music

RAZORLIGHT are keen to show they’ve still got the golden touch as they prepare for their 28-date tour across the UK and Europe.

The new shows will see Johnny Borrell and Andy Burrows celebrating the 20th anniversary of their self-titled second record, which spawned hits including America, In The Morning and Before I Fall To Pieces.

Speaking at the Ovo Arena Wembley, where the band plays on December 4, frontman Johnny recalls: “The first time we played here was supporting the Manic Street Preachers, it was a great show.”

Buzzing to be back, drummer Andy adds: “We feel very lucky, but at the same time we also feel like we did something really cool.”

The tour starts in Europe and reaches the UK with Glasgow on November 26, before cities including Nottingham, Bristol and Leeds.

And time on the road means more time to make new music.

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“I’m hoping we do some writing on the road because we used to do that a lot,” Johnny says.

“Now we’re going out on the tour bus again, I think we’ll have a good chance of doing that.

“We’ve got a couple of really good songs at the moment and the next step is bringing it to the band and we’ll see how it sounds.

“I like where we’re at with Razorlight at the minute, we’ve got the bit between our teeth.”

Andy says: “These shows and playing together will fuel that. It would be easy to play some gigs, earn some money and be like, ‘See you in two years.’

“But we have that drive to say, ‘F**k, we need to do this again and do it better’.”

Johnny adds: “Everyone has to bring their A-game, then we need to meld together because then it creates something incredible.”

Johnny thinks the group — which first formed in 2002 — have some exciting years ahead.

He explains: “I think a band needs that hunger. And I think we have that right now.

“We’re writing new material and we’ve got that drive.

“I always feel most comfortable in that kind of position where I’m fighting and trying to prove something. I like being the underdog and I like taking it on. When we play live, we’re not playing along to a backing track or anything pre- recorded or a click track or something like that, which 90 per cent of bands are doing now.

“It’s depressing. People do it because it’s easier and it’s cheaper to do. Anyone can go off and do 364 days of something else, then turn up and get a haircut and look like they’re in a band, you know?

“But we’re doing it the real way.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re the biggest band in the world. It doesn’t matter if you’re like the newest, youngest band starting out.

“If you’re doing it properly and you’re doing it for the love of the music, it’s a long road and you just have to keep fighting.

“And that’s our vibe right now.”

FLUFF LUCK FOR RAYE

RAYE was the big winner at the Mercury Prize do after taking home the coveted gong.

She received the award for her incredible second record, This Album May Contain Hope.

After the bash at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena, the star was snapped leaving in a faux fur coat and fluffy slippers while holding her trophy out for the waiting photographers.

Raye, who turns 29 today, said: “I just poured so much heart into this album, I really did. This accolade is serious and something that I always dreamed to one day receive. I just feel really grateful.

“It’s the best birthday present I could have asked for.”

Olivia Dean left the night empty-handed but made up for her loss by partying until 3am with her pals in Newcastle.

One of my mates spotted the Man I Need singer heading off with her friends to cool DIY music venue The Lubber Fiend.

They told me: “Olivia might have lost to Raye but she was in great spirits. She went dancing with her mates and was having the time of her life. She’s a great girl and a proper good laugh.”

WIGHT MOVE BY ROBBIE AND CO

ROBBIE WILLIAMS, Kings of Leon and Fatboy Slim have been announced as the headliners for the 25th Sky Presents Isle Of Wight Festival.

They will be joined by a slew of stars including Becky Hill, Kaiser Chiefs, Myles Smith, Cruz Beckham& The Breakers, Courteeners, Rudimental and Scouting for Girls.

The event, which takes place across four days from June 17 next year, still has some more acts to be announced.

Tickets go on sale at 8am on Monday,

Festival director Caroline Giddings said: “There’s a real mix of artists for different generations and tastes, and there’s still more to come.

“We put a lot of thought into what happens beyond the main stages, too.”

JoJo in a good lace

SINGER Jojo Siwa wows in lace as she attends the 2026 Dancers Against Cancer Gala in Beverly Hills.

The former child star looked worlds away from her wild pop star persona as she walked the red carpet in a stunning white dress.

