Pop Music

PUSSYCAT Dolls have kicked rap star Lil’ Kim off their UK tour after a string of controversies.

The Lady Marmalade star, 52, won’t appear for the final night of the run at London’s O2 Arena later today, with the headline act fed-up of her unpredictable behaviour.

A source said: “Kim didn’t show up to their gig in Manchester on Saturday night, and it was all very last minute. It threw everything into chaos and a sign just went up at the last minute to say she wouldn’t be performing.

“As a result, she hasn’t been asked back for the closing night in London tonight, which was seen as the grand finale.

“Her not showing up in Manchester was really the final straw for team PCD, there had been a string of issues where she was challenging to work with.”

The Sun has contacted representatives for the Pussycat Dolls and Lil’ Kim.

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No official reason for Kim’s absence in Manchester was given, though some fans claimed she was ill.

However, others noticed she had shared social media videos of herself on her tour bus in the build-up to the gig where it looked she was playing video games.

One fan wrote on TikTok: “She was on the tour bus prepping for GTA 6.”

Another posted: “Omg we were there last night how bad is that, not even a comment on sorry she’s no show or anything, playing GTA in the trailer apparently, previous videos of her trying glad she didn’t show.”

Kim came under fire from baffled fans at a previous gig in Paris when a music video playing on the big screens behind her during her set appeared to be synced from her phone and private messages kept popping up before the feed was quickly pulled.

Kim, whose real name is Kimberly Denise Jones, shot to fame in 1994 after being discovered by late rap legend The Notorious B.I.G.

The larger than life star then invited Kim to join the Brooklyn-based rap group Junior M.A.F.I.A, before she launched her solo career with her double-platinum album Hard Core, which debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200.

Grammy-winner Kim’s biggest hits in the UK are all collabs, including the 2001 number one ‘Lady Marmalade’, a cover commissioned for the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, and 2003 track ‘Can’t Hold Us Down’ with Christina Aguilera, which reached number six.

LOUIS TOMLINSON has opened up about juggling being a globetrotting singer and a proud dad.

The former One Direction star said: “Being a dad is incredibly rewarding, but it’s also challenging.

“On my recent American run of shows, my son Freddie came to two shows.

“I normally do a really good job of splitting myself down the middle – me as dad, and me at work as a singer.

“When those two worlds meet, I find it incredibly stressful because all I want to do is give all of my time to Freddie, but the mental game to stand up on stage is also quite consuming.

“Me and my son almost pretend that I don’t do this job – we live our lives as normally as we possibly can.

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“When home and work collide, it’s a bit uncomfortable as, truthfully, all I want to do is spend my time with him.”

Louis made the candid comments to The Snuts’ Jack Chochrane for the Finding Joy In Short Moments podcast with Calm.

Despite completing two as-good-as-sold-out world tours, Louis says he still doubts himself at times now he’s without his bandmates.

He added: “It can be tough for me. Sometimes I might not think I am good enough to be on the stage.

“But I never leave the stage with that feeling.”

Coming from a band is always hard – let alone one that contained superstar Harry Styles – but I think Louis is killing it.

LOLA STARS IN STRIPES

LOLA YOUNG is stripe on trend as she takes to the stage in Texas.

The Messy singer wore this bold, multicoloured co-ord as she performed at the 2026 Austin City Limits Music Festival at the weekend.

Lola’s set went down a treat with festivalgoers, but just days ago the star revealed she sometimes struggles to breathe due to her love of vapes.

Taking to TikTok, Lola explained: “Somebody once said to me, ‘Lola, there will be a day when you wake up, you’ll be 25 or 26, from a deep sleep, and you’ll start to feel the effects of vaping’.

“You know what I said? I said ‘nah’ and rolled my eyes.

“But let me tell you something, the day has come.

“My lungs feel like they’re battery-powered, like they’re just one big battery.

“Breathing feels like a chore, it feels like hard work, it feels like I should be paid for breathing. It feels like there will be no tomorrow.”

MARRIED JOY APPEALS TO TROYE

AUSSIE star Troye Sivan says attending Dua Lipa and Charli XCX’s glitzy weddings gave him a kick up the bum to find a husband.

The Rush singer, who is 31, explained: “All of my friends in Australia, they all got married when we were young, early 20s vibe.

“I felt nothing because I was like, ‘I’m on such a different track of life from them. I’m living in the US, I’m gay and I’m surrounded by people who are not married’.

“Then I started to feel the pressure for the first time when I started to go to music peers’ weddings.”

Troye split from model Jacob Bixenman in 2020. He told the Therapuss podcast: “Seeing Charli and Dua get married, I’m like, ‘Oh, f**k, my excuse of I’m really busy . . .  I’m nowhere near as busy as them and they managed to make it work’.

“So I’m like, ‘OK, yeah, I should try and lock this down somehow’.”

KAI’S SCARY TRIP IS STRICTLY BUSINESS

IT seems Kai Widdrington has been getting in the mood for Strictly’s Halloween special later this month.

The pro dancer took time out from his gruelling training sessions with celeb partner Delta Goodrem for a date night at the weekend.

