Latest news with #YouRaiseMeUp
Borneo Post
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Borneo Post
11-year-old organist to perform at St Peter's Church Padungan opening
Kai (left) and Kenzie (right) seen during rehearsals at St Peter's Church here yesterday, in preparation for their upcoming performances. – Photo by Beverly Chan. KUCHING: At just 11 years old, Sarawakian-Australian Kai Laird is one of the rare few in his age group to master the pipe organ, an instrument typically associated with seasoned musicians. The young organist is set to perform during the opening ceremony of the newly completed St Peter's Church in Padungan, which will be consecrated in a week-long celebration starting today until July 5. The church, poised to become one of Kuching's latest architectural and spiritual landmarks, features a custom-built Allen digital organ imported from the United States. It is on this instrument that Kai will perform several specially selected pieces over two days. He will be playing 'You Raise Me Up' by Josh Groban and 'Prière de Notre Dame' by Léon Boëllmann, today. On Tuesday, his set will include J.S. Bach's 'Toccata and Fugue' in D minor (BWV 565), 'Be Thou My Vision', and a duet performance of the 'Skye Boat Song' with his younger brother Kenzie Laird, 7, on violin. Kai began his musical journey with piano lessons at the age of three, taught by his mother. Today, he plays four instruments: the pipe organ, piano, cello, and drums. Kai Laird – Photo by Chimon Upon His parents — Robert Wallace Laird from Australia and Beverly Chan from Kuching, Sarawak — are both professional pianists and run a music studio in Australia where they also teach. 'My parents asked me if I wanted to try the pipe organ, and I said 'Okay'. When I played it at St Mary's Cathedral (Perth), I thought, 'Oh my gosh, this is so crazy',' Kai said when met by The Borneo Post. He now practises the organ twice a day for about 40 minutes, and the piano for 20 minutes. Both he and Kenzie are home-schooled, giving them the flexibility to focus on music full-time. Kai enjoys the pipe organ for its sound, versatility, and complexity. 'You can mix all the sounds, adjust them, and even play with your feet. Sometimes I get confused with the pedals or the sounds, but I can fix it afterwards. It's fun!' he said enthusiastically. He owns a digital organ built in 1982, which allows him to practise from home. He looks forward to navigating the significantly larger organ at St Peter's, made by the same company, on performance day. 'There is a lot to get used to with each organ. Some pedal boards are curved, some are flat. The number of keyboards also changes. St Peter's has four manuals, which is really cool,' he said. Kai has already performed in Malaysia, Australia, Scotland, and England, and is currently the youngest organ scholar at St Mary's Cathedral in Perth. Robert and Beverly with their sons, Kai and Kenzie, photographed during the interview. – Photo by Chimon Upon Following his performance at St Peter's, the family will travel to the United Kingdom next week for another recital. In October, he is set to compete in his first organ competition in Sydney. In a field where young players are rare, Kai continues to build a name for himself with discipline, focus, and genuine love for the music, and may well inspire more children to explore the organ too. Related report: Week-long celebration to mark consecration of new St Peter's Church in Padungan Kai Laird Kuching pipe organ St Peter's Church Padungan
RTÉ News
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Brian Kennedy to play Oscar Wilde in Phil Lynott stage musical
Belfast singer Brian Kennedy says he is "beyond thrilled" to be joining rock-theatre show Moonlight: The Philip Lynott Enigma to play the role of Irish wit and playwright Oscar Wilde. The production, which opened in Dublin's Vicar Street in April, tells the story of the late Thin Lizzy front man and is set to return to Vicar Steet on 20 and 21 and has also announced a show in UCH Limerick on 24 June. Dublin actor Peter M. Smith plays Lynott in Moonlight, which charts the early life of Lynott, portraying him not just as a rock legend but as a literary figure worthy of standing alongside Wilde and Brendan Behan, both of whom make ghostly appearances in the musical. The show blends live music, including Thin Lizzy classics and original compositions, with theatrical storytelling to explore Lynott's formative years in Dublin and London during the late 1960s and early '70s. Speaking about playing Wilde in the show, Kennedy, whose songs include Captured and You Raise Me Up, says: "I'm beyond thrilled to be part of Moonlight and of course to bring something new to the legend of Oscar! I feel like I have finally met Phil Lynott and Brendan Behan."
