Sarah Harding was plotting comeback as a blues singer before breast cancer battle
SARAH HARDING was used to topping the charts in Girls Aloud and she did it again as a solo singer. Her previously unreleased track, Wear It Like A Crown, shot to the top of the iTunes chart last month. And before cancer tragically stalled her big comeback plans, she had been preparing an exciting reinvention […]
SARAH HARDING was used to topping the charts in Girls Aloud and she did it again as a solo singer.
Her previously unreleased track, Wear It Like A Crown, shot to the top of the iTunes chart last month.
And before cancer tragically stalled her big comeback plans, she had been preparing an exciting reinvention as a blues musician.
Sarah, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in August, had been workshopping new material and improving her guitar skills in a bid to be seen as a “raw” artist.
A source said: “Sarah really wanted to revamp herself as an altogether different kind of artist to her Girls Aloud days.
“She was on a journey to find herself musically and rebrand as a blues artist, as that’s where her passion is.
“She was playing guitar all night until her fingers bled and watching videos of her favourite performers in order to perfect her sound.
“Her health issues meant she didn’t get a chance to lay down any tracks, but there’s hope she will eventually be well enough to put out the kind of music she loves.”
According to insiders Sarah was looking forward to being in control of her musical direction after “feeling she didn’t have free rein” in Girls Aloud.
The source added: “She was looking forward to being in the driving seat and surprising people.”
She ended a break from social media to thank fans for supporting her lost track Wear It Like A Crown, in aid of the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, where she has been receiving treatment.
She said: “I came across a song I recorded ten years ago.
“I’ve always really loved it, and it made me feel a bit sad that no one ever got to hear it. I told my team and they said we could release it, and I thought, ‘Why the hell not?’ ”
Sarah found the song while searching for material for her auto- biography Hear Me Out.
In the book, Sarah said she initially thought her cancer was a cyst caused by her lengthy guitar sessions.
Last month, she revealed tumours in her brain and lung had “shrunk a bit” as her treatment “moves in the right direction”, adding: “Every little victory feels momentous.”
I really hope we get to hear more of her work.
Heels are Ava so high
AVA MAX isn’t just going hell for leather with her new music.
The Sweet But Psycho pop star wore black leather boots and a matching leotard in never-before-seen pics from a recent video.
Following the success of debut album Heaven & Hell, Ava revealed this week she was preparing to release new music, alongside a top- secret project.
Speaking on US radio, she said: “There is new music coming out. The next one is super-inspirational. The key word is stronger.
“And I have something else special happening this summer that I’m preparing for. I can’t really talk about it but I am just really excited.”
Her last single, My Heart And My Head, peaked at No13 here last week. And I’m sure it won’t be long until she is back at No1 with her new tunes.
Heartache brings sad Birdy back
AFTER giving herself some time to spread her wings, BIRDY is back with a brand new album, Young Heart.
And while her fans will be clamouring to get the record – her first in five years – her ex may not want to do the same after she revealed the songs were inspired by their split.
In an exclusive chat about Young Heart, out on April 30, Birdy said: “A lot of this album is about heartbreak.
“It has been the hardest to finish. It was so raw at the beginning, it didn’t feel right to write about it. So I needed some space from it.
“Now for me it is my favourite album and the one I am the most passionate about.”
The British star returns to the stage tonight for a one-off global livestream from London’s Wilton Music Hall, with tickets available at driift.live.
Welcome back, Birdy.
Pixie lets rip after lockdown
DURING lockdown, there has been a Lott of over-indulgence.
And it turns out former Voice Kids coach Pixie is guilty of the same.
The singer shared these two snaps with her fans yesterday and revealed her jeans had ripped when she put them on before going out with her friends.
Pixie said: “Only put on my favourite jeans to meet me pals in the beer garden . . . and it’s clear to see lockdown has treated me well.”
Pixie, you still look absolutely perfect to me.
Gem golden-eyes 007 role
DEBATE over who would be best placed to take over from Daniel Craig as the next James Bond has been rumbling on for almost two years now.
A number of big-name Hollywood stars, including Tom Hiddleston and Richard Madden, have been linked to the 007 role after Daniel’s final delayed outing in No Time To Die later this year.
But there is another, rather unlikely candidate who has also thrown their hat into the ring.
Gemma Collins has revealed she would love to have a go as Bond and thinks she has got what it takes to play the part.
Speaking on her BBC podcast, Gemma – mocked up as a female 007, right – explained: “I’d love to do a particular job that’s all about keeping secrets. Namely being an international super-spy.
