Tag: Elton John

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Elton John shares stage with new artists

Sir Elton John showcased his favourite new artists as he kicked off the Apple Music Festival 10 in London on Sunday (09.18.16).

The 69-year-old musical legend didn’t have a support act for the show at the Roundhouse in Camden, but instead invited Rosie Lowe, Parker Millsap, Gallant and Christine and the Queens to share the stage with him during his near-two hour set.

Each of the acts performed one of their own songs, backed by Elton on piano, before sharing vocals on one of his classic hits, with Gallant’s impressive falsetto on ‘Benny and the Jets’ a particular highlight, while 2016 breakout star Christine and the Queens rendition of her own ‘Tilted’ – before singing ‘Tiny Dancer’ – was met with cheers and wild dancing from the packed-out crowd.

Elton also performed some of his own new music, with a few tracks from his latest LP ‘Wonderful Crazy Night’ interspersed with classic sing-a-long hits such as ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues’, ‘Your Song’ and ‘Crocodile Rock’.

He ended his set with a rousing rendition of ‘Saturday Night’s All Right For Fighting’, for which he invited his four guests back on stage.

The ‘Philadelphia Freedom’ singer – who frequently plays new artists on his own ‘Rocket Hour’ show on Apple’s Beats 1 radio – admitted he loves discovering new artists.

Speaking on ‘Good Morning Britain’ on Monday (09.19.16), he said: "When I hear new music – and there is a lot of it around – it keeps me young and on my toes.

"I know all the great music, it’s all in my head but when you hear something new and that is so great, it really does inspire me."

The Apple Music Festival continues until September 30 with performances from the likes of The 1975, Britney Spears, Calvin Harris, Michael Buble, Alicia Keys and Robbie Williams.

And Elton is very impressed with the quality of the "very diverse" line-up that will be performing at the 10th anniversary of the free event.

He said: "I listen to their records. It’s a very diverse bill and that is what Apple Festival is about and that is what it should be about. Diversity.

"It’s all about the songs really. That keeps you in the forefront.

"There are all really good artists and great songwriters, proper artists and not top 10 c**p artists."

For those who were unavailable to catch Elton in person, the show – and the rest of the festival gigs – is available live and on-demand to Apple Music members in 100 countries.

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George Michael to make tell-all documentary

George Michael will interview a string of stars for an upcoming documentary about the making of his album ‘Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1’.

The 52-year-old pop legend will chat to stars such as Stevie Wonder, Sir Elton John, Mary J. Blige, Tony Bennett, Liam Gallagher, James Corden and Ricky Gervais on camera and discuss his second solo LP, which was released in 1990, and the decade in general.

The docu-film – which George will narrate and is being made in conjunction with Sony Music and BBC Worldwide – will also include sit down talks with supermodels Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Tatjana Patitz and Linda Evangelista, who had starring roles in his ‘Freedom ’90’ music video.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "This documentary will be a real delight for George’s fans. ‘Listen Without Prejudice’ was a real turning point in his career, and arguably when he really came in to his own as a solo artist.

"It still means so much to him today, which is why he’s narrating it. He’ll be heavily involved."

The film will recall a difficult time in the star’s life, when he was battling to be taken more seriously as a song-writer and locked horns with his record label Sony, who he eventually sued.

George had recently come out as gay and embarked on a relationship with Brazilian mode Anselmo Feleppo, who tragically died of AIDS in 1993.

BAFTA nominee Phillip Smith will direct the film, which coincides with the re-release of ‘Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1’ and will also feature George’s stunning 1996 MTV Unplugged performance.

Earlier this year it was reported that George was preparing to return to music and go on tour, and had been making enquiries with various insurance companies about the "logistics" of touring again.

The news that the former Wham! Star is making a resurgence in his career will delight fans, since he last appeared on stage in 2012.

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Lady Gaga is huge Spice Girls fan

Lady Gaga is a big fan of the Spice Girls.

