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The South African
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The South African
John Travolta surprises fans as Danny Zuko at 'Grease' sing-along
John Travolta thrilled fans with a surprise appearance at a Grease sing-along event held at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The 71-year-old actor transformed back into his iconic character, Danny Zuko, donning a greaser-style ducktail wig. He also wore a black leather jacket, a tight black T-shirt, and dark jeans, despite having sported a shaved head in recent years, according to Daily Mail. John Travolta's unexpected entrance stunned the audience and even the original cast members present, including Didi Conn, Barry Pearl, and Michael Tucci, among others. The crowd erupted in cheers as he swaggered onto the stage, fully embracing the 1950s greaser persona that made him famous in the 1978 musical classic. Addressing the crowd in character, Travolta quipped, 'L.A., I thought you were going back to Australia? That's cool, that's cool, baby. You know, riding and rollin' and whatnot,' echoing one of Danny Zuko's famous lines from the film. He then led the cast and audience in a lively chant of 'A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bam-boom!' from the film's closing number, We Go Together . He then concluded with a heartfelt, 'Enjoy the show. We love you!'. John Travolta shared the moment on social media. 'Tonight at the Hollywood Bowl, for the first time, I surprised everyone at the GREASE Sing-A-Long and dressed up as Danny Zuko. No one knew. Not even the cast. Thank you for a great evening'. Fans flooded his Instagram with praise, calling him 'simply ICONIC and sooo loved' and expressing regret at missing the event. Grease remains a beloved classic more than 40 years after its release. The movie earned over R 7.5 billion worldwide through re-releases and sing-along events like this one. The film's soundtrack has sold over 30 million copies and won an American Music Award. The movie itself earned Golden Globe nominations for Travolta and co-star Olivia Newton-John, who played Sandy. Newton-John, who passed away in 2022, had reunited with Travolta in 2019 for a similar sing-along event, which delighted fans. John Travolta's nostalgic return as Danny Zuko is a reminder of the timeless appeal of Grease . The film that continues to inspire sing-alongs and celebrations of classic cinema across the globe. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Snoop Dogg says emotional goodbye to beloved family member after tragedy
Snoop Dogg, who won an American Music Award for Favourite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist and a Primetime Emmy Award more recently, shared two videos on Instagram, writing he misses his French bulldog Juelz Snoop Dogg's beloved dog - given to him as a birthday gift from Wiz Khalifa - has died. The rapper expressed his sadness in two Instagram videos following the loss of French bulldog Juelz. Wiz Khalifa gave his friend the pooch in 2014 as a present for his 43rd birthday. But in a video yesterday, Snoop, now 53, told the fans the upsetting news. Sitting in the front seat of his car, soundtracked by Weldon Irvine's Morning Sunrise, the hip hop legend shared his grief. The father of four, from Long Beach, California, wrote: "Rip @juelzbroadus [crying emoji]Thank wiz for giving him to me.(sic)" The rapper then shared a second video, which featured a montage of Juelz with Snoop and his family and friends over the years, with Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth's See You Again playing over the top. He wrote: "Miss my dogg @juelzbroadus (sic)" 'Pocket bully' dog overpowers pensioner as armed police rush to fatal attack Juelz had his own Instagram account, which had thousands of followers and documented his adventures with his famous owner over the years. Meanwhile, Snoop - who has another French bulldog, Frank - recently admitted he is keen to open a food stall at Celtic Park, the Scottish home of his favourite soccer side Celtic. He told Scotland's Sunday Mail, which is our sister title: 'There has always been the opinion that food at sports stadiums is never good but that ain't got to be the case. 'People know that Snoop is a cook and I would love to bring a pop up burger to a sports stadium to show fans that food at stadiums can be good. It's got to be Celtic Park man, I mean where else am I going to bring it. "The secret to a good burger is the love in the preparation. The ground beef has got to be mixed with some secret spices, then add a good quality cheese and some maple cured bacon. The Celtic fans are gonna love it, and to make sure they are just right, Snoop is going to be serving them himself.' But Snoop has no interest in offering his food to Celtic's great rivals rangers. He said: "Am I going to bring my burgers to Rangers as well? Nah, I think we will give that a miss!' Snoop revealed back in 2012 that he wanted to buy shares in Celtic after watching the Parkhead side beat Barcelona in the Champions League in November that year. At the time he said: "I got a lot of interest in soccer. It's not a new thing for hip hop stars to invest in sports teams but it is a new thing for hip hop stars to invest in soccer teams...I see how passionate Celtic fans are about their team and I could see myself making an investment if any of the board wanted to sell...I want to bring a bit of Snoop to things."
