Country Bites News snippets June 4, – June 10, 2018

UK & Irish News, UK Chart News, Album & Single Releases, Country News, Music News, TV news, Awards News, Press Releases, Gossip, Birthdays.

UK & IRISH News

For a full listing of 2018 UK Tour dates PLEASE check out our Tour Dates Page

On the BBC Radio 2 Playlist for the week commencing Saturday 9 June 2018

A Playlist:

Carrie Underwood - Cry Pretty added to the "A" Playlist

B Playlist:

Dan + Shay - All To Myself

OUT:

The Shires - Sleepwalk removed from the "A " playlist

Record of the Week: Kylie Minogoe – Golden

Nathan Carter's brand-new fun single with the 'risky' title GIVE IT TO ME (penned by Nathan and manager John Farry) has had so much airplay.  Give It To Me (>> YouTube Audio) is a track taken from Nathan's forthcoming new album set for release in the summer of this year.

Nathan would love everyone to learn the line dance for the summer festival gigs and to see the steps you can watch him demonstrating it on his  >> Facebook page

Check out the line dance for my single “Give it to Me” Who’s gonna learn this!?? Can’t wait to see you all dancing along at all our shows over the Summer! 👍🏻
Posted by Nathan Carter on Tuesday, 29 May 2018

Here are the steps

Clap to music….commence dancing after intro….when Nathan starts to sing

3 steps Right, 3 Steps Left, Clockwise Turn

3 Steps Left, 3 Steps Right, Anti-Clockwise Turn

3 steps Right, 3 Steps Left, Clockwise Turn

3 Steps Forward, Clap, 3 Steps Back

Clap, Kick to the Right, Kick to the Left

Clockwise Turn, 3 Steps Forward, Clap

3 Steps Back, Clap, Kick to the Right, Kick to the Left

Clockwise Turn, Repeat the dance

Mickey Gilleys Theatre in Branson will be home for Nathan Carter's fantastic show in November as he will be resident there from 14th to 17th November at 8pm as well as a matinee at 3pm on 19th November. Tickets are already on sale

December 4th sees Nathan Carter headline the Irish Jukebox at the Festival of the Stars concerts in the Meridian Centre, St Catharines Ontario. Nathan will be joined by Ronnie Kennedy and Nigel Connell both previous members of the Daniel O'Donnell band, Chloe Agnew from Celtic Woman fame and the Fitzgerald's who are 3-time fiddle and stepdance champions so this promises to be a fantastic concert. Daniel O'Donnell and Crystal Gayle each have a concert on 3rd December.

UK CHART NEWS

Official UK Top 100 Singles Chart (Week Ending 14 June 2018)

8 June 2018 - 14 June 2018

The 221st No.1 single of the 2010s, Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa’s One Kiss becomes only the fifth to spend as many as eight consecutive weeks at the summit, reaching the target on sales of 49,432 copies (including 36,898 sales-equivalent streams + 12,534 pure sales).

In the week when The X Factor’s 2016 winner Matt Terry was dropped from RCA, and 2014 winner Ben Haenow’s own label second album, Alive, sold just 151 copies on debut, 2012 winner James Arthur has his ninth chart single courtesy of You Deserve Better (No.54, 7,311 sales).

Official UK Top 100 Albums Chart (Week Ending 14 June 2018)

8 June 2018 - 14 June 2018

The Original Motion Picture Sound to The Greatest Showman was No.1 for the third week in a row and the 18th time in 22 weeks, with sales down 5.00% to 38,063 (including 11,944 sales-equivalent streams).

British indie/folk singer/songwriter Ben Howard maintains his record of making the top five with every album as third release Noonday Dream made a debut at No.4 (13,720 sales).

Lead singer and co-founder of The Who, 74-year-old Roger Daltrey returned to the chart this week with As Long As I Have You (No.8, 10,312 sales)

The Shires with ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE slipped 32-33 (2,500 estimated units; 7-week total 31,000; chart run 3-14-32-41-41-32-33). By comparison their last album MY UNIVERSE after 7 frames was at No.43 with a 7-week total of 39,400 Chart Run: 3-7-14-27-36-45-43

Kylie Minogue with GOLDEN fell 38-41 (2,000 estimated units) in her 9th week.