The singer was in good company at the glitzy bash, with actress Carmen Electra and singer Janet Jackson also in attendance.

JoJo is currently enjoying some downtime in America after releasing a series of singles following her stint in the Celebrity Big Brother house last year.

GEORGE MICHAEL’s estate is hosting a free screening for NHS staff of his film, The Faith Tour, at London’s Roundhouse .

The show comes 20 years after his gig at the same venue for nurses, to thank them for caring for his mum who died of cancer in 1997.

Tickets will be distributed by NHS England.

STRIP away his rock star status and Noel Gallagher is just like us.

In the new episode of Chicken Shop Date, he tells host Amelia Dimoldenberg: “I’m pretty low-key. My children live with me. We played a gig in São Paulo to 90,000 and I got home and came downstairs to find my two lads arguing over what was left in a box of Coco Pops. I thought to myself: ‘48 hours ago I was on stage – now I am arguing with two bellends about Coco Pops.’”

Tribute specials are always a bit macabre. They exist, and are sometimes quickly thrown together, to honor and celebrate an artist who impacted so many. They are also ratings and advertising cash grabs that air on major TV and streaming platforms.

“CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton,” which aired Wednesday on ABC and Disney+, was a lovely tribute to the music and cultural icon who died from cancer in August. It also was a missed opportunity. As music superstar Vince Gill said toward the end of the two-hour program, “this is not a memorial; but a celebration of an undeniable force of nature. Dolly was somebody that everyone loved: City, country, young, old.”

But most likely because the event was put on by the Country Music Assn. — which naturally wanted to showcase its own talent — it lacked a chance to really celebrate that she and her music could not be contained by one genre.

This isn’t just ironic because Parton’s most-known song — a song that was both the title of the special and the end performance of it — was made all the more famous by Whitney Houston, another iconic performer and also one who happens to have been a woman a color and who did not have any other direct ties to the Nashville scene. Dolly herself, famously, appreciated so many other kinds of music. After her passing, Eminem shared on social media a letter she’d written to him to congratulate him on his 2022 induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

“She definitely didn’t have to take the time to do it,” he said as part of the post. “Even for a kid who mostly listened to rap music, she was an icon. A superstar in every sense.”

That said, from Reba McEntire opening the show with stories of just how kind her friend was in real life to a pre-recorded tribute from Bono where his Irish accent briefly attempts to slip into a Southern one while emulating her conversations with him, there were some touching and memorable moments. We’ve rounded up five of them here:

Reba McEntire, “He’s Alive”

Technically, the song is meant to be the apostle Peter singing about Jesus Christ’s resurrection. But McEntire’s take on Parton’s take of the Don Francisco gospel brought in the very modern-day sense of fear that so many parents and partners feel when their loved ones go out to dangerous jobs or even just leave the house for school or concerts.

Carrie Underwood, “I Will Always Love You”

There’s no denying that this is a perfect song and that Underwood is a once-in-a-lifetime voice. And credit must be due to Underwood for pulling off an undertaking where any little slip would be pounced on by critics. But staging her to stand in front of one of the many animatronic butterflies that lined the stage in such a way that it looked like she had angel wings was … a choice.

Carly Pearce and Kristin Chenoweth, “9 to 5”

Both of these women, especially Tony winner Chenoweth, are masters of stage presence. Their banter with each other before singing, not to mention their duet itself, embraced the liveliness and feminine feminist-ness of that song.

Ella Langley, “Jolene”

This was not the most powerful performance of the night, as Langley seemed happier to dance on the stage than belt out the music. And it didn’t boil with the grief and seething rage of a scorned woman the way that Beyonce’s 2024 cover did. But it was nice to see a symbolic baton be passed to the “Choosin’ Texas” singer.

Zac Brown, “Butterfly”

Brown’s backstory of writing, and then recording, what would become his 2025 duet with Parton came off as sweet and genuine. It also helped it not feel awkward or gratuitous when he and the producers opted not to recast the Parton half of the song and instead let her voice carry through the speakers.

John Anderson, a country western star known for his traditional tunes and twangy voice, has died.

