Entertainment News

Ministry of Sound Classical have today released a special video in collaboration with Alexandra Burke, the London Concert Orchestra and NHS Choir to give thanks to the incredible work of the key workers.  Their cover of Olive’s 1997 classic ‘You’re Not Alone’, with it’s poignant, hopeful lyrics and combined with a purely symphonic arrangement, encapsulates what is currently a testing time for us all.  
 
This month, Ministry of Sound Classical, a 50-piece orchestral show, with the London Concert Orchestra was due to perform at the Royal Albert Hall by arrangement with Coalition Agency and promoters Raymond Gubbay Limited.  As these epic landmark performances for this show was forced to cancel due to COVID-19, it was collectively decided by the performers to create a video to show appreciation and say "thank you" to key workers, specifically our incredible NHS here in the UK. The video has now premiered on Ministry of Sounds YouTube Channel, with a donate link available for those who have enjoyed the track to support NHS Charities Together if they are able.  
 
Alexandra Burke is a supporter of the NHS Charities Together and was due to perform as a very special guest at Ministry of Sound Classical at the Royal Albert Hall, so was the perfect choice of vocalist for this very special project. Ministry of Sound Classical is overjoyed for the video to include the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir, having been invited to perform on the track by Alexandra. 
 
All musicians filmed and recorded their individual parts from the safety of their own homes.  The music arrangement and guide audio track was prepared by the live shows sound engineer Phil Wright and orchestral arrangers Robin Hoffman and Tom Player. 

Pop stars including Rag 'N' Bone Man, Roachford and Joy Crookes have all taken socially-distanced doorstep portraits, as they tell the BBC how they've been surviving the lockdown.

Spice Girl Mel C posed with her laptop and headphones, saying they've been "my window to the world" while isolating.

Rapper Raxstar held a framed photo of his cousin and uncle, both of whom died after contracting coronavirus.

He said: "Losing them has been a big blow to our whole family.

"I want to keep their memories and spirits alive in everything I do going forward."

While most of the artists said they'd continued making new music during the lockdown, others have been inspired to pursue new ideas.

Soul singer Ray BLK has discovered a hidden talent for nail art.

"As I haven't been able to go to the nail shop to get my nails done, I have people making custom nails, and I thought: 'This is so amazing being able to have all these great designs, and being able to do them myself at home.'

"It's been quite cool discovering new things."

Dance act Georgia, meanwhile, dragged a vintage kit of 1980s synth-drums onto her front porch, after setting up a virtual drumming circle to help her pass the time.

"We started a project called Grooves in Different Rooms, which hopefully I'm going to livestream on my Instagram soon," she said.

"It's going to be 20 different drummers positioned around the UK, some even in Europe, and we will livestream a jam."

Other artists who took part in the project included Tom Walker, Beverley Knight and Celina Sharma.

Mathias Andre and CJ Webley, two previous members of Lightpost Theatre Company, have now successfully been employed in leadership roles.
 
In 2015, Birmingham Repertory Theatre took part in an initial pilot scheme Up My Street, a partnership project funded by Mind, to help strengthen mental health in young black men through theatre. This scheme was developed in response to statistics that show young black men in the UK are much more likely to develop serious mental illness than any other demographic.
  
Motivated by the scheme, participants formed Lightpost Theatre Company.
 
Addressing the effects of racism, discrimination, negative self-image and invisibility, Lightpost Theatre Company helps to strengthen the mental health resilience and wellbeing of those involved, improve self-belief, raise mental health awareness, assist personal development, and encourage inclusion and friendship.
 
With three years’ funding from the National Lottery Community Fund,  Lightpost Theatre Company has since welcomed hundreds of participants aged 18-26 from across the West Midlands who have gone on to create their own productions, perform to sell-out audiences, gain employment and training within the industry and create new leaders for a new generation of members.
 
CJ said “It has always been the goal for Lightpost Theatre Company to create new Leaders.  Because we understand what these young men experience outside of the company, we can help to empower them and support resilience against perceived and proven barriers including lack of opportunity, racism and related stresses.”
 