Official UK Country Album Top 20 (Week Ending 14 June 2018)

8 June 2018 - 14 June 2018

The Shires with ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE held at #1 (7 weeks; #1 peak)

Neko Case with HELL-ON made a debut at #2

Gretchen Peters with DANCING WITH THE BEAST fell 2-3 (3 weeks; #2 peak)

Kacey Musgraves with GOLDEN HOUR fell 3-4 (10 weeks; #1 peak)

Willie Nelson With LAST MAN STANDING fell 4-5 (6 weeks; #2 peak)

Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore with DOWNEY TO LUBBOCK made a debut at #6

Luke Combs with THIS ONE'S FOR YOU TOO made a debut at #7

Lindi Ortega with LIBERTY made a debut at #8

John Prine with THE TREE OF FORGIVENESS fell 5-9 (8 weeks; #2 peak)

Jennifer Warnes with ANOTHER TIME ANOTHER PLACE held at #10

Outside the Top 10

Brothers Osborne with PORT SAINT JOE fell 6-11 (7 weeks; #2 peak)

The Wandering Hearts with WILD SILENCE fell 8-13 (17 weeks; #1 peak)

Emmylou Harris with THE BALLAD OF SALLY ROSE made a debut at #14

Official Americana Albums Chart Top 40 (Week Ending 14 June 2018)

8 June 2018 - 14 June 2018

1 NEW God's Favourite Customer Father John Misty [Tagged Alternative]

2 NEW Hell-On Neko Case

3 1 Ruins First Aid Kit [Tagged Alternative]

4 2 Be More Kind Frank Turner [Tagged Alternative]

5 3 The Prodical Son Ry Cooder [Tagged Rock]

6 NEW Doney To Lubbock Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore

7 6 From The Fires Greta Van Fleet [Tagged Rock]

8 5 Part of The Light Ray Lamontage | #28 Official Uk Top 100 Albums

9 NEW Liberty Lindi Ortega [Tagged Country]

10 4 Tracyanne & Danny Tracyanne & Danny [Tagged Alternative]

Outside The Top 10

11 8 18 Pure Comedy Father John Misty

12 7 Dancing With The Beast Gretchen Peters [Tagged Country]

21 9 Deafman Glance Ryley Walker [Tagged Singer/Songwriter]

35 10 The Lookout Laura Veirs [Tagged Alternative]

COUNTRY ALBUM & SINGLES RELEASES

(8 June 2018) Mike Denver - Enjoy Yourself (Sharpe Music) IRE

15 Tracks/ Time: 53:24 Amazon UK - UK iTunes

Debut June 1: #7 UK iTunes Country Albums (#344 UK iTunes all-genre)

(8 June 2018) Dierks Bentley - The Mountain (Capitol Records Nashville)

13 Tracks/Time: 47:13 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Debut: June 8: #2 UK iTunes Country Albums (#31 UK iTunes all-genre)

Reaching a new creative high, Bentley co-wrote 10 of the 13 new tracks that are unified by themes of presence and positivity, and range in style from textured rock to acoustic folk, feeling both rooted and expansive at the same time.

Produced by Ross Copperman and Jon Randall, Bentley’s ninth studio album features 13 new tracks, including the first single, “Woman, Amen.” Brothers Osborne appear on the lead track, “Burning Man,” with TJ Osborne on vocals and John Osborne on guitar, and Brandi Carlile is featured on the song “Travelin’ Light.”

(8 June 2018) Sugarland - Bigger (Big Machine Records, LLC) |

11 Tracks/Time: 41:53 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Debut: June 8: #1 UK iTunes Country Albums (#13 UK iTunes all-genre) | #1 US iTunes Country Albums (#2 US iTunes all-genre)

The duo’s sixth studio album is their first new music in seven years and first project under their joint venture with Big Machine Records and UMG Nashville. Co-produced by Kristian Bush, Jennifer Nettles and Julian Raymond, the duo also co-wrote 10 out of the 11 tracks featured, including the lead single “Still The Same,” with Taylor Swift and Pat Monahan contributing “Babe.”

