Pop Rock competition

Jo Pugh

THE fourth edition of the Pop Rock Competition was revealed on Friday, July 14. It is open to groups and soloists linked to any musical style, established in the Balearic Islands and over 18 years old who present songs with original lyrics and music.

The deputy mayor of Culture, Javier Bonet, presented the 2023 event, accompanied by the general director of music and performing arts, Rafel Brunet, and two of the organisers of the contest, Juan Fores ‘Pinxo’ and Xisco Vargas.

Juan Carlos requests ex-lover court case is thrown out

FORMER Spanish king Juan Carlos asked the London high court to throw out a £126 million lawsuit on Tuesday, July 18. The 85year­old former monarch is being sued by his ex­lover, Corinna zu Sayn­Wittgenstein­Sayn, who alleges Juan Carlos orchestrated threats, surveillance and intimidation from 2012.

Sayn­Wittgenstein says Juan Carlos gave her €65 million as a gift, and to hide the money from the Spanish tax authorities. She alleges she was then harassed by Juan Carlos or people acting on his behalf when she would not give it back.

Her lawyers say a book alleging Princess Diana was killed by British intelligence was left by intruders at her apartment in Villars, Switzerland when she was out. She said bullets had been fired at CCTV cameras outside her home and her mobile phone was monitored.

Juan Carlos “emphatically denies ever having harassed her,” said the former monarch’s lawyer, Adam Wolanski, during the hearing.

Juan Carlos spent almost every summer in Mallorca before leaving Spain in 2020 to live in the United Arab Emirates.

The registration deadline to take part in the contest is Saturday, July 30. Last year, Pop Rock hosted the performance of 134 contestants. Entry to the competition must be registered through the Palma Cultura website.

In this fourth edition, 16 participants will be chosen by the jury so that they can compete in the semi­finals, on the weekend of September 16.

The winners of this phase will be part of a group of eight finalists who will perform at a big closing party, which will take place on Saturday,

Tourist killed in hit-and-run

Credit: Palma City Council

September 30, in Ses Voltes, and which will decide the names of the three award­winning groups or soloists.

The winners will sign a contract to perform at the Revetla de Sant Sebastià 2024, through which they will receive prizes of €3,000 (first prize), €2,000 (second prize) and €1,000 (third prize).

The Pop Rock contest is closely linked to the cultural and civic history of Palma. The first edition was held in 1983. Years later, the contest stopped until it was revived in 2020.