Latest news with #Spice
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Writer of huge Spice Girls song admits most difficult part of working with band
EXCLUSIVE: An award-winning songwriter who has worked with the likes of Gary Barlow, Boyzone, Celine Dion and Aretha Franklin has admitted 'nothing compares' to the Spice Girls Spice Girls fever was at its peak in the nineties, and there was one person right in the middle of it all. Step forward songwriter Elliot Kennedy. The writer who is best pals with Gary Barlow and has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Celine Dion, was on hand when the iconic girl group took the world by storm. The co-writer of their hit tune Say You'll Be There from their debut album, Spice, has admitted there was one thing he sometimes struggled with with the group - containing them. However, he admitted this wasn't a bad thing and simply showed the true personality of a band destined for success. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Elliot said "nothing compares" to the Spice Girls, made up of Melanie B, Victoria Beckham, Melanie C, Emma Bunton and Geri Halliwell. "They literally crashed at my house," Elliot said. "This was before they had a manager and they were transitioning from the guy that put them together, who was obviously a visionary in his own right, and then we helped connect him to Simon Fuller. "But they were amazing and fantastic girls. Their energy was off the scale and the most difficult thing was containing the energy because they were a million miles an hour. "They had so many ideas that, for a songwriter, was just fantastic. I have nothing but amazing memories from working with them. As I say, they crashed at my house and we just became like family and it's lovely that they went out and changed the world. Being a part of that wave was remarkable and life changing and life affirming in all kinds of ways. "They were just fantastic people and still are and I have a great deal of respect for them all. They worked really bloody hard and deserved everything they got. It was charming and funny and crazy and it was brilliant to be a part of it." Elliot also opened up on his tight connection with Gary Barlow, with the pair currently working on theatrical shows. He said: "We speak every day and we work together all the time. He's my closest friend and collaborator and we're still doing it, you know? We're still cracking on and having a laugh and we're best of friends first and foremost." Elliot admitted the duo have a very similar way of thinking. But he also confessed that there's more to Gary than meets the eye, saying he's simply "just a big, regular guy". "He's a great dad and a solid husband. And he's a really great friend outside of music and everything else," he gushed. Elliot also revealed that Robbie Williams was also supposed to sing the Relight My Fire vocals but claimed the producer got the key wrong, leading to Gary singing it. And he says it was this that then led to him co-writing Everything Changes for the boys, to be sang by Robbie, which went to number one on the writer's 25th birthday, fulfiling his own dream. After reminiscing, Elliot also praised exciting rising band Apollo Junction after they approached him for their latest tune titled Entangled. The Yorkshire-based band who have also had a hit with Beautiful South singer Briana Corrigan wrote the song with the award-winning hitmaker and Elliot praised them for what he called was a "clever move". "Apollo Junction is a perfect example of how random my life goes," he admitted. "I'm working on records with The Overtones, or Alfie Boe, or whatever and writing musicals and then completely out of the left field, Jamie from the band contacts me. "I knew who they were because they're only from down the road but seldom do I do this. But for whatever reason, I thought I should give this a go." He explained the instant connection he go after meeting them and said: "What I thought was really quite clever was when they said to me that the last time they came off the Isle of Wight stage they realised they needed their songs to be better. 'We need a signature' they said. "And I just said, you know what, a lot of bands don't work that out." He revealed how he is proud of being a songwriter who can help others get that unique sound, explaining his eclectic range of stars he has worked with, which also includes Bryan Adams, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin and Boyzone. "But for a band who write their own material and suddenly realise they need the skills of someone who does this for a living, it was really a clever move, a really adept move, I thought." Apollo Junction's latest album is set to be released on August 22, with Elliot also releasing a number of other exciting tunes as well as his stage play.
The Star
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
A new battle for Arrakis: Should 'Dune' fans play 'Dune Awakening'?