The South African
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The South African
Tyla wins the 2025 American Music Award for Afrobeats
Tyla wins the 2025 AMA (American Music Award)! On 27 May, the South African songstress took home the accolade for Favourite Afrobeats Artist at the 2025 American Music Awards. The Grammy Award winner is enjoying a streak of success in Hollywood. It's been announced that Tyla will be hosting the 2025 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards on 21 June at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. She wrote on her X account: 'I'm really about to host the kids' choice awards 💀🤍🙈.' The multi-award-winning star has also joined Rihanna and Cardi B for the star-studded soundtrack for the new Smurfs movie. Tyla has won a total of 30 industry awards throughout her career. With another one under her belt, she's determined to add more. The 23-year-old's self-titled debut studio album was released in 2024 and debuted at number 24 on the US Billboard 200 chart. 'When my career took off, I realised God had his own plans,' Tyla said in her acceptance speech. 'I just feel very lucky for my fans who have given me such an exciting life, allowing me to grow in front of the world into all the different versions of myself as an artist and as a woman. 'I appreciate the way music has been able to impact us through time and how I'm just a manifestation of that.' Tyla was nominated alongside well-known Afrobeats artists like Wizkid, Asake, and Rema. Tems was also among the nominees, despite being a R&B singer. Tyla winning the award reignited the debate about the American music industry's tendency to group African artists under the same genre. In September 2024, Tyla won an Afrobeats award at the MTV Video Music Awards for her viral song Water . 'This is just so special but also bittersweet because I know there's a tendency to group all Africans under Afrobeats,' Tyla said at the time. 'I come from South Africa, and I represent Amapiano, and I just want to shout out the Afrobeats artists in this category with me.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Raja Kumari: There is so much room for experimentation in Bollywood songs
Raja Kumari, fresh from her American Music Award win for 'Renegade We Never Run,' reflects on her journey in the music industry. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity and creating space for women. Kumari also expresses her love for Bollywood's vibrant music scene and its ability to connect her with a global audience. Fresh off her big win at the American Music Awards for Renegade We Never Run in the Favourite Soundtrack category, singer-rapper-songwriter Raja Kumari, (aka Svetha Yallapragada Rao), invited us into her beachside home for an exclusive chat. The singer known for Husn Parcham and Jawan Theme, posed for our camera between conversations about her journey, her genre-defying sound, and the power of owning her voice on the global stage. Excerpts… From co-hosting the AMA Red Carpet to earning a nomination and now winning for Renegade We Never Run, what does this full circle moment mean to you personally and professionally? Manifestation has always driven my career. But after 10 years and five albums, you sometimes fall into a rhythm and start questioning, should I still dream that big? Getting nominated, and now winning, for a song I created purely from passion, without expectations, is such a powerful reminder that I'm not done. There's still so much more to do, so many new places to share my music and art. I'm humbled. Five years ago, I was on the AMA red carpet interviewing the greats on live television. That in itself felt surreal. To now be on the other side, winning an award, it's a crazy full circle moment. More than anything, it reflects our growth, not just mine, but the entire community's. And that feels really powerful. You've worked globally in the music industry and this industry sure is male dominated, especially in India. Did you as an unconventional woman artiste have to fight to create space for yourself? I think all artists, in the beginning, have to fight to create space, it's part of proving yourself. But once you truly know who you are and show up authentically, things start to flow. The 'male-dominated' tag is just a perspective. The more I put out work, the more I felt that perspective shifting. And honestly, the industry today looks so different from when I started, I see so many more women getting opportunities. Yes, maybe early