Thursday 19 June 2014

Union J eye Iggy Azlea and Little Mix duets


Union J say they would love to get a couple of babes – and possibly a baby – on to one of their singles.

Proud dad JJ Hamblett, 26, said his six-month-old son Princeton could add vocals to a track in a similar way to how Mariah Carey’s three-year-old twins sang on her latest album.

‘He doesn’t speak at the moment so it would be a bit difficult, but maybe the next album. That would be cool,’ Hamblett told me.

He added that the band – which includes Josh Cuthbert, 21, Jaymi Hensley, 24 and 20-year-old George Shelley – would love to draft in some female vocalists as well.

‘We’d love to do a song with Little Mix,’ the former X Factor star said, adding that Australian rap babe Iggy Azalea was also a target.

‘Me and George are huge fans of Iggy. We said eight months ago when she released Work that we would love to collaborate with her. And she just collaborated with Ariana Grande. She is so cool,’ he gushed.

It could become possible because Union J and Azalea are set to take to the stage at the Capital Summertime Ball in London’s Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

‘I’ve planned it already. I’m going to go backstage and put the idea out there. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know,’ he laughed.

Union J will perform their new single Tonight (We Live Forever), which is released in August, live on Saturday.

‘It’s about partying all night and being with your friends,’ Hamblett said of the song – adding that his young son with model girlfriend Caterina Lopez is not keeping him awake at night.

‘Do you know what? He sleeps all the way through. We are so lucky.’

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Thursday 19 June 2014]

Tuesday 17 June 2014

Cher Lloyd wants a baby and a honeymoon


Cher Lloyd can’t wait to have kids – so she can finally go on a honeymoon.

She tied the knot with 23-year-old Craig Monk in November but the happy couple have not had time to go on holiday to celebrate.

‘It has been non-stop for the last two years. The only thing I was able to do for myself in that time was to get married – and I was only given two days to do that,’ she told Metro in an exclusive chat.

‘When my mum and dad got married they never had a honeymoon. And then there was us four kids and then we all went on holiday together and that was kind of classed as their honeymoon.

‘I wouldn’t mind doing that. I would like to wait until we have a kid. And I can take it with me.’

And the 20-year-old former X Factor wannabe is determined to start a family.

‘I cannot wait. It’s something that I’m really looking forward to and it’s a very rewarding thing. It’s important for me to have a really good family,’ the Swagger Jagger singer said.

Having spent two years in the US, Lloyd is home and looking forward to the release of her second album – called Sorry I’m Late – which is due to be released on her 21st birthday.

‘The past two birthdays I’ve spent in America I have worked on my birthday. And I will probably be doing that this year as well because my album is out,’ the workaholic claimed.

‘I can’t believe it’s been nearly four years since I released an album. Whenever I have a day off I write anyway because I can’t physically stop.’

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Tuesday 17 June 2014]

Monday 16 June 2014

5 Seconds of Summer sent male strippers by fans


Obsessive fans of pop rockers 5 Seconds Of Summer once sent a group of male strippers to the band’s shared house.

The Don’t Stop singers were stunned when uniformed officers turned up on their doorstep – only for them to be erotic performers.

‘Some people sent strippers to our house, which was interesting because they were male strippers. It was a bit of a joke, but it was funny,’ 18-year-old Calum Hood of the band explained in an exclusive chat.

‘I’m not sure who sent them exactly, but I will try to get them to send female ones next time.

‘They were dressed as policemen but we didn’t answer the door because we were scared. They could actually have been the real police,’ he laughs, saying his bandmates can be rowdy when they get together.

Although Hood said he and his Aussie bandmates enjoy their shared party pad, the Kerrang! award winners prefer to chill out when they take a break from supporting One Direction on tour.

‘We have fun when we live together – it’s kind of hard not to. We haven’t had the neighbours complaining yet but they probably will in the near future.

‘When we have free time we would rather be sleeping, to be fair.’

As for painting the town red with thier 1D tour mates, Hood added: ‘The thing is we are very busy at the moment and it’s very hard to find time in our schedules to party together.'

With 1D recently causing a storm when a video emerged appearing to show band members smoking drugs, Hood said 5SOS were much more clean living.

‘Did they offer us marijuana or drugs? No! Definitely not,’ he said.

[Originally published Metro, Guilty Pleasures, Monday 16 June 2014]