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23 | THE VOICE JUNE 28 - JULY 4, 2012

POSTER BATTLE DRAYTON

JESSICA ENNIS & PERRI SHAKES

Z G N O S TREY new chapter s ’ b o r h t r a e h The

Why has Snoop Dogg changed his name?

Leona Lewis ‘I’m proud of my curves’

24 THE VOICE AUGUST 2 - 8, 2012

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STAR-STUDDED SUPPORT

With the London Olympics in full swing we take a look at what countries our celeb favourites are backing 1) TEAM BARBADOS: Singer Rihanna will no doubt be repping her Bajan roots at this year’s Olympics 2) TEAM SOMALIA: K’naan, the critically-acclaimed rapper, poet and instrumentalist, is probably penning a victory tune as we speak

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3)TEAM VENEZUELA: Mariah Carey will be cheering for team Venezuela on behalf of her father’s side 4) TEAM UK: East-London born MC, Dizzee Rascal, doesn’t go anywhere without his British flag! Repping all day, everyday 5) TEAM NIGERIA: Arguably one of Nigeria’s hottest exports, afrobeats star D’Banj, is right behind his country. Can you imagine the victory party if they manage to bring home gold?

6) TEAM SRI LANKA: Rapper MIA has never shied away from her family’s roots. She has probably managed to get her Roc Nation team behind her country too

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7) TEAM BAHAMAS: Our favourite twin girls, Tia and Tamera, are proud

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to wave the Bahamian flag and will no doubt get their fans to support their mother’s country 8) TEAM USA: President Obama is probably Team USA’s biggest fan, which is the best endorsement any team can have 9) TEAM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: We wouldn’t be surprised if rapper Nicki Minaj had her hair dyed red, black and white in support of her country. Go Team Trinidad and Tobago 10) TEAM GHANA: There’s no way that rapper Lethal B will ‘leave it’ when it comes to repping his roots.

Ghana has spawned many ‘black stars’ so it’ll never be short of supporters 11) TEAM CUBA: Pretty singer Christina Milian will no doubt be cheering on Team Cuba throughout the Olympic Games 12) TEAM CANADA: Could Drake be the proudest Canadian in modern times? Should they be victorious at the Games, we’re sure an album will follow

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13) TEAM PUERTO RICO: Singer Jennifer Lopez has never forgotten her Puerto Rican roots. This gives her a reason to boast even more 14) TEAM HAITI: He’s done more for his earthquake devastated country then many, why should his support of their Olympians be any different?

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15) TEAM JAMAICA: Team Jamaica is not short of support at the Games.

That won’t stop north London’s Wretch 32’s, whose family is from the island, decking himself out in black, gold and green 16) TEAM SENEGAL: Music mogul Akon has probably bought the best possible seats in the stadium to watch his country’s team compete 17)TEAM GRENADA: F1 ace Lewis Hamilton had the Grenadian flag pasted on his helmet ahead of the recent Hungarian Grand Prix 18) TEAM JAPAN: We can only imagine that Kimora Lee Simmons has brought all of her ‘fabulousity’ to designing an outfit that will showcase her roots

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Francis Goodburn

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FROM THE age of 11, Francis Goodburn would organise music voluntarily in his parish church.

He went on to receive several school prizes including Outstanding Overall Academic Achievement and Outstanding Contribution to School and Community, which recognised his top performance out of over 1000 students.

Starting Oxford University last year, with a staggering 14 A* GCSEs and six A*s and two A-grade A Levels under his belt, Francis assumed the much-coveted position of St John’s College Organ Scholar.

Though it was the most highly-contested organ scholarship of the year’s audition round, Francis beat

off the competition to become the sole director of one of the most impressive choirs in Oxford.

“It is tough sometimes, but you’ve just got to get your head down and do it,” he said.

Francis holds Associated Board Grade 8 Distinctions in Piano, Organ and Singing, a Grade 7 for the Bassoon, a Grade 6 Distinction in Music Theory and a Grade 4 in Oboe.

When home from university, he uses his skills to act as a mentor for young organists in his community. He is also a Man Group Bursary recipient, entitling him to £1,000 per year of study – a benefit available to only 15 people across the university each year.

Email us your Student of The Week candidates: Young.voices@gvmedia.co.uk

AUGUST 2 - 8, 2012 THE VOICE 25

US singer Trey Songz talks to YV’s Dionne Grant about his heartthrob status, love of performing and the growth of UK music

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ROM HIS cute dimpled smile to his velvet-laced vocals, R‘n’B singer Trey Songz knows how to raise a temperature – or two!

But despite the onslaught of

female love, the 27-year-old Atlanta-born star is rather coy about his heartthrob status.

