THEY’RE both top British singers with catchy hits, but for me that is where the likeness between Lily Allen and Rita Ora ends.
Lily has told, though, how she was once mistaken for Rita, below right, by a staff member at London’s Chiltern Fire-house – who then introduced her as such to other celebs.
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Lily said: “I went out with Mark Ronson and he’d sort of vanished.
“There was a guy who used to be the maître d’ of the Chiltern Firehouse. He came running up to me. I was standing on my own, and to the right of me were Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis.
“He grabbed my arm and said, ‘Darling! What are you doing here on your own?’ Then he introduced me to Ashton and Mila but called me Rita Ora.
“I went along with it, didn’t correct him. I stood there dying inside and didn’t have the confidence to say, ‘Actually, no, that’s not who I am’.”
Speaking on her Miss Me? podcast, she added: “The guy went off, and 15 minutes later he came running over and was like, ‘Rita, Rita, I’ve seen Ricky, your boyfriend. He’s looking for you.’”
Things were finally cleared up when Rita’s then boyfriend, Ricky Hilfiger, appeared.
I can think of worse comparisons. I often get likened to Daisy May Cooper‘s This Country character Kerry Mucklowe, thanks to our shared love of badly fitting tracksuits.
Timothee has Bob slayed
TAKING on the role of one of the greatest living musicians is no mean feat, but Timothee Chalamet is doing it in style.
The actor, who plays Bob Dylan in a new biopic, was photographed on set in New York as filming finally got under way.
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The script for Bob Dylan: A Complete Unknown will focus on a key time in the young musician’s life – his seismic shift from acoustic folk to electric rock at Newport Folk Festival during the mid-Sixties.
Like Austin Butler in the Elvis Presley biopic, Timothee will do all the singing in the film and has hired the same vocal coach Austin worked with to make sure he does Bob justice.
DUA GETS ALL ROCK ’N’ ROYAL
FANS of Dua Lipa who didn’t manage to secure tickets for Glastonbury will get another chance to see her perform later this year.
The Houdini singer, below, has announced a one-off gig at London’s Royal Albert Hall on October 17, with tickets going on sale from April 12.
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It is one of a handful of dates she is playing in Europe this summer, with her gigs in Germany, Croatia and France already sold out.
Fellow Glasto star Cyndi Lauper is also set to entertain fans at the Royal Albert Hall, in what will be the American hitmaker’s first solo UK performance in eight years.
She will take to the famous stage on June 26, just days before her slot on the Pyramid Stage at Worthy Farm.
TOM: I HATE NIPPY DIPS
OLYMPIC diver Tom Daley has pointed out the one flaw in his choice of profession – he hates getting wet.
Tom, who is training three hours a day for this summer’s Paris Olympics, admitted: “The thing I find the most horrible about being a diver is getting wet.
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“Now training in California . . . it’s all outdoor pools there, which sounds lovely – but in the winter it can get pretty cold.
“I’ve been diving when it’s been like 5C outside. I’m in my trunks throwing myself off the 10metre board and it’s absolutely Baltic.”
Best stick to the knitting, Tom.
BENSON BOONE is at No1 with his single Beautiful Things and will soon follow up with a debut album.
The US singer-songwriter has announced the record – Fireworks & Rollerblades – will be out on April 5. In other new music news, Take That will release a fresh single called You And Me on Thursday, ahead of their tour which kicks off next month in Sheffield.
Nelly’s gone and Dune it
SOMETHING tells me Nelly Furtado might be a fan of Dune.
The singer wore a futuristic silver crop top, pants and jacket on stage at the Juno Awards, which reminded me of the stunning outfit Zendaya wore to the second film’s London premiere last month.
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At the event in Halifax, Canada, which honoured achievements in music, Nelly played some of her biggest hits, including 2006 classics Maneater and Promiscuous, which sound-tracked my nights clubbing back in the day.
Luckily for fans, I’m sure the floor at the Scotiabank Centre was far less sticky…
HEARTFELT STORIES IN LIAM’S LP2
LIAM PAYNE has promised his upcoming second studio album will feature his most heartfelt music yet.
During a performance of new single Teardrops, he told fans: “This time, the scariest part is that every one of these songs is a story from my life.
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“And they’re really close to me. I hope people feel that through every song, that I actually felt whatever it is you’re feeling right now listening to this.”
Opening up about the record, Liam, added: “We’ve rewritten a lot of these songs based off the idea of where we’re going with this and also how I’m feeling as a person.
“I used to show up to sing a song, then go. Absolutely not this time. We’re going to have fun with this.”
Liam’s debut record, LP1 failed to make the Top Ten in 2019. But it sounds like he has dug deep for the follow-up and could be on to a winner this time round.
His fellow One Direction star Zayn Malik is also preparing to release a new album. His fourth studio collection, Room Under The Stairs, is due out on May 17.
CAUGHT LIVE
JUDAS PRIEST, SAXON & URIAH HEEP
@ Wembley Arena, London
★★★★☆
A TRIPLE-headed night of the best of British heavy metal brought a timeless sonic feast to this sold-out venue.
Uriah Heep opened with a seven-song blast, followed by Barnsley’s Saxon, promoting new album Hell, Fire And Damnation.
Their set of staples Dallas 1pm, 747 (Strangers In The Night), Denim And Leather, plus new tunes including Madame Guillotine, set the stage for heavy-metal juggernauts Judas Priest.
Rob Halford, dressed like Only Fools’ Uncle Albert, screamed the tassels and metal studs off his transfixed, leather-jacketed followers.
Beneath a red-hot trident stage prop, Priest belted out Turbo Lover, Breaking The Law, Hell Bent For Leather and searing new songs Panic Attack and Invincible Shield.
Original guitarist Glenn Tipton joined in on encores of Metal Gods and 1997 hit Living After Midnight.
Metal magic.