Latest news with #TakeonMe
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tom Sandoval feared America's Got Talent appearance was ‘setting myself up to get trolled'
Tom Sandoval knew what was coming. After the 43-year-old reality star appeared on America's Got Talent in June, many viewers were vocally critical not just of his performance but of his apparent attempts to 'rehab' his tainted image. In 2024, he had been dubbed the 'most hated man in America' after it emerged during season 10 of Vanderpump Rules that he cheated on longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix with her then-best friend, Rachel Leviss. Both the cast and fans of the hit Bravo show rallied around Madix amid the infidelity scandal, dubbed 'Scandoval,' while Sandoval was pilloried. When he was first approached about auditioning for AGT, Sandoval suspected he'd be in for more of the same. 'It was something that my buddy Jason had brought to my attention,' Sandoval tells The Independent. 'I immediately did not want to do it. I felt like it would create a lot of negative backlash, setting myself up to get trolled.' Speaking while visiting family in St. Louis, Missouri, Sandoval reveals he was also worried about the sheer terror of being on the AGT stage in front of judges like Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel. Ultimately, though, he says he decided to do it for the sake of his band. 'They were with me through one of the hardest times in my life,' he says. 'And to go to them and say, 'Hey, I don't want to do it 'cause I'm worried about backlash' — It would have broken my heart to do that. So I was like, you know what? These guys have been there for me, and I want to do this for them and for us.' Sandoval and his band, The Most Extras, performed A-ha's 'Take on Me' during the first round of auditions and ended up receiving four 'yes' votes from the judges. The audience danced along, many with mouths agape, trying to reconcile that in front of them was the same man they watched for over a decade on Vanderpump Rules. While Bravo is an undeniable part of his history, Sandoval says he's keen to move on from it. On August 19, the second round of AGT auditions begins on NBC, and he's brimming with excitement about taking the stage once more. The Traitors star traces his musical journey back to his childhood, when he began playing trumpet in the fourth grade. He joined a marching band before quitting sports to appear in a production of the cult favorite musical Little Shop of Horrors. More recently, he taught himself to play guitar and is now taking voice lessons as he fronts a band for the first time. He's been in bands before, but they never worked out. 'It was always original music,' he says. 'I would put so much time, so much passion and money and effort into getting this band to the next level, and then it would fall apart. It was just so heartbreaking that I didn't play music for quite a while.' Eventually, he found his way to The Most Extras, a nine-person covers band, but he isn't ruling out a return to creating original music again. Vanderpump Rules fans might remember 'Touch in Public', the 2015 single from Charles McMansion, a duo Sandoval formed with the late actor Isaac Kappy. For now, though, he is leaning into the joys of appealing to a broad audience with songs everyone can sing along to. He says he has 'learned some hard lessons' during his time touring with his new bandmates, recalling their van getting stuck in the mud during their first tour and needing to be hauled out by a stranger, lugging equipment up multiple flights of stairs to get to a rehearsal room in New York, and the ceiling falling during another small gig. After their AGT debut, Simon Cowell told them, 'Not everyone comes on this show to get a record deal. Sometimes it's about being true to who you are.' Sandoval echoes that sentiment during our conversation. 'I feel like this is something that really is true to me,' he explains. 'It's something I love. Music has always been in my life. My dad was a DJ, and I grew up listening to great music. It just really inspired me.' When we spoke, Sandoval had not yet decided which song his band would perform during the second round of auditions. He did say that he'd been attending vocal lessons and was eager to come 'full circle in another talent show; a much, much bigger one in fact, the biggest stage we've ever been on.' Regardless of the outcome on AGT, Sandoval is looking ahead to the band's fall tour. 'I'm so grateful to be able to do something like this, to be out there, to have my band be able to be on a big stage like that,' he says. 'I'm just excited for what's to come.'
