Latest news with #Lemar
Daily Mirror
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Singer Lemar reveals how he copes with life-changing medical condition
EXCLUSIVE: Singer Lemar is celebrating 20 years in the music industry - but the star has swapped the trappings of fame for a quiet life with his family, while battling tinnitus He's the silky-voiced soul star who brought us hits like If There's Any Justice and Dance (With U), and two decades on, Lemar Obika is still making waves – just a little more quietly these days. Now celebrating 20 years in the music industry, the MOBO Award-winning singer and former Fame Academy finalist has proven that talent, tenacity and timeless style can outlast even the noisiest trends. From humble beginnings in Tottenham to chart stardom and a quietly content family life, Lemar has navigated the highs and lows of fame with a calm grace that's rare in an era of oversharing and online chaos. In a revealing and refreshingly grounded interview, the Page in My Heart singer opens up about a hidden struggle with tinnitus, the subtle shift that came with fatherhood, and the enduring love story behind his 15-year marriage. And yes, he's still dreaming of that long-awaited duet with Alicia Keys. 'There's a song called Take Care on my most recent album Page in My Heart,' he says. 'I was surprised by how much it connected with fans. When you start out, it's all about proving you can sing or write a good love song. But as you grow, and your fans grow with you—getting into relationships, getting divorced, having kids, even losing kids—the songs carry more meaning.' Now 46, Lemar's voice remains as smooth and stirring as ever, but his hearing tells a different story. A few years ago, he was diagnosed with tinnitus – a condition that causes a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears. For a musician, it's not just inconvenient – it's life-altering. 'I realised I had tinnitus about seven years ago,' he shares. 'One night, around 2 AM, I kept hearing a noise in the house. I asked my partner if they could hear it—they said no. Eventually, I figured out the sound was only in my ears.' That moment of confusion marked the beginning of a new challenge. 'I went to the doctor and found out there's no real cure. You just have to accept you'll never hear silence again and monitor loud noises. I went through a tough period emotionally. But who knows— technology may help in the future. AI can do anything these days, right?' Lemar now manages his condition with a careful routine. 'I limit loud noises. I have my own in-ear system I bring to shows so I can control the levels. Over the years, it's the noise spikes—on stage, in the studio—that take a toll. Back in the day, everything was loud in studios, which definitely contributed.' Even outside of work, tinnitus shapes his choices. 'Maybe [it's changed my relationship with music]. I listen to music more quietly now and probably less often, especially after shows. The next day, the tinnitus is really loud, so I go through phases where I don't listen to anything.' Still, he's keen to dispel myths around the condition. 'That it's unmanageable. When I first found out, I panicked because there's no definite cure. I thought, 'How will this change my life?' But over time, I've adapted. My particular tinnitus sound is manageable. Others may hear different things—some people hear trains or buzzing. But mine is something I've learned to live with.' When it comes to live music, Lemar is passionate about making venues safer for everyone, especially the next generation. 'It's hard, especially with young people—telling a teen to turn down music doesn't really work. But promoting awareness is key. Maybe festivals could make it mandatory to hand out earplugs, even the cheap sponge ones. Especially for kids—when I see young children at loud festivals, I always worry about their hearing.' Offstage, Lemar lives a quiet life with his wife Charmaine Powell, a former model and businesswoman. The pair have been together since the early 2000s and share two children. Despite being in the public eye for over two decades, he has kept his family life remarkably private, and it's a choice that's served him well. 'Honestly, I think what's helped us last is that I'm mega private,' he says. 'We keep things grounded and away from the spotlight. That's helped us grow together over the years.' Fatherhood, too, has subtly transformed his perspective. 'They like music, but they're more cerebral, more athletic and studious than I was,' he says of his children. 'I'm happy with that.' And if they ever wanted to follow in his footsteps? 'I'd support them fully, of course. But music isn't just about talent—it's about timing, luck, and so many other factors. I'd pull strings to help them, but I'd never push them into it.' Reflecting on how the industry has changed since he first emerged in the early 2000s, Lemar says the rise of social media has reshaped everything. 'Well, obviously, I think technology has played a big part in music and the way it's been consumed over the last few years. I was there when Twitter and YouTube started. Now, social media platforms like Instagram are a huge part of how people engage with music. The way we write songs has changed a bit too—things are shorter, quicker. But I'm just grateful to still be in the mix and have people wanting to hear music from me.' His advice to newcomers is simple but sincere. 'Give it 200%. Be consistent. There's no such thing as overnight success. If you love what you're doing, you'll push through the hard times. That applies to any industry, not just music.' Raised in a Nigerian household in north London, Lemar credits his upbringing with shaping his approach to both music and life. 'Massively. My mum was very entrepreneurial—always doing something—and I was always around that hustle. My dad was calm and chilled, and I think I've got that side from him. That balance shaped me.' Despite the well-known pitfalls of fame, Lemar says he's been lucky to avoid the worst of the industry's darker side. 'I've been lucky. I started a bit later, around 22 or 23, and had a small team around me even before that. That team is still with me today. Having honest, grounded people around me helped spot when things could have gone left. That foundation is everything.' And after 20 years of music, what's next for the man with the velvet voice? 'Yes, though I can't talk about some of them yet. I've been dabbling in film and radio. I've got my show on Magic, and a few movie projects too—some related to Bridgerton, actually. Always working on new music as well.' One dream still yet to come true? A duet with Alicia Keys. 'I've always said that,' he smiles. 'Also, John Legend—that would be a great one too.' From hit records to hearing struggles, from fame to fatherhood, Lemar proves that longevity isn't about chasing trends – it's about staying true to yourself. And if Alicia is reading – now's the time to pick up the phone.
