Latest news with #Conga
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
I tried a silent disco tour through Newport at Big Splash
When I saw the words 'Silent Disco City Tour' in the festival programme my interest was immediately piqued, and I couldn't help myself from going to see exactly what those words meant. On arrival at The Place, where the tour would start and finish, a cart of headphones are wheeled out and we each receive a pair – standard practice for a silent disco. Passers-by were left a little perplexed (Image: NQ) We then embark on our journey through Newport city centre, spurred on by the sounds of Gloria Estefan's 'Conga' as we round the corner onto Cambrian Road. The punters enjoying the sun and a pint outside Fire & Ice are understandably perplexed. This is a place is where nothing is out of the ordinary, but a herd of people walking down the street salsa dancing feels a little odd – even for Newport. We take a sharp turn down into the arcade and make our way toward some of the city centre landmarks. Walking through a bustling Friar's Walk while belting out Dolly Parton is not for the faint of heart, but we're told to just 'strut with confidence' and, strangely, the advice works. During a session earlier in the day, passers-by were joining in with the YMCA – no music needed. Katy Arnell, who helps lead the tour, said: 'People always like to see other people not take themselves too seriously. 'There's a human connection in this and, even though people can't hear the music, it starts to act as collective karaoke." There are not many other tours through Newport that would attract such a vast range of people. This one event has anyone from 4-year-olds who are obsessed with Katy's infectious energy and her incredibly sparkly jacket, to an 80-year-old on a mobility scooter taking part. This simple concept has managed to bring so many people together and create a sense of community – all while bewildering the people of Newport.
Perth Now
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Gloria Estefan reveals the 'biggest lesson' she learned after being in a near-fatal bus crash
Gloria Estefan learned her "biggest lesson" after she was involved in a near-fatal bus crash. The 67-year-old singer was left with a broken back after a truck crashed into her tour bus on a Pennsylvania highway during snowy weather in 1990, and developed a new "appreciation" for life after the fact. She told PEOPLE: "Especially after my accident, I think that was my biggest lesson. Not that I changed who I was because I'm still the same person, but just the enjoyment factor, the connection factor, the appreciation, and gratitude — it came out in my voice. "It gave me free rein.I wouldn't want to go through it again, but I wouldn't change it." The Conga hitmaker was then asked what sort of advice she would give to her younger self and wishes she could go back to remind her that "time goes by so quickly" so it is not worth "worrying" about anything. She said: "Don't worry about anything else. Because time goes by so quickly, and a lot of my life is a blur. "A lot of the times I was just hanging on for dear life. "So I would say 'Chillax, girl. Nothing is that important. Just be there, and enjoy the music... And don't worry about being perfect." Gloria - who has been married to music producer Emilio Estefan since 1978 recently released her 16th studio album Raíces and explained that the record is a "very personal" one that was inspired by her husband in a lot of ways. She said: "It's a very personal love story. There's a lot of love songs. "In fact, Emilio said to me, 'Oh, I wrote you a love song.' I go, 'Babe, you're going to sing it?' He goes, 'No, you're going to sing it for me.' I go, 'You wrote your own love song? I love that.'