A representative for Anderson confirmed to The Times that the storied singer-songwriter died in his sleep at his home in Smithville, Tenn., on Wednesday. He was 71.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and best friend,” a statement from Anderson’s family read. “To the world, he was a gifted country music singer whose voice and songs touched countless lives. To us, he was so much more. He was the heart of our family, the one who made us laugh, loved us fiercely, and made every ordinary moment feel special. We are completely heartbroken. His music will live on, but for us, his greatest legacy will always be the love he gave his family and the memories we will carry with us forever. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we grieve this unimaginable loss.”

Born in Apopka, Fla., on Dec. 13, 1954, Anderson got his first guitar when he was 7 years old and played in garage bands as a teen. When he finished high school, Anderson packed his bags for Music City. He gigged at Nashville nightclubs until he landed his first record contract with the support of music publisher Al Gallico; he signed with Warner Bros. Records in 1976.

Over his storied career, Anderson earned 20 top 10 country hits, including five No. 1s. Through the 1980s and ’90s, Anderson was a leader in the explosion of neotraditional country tunes, and honky-tonks were filled with couples two-stepping to hits including “Swingin’,” “Seminole Wind,” “Straight Tequila Night,” “Wild and Blue” and “Black Sheep.”

In 1993, Anderson received the Academy of Country Music career achievement award. Introducing the award, Reba McEntire said Anderson was an early new traditionalist who “combined a sweet and pure country sound with great energy and emotion.” Billy Dean gave remarks, too, saying, “Back in the early ’80s, John’s sound and material struck the exact right chord with country record buyers and inspired a whole bunch of up-and-coming artists just like myself.”

In 2014, Anderson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 2024, Anderson he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame alongside Toby Keith and James Burton.

“This is an institution that preserves greatness,” Anderson said of the honor. “That I get the chance to be amongst this kind of greatness, words can’t explain.”

This is a developing story.

COUNTRY music legend John Anderson has died at the age of 71.

The iconic voice behind Swingin and Straight Tequila Night was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024 with his heartbroken family paying a touching tribute.

John, a native of Apopka, Florida, passed away on Wednesday.

His cause of death is yet to be announced.

An emotional statement from John’s family read: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and best friend.

“To the world, he was a gifted country music singer whose voice and songs touched countless lives.

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“To us, he was so much more. He was the heart of our family, the one who made us laugh, loved us fiercely, and made every ordinary moment feel special.

“We are completely heartbroken.

“His music will live on, but for us, his greatest legacy will always be the love he gave his family and the memories we will carry with us forever.

“Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we grieve this unimaginable loss.”

He boasted a trio of hugely popular number one hits on the country charts for Wild and Blue, Black Sheep and his signature song Swingin.

John’s last public appearance saw him appear alongside his fellow inductees at the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony in Nashville on October 18.

They were inducting the 2026 stars Tim McGraw, Paul Overstreet and the Stanley Brothers.

John said his own induction into the elusive club was one of his best achievements.

He told Rolling Stone at the time: “One of the main gratifications is I got to live to see it.

“Several of my friends were inducted posthumously.”

John leaves behind his wife of 43 years Jamie Anderson and their two daughters Brionna and Alexa.

Eric Dangerfield is surrounded by senior citizens.

After a packed set at Riot Fest the previous weekend, the 25-year-old lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the Paradox welcomed the quiet of his boomer-dominated neighborhood.

“I’m a suburban dude,” he said, smiling from his home in metro Atlanta, his cropped two-toned dreads bobbing as he spoke.

The Paradox spent much of the summer on the festival circuit, powering through a growing discography of pop-punk gems, so Dangerfield and the three other band members are taking a brief breather before their Proceed With Caution Tour starts this month — their first as headliners.

It’s peaceful. That is, “Except when the boys come over,” he adds.

On a late morning in September, the boys are here and accounted for: patching in to a video call, minutes apart, from their homes, also in suburban ATL. Dangerfield, born with the perfect stage name, has ideas that flow faster than he can seem to get them out. Then there’s Donald Bryant on bass. Yin to Dangerfield’s yang, with a quiet, commanding presence.

