Tate McRae review — putting the phwoar back into pop star

Tate McRae has been hyped as her generation's Britney Spears, but as she began an action-packed concert at Dublin's 3Arena, the vibe was more Bob the Builder. The 21-year-old Canadian's set was modelled on a construction site, with scaffolding-like supports under the stage and a fake crane to either side. It wasn't thinkable that McRae might materialise in hi-vis vest, toting a spirit level.
She in fact arrived wearing a fluffy cape, quickly discarded to reveal a tight-fitting leotard as she plunged into the slinky R&B bopper Miss Possessive from her new album, So Close to What. Suddenly, the Britney comparisons made sense. Where many modern female artists have embraced the persona of girl next door or wise big sister, McRae is a

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Daily Mail​

3 hours ago

• Daily Mail​

How DOES Sir Rod Stewart still do it at 80? Secrets behind Maggie May rocker's eternal vitality (and how he maintains THAT hair) as he's set to take Glastonbury

At 80 years old, Rod Stewart is still delighting fans with energetic performances while sporting an impressively youthful head of blond rocker hair - so it's perhaps no surprise that after decades in the industry, it was in November confirmed that he would play the Legends slot on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. And experts have now revealed the secrets behind his vitality ahead of the appearance - which will mark 23 years since the musician's last stint at the Somerset festival in 2002. At the time of the announcement, the singer was 79 - and has since celebrated his milestone birthday. Yet despite being decades older than many of the other acts in the line-up, the star has shown no signs of slowing down over recent years; not only displaying an impressive stamina, but also looking years younger than his age. However, his ability to perform at the highest level is no accident, according to men's health specialist GP Dr Jeff Foster, who described him as 'the epitome of being the Peter Pan of pop, rarely ageing and with the looks and energy of someone at least two decades younger'. The medical director of men's health organisation said that the octogenarian as 'defying the typical expectations of ageing'. This, the medic told FEMAIL, is 'no accident'. He explained: 'Despite his advancing years, he's managed to avoid the all-too-common "middle-age spread" and remains in top form, set to perform in front of thousands at Glastonbury. 'That alone tells us this is a man who takes his health seriously.' The medic said discipline likely plays a strong role in Sir Rod's longevity - listing what type of activities this could include. The rocker could be staving off the effects of ageing via a regular - and likely daily - exercise regime. This, according to the doctor, may include activities like resistance training to preserve muscle mass. 'We're talking also talking a clean, protein-rich diet, minimal alcohol intake, and a well curated blend of vitamins and supplements,' he continued. In addition, Dr Foster suggested that Sir Rod could be working with a private GP behind the scenes, keeping track of vital health metrics. 'Regular blood tests, hormone checks (particularly testosterone), and early interventions are key at this stage in a man's life,' the medic revealed. 'A dip in these markers can rapidly accelerate the ageing process , but proactive management can keep a man feeling decades younger.' When it comes to the rocker, it's not just his energy levels and health that make him seem younger than his years - his looks also knock off decades, according to Aesthetic Expert and Medical Director of Cosmedics Skin Clinics Dr Ross Perry. Dr Perry told FEMAIL: 'Sir Rod Stewart looks incredible for his age, and in truth, should probably look decades older, especially considering the amount of time he's spent in the sun over the years.' The medic believes that Sir Rod 'takes care of himself', saying he 'always appears healthy, with a warm glow to his skin'. It's not all about the effort Rod puts in though, Dr Perry suggested, noting: 'From an aesthetic perspective, I'd say he's genetically blessed with good skin, which does run in families, but lifestyle plays a huge role.' In addition to this, steps that can be taken are all important factors, including a healthy diet, minimal sun exposure in later years, adequate sleep, and good skincare. Dr Perry also considered the idea that Sir Rod may have had some help from aesthetic doctors over the years - though this is unconfirmed. 'It's very possible Sir Rod has had a few subtle 'tweakments' over the years,' the medic told FEMAIL. 'These might include a minor eyelid lift to counteract drooping or hooded lids, which is very common with age, and perhaps a touch of Botox around the eyes to soften crow's feet. 'His cheeks still look full, which often hollow with age, suggesting he may have had a small amount of dermal filler but if so, it's been done very naturally and conservatively.' Discussing another aspect of the musician's youthful look, the expert added: 'His teeth are also well-maintained, not unnaturally white or obviously veneered, but youthful and suited to his appearance. That's likely the work of a skilled cosmetic dentist.' One of Sir Rod's features that cannot be ignored is his signature hairstyle, described by Dr Perry as on of his 'most striking features'. 'It's remained largely unchanged for the last four decades, still thick, lustrous and highlighted blonde which is rare for a man of his age, as most would be experiencing significant greying or hair thinning by now,' he continued. 'His hair alone shaves years off his overall look.' It has previously been reported that Sir Rod invests some time and money into his locks: it's thought the 80-year-old has long been a client at London based salon Steven Carey salon in Mayfair, with his chauffeur-driven car regularly spotted pulling up at the salon's doors. Elsewhere it's been speculated that the rocker spends thousands of pounds a year maintaining his impressive locks. A full set of highlights at the salon on Maddox Street costs around £220 a pop, with Sir Rod likely needing his high-maintenance do tended to at least every six weeks; with three hours in the chair a likelihood. The music icon is said to receive the A-List treatment when he attends the salon, with a lunch of sandwiches brought to his styling chair. A source previously said: 'Rod is quite pedantic about his locks. He gets high and lowlights put in every three weeks, and even if his hair doesn't really need doing he'll still come in to get it tweaked, either with a few strokes of colour or a tiny trim.' Jason Hogan is Creative Master at expert colourists Josh Wood Atelier - and has told MailOnline that it's clear the Maggie May crooner has a hairdresser tending to his tresses regularly. 