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Here's Why Shaboozey Side-Eyed That ‘Carter Family Invented Country Music' Line at the AMAs
Over the past few years, an array of musicians, historians, researchers, and critics have helped upend the history of country music. They've brought overdue attention to the myriad, yet long-ignored contributions of Black musicians to country's origins, stressing the way record company owners overlooked Black artists for recording sessions, or slapped bogus genre terms on the songs they did record ('race records') to differentiate them from the similar tunes recorded by white artists. With all this knowledge far more well-known now than it ever has been, it was not surprising to see Shaboozey react skeptically to a piece of presenter copy at last night's American Music Awards regurgitating the old myths that country music was originally by and for white people. More from Rolling Stone Gloria Estefan Celebrates Latin Music Legacy With 'Conga' Performance at 2025 AMAs Reneé Rapp Gets Sexy at the AMAs With Live Debut of 'Leave Me Alone' Gwen Stefani Celebrates Her Aughts Hits at the 2025 AMAs At the AMAs, Shaboozey was on-hand to present the award for Favorite Country Duo or Group with Megan Moroney. Their presenter copy found them name-checking the winners of the major country categories at the inaugural AMAs in 1974. That year, Charley Pride won Favorite Country Male Artist, Lynn Anderson won Favorite Country Female Artist, and Favorite Country Duo or Group went to the Carter Family. Moroney's presenter copy had her say that the Carter Family 'basically invented country music.' This garnered a not-at-all subtle side-eye glance and a curt laugh from Shaboozey before he continued with the names of this year's nominees. On Tuesday morning, Shaboozey addressed the matter further in a pair of posts on Twitter. 'When you uncover the true history of country music, you find a story so powerful that it cannot be erased,' he said, adding: 'The real history of country music is about people coming together despite their differences, and embracing and celebrating the things that make us alike.' Reps for Shaboozey, Moroney, and the American Music Awards did not immediately return requests for comment. While the Carter Family are indeed country pioneers, they are also a perfect case study in the way country history has been whitewashed. Much of the Carter Family's catalog was made up of songs that patriarch A.P. Carter collected while traveling around Appalachia. Often joining Carter on these song scouting trips was a Black guitarist named Lesley Riddle, who not only helped Carter write down and memorize the songs, but introduced him to Black musical traditions (like church music and the blues) that further influenced what became known as country music. Riddle also taught A.P.'s bandmate and sister-in-law, Maybelle Carter, his style of guitar finger-picking, which further influenced her famous 'scratch' style of playing. While the Carter Family have long been considered country music royalty, it was only in the Sixties that Riddle began to get his due, and in recent years that his story has become more widely known. Riddle is just one of many Black artists to play a pivotal role in country's history, with Shaboozey also encouraging fans to seek out other key figures like Steve Tarter, Harry Gay, and DeFord Bailey. Others also expressed frustration with the AMAs presenter copy, including the musician Rissi Palmer, who wrote on Instagram, 'Tell me you know nothing about the actual roots of Country music without telling me you don't know the roots… like, who wrote this script? What in the Project 2025 hell is this? … Behind every founding father and mother of Country music stands a Black musician playing Black roots music, strategically hidden in the mix.' Dom Flemons, the revered musician and historian, commented on Palmer's post, encouraging people to seek out a video he made with the organization Black in Appalachia all about Riddle's contributions to the Carter Family and country history. 'The Carter [Family] and [record producer] Ralph Peer deserve the credit for their work to establish country music as a genre,' Flemons wrote. 'Lesley Riddle was never an established artist which is why he fell to the wayside in the early years… It took many years for his story to come out into the public.' (The American Music Awards is produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Rolling Stone's parent company Penske Media Corporation in partnership with the holding company Eldridge.) Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
USA Today
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Gloria Estefan takes us inside her American Music Awards return after 30 years
