Latest news with #Newsbeat
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
British tourist, 21, faces drug charges after Thailand holiday
A 21-year-old woman is being held by police in Germany after allegedly travelling with cannabis from Thailand. Authorities in Germany say Cameron Bradford, from Knebworth in Hertfordshire, was stopped and arrested at Munich Airport on 22 April. They told BBC Newsbeat she's still in custody there although it's unclear what the next stage of the process will be. When Newsbeat asked the Foreign Office about Cameron's case, a spokesperson confirmed they're helping a British woman and her family too. The UK government says Thailand has strict laws against drug use, possession and trafficking and having even small quantities can lead to heavy fines and jail time. While "low strength" weed has been legal there since 2022, Foreign Office advice says there have been cases of British nationals being arrested as they leave the country. In July last year, the government announced a partnership with Thai Customs to cut down a "surge" of illegal cannabis shipments to the UK since Thailand decriminalised the drug. Since then, more than 50 British nationals have been arrested in Thailand for attempted cannabis smuggling. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
BBC News
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Three chords and the truth: Where country's moment might go next
They say the recipe for a good country track is simple - just combine three chords and the the past year though, a growing number of artists have been adding their own sprinkles with pop stars including Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter leaning into the genre. Chappell's The Giver went straight to number two in the UK charts when it was released in March, with the self-proclaimed Midwest Princess saying she wanted to give country music a new take with "a little gay yodel".Figures from streaming platforms suggest that cooking up a country song has also been a recipe for success, with listening time up by 25% over the past year in the artists are hopeful that'll act as a giddy up to the UK scene and help them replicate some of the success of their US country cousins. "It only benefits me and other country music artists in the UK because more people listening to country music just means they're going to take an interest - hopefully - in what we're doing," 20-year-old singer Neeve Zahra tells BBC Newsbeat. Her love for country music comes from two sources: her grandad and Hannah Disney Channel school-girl-by-day-pop-star-by-night character played by Miley Cyrus "probably started me off", she says. "I can now officially say I was country before country was cool."Neeve, from Manchester, is already noticing a spike in people coming to gigs and hopes the hype could build to a point where British country acts can be recognised with a category at the Brit Awards. "That's definitely the dream." Izzie Walsh is currently recording her debut album and tells Newsbeat it's important fans support country artists "at a grassroots level" to ensure it can continue to grow in the UK. "Everyone's been sleeping on it and now it's become this big thing."There's a lot of support for the big US artists and it can be hard to compete with that budget, the press. "There's a big gap between people like me and these massive artists." In as far as a trend can ever be attributed to one person, this resurgence in the mainstream is "100%" down to Beyoncé, according to country music podcaster Matt 2024 album Cowboy Carter "very much splits opinions with country fans", Matt tells Newsbeat, but "it has introduced new country artists to a country audience and gives a different perspective".Artists and critics predicted last year Cowboy Carter could "open the floodgates" for country music fans and Spotify credits "viral tracks" from 2024 with the sudden uptick in there's actually been a gradual increase in listenership going back much further it says, with streams of the genre in the UK growing by 154% since 2019, the year Lil Nas X released Old Town Road with country singer-songwriter Billy Ray Cyrus. Apple Music says it's noticed similar trends and both streamers report its rising popularity is particularly striking in the UK, where according to Apple it's growing five times as quickly as in the US. 