'Rod obviously has his hair cut regularly to maintain his signature style. When he was younger he probably had highlights regularly to maintain his colour. 'Now, he probably has more white hair, he may uses a mixture of permanent hair colour as well highlights that allow him to achieve that blonde look without having to use so much bleach on hair.' 'In terms of how people keep their hair throughout their life, genetics play a huge part in how we maintain our hair but with such amazing hair transplant therapies available these days it is very easy to hide receding hairlines and male pattern baldness,' he continued. 'Cosmetic treatments will always looks after the condition and quality of the hair. Making sure you are getting enough protein and collagen in your diet so the hair coming through is growing to its maximum capacity.' A more unusual hair hack was revealed in 2021, when it was suggested that Sir Rod rubbed mayonnaise into his tresses to keep them strong and healthy. According to reports, the singer even recommended Small Faces' late frontman Steve Marriott give it a go. Steve's former tour manager Elliot Saltzman has told The Sun how the guitarist - who died in 1991 at the age of 44 - revealed Rod inspired his own spiky hairstyle. Explaining the method behind Steve's hairstyle, Elliot said: '[It] was created by putting mayonnaise on his hair and rubbing a towel on his head really fast. And he said he got this from Rod Stewart.' The oily condiment has long been used as a DIY hair mask as it's packed with nourishing properties. Sir Rod's 2025 Glastonbury appearance was announced by co-organiser Emily Eavis in a post on Instagram last year which read: 'Bringing Sir Rod Stewart back for the Sunday afternoon slot on the Pyramid Stage is everything we could wish for.' 'What a way to bow out with the final legends slot before we take a fallow year. We cannot wait.' The singer will become one of the oldest artists to perform a major set at the event. Burt Bacharach played the Pyramid stage in 2015 at the age of 87, while Paul McCartney headlined the week after his 80th birthday back in 2022. The five-day festival takes place in June at Somerset's Worth Farm and draws in around around 200,000 music fans each year to watch some of the world's biggest musicians perform. The official Glastonbury tickets went on sale on November 14 and November 17. The stakes were even higher than usual, as 2026 will be a fallow year, meaning the festival will not go ahead. Rod's Glastonbury announcement also came just days after the rocker told fans he plans to end large scale world tours. He had claimed his 2025 European and North American tour dates would be his last major projects - but admitted he didn't want to hang up the microphone just yet. 'This will be the end of large-scale world tours for me, but I have no desire to retire,' the musician revealed. 'I love what I do and I do what I love. I'm fit, have a full head of hair and can run 100 metres in 18 seconds at the jolly old age of 79.' The Maggie May hitmaker added he wants to to perform at more intimate venues for his next tour slated for 2026, after the release of album Swing Fever with Jools Holland earlier this year. He explained: 'I'd like to move onto a Great American Songbook, Swing Fever tour the year after next - smaller venues and more intimacy. But then again, I may not. The ambiguous Sir Rod Stewart.' Sir Rod is currently headlining a residency in Las Vegas from March until June at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Speaking to the Soccer A-Z podcast in 2024, Rod revealed: 'Next year is really really busy but it is the best job in the world! I travel I sing, I'm happy and I have a drink after the show and I get paid for it!' he exclaimed. And the rocker is looking at many years in the game ahead. Back in July last year, Sir Rod said he has 'no fear' about death ahead of his 80th birthday and added he aims to stick around for another 15 years. He told The Sun: 'I'm aware my days are numbered but I've got no fear. We have all got to pass on at some point, so we are all in the same basket. I am going to be enjoying myself for these last few years as much as I can. I say few — probably another 15. I can do that easy mate, easy. 'I'm not like I was in the '70s and '80s and I can't stay up all night, get drunk and go mad and still have a voice just like that. Nowadays I have to protect my voice before and after every show. 'But no, you think I just have water on my rider? You're talking to Rod Stewart here, mate. We go mad after every show. There are 13 of us, six women, really great musicians and I make them drink. We absolutely love it.' In a recent Radio Times interview, the star also revealed that alcohol is usually a part of his performing ritual. 'I looked at [my rider provision] the other day and I thought, what is all this s**t doing here?' he said. 'All I need is a few bottles of wine and some crisps, and that's it. And there's all these bloody things! What am I gonna do with them? 'No houmous, but big piles of bananas and apples! And when you think the whole world's bloody starving. I gotta do something about that. Thank you for reminding me.' He also revealed that he gargles rum and coke before each show. 'Been drinking that 40 years. I never drink it any other time,' he continued. 'The vocal cords need a lot of looking after. I mean, they're absolute gold.' Rod, who has had both prostate and thyroid cancer, said: 'I am more aware of my health now than before. You should be when you start getting on a bit. It's very important. I am a bit of a hypochondriac. I think men in particular should take advantage of all the wonderful medical science out there.' Despite this, he revealed he doesn't take any medication at all apart from the odd anti-inflammatory treatment if his knee is giving him trouble. Rod has also said he works out three or four times a week and is kept on the straight and narrow by his personal trainer whom he has been working with for more than three decades. While Sir Rod's youthful appearance and impressive energy levels can be contributed to a number of scientific and medical factors, GP Dr Jeff Foster pointed out more factor that could be keeping the rocker young. 'Let's not underestimate the power of love,' he told FEMAIL. 'Having a younger partner like [wife] Penny and children later in life can be incredibly energising. 'Staying mentally and physically active to keep up with family life keeps both body and brain agile.'