Percy “PC3” Crews has been playing drums since he was 3, and his vicious skills on the drum kit contrast with a cheery, relaxed demeanor. Finally, there’s Christopher Bernard, a.k.a. Xelan — the lead guitarist and Dangerfield’s vocal complement.

Dangerfield likens the four to musical superheroes from a Marvel series. But not so much the “Earth’s mightiest heroes” variety.

On their first headlining tour, the band brings its new EP, “Proceed With Caution,” to Los Angeles while claiming space in a historically white genre and weaving social commentary into its pop-punk sound.

(Shorefire Media)

“I’m like Mister Fantastic and Donald’s my Invisible Woman. Xelan’s the Thing, and Percy is John Storm,” he says of his partners in musical mischief. “If I’m ugly, just say that,” quips Xelan, the band’s oldest member at 30. “Yeah. Because you’re strong, bro,” reassures Eric.

By this time, the interview has devolved into fun-loving chaos.

They finish each other’s sentences and switch up their Google Meet backgrounds, cracking up as an awkward graduation portrait pops up. At some point, Bernard decides to give a bedroom tour, showing off his collection of Blink-182 and Fall Out Boy posters.

A photo of him with Travis Barker hangs next to a framed Billboard plaque on a nightstand. Barker was featured on the Paradox’s 2025 single “Bender” and performed with the group at Vans Warped Tour the same year.

The Billboard plaque commemorates the band’s song “Get the Message” from its debut EP, “NSFW,” reaching No. 1 on the Alternative Airplay chart in January — a great achievement for any rock artist — but the Paradox also happens to be the first all-Black band to do so.

The success, although rapid, didn’t come from nowhere. All of the members have been working toward music in some form for years.

Dangerfield had a deal with a small label where he was originally making a go of it as a pop and R&B soloist. He also put out his music online. Looking for something different, he remembered his passing interest in pop-punk from his days growing up in Palm Coast, Fla. It was the “Fat Lip” video by Sum 41 that sealed the deal.

Yearning to be in a band, he started working with Bernard, whom he met online and shared his passion for the genre. Bryant was Dangerfield’s childhood friend from Palm Coast who had also moved to Atlanta, while Crews had been a fixture on the local music scene. And the name? It came from Dangerfield’s love of quantum physics.

Shortly after the group officially formed in June 2024, Dangerfield’s then-girlfriend — now wife and band “momager” Lexi Dangerfield — opened Instagram and TikTok accounts filming and posting their homey videos. The band’s song “Kaitlyn” and some covers blew up. The artists’ perspective, filtered through a Gen Z lens, struck a multigenerational nerve.

Attention came so quickly that Dangerfield felt the need to defend against online detractors who were convinced the group was an industry plant.

From there, the fairy-tale plot thickened. Billie Joe Armstrong followed Dangerfield on Instagram, and the two struck up a friendship that led to the Paradox opening for Green Day on the Atlanta stop of its Saviors Tour. But this was, of course, after Jack White’s people called — who the group ended up opening for at Basement East in Nashville.

Things haven’t slowed down in the two years since, with opportunities coming fast and furious. In the spring of last year, the band signed a deal with Hundred Days Records, a subsidiary of Virgin Music Group, and teamed up with producers Mike Pepe and Robopop to work on “NSFW.”

“Bender,” the group’s collaboration with Barker, and “Do Me Like That” are featured on Madden NFL 27 and NBA 2K26 video game soundtracks. Last month, the musicians streamed a concert from Twitch superstar Kai Cenat’s house. And now, instead of opening for their idols, they are inviting them up on stage as guests. For their second Warped Tour in Long Beach, that meant Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 and Logan Henderson from Big Time Rush.

The embrace from established musicians has definitely helped the band navigate its rise. In a moment of doubt, Crews said Good Charlotte’s Joel Madden, in particular, came through with sage advice.

“He asked me a question: ‘How does it feel being where we were?’ And I was like, ‘It feels like a dream.’ It felt like I was gonna wake up on my desk sophomore year with drool on my f— table. And I was telling him that, and he was like, ‘You know, it may feel that way, but it is real … It’s real, and it’s you … you belong in these rooms.’”