"Bigger" features SUGARLAND's current single, "Still The Same," which was originally released in December. The pair will head out on their "STILL THE SAME 2018 TOUR" this Summer

(8 June 2018) Erin Rae - Putting On Airs (Single Lock)

12 Tracks/ Time: 40:15 Singer-Songwriter/ Folk-Rock Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com - BLOG

Debut: June 8: #14 UK iTunes Singer-Songwriter Albums (#500 UK iTunes all-genre) | Sat June 9: off Top 200 UK iTunes Singer-Songwriter Albums

(8 June 2018) mmhmm - Mmhmm (CEN)

13 Tracks/Time: 36:48 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Debut: June 8: #66 UK iTunes Country Albums

mmhmm began recording this debut album at Alex the Great studios in Nashville, TN with producer, Brad Jones.  The dynamic duo “mmhmm”, consist of Hannah Fairlight and Raelyn Nelson. | www.facebook.com/mmhmmband  (1,060 Likes)

(8 June 2018) The Sisterhood - Summer Setlist (EP; 2018 Sony Music Entertainment)

7 Tracks/Time: 28:26 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Debut: June 19: #26 UK Country iTunes peak | Debut: June 8 | #109 US iTunes Country Albums (#550 US iTunes all-genre), then #92 (#425) | Sat June 9: #65 US iTunes Country Albums (#306 US iTunes all-genre)

Sony Music Nashville's The Sisterhood Band seven-track project will include "Tenderize My Heart," "Closin' In From Miles Away," "13," "Walk Away," "Half Way," "Doors," and "Someone's."

The Sisterhood are an organic blend of the open melodies of classic West Coast folk & and the magnetic swagger of timeless rock n' roll, powered by Alyssa and Ruby's soaring richly textured harmonies and effortless chemistry. Both ladies have strong musical DNA. Alyssa is the daughter of Kathie Baillie & Michael Bonagura (the core of country band Baillie & The Boys) and Ruby's father is rock icon Rod Stewart.

Alyssa Bonagura and Ruby Stewart, who studied sound technology at Liverpool’s Paul McCartney Institute for Performing Arts, coproduced their Sony Music Nashville debut. The duo wrote or co-wrote all seven songs featured and collaborated with writers including John Fields, Cary Barlowe, Rebecca Lovell and Morgan Evans.

www.facebook.com/thesisterhoodband (5,085 Likes)

(8 June 2018) CoCo O'Connor - This Ol' War (Satarah Llc)

7 Tracks/Time: 26:27 Singer/Songwriter Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Santa Fe Americana songwriter returns to Nashville and her native South to cut new album with Parker Cason at legendary studio. A record that mimics the careful, smooth-like-honey process of country and blues long past.

(8 June 2018) David Starr - South And West (2018 David Starr)

12 Tracks/Time: 43:55 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

(8 June 2018) Megan O'Neill - Ghost Of You (Megan O'Neill) IRE 

12 Tracks/Time: 42:27 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Debut: June 8: #17 UK iTunes Singer-Songwriter Albums (#609 UK iTunes all-genre), then #9 (#303), then #10 (#325) | Sat June 9: #39 UK iTunes Singer-Songwriter Albums (#1254 UK iTunes all-genre)

(8 June 2018) Robbie McIntosh - Thanks Chet (Universal-Island Records Ltd.) UK

12 Tracks/Time: 40:02 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Debut: June 8: #4 UK iTunes Country Albums (#241 UK iTunes all-genre) | Sat June 9:  #24 UK iTunes Country Albums (#1235 all-genres)

To celebrate the everlasting genius of Chet Atkins and 60 years of the Gretsch Country Gentleman 'Thanks Chet', the new album by British guitar legend Robbie McIntosh (Paul McCartney, The Pretenders, John Mayer, Tom Jones), is a tribute to the sound that revolutionised rock 'n' roll as we know it.