Mathias added: “Lightpost is not just a theatre company it’s a movement. This is an experience like no other.  If you are an 18-26 young male of black heritage and have a keen interest in theatre, then you should join us. Don’t allow others to write the narrative for you.  Get yourself in the room and take ownership, you deserve to be here as much as everyone else.”
 
Ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week, Alex Summers, Creative Learning Director at The REP added “We are delighted to welcome back Mathias and CJ to lead Lightpost Theatre Company.  This progression is what the company is all about, providing participants with the support to recognise their talent, help them with their career and provide a voice within the wider community.
 
Mathias and CJ will be supporting new members, organising workshops, writing and rehearsal sessions and leading the creative team into realising their artistic vision.
 
The company work with professional directors and writers to create, rehearse and stage outstanding productions reflecting their own personal journey or themes affecting the wider community.  These have included a sell-out run of Scenes From A Brummie Iliad based on Homer’s epic poem, an original performance reflecting on mental health for the 2019 BEDLAM Arts and Mental Health Festival and a performance in a secure unit through Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.
Lightpost Theatre Company usually meets at The REP once a week but thanks to REP RELOADED’s digital offer the company can continue to work on their current project Constructed during the current lockdown period. Constructed is a play about Black British male construction workers, using the construction site as a metaphor for new beginnings. The play will premiere at The REP and tour community spaces.
 
Further Lightpost Theatre Company success stories include receiving paid employment as actors for The REP’s Creative Learning project Toy Theatres working with primary school class groups, several members going on to leading drama schools gaining places at the Italia Conti School and Guildford School of Acting and working professionally in the industry.
 
Lightpost Theatre Company is part of Shifting The Dial a unique scheme funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and is a partnership between Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Centre for Mental Health and First Class Legacy.
 
Centre for Mental Health’s Kadra Abdinasir, Head of Children and Young People’s Mental Health says “This ground-breaking partnership offers young black men a range of holistic and culturally-informed activities to engage with to help boost their mental resilience. This includes youth-led creative opportunities, such as the productions developed at Lightpost Theatre Company. The programme also empowers young men by building their skills and confidence and creates leadership and employment opportunities to enable them to transition into independence.”
 
Interested in becoming a member of Lightpost Theatre Company? Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 
If you are an individual or organisation and would like to help The REP to support talented young people whose families maybe struggling financially at this time you can make a donation at www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/support-us/donate
 
Twitter @BirminghamRep
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Instagram @therepbirmingham
 

Whether they are guitar players, backing vocals or studio engineers, career musicians struggle with pay even in regular times.

Many of them would tend to take on extra work in order to make ends meet when their services are not needed on stage or in the studio.

For them, the Covid-19 pandemic has been a double whammy.

Not only has tours and recording sessions been put on hold, but those second jobs in wedding bands or school classrooms have vanished too.

According to a Musician’s Union survey, 92% of its members have seen their livelihood affected by coronavirus, losing an estimated £13.9bn in earnings in the first two weeks of the lockdown.

Meanwhile, the Ivors Academy of songwriters and composers said that it anticipated a loss £25,000 per member over a six-month period.

Whilst record-breaking record royalty payments are often mentioned for the world’s superstars, Olga FirzRoy, an award-winning engineer and producer whose credits include The Beatles, Coldplay and Foo Fighters, said that for the rest, “the industry has ground to a halt”.

She said: “I did my last session in the first week of March, but have done nothing since then. And my colleagues are pretty much in the same boat.

“There’s no money coming in.

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, some artists are finding ways to support their sidemen and women – and hope that they can establish new precedents along the way.

In Paris, in France, jazz artist, Melody Gardot is making a new record from her apartment, and inviting musicians from around the world to form her ‘virtual orchestra.’

Anyone can sign up – and they will receive musical charts, backing tracks and instructions on how to record themselves performing at home.

Cruelly, however, she is paying standard union rates to anyone who appears on the finished record.

Gardot says that she hopes that other artists will follow her lead in paying musicians for recording their parts at home.

“We got to get some of the big cats on board, like Ed Sheeran, or John Mayer, and keep creating opportunities for other people”.

Although recording studios may reopen very soon, with a backlog of work to get through, the picture is a little less rosy further down the line.

