Latest news with #Gem
North Wales Live
2 days ago
- North Wales Live
Welsh airport branded 'UK's quietest' has rare queues and empty departure lounges
The frantic rush of the airport can send stress levels soaring, particularly during peak travel periods as masses of holidaymakers dash for their flights. However, according to one seasoned globe-trotter, Cardiff Airport emerges as an oasis of tranquillity, providing a serene escape from the typical mayhem. In a TikTok clip, user TC Gem showcases the remarkably peaceful corridors of this Welsh airport, highlighting empty shops and a complete lack of crowds. The very elements that prompted her to label it the "quietest airport" she has encountered. With such liberty to wander, Gem's journey contrasts with the commotion typical of numerous other airports. Whilst the precise timing of her visit remained undisclosed, it's noteworthy that experienced flyers have long recognised Tuesdays and Wednesdays as generally calmer days at airports. In contrast, weekend rushes and particularly busy slots such as Friday evenings and Sunday mornings typically bring packed concourses and extortionate prices. Nevertheless, Gem's peaceful encounter isn't an isolated tale. Fellow TikToker Ryan Murkin described it as the "quietest departure lounge" he had witnessed, with countless others sharing similar observations about Cardiff Airport's distinctively calming ambience. The general view amongst traveller feedback suggests that despite its subdued setting, Cardiff Airport continues to serve as a favoured departure point for many – a destination where peaceful calm forms an unexpected element of the travel experience. Cardiff Airport has received rave reviews from passengers, with one delighted traveller praising its qualities on TrustPilot: "Incredibly helpful staff here, quiet airport. "We had a nine month old with us and had exceeded baggage amount for max one bag. They kindly found a spare bag for us to split luggage, which was hugely appreciated. Security and boarding very supportive when travelling with a young child." Another flyer shared their excellent experience: "First time flying from Cardiff as it's normally cheaper for us to fly from Bristol or Birmingham, but will definitely consider paying slightly extra to fly from Cardiff for future holidays!" They continued: "Very simple, quick and easy check in, no queues for security due to the limited amount of flights daily, plenty of space in the airport." A third holidaymaker said: "Love this airport - so stress-free. Flew from Cardiff to Dublin and back with a toddler and everything about the airport experience was easy, quick and convenient. "No queuing and no delays. Definitely planning on using Cardiff airport whenever possible from now on."
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Meg Washington: ‘Why make art at all? What's the point? Sometimes I feel like the violinist on the Titanic'
Once, in a major label meeting, Meg Washington was given a directive: show us your face. 'They tell you when they sign you that you have to put your face on your album cover and your eyes need to be open, because that statistically sells the most records,' she says matter-of-factly. 'You know how posts with sunsets get more likes, or whatever? It's just some Gladwellian reality that if humans can see the eyeballs, they subconsciously connect more.' She only half obeyed. On her platinum-selling, Aria-winning debut I Believe You Liar, Washington hid like a ghost behind a sheet – with holes cut out for eyes, to technically meet that requirement. For 2014's There There, a sketch artist drew thin, pencil renderings of her face; on 2020's Batflowers, her face was mostly covered by a cartoonish drawing of a flower. But for her latest album, Gem, Washington has finally taken the advice she was given all those years ago: the cover is her gazing at the camera; no obscurity, no tricks, just her. It's ironic that she's finally submitted to major label logic, given Gem is her first original album as an independent artist, and the one most divorced from expectations of record sales. 'I had been signed to a major label for 13 years, which is a long time to be signed to a major label. And I found myself having to re-identify myself. Like, what is [music] to you? Is this something that you do because it's gonna have a fiscal impact? No, not at all,' she contemplates with a dry laugh. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning I last spoke to Washington in 2020 for the release of Batflowers, her last album with Universal. It's been a busy few years. Since then, she has founded her own label, Batflowers Records; moved from her home town of Brisbane to the Gold Coast with her husband, film-maker Nick Waterman, and their son; released a cover of The Killers' album Hot Fuss; and continued her voice role on the hit kids' show Bluey (she plays Bluey's teacher Calypso). She even changed her moniker, for a third time: first she went by only her 'un-Googleable' last name, before adding on her first name for SEO purposes, and finally shortening Megan to Meg. But most of the last five years was spent on making her and Waterman's debut film, How To Make Gravy: an adaptation of Paul Kelly's beloved Christmas song that she penned the script for – and this new album, in 'stolen moments' here and there. Today, we're sitting in the lobby of a Sydney hotel, where Washington is visiting for a run of shows. The combination of last night's gig and this morning's dawn photoshoot means she's running on just three hours of sleep, she tells me when we meet. Exhaustion hasn't dulled her natural intensity – this is someone unafraid to ask me point-blank what I liked about her new album and prone to countering my questions with her own. But there's warmth and humour too: she drops serious-but-silly one-liners like 'the dominant religion of capitalism is money – that shit is real,' and hangs around after the recorder is off to talk shoe shopping and parenting. Last time we spoke, she was grappling with what happens to the music when you're happy – no longer in the turmoil of her 20s, which fueled her first two albums, but writing music from the quiet calm of marriage and motherhood. Is that still something she wrestles with? 