Latest news with #JessGlynne
The Guardian
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Jess Glynne feels ‘sick' over use of Jet2 song to promote US deportations
It is the internet meme of the summer, sparking laughter and thousands of wry smiles at the pitfalls of a British summer holiday. But the journey of the viral Jet2 holiday advert – with its promotional voiceover played out over cheerless summer holiday footage, including water-slide disasters and images of pouring rain – took a darker turn this week when it was used by the White House in a post on X to promote Ice (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) deportations. Jess Glynne – whose 2015 single Hold My Hand accompanies the advert – responded to the post on Wednesday, saying she felt 'sick' that her music was being used to spread 'division and hate'. She told the Guardian on Thursday: 'I'm devastated to see my song used in this way. Hold My Hand was written about love, support, and standing by someone through everything – it's meant to offer hope and empowerment. Using it to promote something I fundamentally disagree with goes completely against the message of the song.' On Thursday afternoon Jet2 also condemned the post, saying it was 'disappointed to see our brand being used to promote government policy such as this'. The official White House account posted a clip on X on Wednesday evening showing people wearing handcuffs and being taken out of cars and on to planes, captioned: 'When Ice books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. Nothing beats it!' When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. ✈️🎶 Nothing beats it! In the six months since Donald Trump took office, the US president has supercharged the country's immigration enforcement, overseeing a sweeping mass arrest and incarceration scheme, which resulted in a record number of arrests by immigration officers in June, according to Guardian analysis. The post delighted Trump supporters but was decried as disgusting, embarrassing and unchristian by critics. Glynne, who has previously joined in with the fun spirit of the Jet2 holidays meme by posting a TikTok video miming the voiceover, expressed her disapproval of the White House's appropriation of the trend on Instagram. 'This post honestly makes me sick,' she wrote. 'My music is about love, unity and spreading positivity – never about division or hate.' Jet2 had previously appeared to welcome the extra publicity generated by the meme, launching a challenge that offered a £1,000 holiday voucher as a prize. A spokesperson said the company welcomed the 'good humour' of the viral phenomenon, but not the White House's contribution. 'We are of course aware of a post from the White House social media account,' they said. 'This is not endorsed by us in any way, and we are very disappointed to see our brand being used to promote government policy such as this.' The advert's voiceover actor, Zoë Lister, said she would never condone her voiceover 'being used in promotion with Trump and his abhorrent policies'. She told the BBC: 'The Jet2 meme has spread a lot of joy and humour around the world, but the White House video shows that Trump has neither.' The White House Ice deportation post is the latest example of an unorthodox digital communications strategy that has veered away from previous administrations' traditional – and relatively sedate – use of social media platforms. In February, the White House used X to promote Trump's congestion pricing policy, posting a fake Time magazine front cover portraying the president as a monarch, along with the phrase: 'CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!' The post was described as 'revoltingly un-American' by Adam Keiper, the executive editor of the conservative Bulwark news site, while New York state's Democratic governor, Kathy Hochul, said: 'New York hasn't laboured under a king in over 250 years and we sure as hell are not going to start now.' The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post See our guide at for alternative methods and the pros and cons of each. The administration also faced criticism after Trump shared an AI-generated video that showed him in a transformed, glittering Gaza, topless and sipping a cocktail with Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. After criticism, the administration recently posted on X: 'Nowhere in the constitution does it say we can't post banger memes.' Last month the Trump administration appeared to be on track to oversee one of the deadliest years for immigrant detention after the deaths of two men – one from Cuba and another from Canada – while in federal custody. Human rights experts have raised concerns about the detention of children with their parents at the newly recommissioned 'family detention centres' in Texas, and while Trump has repeatedly claimed his administration is trying to arrest and deport 'dangerous criminals', analysis shows that most of the people Ice is now arresting have never been convicted of a crime.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Jess Glynne condemns the White House for using her viral song
