Pink has delved deeper into her somewhat complicated history with Christina Aguilera, claiming the Genie In A Bottle singer wanted to get into a fight on the set of their Lady Marmalade video… over a chair.
She then said fellow Lady Marmalade collaborators Lil’ Kim and Mýa “were nice”, pointedly leaving out Christina.
Pink has since been asked about her comments during an appearance on HBO Max’s Who’s Talking To Chris Wallace?.
The host said that based on the video, Pink would’ve “kicked [Christina’s] ass,” to which she replied: “Well, Maybe.”
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She continued: “Our personalities just didn’t…not everyone is supposed to like each other and that’s ok. Back then, our personalities did not mix at all and that was ok. We hugged it out and kissed it out and we have many times since.
“The shade — where people get it twisted with me is that if you ask me a question I’m going to answer it honestly,” Pink said.
“I’m going to tell you my experience of how it happened. That’s not shade, that’s just honesty. I should know better by now that total honesty doesn’t work in this world. People want to hear nice things and want you to clean it all up for them and that’s just not my way.”
Pink and Christina Aguilera have a somewhat complicated history
Steve Granitz via Getty Images
The presenter then asked if Christina really wanted to fight with Pink on the Lady Marmalade set.
“She did,” the So What singer replied. “She was upset that I was sitting in her chair and was going to shut down the entire production. I didn’t know I was sitting in her chair.
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“And also, I was homeless at 15. You can’t talk to me any kind of way. You picked the wrong one. But that’s over,” she continued.
“It’s an interesting story, but it probably happens every day in every workplace. Some people just don’t get along, and then they figure it out and they realise what’s important, and they hug it out and move on.”
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HuffPost UK has contacted a representative for Christina Aguilera for comment, and is awaiting a response.
The pair’s feud dates back many years, with Pink previously claiming tensions first began when Christina’s manager started trying to call the shots during a meeting about who would sing which parts.
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Reports later claimed that Pink was unhappy when her collaborator, Linda Perry, started working with Christina, even allowing her to record a track the songwriter had penned, Beautiful, that the Missundaztood star initially had her eye on.
Pink later claimed that things had even turned physical between them, telling Watch What Happens Live in 2017 that Christina “swung on me in a club”, recalling the incident as “hilarious”.
Christina subsequently said she wouldn’t “swing on” Pink joking: “She could beat my ass! Are you kidding me?”.
In 2016, the pair appeared to have put their beef behind them when the former appeared as a guest mentor to help the latter on The Voice.
Pink later tweeted that she and her one-time rival had “made amends”.
Last week, Pink responded to a now-deleted tweet about her Buzzfeed UK interview, writing: “Y’all are nuts. Xtina had shit to do with who was on that song.
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“If you don’t know by now – I’m not ‘shading’ someone by telling it over and over and over what actually happened.
“I’m zero percent interested in your fucking drama. If you haven’t noticed, I’m a little busy selling… and by selling, I mean tickets and albums and bake sales and shit.
“Also – I kissed XTina’s mouth. I don’t need to kiss her ass.”
Ed Sheeran has dismissed claims he turned down an offer to perform during a celebratory concert in honour of King Charles’ upcoming coronation.
Last month, it was revealed that a televised concert featuring “global music icons and contemporary stars” will take place on Sunday 7 May, the day after Charles is officially crowned.
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Over the weekend, the Mail On Sunday reported that organisers had been hoping that both Ed and fellow chart-topping British singer Adele would take part in the event, but were dealt a “huge blow” when both musicians were unavailable due to previous commitments.
However, a spokesperson for Ed Sheeran has insisted this is not the case.
King Charles III at a reception in support of action on global biodiversity at Buckingham Palace earlier this week
WPA Pool via Getty Images
According to the Metro, a representative for the Shape Of You said that neither he “nor his team” have been “approached” about performing during the show.
Ed is currently scheduled to perform in Arlington, Texas on 6 May, the day before the event, but this is then followed by a week-long gap in tour dates.
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HuffPost UK has contacted Adele’s representatives for comment.
It was previously revealed that musical theatre composer Andrew Lloyd Webber had been commissioned to create a new anthem in honour of the King’s coronation.
A balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace and a day of volunteering will all form part of celebrations for the coronation between 6 and 8 May, in addition to the star-studded musical event.
Ahead of the ceremony, the Queen of Pop shared a video on Instagram of her in her outfit by designer Loree Rodkin, which was giving us high end equestrian vibes (complete with riding crop, obvs).
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After taking to the stage at the Crytpo.com Arena in Los Angeles, Madonna paid tribute to her fellow “troublemakers and rebels”.
“Are you ready for a little controversy? Here’s what I’ve learned after four decades in music,” she began.
“If they call you shocking, scandalous, troublesome, problematic, provocative or dangerous, you are definitely onto something.
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“I’m here to give thanks to all the rebels out there, forging a new path and taking the heat for all of it.
“All you troublemakers out there need to know that your fearlessness does not go unnoticed. You are seen, you are heard and, most of all, you are appreciated.”
She concluded: “So now, speaking of controversy, it gives me great pleasure to introduce two incredibly talented artists who have risen above the noise, the doubt, the critics into something beautifully unholy. Here are two Grammy award winners, Sam Smith and Kim Petras.”
Sam and Kim then took to the stage for a fiery (literally) performance of their hit Unholy, which featured cameo appearances from RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Gottmik and Violet Chachki.
Kim and Sam triumphed in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their collaboration Unholy, which topped the charts upon its release last year.
(L-R) Kim Petras and Sam Smith onstage during the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Emma McIntyre via Getty Images
Taking to the stage to collect the prize, the German singer and songwriter revealed to the audience that Sam “graciously wanted me to accept this award because I’m the first transgender woman to win this award”.
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“I just want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me, who kicked these doors open for me so I could be here tonight,” Kim said.
Kim went on to give a special mention to Madonna, for her “fight for LGBTQ rights”, and claimed she wouldn’t “be here” without the Queen of Pop or her own mother.
Kim Petras took a moment to honour the transgender trailblazers that came before her as she celebrated her first ever Grammy win on Sunday night.
During this year’s Grammys ceremony, Kim and Sam Smith triumphed in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their collaboration Unholy, which topped the charts upon its release last year.
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Taking to the stage to collect the prize, the German singer and songwriter revealed to the audience that Sam “graciously wanted me to accept this award because I’m the first transgender woman to win this award”.
“I just want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me, who kicked these doors open for me so I could be here tonight,” Kim said.
She then gave a specific shout-out to the late music producer Sophie, who died in 2021 after an accident.
Sophie performing at Yola Fest in 2019
Scott Dudelson via Getty Images
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Kim said of her friend and fellow musician: “She told me this would happen, and always believed in me. Thank you so much for your inspiration, Sophie. I adore you. And your inspiration will forever be in my music.”
Kim went on to give a special mention to Madonna, for her “fight for LGBTQ rights”, and claimed she wouldn’t “be here” without the Queen of Pop or her own mother.
Madonna at the 2023 Grammys
CBS Photo Archive via Getty Images
Later in the evening, the Like A Prayer singer returned the favour, by introducing Sam and Kim before their fiery (literally!) performance of Unholy during the show, which featured cameo appearances from RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Gottmik and Violet Chachki.
Check out all the winners from the 2023 Grammys here.
If you needed any more persuading (really?) to see Beyoncé on her forthcoming Renaissance World Tour, then take heed from her father and former manager.
Ahead of her first world tour in seven years, Mathew Knowles was in London to talk to the next generation of performers about what he learned from managing the R&B group Destiny’s Child, which made Beyoncé famous.
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Beyoncé and her father Matthew Knowles pictured in 2007.
Dave M. Benett via Getty Images
“I’m so proud (of Beyoncé) because…I know all the work she puts into it and I know all the creativity that she puts into it,” he told ITV News.
“She gives back to her audience and (both the) audience and her walk away drained, because she’s given them so much energy to take back with them.
“She’s one of the best entertainers in our time today. She cares about her fans, she works hard to connect with them and practice and practice and practice and dare to be different, dare to think outside of the box and not be a box in thinker as an artist.”
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His other daughter, Solange Knowles, was a back-up dancer in Destiny’s Child and is also a successful musician in her own right and won a Grammy in 2017 for best R&B performance for the single Cranes In The Sky.
