Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall and Jesy Nelson cried after being forced to axe contestants on new talent show The Search
THEY’VE been on the receiving end of plenty of unnecessary criticism over the years – and Little Mix clearly hate dishing it out themselves.
The girl group struggled to hold back the tears during a session for their new BBC1 singing competition The Search on Friday night, when they were forced to send some of the wannabes packing.
Jesy Nelson and Jade Thirlwall sobbed after axing two talented singers during the auditions, which were held in front of a studio audience at The Backstage Centre in Purfleet, Essex.
The pair had to be comforted by bandmates Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock before filming could resume.
An audience member said: “The girls have invested a lot in the people taking part in the show and feel attached to all of them.
“So to have to start waving goodbye to some of the acts was really difficult. Some of the singers got upset and that set off Jesy and Jade.
"It’s the hardest part of the show so far and it was a highly emotional night.
“Jesy and Jade both had tears streaming down their faces.
“It’s clear the show means so much to them and they really care for their acts.”
The programme has a similar format to The Voice, which switched from the Beeb to ITV in 2017.
Hundreds of hopefuls
Behind closed doors, the girls whittled down hundreds of hopefuls to six groups.
Those six bands then performed before a studio audience in a bid to get through to the live finals.
Two or three members of each band were sent home, prompting the chart-toppers’ outpouring of emotion.
The surviving singers were told they would remain in their groups for the finals, with one band then crowned overall champions.
The pre-recorded auditions will go out in April before four live shows in May, airing in primetime Saturday night slots.
As well as getting the chance to work with Little Mix and top producers, the winning group will join Jesy, Jade, Perrie and Leigh-Anne on their upcoming summer tour.
That will save them forking out for their own Little Mix tickets.
bizbit
WHILEY is swapping the Radio 2 studio for a mega triathlon challenge as part of Sport Relief.
She and colleagues Rev Kate Bottley and Ricie Anderson will tackle three triathlons in as many days in Cardiff, Glasgow and Manchester.
Kylie's fairy tail braid
IF Kylie Jenner ever gets stuck up a high building, this braid will come in handy for boyfriend Travis Scott.
The reality star wore the absurd Rapunzel-like hair extension for a snap she posted on Instagram.
The billionaire make-up tycoon has been spending more time in recent weeks with rapper Travis, who is the father of her daughter Stormi.
As The Sun exclusively revealed, the pair reconciled following a break-up last year.
Perhaps getting him behind the camera to take Kylie’s social media snaps helped seal their reunion.
bizbit
OZZY OSBOURNE says stem cell treatment and Pilates will help him manage his Parkinson’s disease and get back on stage.
His wife SHARON told Good Morning Britain: “There’s a professor there (Switzerland).
"He hasn’t got a cure for Parkinson’s – no one has – but what he can do is get Ozzy’s immune system to here [pointing up].
"Now, if Ozzy was to catch a cold, it would turn into pneumonia.
“This professor has come up with a way of doing stem cells which helps with the pain.
"He could hopefully get rid of the pain and then Ozzy will be healthier to deal with the Parkinson’s.”
Jay £8m deal to copy Bey
MUSIC mogul Jay Z is already worth more than £800million and now he is set to pocket a further £8million . . . for doing very little.
I’m told the rapper is about to sign a new deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing, who will manage all the songs he has written to date.
The rapper has had talks with label executive Jon Platt, who has signed similar deals with Jay’s wife Beyonce and Rihanna in recent months.
Jay has previously called Platt “his brother” and described him as “the Obama of the music industry”.
The seven-figure sum is one of the biggest of its kind in music publishing and will give Jay a nice bit of pocket money.
A music insider said: “Sony has had its eye on Jay for a while and they have reached a deal which allows them to manage the songs he has written in exchange for one of the biggest advances in publishing history.
"This helps him extend his lead as one of the wealthiest artists in the business.”
It’s a savvy move for Jay, who has proved himself to be a talented entrepreneur since launching his entertainment agency Roc Nation 12 years ago.
It looks after the careers of artists including Shakira and rappers Big Sean and Meek Mill.
Jay is believed to be working on his 14th solo studio album, following on from 2017’s 4:44 and his collaborative album with Beyonce, Everything Is Love, in 2018.
With all of that money pouring in, I’m not surprised Jay is in no rush to follow it up.
bizbit
HALSEY is planning an extended hiatus from touring when her current run of dates ends in August.
She said: “2020 will mark the end of me touring for a long time.
"Thanks for making the memories special. I am cherishing every night.”
Instaglam
bizmeter charts
- TAYLOR SWIFT has been named the world’s best-selling recording artist of 2019. The IFPI, which represents the recorded music industry worldwide, announced she had topped the list for the second time yesterday thanks to her album Lover. She previously held the title in 2014 while other recent recipients include Ed Sheeran.
- KIND-hearted Katy Perry has announced a one-off, free concert in Victoria, Australia, for those who have been affected or helped extinguish the bushfires. It is scheduled for March 11. Katy said she had been left heartbroken by the recent devastation and wanted to “help provide a little bit of joy to a country that’s given me so much joy.”
- DUA LIPA has confirmed my story from last month that her next single will be Break My Heart, which samples INXS’s Need You Tonight. The Don’t Start Now singer, whose second album Future Nostalgia is due out on April 3, said on Australian TV: “I’m really excited for that one. That’s gonna be the next song everyone’s gonna hear. I just shot the video for it.”
- LEWIS CAPALDI is on course to reclaim the UK No1 album spot with his debut Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent, ten months after it was released. It’s in the lead ahead of Five Finger Death Punch’s new record F8 at No2, last week’s chart topper Map Of The Soul: 7 by BTS at No3, and James Taylor’s American Standard at No4.
Miley's a Jett-setter
EXPECT more head-banging than twerking from Miley Cyrus when she tours her new music – she’s going rock ’n’ roll.
The ex-Disney star has revealed she once again teamed up with Mark Ronson on her upcoming tracks, after they worked together on 2018 hit Nothing Breaks Like A Heart. But this time she is channelling Joan Jett.
In an interview in Australia yesterday, Miley said of finishing work on her tunes: “We’re super-close. I’m feeling the urgency and I am definitely actively on it.
“I’ve got some music that is sounding super rock ’n’ roll.
“Me and Mark, we have a couple of songs. We have about two or three songs on my next project together and they’ve got some Joan Jett vibes, just bringing back rock ’n’ roll.”
bizbit
LADY GAGA has revealed new album Chromatica will feature 16 tracks, including new single Stupid Love, and come out on April 10.
She posted a picture, which she insisted isn’t the cover, along with the news on Twitter.
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Ed hot
I CAN appreciate a handsome man when I see one, and Ed Westwick is definitely in that category.
The Gossip Girl actor had plenty of cool swagger about him as he posed at the third annual Mammoth Film Festival portrait studio in California.
He was at the festival as he has co-written and directed 18-minute movie Tether, which premiered there.
That’s all he needs to get the job done.
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