Echoing calls made by UK Music, (Olga) FirzRoy said that the government should work closely with the industry to make sure that it survives as the UK emerges from lockdown.

She said: “The music industry makes a lot of money for them in the good times. They need to think about that”.

A woman who has been painting herself with scenes from the iconic Glastonbury Festival says that she has been “blown away” by the response.

Lisa Davies had not tried body painting until the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown.

The 33-year-old’s work has been shared by the festival’s Facebook community including a simple “wow” and “get that on canvas.”

Each picture takes Ms Davies about three hours to complete and is painted from a reverse image.

She said: “I didn’t expect the comments and praise that I’ve had. I’m really blown away by it all”.

Lisa, who works in customer services, moved from her home in Cardiff to be with her sister in Gloucestershire for the lockdown.

She said: “I’ve always loved drawing but lest all my pencils and art materials at home so I thought I’d send off for some body paints and have a go.

“I had tickets and should have been at the festival so I thought I’d paint my way round the site”.

Ms Davies finds an iconic view of the festival and then reverses the image before starting to paint it on to her body.

“It’s a bit mind-boggling to do and I’m not a professional by any means”, she said, “but if I make a mistake I just wipe it off.

“I do feel sad when I have to wash one off but that leaves me with a blank canvas for another.

Lisa plans to paint a series of 20 pictures, with her next challenge being the famous cider bus.

She also wants to do a black-and-white painting from the festival’s early days and one featuring festival founder, Michael Eavis.

Musicians and songwriters in the UK received a record amount of money last year, but the loss of live performances has posed a major threat to income for this year.

The warning was issued by the PRS for Music, the body that makes sure that 145,000 songwriters, composers and publishers in the United Kingdom are paid when their music is played or performed throughout the world.

The organisation collected a record £810 million last year, which was a rise of 8.7%.

However, it did say that Covid-19 would most likely result in an “inevitable decline” in 2020 and 2021.

Chief executive, Andrea Martin, said: “Even though we had a record-breaking year, we know very well that we are in unprecedented times”.

She said that revenues from “live music and public performance will be hit” not just in 2020 but also in 2021, as international payments often takes time to trickle down.

She added: “There will be a downfall, but by how much and by what per cent … your guess is as good as mine”.

The situation will hit smaller acts, many of whom were already struggling before the coronavirus pandemic, the hardest.

Wartime Sweetheart, Dame Vera Lynn, has become the oldest singer to score a UK top 40 album, beating her own record.

The 103-year-old star’s greatest hits collection, titled 100, had only recently re-entered the charts at number 30.

Dame Vera became the first centenarian to chart when it was first released in 2017, where it reached number three.

The upsurge in popularity for the album coincided with the 75th anniversary of VE Day, which marked the end of World War Two in Europe.

“Forces’ Sweetheart”, Dame Vera, called that for her entertaining the troops during World War II, also sent a message that while people may be forced to live apart during the lockdown, “hope remains even in the most difficult of times”.

Dame Vera Lynn’s record-breaking achievement follows that of Captain Tom Moore, who became the oldest person to reach No.1 in the singles charts last month.

A host of stars, including Chaka Khan, John Legend and Snoop Dogg have paid tribute to soul and R&B star Betty Wright.

The Grammy-winning star, whose hits include; ‘Clear Up Woman’, which was released when she was 18-years-old, in 1971, ‘Where Is The Love’, ‘No Pain, No Gain’ and ‘Tonight Is The Night’, had been facing a long battle against cancer.

A powerful and soulful vocalist, she was one of the first singers to use the “whistle register”, which was later utilised by the likes of Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande.

In the 1980’s she became the first Black female artist to have a gold record on her own label when she released her single; ‘Mother With’.

Modern-day soul legend, Mary J. Blige, sampled her 1971 track ‘Clean Up Woman’ on her hit ‘Real Love’.

She was a vocal coach for fellow award-winning soul diva, Beyoncé Knowles, as well as singing backing vocals herself for Mowtown legend, Stevie Wonder and Talking Heads’ David Byrne.

As a writer and producer, she also created a line of hits for internationally-renowned artists including Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Gloria Estefan and Britain’s own soulful songbird, Joss Stone.

