Latest news with #LittleStar
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Centurion artist turns childhood passion into lifelong calling
What started as a childhood performance of 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' for her family has grown into a lifelong passion and blossoming career for Centurion singer Leandi Labuschagne. The 26-year-old has lived in Centurion her entire life and says music has always played a central role in her upbringing. 'Our home was always filled with sounds from every genre you could think of. From the late 70s and 80s hits to country, rock, and pop,' she said. 'My parents loved music, and they didn't limit themselves to one style. I believe that's probably where my own love for music was born.' Labuschagne told Rekord her first performance came when she was five years old. 'At the time, I decided to sing 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' for the whole family, and we even have a home video of it.' At the age of six, she joined the school choir. Labuschagne recounted how one day her teacher heard her sing and told her mom she should begin formal singing lessons. That encouragement marked the moment she began taking music more seriously. She fondly recalled one of her favourite childhood memories of singing 'There Is None Like You' by Michael W. Smith alongside her brother. 'We were standing in the living room in our winter pyjamas while my dad filmed us with one of those old-school early-2000s video cameras,' she said. 'It's a moment I'll never forget.' Labuschagne said she began entering music competitions and eisteddfods in her early primary school years. By the time she was 16, she had already participated in almost every major music competition in Gauteng and had collected numerous accolades. 'Some of the highlights include Beeld Eisteddfod, Garsfontein Eisteddfod, Sing for the Stars, and the South African Talent Championships,' she said. She explained that she has always loved all genres of music, each offering a unique emotion and atmosphere. However, she felt a strong connection to country music, which Shania Twain largely inspired. 'Growing up listening to Shania, I dreamed of one day recording a country album of my own,' she said. At the age of 17, she stepped away from competitions and decided to share her passion by giving singing lessons instead. 'Helping others discover their voice and grow in confidence became my new focus.' She continued teaching until the age of 22, nurturing young talent while continuing her own growth as a musician. When she was 24, Labuschagne joined two productions at the Barnyard Theatre, which ran for eight months. 'I performed five to eight shows a week. It was an incredible learning experience. I grew so much during that time and enjoyed every minute of it.' Labuschagne said her parents have always been her biggest supporters, constantly encouraging her to follow her dreams. She added that her husband is also an incredible source of support and a huge music lover. 'I truly have the best support system anyone could ask for, and it makes the journey so much easier.' She said one of the biggest challenges she has faced as a musician is the inconsistency in opportunities. 'Some years are filled with back-to-back shows and incredible highs. Other years slow down to just one or two performances a month,' she explained. During those quiet times, she said she had to do a lot of soul-searching. 'If it's all about recognition and praise, you probably won't make it very far. I've learnt that God placed this dream in my heart for a reason, and it's not to please people but to please Him. 'When you truly understand that, the journey becomes a lot more meaningful and a lot less overwhelming.' When it comes to inspiration, Labuschagne is often moved by the work of other artists and the way they view the world. 'Music is such a powerful force. It has the ability to touch hearts and even transform the world,' she said. She named Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion, and Adele as some of her biggest influences. Currently, Labuschagne is working on some exciting projects. She recently wrote her very first original country single and said she will be working on the production over the coming months. 'I truly love this song and can't wait to hear the final version. It's something really close to my heart,' she said. Outside of the spotlight, Labuschagne said she enjoys spending quality time with her family and exploring creative hobbies. 'I love learning new skills like jewellery making, baking, and more,' she said. Looking ahead, Labuschagne's focus is to continue writing and recording music with meaning. 'My goal is to inspire people through my songs and to help them see just how special and deeply loved they are.' Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
Miami Herald
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
FSU professor: DOGE killed my book grant
For twelve hours on April 3, I thought my grant had managed to hide from the DOGE minions when they tore through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) office. I was wrong. I am one of 25 scholars who received 2024-2025 NEH Public Scholar grants to translate their scholarship into 'well-researched nonfiction books in the humanities written for the broad public.' The program, which was founded in 2016, has previously supported books about 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' the making of modern Chinese food, the poet Robert Frost and the classic film 'Casablanca.' In August 2023, my fellow grant recipients and I each submitted a book proposal, bibliography, work plan, resumé, writing sample and two letters of recommendation as parts of our applications. And then we waited. Our proposals got vetted by field specialists who reviewed each application according to criteria that included appeal for general readers, record of experience, depth of research and quality of writing sample. You may object to your tax money being used to support the writing of books, but you can rest assured that the authors of those books got vetted more carefully than did Pete Hegseth before he became secretary of defense. My project focused on the little-known author of the most famous poem in the world: 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.' Jane Taylor lived at a moment in history dominated by addled and narcissistic men. As a child, she watched King George III parade through London after he recovered from a bout of madness. As a young woman, she fled with her siblings from a rumored Napoleonic invasion. My fellow grant recipients are writing books about NASA Voyager spacecrafts, the film director George Cukor and American retirement, among other topics. When the termination notices started landing in our email boxes, we checked in with each other to find out if we'd been voided individually or en masse. When I didn't immediately receive a termination message after the bad news first broke, I imagined Jane Taylor running through the hallways of the NEH building like a Gothic heroine, somehow managing to dodge DOGE. Then I checked my junk mail. There my termination message had landed because it was sent from a spam-looking sender— not even an official NEH address. The termination letter drew on the authority of a clause in the Code of Federal Regulations, which specifies that a grant can be terminated if an award 'no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities.' The letter said that the grants were cut off in order to 'safeguard the interests of the federal government,' and it referenced a spate of recent executive orders. 