The ‘Bad Romance’ hitmaker has revealed she used to be a huge fan of the girl group and performed their tracks at high school talent shows.

Speaking to Emma Bunton during an appearance on Heart Breakfast, Gaga gushed: "I’m having a bit of a moment being here with you as well, I mean it’s like very exciting!

"I was a big fan in high school and we used to do performances at school you know, for talent shows and stuff."

When quizzed which one of the girls she used to dress up as, the 30-year-old singer said: "[I was] Baby Spice."

Emma was clearly pleased by Gaga’s admission and said excitedly: "Get in, Gaga was Baby Spice!"

Elsewhere in the interview, the pop star – real name Stefani Germanotta – discussed collaborating with Mark Ronson and Beck on her new tracks.

When asked if her new single, ‘Perfect Illusion’, is a break up track, she said: "It can be a break up song, for sure, and I think on both sides, you know. Something that was so important to me and Mark Ronson was that we wanted it to be something that both sexes could relate to … I will say, we did work with Beck on the record, and someone else that’s very exciting."

However, Gaga was more reserved about divulging the name of her upcoming album.

Asked if she knows what she is planning to call the LP, she said: "I do, but I’m not going to reveal it yet."

And the ‘Poker Face’ hitmaker also remained tight-lipped on whether Elton John would be making an appearance.

She said simply: "I am not saying."

Lady Gaga was speaking to Jamie Theakston and Emma Bunton on Heart Breakfast. Tune in to Jamie Theakston and Emma Bunton on Heart London Breakfast, Mon-Fri 6am-9am.

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James Corden sings with coldplay

James Corden sang with Coldplay on Sunday (08.21.16).

The ‘Late Late Show’ host was "a little nervous" to join the British group on stage in Los Angeles to sing ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ in tribute to late singer Prince, but won over the Rose Bowl audience with his vocals.

According to E! News, James – who had been introduced by frontman Chris Martin as a former member of the band – kicked off the song before the group joined in to sing with him.

And after the track had finished, the singer produced a cake and had the audience sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the special guest, who turned 38 on Monday (08.22.16).

Chris was previously a guest on James’ ‘Carpool Karaoke’ segment and the talk show host recently recalled about how much the ‘Up & Up’ hitmaker enjoyed belting out his own hits in his car.

He said: "After every song he was like, ‘Oh, I haven’t heard that for ages!’ Or, ‘It brings me back to where I wrote this!.

"It’s actually quite a lovely thing for them to reminisce; they hear their whole career in eight songs."

James thinks the segment shows a very different side to his guests.

He said: "There’s an ease and an intimacy to it where you’d never ever see stars quite so unguarded.

"l’m different from when I’m doing the show when there’s an audience of 200. Seeing a huge megastar sing their hits in the same environment that you and I sing on our way to work — it’s humanizing."

And the popular presenter feels "lucky" to be treated to such intimate performances from huge stars when he films the show.

He said: "To sing ‘Tiny Dancer’ with Elton John in a car, you just think: If this was an auction prize, it would go for hundreds of thousands of dollars. I feel lucky every time I get in the car with any of these people who I just really admire and respect."

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James Corden to welcome Britney Spears to Carpool Karaoke

Britney Spears is to join James Corden on Carpool Karaoke for a drive-along sing-along

The 34-year-old singer is believed to be the next big star to join the ‘Late Late Show’ host on the popular segment on his hit US late night television show.

According to the New York Post newspaper, Britney is keen to do the segment to promote her upcoming new album ‘Glory’ – which is her first LP since 2013’s ‘Britney Jean’ and comes out on August 26.

The ‘Make Me’ hitmaker will follow in the footsteps of Justin Bieber, Adele, Sir Elton John, Stevie Wonder and many more who have been on the ride with the British funnyman and belted out their biggest hits.

It comes after James, 37, revealed Kanye West had turned down the chance twice to appear on the show and that he is currently doing everything he can to secure Beyoncé.