Express Tribune
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Why Tom Sandoval's America's Got Talent debut is sparking backlash, and praise
Tom Sandoval, best known from Bravo's Vanderpump Rules and appearing in Season 3 of The Traitors, is now making headlines for an entirely different reason, his unexpected musical debut on America's Got Talent. The 41-year-old reality TV personality took the stage in June 2025 with his band, Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras, performing a theatrical cover of A-ha's Take on Me. The performance was both bold and symbolic, an effort to move past the infidelity scandal that turned him into a tabloid villain. In 2023, Sandoval's nine-year relationship with Ariana Madix ended after she discovered he was involved with her friend and co-star Rachel Leviss. Dubbed 'Scandoval,' the affair became reality TV's biggest controversy of the year. The fallout included public outrage, widespread memes, and even fans labeling him 'the most hated man in America.' Now, two years later, Sandoval is trying to rewrite the narrative. His America's Got Talent appearance sparked mixed reactions. While some were skeptical with even Howie Mandel whispering the details of his affair to co-judge Sofía Vergara, others were impressed. Simon Cowell, known for his critical eye, offered a rare smile during the performance, though he dismissed the scandal altogether. Online, reactions ranged from surprise to sarcasm. TikTok comments included lines like, 'He actually sounds great… surprisingly,' and, 'Say what you want, this wasn't bad.' Others asked bluntly, 'Who even is this guy?' with one viral comment joking, 'A worm with a mustache.' Though doubts remained, Sandoval took the stage hoping to move forward from his past. Whether audiences grant him that is still up in the air.
New York Post
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
A-Ha singer Morten Harket may not sing again after Parkinson's diagnosis
A-ha singer Morten Harket has revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and may not be able to sing again. The 'Take on Me' superstar shared in an interview on the Norwegian synth pop band's website that treatment for symptoms of the condition have affected his voice and 'creative future.' The 65-year-old singer said he has been undergoing deep brain stimulation treatment for the past year after two procedures to implant electrodes into the left and then right side of his brain. 4 Morten Harket in the music video for the A-Ha song 'Take On Me.' The electrical impulses fired into his brain have reduced the impact of some of the disease's physical symptoms but have affected his soaring vocal power and ability to sing. 'I don't feel like singing, and for me that's a sign,' he told the band's biographer Jan Omdahl. 'I'm broadminded in terms of what I think works; I don't expect to be able to achieve full technical control. 'The question is whether I can express myself with my voice. As things stand now, that's out of the question. 'But I don't know whether I'll be able to manage it at some point in the future.' 4 Harket from A-ha performs on stage at the Bergenfest festival on June 15, 2022 in Bergen, Norway. Redferns Harket said he had kept the diagnosis private until now so he could focus on the 'delicate balancing act' of managing his symptoms with medication and advanced neurological treatment. He said he had 'no problems accepting the diagnosis' and took his 94-year-old father's advice to 'use whatever works' as he navigates living with the degenerative disorder. 'Part of me wanted to reveal it. Like I said, acknowledging the diagnosis wasn't a problem for me; it's my need for peace and quiet to work that has been stopping me,' Harket said. 'I'm trying the best I can to prevent my entire system from going into decline. It's a difficult balancing act between taking the medication and managing its side effects. 4 A-ha perform at Idyll Festival at Isegran on June 17, 2022 in Fredrikstad, Norway. Corbis via Getty Images 4 (L-R) Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen, and Pal Waaktaar-Savoy. picture alliance via Getty Images 'There's so much to weigh up when you're emulating the masterful way the body handles every complex movement, or social matters and invitations, or day-to-day life in general.' Harket and bandmates Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy last toured Australia in 2020 and performed what may be their final concert at the Hollywood Bowl in July 2022. The musician said he had been working on new songs in recent years but was unsure 'if I'll be able to finish them for release.' But the philosophical singer told fans not to worry about him. 'Don't worry about me. Find out who you want to be – a process that can be new each and every day. Be good servants of nature, the very basis of our existence, and care for the environment while it is still possible to do so,' he said. 'Spend your energy and effort addressing real problems, and know that I am being taken care of.'