Daily Mirror
28-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Arsenal swap deal suddenly collapsed with £92m target left gutted by mess up
Arsene Wenger was on the verge of completing a £92million move for Thomas Lemar in 2017, but the move collapsed at the eleventh hour, leaving the French star disappointed The collapse of Arsenal 's club-record deal to sign Thomas Lemar for £92million left the France international gutted. The then-Monaco star played an integral role in the French side's surprising Ligue 1 title win in the 2016-17 season. While the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Benjamin Mendy and Bernardo Silva were all allowed to depart the club in the summer of 2017, Lemar looked to be next as the move to the Gunners beckoned on Deadline Day. The Premier League side had agreed on what would have been a British transfer record fee at the time of £92m to sign the winger, but it was dependent on the sale of Alexis Sanchez to Manchester City on the same day. Pep Guardiola's side had put in a bid for the Chilean on the last day of the window which would have allowed Arsene Wenger to use the proceeds from the sale to buy Lemar. However, the move quickly unravelled after Lemar was set to go on international duty later that day. As he wasn't given enough notice about the transfer by Monaco, the move collapsed as he stayed put in France for an extra year while Sanchez remained at the Emirates despite having a deal in place with City. Ex-Gunners chief Dick Law revealed the details behind the breakdown of the move when speaking exclusively to Goal in 2019. "There were no formal offers for Sanchez until the end of the window when the Manchester City one came in," he said. "So then you run into a pretty simple calculation. "It was the end of the window, literally the last day, and we wanted to be in a competitive position for the Champions League the next season. Were we more likely to compete for a Champions League position with Sanchez or without him? The decision was, we would be more competitive with him. "We did try to get Thomas Lemar that day, but it didn't get done. We thought we had Lemar and then that would have meant Sanchez to Manchester City. It was as simple operation of using the Sanchez money to pay for Lemar. "We had a deal done for Lemar, Sanchez had a deal done with City. But Lemar had been called up for France and Monaco had played the thing out and they ended up playing it out too long. They didn't send a clear signal to the player before he left for the national team and when they did send that signal, Lemar was already there with the French national team on the day of their international match and the deal fell apart. "It was a shame because it would have been interesting to see Lemar at Arsenal, but you have to move on from these decisions and circumstances. You can't sit and dwell on what might have been." After staying put at Monaco for the 2017/18 season, Lemar was asked about the failed transfer during the season, and he admitted his sadness that it didn't work out. "I am not going to hide it; I was a bit disappointed," Lemar said in 2018. "But there is no point fixating on that. I have continued to work so that these clubs might come back for me in the following transfer window." His work certainly paid off as he signed for Atletico Madrid that summer for a reported fee of £62m and remains there to this day. Since leaving Monaco, he has, however, largely failed to live up to expectations - which no doubt has softened the blow for Arsenal - and has just 10 goals and 19 assists to his name from 186 appearances for Atletico. He was converted into a central midfielder by Diego Simeone in 2020, but has since struggled with injuries and form and has consequently made just 11 appearances across all competitions in the last two seasons combined. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Leader Live
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Llangollen Eistedfod to welcome Absnt Mind before Olly Murs
One of Britain's biggest and best-loved stars, the Troublemaker and Marry Me star, is headlining Live at Llangollen Pavilion on Friday, July 4. It has already been announced Olly will be joined on the night by very special guest Lemar and it is now revealed acclaimed five-piece band Absnt Mind will open the show. Final tickets are on sale now from and Ticketmaster. Olly Murs (Image: Cuffe & Taylor, Rhodes Media) Formed just over a year ago, Absnt Mind – Alex Benson, who hails from nearby Chester, Ashton Henry-Reid, Conor Marcus, Freddie Meyer and Oscar Williams – co-write every song and are driving forward the group's musical evolution with latest single Wardrobe released today (April 25). This year, they have already played sold-out headline shows at London's Bush Hall, Manchester's Academy 3 and Belfast's Oh Yeah Music Centre, on top of their 2024 sold out tour and two sold out London 02 Islington Academy shows. Live is where this band excels so Llangollen can prepare for the perfect start to their night with Olly Murs. Olly first rose to fame on ITV's The X Factor in 2009 and has since enjoyed a hit-filled career with no less than four Number One singles, seven studio albums and six BRIT Award nominations. Last year, he attracted a whole new army of fans after a successful stint as special guest on Take That's This Life tour. With his infectious energy, Olly presents a catalogue of fan-favourites including such hits as Please Don't Let Me Go, Heart Skips A Beat, Dance With Me Tonight, Dear Darlin', and Wrapped Up promising an unforgettable night as he makes his Llangollen debut. Joining Olly as very special guest will be multi-award-winning singer-songwriter Lemar. One of the most successful male British solo artists of the last two decades Lemar has enjoyed considerable chart success in the UK and Ireland releasing 10 top 20 singles, seven of which peaked in the top 10, and selling more than two million albums. LATEST NEWS Lemar is a double Brit Award and triple MOBO Award winner who has worked with many of music's greats, from Lionel Richie to Justin Timberlake, Mary J Blige, Beyonce and Mariah Carey. In 2023, Lemar released his 7th studio album Page In My Heart and earlier last year he starred alongside Beverley Knight in Sister Act in the West End before joining chart toppers JLS on tour. Olly Murs joins the Summer 2025 lineup, which will also feature headline shows from James, The Human League, Rag'n'Bone Man, Texas, The Script and UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at the iconic Welsh venue. The headline concerts are presented in a partnership between Live Nation promoters Cuffe and Taylor and Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.
