Latest news with #OvertheRainbow
Epoch Times
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
Lainey Wilson Debuts New Single ‘Somewhere Over Laredo,' Inspired by ‘The Wizard of Oz' Classic
Country singer Lainey Wilson has put a Southern spin on one of the most beloved and recognizable 'The Wizard of Oz' tunes with the release of 'Somewhere Over Laredo,' a new ballad that pays homage to small towns across the United States. The Louisiana native's latest single, which debuted on May 23, incorporates elements of 'Over the Rainbow,' an enduring melody made famous by actress Judy Garland in the classic 1939 musical, earning the Oscar for 'Best Original Song' the following year. The song, co-written with collaborators Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, and Andy Albert, also reflects on past love, interweaving Wilson's poignant storytelling and signature country sound, according to a The Texas-inspired ditty puts the 33-year-old singer-songwriter in the window seat of a red-eye flight soaring out of Houston. 'Somewhere over Laredo, dreaming about those rodeo nights,' a portion of the song's Wilson, who launched her self-titled debut album in 2014, discussed the inspiration behind her new song on social media, explaining that the lyrics stemmed from her frequent traveling as a touring musician. Related Stories 5/1/2025 5/10/2024 'When I'm flying between shows I catch myself looking out the window, talking to God, dreaming, or even reminiscing,' she ''Somewhere Over Laredo' tells a story that speaks to that. I've always been inspired by putting myself into other peoples' shoes and telling stories from others' perspective, but I've found a new creative avenue with this one putting myself back into a pair of shoes that I wore years ago.' Wilson is scheduled to perform her new song live for the first time during the 2025 American Music Awards (AMAs). The 'Heart Like a Truck' singer is nominated for 'Favorite Female Country Artist' at the fan-voted award show, which is set to air on Memorial Day at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+. Hosted by singer and actress Jennifer Lopez, this year's AMAs will also feature performances by singer-songwriter Janet Jackson, country crooner Blake Shelton, pop-rock star Benson Boone, and Latin pop singer Gloria Estefan, who will be taking the stage at the award show for the first time in more than 30 years.
Calgary Herald
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Preview: Actress finds inspiration in fearlessness of young female characters Elle and Dorothy
Article content Kelsey Verzotti is legally brunette. Article content To play the heroines of Anne of Green Gables and Legally Blonde, Verzotti has had to rely on wigs. Article content For the Maritime orphan in Anne of Green Gables, which she played last summer, Verzotti donned the girl's trademark red pigtails, and for Elle Woods, the heroine of Legally Blonde, whom she plays for Theatre Calgary until June 15, Verzotti goes blond. Article content Article content 'The wigs and costumes help me drop into the characters. It's always a big transformation, but they are what make me feel like Anne and Elle,' says Verzotti. Article content Article content 'I've learned so much from playing Elle. She doesn't think badly about herself. I'm inspired by that. I've seen a mindset coach to help me do what Elle does naturally. My coach helps me understand why I am so hard on myself. There is none of that in Elle. She believes in herself. That's something I have to learn to do. Article content 'When Elle decides to go to Harvard, she has no negative feelings. She just takes her dog, and away they go. She knows she can do it. That's what's so great about her. That was the great thing about Anne in Anne of Green Gables, also. She was completely unafraid to speak her mind. She was so different than the rest of the uptight town.' Article content Verzotti says the character of Elle teaches her arch rival, Vivienne, an important lesson: Do not try to make yourself look better by making someone else look bad. Article content Article content 'Nobody benefits. It's a beautiful truth. At first, Vivienne tries to undermine Elle, but eventually they become the best of allies. They end up fighting for each other, not against each other.' Article content Article content Verzotti remembers having some of Elle and Anne's fearlessness when she was in Grade 12 at William Aberhart High School in 2012. CBC was running a contest called Over the Rainbow to find a girl who would play Dorothy in the Toronto version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz. Verzotti was one of 20 finalists who went to the Dorothy Boot Camp, as it was called. Article content 'I was 17 years old. Very bright-eyed and inexperienced. But I had parents who believed in me. Article content 'That 20 was whittled down to 10, and I was one of them. I got eliminated, but not before I got to meet Andrew Lloyd Webber in his house in Barbados. One of the other girls was studying at Sheridan College in Toronto. She told me about the program and said that I should apply. I had already been accepted at the University of Calgary to study psychology, but after the experience with Over the Rainbow, I knew that what I really wanted to do.'
