing this year.

Taking to social media they said: “We’re very sorry to share that Ella Henderson has unfortunately been forced to cancel some of her upcoming appearances due to unforeseen circumstances, and as a result will no longer be appearing at In It Together Festival this year.

“We completely understand and support Ella’s decision, and we want to send our love and very best wishes to Ella and her entire team at this time.

“We sincerely hope to welcome Ella to In It Together in the near future.”

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The statement continued: “While we know many of you will be disappointed, we’ve worked tirelessly behind the scenes at the last minute to secure a huge replacement artist and someone you absolutely do not want to miss.

“Join us on Sunday at 2PM on the Together Stage for the official reveal. Trust us… this is BIG.”

Ella found fame on the ITV talent show in 2012 aged 16 where she wowed judges with her rendition of Cher’s Believe before reaching the live finals.

But she finished in sixth place behind winner James Arthur.

Following her stint on the show, Ella went on to sign with Simon Cowell’s label Syco Music and released her first studio album, Chapter One, with the music mogul in 2014.

During her time with label, Ella scored several hits with her single Ghost, which she wrote with the American writer producer Ryan Tedder, and emotional ballad Yours.

She went on a four-year hiatus in 2015, and released her second studio album, Everything I Didn’t Say, in 2022. It became her second top 10 album in the UK.

Ella has received the Brit Billion Award, and nominations for four Brit Awards and an Ivor Novello Award.

AKON and Ne-Yo have been the soundtrack of our lives for the past two decades.

Between them, they have sold more than 55million records worldwide, thanks to a series of high-profile collaborations including Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Gewn Stefani and David Guetta.

In 2008, Akon teamed up with Michael Jackson to rework the King of Pop’s 1982 smash Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.

Now he tells Bizarre that he’s got his sights on teaming up with Princess of Pop Britney Spears.

Speaking to Bizarre’s Jack backstage at The O2 as he and Ne-Yo team up for a massive UK arena tour, Akon said: “Yeah, I would f***ing kill that record with Britney. I’m obsessed with her.

“I have some songs lined up, but I can’t even explain it. As for the sound, I think it needs to reflect where she’s at in her life.”

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He added: “That thing is beyond Britney. I can’t think of anyone that I haven’t worked with.

“So this is why I do a lot of collaborations with new artists, because that is what inspires me now.”

The duo have played just about every big arena in the country, including multiple nights at Manchester’s Co-Op Live Arena and four nights at London’s O2.

And fans there for their last night at the capital’s venue this Thursday are in for a treat as the show is nothing short of bonkers in the best way, with Akon crowd-surfing on a pimped-out table.

The hitmaker had kicked off the tour Zorbing over the crowd — but UK health and safety rules forced him to rethink his plans.

Akon said: “Yeah, the inflatable ball was my idea. I’ve been doing it at other places since about 2008, but the UK has got too many restrictions.”

Videos of Akon crowd-surfing have gone viral on social media, with overjoyed fans baffled and stunned at the singer’s ­daring display.

In one clip, the superstar can be heard telling ­security not to worry and to get out of the way, as his fans love him and won’t hurt him.

Admitting he has zero fears when it comes to entering the crowd, Akon said: “No, I’m not nervous about falling off at all.

“You have got to have balance, though.”

After we tell him we would need a vodka before hitting the stage, the teetotal star laughs: “That’s why you could never do it. You couldn’t balance on there.

“You would be wobbly the moment you get on top.”

In fact, the sober star says all he needs is a can of Coca-Cola and some jelly beans to get him pumped up for the two-and-a-half-hour show.

Akon said: “Back in the day I used to work out before a show, but now it comes so second nature, I just chill and relax until it’s time for me to get on. I literally have no rituals.

“I love jelly beans. I have them before my show every day. I like Coke as a nice refreshing drink, and I make fruit juices as well. Just the basic stuff — ginger and lemon teas.

“But for the show itself, it’s totally different. I turn into the Incredible Hulk. I just change when the lights come on. I turn into somebody totally different.

“I’m not exhausted by the end. I’m fully energised and ready to go again.”

While Akon is powered by jelly beans, it seems his co-headliner Ne-Yo gets his energy from Scampi Fries.

Bizarre are led through the rabbit warren of corridors in The O2, passing racks of diamond- encrusted clothes to meet the star ahead of the gig.

And when he emerges from his dressing room, he holds up two packs of the savoury snack, which can be found in most old boozers.

Clearly impressed and baffled by the quintessentially British treat, Ne-Yo says: “I’ve just discovered scampi snacks — I love them.”

Rather than bringing them with him on the road, bosses at The O2 have stocked his dressing room minibar with a ­plentiful supply.

We tell Ne-Yo that if he pops to the pub for a post-show pint, he will be able to ask for a bag of Scampi Fries alongside his Stella.

Ne-Yo, who has clocked up 20 UK Top 40 singles and five UK No1s, jokingly replies: “I’m going to invest in the company.”

Judging by their high-energy set, it seems jelly beans and Scampi Fries really are the way forward.

ZENDAYA: MY BALANCING  ACT

THEY are two of the biggest showbiz names on the planet.