'That's interesting,' she says, pausing to sip the green juice Waterman dropped off mid-interview, in an attempt to ward off tour sickness. 'This record is unique because now what I'm grappling with is a sense of the future. As a parent and as a person, looking into the future at the moment feels cloudy. I found myself really interrogating the question of, well, why make art at all? Like, what's the point? Sometimes I feel like the violinist on the Titanic.' What is worth making music about right now, Washington decided, was a 'more outward interrogation of nature'. She means 'nature' in a couple of senses. Most obviously, there's the natural world, which Washington sings about with awe on Gem. Directed by Waterman, the film clip to the woozy, tropical lead single Shangri-La – which could soundtrack The White Lotus now it's down a composer – sees Washington dance on a beach, waves crashing behind her, and in a rainforest framed by verdant green. The lyrics reference the sky, treetops, spiderwebs, seashells and flowers growing through the weeds. It's not strictly a climate album, but then again, as Washington says: 'I don't think that anybody can make any art right now and not have that be threaded through what's going on.' But Gem also weaves in her musings on her own nature and being an artist in the modern world. The pop idols we create out of teenagers ('We've got a brand-new Jesus / She's only 17'); her wish to 'live for more than money'; and even the lyric 'everybody's talking about superannuation'. 'I never thought I would put the word 'superannuation' in a song,' she laughs. But Washington found herself repeatedly writing about money because of how conflicted she feels about it. 'As an artist, you're not really motivated by money … but when you turn your passion or your joyful escape into your job, the garden can become a factory.' But while there's lyrics about burning with anger and crying at the news ('don't you?'), Washington says Gem is actually 'a totally hopeful, future-facing, wide open album', intended as an oasis. Instead of giving in to pessimism, Washington decided to write what she wanted to be true – 'like a rapper!' Take, for instance, the line on the single Kidding where she triumphantly declares over a soaring beat that she 'believes in the future'. 'You can either sing, 'I feel really scared about the future, because America just elected Donald Trump'. Or you can go the other way, and say what is not so true right now, but maybe you would like to be,' she explains earnestly. 'What would you prefer to sing?' The album's final track is Fine, a song that first appeared in How To Make Gravy, where it was sung by Brendan Maclean. This version features vocals from Washington and Paul Kelly himself. Collaborating with the legendary musician after adapting his song into a film was 'like a lovely bow on a grape', she says, in one of the unique turns of phrase Washington is prone to. Washington already has another two albums written but not recorded. Because the more music she makes, the more she realises she has to give – even if she's just serenading the sinking ship. 'As I make each record, I'm wading deeper and deeper into the sea – that's what it feels like. And the more I go, the more I learn, and the more I learn, the more I want to do,' she says. 'I am a singing animal – I just do it. I just honk. And so I came to realise that If I was shipwrecked on a desert island with nobody around, I would sing all day.' Gem by Meg Washington is out 8 August. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion Each month we ask our headline act to share the songs that have accompanied them through love, life, lust and death. What was the best year for music, and what five songs prove it? 1997! Shania Twain's You're Still the One; Radiohead's No Surprises; Kylie Minogue's Did It Again; Bic Runga's Sway; and Leonardo's Bride's Even When I'm Sleeping. What music do you clean the house to? Graceland, by Paul Simon. Or Glen Campbell. Housework feels more romantic with a vintage feeling. If your life was a movie, what would the opening credits song be? Part of Your World, from the Little Mermaid. What is your go-to karaoke song? Valerie, by Amy Winehouse/The Zutons. You can mostly sing it by talking, and I like to chill at karaoke. What's a song you can never listen to again? Venus by Bananarama, I heard it so much in the car as a child that now when I hear it I feel instantly carsick, it's pavlovian. What underrated song deserves classic status? Solid Gold by Delta Goodrem. That song is huge. What is a song you loved as a teenager? I've always loved really dense, wordy songs that are almost a puzzle to figure out, like The Real Slim Shady, or One Crowded Hour by Augie March. What is the first song/album you bought? The Australian cast recording of Hot Shoe Shuffle, a tap dancing musical. What is the best song to have sex to? Anything instrumental, please!