“This would be my dream job. I am constantly obsessed with watching action movies and I can see myself being the first female Bond. A plus-size girl! An Essex girl!
“The name is Bond, Gemma Bond. It’s got a lovely ring to it. Now what things would I change if I was a female Bond?
I can see myself being the first female Bond. A plus-size girl! An Essex girl!
Gemma Collins
“Well . . . I quite like the films so I’d not change much. I wouldn’t put on a fancy accent. I’d talk how I talk, it’d be absolutely fabulous. I’ve got a licence to thrill, baby!”
I’m not sure Bond producer Barbara Broccoli feels the same.
Rod rock hit with the gels
AFTER The Sun revealed the secret behind Sir Rod Stewart’s famous spiky hair was a dollop of mayonnaise, Hellmann’s has got in touch with Bizarre and played a blinder.
The condiments firm has released a special edition hair gel with the tag line: “Shapes like putty, tastes good in a butty.”
In an Instagram post, Hellmann’s said: “Wake up Sir Rod – we’ve got something to say to you. Your go-to hair product is none other than our brilliant mayo?
“You turned into a lover, and mother, what a lover, you wore our mayo.
“All you did was start a trend, in the morning wearing me on your head.
“Oh Maggie mayo, we couldn’t have wished for any more.
“We just couldn’t resist creating a one-of-a-kind product for yours truly.
“It really does shape like putty (and tastes great in a butty).”
Earlier this month we revealed how Sir Rod would put mayo in his barnet and rub a towel in it really fast to create the famous ‘rooster’ style.
I take my hat off to Hellmann’s, but I won’t be putting any mayo in my hair.
Niall in No1 race
LUCKILY for Niall Horan, singer Anne-Marie could only drive in One Direction when she got behind the wheel for their new music video.
My exclusive pictures show the Irish singer laughing as he filmed with Anne-Marie in a classic car in Essex last week.
The Friends singer looked totally at home in the posh motor as she raced along the driveway of a country house.
Niall confirmed the pair had teamed up on a song when he posted a teaser snap from the set on Instagram last week. He captioned it: “It’s happening”.
Anne-Marie said in November: “We wrote three songs. Our voices sound really good together.”
I can’t wait to see – and hear – the end result.
You can’t top Dua
NOW I’ve seen Dua Lipa eating pizza for dinner I don’t feel so bad about my diet after pubs and restaurants opened up.
The Physical singer waved her arms in the air and stretched out her leg for a joyous-looking pose on a plane.
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Dua wore an all-black outfit as she indulged on the private jet flight.
Posting the snap along with others on Instagram, she said: “A photo dump consisting of mainly mirror selfies and pizza.”
The star has plenty of reasons to celebrate after being nominated in three categories for next month’s Brit Awards.
bizbits
- LONDON rapper RV releases mixtape Rico Vondelle tomorrow. Guests include Chip and Headie One. He said: “I’ve been put in a box as a drill rapper but my life has changed so much. I’m not doing half the things I used to rap about and I wanted to reflect that. I had to go out and do different things to get inspiration.” The star, who was jailed in 2012 following a stabbing, added: “The music I was making was said to cause trouble but it’s having a career in music that will lead me out of it.”
- Mick Jagger says he binned his autobiography and refunded his publisher after struggling with the writing process. The Rolling Stones legend told BBC Radio 6 Music yesterday: “This is not a process you can just do in a week, you know. I must say that it wasn’t the most enjoyable experience, to be honest. I found it ultimately dull and upsetting and there wasn’t that many highs out of it. I just said, ‘Oh I can’t be bothered with this’ and gave the money back.”
- Kylie Minogue has confirmed she is working on an extended re- issue of 15th studio album Disco. The Aussie pop princess released the record last November and is now hard at work on the updated version. She told T Australia mag: “This year, we will do a repack of ‘Disco’ and that instantly gets my neurons firing. What else can we do? What will it lead to? There’s a lot to play with . . .” Kylie became the first female artist to earn a No1 album in five consecutive decades when she released Disco.
- Spending time with your partner’s ex is most people’s worst nightmare. But Katy Perry says she is really close to Orlando Bloom’s ex-wife Miranda Kerr. The pair took part in an Instagram Live chat to promote a new product from Miranda’s skincare line. On the supermodel, who has ten-year-old son Flynn with Orlando, Katy said: “In our modern family, she’s the most health-conscious. I get to try all her products . . . her son comes home with them in his backpack.”