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'American Idol' Fans Are Raving About the Show's Latest Big Reveal
We're just weeks away from an all-new season of American Idol, and the show continues to drop major hints about what — or rather who — folks can expect to assist the contestants on their musical journey. Days after the hit ABC series revealed that Jelly Roll would be American Idol's first "artist in residence," viewers learned he's not the only singer helping aspiring musicians with the chance to be the next American Idol. In an announcement made by the network, it turns out Josh Groban and will join Jelly Roll as mentors during the week where the show flies out to Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawai'i. And if that wasn't exciting enough, Josh went on Instagram to reveal he's already on set and working with the contestants to help them advance to the live shows later on this season. "Guess who's mentoring on @americanidol at @disneyaulani this season? 🧐," he wrote in the caption on February 11. "Spoiler: this guy! 🤙 All-new IDOL starts March 9 on ABC and Streaming on Hulu! 📺." When folks saw Josh's surprise American Idol news online, his fans naturally were ecstatic to see how his expertise in the music industry will help a new generation of artists. "Sweet!!! Can't wait to watch it! Have fun mentoring!" one person wrote in the comments. "Couldn't ask for a better mentor! Have fun! ❤️," another replied. "Oh my GOD 😍😍 I'm gonna watch it just because you're mentoring," a different follower added. As some folks may remember, this isn't the first time Josh has made an appearance on American Idol. His first time on the show occurred back in season 6 in 2007, when he sang his hit song "You Raise Me Up" on the Idol Gives Back TV special. He later showed up on American Idol season 19 in 2021, where he performed a duet with multiple singers competing for first place. Now, should you be curious about how Josh felt about the exciting opportunity, he added another Instagram post to express his elation of working alongside Jelly Roll. "Really a shame no fun was had with @jellyroll615!" he jokingly wrote on February 11. "JK we had a blast mentoring 12 ridiculously talented @americanidol finalists at @disneyaulani. Jelly, thanks for your wisdom and humor and heart. You're a great egg, brother. 🙏🏻🤘🏻New Idol season premieres March 9 on @abc!" If this is what's to come, we definitely need to mark our calendars to check this out. You Might Also Like 67 Best Gifts for Women That'll Make Her Smile The Best Pillows for Every Type of Sleeper
Daily Tribune
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Tribune
André Rieu Enchanted Guests at Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre
TDT | Manama The King of Waltz, André Rieu, delivered a breathtaking show at Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre on Friday, 14 February, leaving a packed audience of music lovers from across the region in awe. Joined by a dazzling cast of talented performers, including the legendary Los Del Rio, as well as a selection of Bahraini musicians, including Faisal Al Ansari, the show was an unforgettable experience that will remain forever in the memories of all who attended. In his third performance at Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre, the world-renowned Dutch maestro and violinist played a variety of music, featuring beloved classics such as 'You Raise Me Up', 'Can't Help Falling In Love With You', 'Macarena' with Los Del Rio that had the crowd mesmerised. With 300 dancers around the theatre, the evening was a true celebration of art and music. 'We are absolutely thrilled to welcome André Rieu back to Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre for his third spectacular performance,' said Damian Bush, Chief Executive Officer of Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre. 'The show was a resounding success, attracting fans from far and wide and cementing our venue's reputation as a premier destination for world-class entertainment in the region. We strive to host a wide array of global performers catering to the various musical tastes of concertgoers in the region'.
Buzz Feed
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
15 Celebrities With Absolutely Wild Lore
We all have that one friend with absolutely wild lore. Like, they'll drop the most unbelievable stories about their life out of nowhere. Here are 15 celebs with absolutely wild lore: 1. Sabrina Carpenter started posting song covers on YouTube at age 9. When she was 11, her cover of "You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban went so viral in China that she was invited to the Hunan TV Festival, where she made her very first TV appearance. 2. In 1997, Guillermo Del Toro's dad, Federico Del Toro Torres, was kidnapped. James Cameron, Guillermo's friend and fellow director, helped them by paying for a negotiator. In 2022, Guillermo told the ReelBlend Postcast, "When my father was kidnapped ... there's information that is not correct, that he paid the ransom. He didn't. We did. But he paid for the negotiator. He paid for the negotiator, and we paid [James] back a little while after. Because it was a really, really harrowing situation. And he came in, and he took charge. He said, 'The hostage negotiator will be in your house in 72 hours to help you go through the process.' He did it on his own. And we didn't ask, he volunteered. And he did offer, he said, 'I'll pay for the ransom.' He did offer. He is that kind of guy. He is incredibly loyal. Incredibly strong." 3. Christopher Lee's step-cousin, James Bond author Ian Fleming, reportedly said the actor's days as a WWII spy inspired him to create the iconic super spy. During WWII, Christopher served as part of the Special Air Service in the British Army. He reportedly declined to talk about his experiences in the war because he'd agreed to never publicly discuss the SAS's classified operations. He was reportedly extremely skilled at decoding German ciphers, returned to duty after a bout with malaria six times, conducted espionage missions, etc. Most of his service records reportedly remain classified. 