Sydney Morning Herald
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Your siblings don't define you': These twins took their own singular directions
When I'm overseas, I call her once or twice every day and at home we still have sleepovers; just jumping in with each other for a chat until late into the night. Debriefing with someone who knows you so well just makes you feel better. We go for a walk whenever we can, too, but Gem's got a terrible sense of direction, which annoys me. The other day, we walked to the coffee shop we've been going to for 20 years, then we went to leave and she walked the wrong way. How is that even possible? Everyone used to just see us as 'the twins', which invites comparisons, and I think Gem found that hard. As teenagers, our older sister, Sunday, was a world-class trampolinist, and I was a national-level runner, and I remember people at family events going: 'Sunday, that's amazing!' and 'Claudia, how cool!' and 'Gem, what are you up to?' That's why any time she's on stage, I'm so proud because I know how nerve-wracking it is to put yourself in front of people and perform. Whenever Gem gets up and sings, I always cry because now everyone else is seeing what I've seen for so long. Gemma: When Claudy found her love for running in primary school, we were both competitive. I'd win one race, then she would, then I would. It was always this thing – 'Which twin's gonna win?' – but I don't like running, so I dropped it while she took it to another level. When it came to choosing between studying and training, Claudy always chose training. She used to muck around and say, 'Chill out! It's just school.' She was never overly stressed, and such a socialite. Everyone loved her. Claudy can tell you her running schedule a week ahead, down to the hour, but with anything else, she's so disorganised. She loses things constantly – Airpods, make-up, shoes – and don't give her anything because you'll never get it back. She's messy, too. She won't clean until it's just a pile, like a bomb's gone off. We've probably only had one big fight. We used to skate to school and, one day, Claudy didn't bring her skateboard. I was excited to go down this big hill and she took my skateboard and went down it! I was filthy. I screamed at her, and she jumped off and hid for the rest of the walk home. I was so worried, crying, and she jumped out of the bushes to scare me and saw my tears, and she started bawling, too. It was ridiculous and over in five minutes. We both did club footy, playing Interleague, and then for the Sandringham Dragons [an AFLW feeder team], but she knew she wanted to run. I didn't get to choose. When I was 17, I snapped my ACL and MCL and couldn't walk. I remember standing outside our home in my knee brace, crying, and Claudy hugging me. Claudy is an amazing athlete, but the pressure she puts on herself can be overwhelming, and so for her to have someone who's separate from that – not a teammate, coach or parent – is probably special; it's someone she can vent and unload with. Every time she races, I'm super-nervous. It's almost like I'm ready to run. I was so proud of her at the 2024 National Championships in Adelaide. That moment had been building for so long and to come flying through and cross the line first – the best 800-metre runner in Australia – I just died. Loading There were moments, being in that box with high-achieving sisters, where you feel like you have to match these people performing on the world stage. That's why I tried so many things – I had this need to put my fingers in every pie – but your siblings don't define you. You can find your own way. When we shared a room, I used to run 'Gemma's singing school', where Claudy was my student and I'd get her to follow me, so she's always been my No. 1 supporter. Whenever I'm unsure of something I'm performing, or a new song I've written, I always sing it for Claudy first. I love the way it makes her smile.
