Elton John and Years & Years to perform surprise collaboration at Brit Awards
TONIGHT’S Brit Awards will be no ordinary ceremony, it will have a half-full O2 Arena and no after-parties for the boozed- up celebrities.
But organisers have still managed to pull together a last-minute star-studded performance, featuring music icon Sir Elton John along with Years & Years.
The Tiny Dancer singer has agreed to sing with Olly Alexander, who performs as Years & Years, after being inspired by his turn as Ritchie Tozer in Channel 4’s gritty Aids drama It’s A Sin this year.
Details are being kept top secret, but they are expected to perform the piano-led Pet Shop Boys song It’s A Sin, after Olly covered it to celebrate the show’s release.
A Brits insider told me: “Elton and Olly have become unlikely pals and when the idea was floated that they should perform together on the night they jumped at it.
“It has been a last-minute decision and it is all being kept hush hush so there will be a surprise for viewers, but they have been working hard to put on something really special.”
The performance was teased last night when the official Instagram accounts for Elton, Years & Years and the Brits each posted a word from the show’s title, It’s A Sin.
Elton has a long history with the bash, having won his first Brit 35 years ago, for Outstanding Contribution To Music award.
In 2013 he was also the first recipient of the Global Icon gong.
Elton revealed in February how he had been so moved by It’s A Sin, about a group of young gay men who contracted HIV while living in London in the Eighties, that he contacted the cast to congratulate them.
It is a cause close to his heart, having lost friends to HIV and Aids and raised millions for charity through the Elton John Aids Foundation.
Speaking to Olly on Apple Music at the time, Elton said: “When this Covid thing has calmed down I’m going to have all of you guys down for a dinner and we’re going to have the best time!”
Performing with him at the Brits beats dinner any day.
Perky in pink, Miley
SHE may be battling for the International Female Solo Artist award – but Miley Cyrus is only interested in peace.
The Plastic Hearts star threw up the sign as she posed with fellow singer Grimes.
They wore pink outfits for a skit on hit US comedy show Saturday Night Live.
Grimes, the girlfriend of billionaire Elon Musk, wore a crown as she dressed up as Princess Peach from Super Mario.
Miley said: “She’s not a princess. She’s a queen.”
You might be too tonight, Miley.
Jack's girl is KO'd
HOST Jack Whitehall’s model girlfriend Roxy Horner will miss the big night out as she has been in hospital with an autoimmune disease over the weekend.
Roxy wrote on Instagram: “Sit-ting in hospital not knowing to laugh or cry” (sic).
But the comic has been there for her.
She added: “I’m so lucky and grateful for my man, my biggest support through everything.
“I don’t know what I would have done this past year without you.”
Get ready to Hus-tle
J HUS is in the running for the Male Solo Artist and Mastercard Album awards tonight and he is already lining up his next record to ensure he is nominated again in 2022.
The London-born rapper is working on the follow-up to his chart-topping second album Big Conspiracy, which was released in January last year – and is attempting to get grime heavyweights Stormzy and Dave on board as well.
My music insider said: “Hus has been hard at work on the next album and is confident with what he’s got but he would like to get some of his mates on the record.
“Stormzy and Dave are two of the biggest names in British music at the moment and he has been talking to them both about doing something and some ideas have been thrown around.
“It’s really coming together now but getting them involved would really be the cherry on the cake.”
J Hus, whose critically acclaimed debut album Common Sense was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2017, has history with them both.
He featured on the Top Ten track Disaster from Dave’s debut album Psychodrama and Bad Boys, from Stormzy’s debut album Gang Signs & Prayer.
It’s only fair they repay the favour now.
Louis's new label
HARRY Styles is nominated but his old One Direction bandmate Louis Tomlinson also has a reason to smile.
He has signed with record label BMG for his second album after leaving Syco.
Louis has also announced 2022 tour dates which will include a night at Wembley Arena.
On the Mark
MARK RONSON’s songwriting efforts didn’t make it on to Dua Lipa’s Grammy-winning album Future Nostalgia, but he has another important woman in his life.
He has confirmed my story that he is dating American movie great Meryl Streep’s actress daughter Grace Gummer was on the mark, by sharing a post celebrating her birthday.
Grace turned 35 on Sunday and Mark shared a black-and-white photo of them embracing, with the caption: “And happy birthday to my crown emoji”
I told in March how they had been dating in secret for several weeks and he had already been introduced to Meryl.
It’s good to see they are still going strong.
Rag’s NHS aid
RAG’N’BONE MAN and Pink will perform their duet Anywhere Away From Here with the Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Choir on stage tonight – and they have also re-recorded the collaboration as a charity single.
The track was already soaring up the charts but the new version featuring the choir will be available after the ceremony, raising funds for the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust in London and NHS Charities Together.
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Rag’n’Bone Man can afford a few good deeds after last Friday’s release of his latest album, Life By Misadventure, which is set to become his second No1 this week.
It has already sold nearly 30,000 copies, outselling the rest of the top five combined. So although he isn’t nominated, that will give him plenty to celebrate this evening.
Maya is a smoothie
MAYA JAMA will be ready for all eventualities tonight after having all of her body hair lasered off.
The telly presenter will host the Brits backstage show on ITV2 from 7pm, but admitted that instead of rehearsing she spent yesterday at a clinic in London getting the treatment.
She said on Instagram that they had sorted out her armpits, legs and bikini area, and added: “It depends on your hair type and stuff but you have a few sessions and then it never grows back again. So yeah, it’s great.”
In another post she tagged the clinic and wrote: “Doesn’t hurt I don’t think, and this is the only place I would go because they don’t make it weird that you’ve got your narn out.”
Maya dated three-time Brit winner Stormzy but is now rumoured to be romancing Aussie basketball player Ben Simmons.
I imagine she will have plenty more interest when roaming around the venue later on.