The irony of being embraced in a mostly white subgenre of punk rock while Black American culture formed its foundation is not lost on the group. Had the band come about during one of Dangerfield’s favorite eras of music, the ’50s and ’60s — there would likely have been rooms in which they weren’t welcomed.

While the band members understand the impact their visibility has — especially for non-white kids who grew up in the suburbs as they did: skating, riding BMX, building Legos, watching anime, dreaming of a life onstage — it does require some balance. “They’re not asking Taking Back Sunday this stuff,” Dangerfield acknowledged when asked if they might tire of the representation mantle. “Or Blink, but … We are a minority in this space and in this country, and I think that you know the stuff that comes with being Black should definitely be talked about. I think those conversations are important.”

He said as much in August, when the group made its Tiny Desk debut in celebration of NPR’s Black Music Month. “Now, like they said, we made history,” he said, leaning into the mic after the first song. “And the Paradox is in the business of bringing rock ’n’ roll back to the originators.”

A glance at the comment section under the video makes clear the group’s authenticity resonates with those who haven’t felt seen or heard in certain spaces.

“I’m a black girl from the suburbs of Metro ATL,” wrote @rainjojo. “And I’m glad to see representation of people who are like me indulging in punk rock. I got into this genre from childhood shows like “16,” “Stoked”, and other early 2000 to 2010 shows, and I remember being bullied for being whitewashed. Please keep making more music like this.”

The tour is named after “Proceed With Caution,” the band’s sophomore EP released on Oct. 2. Across six tracks, it continues in the same vein as “NSFW,” with sharp melodies and a dash of humor thrown in. But on “That’s Not Fair,” the group wades deeper into social commentary. It was also the most difficult to record, cut raw with no click track.

“We were just trying to think of things that were not fair, [from] small and trivial like losing your keys to, I don’t know, using it as a bridge to talk about larger issues and things like that,” Dangerfield says of the song. “I think a big thing for me personally, it’s not political … is kind of the fact that everything is getting so expensive. The price of everything is rising so rapidly, and the salaries that people are being paid are not really growing to match that.”

The Paradox perform at The Moroccan Lounge on Thursday, Oct. 22.

(Hunter Lyon)

“And it’s like, we got very lucky, but the thing is, most people don’t,” he continued. “If you’re gonna sacrifice all your time, slaving away working for big corporations and stuff like that, you should at least be able to, you know, buy a candy bar or something.”

So far, the musicians aren’t taking anything for granted and are trying to enjoy the in-between moments.

Dangerfield and his wife took their daughter on a Disney cruise for her second birthday — she’s spent much of her young life traveling with the band.

With some of his publishing money, Bernard indulged his love of vintage Japanese fashion and has a 2000s-era Tuscan house on his vision board. Crews stays healthy, listens to lots of Snarky Puppy, and looks forward to the relaxed cannabis laws of L.A. when the tour stops at the Moroccan Lounge on Oct. 22 and 23. If time allows, he might even have time to surf in Malibu.

Bryant, who counts Mike Dirnt, Mark Hoppus and James Jamerson among his biggest influences, balances a dream of seeing his band play for thousands with looking forward to a life lived like his older brother: a chiropractor with a nice family.

But some dreams will have to wait as the band goes back to making music, hopefully with lasting impact. The members want to become household names, “like Nirvana,” with music people will play for hundreds of years. Why not?

Anything is possible when you are a fantastic foursome.

Alesha Dixon leapt to the defence of her The Voice UK co-star Cheryl Tweedy after a contestant on Britain’s Got Talent attempted to criticise the Girls Aloud singer

Alesha Dixon instantly supported Cheryl Tweedy following a scathing comment from a Britain’s Got Talent hopeful. Although Alesha is currently appearing on the ITV talent show as a judge, next year she will take on a new role.

The singer will join Stacey Solomon, taking over from Emma Willis, as the pair join forces to host The Voice UK. The singing competition, which also airs on ITV, has undergone a major shake-up, with longstanding coach Sir Jom Jones axed.