'It's about telling our own story' That's reflected in some of the biggest songs of the past Carpenter's country-pop hit Please, Please, Please, which she re-released with Dolly Parton, spent five weeks at number one in the UK and Shaboozey's A Bar Song was a fixture of the top 10 for country music is even set to be represented on one of the world's biggest stages next month thanks to the UK's Eurovision entry, Remember Monday. "Storytelling is so important to us and that is really rooted in country music," singer Lauren Byrne tells Newsbeat about why the trio felt drawn to the genre."We never wanted to feel like we were trying to replicate or copy, we wanted to always make it feel our own."It doesn't all have to be 'yeehaw'." Matt says the next step will be to see British country artists headlining bigger festivals as the fan base continues to as it does, he says it'll have to embrace the different points of view feeding into is often associated with being dominated by male artists, but the musicians driving it into the mainstream are mainly week Lana Del Rey joined Beyoncé, Chappell and Sabrina with her country song Henry, come on, but before them it was Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and Shania Twain making country more popular. "We're in the year of women in general for music," says Neeve. "I think now it's time for the country women."As British country music grows, there are a few differences too with the traditional US scene that will also need embracing. "We're often seen as, 'Why are they making country music? They don't live the country lifestyle'," Matt says. "We don't all live on farms, we don't all drive tractors."But country is all about storytelling and everyone wants to write their own story."It's evolving all the time so we have to be open to different styles and different perspectives." Neeve agrees that authenticity is the key to British country. "It's about telling our own story," she says. "I can dream about Nashville and maybe write some songs about it but I'm not gonna say I'm gonna pick you up in my truck because I don't have a truck. "You've got to stay real to yourself. We try to keep it country but in our own way." Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Viral Apple dance creator sues Roblox over its use in the game
The TikToker behind the viral Apple dance has taken legal action against Roblox. Kelley Heyer's choreography, inspired by Charli XCX's hit song of the same name, appeared in TikTok videos by the likes of Kylie Jenner, actress Daisy Edgar-Jones and even the singer herself. Ms Heyer's legal team claims Roblox made $123,000 (£93,000) from selling the moves as an "emote" - a celebratory animation used by players in the game - without her permission. Roblox tells BBC Newsbeat it takes intellectual property "very seriously" and is confident it hasn't done anything wrong. An estimated 80 million people play Roblox every day and it has more monthly users than the Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation combined. Roblox made a deal with Charli XCX last year to use her music and likeness as part of an in-game concert within Dress to Impress - one of the most popular experiences on the platform. According to reports shared by Ms Heyer, she'd been in talks with Roblox to license the Apple dance but hadn't given final approval before it appeared in the game. Ms Heyer previously told Newsbeat about kicking off the trend when she debuted some moves for the "unappreciated" track from Charli XCX's award-winning album, Brat. At the time she said she had seen "large brands or huge creators" capitalising on the trend without crediting her. "And that sort of bums me out a little bit," she said. "That could have been a really good opportunity, really good exposure for me." A Roblox spokesperson said: "As a platform powered by a community of creators, Roblox takes the protection of intellectual property very seriously and is committed to protecting intellectual property rights of independent developers and creators to brands and artists both on and off the platform," a spokesperson says. "Roblox is confident in its position and the propriety of its dealings in this matter and looks forward to responding in court." Newsbeat has contacted Ms Heyer and her representatives for further comment. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. Tearing other women down isn't brat, says Apple dance creator Brits go Brat as Charli XCX wins five awards Brat crowned Collins Dictionary 2024 word of the year
BBC News
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Charli XCX Apple dance creator sues Roblox over emote
The TikToker behind the viral Apple dance has taken legal action against Heyer's choreography, inspired by Charli XCX's hit song of the same name, appeared in TikTok videos by the likes of Kylie Jenner, actress Daisy Edgar-Jones and even the singer herself. Ms Heyer's legal team claims Roblox made $123,000 (£93,000) from selling the moves as an "emote" - a celebratory animation used by players in the game - without her tells BBC Newsbeat it takes intellectual property "very seriously" and is confident it hasn't done anything wrong. An estimated 80 million people play Roblox every day and it has more monthly users than the Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation made a deal with Charli XCX last year to use her music and likeness as part of an in-game concert within Dress to Impress - one of the most popular experiences on the to reports shared by Ms Heyer, she'd been in talks with Roblox to license