Latest news with #TheCranberries'
Irish Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish couples' favourite first dance song confirmed and it may surprise you
Loved-up Irish couples' favourite first dance song for weddings is Kodaline's The One, it's been revealed. A study by spoke with 12 wedding bands and asked what the top three tune newlyweds request are. Kodaline's The One received 16 per cent of the total vote, The Cranberries' Dreams got 11 per cent, while the third spot went to Frankie Valli's Can't Take My Eyes Off You. Kate Hyde, founder of revealed: "Every wedding is unique to the couple, but there are some first dance songs that are so perfect they reappear time and time again. "It's easy to see why these three songs are the most popular, too, and from the feedback we received, it was great to hear many couples like to get their guests involved in their first dance song." Bands also revealed couples are choosing shorter songs which kick in quicker, as some don't like to be the centre of attention for too long. They also revealed there's been a rise in couples hiring content creators in order to make their special day "go viral".
Irish Daily Star
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Star
The Cranberries fans are only just realising band used to have different name
The Cranberries are one of Ireland's best-loved bands. Formed in Limerick in 1989, the alternative rock band went on to sell more than 50 million albums worldwide. What's more, their hit Zombie became the first music video by an Irish band to hit a billion views on YouTube. But despite their popularity, there are things fans are still learning about the iconic group. Many had no idea that The Cranberries actually used to go by a different name – and took to social media to share their surprise. In fact, they didn't change names until after Dolores O'Riordan joined. You can find out more about this fun pieces of trivia below – as well as facts about how The Cranberries formed, grew and became legendary artists on the world stage. Here's everything you need to know. The Cranberries' formation and original name The Cranberries' original members were Niall Quinn on lead vocals, Fergal Lawler on Drums and Noel and Mike Hogan on guitar and bass respectively. They initially went by a different moniker – The Cranberry Saw Us. When you say this name out loud, it sounds a bit like 'The Cranberry Sauce'. While the band liked this humorous pun, it didn't end up catching on as much as the simplified version of 'the Cranberries' that was adopted after Niall Quinn left the band. Irish singer and guitarist Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries performs live on stage with the band at the Shepherds Bush Empire in London on 16th October 1994. (Image: Getty Images) Everything changed when Dolores O'Riordan auditioned at Xeric Studios. She arrived wearing a tracksuit and carrying a broken keyboard, stunning everyone when she opened her mouth to sing. In an interview with NPR, Noel Hogan recalled: 'She was so small and quiet... then she opened her mouth and this amazing voice, this huge voice came out for the size of her.' Band members couldn't believe Dolores wasn't signed – and made things official when she returned a week later to work on an early draft of popular hit Linger. Her distinctively haunting voice is one of the reasons the group was able to set themselves apart from others. And shortly after Dolores jumped on board, the band changed its name from The Cranberries Saw Us. A popular theory is that a mix tape was send back to the group with the typo 'The Cranberries' on the front, which may have been what inspired them to ditch the end of the moniker for good. How The Cranberries broke throug h The Cranberries became one of Ireland's most successful bands of all time (Image: Getty) The group put together a demo called 'Uncertain' EP, which featured early versions of hits Linger and Dreams. Record labels endlessly pursued and fought over signing them, but they eventually settled on Island Records. Then in 1993, the band released their debut album – Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? – and started touring the US and Europe. Linger and Dreams became songs that resonated with fans, but mainstream success didn't come until their second album was released a year later. It ended up selling more than 17 million copies. The compilation, called No Need to Argue, featured the global hit Zombie. The political anthem was delivered in response to the 1993 IRA bombings in Warrington, England. The tune was named 'Best Song' at the 1995 MTV Europe Music Awards, trumping Michael Jackson's You Are Not Alone to the top spot. Continued success and difficulties Dolores O'Riordan performs on stage during the first concert of the Festivalbar on May 29, 2004 in Milan Following No Need to Argue, The Cranberries continued to release successful albums like To the Faithful Departed (1996) and Bury the Hatchet (1999). The former sold four million copies in a matter of weeks – but received a mixed response from critics due to hits political nature. Songs on the album included "Bosnia", "War Child" and the controversial "I Just Shot John Lennon", which included sound effects of gunfire. The band were touring in 1996, but cancelled shows due to Dolores 'ill health". Not only had the lead singer suffered a knee injury, she was also said to be exhausted and struggling with intrusions into her private life. The band took a one-year hiatus, before returning with their fourth studio album at the end of the decade. While some singles didn't chart in the UK and US, the group went on to have their most successful tour between 1999 and 2000. Hiatus and reunion The members of the Irish rock band Cranberries, singer Dolores O'Riordan (sit), bassist Mike Hogan (L), drummer Fergal Lawler (C) and guitar player Noel Hogan (L) pose on January 18, 2012 (Image: The album will be The Cranberries last) The Cranberries released Wake Up and Smell the Coffee in 2001, which led to another sell-out tour. But two years later, they announced they'd be taking a break. At the time, Dolores said: "We've been together for 13 years; it's a much needed break. It was getting predictable and lacking in a challenge; time to experiment." The band remained in contact and seemed to be supportive of each other's ventures. Dolores worked on some collaborations before releasing her solo album Are You Listening in 2007. Meanwhile, Noel and Mike Hogan created Mono Band and later Arkitekt. Fergal Lawler joined the Low Network, as well as taking on producer and musician roles with various groups. The Cranberries came back together in 2009, when Dolores was named an Honorary Patron at Trinity College, Dublin . Fans were excited at the possibility of the reunion – but didn't start recording together again until 2011. Their album Roses was released in 2012, followed by an acoustic album called Something Else in 2017. In the End Dolores passed away unexpectedly on January 15, 2018, at the age of just 46. Heartbreakingly, the coroner ruled she accidentally drowned in the bathroom of a London hotel following alcohol poisoning. The Cranberries vowed to release their final album In the End, before officially breaking up. Noel Hogan said: "We will do this album and then that will be it. No one wants to do this without Dolores..." The album peaked at No. 3 in Ireland and went on to be nominated as Best Rock Album at the Grammys. The Cranberries has released some extended songs and remixes in recent years. They have also seen plenty of success on streaming services. In April 2021, Zombie returned to the charts. It topped Billboard's Alternative Digital Song Sales chart 27 years after its first release. It shows just how much The Cranberries' music still resonates with the public to this very day. They will always be music legends in Ireland and beyond.
South China Morning Post
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Faye Wong, actress, Cantopop diva and twice divorced mum
Published: 7:15am, 14 Feb 2025 This is the 44th instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. Faye Wong reigned supreme as Hong Kong's diva of the 1990s. Her distinctive voice, artistic integrity, aversion to celebrity and unique style cemented her status.. While many will recognise her from her cover of The Cranberries' track 'Dreams' or her vocals on 'Eyes on Me' (the theme song for the video game Final Fantasy VIII ), her breakthrough came with her fourth studio album, Coming Home (1992). Faye Wong pictured at Hong Kong Stadium in 1994. Photo: SCMP Initially, her birth name, Wang Fei, was deemed too mainland Chinese for Hong Kong audiences, so her label rebranded her Shirley Wong, or Wong Ching-man. But after her first three albums achieved only modest success, she was sent to New York for vocal training and cultural immersion. It was there that Wong truly discovered herself. 'I wandered around, visited museums and sat at cafes,' she later explained. 'There were so many strange, confident-looking people. They didn't care what other people thought of them.