Beyoncé performs on stage headlining the Grand Reveal of Dubai’s newest luxury hotel, Atlantis The Royal on January 21, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Mason Poole/Parkwood Media/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal)
Mason Poole/Parkwood Media via Getty Images
Matthew added: “One thing that I love about my kids is that they are good people, they would say hello to the janitor, the same way they would say hello to the president.”
Named after Beyoncé’s latest No.1 album of the same name, the Renaissance World Tour kicks off on 10 May in Stockholm before visiting stadiums in Europe and the UK over spring and summer.
In the UK, she performs first at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on 17 May, before moving to Edinburgh’s Murrayfield on 20 May and Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on 23 May.
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She will then play two nights at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 29-30 May.
Beyoncé’s seventh studio album saw her go in another musical direction by incorporating house music, disco and dancefloor-focused Afrobeats.
The album was a commercial and critical success, topping the charts in both the UK and US and has been nominated for a string of awards.
She will go head to head with Adele at the Grammy Awards this Sunday, after they were both nominated in the album of the year category for Renaissance and 30 respectively.
They last competed for the prize in 2017 when it went to Adele.
She is also nominated for a Brit in the International Artist of the Year category, along with Taylor Swift and Lizzo.
“In my personal life, there’s not one negative,” the Unholy singer explained. “My family, they can communicate with me. They always did. But they communicate with me now in an even better way.
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“My love life has become better from it. I feel lovable. I feel comfortable in my skin, but I wear what I want to wear.”
They continued: “Since changing my pronouns, it felt like a coming home. I wish I knew what the words were when I was in school, because I would’ve identified as that in school. Because it is who I am and it’s who I’ve always been.”
Sam Smith with Zane Lowe
However, Sam admitted there were “two sides” to the story, admitting that when it comes to their “public life”, there have been some “struggles”.
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Sam recalled: “The amount of hate and shittiness that came my way was just exhausting.
“And it was really hard… and it’s not like – this isn’t me sitting at home Googling my name. It was in the fucking news. It was hard not to look.
“But for me, I can deal with not Googling myself, not reading comments. That’s something I can control. What people don’t realise with trans non-binary people in the UK is it’s happening in the street. I’m being abused in the street verbally more than I ever have.
“So that was the hardest part, I think, was being at home in the UK and having people shouting at me in the street. Someone spat at me in the street. It’s crazy.”
They added: “What I find hard about it is, it’s like, if that’s happening to me and I’m famous, I’m a pop star, can you imagine what other kids, like queer kids are feeling? And it’s just so sad that we’re in 2023 and it’s still happening.”
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Sam meets up with Zane Lowe in New York for a wide-ranging conversation ahead of their Saturday Night Live performance.\n\nSam Smith discusses how ‘In the Lonely Hour’ feels in hindsight’, and reveals how years of playing into a character separated their public and private lives, making many people around them resistant to the more sexualized direction of ‘Gloria.’ Sam reveals the personal struggles that they’ve conquered to get to where they are today, including homophobia, transphobia, OCD, and body dysmorphia, and how music remained their saving grace.\n\nDespite all the hardships, Sam celebrates recent wins, like being invited to the White House with President Biden, performing with Kim Petras and Sharon Stone on Saturday Night Live, and going on tour again with their most authentic music yet. 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On Friday, Sam unveiled their fourth album Gloria, which was preceded by the number one hit Unholy.
They are currently gearing up to perform the track with collaborator Kim Petras at both the Grammys and Brit Awards next month, where they are up for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the former and two awards – Song Of The Year and Best Pop/R&B act – at the latter.
Beyoncé returned to the stage for her first headline show in over four years on Saturday night, performing at a private hotel launch event in Dubai.
The music icon was rumoured to have been paid £19.4million ($24m) for the exclusive concert at the grand reveal of Atlantis The Royal – billed as the world’s most ultra-luxury resort.
The singer was joined by her 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy on stage at one point, with the pair duetting on Brown Skin Girl from the 2019 album, The Lion King: The Gift.
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Blue Ivy has performed with her mum in pre-recorded situations, but this marked her debut performance on a public stage.
