DYIN' KING
Beyonce’s Lion King album has flopped after being downloaded just 949 times in the UK since Friday
BEYONCE may have a starring role in The Lion King movie, but she is struggling to keep her claws in to her title as Queen Bey.
The singer curated and produced an album to go alongside the new Disney film but it has flopped — being downloaded just 949 times in the UK in the first five days.
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I can reveal Bey, who voices Nala in the film, was paid £25million for the movie, official soundtrack and this accompanying album, but it has failed to strike a chord with fans.
She sings on 13 tracks on The Lion King: The Gift, with guests including her husband Jay Z, Pharrell Williams and Kendrick Lamar.
But in a massive blow to Disney, she is now being outsold four to one on downloads by Brit newcomer Freya Ridings.
Freya’s self-titled debut, which came out on Friday with The Gift, had been downloaded 4,083 times by the end of play on Tuesday — putting her at No2 in the charts.
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A Disney insider said: “Bosses did everything they could to get Beyonce on board because they know she is so loved.
“There has been a lot of buzz around the film and Beyonce’s involvement but her spin-off album has been massively disappointing.
“The Greatest Showman’s soundtrack was the biggest-selling album of 2018, and Disney had hoped that getting someone as huge as Beyonce to do an album like this could match its success.
"But her records clearly don’t have the pulling power they once did. For someone like Beyonce, who is seen as an unstoppable force in music, it’s remarkable that she is being beaten in the charts by an emerging talent like Freya.”
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Because The Lion King: The Gift features various artists, it won’t be eligible for the main album chart when it is announced tomorrow, but if it were, it would not be making the top ten.
A year ago her album with Jay Z, Everything Is Love, peaked at No5, her worst first week of record sales ever in the UK.
They also struggled to sell out their stadium tour last summer. Last weekend The Lion King grossed £16.7million at the UK box office.
Perhaps she should just stick to the flicks.
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Bizmeter
- FASHION designer Jean Paul Gaultier has revealed he proposed to Madonna again and again. The Frenchman, who has designed some of Madge’s most iconic outfits, including the cone bra she wore on her 1990 Blond Ambition tour, said on This Morning: “I asked her to marry me three times . . . and she said no.”
- Cpngrats are in order for Jordan Banjo, who has welcomed his second child, a daughter, with his girlfriend Naomi Courts. The Diversity dancer, who had son Cassius last year, told his Instagram fans that the new baby arrived on Tuesday and that the couple had decided to name her Mayowa Angel.
- After being signed by Parlophone, indie rockers The Snuts are making waves in the industry. The Scottish band sold more than 2,000 tickets in just ten minutes when they announced their upcoming 15-date tour, which starts in Sunderland on Septem- ber 12. It will end on October 25 at Dublin’s Grand Social.
- The Weeknd will make his big-screen debut with Adam Sandler in crime thriller Uncut Gems. In the film, which premieres at September’s Toronto Film Festival, Adam plays a jewellery shop boss whose life gets turned upside down after a robbery. Details of R&B star The Weeknd’s part are yet to be revealed.
Charli cannot bare it in the heat
KEEPING cool during the heatwave can be tricky, but Charli XCX seems to have found a way.
She shared this photo on Instagram, in which she almost bares her boob, as she celebrated selling out the O2 Academy Brixton.
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The pop star will perform at the South London venue on Halloween, and I’ve heard she will ask her fans to follow an angels and devils dress code.
She wrote online: “London is where I started as a performer and artist and it’s always been a scary city for me when it comes to playing live.
“I always get most nervous there, I always stand backstage thinking, ‘OMG no one will be out there when I walk on stage’ (I usually still think this at every venue – even if I know it’s sold out). So this means sooooo much to me.”
Before kicking off her tour, she will release her third studio album, Charli, on September 13, featuring her new single Gone, with Christine and the Queens.
Bizbit
JENNIFER Lawrence will play a Mafia wife who becomes a police infor-mant in a movie adap-tation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning true-crime story Mob Girl.
The Oscar winner will also produce the film, about Arlyne Brickman’s life.
Natalie's bump-er year
NATALIE Imbruglia is expecting her first baby at 44 thanks to a sperm donor.
The Nineties pop sensation made the announcement on Instagram with this picture showing her bump.
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She said: “I’m expecting my first child this Autumn . . . this has been something I have wanted for a very long time and I’m blessed that this is possible with the help of IVF and a sperm donor.
“I’m so excited about this next adventure.”
She also announced she had signed a new record deal with BMG – who last year helped fellow Aussie Kylie Minogue score her first No1 album in eight years.
Natalie’s new album will be out next year, soon after she becomes a mum.
Sly rocking on
HOLLYWOOD legend Sylvester Stallone is dusting off his boxing gloves and preparing to go into the ring as Rocky Balboa one final time.
In a new interview, the actor confirmed he’s working on a script for the ninth film in the popular franchise.
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Sly told Variety mag the film would follow the retired champ after he meets a young fighter living in America illegally.
Irwin Winkler, who has produced all the Rocky films since the first in 1976, confirmed the news.
He said: “We’re very high on it and anxious to make it.”
Sly also con-firmed he was involved in discussions about a Rocky TV spin-off, which would follow the boxer before he went into the ring.
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