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Breanna Nix's ‘American Idol' Consolation Prize: A Billboard No. 1
Breanna Nix's ‘American Idol' Consolation Prize: A Billboard No. 1

Forbes

timea day ago

  • Business
  • Forbes

Breanna Nix's ‘American Idol' Consolation Prize: A Billboard No. 1

Breanna Nix's 'Higher' debuts at No. 1 on the Christian Digital Song Sales chart after her American ... More Idol season 23 third-place finish. AMERICAN IDOL - "818 (Disney Night #2)" "Disney Night" continues with heroes, villains and a special appearance by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The Top 5 travel to Disneyland Resort and perform twice as America votes live for the three heading to the finale. MONDAY, MAY 12 (8:00-10:01 p.m. EDT) on ABC. (Disney/Christopher Willard) BREANNA NIX (Photo by Christopher Willard/Disney via Getty Images) The latest season of American Idol, which concluded on May 18, was one of the most exciting in recent memory. Several of the top contestants ended up releasing tracks that immediately became bestselling hits following the show's conclusion. Some years, only the winner manages to make any impact on the Billboard charts — and there have been times when even that doesn't happen. Season 23 was so chock-full of talent that even the singer who came in third place has managed to reach No. 1 on a chart in the United States. Breanna Nix finished in third this season, ending up behind runner-up John Foster and ultimate winner Jamal Roberts. While she didn't take the crown, Nix does reach a number of Billboard rankings with her solo single "Higher," which has become a strong seller and demonstrates that — even without a win — there may be a market for her voice following the conclusion of the show. "Higher" debuts at No. 1 on the Christian Digital Song Sales chart this week. It marks Nix's first leader on a Billboard tally. The tune replaces "Hard Fought Hallelujah" by Brandon Lake, which has turned out to be not just a winner on the Christian charts, but also a crossover success — one that has placed on Billboard's rock rankings and risen high on the Hot 100 as well. Nix's tune sold well enough to reach not just the Christian Digital Song Sales chart, but also the all-genre Digital Song Sales ranking. On that roster, it opens at No. 4, thanks to a little under 4,700 pure purchases (per Luminate). Sales powered "Higher" onto one of Billboard's consumption-based rankings as well. The tune lands at No. 40 on the Hot Christian Songs ranking, which lists the most popular tracks in that style by blending pure purchases, streaming activity, and radio airplay. Since she's a brand new artist with minimal promotional might, it seems that sales are largely to thank for "Higher" becoming a top 40 hit on the Christian-only tally.

From security guard to manager: How one man's rise shows the power of education to liberate potential
From security guard to manager: How one man's rise shows the power of education to liberate potential

Daily Maverick

time3 days ago

  • Business
  • Daily Maverick

From security guard to manager: How one man's rise shows the power of education to liberate potential