on I leaned into my masculine side, took on bolder themes, but I always made room for the spiritual, for the diverse. And now, I don't feel like I'm fighting for space anymore. I just hope that inspires other women to be their full selves, without giving in to the noise or the rat race. What do you love about the Bollywood music industry? Oh my gosh, I love how fun Bollywood music is! There's so much room for experimentation. Bollywood has always pulled in so many musical influences, you'll hear a Spanish section, a pop hook, and the dance elements are inspired from all over the world. I love being part of that mix and bringing my own flavor to it. And writing for films? I absolutely love it. Hearing about a character or a scene and building a musical world around it, it's such a creative rush. Bollywood is such a fun medium, and I really hope to keep exploring it more and more. Many Indian fans know you through Bollywood hits like Husn Parcham and Jawan Theme. How do these mainstream collaborations fit into your broader artistic narrative? I think it brings people to me. Bollywood offers this incredible platform to do something different on a massive scale. Like with Jawan, it probably opened in every theatre around the world at once. Hearing my voice throughout that film, I realized just how many people were being introduced to me. That's a power only Bollywood has. And because I write all my own parts when I work in Bollywood, it's not so different from my own music. So if you found me through a Bollywood track, there's a whole world of my music waiting for you. Raja Kumari with her French Bulldog, 'Luv Kumar'. She fondly calls him Lallu Your music consistently bridges classical Indian elements with contemporary hip-hop. What were some pivotal moments or influences that helped shape this hybrid sound? I think it really started when I was a teenager. Timbaland was huge in the U.S., and I remember hearing Indian samples, tablas, classical instruments on the radio. It was like proof that our culture was beautiful and deserved to be shared. Growing up in America, Indian culture wasn't widely understood. If I said I was Indian, people thought I meant Native American and they'd ask me what tribe I was from. So hearing Indian sounds in hip-hop, the coolest genre at the time, made me feel like I belonged. It felt like hip-hop was saying, you're welcome here. That moment really inspired me to see hip-hop as a space where I could be fully myself, and use it as a vehicle to blend who I am with how I create. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Rapper Raja Kumari becomes first Indian origin musician to win AMA award
Indian origin singer-songwriter and rapper Raja Kumari wins an American Music Award (AMA) on Tuesday. She was nominated for 'Arcane League of Legends: Season 2' at the 51st AMA held in Los Angeles on Monday night. In an interview to PTI earlier, Kumari had said she was the first Indian origin musician to be nominated for an AMA. 'Renegade (We Never Run)' from 'Arcane League of Legends', a collaboration between Kumari, UK hip-hop artist Stefflon Don and Dominican-Brazilian artist Jarina de Marco, was nominated under the Favourite Soundtrack category. Kumari told PTI that the song was really special for her. 'Stefflon (Don) and I kind of share the Sidhu (Moose Wala) connection. She has a song with Sidhu, too. And when I was meeting Sidhu during the time that we were collaborating, he had played me the song. So, I've always had this soft spot in my heart for her because we both kind of share this gentle giant,' Kumari told PTI. She said she was approached for the song because the character in the film is Indian. 'They (Arcane team) had heard about me as being representative of our culture and being able to make aggressive music as a woman,' added Kumari. She said she never really expected the song to become such a big hit. ALSO READ:Finding calm in chaos with Raja Kumari 'The song actually went top 10 in the world on the 'Viral 50' charts on Spotify. It was something that kind of came out of nowhere. I just did a song for a film. I didn't have many expectations for it. It ended up really impacting people,' said Kumari. The AMA nomination, added the rapper, came at a time when she was beginning to believe that perhaps one has to focus on one genre to make it big. 'And I've always been a global artist, so an AMA award is a great reminder that there's still much more work for me to do, and still much more for me to impact and grow,' she added.
