
Black Eyed Peas star 'heartbroken' after Lapu-Lapu Festival tragedy
A Black Eyed Peas star has spoken out on the tragic Lapu-Lapu Festival incident which occurred moments after he finished performing. In a statement, Apl.de.App said: "Our hearts are broken for the victims, their families, and everyone affected by the tragedy at the Lapu-Lapu Festival.
"J-Rey and I had just finished performing and left the stage minutes before it happened. It's hard to describe the shock and the heaviness we feel. Thank you to everyone who's checked in your love means the world.
"Please keep the victims, their families, and the organizers in your prayers. They need all the love and strength right now. The one thing I have noticed from the audience to the messages sent around, is the sense of community that wraps its loving arms around us. We love you all."

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Press and Journal
a day ago
- Press and Journal
Gallery: Grampian Pride 2025 draws crowds in celebration of inclusion and diversity
Thousands turned out for Grampian Pride 2025, which took place in Aberdeen this Saturday June 7. This year's Grampian Pride was bigger than ever, attracting people from all over the North East to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. The event was held by Four Pillars LGBT+ Charity, which aims to protect and support the LGBTQ+ community. The event was split into two parts, a parade which started at 11 am, going from Albyn Place and finishing outside Marischal College, followed by a Pride Village was held at Duthie Park from 1 pm to 8 pm. The Pride Village included fun attractions for all ages, local food vendors, stalls, rides, bouncy castles, and for the first time, a Cabaret Tent showcasing local performers, including headliner, Wyldkat. The event emphasized continued support for the LGBTQ+ community in Aberdeen. P&J photographer was there to capture all the best moments.


Press and Journal
2 days ago
- Press and Journal
Beloved Inverness busker John Casey on tough start in Highlands, 30 years at Victorian Market and how city centre has changed
It was 1992 when John Casey jumped on a train to Inverness with only his dog Frank and his guitar. Heartbroken after splitting up with his girlfriend at the time, he needed to get away from Edinburgh where he had lived for the previous 10 years. He has never left the Highland capital and today, 32 years later, he is well-known by pretty much every man and woman in Inverness. Mr Cassey, now 69, can often be seen busking at the Victorian Market with Moby, his five-year-old Dalmatian. He sings and plays the guitar under a sign that reads: 'Mr John Cassey is the only busker authorised by the private traders to busk in this private section of the market.' Mr Casey was born in Blackburn, West Lothian, but moved to Edinburgh in 1982. While staying in the capital, he made a living from pub gigs after previously being in a band in his teenage years and then as part of a duo named Stella's Baby with his friend Metcalfe. Mr Casey told the P&J he 'was born with a musical brain'. He added: 'I was just born lucky, because I can't read or write music but if I hear a song I can learn it just by memory and I'll get the chords.' He started playing the guitar at age 12 and wrote his first song at 16. Mr Casey explained: 'I wrote it after a breakup with my first girlfriend, and it was my first sad song. 'It was the late 60s, early 70s when I was teaching myself how to play the guitar, so I was listening to songwriters who were becoming big, James Taylor, Don McLean, Ralph McTell. It was all about singer-songwriters at that time. 'And that's what I started doing, you know, introverted, lonely, sad singer, writing all these songs about how miserable they are.' The 69-year-old still sings what he considers his best hit, That's the Difference, a country love song he wrote aged 17 inspired by the music of Kris Kristofferson. After a decade in Edinburgh, Mr Casey decided to move up to Inverness following a break-up. He said: 'I was heartbroken, I had to move away. I'd been up here before. I first came up when I was 17. 'I hitchhiked up and sang at the Market Bar. That would be around 1973. And during the 70s, I hitchhiked up and down a lot because I always loved it.' The night before his big trip, he was beaten up by a bunch of guys near Cowgate. 