But despite regularly being seen out and about together, Tom Holland and Zendaya are notoriously private when it comes to their relationship.

Now the Dune actress has revealed why she holds things back from fans – describing how she is locked in a daily battle over how much of her private life to share.

Zendaya said: “It’s a complex thing. It’s a balance of how to figure out how much to give of yourself, because I wouldn’t be in this position without the people who support me, and I want to be able to show them how thankful I am for their support.

“But then on the flip side, it is important to pour into yourself as well and hold things sacred to yourself and to your loved ones – to have those moments too and create that little healthy boundary.”

Zendaya and Tom married in secret this year after meeting on the set of Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016.

She added: “At the end of the day, you have to fill your cup too.

“I try to find that balance. There’s really no blueprint. There’s no road map.

“We don’t know what we’re doing. We’re just figuring this out every day.”

A $570m JACKO THRILLER

THE MICHAEL JACKSON biopic, Michael, has only been out for three weeks but is already breaking records.

The film has surpassed $570million (£420m) at the global box office – making it the No1 music biopic of all time in North America.

It is only the second music biopic ever to earn more than $500million at the box office, following in the footsteps of Bohemian Rhapsody.

Released in 2018, that film saw Rami Malek play the late Freddie Mercury, while former EastEnders actor turned X-Men hunk Ben Hardy played drummer Roger Taylor.

Meanwhile, in Michael, the late King of Pop is played by his real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson.

Michael’s daughter, Paris Jackson, has distanced herself from the project, accusing bosses of creating a “fantasy” with “full-blown lies”.

ARIANA: NEW LIFE BUDS IN PETALS

ARIANA GRANDE has continued to tease her upcoming eighth album, Petal.

The We Can’t Be Friends singer has insisted the new collection isn’t like her X-rated 2021 record Positions – despite previously referring to it as “a bit feral”.

Asked if the records will be similar, Ari simply replied: “No, but I love her [Positions] . . . I just enjoy evolving.”

The album’s lead ­single, Hate That I Made You Love Me, drops in just over a fortnight, with Petal released on July 31.

Ari’s previous album, 2024’s Eternal ­Sunshine, was all about her split from ­Dalton Gomez after three years of ­marriage, and finding love once more with her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater.

Insisting Petal will be far more uplifting than her last offering, Ariana added: “Basically, it’s about something that is full of life growing through the cracks of something cold and hard and challenging.”

Doja’s frilled to hit  town  

LOOKS like less is more for Doja Cat.

The Paint The Town Red rapper clearly doesn’t feel the cold as she steps out in New York in this tiny outfit.

Looking ready to party into the night, Doja opted for a purple metallic crop-top and a tiny frilly brown skirt – which barely measures more than some of the belts I own.

Doja completed her look with an equally minuscule pink handbag, which looks like it would only be able to fit an iPhone and a ­single lighter.

She may be from Los ­Angeles, but Doja clearly has some northern grit in her.

HELLO JAMES – WHO’S THE LITTLE GUY ON YOUR KNEE?

I’VE posed for my fair share of unflattering pictures with stars over the years.

But James Martin may have just taken the crown when it comes to photographic oddities.

The TV chef shared this picture of himself with presenter Guy Martin after he appeared on James Martin’s Saturday Morning cookery show.

Due to the angle, James appears five times the size of Guy, who is perched next to him like a ­ventriloquist’s dummy.

The Instagram comments section was ­immediately filled with fans of the duo giving them a good old-fashioned ribbing.

One wrote: “Did you have him on a boil wash?” Another added: “Love Guy. I didn’t realise he was only 2ft tall though.”

A third teased: “Faith in the British sense of humour restored by reading this ­comment section.”

Seemingly oblivious to the epic fail, James gushed over his bromance with Guy, with the caption: “I’ve interviewed many people but Guy was a top one . . .fascinating man and a massive eater. Top show – hope you liked it.”

DANCEFLOOR legend Martin Garrix has confirmed my tale that his single with Ed Sheeran is just around the corner.

Over the weekend, a billboard with a message from Martin popped up in the Dominican Republic, where Shape Of You singer Ed has just played a show.

It read: “Hi Ed. Can we please release our song? Xx Marty.”

I told last month how the duo will be releasing Repeat It.

Show support

LEWIS CAPALDI has added some huge support acts to his BST Hyde Park shows in London.

The singer will be supported by a string of top names including The Vaccines for his July 11 gig and Alessi Rose for his July 12 date.

Before he reaches the capital, Lewis will also play the brand-new Roundhay Festival in Leeds on July 4.

Jessie Murph, Kerr Mercer and Nieve Ella have all been announced to support him at the show.

Going all out

WE can always count on Rita Ora to go all out when it comes to weird and wonderful outfit choices.

The singer and actress looks like she stepped straight off the runway in this quirky blue-striped co-ord on Sunday in London.

Rita was in high spirits as she headed to the Royal Albert Hall to rehearse for tonight’s special King’s Trust Celebration concert there.

Bizarre will be backstage to bring you all the gossip from the VIP-packed night.