Future success is linked to education. But with only four out of every 100 children who start school going on to get a degree within six years of matric, we urgently need new approaches to education and skills development in South Africa and Henley Business School Africa and its corporate partners are leading the way. Joseph Tsolo's life-altering transition from security guard to junior manager is a masterclass in perseverance and dreaming big. A beneficiary of a workplace skills development initiative, Tsolo's ebullient rise through the ranks also showcases exactly why South African corporates need to embrace more practical and effective ways to unleash the country's talent. 'Recognising my potential, my manager suggested that I enrich my practical experience by studying at a business school,' says Tsolo. 'I eagerly embarked on a journey of continuous learning, starting with a Higher Certificate in Management Practice (HCMP) and, a year later, enrolled on the diploma-level Advanced Certificate in Management Practice (ACMP). Graduating with my ACMP is a milestone that fills me with immense pride, as I was the first in my family to graduate with a diploma.' When one plus one adds up to thousands of capable managers Tsolo's is a story that would not have been possible without a very special partnership between his employer, Hollard Insurance, and Henley Business School Africa. Henley is a global business school, part of the University of Reading, with campuses in the UK, Europe – and Johannesburg – and it is the only international business school in South Africa that has developed a full ladder of accredited programmes (from NQF 5 up to NQF 8) that, while open to individual learners for 'open enrolment', can also be customised by clients like Hollard to make sure they are speaking directly to the needs of that organisation. 'This means that ambitious young South Africans like Tsolo, who have heaps of practical experience, natural talent, and enthusiasm but lack a formal qualification perhaps because they didn't have funds to study or had to get a job to support their families or didn't get a good enough matric to study further, have a second shot at getting the qualifications they need to get ahead,' says Jon Foster-Pedley, dean and director of Henley Business School Africa. Unleashing learning on a massive scale without losing the personal touch In South Africa, where there is already a backlog of education and dearth of opportunities, workplace learning on a massive scale, without losing the personal touch holds the key to unleashing the country's talent, believes Foster-Pedley. ' Research by the University of Stellenbosch's Nic Spaul l suggests that, on average, out of 100 children who start grade 1, just six will get some kind of qualification within six years of matric, and just four will complete a formal degree. This is woefully inadequate when you consider that in advanced economies like the UK or Finland, the numbers of formal degrees are above 50 per 100 children who start school. 'It is only through one-on-one partnerships between the likes of Henley and committed corporate citizens that we can start to change the odds decisively. Each year, Henley graduates upwards of 2,000 capable managers and leaders who go into South African workplaces to make a difference and add value. Many of these are through our Executive Education programmes.' A journey that starts with self-discovery and ends with practical application 'Like it or not, future success is linked to further education, and we need a revolution in how we think about education and training to ensure that working South Africans can make headway in a complexifying world,' says Jon Foster-Pedley, 'While getting a degree or a diploma is by no means the only route to success in life, studying further is correlated with productivity and economic growth, better social outcomes, and human happiness. ' However, it's not just about getting more people to get degrees, he cautions. It is also about changing the way people learn. Foster-Pedley points out that we live in a world that is dramatically different from the one for which most institutions of higher learning are geared to prepare their students. 'The latest Future of Jobs report from the World Economic Forum estimates that by 2030 almost 40% of skill requirements will have changed,' he says. 'That changes the way people think about how to study and gain the skills they need to get ahead. We need to make sure that the skills we are gaining will remain useful and we need to find ways to learn continuously so our skills can be refreshed.' Lolly Gwabavu, the group head of Leadership Development at Nedbank and a Henley client, believes that a key part of this lies in lifelong learning and developing yourself as well as your skills. She says that the starting point for any leadership development journey lies in personal mastery. After all, leaders must first understand how to lead themselves before they lead others. Through her work with Henley, Gwabavu is developing emerging leaders identified through the bank's established talent management structures. 'One of the positives about Nedbank is that we believe everyone has the ability to be a leader. Leadership is not a position or a title, it's a disposition.' According to Linda Buckley, Pro-Dean of Teaching, Learning and Student Experience at Henley Business School Africa, another vital element to improving educational outcomes in South Africa is to ensure that learning in the classroom is closely aligned with practice. All Henley students are given ample opportunity to apply what they are learning as they are learning it, with many clients coming up with highly innovative solutions to achieve this. For example, one client, Bryte Insurance, through the Bryte Academy, recently created a shadow board (NextCo) that allows young talent within the business to make a contribution at the highest level. Tebogo Baloyi, Head of HR at Bryte Insurance, explains: 'We want diverse thinking in how we approach projects and strategic initiatives, and we want to hear the voice of our younger generation. So, NextCo is the practical experience that allows talented individuals to shine even more and get more exposure to projects. The shadow ExCo also sits like an ExCo; they are mapped to a portfolio and will be given real projects to execute as a team.' Employers recognise and value what Henley can do for them Henley's work in the skills development space is recognised globally. It's listed among the Top 30 business schools in the world in the Financial Times 2024 ranking of Executive Education programmes, scoring top in the world for Faculty Diversity in the same ranking. This makes Henley the highest ranked international business school with a campus in Africa, offering in-house corporate education to clients – an important third-party endorsement. Specific Henley programmes have also won awards. In 2022, Henley and Standard Bank won a talent development award from the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) for a customised leadership development programme called 'Acceleration', part of the bank's transformation strategy to develop African leaders. 'The impact of what we discovered was greater than we could ever have imagined,' says Standard Bank executive Mei-lene Els. Of 40 people on the 'Acceleration' programme, 13 were promoted into senior leadership roles. Of these, 40% were black women. 'Employers recognise and value what Henley graduates can do for them,' says Buckley. 'Education is ultimately about change, and South Africa's employers see first-hand how Henley's graduates are personally transformed and go on to transform their workplaces, creating new value. 'We make sure we stay up to date with emerging trends by continuously finding ways to adapt our programmes to the current business environment. This includes making use of virtual and augmented reality, experiential immersions and global perspectives. We aim to create new and unique simulations for current and future-focused learning that capture the rapid acceleration of today's technological world.' DM