Beyoncé and daughter Blue Ivy Carter perform on stage headlining the Grand Reveal of Dubai’s newest luxury hotel, Atlantis The Royal.
Kevin Mazur via Getty Images
Opening her 90-minute set with her cover of Etta James’s At Last, Beyoncé wowed the 1,500-strong crowd with fan favourites such as Crazy In Love, Naughty Girl, Halo and XO – culminating with a rendition of Drunk In Love as fireworks lit up the sky.
Taking to the stage in a yellow sequinned gown with a sculptural feathered cape, the 41-year-old was flanked by a full band, a Middle Eastern orchestra and dancers clad in red sequinned outfits and full skirts.
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The singer chose not to debut any tracks from latest album Renaissance, which is nominated for two Grammys.
“There’s a Utopia of people from all over the world on this stage and we are so honoured to be here to celebrate this night with you,” Beyoncé said.
“My parents are here tonight to celebrate – my mother and my father. My beautiful children are here to see me perform and my beautiful husband.”
Mason Poole/Parkwood Media via Getty Images
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She later changed into a red and gold bejewelled body suit with a voluminous train and completed a third costume change with a red corseted minidress with matching stockings and gloves.
There was a strict “no phones” policy, with attendees asked to place their mobiles inside specially provided bags, but that didn’t stop some VIP guests from still managing to record parts of the show.
The exclusive concert was attended by celebrities including Kendall Jenner, Liam Payne, Ronan Keating, Rochelle and Marvin Humes and British Vogue editor Edward Enninful.
Mason Poole/Parkwood Media via Getty Images
“We’ve given her creative control. This is her art – we want her to express her art in her way,” managing director Tim Kelly told the PA news agency ahead of the performance.
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“I can’t express to you enough the level of professionalism and discipline with the rehearsals.
“From the moment she arrived last week she was on the stage, rehearsing and performing, and she’s developing and curating a performance.
“She’s not taking a show out of the box because she doesn’t have a show in the box. You’re going to get the full-throttle Beyonce.”
Beyoncé attends the Atlantis The Royal Grand Reveal Weekend, a new ultra-luxury resort on January 21, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Mason Poole/Parkwood Media/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal)
Mason Poole/Parkwood Media via Getty Images
Asked if it was difficult to secure the global pop star for the launch, Mr Kelly said: “It took a long time, but it also came together rather quickly.
“It’s a circumstance of where she chooses what she wants to do. We’re honoured, we’re proud and for her to be here to do this in Dubai on this night, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
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“We have always expressed that this is an iconic building, and then to have the most iconic performer on the planet available today, someone who hasn’t been seen in public performing in over four years, it’s really a night of icons.”
But it’s now been revealed that the performance almost looked very different – with a whole other diva claiming she was initially supposed to have been involved too.
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During a recent interview with E! News, Jennifer Lopez claimed that she met with Madonna and Britney at the Queen of Pop’s home to discuss a group performance.
“I was filming a movie in Canada, and we had met – me, her and Britney — to do it at her home,” she said (via People). “And then I just couldn’t get off the film. So, we couldn’t do it.”
Jennifer Lopez
Amy Sussman via Getty Images
Apparently J-Lo’s loss was Xtina’s gain, though, with the Jenny From The Block singer adding: “They got Christina Aguilera, I think, to do it, and I didn’t wind up doing it. I love Madonna. I’m a huge fan. I always have been.”
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However, Jen isn’t the only star who’s claimed she was supposed to be part of the iconic number.
Shortly after the performance in 2003, Pink claimed that both she and Gwen Stefani had been approached to be part of the routine.
“It was supposed to be me, Gwen and Britney,” the So What singer reportedly told the Daily Record. “Me and Gwen backed out of it and they got Christina.
“Madonna originally wanted me, Britney and Gwen. But I know how Madonna’s mind works. She was the boss. She was the groom. While everyone else was her 20 years ago. And I am nobody’s bitch.”
Pink later told MTV that “the kiss wasn’t even talked about” when she was approached to perform with Madonna.
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Kevin Winter via Getty Images
“I had one vacation all year, and I was not leaving my vacation to go into a rehearsal studio,” she added. “Which sounds ridiculous.
