Latest news with #SamSmith
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Millions of Brits think they're better singers than Adele and Sam Smith
Millions of Brits think they're better singers than Adele and Sam Smith Research carried out by Samsung found that one in ten Brits believe they sound better than some of today's top performers - including Adele. More than seven million Brits think they're better singers than world's best stars. (Image: SWNS ) A survey of 2,000 adults has revealed that 14 per cent believe they sound better than some of today's top performers – including Justin Bieber, Madonna and Adele. An impressive 69 per cent admit to singing along at gigs and festivals, while one in 10 rate their vocal talent as an eight out of 10 or higher. However, four in ten wish they could erase the sound of their own voice or others from videos where it spoils the moment, and 31 per cent admitted they may have 'enjoyed the gig a bit too much', potentially ruining other people's recordings in the process. 16% are impressed by their own vocal range. (Image: Getty ) The study was commissioned by Samsung, which has developed an 'Audio Eraser' tool on its newly launched Galaxy S25 Edge where users can remove unwanted background noise from videos by isolating categories of sound. Of those who watch their recordings back of gigs, 24 per cent find hearing their own performances amusing, while 22 per cent are mortified. A third confessed their singing was worse than they realised once listening back to their footage. However, 16 per cent are impressed by their own vocal range, reports the Mirror. Article continues below Almost half admitted they find it annoying when other people sing along at gigs or festivals when they're trying to capture the moment. Two thirds believe that poor vocals from fans can spoil an otherwise brilliant concert video, according to data from And 19 per cent have even contemplated asking someone to stop singing loudly when recording a clip of their favourite song. The newly launched upgrade and rewards programme is known as New Galaxy Club. Article continues below Annika Bizon from Samsung remarked: "Everyone's been there, watching back that epic gig clip only to wince at hearing your own singalong vocals or the scream from the fan next to you. "It's all part of the experience, but we get it, you want to relive the moment hearing only the artist you love." TOP 10 SINGERS BRITS RECKON THEY'RE BETTER THAN:
Scottish Sun
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Britain's ‘cheapest pub' suddenly SHUTS after 500 years because owner ‘unhappy about photos of it being shared online'
SHUTTERS DOWN Britain's 'cheapest pub' suddenly SHUTS after 500 years because owner 'unhappy about photos of it being shared online' A PUB dubbed the "cheapest" in Britain has suddenly shut up shop after 500 years. Locals have been left shocked after the owners revealed a bizarre reason with a notice on the door. 3 The Abbey, Derby, posted the handwritten note on the door saying they were unhappy about photos of it being shared online. Credit: Google maps 3 The brewery operates 200 pubs across the UK and is known for it's strict rules from owner Humphrey Smith Credit: Google maps The Abbey, Derby, posted the handwritten note on the door saying they were unhappy about photos of it being shared online. The 22-word notice reads: "Closed!! "Due to someone posting pictures of the Abbey on social media. Sam Smith has taken the alcohol and closed these premises." Samuel Smith's Brewery owns the pub and it has been suggested the current landlords had broken policies and were dismissed as a result. The brewery operates 200 pubs across the UK and is known for it's strict rules from owner Humphrey Smith. Such rules include a no-swearing policy, no televisions or jukeboxes and a ban on the use of mobile phones or laptops in its public houses. Just days prior to the closure, a Facebook account with more than 125,000 followers posted 18 pictures of the pub, inside and out. The Great British Pub Crawl account, a page run by Dale Harvey and his wife, Holly, follows the couple as they attempt to visit every boozer in the UK. They posted the photos on Saturday, May 17 alongside the caption: "Not every day you are asked to grab photos or a video in a Sam Smith's pub." It's not clear whether the post was the reason behind the closure. The pub is one of the last surviving buildings from an extensive monastery, dating back to the 15th century. The sudden closure has left locals stunned, with many taking to social media to express their disappointment and confusion. While the brewery has offered no official explanation, insiders suggest the landlords were dismissed for allowing, or failing to prevent, photos of the pub being shared online, a clear breach of company policy. The closure marks yet another abrupt ending for a Samuel Smith's venue, following similar shutdowns in Bradford and London, and raises fresh questions about the brewery's management style and the long-term viability of its rule-heavy model in the digital age. The Abbey is far from the only British boozer pulling its last pint. A string of beloved pubs are closing their doors, with punters and landlords alike left heartbroken as pressures in the hospitality industry hit boiling point. In East London, the historic Gun pub in Homerton has shut down after 160 years of service. Once a bustling local favourite, the venue was brought back to life in 2014 following a major revamp by landlords Nick Stephens and his partner Hanna-Sinclair Stephens. Despite surviving the Covid crunch thanks to a heroic crowdfunding campaign that raised over £30,000 in a single day, the couple say the pub has now become 'unsustainable'. 