The buff star and his girlfriend Chloe Wells headed to the VIP launch of Tulleys Shocktober Fest – the largest scream park in Europe.

Luckily, the scare mazes were the only fright Kai got this weekend as last night he and Delta sailed through to the next week of Strictly.

I honestly think they could go all the way.

GLASTO’S A 42-MIN SELL OUT

CONGRATULATIONS to all who secured tickets to Glastonbury 2027.

Yesterday hundreds of thousands of hopefuls battled to get tickets to the greatest festival on earth.

Tickets to Glasto 2027 were the highest price ever at £408 each, but they still sold out in 42 minutes.

Headliners are set to be announced soon – with Harry Styles a dead cert for one of the slots. I previously told how Lily Allen has also been officially asked to perform at Worthy Farm.

The last time she was on the bill was in 2014, so I’m sure her set next year will be a moment.

The Bizarre team will be there to bring you all the gossip.

BUSTED’s Matt Willis revealed neither he nor wife Emma thought she would manage to land the Strictly hosting job, but he couldn’t be more proud of her.

He said: “Strictly was a curveball. Taking the biggest job on TV was not on our bingo card for 2026, but I’m so proud of her.

“And if anyone can do it, it’s Emma. I’m stoked for her, she’s perfect for it, and loves the show so much.”

TAKE THAT £73M TO THE BANK

TAKE THAT are laughing all the way to the bank.

Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald pulled in a staggering £73million from their summer Circus Live stadium tour.

In a report from Pollstar – the leading music analytics firm –  the trio earned £4,299,605.67 every night of their two-hour celebration.

The bank-balance-busting fees break down to £195,436.62 a song, £35,830 a minute, or £597.17 a second.

I was invited to hang out with the lads for their first night in Sheffield, and honestly, it was one of the best nights of my life.

FEARNE IS IN A REAL HAPPY PLACE NOW

FEARNE COTTON’s wellness brand Happy Place has put her in just that, as it banked £2million last year.

The former Top Of The Pops host set up the company after mental health struggles left her too scared to continue as a live TV or radio host – and her venture has certainly paid dividends.

As well as Happy Place being a podcast, she now holds the Happy Place Festival, has written books, and has built a market place where she gets a cut if people make purchases.

Latest accounts filed at Companies House show the star’s firm paid £500,000 in tax last year. After paying bills, the company has £1.4m in equity, including close to £1.2m cash in the bank – a rise from £900,000 the year before.

Fearne has been in the spotlight since the age of 15, when she won a nationwide talent search to present TV’s The Disney Club.

While her career has had a few twists and turns over the years, this is sure to have helped put a smile back on her face.

BILLY Joel has shared a new health update just weeks after undergoing surgery for a rare brain condition.

The singer, 77, who was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) in May 2025, underwent a procedure to help improve his symptoms last month.

According to the NHS website, a hydrocephalus is a “build-up of fluid in the brain. The excess fluid puts pressure on the brain, which can damage it”, and NPH “usually develops in older people”.

He had a shunt implanted in his brain to drain excess fluid.

Earlier this week he shared how he has been feeling while on his SiriusXM show The Billy Joel Channel.

Billy said: “I know people are worried about me because they read that I have a brain disorder, which sounds a lot worse than it actually is.”

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He added: “I’m okay” but went on to confess that his “balance isn’t that good”.

The performer also explained that he’s “lost a little bit of my hearing” – which he actually thinks is due to the performing on stage for years.

The star also confessed that he “appreciates” everyone but doesn’t want people to “worry” about him.

Talking about the surgery, Billy said last month: “I didn’t want to do that, but then I read up on it and I realised it can help improve your balance and can help your memory.”

He added: “You know, I don’t want to lose my marbles.

“It’s hard to tell what’s age and what’s a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt and I had a surgery, and they implanted a shunt in my brain and it actually improved things.”

After having the surgery, Billy explained: “My memory got better, my balance got a little better, my ability to function was better.” 

After being diagnosed with NPH, Billy cancelled all tour dates due to the condition.

Billy is best known for songs such as Piano Man, Uptown Girl and We Didn’t Start the Fire.

A 90s POP star looked unrecognisable as he belted out his big hit at his daughter’s wedding.

The singer, now, 62, found fame thanks to his massive dance song back in the day – but can you guess who it is?

The star in question is Mark Carson Adams who goes by the stage name Duke.

The Newcastle singer is best known for his massive 1994 house anthem So In Love With You.

Mark thrilled guests at his daughter Faith’s wedding, when he took to the stage to perform his famous song.

Dressed in a black tux, the 90s star sang his famous dance tune, as he got the party started.

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At one point the bride and groom joined him on stage to dance, as their guests gathered around.

Mark’s daughter shared the moment on TikTok and playfully wrote over the top of the video: “When your dad decides to sing his 90s hit at your wedding and your friends are no.1 fans.”

The singer looked different to his 90s heyday, after ditching his moustache and goatee beard.

Mark was 30 when So In Love With You was released, and the song propelled him to stardom.

The smash hit dance tune was included on his 1995 album, The 10 Commandments Of Love. 

