Jessie J takes a swipe at Brit Awards for not inviting her to the ceremony for over a decade
JESSIE J may have honed her craft at the Brit School but it seems there’s no love lost between her and the institute that also gave us Adele and Amy Winehouse.
During a sell-out performance in London, the Do It Like A Dude singer took a swipe at the Brit Awards — which help fund the school — for snubbing her for a decade.
She then accused record label bosses of forcing her to lose her individuality so they could make her a star.
First she urged the crowd not to sing while she was performing because it would make her sound bad on videos that end up online.
Jessie said: “If you know you can’t sing, no matter what you’ve been told at the family barbecue, keep it low. These iPhones are on another level now. It will pick your s***ty version of Flashlight and it will be your voice and my face. I don’t deserve it.”
Then in a dig at Brit Award bosses, Jessie, who won the Critics’ Choice award in 2011, added: “I haven’t even been invited to the Brit Awards for ten years — don’t make it any harder for me than it is.” Brutal.
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In between performing her biggest hits, Jessie admitted she has struggled with life in the spotlight and still feels uncomfortable meeting fans.
Jessie told the crowd at Koko in Camden: “I feel like people understand me more than they did ten years ago. It wasn’t easy to write songs about things like being in the club or boys. It isn’t who I am.
“Everybody wanted me to write those songs. I was in LA by myself and I remember looking in the mirror and being obsessed with being perfect. I felt like I had to be who people wanted to be accepted.
“I put on a bikini and dry humped a horse in Price Tag. It was weird. I just felt like I lost myself in Hollywood. I don’t get excited with people screaming my name, trying to get my attention. I don’t need it. It weirds me out when people scream at me. It actually makes me anxious. I’m not afraid to say it any more.”
Gesturing to her glittery catsuit, Jessie continued: “And being 34 in this outfit is different now.
“When I talk to my parents after a gig I take it off. This whole celebrity thing is so weird to me and how people are even more obsessed with how I look than I am.
“I have gained weight and I’ve not been to the gym in ages, but honestly, I feel great. I’m not 17 any more and I want to make a baby and I am trying to do that and my body is changing shape.”
MAYA JAMA looked incredible in this baby-blue netted dress after catching yet another flight on a glamorous getaway.
She shared this photo from a night out in Ibiza, the latest in a long line of extravagant holidays this year.
The telly presenter hasn’t been on screen as much as usual and it’s little wonder, given she has been jetting all over the world with her basketball player fiance Ben Simmons.
She went on a trip to Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean last month and flew to Italy in May.
Maya has also been to New York, Los Angeles and Florida - mostly on her sports star fiance’s private jet.
How the other half live . . .
ANNE-MARIE SO SWEET
ANNE-MARIE looked good enough to eat in her latest role for a firm called Fudge.
The Kiss My (Uh Oh) singer wore this pink dress with puffball sleeves for a party held in her honour in London. She beamed after arriving at the Queen of Hoxton bar.
She is a celebrity ambassador for haircare brand Fudge Professional, telling fans on Instagram: “I love this brand and have been using it for years. The clean blonde range has saved my hair many times.”
Anne-Marie had a busy start to the year on her Dysfunctional world tour and this month announced she would be heading to Asia on October 13 for gigs in Tokyo and Osaka in Japan before heading to Manila and Singapore.
Please take me with you, Anne-Marie?
SAM’S EURO MUDDLE
AFTER his incredible performance at Eurovision led to the UK coming second, you’d think Sam Ryder would be all over any news concerning the contest.
But it turns out it was his pal Scott Mills who told him about us hosting the event next year.
The Radio 1 DJ, who fronted the telly coverage of the Eurovision semi-finals in May, texted Sam the news, telling him: “Look what you’ve done.” But Sam didn’t have a clue what Scott was talking about.
While the Space Man singer was slightly out of the loop, Scott told me he couldn’t be more excited about the show returning to British soil.
He said: “Hosting the contest in the UK is bittersweet but so exciting. I have no doubt the BBC will work with the Ukrainian broadcaster to produce a spectacular contest that will highlight Ukrainian culture and music.”
SHAWN DITCHES TOUR
SHAWN MENDES has axed the remainder of his Wonder World Tour, including six shows at arenas across the UK and Ireland.
The Canadian star announced a fortnight ago that he was postponing several concerts for the sake of his mental health, but last night he cancelled the entire jaunt.
His huge arena tour had been due to continue for another year.
He said: “At this time I have to put my health as my first priority.”
I hope he gets all the help he needs.
ROCK IS PUP FOR IT
AT more than 6ft and weighing 19st, Dwayne Johnson was massive enough as it was.
But he looked even bigger when he dressed up in this costume, which was so huge that he could have scared off a great Dane.
He wore the gigantic fluffy suit at a screening of his latest movie DC League Of Super-Pets in LA.
The actor voices Krypto the Super-Dog, hence the costume, who has the same powers as his owner, Superman.
The movie has an all-star cast, including Kevin Hart, Keanu Reeves and Harry Styles’ girlfriend, Olivia Wilde.
With the summer holidays in full swing, it’s bound to be a hit at the barks office (sorry) when it is released tomorrow.
TOP BRASS AT MICK BIRTHDAY KNEES-UP
AS the frontman of the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger has attended some of the wildest parties in rock ’n’ roll history.
But things weren’t quite as debauched as he turned 79 on Tuesday. He had a quiet evening soundtracked by . . . a Bavarian oompah band.
The rocker marked the milestone while on tour in Dusseldorf, Germany.
He was joined by his ballerina girlfriend Melanie Hamrick and his son Lucas during a night off from their hectic schedule of shows.
An insider said: “Mick’s days of crazy parties are well and truly over.
“One of their musicians organised for the oompah band to come and do a few songs and there were dancers there performing.
“It was quite a laugh but it was a quiet occasion. He went out for dinner with Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and their partners afterwards.
“But life on the road takes it out of them, so there was no chance they were going to have a big night out.”
Sharing a photo of his celebrations on Instagram, Mick wrote: “Thank you for all your birthday wishes! Had a great one here in Düsseldorf!”
They were back on stage last night in the German city of Gelsenkirchen.
Good thing it hadn’t been a mad party, then, because a two-hour show on little sleep would take it out of me, let alone them.
MUM LOU’S SOPPY FAREWELL
JAMIE and Louise Redknapp’s eldest son is jetting off to America in a bid to make it as a sports star – but he’s not following in the family’s football footsteps.
Their son Charley turned 18 yesterday and he is leaving London and travelling 5,200 miles to the University of Arizona to pursue a career in rugby union.
But in one of the most embarrassing moves ever for a young lad, Louise took to Instagram for a soppy post and said she will be “jumping on a plane every weekend” to see him.
I’m not sure he will be so keen on that.
She gushed: “To my big boy, I can’t put into words how much I love you, and how proud I am of you.
“I can’t believe this time 18 years ago you came into my world. You’re my best friend, my rock, and have been right by my side since the day you were born.
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“You mean the world to me and I’ll be there for you in this next chapter in life, driving you mad, being over-protective and probably jumping on a plane every weekend to Arizona.”
Football pundit Jamie, who also shares son Beau with his ex-wife, added: “You are incredibly charming, funny, clever, kind and a superb athlete.”