On the ‘Famous’ rapper bailing on him, he said: "Kanye has been booked to do [it] twice now but both times something came up. "He’ll do it eventually… He wants to do it."

And on his plans to get the ‘Hold Up’ hitmaker on board, he said: "It would break the internet. She’s on tour right now. We’re working on it."

Britney dropped the first single ‘Make Me’ on 15 July, and it debuted at number 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming her 34th Hot 100 entry and her sixth-highest charting debut tying with her first ever track "…Baby One More Time" released back in 1998.

She has repeatedly teased that several of the tunes on the album have a "new" sound for her.

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Charlie Sheen ‘brings HIV’ to party

Charlie Sheen ”brought [his] HIV” to Sir Elton John’s Oscars viewing party.

The ‘Anger Management’ actor – who confirmed last November he had contracted the virus four years ago – arrived casually-dressed to the singer’s glitzy bash, which raises money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation, last night (02.28.16) but insisted his appearance didn’t matter.

He told ABC7: ”If somebody said, ‘You’re not wearing a tie.’ Well, I’m at an AIDS event and I brought my HIV.”

In lieu of formal attire, Charlie teamed his jacket and trousers with a T-shirt bearing a picture of his own face and the slogan ”Stay positively negative”.

Charlie – who has five children from various relationships –

previously pledged to dedicate his life to find a cure for HIV and wants his offspring to regard him as a ”true hero”.

Revealing he hopes his kids will see the beneficial work he has done when they search the Internet for him in five years’ time, the 50-year-old star said: ”They’re going to see that dad is a true hero. That he helped a lot of people and continues to help people who can’t help themselves.

”I hope in my abilities to do something really positive with this.”

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Sir Elton John buys mansion for £22m

Sir Elton John has reportedly bought a ten-bedroom mansion in Beverly Hills for an estimated £22 million.

The 68-year-old singer and his husband David Furnish, who got married last year, have snapped up the sprawling pad, which was originally listed for £41 million four years ago, in California for £19 million less than the initial asking price.

The lavish three-storey estate, built in 2001, stretches across 25,000 square feet and comes with 10 bathrooms.

The home boasts stunning views of the busy city below, perfect for star gazing at night, a large outdoor pool in the picturesque back garden and a decking area ideal for hosting barbecues and parties in the summer months.

The inside features Victorian style interiors with high ceilings, mahogany bed frames with thick silk curtain enclosures and white windows to allow plenty of light.

The decor has been kept simple but timeless with a lick of magnolia paint, while the grand windy staircase adds class and the expensive chandeliers creates an elegant vibe.

The living room is complete with a large open fire with a marble ceramic and wooden beams to add character, while the dimmed lighting creates a cozy atmosphere.

The dining room also comes with a fire place and a large mahogany table running through the middle to seat 12 guests, while the patio doors open up towards the garden.

An 11-car subterranean garage takes prime position at the side of the house to cater for Elton’s collection of motors, according to Variety magazine.

Meanwhile, the couple – who are parents to Zachary, four, and Elijah, two – also have another property in Beverly Hills, which they bought in 2012 for an estimated £4.7 million.

They also have a home in Atlanta, a villa on top of Mont Boron in Nice, a country estate in Windsor and a lavish town house in the affluent area of Holland Park in London.

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Sir Elton John announces new album

Sir Elton John has announced he is releasing his 33rd album next February.

The 68-year-old music legend has named the LP ‘Wonderful Crazy Night’ and today (22.10.15) gave fans a taste of what’s to come by dropping his first single from the new record, ‘Looking Up’ an upbeat anthem with rock guitar riffs and his trademark piano sound.

The album was co-produced by Elton and T-Bone Burnett who recorded it at The Village studios in Los Angeles. The pair worked together on Elton’s much-lauded 2013 LP ‘The Diving Board’

The album sees Elton work again with drummer Nigel Olsson who he collaborated with in the 60s and guitarist Davey Johnstone who has performed in the pop legend’s band since 1971.