“But you know, I just said, ‘I can’t be at those rehearsals, but I can learn it for that day, and I’m sure that I’ll be more than capable of doing it.’ ”
Pop fans – the time has come to start updating your Christmas playlists.
This year, we’ve really been spoilt, with some of the biggest names in music unveiling brand new festive offerings, including seasonal tunes from the likes of Lizzo, Sam Smith and Alicia Keys.
Fortunately for those who don’t feel like sifting through every single new song to sort out the “naughty” from the “nice”, we’ve done all the hard work for you.
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Here’s our take on some of the biggest new Christmas releases for this year, starting with something very special indeed…
Lindsay Lohan – Jingle Bell Rock, feat. Ali Tomineek
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Oh, Santa has been good to us this year. Not only is 2022 the year we finally got a Lindsay Lohan comeback in the wonderfully cheesy Netflix original Falling For Christmas, it also came with a bonus stocking filler in the form of a new musical offering from the criminally-underrated artiste.
What’s more, the track is a cover of the festive staple Jingle Bell Rock, in a nod to one of the most iconic scenes of Lindsay’s signature film, Mean Girls.
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All in all, we’re very much here for her take on Jingle Bell Rock, and we enjoy what the musical team did in terms of bringing the song up to date without taking it too far away from the original. Still, we have had to deduct marks for the completely unnecessary addition of a rap verse (a bit of digging reveals Ali Tomineek originally rose to prominence on the Netflix talent search Rhythm + Flow, which may well explain how he came to be on the track in the first place).
Sample lyric: What a bright time, it’s the right time to rock the night away.
It can be the case that when a big-name singer releases a holiday album they spend the afternoon recording a few covers, slap some sleigh bells on it, pose in some fake snow for the artwork and call it a day.
Well, we’re happy to see that’s not the approach Alicia Keys has taken, with her new festive release featuring four original tracks (including a co-write with Emeli Sandé!) alongside covers of Santa Baby, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) and The Christmas song.
The stand-out is lead single December Back 2 June which mixes a retro R&B vibe with a modern sound in that way Alica does so well. It’s also a bit of a bop, with lyrics referencing how the festive season makes her feel nostalgic for the past year with a loved one. Ask us next year whether it’s made our permanent playlist, but we’ll definitely be giving it a spin this December at the very least.
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Sample lyric: “For this Christmas, don’t need wishes, not since I met you, every season, you’ll give reason to love you from December back to June”
As part of Amazon Music’s Christmas celebrations, Lizzo has chosen to delve deep into the festive vaults and cover Stevie Wonder’s classic Someday At Christmas, a full 55 years after it was first released.
While “peace on earth” is a pretty popular Yuletide lyrical theme, Someday At Christmas takes a more specific approach in its lyrics right from the opening line: “Someday at Christmas, men won’t be boys, playing with bombs like kids play with toys.”
The lyrics certainly pack a punch, and as you’d expect from a good Stevie Wonder cover, the production is definitely a 60s throwback. And there’s certainly no arguing with Lizzo’s vocal abilities here.
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Sample lyric: “Someday all our dreams will come to be, someday in a world where we are free, maybe not in time for you and me, but someday at Christmas time.”
Anyone looking for something new to cosy up to in front of the fire while slurping down mulled wine and looking out of the window at where snow would no doubt be cascading if climate change hadn’t stopped us from ever having a white Christmas again is in luck.
Sam Smith’s new slow jam is very much in their usual wheelhouse (it’s certainly more Stay With Me than Unholy, in case anyone is worried about a festive jump-scare), and there’s no denying it’s a pretty song that would be the perfect soundtrack to an under-the-mistletoe moment.
Still, it’s not exactly imaginative, which is a shame as just a couple of years ago Sam gave us the brilliantly unique Christmas tune The Lighthouse Keeper, which is definitely the superior of their two festive originals.
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Sample lyric: “Come rest your weary head on my chest, the year is behind us, we’re still at our best, the magic of Christmas is what’s coming next, so lean in and kiss me and all of the rest.”
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You might be surprised to see Sir Cliff on our round-up of contemporary festive tunes, but with three Christmas number ones to his name, and a new album out for 2022, we’d be remiss not to include him.
