Latest news with #SomewhereOvertheRainbow
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Britain's Got Talent's 2024 winner and their impressive confession about the £250,000 prize
Britain's Got Talent's 2024 winner and their impressive confession about the £250,000 prize The 2025 finale is almost upon us so let's remind ourselves of who won last year and what they've done with the dosh Sydnie Christmas won last year's BGT, but what has she done with the prize money? (Image: (Image: ITV) ) Last year, Sydnie Christmas captured the public's hearts after winning Britain's Got Talent with her show stopping performance of Somewhere Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz. However, following the competition she disclosed some surprising facts regarding the show's £250,000 prize money. Despite the impressive sum she won on the beloved ITV programme, the singer shared that she hasn't spent a single penny of her winnings. Instead, Sydnie has safely stashed all of it into savings, with an eye toward her future aspirations. She said: "With the prize money, I've put it all away in a savings account because I want to save for a house at some point." For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter . Sydnie explained: "All I ever wanted was stability, to be able to move on in the future and one day have children and things like that, so now, luckily enough, I've been given that." Even though her savings remain untouched, life for Sydnie has been far from idle post-BGT victory. She's not only wrapped up work on her album but also enjoyed performing live, as well as that she's been a semi-regular competition presenter on ITV daytime TV. She said: "I've finished working on the album, which is cool. I've had a few gigs, really cool gigs, in front of loads of people." A standout moment for her was the Blackpool Illuminations. The Express reported Sydnie saying: "The Blackpool Illuminations were just unbelievable. I heard there was 80,000 people there, but then I also heard there was 100,000 people there. It was just ridiculous, best experience ever." Reflecting upon the intense moments during Britain's Got Talent, Sydnie confessed that despite thoroughly enjoying the process, it was nearly overshadowed by her anxiety. She said: "Both the semi-final and final, for one, I went last and I nearly threw up." Her nerves were tested by repeated scheduling decisions. She explained: "They kept putting me on last, I was like, 'guys, this is not fair two days in a row, oh my goodness." The tension didn't abate at that point. She remembered the fraught moments preceding the winner's revelation: "It was the waiting before they announced who won, it was awful. I nearly had a full-on panic attack." Since winning the competition, Sydnie has returned to the BGT stage to perform during this year's semi-finals. The returning winner, sang with her friend and past Britain's Got Talent contestant, Loren Allred, who is the voice behind the Greatest Showman hit Never Enough. Sydnie posted on social media: "Full circle moment going back to where it all started, but to be able to do it with a friend makes it all that much sweeter. "I will fly the @bgt flag for the rest of my days. I'm forever grateful. And the dreams that you dare to dream. Really do come true." Content cannot be displayed without consent Article continues below
Wales Online
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Britain's Got Talent star looks unrecognisable as she shares 'special' career update
Britain's Got Talent star looks unrecognisable as she shares 'special' career update Connie Talbot shot to fame after appearing on the first series of Britain's Got Talent back in 2007 Britain's Got Talent star Connie Talbot looked unrecognisable as she shared a "special" career update. The 24-year-old singer notably appeared on the first series of the hit ITV talent show back in 2007. She was just six years old when she auditioned, performing a stunning rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow from the Wizard of Oz. Connie made it through to the final, where she finished in second place behind opera singer Paul Potts. Now, Connie has issued a career update with her fans, taking to Instagram on Monday (May 26) to reflect on her time on tour with US rock band, Boyce Avenue. Connie Talbot issued a career update on Monday (May 26) Article continues below Connie uploaded multiple snapshots of herself on stage, alongside the caption: "That's a wrap! I had the best time on tour supporting @boyceavenue. Thank you for having me, and thank you to every audience that sang their hearts out with us. Not something I'm going to forget very easily. "Thank you @boyceavenue for having me and to all the crew for making this tour so special," reports Belfast Live. She concluded: "BRB, just crying that it's over... may have to arrange a mini tour." Connie's followers quickly flocked to the comments section to commend her performances, with one fan enthusing, "You were incredible. Can't wait to see you again soon." "Loved every minute in Belfast! Thank you for making it such a special night! Really was unforgettable, until next time!" another added, while a third expressed: "So grateful I was able to