Jess Glynne has condemned the White House for using her song 'Hold My Hand' in a video promoting Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation flights. The White House video, which depicted handcuffed undocumented people being deported, attempted to capitalize on a viral TikTok trend linked to Jet2Holidays. Glynne expressed her disgust at the post, stating that her music is about love and unity, not division or hate. Zoe Lister, the voiceover artist for the original 'nothing beats a Jet2 holiday' line, also voiced her upset regarding the White House's appropriation of the audio. The White House has faced significant criticism for the post, with social media users widely labelling it as 'abhorrent' and 'distasteful'.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jet2 says it ‘does not endorse' White House deportation video featuring viral Jess Glynne clip
Airline Jet2 has said it does not endorse a White House video promoting deportation that features a viral audio clip from its Jet2holiday advert. The hit song Hold My Hand, by Jess Glynne, features in the advert, and the singer said the social media post made her feel 'sick'. The video shows people being handcuffed and escorted on to a plane, alongside the caption: 'When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. Nothing beats it!' The caption makes reference to the accompanying voiceover, which says: 'Nothing beats a Jet2holiday, and right now you can save £50 per person…' A spokesperson for and Jet2holidays said: 'Our branding has become something of a viral phenomenon this summer and we are pleased to see how many people have used it in good humour. 'This has put a smile on many people's faces, just like our holidays do. We are of course aware of a post from the White House social media account. 'This is not endorsed by us in any way, and we are very disappointed to see our brand being used to promote government policy such as this.' The audio has become a meme in recent weeks and has been used in more than 1.9 million videos on TikTok. In a post to her Instagram story, Glynne, 35, said: 'This post honestly makes me feel sick. My music is about love, unity, and spreading positivity – never about division or hate.' Earlier this month, Glynne met voiceover star Zoe Lister on Capital Breakfast to recreate the advert live on the radio. Glynne told the station: 'It's mad because I feel like when I do my gigs, I feel like when I go to sing the hook, I feel like they're waiting for me to go 'nothing beats a Jet2 holiday'. It is tempting but I need to take this seriously, it can't be a joke.' The White House has posted memes to its social media pages before, including an image of Donald Trump's face superimposed on to Superman alongside the caption: 'The symbol of hope. Truth. Justice. The American way. Superman Trump.' The US government has been cracking down on immigration and expanding its largely secretive third-country deportation programme.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Airline gives verdict on ICE video using its viral meme
Airline Jet2 has expressed disappointment over a White House video promoting deportation that features a viral audio clip from its Jet2holiday advert. The video shows people being handcuffed and escorted onto a plane, with the caption "When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. Nothing beats it!" Jess Glynne, whose song "Hold My Hand" features in the advert, stated the social media post made her feel "sick," emphasising her music promotes love and unity. and Jet2holidays clarified they do not endorse the use of their brand to promote government policy, despite their branding becoming a viral phenomenon. The audio has become a popular meme, used in over 1.9 million TikTok videos, and the White House has previously posted similar meme-style content.
The Independent
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Jet2 says it ‘does not endorse' White House deportation video featuring viral Jess Glynne clip
Airline Jet2 has said it does not endorse a White House video promoting deportation that features a viral audio clip from its Jet2holiday advert. The hit song Hold My Hand, by Jess Glynne, features in the advert, and the singer said the social media post made her feel 'sick'. The video shows people being handcuffed and escorted on to a plane, alongside the caption: 'When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. Nothing beats it!' The caption makes reference to the accompanying voiceover, which says: 'Nothing beats a Jet2holiday, and right now you can save £50 per person…' A spokesperson for and Jet2holidays said: 'Our branding has become something of a viral phenomenon this summer and we are pleased to see how many people have used it in good humour. 'This has put a smile on many people's faces, just like our holidays do. We are of course aware of a post from the White House social media account. 'This is not endorsed by us in any way, and we are very disappointed to see our brand being used to promote government policy such as this.' The audio has become a meme in recent weeks and has been used in more than 1.9 million videos on TikTok. In a post to her Instagram story, Glynne, 35, said: 'This post honestly makes me feel sick. My music is about love, unity, and spreading positivity – never about division or hate.' Earlier this month, Glynne met voiceover star Zoe Lister on Capital Breakfast to recreate the advert live on the radio. Glynne told the station: 'It's mad because I feel like when I do my gigs, I feel like when I go to sing the hook, I feel like they're waiting for me to go 'nothing beats a Jet2 holiday'. It is tempting but I need to take this seriously, it can't be a joke.' The White House has posted memes to its social media pages before, including an image of Donald Trump 's face superimposed on to Superman alongside the caption: 'The symbol of hope. Truth. Justice. The American way. Superman Trump.'