This track is the lead single from the crooner’s new album Christmas With Cliff, beginning with some pretty standard lyrics about how “the streets are glistening with lights”, “the air is getting cold outside” and “the snow is falling from above”, but by the time we get to the chorus it becomes apparent that the “Heart Of Christmas” Sir Cliff is singing about is, Jesus. To be fair, his most recent number one was a reimagined version of The Lord’s Prayer so we could probably have seen this coming.
“Hear the angels singing out, unto us a child is born,” he sings on the chorus. “Jesus, the heart of Christmas.”
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So, yeah – this one probably isn’t for everybody. But at the same time, we can’t pretend this isn’t among the catchier Christmas tunes on the list…
Sample lyric: “Listen and you hear the sound, the song they sang in Bethlehem is forever.”
Our rating: 🎄🎄🎄
Jinkx Monsoon And BenDeLaCreme – Looking At The Lights
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Fans of drag duo Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme might already know this original festive tune, as it was featured in their 2021 holiday special. This year, it’s been given a proper single release, which we’re over the moon about, as it hopefully means even more people will now discover it.
Written by BenDeLaCreme and performed by the recently-crowned “Queen of All Queens” Jinkx, Looking At The Lights is a sorrowful, musical theatre-inspired torch song that will certainly speak to anyone who finds this particular time of year difficult.
Still, don’t go thinking it’s all doom and gloom. Yes, Looking At The Lights does highlight the many reasons a lot of us struggle in the winter, but also highlights how having even just one person in your corner, whether that be a partner, friend or family member, can often be enough to get you through it.
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Sample lyric: “You may see a tree wonder what’s the use… maybe there’s no use, just a nice excuse for me to sit beside you on these cold and lonely nights.”
Our rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
Rosie Thomas and Sufjan Stevens – We Should Be Together
","type":"video","meta":{"author":"Rosie Thomas","author_url":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7ONVTsnuzEk5De8kKL55lQ","cache_age":86400,"description":"Ltd Ed \"We Should Be Together\" Necklace Sets at https://rosiethomas.bandcamp.com/merch \nGet em while you can!\nCredits:\nWritten by Jeffrey Shoop, Rosanne Thomas\nProduced by Jeff Shoop\nPerformed by Jeff Shoop, Rosie Thomas\nGuest Vocals, Drums, and Additional Engineering by Sufjan Stevens\nSleigh bells by James McAlister\nEngineered by Jeff Shoop\nMixed by Yuuki Matthews\nMastered by Ed Brooks\nVideo by Jeff Shoop\n\nLyrics:\nMan why did I let you leave me alone in summer\nI should have known by fall Id finally finish your sweater\nAnd now it’s lying here on my bed\nAt night I wrap the arms around my waist\nPretend it’s you instead\nAnd cry into the shoulder\n\nWe’ve pulled this thread for so long\nTo let it come undone now\nI still believe \nWe still belong\nSomeway somehow so\n\nI’ll be home for Christmas time\n(Whatever the weather)\nYou be home for Christmas too\n(We should be together)\n\nMan why did I let my feet get cold and bitter\nToo scared\nInsecure\nUnsure if you were unsure \nThe pieces wouldn’t fit\nNot a tight enough knit \nFor us \nTo make it through the winter \n\nWe’ve pulled this thread for so long\nTo let it come undone now\nI still believe \nWe still belong\nSomeway somehow so\n\nI’ll be home for Christmas time\n(Whatever the weather)\nYou be home for Christmas too\n(We should be together)\n\nWe should be together\n\n\n\n#christmas #christianmusic #lovesong #breakupsong #rosiethomas #sufjanstevens","options":{"_cc_load_policy":{"label":"Closed captions","value":false},"_end":{"label":"End on","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s","value":""},"_start":{"label":"Start from","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s","value":""},"click_to_play":{"label":"Hold load & play until clicked","value":false}},"provider_name":"YouTube","thumbnail_height":480,"thumbnail_url":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xRxdaa0GBbE/sddefault.jpg","thumbnail_width":640,"title":"Rosie Thomas – We Should Be Together (feat. 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The second we heard that Rosie Thomas and Sufjan Stevens had teamed up to record a Christmas tune, we knew we were in for something truly devastating. And yet, there was still no preparing for quite how much of an emotional listen this would be.