BERLIN: It is one of the greatest science fiction works of our time: In Dune , various noble houses fight for supremacy on the desert planet Arrakis. The game Dune: Awakening from developer Funcom rewrites the history of the Dune universe. In this alternative timeline, protagonist Paul Atreides has never been born. Players embark in multiplayer mode with hundreds of others on the hostile planet where they have to survive in the heat and sandstorms and explore the open world. The goal is to control the resource known as Spice, which only grows on Arrakis, and to secure power for your own faction. One of the biggest dangers are the sand-worms, which can swallow characters whole. Any item or vehicle consumed by one of the giant worms is lost forever. Fans of the Dune films will certainly enjoy exploring the planet we saw in the Hollywood blockbusters, but overall Dune Awakening is an intense mix of MMO games best suited to fans of World Of Warcraft and survival games like Valheim . You expand your base with resources and technological advancements, while at the same time, there are quests to complete and new regions to discover. The custom characters improve with experience and equipment. The release model is somewhat unusual. The game itself costs around US$50 (RM211) and future content will be added through free and paid downloadable content and not financed by in-game purchases or subscriptions. The game is available for Windows. Versions for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S are planned for 2026. – dpa
Daily Record
25-06-2025
- Daily Record
Teen missing after boarding flight from Manchester to Malaysia
A teenager has been missing after travelling to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur earlier this month as police launch an appeal to try and trace the youngster's movements. Concern is growing after a teenager went missing after boarding a flight from Manchester to Malaysia almost three weeks ago. Today (Wednesday June 25), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has issued an urgent appeal for information regarding the 17-year-year-old, referred to as David. Officers say the teen from Stockport is known to have boarded a plane to Kuala Lumpur earlier this month. He was last seen at Manchester Airport at 6.30am on Friday, June 6. The police are trying to trace the boy's movements and want to speak to anyone who could help. A GMP Stockport spokesperson said: "Do you know David from Stockport? David (17) was last seen in Manchester Airport at 6:30am on Friday, June 6 2025, but is known to have boarded an aeroplane to Kuala Lumpur. "Officers are keen to speak to anyone who may know David, his movements or anything else that could help our investigation." David's surname and a description have not been given by the police, but two photos of the youngster have been released. One appears to show David going through Manchester Airport before boarding the flight, reports Manchester Evening News. Anyone who sees David or has information on his whereabouts is urged to come forward as soon as possible. Details can be passed on to GMP by calling 101, quoting log number 3703 of June 6, 2025. Meanwhile, earlier this month, a mum said she couldn't stop crying with joy after her missing teenage son was found alive and safe. Deante James, 17, went missing on the evening of March 31 from the family home in Enfield, north London. He had suffered psychosis, after unknowingly smoking a joint laced with Spice - a lab-made drug designed to mimic the effects of cannabis. His mum, Vandana Bhogowoth, who found Deante safe six weeks later, told the Mirror: "I'm so happy and relieved, thank God we've found him. "When I got the call from the police to say he'd been found I was over the moon - I couldn't stop crying.' The case of missing Deante had been highlighted as part of our Missed campaign. 'Thanks so much for everything the Mirror has done - it pushed the police to realise who he was even though his name had been entered onto the system incorrectly. It's great news and he's now getting the help he needs," Vandana added. Deante's life changed a few weeks before he vanished, after he shared a joint with friends, not knowing it was laced with Spice - a drug known to cause side effects ranging from difficulty breathing to psychotic episodes in some users. He developed psychosis and the night he went missing, he ran away without his phone or wallet. Lovingly referring to Deante as 'my boo,' Vandana shared her story with The Mirror's Missed campaign last month. She recalled how he was picked up by British Transport Police three days after going missing for not being able to pay his fare but was then let go because of an inputting error. It was only after Vandana contacted her MP that Deante's case was changed from medium to high risk - despite being 17 and vulnerable. Vandana is certain The Mirror's article was the key to finding Vandana, noting: 'The police then realised who he was, probably because of all the publicity making it very high on their radar.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. 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. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Daily Mirror
25-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Brit boy, 17, missing after boarding flight from Manchester