'It was hugely popular, but we just couldn't keep going,' Nick said. 'The capacity was only 90 — the numbers just didn't add up anymore.' Meanwhile, in Nottingham, The Emerald, a vibrant Indian pub and sports bar, has also called time, just two years after opening. Dubbed a 'labour of love' by its owners, The Emerald quickly became a community favourite for curry lovers and cricket fans alike. But behind the scenes, soaring costs and the departure of a key business partner created what they described as 'emotional, financial and operational strain'. In a heartfelt post, they thanked loyal customers: 'The Emerald was always more than just a pub—it was a cultural space… Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.' Social media lit up with tributes from heartbroken regulars. One wrote: 'It was more like home to us. Watching India win the World Cup there was unforgettable.' And even award-winners haven't been spared, a Midlands pub, hailed as the region's best and a finalist for Desi Grill of the Year 2024, has also gone under, despite its short-lived success. The wave of closures paints a grim picture for the UK pub scene, already battered by the pandemic and now facing soaring prices for rent, business rates and barrels.
Leader Live
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Wrexham won both games against Wycombe in promotion race
The teams met on the opening day of the League One campaign at The Racecourse and Wrexham won 3-2 but Wycombe then embarked on a fantastic run and remained in the hunt for a top-two finish along with the Reds during the run-in. Sam Smith netted the only goal in the reverse fixture at Adams Park on March 15 as Wrexham secured another massive win and after Wycombe lost 1-0 at play-off hopefuls Leyton Orient on the penultimate weekend of the season, Parkinson's men beat Charlton Athletic 3-0 at home to secure an historic third successive promotion ahead of the final-day showdown at Lincoln City. Runners-up Wrexham beat the Imps 2-0 to extend the unbeaten run to 10 games and finish with 92 points while Wycombe lost their last three matches to end up in fifth position, setting up a play-off semi-final clash with Charlton Athletic. Wycombe ran out of steam in the final straight but Parkinson acknowledged the part that the Chairboys played in the battle for the second automatic promotion spot behind champions Birmingham City. "The first game against Wycombe, no-one really thought they would be up there at that stage but we looked at them in pre-season and thought that they're going to be a force to be reckoned with," said the Reds' boss. "To get the double over Wycombe has obviously been very pivotal." DID YOU MISS OUR 48-PAGE PROMOTION SPECIAL? ORDER YOUR COPY HERE - It goes without saying that the victory over Charlton was one of Parkinson's stand out games in another memorable season. Wrexham's destiny was in their own hands anyway but the Reds knew they would be guaranteed to go straight up to the Championship with a game to go if they beat the Addicks after nearest rivals Wycombe suffered a defeat at Orient in the early kick-off. "Seeing the Wycombe result, it was 'come on lads, let's produce when it matters the most' and I am so proud of that," he said. "Stood on the touchline at the end of the game, I said to Steve Parkin that it means a lot when the pressure is on and the lads produce, and they did." Wrexham only lost one of their final 15 games, a 2-0 defeat at Reading on March 11, but the Reds bounced back immediately by beating Wycombe in that top of the table clash four days later. "There's so many pivotal moments when when you look back," said Parkinson. "Obviously defeat at Reading was disappointing but then going to Wycombe and winning was a brilliant response. That was a great day." Only big-spending Birmingham finished above Wrexham while Stockport County, Charlton, Wycombe and Orient are contesting the play-offs as highly fancied teams such as Bolton Wanderers and Huddersfield Town missed out on a top-six finish, underlining how well the Reds fared after making the step up from League Two. "The strength of the division this season and coming into it with a lot of players who hadn't played at the level - obviously some had - and seeing how we'd adapt to it, look at the teams we've left in our wake," added Parkinson. "The teams who didn't even make the play-offs and teams like Charlton who are such a big club and have a lot of resources and will be in the play-offs. "Take everything into consideration, to get into the Championship is amazing."