Paying tribute to her auntie on Twitter, her niece posted; ‘My auntie was a legend… R.I.P. Betty Wright.’

She was 66.

Hollywood star, Tom Cruise, is working with NASA in making plans to shoot the first action movie in space.

He has partnered with NASA and Space founder, Elon Musk, to take the venture to the International Space Station.

It was shortly after a report claimed that the actor was looking to take his next movie to space that NASA director, Jim Bridenstine, confirmed the news on Twitter, stating: “NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality.

Musk replied: “Should be a lot of fun!”

It is said that the movie is set to be the next instalment in the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise.

Pioneer rock ‘n’ roll superstar, Little Richard has died at the age of 87.

The singer, who was born in Georgia, Alabama, as Richard Wayne Penniman, was one of the four original ‘founder members’ of rock ‘n’ roll music - along with Chuck Berry
Fats Domino and Chubby Checker and his hits include; ‘Good Golly Miss Molly’ - which originally made the UK charts in 1958 – ‘Tuti-Fruiti’, ‘Send Me Some Lovin’ and ‘Long Tall Sally’ before being one of the stars who would influence a fledgling The Beatles.

With his suggestive lyrics and blood-pumping piano riffs a ‘staple diet; throughout his career, the four ‘pioneers’ would influence the likes of Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis, before this ‘new’ musical genre would become ‘real music’ a global entity.

As his success soared to dizzy heights, Little Richard, fuelled by his influence of the church, when, in 1957, he publicly announced that he was quitting rock ‘n’ roll to devote his life to the ministry. He would then start to record gospel songs.

His first gospel album: ‘God Is Real’, was released in 1959. But, a year later, he returned to rock ‘n’ roll – performing live and recording from then on.

His importance into the music’s development would never be questioned.

He was among the group of into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and was a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Science in 1993 and an honour from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation, who presented him with its prestigious Pioneer Award, a year later.

A deeply religious music icon, having suffered life-threatening illnesses, especially throughout more recent decades, he attributed his life (and staying alive) to a higher power when he said: “Jesus always had something or me.

“He always brought me through”.

He was 87.

Highly acclaimed UK rapper, Ty, has died after contracting coronavirus.

The Nigerian-born Mercury-nominated star was known for his witty, mature style that owed much to the old-school US rappers, as opposed to the now established grime-influenced street sounds of today’s British urban music.

Broadcaster, Jasmine Dotiwala confirmed the news of his death on social media in a tribute to the star.

Alongside a picture of the pair alongside the likes of actor/director Noel Clarke and DJ/Producer Naughty Boy she wrote; ‘It breaks my heart to have to share this. I had been waiting for @tymusic to recover before using this pic of our crew celebrating him.

‘It’s now a tribute photo on a devastating day. We are all in shock and trying to process this news. Ty was our boy our whole lives. RIEP.’

She added: ‘He always had any live music audience eating out of his hands but @tymusic was always a UK hip hop pioneer who supported new, young musicians.

‘A community activist who spoke up for communities all around him, he was a neuclius of talent and love and the culture loved him.’

In 2004, his second album, ‘Upwards’, was nominated for the much-respected Mercury Prize – where he was up against the late Amy Winehouse, The Streets and the eventual winners, Franz Ferdinand.

A.K.A. Ben Chijioke, his death was mourned by fellow stars including Roots Man and Ghets.

He was 47.

Singing sensation, Millie Small, has died after suffering a stroke.

The Jamaican-born star was most famous for her hit single ‘My Boy Lollypop’ which reached No.2 in both the UK and US pop charts in 1964. And, it was her country’s first ever million-selling hit.

It remains one of the biggest-selling ska songs of all times, with well over seven million record sales.

Chris Blackwood, the founder of Island Records, announced her passing and said that she will always remember her as “a sweet person…really special”.

He (Blackwood) brought Millie to the UK in 1963 before producing her childlike voice on the hit single. Chris said: “The single became a hit pretty soon and pretty much everywhere in the world.

“I went with her around the world because all of the territories wanted her there to do TV shows and the likes.

“She was so sweet, with a sweet personality. She was a very special person”.