On We Should Be Together, Rosie sings from the perspective of someone who’s hoping for a Yuletide reconciliation, after a pivotal relationship came to an end in the summer, with some truly heartbreaking lyrics comparing the relationship to a Christmas jumper the protagonist has spent the last year working on.
Between the lyrics and the beautiful way Rosie and Sufjan’s voices complement one another, We Should Be Together is an extremely effective festive effort. Admittedly, it’s probably a little too sad to stick on between Slade and Wizzard (unless you fancy crying into your turkey on Christmas day), but it’s the perfect soundtrack to a moody walk in the snow.
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Sample lyric: “The pieces wouldn’t fit, not enough fit to make it through a winter, we’ve pulled this thread too long to let it come undone now, I still believe we still belong someway, somehow, so I’ll be home for Christmas time…”
Adele fans from around the world described having “butterflies” about finally seeing her perform in Las Vegas but said they would “die happy” because of it.
Others said it “did not feel real” to be back at Caesars Palace for her previously cancelled show, but they were sure it would be “worth the wait”.
Hundreds gathered outside The Colosseum venue hours before doors were due to open, forming a long line for an exclusive merchandise store.
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The singer announced the last-minute postponement on Instagram earlier this year, telling fans in a tearful message that the show was “not ready”.
Adele performs onstage during the “Weekends with Adele” Residency Opening at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on November 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for AD)
Kevin Mazur via Getty Images
Among those queueing for the show was Rafael Faci, a 23-year-old medical student from Brazil, who had been in Las Vegas in January when he learned of Adele’s postponement.
Mr Faci told the PA news agency that despite missing multiple exams to travel to the US again, he could “die happy” after seeing Adele.
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“I’m pretty crazy about Adele,” he said.
“I don’t know how I’m going to react, I might cry…but I have no idea.”
He added: “This is my first time, that’s why I’m here. The last thing I have to do before I can die happy is see an Adele concert.”
Cousins Marcela de la Garza, 35, and Jesy Almaguer, 33, travelled from Mexico, also for the second time, to see the award-winning singer.
“We are happy that we are going to see her but we don’t believe it yet,” Ms de la Garza told PA.
“We don’t want to build up our expectations too much but we are happy. Right now I have butterflies.”
JJ Pollard, 24, from Seattle, told PA she was “so bummed” after Adele cancelled her first run of shows.
“I am super excited to be here, I was so bummed when she cancelled but I honestly think it’s going to be worth the wait,” she said.
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“I’m super excited to see the show and just be here, her fans are always so nice – there’s a good, positive atmosphere. I think it’s going to be insane.
“We’re here for the weekend and making a whole shebang out of it. I never thought I’d see her.”
Alison Hutchings, 51, and her partner Rhyddian Piles, 47, from Neath, in south Wales, said they had been in Las Vegas for a family member’s 50th birthday and had called every day of the week to secure tickets.
“We feel amazing, we’re chuffed to bits,” Ms Hutchings told PA.
On Thursday night Adele shared an Instagram post online, in which she said she had “never been more nervous before a show in my career” but could not sit still with excitement.
Fans waiting for the show described being “triggered” by another last minute post from the singer, before realising that her message had been a positive one.
Londoner Ross Taggart, 37, told PA: “It was awful.
“I woke up and I saw a long post and I thought ‘oh no she hasn’t done it again’ but then she went on to say how excited she was, so it was fine.”
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Amy Jaron, from Los Angeles, California, added: “It was very triggering, I got PTSD.”
Ms Jaron said she had just crossed over the state line into Nevada from California when she received news of the cancellation earlier this year.
“It doesn’t feel real, it’s finally here and it feels like forever ago that we were here,” she told the PA news agency.
“We met so many people so it was a great thing to happen out of a sad thing that happened…we’re happy to be reunited.”
Ms Jaron, 23, said she had been one of the lucky fans to have Facetimed Adele in January, adding that the experience had been “life-changing”.
“You could tell she felt so bad but the true fans understood,” she told PA.
Adele later declared she had “the best fans in the world” and thanked them after receiving waves of support for her decision to postpone.
