Latest news with #newsingle
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
X Factor star Honey G showcases her incredible weight loss transformation in a vest and skimpy shorts as she dances wildly in fun social media clip
X Factor star Honey G showcased her incredible weight loss transformation while plugging her new single on Instagram on Thursday. The rapper, 44, who found fame on the hit ITV competition on 2016, looked almost unrecognisable as she displayed her slimmed down physique in a tight grey vest and skimpy printed shorts. Honey G, who's real name is Anna Gilford, showed off her long toned legs while dancing wildly to her track Nothing To Me alongside TV presenter Hayley Palmer. The singer wore her signature sunglasses but forwent a snapback cap, with her long brunette tresses loose as she showed off her wild moves. She captioned the post: 'Our take on the 'Nothing to Me' dance. Mine & @hayleypalmer_presenter 's rendition - my new single- dropping this Saturday!'. Honey G has openly struggled with her weight and in 2020 completed a triathlon, which consisted of a 750m swim, 20km cycle and a 5km run. She previously showed off her impressive two stone weight loss and admitted she looked 'completely different' after her intense gym workouts and said she gained a lot of 'body confidence'. She first lost the weight during lockdown in 2021 and since decided to run four triathlons and do a 20-mile run. After 'hitting the gym' Honey G explained how she's ' changed her body shape' and joked she no longer gets 'chased through shopping centres by school kids' in a new interview. She told The Daily Star - 'I had a personal trainer for a year and a half, almost two years and we worked a lot on strength training and I started to see, coupled with all the running I was doing, I started to see my body change. 'That's why not a lot of people recognise me in the street anymore, it says online I'm unrecognisable which is true. 'But yeah I'm not saying I miss being chased through a shopping centre by school kids but seriously, in all honesty, when I started to see body shape change, it spurred me on even more.' In May Honey G once again looked unrecognisable as she showed off her toned down new style at the Trans+ history community event at Clifford Chance in London. She debuted a much more low-key look, wearing an elegant black lace blouse, which she teamed with jeans and subtle make-up. However, posing for photos on the red carpet, she did make sure to pull her classic pose, as she threw her hands into the air. Honey transformed her figure after dropping from a size 18 to a size 12 during the coronavirus pandemic. She had revealed in an interview at the time that she can now wear clothes she 'wouldn't have dreamt of wearing' previously, and even now enjoys wearing sexy lingerie. Speaking to Closer magazine, Honey told how ditching her trademark baseball caps and bomber jackets for sleek ensembles following her weight loss has given her a boost in confidence as she's inundated with compliments. She explained: 'I used to wear loose and baggy clothes that went up to a size 18, but I've thrown most of them away as my taste has matured. Now I wear outfits I wouldn't have dreamt of wearing, and I can fit into nice underwear from Victoria's Secret. She admitted that she went through times of feeling that she had no 'sex appeal' but delightedly said that things have now changed for her after she had worked 'so hard' to transform her figure, adding it has been several years since she 'felt this good' about herself. In 2020 Honey showed off her new look after completing a charity triathlon, and admitted she'd done more exercise in lockdown than she had 'in her whole life.' Honey also took part in a triathlon in September 2021, sharing an Instagram photo of her athletic figure at the finish line at Box End Park.
The Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald
'It's an aching plea for love': Jazz great Ernie Smith drops new single 'Heya'
Award-winning South African jazz artist Ernie Smith is back with a soul-stirring new single titled Heya which is set to captivate fans with its heartfelt narrative and rich African jazz influence. Described by Smith as 'an aching plea from a man faced with an unexpected break-up', Heya tells the story of a man trying to redeem lost love, a theme deeply rooted in human experience and personal accountability. 'It's a relatable theme and consequence brought on by his behaviour, that he attempts to openly swear his deep love and affection for,' says Smith. The title Heya has an amusing origin. It was inspired by a recurring chant in his earlier hit Love Don't Hurt Me Again . 'The intro of that song had echoed chants of 'heya, heya, heya', and based on the success of the track, people started teasing me with the phrase. I thought it would be cool to write a full song coining that.' Smith, a revered name in the local jazz scene, says Heya marks a bold evolution in his musical journey — one defined by honesty, freedom, and fearless self-expression. 'I find myself wanting to write and sing more songs that speak to the realities of life and how we communicate them through ourselves and to the world.' Yet, through this growth, he remains grounded. 'Yes, I am exploring new expressions and expanding my musical voice, but I'll always stay true to the Ernie Smith signature sound. That's the core of who I am.' The new single features backing vocals by rising star CNOTE, a soulful vocalist signed under Smith's Child of the Light Records . The song also sets the stage for Smith's upcoming album, Colours , which he plans to release later this year, followed by a nationwide tour. As a pioneer and mentor in the local music industry, Smith's journey continues to inspire. 'I'm grateful to be a voice in South African Jazz constantly moving forward, organically, while staying true to what I believe to be African and jazz music that celebrates our beautiful people.' Reflecting on his legacy, Smith acknowledges the pivotal role his hometown of KwaZulu-Natal and mentors like Trevor Thomas and Ernest Earl have played in shaping his identity. With influences ranging from George Benson and Jonathan Butler to Jabu Khanyile and Sandile Shange, Smith's sound is steeped in both local roots and global jazz excellence. His creative process? Surprisingly unfiltered. 'My songwriting process is often scattered across voice notes on my phone, bathroom recordings of me mumbling lyrics, or half-finished videos eventually it all comes together in the studio when inspiration strikes.' Smith also remains deeply committed to nurturing the next generation. Over the past two years, he's mentored interns through SAMPRA at his Durban studio and runs a music school in Amanzimtoti. One of his most promising mentees is none other than CNOTE, the same voice featured on Heya . To young artists looking to find their voice, Smith's advice is clear: 'Stay hungry. Keep learning your craft. Don't only listen to the music you like. Until you find your own voice copy. That's how we all learnt to speak.'