‘My Boy Lollipop’ also featured in the 2012 London Olympic Games’ opening ceremony.
Millie was 73.

Best known for his hits which include ‘Walk The Dinosaur’ and ‘Spy In The Hose Of Love’, the fedora-wearing lead vocalist of the band, Was (Not Was) it has been reported that Hillard ‘Sweet Pea’ Atkinson has passed away.

The singer, who also performed with the likes of Bonnie Raitts, Iggy Pop and Bob Dylon, “had the voice I always wished I had”, according to band member Don Was.

“When I was writing songs, I was always writing with Sweet Pea in mind”.

Atkinson died of a heart attack in Los Angeles where he lived.

He was 74.

The Stranglers keyboard player, Dave Greenfield, has died after testing positive for Coronavirus.

He died after having contracted the virus after he spent a prolonged period of time in hospital for heart problems.

He penned one of the punk band’s biggest commercial hits, Golden Brown, a song about heroin, which went to No.2 in the UK charts in 1982.

The Stranglers bass player Jean-Jacque “JJ” Burnel paid tribute to his colleague by calling him “a musical genius”.

He was 71.

Idris Elba and wife after coronavirus in Africa

Screen superstar, Idris Elba OBE, is looking for the ultimate tonic, after the coronavirus pandemic is cleared worldwide, with plans for creating a

The multi-award winning actor and star of stage, small screen and big’, is looking to launch a luxury eco-friendly resort in the birth-land of his father, Sierra Leone, with would be lined with hotels, restaurants and bars, and he is already said to be in the process of seeking investment opportunities.

The East London-born star of movies and TV shows, which include; The Wire, Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom, Star Trek Beyond and Luther, has said that the idea of the grand project, although on his mind for some time, came to fruition, after he, and his wife, Sabrina, were in isolation after contracting the Covid-19 virus whilst out of the UK.

Following a meeting with the wife of Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, Sophie – who, herself (with her husband), tested positive for coronavirus –

After falling in love with the land of his father, after first visiting the country’s capital, Freetown, the 49-year-old screen idle was set on putting down some sort of roots in the land of his father, Winston, and as such, the idea of investing in the country has borne fruit.

The fact that he also gained citizenship there - he called it “the biggest ever honour in my life” - it has made him doubly-determined to pull it off.

He said: “America and the UK can’t house my ambition - Only Africa can house my ambitions.

“I can create Africa’s own Disney right here…in Sierra Leone”.

The son of a Sierra Leone father and mother from Ghana, he declared: “The son of the soil is coming home to fertilize the soil”.

A star if American Gangster, Thor: The Dark World (and Thor: Ragnarak), Avengers: Age of Ultron (and Infinity War), Yardie and much more, Hackney-born Idris Elba is also making a massive splash as in the music scene.

Under the guise of DJ Big Driis, he’s also making waves in world of Hip-Hop, holding his own against the best there is on the scene.

After his time in quarantine, whilst filming in Mexico, Elba declared himself (and wife, Sabrina) “OK and raring to get things going back home”.

Disney has been accused of trying to claim media ownership of the popular hashtag ‘MayThe4th’ on Twitter.

The company’s streaming service, Disney Plus, encouraged fans to share their favourite Star Wars memories using the hashtag on Monday.

It follows up with a legal warning suggesting that any user who tweeted that hashtag was agreeing to Disney’s terms and letting it use their content.

It backtracked after a huge protest by fans and widespread mockery.

The hashtag – a play on the franchise’s phrase ‘May the force be with you’, has been used for years to coincide with the made-up fan holiday.

The tweet said; ‘Reply with your favourite #Star Wars memory and you may see it somewhere special #MayThe4th.

‘By sharing your message with us during #MayThe4th, you agree to our use of your message and account name in all media and our terms of use’.

Many fans rushed to share their confusion over Disney’s tweet.

Aaron Wood, IP lawyer at Keystone Law, said that due to the popularity of the hashtag, it was unlikely that Disney’s tweet would have been seen by everyone who used it

Twitter’s policy states that users own the unique content that they post on the social media service.

Wood said: “A user can give permission to someone else to use their tweet. However, Disney’s risk is whether users who simply use the hashtag are really giving them that permission”.