4. When Bruno Mars was six, he played a young Elvis impersonator in the Nicolas Cage movie Honeymoon in Vegas. 5. When Christopher Walken was 16, he worked as a lion tamer with a lioness named Sheba for the summer. He told the Guardian, "I would come into the cage and wave my whip, and she'd lazily get up and sit like a dog and maybe give a little roar. I like cats a lot. I've always liked cats. They're great company." 6. Troye Sivan is the only person besides Hugh Jackman to have played Wolverine onscreen. 7. After recording her demo, Kesha broke into Prince's house by bribing a gardener with $5, sneaking under the fence, and walking inside through an unlocked door. After coming face-to-face with the singer himself, she left her CD then made her escape. On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, she said, "I walk into the elevator, and there is Prince music playing! And then I go up in the elevator and I come out, and I'm on the phone with my mom saying, 'I think I may get arrested,' and then I walk out, and there's Prince playing the guitar, with a beanie on, and I almost pooped my pants. He just kind of looked at me funny. He gave me a look like, 'Who the hell are you?' and I waved around my CD, I put it on the table, and then I ran away." 8. As a teenager, Colin Farrell was questioned as a suspect in an attempted murder. The actual perpetrator bore a striking resemblance to him. Matt Winkelmeyer / WireImage / Via Getty On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, he said, "I saw a photofit of the guy who actually did the crime and it looked remarkably like me, and for a second, because I had had a blackout that night, I wondered, 'Could I have done such a thing?'" 9. Jack Black's mom, Judith Love Cohen, was an accomplished ballerina-turned-engineer. In her obituary, Neil Siegel, Jack's older half-brother, wrote, "She actually went to her office on the day that Jack was born. When it was time to go to the hospital, she took with her a computer printout of the problem she was working on. Later that day, she called her boss and told him that she had solved the problem. yes, the baby was born, too." Judith notably worked with NASA. Neil wrote, "My mother usually considered her work on the Apollo program to be the highlight of her career. When disaster struck the Apollo 13 mission, it was the Abort-Guidance System [which she worked on] that brought the astronauts home safely. Judy was there when the Apollo 13 astronauts paid a 'thank you' to the TRW facility in Redondo Beach." 10. In the '70s, Tippi Hedren visited Hope Village, a California-based refugee camp for Vietnamese people, and the women there loved her manicured nails. Since she was trying to help them find jobs, she flew in her personal manicurist and worked with a local beauty school to teach them the trade. Once they completed their training, Tippi helped them find employment. She told the BBC, "I loved these women so much that I wanted something good to happen for them after losing literally everything. Some of them lost their entire family and everything they had in Vietnam: their homes; their jobs; their friends — everything was gone. They lost even their own country." 11. As a 10-year-old aspiring actor, Rob Lowe boldly knocked on Liza Minnelli's hotel room door and introduced himself. On The Kelly Clarkson Show, he said, "I see Liza Minnelli's luggage — says 'Liza Minnelli' in a stencil. And this is, like, Cabaret time. She's, like, it. This is, like, her at her height, and I go to the front desk. 'What room is Liza Minnelli in?' And they told me! What were they thinking?...I went up and knocked on the door in the middle of the day, and she answered in a bathrobe." He told Liza, "Hi, I'm Robe Lowe, and I wanna be an actor." He continued, "She was awesome. She invited me into the room. She was there with her then-husband [Jack Henley, Jr.]...They were so nice to me, and Liza was fascinated and wanted to know why I wanted to be an actor." When Rob grew up and became a famous actor, he and Liza became friends. 12. The Monkees member Michael Nesmith was the son of Bette Nesmith Graham, a single mom and secretary who invented Liquid Paper correction fluid. After getting fired for accidentally signing her employer's letter with her company's name, she grew her company into a million-dollar business. For a time, Michael and his friends worked for Bette, who paid them $1 an hour to help fill orders. 13. When Leslie Mann was 11, she was gifted a unicycle, which she learned to ride. So, rather than bike, she "would unicycle for miles." 14. When Doja Cat was a kid, she and her brother were occasionally babysat by Pretty Wild star and Bling Ring member Alexis Haines (née Neiers). In a profile on Doja, Alexis told Rolling Stone, "We were a little bit more of the latchkey kids. We had these hippie moms and were given probably more freedom than kids should have been." 15. And finally, when Keanu Reeves was little, his mom, Patricia Taylor, was a costume designer who "did a lot of sewing for" Dolly Parton, including her famous Playboy bunny suit. On The Drew Barrymore Show, Dolly said, "She would bring him over to my house when we were fitting or when I would go to the shop where she worked." They reconnected years later. She said, "I was doing a show somewhere, and somebody knocked on the door. And [Keanu] said, 'Do you remember me? I'm the little boy that used to sit at your feet while my mama was doing [your fittings].' And I said, 'Oh my god!' I knew he had become a star, but it didn't connect to me that that was who that was."