Instead, Will.i.am will be returning alongside Kelly Rowland. Girls Aloud singer, Cheryl Tweedy, will join the panel alongside rapper Aitch. And it appears Alesha has already formed a strong bond with Cheryl.

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During filming for Britain’s Got Talent in Blackpool, it’s reported that a contestant attempted to criticise Cheryl’s vocal abilities. The Sun reports that Alesha hit back instantly.

The Mis-Teeq star slammed her red buzzer halfway through the hopeful’s act and used her feedback to make it clear that she wouldn’t allow his comments. “You don’t come after a mate of mine,” the singer fumed.

Although fans won’t see Cheryl taking on her full-time role as a coach until next year, they were, however, treated to a glimpse earlier this month. The singer joined her pal Will during the Battles Round of the ITV competition.

During the episode, Will revealed that he had been trying to get Cheryl to join him for the past 13 years. Cheryl knows exactly what it takes to make it in the music industry, having found fame after being selected for Girls Aloud on Popstars: The Rivals in 2002.

Speaking to Team Will, the Call My Name songstress said: “I’m so excited for you. You couldn’t be in better hands than you are with my man Will. Will and I have collaborated a lot over the years, so we know what it’s like for two very different artists to come together. I wish you all the very best for what you’ve got today, and I’m excited to see you all!”

Reflecting on her own experience, having found fame on Popstars, Cheryl said during a solo interview: “I have stood in the shoes that the contestants are standing in, and I know what it feels like to perform in this environment. You’ve just got to know that you’re good, or you wouldn’t be here.”

Cheryl’s decision to sign up for the show marks a return to television after a lengthy break from the spotlight. In recent years, Cheryl has turned her attention to family life and has only taken on brief work spells, including her West End debut in 2:22 A Ghost Story.

While she once dominated the music industry and became the first female artist to have five records debut at Number One, her last single, Let You, was released in 2019 and peaked at Number 57 on the Official Charts Company.

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What’s the opposite of a victory lap?

One answer arrived this year in the form of “Music, Fashion, Film,” Charli XCX’s bracing follow-up to 2024’s Grammy-winning “Brat.” An emotionally complicated dance-pop album about the relationship between power and vulnerability, “Brat” struck a nerve in a weird cultural moment and finally brought Charli the kind of stardom she’d been openly seeking for ages. In the LP’s immediate aftermath, the English musician hungrily scooped up the spoils of her success — playing Coachella’s main stage, starring in a highbrow mockumentary, soundtracking Hollywood’s latest take on “Wuthering Heights.”

Yet “Music, Fashion, Film” wonders what it all meant. It’s a digitally enhanced rock record — probably 2026’s best thing-with-guitar — that cycles through thoughts on ambition and trend-chasing before landing with a moving sense of serenity on the idea that everybody dies and takes their accomplishments with them.

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“No One Lasts Forever” is the album’s final track, and Sunday night that was also Charli’s closer at Inglewood’s Kia Forum, where she headlined the second of two shows over the weekend.

Structurally, the concert bookended songs from “Brat” (for which she was accompanied by prerecorded tracks) with stuff from “Music, Fashion, Film” (for which a scuzzy live band backed her up). There were stray oldies too, including “Constant Repeat,” which she introduced as one of the first songs she wrote about her husband, George Daniel — “even though it’s not exactly truthful,” she added — and the landmark hyperpop cut “Vroom Vroom.”

She also did “House,” a spooky goth-folk song from “Wuthering Heights” that had her writhing on the stage in the white-hot heat of a single spotlight — a sex kitten turned scream queen (or perhaps vice versa). And she brought out Adéla, the Slovakian singer famously booted from the reality show that created Katseye, to do her viral hit “Nicole Kidman,” which is just one of a handful of rough-edged pop hits this year that demonstrate “Brat’s” lasting influence.

Indeed, what was illuminating about the middle of the show — basically a half-hour-long club night with strobes cranked happily to here’s-the-seizure-you-ordered — was seeing how very un-tired Charli’s fans are of being pulverized by songs like “Club Classics,” for which she donned her Superman’s-cape sunglasses, and “Guess,” during which pairs of underwear rained down on the audience in a nod to the music video for the song’s remix with Billie Eilish.