STV News
04-06-2025
- Health
- STV News
A-ha frontman Morten Harket reveals Parkinson's diagnosis
Morten Harket, the lead singer of A-ha, who was behind the 80s hit Take on Me, has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, the band has announced. In a statement published on A-ha's website, Harket said he had kept his condition secret for some time, as he did not know how it being public knowledge would impact his life. But the 65-year-old said now was the time to tell fans. He said: 'I've got no problem accepting the diagnosis. With time I've taken to heart my 94-year-old father's attitude to the way the organism gradually surrenders: 'I use whatever works''. He added: 'Part of me wanted to reveal it. Like I said, acknowledging the diagnosis wasn't a problem for me; it's my need for peace and quiet to work that has been stopping me. A-ha in 1986. / Credit: PA 'I'm trying the best I can to prevent my entire system from going into decline. It's a difficult balancing act between taking the medication and managing its side effects. 'There's so much to weigh up when you're emulating the masterful way the body handles every complex movement, or social matters and invitations, or day-to-day life in general.' The Norwegian national shot to fame in the 1980s with the pop trio's international hit Take On Me, which was released in 1985. He has had a prolific music career releasing over 10 albums with the band and several solo projects. In the statement issued on the band's website, they Harket's ability to live a full life despite his diagnosis had been greatly advanced thanks to advancements in treatment at the Mayo Clinic in the United States. In June 2024, Harket underwent brain surgery in which electrodes were implanted deep inside the left side of his brain. These are connected to a small pacemaker-like device placed under the skin of the upper chest that sends electrical impulses through the electrodes into the brain. The method is called deep brain stimulation (DBS) and is among the most advanced treatments in neurology. Harket said the procedure had the desired effect, with the right electrical impulses now reaching Harket's brain, most of his physical symptoms had vanished. He underwent a second surgery in December 2024. Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease. It is unknown what causes it, but the main symptoms include involuntary shaking, slower movement than usual, and muscle stiffness. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A-ha Singer Morten Harket Reveals Parkinson's Disease Diagnosis
A-ha's Morten Harket revealed Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which could impact the 'Take on Me' singer's powerful voice and 'creative future.' Harket, who was quietly battling Parkinson's over the past few years, announced the diagnosis on the Norwegian new wave band's official website via a new interview with A-ha biographer Jan Omdahl. More from Rolling Stone A-ha Detail Evolution of 'Take On Me' in Documentary Clip Tribeca to Premiere Films on Anthony Bourdain, A$AP Rocky, Rick James A-ha Release Remastered 4K Version of Classic 'Take on Me' Video 'I've got no problem accepting the diagnosis. With time, I've taken to heart my 94-year-old father's attitude to the way the organism gradually surrenders: 'I use whatever works,'' Harket said. 'Part of me wanted to reveal it. Like I said, acknowledging the diagnosis wasn't a problem for me; it's my need for peace and quiet to work that has been stopping me. I'm trying the best I can to prevent my entire system from going into decline. It's a difficult balancing act between taking the medication and managing its side effects.' According to Omdahl, beginning in June 2024, Harket underwent a neurosurgical procedure called deep brain stimulation (DBS), where electrodes are implanted deep inside both sides of the brain. The procedure, 'among the most advanced treatments in neurology,' greatly reduced the physical toll of Parkinson's for Harket, combined with treatment from the NeuroClinic Norway that 'led to a dramatic improvement in his symptoms,' Omdahl wrote. However, Harket's skyscraping vocals — as evidenced on the band's hits 'Take on Me' and 'The Sun Always Shines on TV' — remain impacted by the Parkinson's. 'The problems with my voice are one of many grounds for uncertainty about my creative future,' Harket said, adding, 'The voice problem comes especially when I take dopamine supplements. If I don't take dopamine, my voice settles down – but then the general underlying symptoms become more pronounced.' 'I don't feel like singing, and for me that's a sign. I'm broad-minded in terms of what I think works; I don't expect to be able to achieve full technical control,' Harket continued. 'The question is whether I can express myself with my voice. As things stand now, that's out of the question. But I don't know whether I'll be able to manage it at some point in the future.' A-ha last performed live in July 2022 on a world tour in support of their then-new album True North. Despite the diagnosis, Harket stressed to fans, 'Don't worry about me. Find out who you want to be – a process that can be new each and every day. Be good servants of nature, the very basis of our existence, and care for the environment while it is still possible to do so. Spend your energy and effort addressing real problems, and know that I am being taken care of.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