A teenager from Stockport known as David travelled to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur earlier this month as police launch an appeal to try and trace the youngster's movements Concerns are growing over the whereabouts of a teenager who has been missing since he boarded a flight from Manchester to Malaysia almost three weeks ago. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has today (June 25) issued an urgent appeal for information regarding the 17-year-year-old, referred to as David. Officers say the teen from Stockport is known to have boarded a plane to Kuala Lumpur earlier this month. He was last seen at Manchester Airport at 6.30am on Friday, June 6. The police are trying to trace the boy's movements and want to speak to anyone who could help. A GMP Stockport spokesperson said: "Do you know David from Stockport? David (17) was last seen in Manchester Airport at 6:30am on Friday, June 6 2025, but is known to have boarded an aeroplane to Kuala Lumpur. "Officers are keen to speak to anyone who may know David, his movements or anything else that could help our investigation." David's surname and a description have not been given by the police, but two photos of the youngster have been released. One appears to show David going through Manchester Airport before boarding the flight, reports Manchester Evening News. Anyone who sees David or has information on his whereabouts is urged to come forward as soon as possible. Details can be passed on to GMP by calling 101, quoting log number 3703 of June 6, 2025. Meanwhile, earlier this month, a mum said she couldn't stop crying with joy after her missing teenage son was found alive and safe. Deante James, 17, went missing on the evening of March 31 from the family home in Enfield, north London. He had suffered psychosis, after unknowingly smoking a joint laced with Spice - a lab-made drug designed to mimic the effects of cannabis. His mum, Vandana Bhogowoth, who found Deante safe six weeks later, told the Mirror: "I'm so happy and relieved, thank God we've found him. "When I got the call from the police to say he'd been found I was over the moon - I couldn't stop crying.' The case of missing Deante had been highlighted as part of our Missed campaign. 'Thanks so much for everything the Mirror has done - it pushed the police to realise who he was even though his name had been entered onto the system incorrectly. It's great news and he's now getting the help he needs," Vandana added. Deante's life changed a few weeks before he vanished, after he shared a joint with friends, not knowing it was laced with Spice - a drug known to cause side effects ranging from difficulty breathing to psychotic episodes in some users. He developed psychosis and the night he went missing, he ran away without his phone or wallet. Lovingly referring to Deante as 'my boo,' Vandana shared her story with The Mirror's Missed campaign last month. She recalled how he was picked up by British Transport Police three days after going missing for not being able to pay his fare but was then let go because of an inputting error. It was only after Vandana contacted her MP that Deante's case was changed from medium to high risk - despite being 17 and vulnerable. Vandana is certain The Mirror's article was the key to finding Vandana, noting: 'The police then realised who he was, probably because of all the publicity making it very high on their radar.'
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ice Spice Cast in Upcoming ‘SpongeBob Squarepants' Film, Will Contribute New Original Song
Ice Spice is taking a trip to Bikini Bottom soon, with the rapper officially securing her spot in an upcoming SpongeBob Squarepants movie. Per Deadline, Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation announced on Tuesday (June 9) the new cast for the upcoming film The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Squarepants. Spice was announced alongside Regina Hall, Sherry Cola, Arturo Castro and George Lopez as the newest cast members to join the project. The four-time Grammy-nominated rapper will also record a new, original song for the film, which is set for a December release. More from Billboard KATSEYE Heats Up 'Gnarly' Summer with Ice Spice Remix: Stream It Now Jewish Groups Withdraw From 2025 San Diego Pride Festival Over Kehlani's Support For Palestine Elizabeth Hurley Gushes About Being 'In Love' in Birthday Suit Picture Amid Billy Ray Cyrus Romance The rapper reacted to the news on her Instagram Story, writing, 'yay!!!' to express her excitement. It serves as a full circle moment for Spice, who dropped off the single 'Bikini Bottom' back in 2022. The track appeared on her debut EP Like…?, which reached No. 15 on the Billboard 200. The news comes as Spice is rumored to be dating Sauce Gardner. Back in April, The Bronx rapper posted a since-deleted selfie to her Instagram featuring herself posing with Gardner in front of a mirror. The pair had been fueling dating rumors for months after Sauce posted a photo with Ice Spice on Instagram. Earlier that month, the two attended Adin Ross' boxing event and were awkwardly left hanging on the kiss cam. Musically, Ice Spice made her latest appearance on KATSEYE's 'Gnarly' remix, marking her first release of 2025. The rapper will also appear alongside Denzel Washington and A$AP Rocky in Spike Lee's upcoming film Highest 2 Lowest. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