“I’m just me, I don’t look at it like that. I just make the record and hit the stage,” he says.

Really Trey, really?

He flashes those famous pearly whites – obviously humoured by my utter disbelief and adds: “You have to ask the women what they think.”

I don’t need to ask anybody.

That’s a fact. Next question.

Dressed in a slick, yet simple, leather jacket and jeans combo, Trey, real name Tremaine Aldon Neverson, doesn’t look like someone who has recently stepped off a transatlantic flight, nor does the BET award-winner look rattled at the prospect of having to perform in front of thousands of people in less than an hour.

“I just landed yesterday, but I can’t complain, London always shows me a good time. Well, I could complain, everybody can, but who’s listening?”

He continues: “Outside of the music, performing is my favourite thing to do.

“I just love the audience. When you have a live band, it gives another aspect of the music that wasn’t there and allows you to be a bit more open to it. It also gives people another reason to love a song they already love. Just to able to perform in front of people who love the music as if they wrote it is amazing.”

And with a new album, Chapter V on the brink of release, the Say Aah star will be

helping a lot more people fall in love with him and his music.

Chapter V is the singer’s fifth studio album and is the follow-up to his most successful album to date, 2010’s Passion, Pain & Pleasure, which debuted at number two on the US charts, selling 240,000 copies in its first week. It also produced two hit singles, including Can’t Be Friends and Bottoms Up. It later became certified gold for shipments exceeding 500,000 copies in the US. This time around, the track, Heart Attack, which profiles the singer’s famed vocals over a smooth R‘n’B instrumental, heralded the arrival of his new work – it also features Destiny’s Child star, Kelly Rowland in the video’s lead role.

His latest release, Simply Amazing, is just that – a stripped back, beautifully written, love song.

“I was actually listening to the album on the way over here,” he says.

“While it’s very diverse (it includes features from rappers Lil Wayne, T.I., Rick Ross, Meek Mill and P Diddy), it’s very true to who I am. These days a lot of artists are forced to put music out so fast and are under so much scrutiny of what a hit is, that they end up trying to make a

lot of hits and a lot of number one smashes so much so that it sounds like so many different artists. So while my album is diverse it’s also holistic and also cohesive. I love it.”

This year alone has witnessed stars from all over the world descend on London as the city celebrated the Queen’s Jubilee and more recently welcomed the Olympics. Other than our claim to hosting the aforementioned events, how well does the star think we excel in music?

LEONA LEWIS:

Singer Leona Lewis says she is content with being a sexy size 14, telling fans and critics she is 'proud of her curves'.

“I think the UK music scene is growing,” he says.

“I think that music here has always been good. The whole Euro pop thing has influenced the world and you guys were doing that 10 years ago. I think it’s very influential and I think it’s doing very well now. I’m happy to see it accepted throughout the world.”

Simply Amazing is out on Aug 13, Chapter V is out Aug 20, both through Atlantic Records

SNOOP DOGG:

The rapper has changed his name to Snoop Lion and announced plans to release a reggae album later this year. Erm, good luck Snoop!

Dear Kat,

I got a tattoo on my back but I have not told my mum or dad.

It’s hard for me because I live in my mum's house and she is always coming in when I am getting dressed. So far, I have managed to keep it hidden from her, but it's getting harder.

I am old enough to get one, but she is a Seventh-Day Adventist Christian and it is against our religion to get one.

I am 18 and I have been going out with my boyfriend for a year, so I don’t know why people want to judge.

My brother knows and has not said anything but just in case he does, should I come clean first?

Let me know.

PARIS JACKSON:

Michael Jackson’s daughter was reportedly 'slapped in the face' by her aunt, Janet, after a heated argument over her 'attitude'.

Gem, 18, Catford

Hi Gem,

You don’t like to make things easy for yourself do you?

Your situation is like a time bomb waiting to go off, why wait until it explodes?

Anything done in the dark will come to light, remember this next time you venture into a tattoo parlour. Can you handle the consequences brought on by decisions you make in the dark?

I think you should sit your mum down and be honest with her. Yes, she may be angry and condemn your decision to do something like that behind her back, but I’m pretty sure beneath all of that, she’ll appreciate your honesty.

I’ll be interested to know how you get on.

Keep in touch.

TWEET OF THE WEEK Arsenal midfielder, Emmanuel Frimpong, admitted that he made a 'mistake' after he was charged by the Football Association (FA) following an 'anti-semitic' tweet he sent to a Tottenham fan.

Makeda east London Aoki north London

Emmanuel Frimpong

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JENNIFER HUDSON:

The Hollywood star was present in court during the sentencing of the man convicted of killing her mother, brother and nephew. William Balfour received three life sentences for the murders.

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26 THE VOICE AUGUST 2 - 8, 2012

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