The song was also famously remixed by Fatboy Slim as Pizzaman and topped the US Billboard Dance chart in 1997.

Although So In Love With You remains his biggest hit to date, Mark has continued to perform.

The singer’s Instagram is filled with all the live events he has played at, plus all the shows he has coming up.

You can find out more about Faith on her TikTok and more on Duke on Spotify.

A MAJOR pop star was spotted singing one of her hit tracks in a quiet driveway.

The singer was dressed casually and having a great time performing to the small, happy crowd – but would you have recognised it was her?

Anne-Marie strutted around the car park with a mic in hand, singing Rockabye .

A little blue stand stood behind her for the event, which a reposter on TikTok said was part of a street party.

Anne-Marie sported pink hair, pink and blue ombre shoes and a comfortable pair of black tracksuit trousers for the day.

She finished the look off with a simple necklace and a black graphic tee.

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People waved their arms along to the music while children joyfully blew bubbles.

Fans adored seeing the interaction, and flooded the comments section of the clip with praise for Anne-Marie.

One user said: “She’s just so down to earth, and she’s got the best voice.”

A second shared: “I love her she’s beautiful, natural and a people person. Plus her voice is perfection.”

A third added: “Local girl done good. Love this!”

Rockabye was released by Clean Bandit in 2016, but Anne-Marie and Sean Paul featured on the record.

It became hugely popular, to date having over 3 billion views on YouTube alone.

POP star Zara Larsson has made waves rocking a purple bikini on Instagram in a striking, nighttime photoshoot.

The Swedish singer, 28, can be seen posing on a beach, bathed in dark lighting with dramatic flash photography and an E.T vibe.

The blonde bombshell can be seen wearing a tiny metallic purple string bikini paired with her long blonde hair down with decorative glowing star stickers scattered across her skin.

The visual highlights several dynamic poses, including standing centered within a mesmerising circular swirl pattern carved into the sand, crouching low to the ground and striking side-profile silhouettes.

Injecting a touch of humour into the artistic drop, the post also features a playful product shot of a water bottle sitting upright in the middle of the sand ripples.

The post quickly drew hundreds of thousands of likes and a flood of enthusiastic comments from fans praising her look.

Fans commented: “God is a woman.”

A second playfully wrote: “She can just do that with the sand btw.”

A third added: “BODY WAS SCULPTED FROM THE GODS.”

Zara recently addressed the White House social media team’s use of her song Midnight Sun in a TikTok video featuring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations captioned ‘Never ending deportations’.

In a response shared on TikTok, Larsson expressed her sadness and heavy heart regarding the situation.

She shared a message directed at the creators of the video and wrote: “I wish I could talk to you, and I wish I could help you remember that you and I, we aren’t that different at all.

“And we’re not that different from the people in the video, either.

“The biggest difference between us is that we were dealt a different hand in life.”

The singer continued: “I consider myself so lucky with the life that I’ve been dealt.

“The fact that I’m born in Sweden, I’ve had an education and I’ve had all these opportunities just sort of laid out in front of me.

“I can travel and get to do all these amazing things. That’s luck.

“There are people out there who are not that lucky, and they want to have a better life for their families or for themselves and their children.

“I just don’t understand how it could be the worst thing in the world to be an undocumented immigrant.”

Larsson continued: “This video is so dehumanizing. These people in the video are real people.

“It’s so crazy how everything is so meme-ified, especially ‘Midnight Sun,’ which is about feeling connected to nature, the universe and people, essentially.

“And this just creates this massive divide between people. I just don’t get it. It’s so f***ing uncool… You guys are such f***ing losers, like it’s crazy.”

NOUGHTIES pop singer La Roux has said “she’s back” after disappearing from the spotlight – revealing a “nervous breakdown” ended her career.  

La Roux – real name Elly Jackson – shot to fame in 2009 and is known for her number one single Bulletproof. 

But it’s been a long time since La Roux released a new album and, ahead of her upcoming LP Old Flames, she posted on TikTok to tell fans she’s back. 

She wrote: “You think you can hurt me?

“I literally wrote and sung this song, lost my voice, had a nervous breakdown and disappeared for 10 years.” 

Speaking about releasing new music, La Roux told Another: “It’s been a long time coming, so I’m very eager to get back out there. 

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“Supervision [my third album] being totally marred by the [Covid-19] pandemic wasn’t ideal, so I’m very excited.”

She added: “I’d only just finished my last album when the pandemic hit, so I wasn’t ready to start making a new record instantly. You need a gap before you make new work. 

“I started f***ing around with new sounds and new ideas. It took a couple of years to know if I even wanted to make another record or if there was any point.”

La Roux’s mum is actress Trudie Goodwin, who drama fans will know best for playing Sergeant June Ackland in ITV’s The Bill.

She previously shared the advice Trudie, 74, gave her on dealing with fame. 

La Roux said: “She’s really good at saying things like, ‘Never have a drink when you do an interview’ – which I don’t always take notice of! And ‘Only give away what you need to give away’.

“And she says that if there’s paparazzi, just give them a picture and they’ll f**k off.”