The Age
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
‘Your siblings don't define you': These twins took their own singular directions
When I'm overseas, I call her once or twice every day and at home we still have sleepovers; just jumping in with each other for a chat until late into the night. Debriefing with someone who knows you so well just makes you feel better. We go for a walk whenever we can, too, but Gem's got a terrible sense of direction, which annoys me. The other day, we walked to the coffee shop we've been going to for 20 years, then we went to leave and she walked the wrong way. How is that even possible? Everyone used to just see us as 'the twins', which invites comparisons, and I think Gem found that hard. As teenagers, our older sister, Sunday, was a world-class trampolinist, and I was a national-level runner, and I remember people at family events going: 'Sunday, that's amazing!' and 'Claudia, how cool!' and 'Gem, what are you up to?' That's why any time she's on stage, I'm so proud because I know how nerve-wracking it is to put yourself in front of people and perform. Whenever Gem gets up and sings, I always cry because now everyone else is seeing what I've seen for so long. Gemma: When Claudy found her love for running in primary school, we were both competitive. I'd win one race, then she would, then I would. It was always this thing – 'Which twin's gonna win?' – but I don't like running, so I dropped it while she took it to another level. When it came to choosing between studying and training, Claudy always chose training. She used to muck around and say, 'Chill out! It's just school.' She was never overly stressed, and such a socialite. Everyone loved her. Claudy can tell you her running schedule a week ahead, down to the hour, but with anything else, she's so disorganised. She loses things constantly – Airpods, make-up, shoes – and don't give her anything because you'll never get it back. She's messy, too. She won't clean until it's just a pile, like a bomb's gone off. We've probably only had one big fight. We used to skate to school and, one day, Claudy didn't bring her skateboard. I was excited to go down this big hill and she took my skateboard and went down it! I was filthy. I screamed at her, and she jumped off and hid for the rest of the walk home. I was so worried, crying, and she jumped out of the bushes to scare me and saw my tears, and she started bawling, too. It was ridiculous and over in five minutes. We both did club footy, playing Interleague, and then for the Sandringham Dragons [an AFLW feeder team], but she knew she wanted to run. I didn't get to choose. When I was 17, I snapped my ACL and MCL and couldn't walk. I remember standing outside our home in my knee brace, crying, and Claudy hugging me. Claudy is an amazing athlete, but the pressure she puts on herself can be overwhelming, and so for her to have someone who's separate from that – not a teammate, coach or parent – is probably special; it's someone she can vent and unload with. Every time she races, I'm super-nervous. It's almost like I'm ready to run. I was so proud of her at the 2024 National Championships in Adelaide. That moment had been building for so long and to come flying through and cross the line first – the best 800-metre runner in Australia – I just died. Loading There were moments, being in that box with high-achieving sisters, where you feel like you have to match these people performing on the world stage. That's why I tried so many things – I had this need to put my fingers in every pie – but your siblings don't define you. You can find your own way. When we shared a room, I used to run 'Gemma's singing school', where Claudy was my student and I'd get her to follow me, so she's always been my No. 1 supporter. Whenever I'm unsure of something I'm performing, or a new song I've written, I always sing it for Claudy first. I love the way it makes her smile.
New Straits Times
23-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Gig workers coalition welcomes RON95 price reduction, toll freeze
KUALA LUMPUR: The eHailing Malaysia Coalition (Gem) has welcomed the government's announcement on the reduction of RON95 petrol price and the continuation of current toll rates, calling it a positive step that offers temporary relief to gig workers. Gem chief activist Jose Rizal said the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would slightly ease the daily cost burden faced by e-hailing and p-hailing drivers, many of whom operate on tight margins. "Alhamdulillah, Gem welcomes the Prime Minister's announcement on the RON95 price reduction and toll rate retention. It is a positive move that brings some relief to the e-hailing and p-hailing community in dealing with daily cost pressures," he told the New Straits Times. Earlier, Anwar announced that toll rates for 10 highways would remain unchanged this year. The price of RON95 petrol will also be reduced to RM1.99 per litre when fuel subsidies are rationalised. However, Jose said the impact of the government's move remained relative and subjective, given that wage rates were still dictated by platform companies and regulated by the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) under the Transport Ministry. "To date, Apad continues to be seen as rigid and unresponsive to our many demands," he said. He said what the community truly needed was a structural change in wage protection, and urged the government to fast-track the tabling of the Gig Workers' Bill 2025. "Gem places high hopes on the Human Resources Ministry and the commitment of Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong to table the Gig Workers Bill in the upcoming Parliament sitting. We believe this can be a real game changer for the future of the gig economy and its workers," he said. Jose added that gig workers continued to face income instability due to a lack of formal wage protection, and called for stronger regulatory intervention to ensure fairer treatment by digital platforms.