Chet and his trademark Country Gentleman bridged the gap between country, pop and rhythm & blues and without him there would have been no Elvis, Beatles or The Rolling Stones; no Led Zeppelin, The Band or REM; no Smiths; no Kings of Leon; maybe not even an Ed Sheeran. | www.facebook.com/robbiemcintoshguitar (3,200 Likes)

(8 June 2018) Tony Wright & Ryan Hamilton - Grand Ole Otley (2018 Tony Wright and Ryan Hamilton)

10 Tracks/Time: 32:47 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Debut: June 8: #19 UK iTunes Country Albums (#1024 UK iTunes all-genre)

Home Town: Otley, West Yorkshire UK and Sanctuary, Texas USA

About: Tony (Terrorvision) & Ryan (Ryan Hamilton & the Traitors) come together for an unlikely, and exciting collaboration.

www.facebook.com/TonyWrightandRyanHamilton (5,550 Likes)

(8 June 2018) Jesse Dayton - The Outsider (2018 Blue Élan Records LLC)

10 Tracks/Time: 33:20 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Debut: June 8: #30 UK iTunes Country Albums (#1478 UK iTunes all-genre) | Sat June 9: #169 US iTunes Country Albums

Home Town: Beaumont/Austin TX

Recorded it on tour in studios in Denver, Nashville, Austin, Atlanta & Los Angeles.

"Like the Possum (George Jones) Dayton is the possessor of a tear-stained voice, a lost soul sensibility and probably a high degree of familiarity with the kinds of places mama warned you about." -- The Austin American Statesman

www.facebook.com/JesseDaytonHardcharger (7,600 Likes)

(8 June 2018) Sylvia - Second Bloom: The Hits Re-Imagined (Red Pony Records)

10 Tracks/Time: 35:23 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Debut: June 8: #67 US iTunes Country Albums (#302 US iTunes all-genre) | Sat June 9: #196 US iTunes Country Albums

The project features 10 new interpretations of songs from her RCA years (1979-1987), including the first single, “Nobody,” and “Cry Just A Little Bit,” which has been updated with strings and drums.

(8 June 2018) Adairs Run - The Second Time Around (EP; 2018 ADAIRS RUN)

5 Tracks/Time: 16:10 Country Rock Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Debut June 8: #68 US iTunes Country Albums (#307 US iTunes all-genre)

Home Town: Nashville, TN

About: Todd Cameron (Lead Vox/Guitar), Pat Pollifrone (Lead Guitar/backing Vox), Jake Lalonde (Drums/backing vox), Ian Daugherty (Bass/ Backing Vox) | www.facebook.com/Adairsrun  (11,070 Likes)

(8 June 2018) Mackenzie Wasner - Mackenzie Wasner (EP; 2018 Mackenzie Wasner)

4 Tracks/Time: 13:15 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Mackenzie Wasner is a country music artist from Nashville, TN.

Debut: June 8: #106 US iTunes Country Albums (#460 US iTunes all-genre)

www.facebook.com/mackenziewasnermusic (1,980 Likes)

(8 June 2018) The Springs - Old Fashioned (2018 CFC Productions LLC)

11 Tracks/Time: 37:58 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Debut: June 8: #183 US iTunes Country Albums (#905 US iTunes all-genre) | Sat June 9: #89 US iTunes Country Albums

Home Town: Alabama | Stewart (Lead Vocals/Songwriter) (BMI) and Holly (Lead Vocals/Songwriter) (BMI)

What do you get when you pair Stewart Halcomb and Holly Helms together? Along with tight harmonies, sure-footed songwriting direction, high energy shows, authenticity, and undeniable chemistry, you ultimately get - The Springs. At just 23 and 26, the driven pair is carving out a place of longevity in Music City. | www.facebook.com/thesprings (22K likes)

(8 June 2018) Brown & Gray - Salt in the Coffee (EP; NHMM, LLC)

5 Tracks/Time: 16:04 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Debut: June 8: #180 US iTunes Country Albums (#887 US iTunes all-genre), then #42 (#159 US iTunes all-genre), then #32 (#128)