Percussionist Ray Cooper, bass player Matt Bissonette, keyboard player Kim Bullard and percussionist John Mahon are all heard on the new tracks.

The ‘Rocket Man’ hitmaker co-wrote all 10 songs with Bernie Taupin, who has been Elton’s co-writer for more than five decades.

‘Wonderful Crazy Night’ will be released via Island Records on February 5, 2016.

‘Wonderful Crazy Night’ full tracklisting:

1. ‘Wonderful Crazy Night’

2. ‘In The Name Of You’

3. ‘Claw Hammer’

4. ‘Blue Wonderful’

5. ‘I’ve Got 2 Wings’

6. ‘A Good Heart’

7. ‘Looking Up’

8. ‘Guilty Pleasure’

9. ‘Tambourine’

10. ‘The Open Chord’

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Leonardo DiCaprio auctions Elton John concerts for $3 million

Leonardo DiCaprio auctioned off two private Sir Elton John concerts for $3 million in aid of his environmental foundation.

The 40-year-old Hollywood star – who’s a dedicated environmentalist and has previously described global warming as ”the number-one environmental challenge” – staged a party for 1,000 guests, including the likes of Naomi Campbell, ­Orlando Bloom and Tommy Hilfiger, in St-Tropez, France and in total, raised more than $40 million for the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.

A source told the New York Post newspaper: ”The entire area was covered with models. It was so crowded you couldn’t move, but everyone just danced where they were in their gowns and tuxedos.”

Leonardo also auctioned off his own Rolex, as well as artwork by Banksy and Andy Warhol, with the proceeds going to his foundation, which is ”dedicated to the long-term health and wellbeing of all Earth’s inhabitants”.

The evening’s entertainment – which extended until 4:30am – featured a performance from DJ Cassidy, while comedian Chris Tucker also showed off his Michael Jackson-inspired dance moves.

Earlier this month, it was revealed Leonardo is donating $15 million to more than 30 environmental groups ”implementing innovative and impactful conservation projects around the globe”.

In a statement, the ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ star said: ”The destruction of our planet continues at a pace we can no longer afford to ignore.

”We have a responsibility to innovate a future where the habitability of our planet does not come at the expense of those who inhabit it. I am proud to support these organizations who are working to solve humankind’s greatest challenge.”

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Madonna slams D and G

Madonna has advised Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana to ”think before [they] speak”.

The ‘Living For Love’ singer is the latest star to speak out against the design duo following their controversial stance against gay adoption and branding children conceived through fertility treatment ”synthetic”.

Posting a picture of herself holding a baby while modelling for Dolce and Gabbana, she wrote on Instagram: ”All babies contain a soul however they come to this earth and their families. There is nothing synthetic about a soul!! So how can we dismiss IVF and surrogacy? Every soul comes to us to teach us a lesson God has his hand in everything even technology! We are arrogant to think Man does anything on his own. As above so below! Think before you speak.”

Madonna’s comments come after Sir Elton John – who has sons Zachary, five, and Elijah, two, with husband David Furnish – called for a boycott against the designers.

He wrote on Instagram: ”How dare you refer to my beautiful children as ‘synthetic’. And shame on you for wagging your judgemental little fingers at IVF – a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfil their dream of having children. Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again. #BoycottDolceGabbana”

Other stars to slam the designers include Courtney Love – who said she wanted to ”burn” her D&G clothing – Sharon Stone Martina Navratilova, Ricky Martin and ‘Glee’ creator Ryan Murphy.

In response to the calls for a boycott, the designs have slammed the outcry as ”medieval”.

Gabbana said: ”Boycott Dolce & Gabbana for what? They don’t think like you? This is correct? This is not correct. We are in 2015. This is like medieval. It’s not correct.”