Gloria Estefan takes us inside her American Music Awards return after 30 years Show Caption Hide Caption Beyoncé Lands Three Nominations At The 2025 American Music Awards Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has been nominated for three country music awards for her 2024 album, 'Cowboy Carter,' at this year's American Music Awards. unbranded - Entertainment LAS VEGAS – Gloria Estefan shimmied her hips and elbows, shuffle dancing through a song that has probably played on a million wedding dance floors. 'I can't believe it's been 40 years. How can it be that long?' she mused to no one in particular on the cavernous stage at the BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. The song is 'Conga,' a pop culture staple since 1985, and it's among the medley Estefan, one of the bestselling Latina singers of all time, will perform during the American Music Awards May 26. It will be her first performance on the show in more than 30 years. It's 48 hours before the production airs live from the Fontainebleau (5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on CBS and streaming on Paramount+) and Estefan is gamely running through her showcase in a blue velvet pantsuit, her down-to-earth charisma apparent in between takes as she talks with stagehands and members of her vaunted Miami Sound Machine. She's a seasoned pro, enthusiastically dancing, smiling and pointing through five takes of the medley and thanking the handful of production assistants singing and waving from the floor below her, placeholders for the crowd that will file in come showtime. Along with Estefan, the AMAs lineup includes Benson Boone, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, Lainey Wilson and Reneé Rapp, along with Icon Award winner Janet Jackson and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Rod Stewart. The top nominees for the fan-voted show are Kendrick Lamar (10), Post Malone (8), Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan and Shaboozey (all with 7), and all-time AMA leader Taylor Swift, who adds six nominations this year to her overall win tally of 40. More: American Music Awards 2025 nominations: Kendrick Lamar dominates with 'Not Like Us' Estefan, 67, will be recognized for her influence on the Latin music industry by show host and performer Jennifer Lopez, who told USA TODAY in a separate interview she appreciates the trail Estefan forged. 'What exactly is a pioneer, right? Someone who opens the door and people's consciousness to accept certain things,' Lopez said. 'She definitely did that with her career for a lot of us Latin artists. She's dedicated her life to being a musician and singer and it's exciting to get to celebrate that.' Estefan demurs when asked if she views herself as a custodian of Latin music. 'It's nothing we ever sit down and think about because we just keep moving forward in everything we do and pick projects that make us happy,' Estefan told USA TODAY when she finished rehearsal. 'It was our purpose when we worked with artists like Shakira and JLo to push the door open a little because we knew they could do it. Everybody always told us 'no,' so we wanted to give some yeses. It's very gratifying when I see Bad Bunny singing in Spanish on 'SNL' or Karol G selling out four stadiums in Madrid with urban music. It makes me very happy." Estefan recalled watching Desi Arnaz during her childhood and the effect that seeing him sing in Spanish on American TV had on her psyche. 'As (Supreme Court justice) Sonia Sotomayor says, 'If you can't see it, you can't be it',' she said. More: Jennifer Lopez talks American Music Awards: 'A big part of my musical history' Estefan's first all-Spanish album in 18 years, "Raíces," arrives May 30. The title track, released in March, vaulted to No. 1 on the Billboard's U.S. Latin/Latin Airplay chart, which is gratifying to Estefan not only because she's still topping charts, but because the music is so personal. 'I wasn't planning on doing that album at all,' Estefan says, noting she's been busy writing 20 songs for the musical 'Basura,' which she's worked on with daughter Emily for three years. It will premiere at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta in May 2026. 'Emilio (Estefan) wanted me to do it. He can do 50 things at once, but I have to focus, so I told him, 'Babe, I can't. But if I ever do an album again I want it to be tropical.' It's my favorite genre, my core music that I would sing as a 3-year-old.' So Emilio wrote the album for his wife, including a valentine. The couple will celebrate 47 years of marriage in September. 'He came to me and said, 'I wrote you a love song.' And I said, 'Oh! You're going to sing it?' and he said, 'No! You're going to sing it for me.' And I said, 'Oh, I see, so you wrote your own love song,'' Estefan recalls with a laugh. "Thank God I agree with everything he wrote.'
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
International Court of Justice sides with Equatorial Guinea in Gabon island dispute
The United Nation's top court has sided with Equatorial Guinea in a row with Gabon over three islands in potentially oil-rich two Central African countries have been arguing over the isles - Conga, Mbanié and Cocoteros - since the early islands are virtually uninhabited but are in a maritime zone thought to contain significant amounts of International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Equatorial Guinea's claim - based on a 1900 treaty dividing up French and Spanish colonial assets - should be honoured. Gabon had argued that a more recent treaty - the 1974 Bata Convention - switched the islands' sovereignty in its favour. You may also be interested in: Massive sex tape leak could be a ploy for power in central AfricaWhy Gabon's coup leader is bucking a trend by embracing democracyGabon's ousted president and family freed after two years Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