In the words of Storme Warren himself, Brown & Gray, the collaboration between Kaci Brown (Texas-born and Nashville-raised) and Sam Gray (highly acclaimed songwriter, singer & producer based in London), serves as a bridge between the soul of Country Music in the US to the new boom of Country in the United Kingdom. Building a link between the US and the exploding Country Music scene in the UK, this exciting project is just the beginning of a creative journey through the best both worlds have to offer, with the new single “Top Down” leading the way. | www.facebook.com/BrownAndGrayMusic (1,700 Likes)

(8 June 2018) First Aid Kit - Live from the Rebel Hearts Club [Explicit] (Columbia)

6 Tracks/Time: 25:33 Indie & Alternative Amazon UK - UK iTunes

(8 June 2018) Craig Campbell - See You Try (Red Bow Records)

7 Tracks/Time: 23:30 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Debut: June 8: #39 US iTunes Country Albums (#145 US iTunes all-genre)

Campbell’s second album features seven tracks, including the lead single “See You Try,” written by James McNair, Tyler Hubbard, Bart Butler and Jordan Schmidt, and two versions of “Outskirts of Heaven.”

(8 June 2018) Cameran Nelson - First Gear (EP; Miles Power Records)

4 Tracks/Time: 13:58 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Debut: June 8: #77 US iTunes Country Albums (#315 US iTunes all-genre) | Sat June 9: #60 US iTunes Country Albums

Fuse Texas Country grit with down-home rock n’ roll and you get Cameran Nelson, a true Texas Troubadour whose roots run deep across 1,815 miles of the Lone Star State from Haskell, Texas where he was born to living South of Kingsville, East of Rockwall, West of Lubbock and now settled in the hill country town of Blanco.

www.facebook.com/camerannelson (16,500 Likes)

(8 June 2018) Tyler Wood -  Who I Am (EP; 2018 Tyler Wood Music)

7 Tracks/Time: 23:58 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

(8 June 2018) Various Artists - NOW That's What I Call Country, Vol. 11

18 Tracks Amazon.com

Debut: June 8: #9 US iTunes Country Albums (#40 US iTunes all-genre)

(8 June 2018) Calah Delaney - Take a Chance on Me (EP; 2018 Bethany Grove Music)

6 Tracks/Time: 19:59 Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com -

(8 June 2018) Shannon Shaw - Shannon In Nashville (Easy Eye Sound)

13 tracks/ Time: 38:51 Alternative Amazon UK - UK iTunes

(8 June 2018) Natalie Stovall - Can't Love You No More (Single;2018 Natalie Stovall) UK iTunes

Debut: June 8: #178 UK iTunes Country Singles

NEWS

(10 June 2018) Tennessean.com 3 years after 'Tomato-gate,' there are even fewer women on country radio

The gender imbalance has remained prevalent in recent years. In 2014, solo female artists had three of the 60 songs on country radio’s year-end most-heard songs list. In 2015, there were six solo female songs on the list. In 2016, three of the top 30 most played acts on country radio were solo female — Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and Kelsea Ballerini. 

In 2017, Maren Morris joined the aforementioned ladies in the Top 30 on the year-end list. Newcomer Carly Pearce, who had a No. 1 song with "Every Little Thing," was at 38.

The disparity means that there’s an absence of female points of view in music. Cassetty wants his daughters to hear empowering songs delivered from a voice that sounds like their own, not just thin lines about women wearing cutoffs and riding in trucks.

iHEARTMEDIA syndicated “THE BOBBY BONES SHOW” host BOBBY BONES is planning to launch a national radio show featuring a female-only playlist that will air on more than 100 radio stations. That news, according to an article (June 10). BONES is quoted in the piece, saying, “I’ll be really obnoxious about it and just cram it down the radio station … People aren’t embracing things, and they are embracing other things too fast … It’s important for fairness. I want everybody to have an equal shot.”

The news about BONES’ upcoming show was part of the TENNESSEAN’s larger examination of female Country songs charting. The paper cited data saying the percentage of purely female Country songs has dipped 13% since 2016, part of an all-genre drop with female airplay. In 2017, for example, the TENNESSEAN says females comprised only 16.8% of popular artists on the charts — a six-year low.

(11 June 2018) Sugarland have enlisted Taylor Swift to star in their new video for song Babe.