see you twice on the tour. You were amazing as always, can't wait for the next one!" Connie came second in the first series of Britain's Got Talent (Image: Ken McKay/REX/Shutterstock ) Echoing the warm sentiments, a fourth admirer commented, "Thank you for your show Connie. It's so fantastic to see this tour. What a beautiful performance when you combine with @boyceavenue. You're truly a legend. Thank you and I hope to see another tour in the future." After appearing on BGT, Connie signed with the Rainbow Recording Company for a six-figure deal. Her much-anticipated debut album hit the shelves in November 2007 and quickly ascended to gold status by early December, which led to Connie receiving a gold disc on a live segment of This Morning. Article continues below An initial pressing of 50,000 albums was soon overrun by demand, prompting a fresh production run of 120,000 more after the album flew off the shelves within days. Continuing her music journey, Connie went on to appear on Britain's Got Talent: The Champions in 2019, captivating fans with several of her own songs. Britain's Got Talent is available to stream on ITVX
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lainey Wilson releases 'Somewhere Over Laredo'
May 23 (UPI) -- ACM Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson released "Somewhere Over Laredo" and a performance video on Friday. "Caught me a red eye flight out of Houston, found me a window seat with a view. Headed out west for South California. One Tito's in, I'm thinking 'bout you," she sings, sitting on a stool, wrapped in a blanket. "In that little border town, where the desert glows gold when the sun goes down. My head's thirty thousand feet in the clouds, knowing 20 minutes from now, I'll be somewhere over Laredo." The country star, 33, talked about the track on CBS Mornings. "I spend a lot of my time 30,000 feet in the air, flying to the next show, the next town, and you know when you're staring out the window you get to just spend a little bit of time with yourself and reminisce and dream, talk to God, and all of those things and this song right here -- it gave me an opportunity to kind of step back into a pair of shoes that I wore a long time ago," she said. "And I'm partial, but this is one of my favorite songs that I have ever written, and, I mean, of course everybody is inspired by the song 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow,' and we'll see. It's out now," she added. Wilson is set to perform at the upcoming 51st annual American Music Awards on Monday.
UPI
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Lainey Wilson releases 'Somewhere Over Laredo'
1 of 5 | Lainey Wilson arrives for the Grammy Awards on February 2. She dropped "Somewhere Over Laredo" on Friday. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo May 23 (UPI) -- ACM Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson released "Somewhere Over Laredo" and a performance video on Friday. "Caught me a red eye flight out of Houston, found me a window seat with a view. Headed out west for South California. One Tito's in, I'm thinking 'bout you," she sings, sitting on a stool, wrapped in a blanket. "In that little border town, where the desert glows gold when the sun goes down. My head's thirty thousand feet in the clouds, knowing 20 minutes from now, I'll be somewhere over Laredo." The country star, 33, talked about the track on CBS Mornings. "I spend a lot of my time 30,000 feet in the air, flying to the next show, the next town, and you know when you're staring out the window you get to just spend a little bit of time with yourself and reminisce and dream, talk to God, and all of those things and this song right here -- it gave me an opportunity to kind of step back into a pair of shoes that I wore a long time ago," she said. "And I'm partial, but this is one of my favorite songs that I have ever written, and, I mean, of course everybody is inspired by the song 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow,' and we'll see. It's out now," she added. Wilson is set to perform at the upcoming 51st annual American Music Awards on Monday. Singer @laineywilson is releasing a new single this morning, "Somewhere Over Laredo," which she will perform on Monday at the @AMAs. "This is one of my favorite songs that I've ever written," Wilson tells CBS Mornings. CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) May 23, 2025
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
From emerald cities to ruby shoes: The curious colors of Oz