Daily Mirror

5 hours ago

• Daily Mirror

'Gary Lineker stole my BBC job - he was wrong man and we haven't spoken since'

Steve Rider is hanging up his microphone after a long career in sports broadcasting, but the former BBC and ITV presenter has taken aim at Gary Lineker on his way out Steve Rider admits he hasn't spoken to Gary Lineker for years and still resents being replaced by the former Match of the Day presenter on the BBC's golf coverage. Rider is heading into retirement after 45 years on national television, having most recently hosted coverage of the British Touring Car Championship on ITV4. He has also covered the Olympic Games, the Rugby World Cup, Formula One - famously covering Ayrton Senna's death at Imola - and the Champions League during his time with ITV and the BBC, becoming widely known as one of the safest names in sports broadcasting. ‌ Rider started his career at ITV before moving to the BBC, spending nearly two decades with the corporation before returning to ITV in 2005. During his tenure with the Beeb, he served as the BBC's lead golf presenter, covering major tournaments including the Ryder Cup, the Open and the Masters. ‌ But when he departed, former England star Lineker was the surprise choice to be the new face of golf a decision that left Rider unimpressed. He stayed silent on the subject until 2015, when Lineker infamously described the R&A as 'pompous' and accused them of feeling like 'superior beings'. It prompted a stinging response from Rider. In an interview with the Golf Paper, Rider stated: "I hold Gary Lineker in the highest regard as a football presenter, but his reflections on his experiences as a golf presenter need a huge reality check. "For four years, the R&A and most other observers knew that Gary was the wrong man in the wrong job. Hazel Irvine has just delivered once again at the Open presentation skills of the highest quality. Not many people can do that and Gary certainly came up short. "Roger Mosey, the head of sport, knew Gary was a golf fanatic and was further encouraged by Gary apparently volunteering for the Masters vacancy within a few minutes of my exit from Television Centre. "But if Mosey thought long and hard before offering Gary the golf job, it's even more baffling. Match of the Day is scripted and rehearsed. Golf presentation, especially at Augusta, is seat of the pants, unpredictable and demanding." ‌ Rider hasn't spoken to Lineker since then, as reported by The Telegraph. Now the 75 year old has had his say on Lineker's recent exit from the BBC. Lineker presented his final Match of the Day last month. He had been expected to leave the company next year, after the World Cup, but saw his permanent departure brought forwards, following an Instagram post that saw him criticise Zionism with a post featuring an image of a rat. Lineker insisted he was unaware of the historical use of rats to represent Jews in anti-semitic propaganda. 'To put forward his opinions so energetically, you need to step outside the framework of the BBC,' says Rider. 'That message was never convincingly conveyed to him by the BBC, and that's where they are at fault. He needed people looking after him before he pressed the button on some fairly volatile retweets. "He needed to be saved from himself. So, there was a kind of inevitability about it.'