The Shake It Off hitmaker co-wrote the song with Train frontman Pat Monahan and also penned the concept for the video.

In the promo, Swift plays a woman who is having an affair with singer Jennifer Nettles' husband, who is portrayed by Superman Returns actor Brandon Routh. It is set in the 1960s and features Routh pursuing Swift as Nettles stays home as a housewife. The video illustrates the affair until the end, when Routh is seen leaving Swift's house to return home, where he finds his clothes on the front lawn and the locks changed.

Nettles is then seen removing her wedding ring.

"It's like a summer blockbuster, except it's a video," Sugarland's Kristian Bush told Hollywood Life before the videos premiere on Sunday (10Jun18).

"It's like a movie." Nettles added. "(It is) very cinematic."

Earlier this year the duo opened up about working with Swift on the track, insisting the collaboration was a perfect fit.

"This collaboration is the perfect combination of mutual admiration for each other and mutual admiration for great songs," a statement from Jennifer in April, when the single was released, read. "As artists, we really see the world through a similar lens...

"We've never put someone else's song on a Sugarland record, but we were immediately interested in Babe the first time we heard it! This one really felt like it belonged, so we saved it for the final afternoon of our recording session; a special time for us."

AWARDS

(5 June 2018) Thomas Rhett, Kelsea Ballerini Return As 'CMA Fest' Hosts

VALORY MUSIC CO.'s Thomas Rhett and Black River Entertainment's Kelsea Ballerini will return as hosts of the three-hour television special, "CMA FEST," for a second year. The special is set to air Wednesday, August 8th at 8p (ET) on ABC-TV and will recap NASHVILLE's annual CMA FEST, happening this Thursday, June 7th through Sunday, JUNE 10th.

"This year's CMA FEST is our biggest yet, with many artists debuting full festival sets on the NISSAN STADIUM stage," said CMA CEO Sarah Trahern. "We're thrilled once again to broadcast 'CMA FEST' and bring the festival to millions of Country music fans, not only here in the U.S., but all around the world."

(7 June 2018) k.d. lang to Receive Americana Trailblazer Award on Sept. 12

An outspoken icon who needs no introduction - but here are 6 things you should know about this year's announced Trailblazer honoree.

k.d. lang is a four-time GRAMMY® Award-winner recognized for her albums including "A Wonderful World" (2003) and "Absolute Torch and Twang" (1989).

In 1996, lang received Canada’s highest civilian honor, the Order of Canada.

k.d. has also performed alongside musical luminaries including Tony Bennett, Roy Orbison, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, and Loretta Lynn. The Canadian native collaborated with Neko Case and Laura Veirs to release the joint LP "case/lang/veirs" in 2016.

She sang at the closing ceremonies of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary and has contributed music to the soundtracks of several films, including "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues," "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," and "Happy Feet."

lang has also continued to utilize her star-powered platform to benefit others as a fearless advocate of LGBTQ and animal rights throughout the years

MUSIC NEWS

(8 June 2018) It has been announced that Simon Cowell is the only judge returning for this year's X Factor.

A press statement has revealed that the 58-year-old music mogul will head up an all-new panel for the show's 15th series, due to start in the Autumn.

Louis Walsh has revealed he is excited to focus more time on managing artists, but is keen to get back behind the Ireland's Got Talent judging desk.

"I’ve had a fantastic 13 years on The X Factor but the show needs a change and I’m ready to leave,” explained Louis. “I’m looking forward to another series of Ireland’s Got Talent, going back to my day job as a manager, writing my memoirs and seeing the world!"

It has also been revealed that while Sharon Osbourne is returning, she will only act as a panellist on the live shows. Discussing her new role, Sharon said: "I can’t wait to get back to the judges’ desk. I love the new format.”

Radio Times also reported that Nicole Scherzinger has also left the show.

Over 40 UK Number 1 singles have been released by acts who made their name on the X Factor, including the likes of Olly Murs, Little Mix, Alexandra Burke and Leona Lewis.

Last year's winners Rak-Su - the first male group to win the series - reached Number 2 with their debut single Dimelo.