Charli had opened with the new album’s “Rock Music,” in which she declares that “the dance floor is dead”; here, her sarcasm fooled precisely nobody.

My favorite part was the home stretch of tunes from “Music, Fashion, Film”: “Camera,” a startlingly frank confession of her movie-star aspirations; “Magic Metal Montana,” a deeply tender ode to her friend and collaborator A.G. Cook; “SS26,” a jittery electro-punk jam about “walking on a runway that goes straight to hell.”

I love the strange emotion in these songs — the feeling that you might as well say what you want because the only thing more embarrassing than taking a risk is not taking one.

At some point, Charli lit up a cigarette and waved it around like someone who’d discovered a critical truth. What were they gonna do — make her end the concert early?

Define early; better yet, define late.

BRITISH holidaymakers are increasingly planning their travel around music, sporting and cultural events, according to a study.

Whether considering a trip for a concert, music or food festival, exhibition or sporting fixture in 2027, 36 per cent now more likely to do so than they were this time a year ago.

This shift towards event-led travel is reshaping behaviour, with 45 per cent having already visited cities and countries they wouldn’t otherwise have considered.

Similarly, out of those who have stayed somewhere overnight for an event in the past four years, 62 per cent based their most recent travel plans entirely around it.

For sports fans, the commitment to being there for the moment can stretch well beyond a weekend.

The poll of 2,000 adults found 56 per cent would use annual leave to follow their team or country, while 31 per cent would travel abroad to see them play.

With hotels near almost every NFL stadium, Marriott Bonvoy, which is an Official Sponsor of the NFL, is helping travellers create a game plan for this season’s trips by appointing Efe Obada as its Check-In Coach.

Efe Obada said: “In the NFL, preparation gives you a strong starting point, but you’ve also got to trust your team and be ready to adapt when things change.

“I approach travel in the same way. If you’ve only got a few days in a city, be tactical, adaptable and make a game plan.

“Book your hotel, know how you’re getting to the main event and ask people who know the city for advice. That’s how to make the most of every trip.”

The research found many are embracing spontaneity, as 52 per cent said an unplanned discovery has gone on to become one of the highlights of their holiday.

While 37 per cent will only book their hotel, transport, and key activities in advance, leaving the rest flexible.

While spontaneity plays an important role, travellers still value a strong start to the day, with 52 per cent saying hotel breakfast is a non-negotiable part of their trip.

The study also uncovered four NFL-inspired travel personalities, revealing the roles travellers are most likely to play when travelling.

A quarter (25 per cent) identify as ‘The Quarterback’, the on-trip leader who brings everyone together, makes key decisions, and adapts the plan when things change.

The same number (25 per cent) see themselves as ‘The Coach’, the planner who has the logistics covered, from accommodation and transport to activities and timings.

While 24 per cent take the role of ‘Rookie’, the explorer who is experiencing a destination or event for the first time and turns to others for guidance and local recommendations.

Whereas 19 per cent were categorised as ‘The Receiver’, the spontaneous adventurer who spots opportunities, suggests unexpected detours, and helps create memorable moments.

Andrew Watson from Marriott International, said: “This research highlights what we see in our hotels, that travellers are increasingly planning trips around the things they are passionate about.

“Our partnership with the NFL is just one example of a wider commitment to helping our members pursue what they love.

Efe, who applied the strategy to his hometown, London, added: “London is one of those cities where every neighbourhood has its own personality.

“For a perfect weekend, I’d book at stay at citizenM Tower of London then grab a coffee at Qima Café in Covent Garden, walk along the Thames around Southbank or spend an afternoon at Hampstead Heath for unbeatable London views.

“For food, you can’t beat 2210 by NattyCanCook in Herne Hill or head to Passyunk Avenue in Waterloo for unmatched game-day vibes and a Philly cheese steak.”

EFE’S PLAYBOOK FOR A TACTICAL WEEKEND TRIP:

1. Do your pre-match analysis: Book your hotel early, check journey times and map out the key moments you don’t want to miss.