Telegraph

5 hours ago

• Telegraph

While his friends played sport, this 10-year-old wrote an operetta – now he's one of the greats

Samuel Barber was a genius, and a prodigy. At nine years old, he told his mother he did not want to be an athlete – the favoured outcome for upper-middle-class American boys of his generation, en route to a job in one of the professions and marriage – but, rather, a composer. Luckily, his parents agreed. The following year, 1920, he wrote an operetta. Two years later, he was a church organist. By the mid-1930s, in his 20s, despite a brief spell as a professional baritone, he was writing music that went straight into the repertoire of American orchestras, and then into concert programmes around the world. He made several visits to Europe, studying in Vienna, Turin and Rome. To his instinctive voice these studies added polish, but they did not divert Barber from his idea of music: something that spoke directly to his audience. At his death in 1981, he was one of America's, and the world's, most renowned composers. He remains famous for two works in particular: his Adagio for Strings, of 1936, developed from his string quartet of the same year; and Knoxville: Summer of 1915, for soprano and orchestra, from 1947. He has been recorded extensively: yet, as is often the case for composers celebrated for one or two popular works, many other pieces are overlooked, of which a few, in the estimation of some critics, are superior to those that are well-known. Barber came heavily under the influence of his maternal uncle, Sidney Homer Sr, far less well-known than his nephew, but regarded by the cognoscenti as one of the finest American composers of art songs. For the best part of 25 years – the formative phase of Barber's career – he studied with his uncle, and his style of composition owes much to him. Barber's writing is characterised by its lyricism, warmth and colour. As he became older, there was the occasional injection of modernism, but he was so adept at writing highly originally in traditional forms that experiments with extensive dissonance were not required. He was not afraid to seduce his listeners with beautiful tunes and phrases, but in doing so expressed nothing derivative or hackneyed. He is always an original, strong voice. The Adagio and Knoxville exemplify this. The latter is a setting of a text by James Agee, a native of Knoxville, Tennessee now recognised as one of America's most noted writers and poets of the 1930s and 1940s. The work is usually sung by a soprano but can be performed by a tenor. Its words are those of the small boy Agee was in 1915; the year before his father was killed in a car crash, and his blissful childhood came abruptly to an end. The writing is, appropriately, wistful and nostalgic, at different times warm and reflective. The work, like the Adagio, deserves its fame, and Barber was so motivated by his subject that it took him only a few days to write it. But there is so much more to Barber: two symphonies, from 1936 and 1944, the second withdrawn, revised and republished after his death; three operas, written in the 1950s and 1960s; concerti for violin, cello and piano, and an unfinished oboe concerto; much choral music and song; and much chamber music, as well as solo works for piano and organ. He showed his orchestral brilliance with his first major work: his 1931 overture to The School for Scandal, which has some echoes of his near-contemporary William Walton. Unlike Walton, Barber was no enfant terrible, and more given to introspection. This comes across in his three Essays for Orchestra, written in 1938, 1942 and 1978 respectively; and although the composer claimed that the third, composed after so long an interval, was less lyrical and more abstract than its predecessors, it bears great similarities to them. For me, the Second Essay is Barber's absolute masterpiece. It is 11 minutes long, but the composer packs so much in that, as one critic put it, it feels like a symphony. Its initial moodiness grips the listener from the start, but then the work expands into the turbulent, the majestic and the beautiful. Listeners will also suspect that every composer asked to write music for an epic Hollywood film for the next 10 or 15 years was influenced by it to some extent. There are two stunning recordings: Leonard Slatkin and the St Louis Symphony, on EMI, and Marin Alsop and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, on Naxos. If new listeners to Barber start with this work, it is likely to lead to a musical journey of some significance.