WATCH

(8 June 2018) Allie Keck with 'Whiskey and Attention' (>> Lyric Video)

With her release of 'Whiskey and Attention' Keck tells stories with her lyrics and melody's she showcases. Taken from her 6-track EP Kiss and Tell released Aug 11, 2017 (Amazon UK | UK iTunes | Amazon.com )

COUNTRY GOSSIP

(6 June 2018) Luke Bryan plotting Katy Perry collaboration

Luke Bryan looks set to make music with his fellow American Idol judge Katy Perry after enjoying a string of writing sessions with her.

The country music star walked the red carpet at the CMT Music Awards on Wednesday (06Jun18), and shared select details of his future projects.

Revealing his plans to work with popstar Katy, he told Entertainment Tonight: “My thing is kind of the song and the moment dictates it. It’s hard to say, I mean obviously, with Lionel (Richie, also an American Idol judge) and Katy - me and Katy may have something in the works one day, would be fun.”

Luke, Katy and Lionel have been busy judging the latest series of the TV talent contest, which was won by Maddie Poppe last month.

However, he’s managed to find the time to record with Lionel - but said their collaboration is awaiting release.

"Lionel and I have actually recorded stuff that didn't make it out yet," he explained. "I wouldn't call it big news. It was something that Lionel was working on, it was a couple of years ago."

In addition to working on a couple of pop projects, Luke also has his eye on a big new country collaboration - as he told ET that he’d like to work with Charles Kelley from Lady Antebellum or Jason Aldean.

Another name the versatile musician flagged up as a possible collaborator is Darius Rucker from Hootie & The Blowfish.

Luke also wowed fans at the CMT Awards with his own music. He performed his track Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset at the ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee on Wednesday.

(10 June 2018) Taylor Swift paid tribute to the victims of the Manchester Arena terror attack during her gig in the city.

The 28-year-old Taylor Swift was performing at the Etihad Stadium on Friday (June 8, 2018) when she paused her concert to honour those killed and injured in the horrifying attack in May last year.

"You've shown that you're never going to let anyone forget about those victims," she told the 40,000-strong crowd. "And you've shown that you have such incredible resilience to keep dancing and to keep the innocence and to keep the joy and keep the excitement.

"I just wanted to say, Manchester, it's such an honour to be playing for you tonight."

Taylor praised the city's passion for music and said the deadly attack, which happened at the end of an Ariana Grande concert and claimed the lives of 22 people, was an "attempt to steal the innocence, steal the joy and steal the excitement".

Calling the crowd "amazing", Taylor explained to her fans why she wanted to kick-off the European leg of her Reputation tour in Manchester, which is the first time she's performed in the city.

"This is a really special night for me and everybody on this stage," she gushed. "You're so amazing. That's why I wanted to start the UK tour in Manchester."

The Look What You Made Me Do hitmaker is set to perform at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday (09Jun18), before heading to the Irish capital Dublin and then Wembley Stadium in London later this month.

Taylor, who has been spending a lot of time in the U.K. thanks to her romance with Brit actor Joe Alwyn, told the crowd: "I really love the UK."

PHOTO

(6 June 2018) Dressed To Gill: Fitzgerald Hartley's Bill Simmons, CMA's Sarah Trahern, performers Mac McAnally, Don Schlitz, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Vince Gill and BMI's Jody Williams (l-r) at the CMA Songwriters Series Wednesday (June 6).

BIRTHDAYS

Birthdays in the week ahead

June 11: the late Wilma Burgess (June 11, 1939; died Aug 26, 2003 (aged 64)), Cindy Church

June 12: Chris Young (1985)

June 13: the late Slim Dusty (June 13, 1927; died 19 Sept 2003 (aged 76), Dennis Locorriere (1943), Jason Michael Carroll (1978) 

June 14: Gareth Thomas (formerly Dexeter, UK), Anna Edman (Miss Winter; SWE), Lucy Hale (1989)

June 15: Michael Britt (Lonestar) (1966), the late Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937; died Feb 13, 2002 (aged 64))

June 17: B J Cole (1946), the late Red Foley (June 17, 1910; died Sept 19, 1968 (aged 58)), Mickey Guyton