Calgary Herald
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Preview: Actress finds inspiration in fearlessness of young female characters Ellie and Dorothy
Article content Kelsey Verzotti is legally brunette. Article content To play the heroines of Anne of Green Gables and Legally Blonde, Verzotti has had to rely on wigs. Article content For the Maritime orphan in Anne of Green Gables, which she played last summer, Verzotti donned the girl's trademark red pigtails, and for Elle Woods, the heroine of Legally Blonde, whom she plays for Theatre Calgary until June 15, Verzotti goes blond. Article content Article content 'The wigs and costumes help me drop into the characters. It's always a big transformation, but they are what make me feel like Anne and Elle,' says Verzotti. Article content Article content 'I've learned so much from playing Elle. She doesn't think badly about herself. I'm inspired by that. I've seen a mindset coach to help me do what Elle does naturally. My coach helps me understand why I am so hard on myself. There is none of that in Elle. She believes in herself. That's something I have to learn to do. Article content 'When Elle decides to go to Harvard, she has no negative feelings. She just takes her dog, and away they go. She knows she can do it. That's what's so great about her. That was the great thing about Anne in Anne of Green Gables, also. She was completely unafraid to speak her mind. She was so different than the rest of the uptight town.' Article content Verzotti says the character of Elle teaches her arch rival, Vivienne, an important lesson: Do not try to make yourself look better by making someone else look bad. Article content Article content 'Nobody benefits. It's a beautiful truth. At first, Vivienne tries to undermine Elle, but eventually they become the best of allies. They end up fighting for each other, not against each other.' Article content Article content Verzotti remembers having some of Elle and Anne's fearlessness when she was in Grade 12 at William Aberhart High School in 2012. CBC was running a contest called Over the Rainbow to find a girl who would play Dorothy in the Toronto version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz. Verzotti was one of 20 finalists who went to the Dorothy Boot Camp, as it was called. Article content 'I was 17 years old. Very bright-eyed and inexperienced. But I had parents who believed in me. Article content 'That 20 was whittled down to 10, and I was one of them. I got eliminated, but not before I got to meet Andrew Lloyd Webber in his house in Barbados. One of the other girls was studying at Sheridan College in Toronto. She told me about the program and said that I should apply. I had already been accepted at the University of Calgary to study psychology, but after the experience with Over the Rainbow, I knew that what I really wanted to do.'
Wales Online
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Britain's Got Talent's child singer beaten by Paul Potts reveals stalker hell as she opens up about dark side of fame
Britain's Got Talent's child singer beaten by Paul Potts reveals stalker hell as she opens up about dark side of fame Connie Talbot was just six when she auditioned for the first series of Britain's Got Talent and her life changed overnight, but unfortunately for her, fame came at a cost. Connie Talbot stunned the judges with her audition on the first ever series of the show (Image: Ken McKay/REX/Shutterstock ) Everyone remembers Connie Talbot's heart-warming audition on Britain's Got Talent, as she wowed the judges and audience with her performance of Somewhere Over the Rainbow from the Wizard of Oz. She just six-years-old when she auditioned, and was known for her beaming smile albeit missing her two front teeth. Connie's life changed over night thanks to her appearance on the TV talent show, although her fame came at a cost when she experienced hell at the hands of a stalker. The singer came third on the first ever season of BGT, but ultimately Port Talbot's own Paul Potts ended up being the champion. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter She moved judges Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan, and Amanda Holden and audiences alike and inspired many children including George Sampson to audition for the following seasons. After the series she was signed to Rainbow Recording Company for a six-figure deal, where she released her debut album Over the Rainbow in November 2007, before it later reached Gold in the December. Connie continued with her singing career and on August 31, 2019 she also took part in Britain's Got Talent: The Champions with an original song called Never Give Up on Us. The song was released the same day and by the following day, the song had reached number eight on the UK iTunes chart. Article continues below 18 years after her original audition, and now 24-years-old, Connie has a more sombre view of the music industry after a turbulent few years away from the limelight. Content cannot be displayed without consent The singer experienced bullying, premature sexualisation and relentless stalking to the point where her own mother suggested that they leave Britain to escape the overwhelming pressure. In a 2024 interview with the Daily Express, she said: "There's definitely a darker side to being a child in the entertainment industry and being in that industry as a child has come with sacrifices. "And unfortunately for me, that included having a stalker, which I've had for most of my life. " Despite seeing so much success following Britain's Got Talent, she faced a barrage of abuse from vicious keyboard warriors and callous classmates. She explained: "It still baffles me today that a small child would get hate. It's shocking that people can hate on a six year old girl, but that's what happened. "Because I was in and out of school performing and recording, there were a few incidents where other children would sing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow,' at me in the corridors, which I can see now is quite funny." Not only did Connie, who rose to fame at six-years-old, have to deal with bullying she also had to deal with being sexualised by adults despite being a young child. She said: "Unfortunately, there are people who are inappropriately interested in children, so my parents had to deal with those sorts of comments. "We had to deal with potential paedophiles