'There were random things happening between different factions and I was walking and got jumped by about three guys and they just kicked me for a while and then ran off laughing,' he explained. The pain didn't stop him from jumping on the train to Inverness the day after. However, he started having second thoughts by the time the service reached Aviemore. He said: 'I started to see the white on the ground. And I was thinking, am I making a mistake? Should I have stayed where I was?' Things did not get easier in the following months, as he slept in a tent near the Ness Islands for the first months from November until March. He added: 'It was a bad winter, with a lot of snow and frost'. But the musician said 'stubbornness' kept him going. 'Once I'd made the move, I wasn't going back,' he said. When he arrived in Inverness, he could not get any gigs at pubs because dogs were not allowed in for most of them. Mr Casey had travelled to Inverness with Frank, his first dog, an 11-year-old semi-stray named after Frank Sinatra. He said: 'I found that hardly any places let dogs in, so I couldn't get any gigs, so I decided to try busking. 'I was really nervous, of course. I mean, I'd sung in front of people, and I never got nervous, but for some reason busking made me really nervous at the beginning. However, he soon found his rhythm and started making a living out of it. He explained that busking was 'successful straight from the start.' He said: 'The fact is, it's gotten less and less and less over the years because there are a lot fewer people in the town centre. 'A lot of the shops closed down, a lot of the offices moved away from the centre. I made more money during the 90s than I do now.' The experienced busker started playing six days a week, three and a half hours per day. He is now doing about an hour and a half three days a week. 'My voice won't go any further than that. I want it to last,' he said. However, he does not think about retirement. He said: 'Busking is absolutely the ideal way to make a living, because it's not work. 'I just walk out with my guitar and start singing, and that's it.' Mr Cassey initially busked outside the Victorian Market entrance on Union Street. However, he said there was another busker coming to town who started bullying him. He explained: 'He started bullying me out. Two or three of the traders got to hear about this, and that's when they put the sign up for me through there. So that put a stop to him. 'It means I've always got a pitch, you know, and it's dry. So, it's a fantastic thing.' Most of the songs he plays are from the 1960s and 1970s, as he says that 'everybody is still into the 60s'. 'I get a lot of attention from the high school kids on Fridays, when they leave school early, and they ask for the Beatles, the Stones, Pink Floyd and Dylan,' he explained. Mr Casey's favourite band is the Beatles and his favourite singer is Frank Sinatra. However, his preferred song at the moment is Piano Man by Billy Joel. He said: 'It's a great song, and everybody knows it. And it's one of those songs that every time I sing it, at least one person walks past mouthing the words.' Over his more than three decades of busking, Mr Casey has collected several generous donations while performing. Many years ago, a lady in her 90s gave him an envelope with £1,000 in £50 notes. Another woman once gave him a £100 voucher for shoes. 'I must have looked as if I needed them,' he joked. He added: 'Somebody gave me a basket of fruit once. 'I don't drink anymore, but when I drank somebody bought me a bottle of malt whisky. 'I've also had flowers. All sorts of random strange things.' After over three decades in the Highland capital, Mr Casey describes the people of Inverness as exceedingly 'friendly' He said: 'I noticed that when I first came up. People said good morning to me and that had never happened to me before. 'People that I'd never met, you know, saying 'good morning' and 'It's a lovely day.' The people are just so friendly.' Meanwhile, he thinks Inverness is a good city for busking. He said: 'I don't know financially, because that's never been a priority for me. 'I've never really had a burning ambition to be world famous or anything like that. So, this is just ideal for me. 'You know, it's just ideal. I feel like I did make it. And I've spent the last 30 years doing this and having a nice time.'


Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Fergie stuns on London Bridge as she reshoots classic video for secret Netflix project
Our exclusive pictures show Fergie dressed in a huge furry coat and pink and green tartan alongside Megan Stalter FUR-GIE IS BACK Fergie stuns on London Bridge as she reshoots classic video for secret Netflix project EARLY risers walking across London Bridge would have got the shock of their life — after Fergie rocked up to film a video. The former Black Eyed Peas singer is reworking her 2006 hit London Bridge, which peaked at No3 in the charts, as part of a new project with Netflix. Advertisement 5 Fergie was snapped filming a video on London Bridge Credit: CLICK NEWS - SPLASH 5 The former Black Eyed Peas singer is reworking her 2006 hit London Bridge, as part of a new project with Netflix Credit: CLICK NEWS - SPLASH 5 The star was joined in the capital at 4am yesterday by American actress Megan Stalter Credit: CLICK NEWS - SPLASH She was joined in the capital at 4am yesterday by American actress Megan Stalter, along with a load of dancers, to start filming. The track will form the soundtrack to a new ten-part romcom called Too Much, which has been created by Girls writer Lena Dunham and is coming to the streamer next month. White Lotus actor Will Sharpe and Emily Ratajkowski also star in the drama, about New Yorker Jessica, who takes a job in London after a break-up. My exclusive pictures show Fergie dressed in a huge furry coat and pink and green tartan alongside Megan, who looked like she had wandered straight out of a jumble sale in Camden, having a laugh between takes. Advertisement My insider said: 'London Bridge is usually pretty quiet at 4am but yesterday it was a hive of activity. Fergie, Megan and loads of dancers took over the road to film the new music video for the soundtrack. "They want all out with the costumes and the production will look absolutely amazing in the end as it was recorded, in part, when the sun was rising over London. 'Fergie and Megan got on like a house on fire and were laughing and joking around between takes. 'It was a full-on shoot, with costume changes and dancers running around everywhere. Advertisement 'Beautiful surprise' 'The final video is going to be incredible.' Fergie, who had five Top Ten hits including Big Girls Don't Cry and Glamorous after quitting the Black Eyed Peas in 2018, turned 50 earlier this year. Fergie fans in shock as she performs live at MTV VMAs for first time since star was ripped for National Anthem scandal Her milestone birthday coincided with being named one of Billboard's Top Women Artists of the 21st Century. Fergie said at the time: 'It was a beautiful surprise and really made me feel like my music means something.' Advertisement Jamie in Radio 1 baby club CONGRATULATIONS are in order for the lovely Jamie Laing, who has announced he is expecting his first child with wife Sophie Habboo. But I think there must be something in the water at Radio 1 because right now the Drivetime show is having a bit of a baby boom. Jamie's Going Home co-host Katie Thistleton, who is off on maternity leave, gave birth to her first child in March. And Vick Hope, who hosts the drivetime show with them, went off work last week as she prepares tohave her first baby with Calvin Harris. Advertisement Radio 1 boss Aled Haydn Jones may want to consider putting some contraceptives by the coffee machine, or he'll soon be out of DJs. Drake deal FANS have more chances to see Drake this summer. As well as headlining all three nights of London's Wireless Festival, the rapper has announ-ced four $ome $pecial $hows in the UK. He will play Birmingham's Utilita Arena on July 20 and 21 and Manchester's Co-op Live on July 25 and 26. Tickets go on sale Friday on Run, don't walk. Are Pulp Fiction or fact? WITH JUST 21 days to go until Glastonbury, talk about this year's secret sets has already started. The Churnups last year turned out to be the Foo Fighters, and now all eyes are on 'Patchwork' who are to play the Pyramid Stage just before Raye and Neil Young on Saturday night. A number of 'TBA' appearances are also dotted around the set times, including a Friday morning slot on the Woodsies stage, which Kasabian played last year, and a Saturday evening slot on Park. Advertisement Haim and Pulp are said to be making appearances, to coincide with their new albums. Bookies are also tipping Mumford & Sons to rock up at Worthy Farm. All would be great additions to the line-up, and Bizarre will be at the stages for each secret set. We'll let you know who they are as soon as we find out. Advertisement Bryan joins the party ROCKERS Bryan Adams and Def Leppard will headline Radio 2 In The Park. The three-day event, which starts on September 5, takes place in Hylands Park in Chelmsford, Essex. 5 Rockers Bryan Adams and Def Leppard, pictured, will headline Radio 2 In The Park Credit: Rex Features 5 Summer Of '69 singer Bryan, above, plays on the Saturday Credit: Getty Advertisement Summer Of '69 singer Bryan plays on the Saturday, with acts including Jessie J, Stereophonics and Ronan Keating. Def Leppard, fronted by Joe Elliott, will be on the Sunday, with Sophie Ellis-Bextor, David Gray, Louise, Suede and Soul II Soul. Moliy on her Max potential AFRO-pop singer Moliy is on top of the world. The singer's latest track Shake It To The Max has topped charts around the world, and passed 100million streams on Spotify and YouTube. Advertisement And after popping into Bizarre HQ on a whistlestop trip to London, Moliy promised us this is just the beginning for her. She said: 'It's amazing what's happened with Shake It To The Max. I'm just trying to be present and absorb it all. Momentum is still going, which is super exciting. 'I really want the song to reach the world. I love how it's bringing people together with different remixes.' During her trip to the UK Moliy hit the studio to work on new tracks.