'Due to exceptional circumstances, adherence to the traditional notification process is not possible,' said the letter. Of course, there has never been a traditional notification process for using executive orders to terminate grants authorized by Congress. Also, most of the staff who know how to use the official NEH email system have been put on leave. The cancellation of the public scholar grants wasn't the worst recent default on congressionally approved government spending. DOGE couriers fired the entire staff of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Cuts to the NIH, NOAA, FEMA and Social Security are more frightening. But as someone who writes reference letters for optimistic 20-year-olds, I worry most about how agency cuts impact those embarking on careers. Young people who worked hard and followed rules are getting fired or having their graduate school plans dashed by the 'genius' and Napoleon enthusiast Elon Musk. After Jane Taylor delivered her younger siblings to safety from Napoleonic invasion, she wrote, '[W]e felt it a little mortifying that our neighbor Bonaparte should have it so much in his power to give us such a thorough panic, and so completely to derange all our affairs.' Today, I believe we're living under a DOGE regime that operates without regard to human decency and rule compliance. I wish our elected representatives would wrest back control. Judith Pascoe, author of four books, is a George Mills Harper Professor of English at Florida State University. She lives in Tallahassee.
Al Bawaba
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
Video: King Charles plays carrot tune with Veggie orchestra
Published April 4th, 2025 - 09:21 GMT ALBAWABA - Windsor Castle witnessed an unusual royal performance as King Charles took part in a musical event celebrating community music, hosted within the historic royal residence. Also Read King Charles III experiences health setback after Cancer treatment The highlight of the event was a performance by the London Vegetable Orchestra, the only ensemble of its kind that performs using instruments crafted entirely from locally grown vegetables. During the gathering, King Charles was invited to join the orchestra and play a tune on one of their signature instruments—a flute fashioned from a carrot. The monarch delighted attendees by performing a rendition of the 19th-century lullaby "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", as seen in widely circulated video clips from the event. The King also shared a lighthearted moment with soprano April Koyejo-Audiger, who has previously performed with the Royal Opera. According to The Daily Telegraph, he joked about hoping the musicians would eat the carrots afterward to avoid food waste. Twinkle, twinkle, little... carrot? King Charles tries out root music 🥕 King Charles played th popular nursery rhyme using a carrot at a reception to celebrate those involved in music at community level across the UKhttps:// — BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) April 4, 2025 Later, the King met with guests in the historic Waterloo Chamber of Windsor Castle, where he watched performances by the Royal College of Music and the 'Singing for Freedom' choir. This marked King Charles's return to official public duties following a brief hospitalization caused by temporary side effects from ongoing medical treatment. The monarch had recently canceled several engagements, but his participation in this joyful event signaled his gradual resumption of public life. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Telegraph
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
King plays recorder made from a carrot
The King was described as 'jolly' and 'in great spirits' by guests as he played a recorder made out of a carrot at a music reception at Windsor Castle. King Charles returned to official public duties after a brief stay in hospital for temporary side effects from his cancer treatment, which forced him to cancel a string of engagements at the end of last week. The King welcomed musicians to Windsor Castle on Thursday for a reception celebrating community music, having returned to state business on Monday after a restful weekend. The London Vegetable Orchestra, the UK's only ensemble to use instruments made of local vegetables, played for the King in St George's Hall and let him have a turn on one of their carrot recorders for a rendition of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. April Koyejo-Audiger, a soprano who has performed with the Royal Opera, said King Charles joked to her in passing that 'he hopes they eat the carrots because he wouldn't want any food to go to waste'. King Charles also met guests in the castle's Waterloo Chamber to watch performances by the Royal College of Music, the Sing for Freedom choir and British saxophonist YolanDa Brown, who said the King told her he 'felt the joy of the performance'. Alan Livingstone, who is a breakfast DJ at All FM, a community radio station in Manchester, said: 'He was in great spirits, jolly and laughing and joking. 'That cheeky smile when you hold his hand. He is so genuine. 'I was speaking with him about how I only started DJing late in life and he said it is wonderful and how great it is that I enjoy it.' Mr Livingstone, 66, was a Royal Mail manager before becoming a DJ aged 64. Discussing the King's return to state business, Mr Livingstone said: 'Amazing that he makes the effort. What an incredible man, to do all this and encourage people to do good work in the community.' Nazli Erdogan, a viola student at the Royal College of Music, said: 'It is amazing, his sense of duty. You could just be in bed.' During the reception, the Royal Opera House Songs for Ukraine chorus – a choir made up of Ukrainian singers displaced by the war – sang from the balcony. Bohdan Parashchak, the conductor of the chorus, said: 'We talked about how when you can do something like this, just a few hours a week is like a kind of healing.'