saying lots of stuff they shouldn't have been saying. There was one comment that my dad has never forgotten to this day, and he had to deal with it silently by himself at the time, but after that, nothing really gets to me comments wise." The terrifying saga continued into her teenage years when Connie became a massive celebrity in Asia, drawing an audience of 400 million viewers on Chinese state television, not to mention her appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Showand The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which drew in millions more. She recalled: "I was thirteen when the stalker situation got serious. Obviously I was a minor, but he thought he was in a relationship with me. "He came into my house with pepper spray but he was arrested and eventually he went to prison for two years, then he got deported back to his country, but the whole experience has been a lot." Unfortunately for Connie, the nightmare isn't quite behind her as he is now out of jail and even followed her on her first ever holiday as an adult with her boyfriend and her friends. She explained: "I'd been on the Lorraine Show, and she asked me where I was going on holiday and I told her, so the stalker knew where I was going. "We were in the main town and went to use the toilet in McDonald's and that's where he was. Nothing happened but I just have to take precautions to stay safe." The entire ordeal has understandably had a significant impact on Connie's family, with her mum Sharon once suggesting they leave the UK to escape the situation. Connie said: "My mum did suggest, 'Let's just cut your hair off. Go brunette and let's just leave the country.' "She said, 'Let's just go absolutely AWOL and forget this." In an era when reality talent shows are increasingly scrutinised for their duty of care towards contestants, Connie admits that the support she received from Britain's Got Talent was minimal. She said: "When I finished the show, we were offered some people to talk to at the time, but then the next year comes round and the show is more focused on the people involved in next year's show. "I don't remember exactly what specific help we got with dealing with the intense spotlight back then but I think there is a lot more awareness of mental health issues now. "I just don't think we thought about it so specifically back then. We just sort of got on with it. Everyone did at the time, but now we've progressed as a nation to understand how important mental health is. There definitely have been struggles over the years, but I guess it makes for good material to write songs about." Despite enduring a traumatic 18-year ordeal, Connie's passion for music has remained steadfast. "I know this sounds really cringe, but music is just something that lives in me, and I just don't think I could not do music, even after all that. "Music has always been therapy for me and when I started writing songs aged about 16, it felt even more like it. "I feel really lucky to have been writing songs as an outlet to get over things. I write every day and it's really helped me deal with a lot over the years and it still does now." Article continues below
Wales Online
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Singer Sophie Evans and rugby star Ellis Jenkins reveal cute name for new baby
Singer Sophie Evans and rugby star Ellis Jenkins reveal cute name for new baby The couple shared a photo of their new offspring on Instagram, asleep and sporting a cute light brown jumper with his name on it Sophie shares a picture with her new baby, Louie, who is the younger brother to Jack West End singer Sophie Evans and rugby star Ellis James have revealed the cute baby name for their second son. The couple confirmed on Monday, April 28, that they had welcomed their second child after teasing fans on when the baby was due. Sophie and Ellis, who already share a son, Jack, born in December 2022, were eagerly awaiting the birth of their second child. The couple, who have been together for over a decade, have been sharing their excitement throughout the pregnancy, offering fans a glimpse into their journey. And now they have revealed the name of their second son on social media. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter . On an Instagram post shared on Wednesday, April 30, the couple shared a photo of their new offspring, asleep and sporting a cute light brown jumper with the name 'Louie' sewn on it. The caption read: "This is our Louie Adam Jenkins. Welcome the family kid! Two days of pure love. 28.04.2025. 8lb4 of magic". Many shared their excitement at the news, with one fan saying: "Congrats to you all so lush!!! Enjoy your family bubble". While another fan said' "Gorgeous just like his big bro!" Another described little Louie as "cute as a button". Article continues below On April 18, Sophie posted an update on Instagram, revealing that the day marked her due date. However, there was no sign of "baby Jenks" — a nickname given to their unborn child by influencer Sophie Harris. Fans eagerly awaited the big announcement, but it seemed the baby had decided to keep everyone on their toes. As the days went on, Ellis couldn't contain his excitement and shared his own updates, showing just how eager the family was to meet the new addition. Taking to Instagram, the Wales International wrote: "Counting down the days until baby number 2 arrives. We can't wait to meet him and Jack is so excited to be a big brother!" Content cannot be displayed without consent Despite the anticipation, the days stretched on, and it wasn't until ten days after her due date that Sophie confirmed the arrival of their baby. On April 27, around 9pm, Sophie posted an amusing Instagram story where she snapped a selfie of herself smiling thoughtfully, cheekily captioning it: "Still pregnant." Following this, at nearly 12pm on April 28, Sophie shared another Instagram story. Article continues below This time, the frame showed a baby's arm peeking into the shot, offering a glimpse of the newborn. With a beaming smile, Sophie captioned it: "... Not pregnant." The Tonypandy singer, who shot to fame on BBC talent show, Over the Rainbow and has since found success in the West End production of Wicked and as part of the Wales of the West End singing group, promised her followers a 'full birth story' soon on her TikTok, but shared that she was "feeling good" following the labour this week.