2. Kick off strong: Give yourself time to fuel up before heading out. A good game plan always starts with the essentials.

3. Teamwork is key: Local knowledge can make all the difference. Ask hotel staff for recommendations and insider tips.

4. Don’t be afraid to adapt: Leave room for unexpected discoveries – be that a bar, restaurant or neighbourhood. Sometimes the highlights aren’t part of the original strategy.

EXCLUSIVE: Richard Marx, a friend of Sir Tom Jones, has said the decision to axe the music icon from The Voice UK coaching panel was ‘handled badly’ amidst the public backlash

Sir Tom Jones’ friend has said the backlash surrounding ITV axing him from The Voice UK is “pretty significant”. The music icon, 86, was sensationally dropped by the ITV talent show after 13 years as part of a major shake-up.

Bosses had hoped to offer Sir Tom a role on the show, but in a “different capacity”. Although he’s currently appearing on series 14, next year will be very different. Long-standing coach will.i.am will be joined by returning coach, Kelly Rowland, as well as newbies Cheryl Tweedy and rapper Aitch.

Sources have since said that Sir Tom has ruled out returning to the show next year. He previously said that while he didn’t want to leave the show, ITV had made the decision “a while ago.”

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Speaking to the Mirror, Sir Tom’s pal and The Voice Australia coach, Richard Marx, said: “The way that went down, and I don’t know the behind-the-scenes details, but I know Tom a little bit, and he’s such a class act, and I think however they handled it, they handled it badly, it seems.

“And the backlash, the public backlash, has been pretty significant.” Richard went on to add: “I haven’t seen him in a while, but I actually spent some time in the studio with him years ago, and I grew up idolising him. When I was a little kid, it was Tom and Elvis; they were my guys.

“Years later, his son, who manages him, reached out to me, and we went into the studio together, Tom and I, and nothing ever really came of what we did in the studio, but he and I hit it off and got to spend some time together. He’s just such a lovely guy. I absolutely love Tom.”

Richard went on to say that despite Sir Tom’s health struggles, his pal is “remarkable”. He said: “I just saw a clip on TikTok yesterday from a gig like a week ago, and he came out, and you could tell he was like, ‘Ugh, my hips hurt!’ or whatever, you know, like, but then he sits down, and his voice is the same! It’s unbelievable, he’s 86. Holy s*8t!

“That’s goals for me, man! I want to be that. Tony Bennett was able to do that, and I look at Tom; there are so few people whose voices don’t just ultimately leave them in some way, shape, or form. And I think it’s a testament to Tom, and Tony Bennett also, if you just never stop singing, you just got to go—you just got to stay—sing all the time, and that’s what they do..”

After a career spanning decades and 14 albums, Richard also disclosed that trying to pick a setlist for his recent shows at the London Palladium had been “tricky”. “Especially in America,” he laughed, adding: “But in such an incredibly wonderful way. Which is why sometimes, I don’t play all the singles. I’ve done a few gigs here, where I didn’t do anything but hits.

“But when I was putting that setlist together, I thought ‘Man, I am the luckiest guy in the world to be able to have a setlist like that.’ I know that first of all, I cater to the people who’ve supported me all these years, and I know that they want to hear the hits. I get it, because I’m the same way when I go see um when I go see a band play, if they don’t do most of the material that I know and love, I’m going to be a little bummed out.”

His shows, he says, are a journey for fans to kick back and relax, listening to their favourite hits live, while also being introduced to new material. He’s also a fan of Niall Horan, explaining: “I’ve never seen Niall, but I’m a fan of his. If you’re the kind of performer I am, who talks to the audience a lot, once you build a rapport with that particular audience, they’re in.

“It’s almost like you saying to your friends at a dinner party, ‘Hey, listen, can we pause the Sade station here for a few minutes, because I want to play you a couple of songs I’m really into?’ Of course, your friends are going to go, ‘Yeah, show me! What do you got?’ It’s kind of like the same thing. I tell everybody, ‘If you come to see me live, I’m very proud of the music that we play.”

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