Representative Image (AI) On May 17, 1900, US author Lyman Frank Baum published a tale that has since enchanted readers and viewers over generations with its unforgettable characters, magical settings and universal themes of courage, friendship and the search for home. At the heart of the story is Dorothy Gale , a young girl living on a quiet Kansas farm. When a powerful tornado sweeps her and her dog Toto away, she finds herself in the fantastical Land of Oz, where wonder and danger lurk. Advised by a kind witch, Dorothy sets off for the Emerald City by following a Yellow Brick Road, hoping that the mysterious Wizard of Oz can help her return home. The journey within Along the way, she befriends a Scarecrow wanting a brain, a Tin Man longing for a heart and a Cowardly Lion seeking courage. Together, they face trials, outwit a wicked witch and discover that the qualities they each sought lay within them all along. Dorothy's magical ruby slippers , which she acquires after her tornado-borne house lands on and kills the Wicked Witch of the East, hold the final key to her return home. Britannica, which describes it as "a modern fairy tale with a distinctly American setting," also states that some consider the gutsy Dorothy as one of the first feminist heroes in children's literature. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ready to Live in 2, 3 & 4 BHK from ₹3.60 Cr* in Sec 22 Ambience Creacions, Gurugram Learn More Undo Whether through film, stage or song, the diverse adaptations of the Land of Oz have since seen it evolve into a pop culture icon. But the visuals most often associated with it stem mainly from MGM's 1939 film adaptation starring then-16-year-old Judy Garland, whose wistful rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was voted "the greatest song of the 20th century" in a 2001 joint survey by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America. On the book's 125th anniversary, here are some curious backstories on the colors that breathed life into " The Wizard of Oz ." Slippers that switched color… In Baum's original book, Dorothy's enchanted footwear were silver, not ruby. T he 1939 film famously changed them to a glimmering red to take full advantage of the then-new Technicolor film process. Red simply popped better on screen as opposed to silver, and especially against the yellow bricks of the road. One pair of these slippers worn by Judy Garland, stolen in 2005 from a Minnesota museum and recovered by the FBI in 2018, sold at auction for $28 million in 2024. … and horses too? Way before CGI, there was food dye. To recreate "a horse of a different color," the dazzling, color-changing horse that greets Dorothy and friends in the Emerald City, four separate white horses were used to create the effect of a single horse that changes color from moment to moment. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had objected to the horses' fur being dyed traditionally; the lore goes that technicians tinted them either with jello powder or food dye to create a spectrum of white, purple, red and yellow. As the equine actors reportedly kept licking the colored powder off between takes, the scenes had to be shot as quickly as possible. Through green-tinted glasses Curiously, what is known as the "Emerald City" is neither green nor built of emeralds. It appears so because everyone is required to wear green-tinted glasses, a clever ruse by the Wizard to create the illusion of grandeur. The 1939 film, however, featured a literal green metropolis, thus forever cementing the Emerald City in popular culture as a glowing, green paradise. What color was Dorothy's dress actually? There's also diverging takes online on whether Dorothy's gingham pinafore dress was blue and white or blue and pink. Some fan sites explain that what appeared to be blue and white, was in reality, blue and light pink. The costume team had apparently used pink, which rendered better on screen under the intense lighting of that era. One cannot help but recall the color challenge on social media in early 2015, known as "The Dress." Remember? That viral phenomenon where a photograph of a dress sparked a debate on whether it was white and gold or blue and black, due to differences in color perception and how the brain interprets lighting. A kaleidoscope of adaptations Since its original publication, "The Wizard of Oz" has spawned colorful interpretations. Singer Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (1973), co-written with long-time collaborative partner Bernie Taupin, uses Oz imagery to symbolize disillusionment with fame and a yearning for a simpler life. The 78-year-old singer's final world tour was renamed "Farewell Yellow Brick Road." It began in Allentown, Pennsylvania, US, on September 8, 2018, and ended in Stockholm, Sweden, on July 8, 2023. Meanwhile, 1978's "The Wiz" was an all-Black musical reimagining starring ex-Supremes singer Diana Ross as Dorothy and the late King of Pop Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow. Based on what was originally a successful Broadway musical, the film was widely panned by critics. But something more significant happened behind the scenes: It led veteran producer Quincy Jones to first cross paths with his future "Thriller" collaborator, Jackson And finally, Broadway's 2003 blockbuster "Wicked" flipped the script entirely, telling the untold story of the misunderstood "Wicked Witch of the West" Elphaba, complete with emerald skin and gravity-defying vocals. Incidentally, the musical's most recognizable number is, indeed, "Defying Gravity." The musical, which is based on a novel of the same name, has since been adapted into a two-part film, with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande leading the cast. The first part was released in 2024 and was nominated for 10 Oscars at the 97th Academy Awards, winning two, best costume design and production design.