Malaysia, Bahrain Reaffirm Ties With Exchange Of Seven MoUs
Malaysia, Bahrain Reaffirm Ties With Exchange Of Seven MoUs

Barnama

time4 days ago

  • Business
  • Barnama

Malaysia, Bahrain Reaffirm Ties With Exchange Of Seven MoUs

KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Bahrain today reaffirmed their longstanding friendship and commitment to enhancing cooperation through the exchange of seven memoranda of understanding (MoUs). The ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman Hamad Al Khalifa after their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, which concluded here today. The meeting provided an opportunity to assess the progress of bilateral relations between Malaysia and Bahrain following Anwar's visit to Manama last February. The key areas of cooperation include investment and trade, Islamic finance and banking, defence, halal industry, semiconductors, agriculture and agri-commodities as well as connectivity, particularly in the tourism sector. Also present were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz. Among the MoUs exchanged was the Notes on the Establishment of a Political Consultation Mechanism, which institutionalises regular dialogue between the two countries' foreign ministries. In the realm of transport and digital innovation, Malaysia received two symbolic certificates -- the Global Logistics Sea to Air Partner Certificate and the Data Sovereignty Initiative Certificate presented to Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo. The certificates underscore Bahrain's recognition of Malaysia's growing leadership in logistics and digital governance. Malaysia and Bahrain also exchanged documents on Cooperation in Planning, Development and Promotion of Industrial Parks, exchanged between by Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry and Bahrain's Finance and National Economy Ministry.

Advanced Engine and Component Manufacturing Achievements Highlighted in Recent Webinar
Advanced Engine and Component Manufacturing Achievements Highlighted in Recent Webinar

Yahoo

time23-05-2025

  • Automotive
  • Yahoo

Advanced Engine and Component Manufacturing Achievements Highlighted in Recent Webinar

Featuring speakers from Cummins, Tenneco, and Volvo Group – now available to view online Washington, D.C., May 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Industry experts from leading companies in engines, equipment, and components recently came together in a webinar to discuss what it takes to manufacture advanced engines and components, from concept to customer. The webinar is now available for online viewing. The session features representatives from Cummins, Tenneco, and Volvo Group who shared insights about their approach to producing advanced engine technologies for heavy-duty vehicles and equipment. 'Internal combustion engines (ICEs) are truly a marvel of technology – delivering increased performance and fuel efficiency while achieving near-zero emissions,' said Allen Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Engine Technology Forum, the sponsor of the webinar. 'Producing these complex engines involves a rigorous, multi-step process focused on meeting customer needs. This session brings together a full range of perspectives from a leading Tier 1 component supplier, engine manufacturer, and heavy-duty truck manufacturer.' Steve Krause, Executive Director Sales and Strategy, Powertrain Group at Tenneco, a leading Tier 1 supplier, outlined their commitment to advancing internal combustion engine technology through continued technical developments, innovation in design, ongoing improvements in manufacturing and processes, and the use of alternative fuels aimed at reducing emissions to near-zero levels. He highlighted the extensive use of advanced analysis tools to achieve right-first-time validation, emphasizing how engineering excellence in components remains essential to driving continued advancements in internal combustion engines. Imon Uduehi, General Manager for Alternate Fuels and Fuel Delivery Systems at Cummins detailed their road to manufacturing the hydrogen internal combustion engine; a commitment that spans production and storage of hydrogen, manufacturing of fuel cells, and hydrogen for internal combustion engines. The HELM™ - Higher Efficiency, Lower Emissions, and Multiple Fuels - Cummins engine platform was reviewed. The prototype production of the 6.7H engine was used as an example, noting that it is successfully demonstrating diesel-like performance ratings and is a flexible compliant architecture package and is design future-proofed for market applicability. Niclas Söderström, Director of Engineering GTO Powertrain Production at Volvo Group outlined their process to develop today's advanced engines. The process involves establishing requirements, virtual design, manufacturing of prototypes, builds for certifications, product validation, and final product delivery. An integrated process includes not only technology but also purchasing and operations to support the product in the field. He highlighted the work of the Volvo Group Hagerstown plant in producing a range of engines and axles for both Volvo and Mack Trucks. A diverse audience was in attendance, including representatives from municipal, state, and federal government agencies; research and technical institutions; academia; NGO's; and truck, engine, and equipment manufacturers as well as dealers and the service and equipment industry. View the recorded webinar here. About the Engine Technology ForumFounded on the principles of fact-based education, science, outreach and collaboration, the Engine Technology Forum is dedicated to promoting a greater understanding of the benefits of advanced engines and the fuels that they use, as well as how these contribute to a sustainable future. Sign up for our digital newsletter and connect with us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. CONTACT: Allen Schaeffer Engine Technology Forum 3015149046 aschaeffer@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