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Wrexham ‘in talks over signing Fulham captain Tom Cairney for club record fee' to bolster Championship promotion hopes
WREXHAM are in talks to sign Fulham captain Tom Cairney, according to reports. The Red Dragons could spend big once again after winning a third successive promotion to reach the Championship. 4 4 Wrexham have already been linked with a number of targets and Cairney is now on their radar, according to The Telegraph. The club has opened talks over a move for the midfielder, who could be their new record signing after breaking the bank to sign Sam Smith for £2million in January. Wrexham are believed to want experienced players as they return to the second tier for the first time in 21 years, and Cairney fits the mould. He has played 318 games at Championship level and has 412 top-flight appearances, as well as two Scotland caps. Cairney, 34, has made 27 appearances this season, 23 of which have been in the Premier League. Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has often gone down the experienced route when recruiting players - Jay Rodriguez, 35, James McClean, 36, and Steven Fletcher, 37, have joined the club in recent years. In total Wrexham have 11 players aged 30 or over, with more potentially arriving. Jamie Vardy has been linked with a move to North Wales after confirming he will leave Leicester after 13 years at the club. 4 Manchester United defender Jonny Evans has also been mooted as a potential arrival with his contract up next month. Parkinson said the club was "always planning" but admitted that while they have not spoken about anyone in particular they do have a profile of targets who are free agents. 'He's got the fastest hands' - Wrexham star James McClean tipped to beat up Jake Paul in boxing fight He said: "We haven't really spoken about anything. We've always got our eye on players who are free transfers and are going to be available. "I think it's interesting because the jump in salaries is incredible, mind-blowing. Even coming up to this level, the jump to get players of Championship quality is expensive. "But obviously the next level, I don't think people outside football quite realise. "They think players in League One must be multi-millionaires, but the drop-off from what people read in the press about Premier League players is huge. "That is a challenge but what we've always tried to do is make sure the culture in the club is right. "No superstars, no egos in the dressing room, and we've got to try to get that balance right again, to make sure the right people come into the building."
Geek Culture
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Apple And Universal Music Launch Sound Therapy Wellness Collection For Focusing, Relaxing & Sleeping
Resting comes more easily to some than others, and Apple is looking to improve the experience in its own way. The tech giant has teamed up with Universal Music Group (UMG) to launch Sound Therapy, an 'audio wellness' collection designed to help listeners enjoy clearer focus, deeper relaxation, and better sleep. Available exclusively on Apple Music, it blends well-known songs with special sound waves that enhance daily routines 'while retaining the artist's original vision'. The selection is crafted based on audio science, or so the companies claim, and may include auditory beats or coloured noise, sound waves with varied intensity at different frequencies categorised by colours. Users can expect popular tracks like Katy Perry's 'Double Rainbow', Kacey Musgraves' 'Golden Hour,' Sam Smith's 'How Do You Sleep?', Glass Animals' 'Heat Waves', Lewis Capaldi's 'Someone You Loved,' and more, which are sorted into one of three categories: focus, relax, and sleep. The full description for each is as follows: Maintain Focus: The Focus category is designed to support improved cognitive performance and concentration, tapping into the power of gamma auditory beats to help listeners get in the mindset to achieve optimum focus. White noise masks distracting sounds, aiming to help listeners stay in the moment. The Focus category is designed to support improved cognitive performance and concentration, tapping into the power of gamma auditory beats to help listeners get in the mindset to achieve optimum focus. White noise masks distracting sounds, aiming to help listeners stay in the moment. Time to Relax: Songs in the Relax category are made for letting go, blending and infusing in theta auditory beats to help achieve ultimate relaxation. Songs in the Relax category are made for letting go, blending and infusing in theta auditory beats to help achieve ultimate relaxation. Made for Sleep: The Sleep category is designed to encourage deeper sleep through an infusion of delta auditory beats or pink noise, which works similarly to white noise but uses natural sounds like rainfall and ocean waves. Both Apple and UMG clarified that Sound Therapy is 'designed to support a person's overall well-being' but is 'not intended to treat any medical condition.' It joins the recent addition of Apple Music Chill radio station that offers a 'continuous flow of chill highlights across genres, interspersed with mindful moments meant to remind listeners to make the time to find centre and calm.' Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really. apple music Sound Therapy Universal Music Group
