Emeli Sande plans tribute to Manchester bomb victims as we go behind-the-scenes at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend
She performed her hit Read All About It at Hull in front of a heart emblazoned with the word Manchester
THE acts at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend honoured the victims of the Manchester bomb, but one singer is planning her own special tribute.
EMELI SANDE is to release a song inspired by the attack after ARIANA GRANDE’s gig.
In an exclusive interview backstage at Burton Constable Hall in Hull the Scottish-born singer said: “When I heard about what had happened in Manchester I was in Los Angeles.
“I wrote a song that was just inspired by that emotion.
“It’s just what happens, what comes out. I see these things that are happening that just seem ridiculous to me, like what’s happening with DONALD TRUMP, it feels unbelievable to me.
MOST READ IN BIZARRE
“It feels like I’m watching a movie. So it’s kind of my reaction just as a human.
“I feel a little bit powerless and helpless in the situation. It’s just going to continue whether I like it or not. So it’s trying to find empowerment and trying to give other people empowerment.”
Emeli performed her hit Read All About It at Hull in front of a heart emblazoned with the word Manchester.
She will be tackling political issues on her next album, which is coming sooner than you think.
There were more than four years between her debut album Our Version Of Events and last November’s Long Live The Angels — but she is not hanging around this time.
She explained: “I’m hoping to put out another album quite soon. I think people need music now more than ever. It needs to bring people together and remind people that we’re all the same, essentially.
“I really want to put out music over the summer. There are just so many songs on my laptop that I want to share.”
Just when I thought an Emeli album couldn’t get any more heartbreaking.
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READ ON FOR THE REST OF DAN WOOTTON'S BIZARRE COLUMN
Perry hungry
HEADLINER ended her Saturday night in Hull at McDonald’s, but the classy US star took her drive-thru chow to her hotel to eat it off a plate.
Radio 1’s GREG JAMES said: “She landed in a helicopter but I think she drove out, so they drove to their hotel. It would have been a fleet of blacked-ocalut-windowed cars.”
Surely Katy bought the drivers Big Macs too.
Used notes
ANNE-MARIE could be due a royalty cheque after noting that KATY PERRY’s song Bon Appetit sounds very similar to her own hit Ciao Adios.
Fans have mentioned the resemblance.
The singer admitted: “I didn’t actually hear it until it was pointed out to me.
“But yeah, it’s quite similar isn’t it?”
Asked if she reckoned Katy had heard the top ten tune, she added: “Yeah I think so.
“The music industry is so small that you can hear something, not take it in, and create something similar.”
How diplomatic.
Rita's single
RITA ORA has always been open about her love life, but her latest track might be a surprise for a few of her exes.
She premiered her previously unheard song Girls along with pals RAYE and CHARLI XCX in Hull, singing: “Sometimes I just want to kiss girls.”
And in an exclusive chat afterwards, she admitted she refuses to put a label on her sexuality.
She said: “I don’t think it’s relevant for anybody to know.
“It’s not something I choose to talk about and honestly, I’m such an open-hearted human with everyone in with. I’m always very honest. I’ve never really thought that hard about attraction.
“I just go with how I feel and how it feels to be in love, which I don’t think I’ve experienced yet.”
But I’m not sure her previous long-term boyfriends such as CALVIN HARRIS and RICKY HIL will be too pleased to hear about her take on their romances.
On the topic of being in love, Rita, whose new single Your Song is out now, explained: “I don’t know when you do know.
“I thought I was a few times but I guess when it’s done, you realise you’re not as hurt as you thought you were.”
I won’t be expecting any heartbreak ballads on her next album then.
Huge crowds for Rag 'N' Bone Man
RAG ’N’ BONE MAN’s set on the Where It Begins stage was so popular hundreds had to be turned away.
The tent was so rammed security had to close it to keep the lucky fans inside safe. Good numbers for crowd surfing, though.
Summer of mad love
SEAN PAUL is the collaboration king after working with SIA, BEYONCE and R KELLY . . . and now he’s added ELLIE GOULDING to the list.
He said: “I met her at a festival here two years ago and we were like, ‘Yo, we should work.’ It didn’t happen for a long time but then I wrote this song and sent it to her last year and she sent it straight back all done.”
She will feature on his as-yet untitled seventh album.
Sean added: “I’ve got a huge collab that I’ve been waiting to do for a long time now with SHAKIRA and DAVID GUETTA.
Hopefully by the end of the summer it’ll be out, it’s called Mad Love.”
Shakira will definitely have mad love for him if he gives her a No1.
Bum note
THE singer tasked with performing the ZARA LARSSON part on Symphony during last night’s set from CLEAN BANDIT was clearly stuck for somewhere to rehearse.
She was overheard practising the chorus in a Portaloo.
You're bloody wrong, Liam
moaned last week that there are no true rock stars left. He must not have met ROYAL BLOOD.
The pair’s wildest night last year saw MIKE KERR and BEN THATCHER trash a hotel room.
Ben said: “We were both drinking 12 per cent Belgian beer and I had about ten. The TV was the only thing I couldn’t get out of the window because it was so big.”
Mike, single after his split from CHARLI XCX, is ready for a wild tour.
He said: “It’s kind of like a two-year stag do . . . just excessive drinking. The good thing about being in a rock band is you get praised for doing stupid and terrible things.”
OASIS, eat your hearts out.
What an entrance
LA rockers HAIM refused to appear until the crowd hummed the Jurassic Park theme.
DJ ALICE LEVINE was responsible for leading the choir before they emerged to sing hits The Wire, Don’t Save Me and new single Want You Back.
No FOMO for Amfo
DJ CLARA AMFO has a great outlook on love, saying: “I look at dating like I do my favourite Netflix show.
"I tune in when I feel like it and when I want to switch off, I’m not bothered. I’ve dabbled in app life but prefer meeting people in real life.”
Bizmeter: Ridiculous riders
Food
THE health-conscious celebrities insisted the fest was gluten-free, to NICK GRIMSHAW’s annoyance.
He said: “There’s no gluten in the artist area. I was like, ‘Is there any normal bread?’ And they were like, ‘No, pop stars don’t eat normal bread.’ ”
Oxygen
FORGET vodka or beers, BIFFY CLYRO had something different on tap in their dressing room.
Oxygen tanks were at the top of their list of rider requests before their performance on Saturday evening. It’s hardly the most rock ’n’ roll choice.
Access
ARTIST requests meant even Radio 1 DJs were banned from getting near the stars – despite it being their festival.
SCOTT MILLS fumed: “I actually got chucked out of the dressing rooms. I walked in like, ‘This is good,’ and they were like, ‘Get out!’ ”
Snacks
CLEAN BANDIT won the award for the oddest requests.
JACK PATTERSON admitted: “We always ask for three staples at every gig. Salmon, scotch eggs and gin.”
That doesn’t sound like the best combo before bouncing around on stage.