the Apple dance but hadn't given final approval before it appeared in the Heyer previously told Newsbeat about kicking off the trend when she debuted some moves for the "unappreciated" track from Charli XCX's award-winning album, Brat. At the time she said she had seen "large brands or huge creators" capitalising on the trend without crediting her."And that sort of bums me out a little bit," she said. "That could have been a really good opportunity, really good exposure for me." A Roblox spokesperson said: "As a platform powered by a community of creators, Roblox takes the protection of intellectual property very seriously and is committed to protecting intellectual property rights of independent developers and creators to brands and artists both on and off the platform," a spokesperson says. "Roblox is confident in its position and the propriety of its dealings in this matter and looks forward to responding in court."Newsbeat has contacted Ms Heyer and her representatives for further comment. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The 'bored nightclub girl' has recreated her iconic meme seven years later
Arms crossed, lips pursed and a deeply unimpressed look – the 'bored nightclub girl' meme is instantly recognisable to anyone who was online in 2018. The snapshot from a blurry Scottish venue shows a scowl that became an internet icon, plastered across social media with captions lamenting everything from bad dates to existential dread. Lucia Gorman, an 18-year-old Strathclyde University student at the time, became an internet sensation overnight seven years ago thanks to the now infamous picture taken on a night out at Milk Club in Edinburgh. Since it was posted online, the shot has been shared millions of times and is easily one of the most famous memes in history. Its appeal is perhaps best explained by its relatability – Gorman's blank stare and crossed arms perfectly encapsulates some of the unwanted chatter in a noisy club. However, unwanted chatter doesn't just come in nightclubs and the picture has been widely shared on social media to express the disinterest people feel towards certain people. The shot is often posted online with captions like 'Me listening to my mate's breakup story for the 10th time,' or 'When your boss calls a meeting that could've been an email'. Gorman told Newsbeat in 2018 that she had no idea that the picture of herself and Patrick Richie – the man doing the talking – had been taken. However, she admitted that while she and Richie knew each other and were catching up during the night out, she was very much ready to go home at that point – hence the expression. She said: "I don't know what he said but I know I definitely wasn't having any of it. 'I feel like it was probably the end of the night and I was definitely ready for my bed. I probably just thought, 'I'll nod at anything at this point'." She added: "I'm just glad I did my make-up that night." Fast forward to 2025, and Gorman is back – deliberately striking the same pose – as well as recreating some other famous memes – for Samsung. The tech giant has enlisted her help to bring to life the common face fails to highlight its Best Face technology on the new Galaxy A56 5G. Gen Z will snap nearly 1,100 photos a year and take an average of eight attempts at taking the perfect shot before they are happy to post it on social media. Around the time 'bored nightclub girl' took off in 2018, the internet was also churning out plenty of the decade's most iconic memes. Perhaps one of the most recognisable and shared memes in history is 'distracted boyfriend,' a stock photo of a man ogling a passing woman while his girlfriend glares at him that has been shared millions of times. Its structure – three characters with clear emotions – has made it a perfect template for expressing distraction, temptation, or shifting priorities. Antonio Guillem, a Spanish advertising photographer who took the picture in Barcelona with three models (who've decided to remain anonymous, disappointingly), admitted he didn't really know what a meme was when his image went viral in 2017, but said afterwards the picture was successfully spread far and wide as it is a "good foundation as a metaphor that works for almost everything." The 'blinking guy' meme is another that sits in the internet hall of fame. A gif of video editor Drew Scanlon blinking in an apparent double take - a gif taken from a YouTube video which Scanlon took part in in 2013 - has become the internet's go-to for moments of shock, scepticism or sheer disbelief. Scanlon even used his unlikely online fame to raise money for charity. Another universal feeling is that of celebration – step forward the 'success kid' meme. Taken by his mother when he was a baby in 2007 and innocently uploaded, the image of an 11-month-old Sammy Griner, now aged 18, clenching his fist on a beach, became a go-to image used any time something is worthy of celebrating a win – big or small.