Tom Grennan shares huge update hours before headlining Radio 1's Big Weekend
Tom Grennan shares huge update hours before headlining Radio 1's Big Weekend

Daily Mirror

time23-05-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Daily Mirror

Tom Grennan shares huge update hours before headlining Radio 1's Big Weekend

Tom Grennan has shared some rather important news with his social media followers just before he's due to headline BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Liverpool Tom Grennan has made a huge announcement before his BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend headline slot tonight. The musician, who just three years ago played the Future Sounds Stage at the festival, will close the event tonight, having teased a cameo appearance from KSI. But while he's currently gearing up to perform some of his biggest hits, including Remind Me, Don't Break The Heart, and Little Bit Of Love, it appears Tom has some celebrating to do. ‌ Although he's got a string of awards in his trophy cabinet, including Best UK Act from the 2023 MTV EMAs and two Music Week Awards, Tom has another one to add to the collection. ‌ Over on Instagram, it was announced that Tom had racked up one billion UK streams for his music on songs such as Higher, Let's Go Home Together and Little Bit of Love. The BRIT Awards said: "1 billion UK streams for @ With massive hits including Little Bit of Love, Let's Go Home Together, and Higher, Tom receives hit BRIT Billion Award ahead of headlining @bbcradio1's Big Weekend this weekend!" The post was flooded with praise for Tom, with BBC Radio 1 star Conor Knight exclaiming: "Top boyyy," alongside a fire emoji. "Congraaaaats Tom oh my God!," said one fan. A second went on to type: "What a brilliant announcement to wake up to. Well deserved. Congratulations Tom." Reflecting on his achievements, the Bedford-born legend said: "Morning people, what a beautiful day by the way. I'm heading up to Liverpool, 'cause today's the day, I headline Radio 1's Big Weekend. ‌ "Remembering the past eight or nine years and how crazy they have been. But remembering really today, the moment I pressed send on Something In The Water. "Hoping that someone at BBC Introducing would hear it. And now look, eight or nine years later, we're headlining the gaff. I just want to say thank you to everybody who's been on the journey with me from the beginning to now. This is just the start, but tonight is a big one. If you're coming, Liverpool, I'll see you there. Thank you so much for Radio 1 for believing in me from the beginning." Tom will join the likes of Natasha Bedingfield, Biffy Clyro, Katy B and Nia Archives tonight, as they play to a sold-out Sefton Park. Tickets for the event sold out almost instantly, but the BBC will be covering it on their various platforms. Tom's achievement comes just weeks after he opened up to the Mirror about his upcoming album, Everywhere I went, Led Me To Where I Didn't Want To Be. He said: "Everything's good, I'm really excited. The new music is definitely a different sound, so I'm looking forward to seeing if people love it or not. But in all honesty, I'm nearly 30 now and it's taken me up til now, I'm finally the artist that I wanted to be and I'm making the music that I really loved and I've taken inspiration from old records, new records and really dived into different sounds and different instruments. I've loved every second of it. Hopefully it goes well."

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