Latest news with #DuaLipa
The Independent
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Dua Lipa shows off impressive yoga skills as singer prepares for headline Wembley shows
Watch as Dua Lipa prepares for her two nights headlining at Wembley Stadium this weekend by doing some yoga. The singer, who is performing in London on June 20 and 21 as part of her Radical Optimism tour, showed off her impressive flexibility in a post shared to her 88 million followers on Friday (June 20). In between her two shows in the capital, the pop star will be hosting a yoga morning event for some of her fans. Earlier this month, the singer shared the 'very exciting' news that she was engaged to actor Callum Turner.
Cosmopolitan
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Police reveal plan to keep women safe this summer, amid a rise in violence at concerts
After witnessing a small but significant enough rise in violence against women and girls during Taylor Swift's Eras tour last summer, the Metropolitan Police is upping its presence and tactics at large music venues and nearby transport hubs over the coming months. Last night, there was an increased number of police at Dua Lipa's Wembley Stadium performance. The force say this decision is just one part of their wider strategy to help end violence against women and girls, in line with the government's pledge to halve incidents by 2034. 'Why concerts? Well, in large part, because of what we saw last summer with Taylor Swift coming to London,' said Ben Russell, Deputy Assistant Commissioner leading on the scheme, when speaking to Cosmopolitan UK. 'We police festivals and events in London every day, but we're talking about over 3 million people coming to stadiums. It's a big undertaking and presents different challenges from a policing perspective.' Police have pledged an additional 5,000 officer shifts to help boost awareness of their presence on the ground and to keep watch for suspect behaviour; some officers will be in plain clothes. The increased patrols began on 5 June at Beyoncé's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium performance – during which a man was caught upskirting (taking non-consensual photos up a woman's skirt). He is currently on bail while enquiries continue. 'We're there to engage and talk to people, but there's also a harder edge to what we're doing,' explains Russell. 'We're looking at the crowd and trying to spot people we think shouldn't be there and who don't fit in.' He adds that while the amount of crime recorded at concerts is relatively low and that people shouldn't be put off from attending, the Met still hopes to be a deterrent, especially given many victims of sexual assault choose not to report incidents. 'Some of these people [offenders] will stay at home and decide not to come out because we're stopping people, making arrests, and sending [them] on their way.' Known sex offenders and those wanted by the police will also be detected by live facial recognition cameras, and instructed by the force to move on from the area. Elsewhere, the Deputy Assistant Commissioner is keen to stress that stadium security staff and stewards are well-versed in their roles and the majority are on board with the mission of ending harms against women. However, 'one of the security staff at a venue was filming women in the crowd and they were kicked out. I'm sure the employer will take action there, that's not something that is acceptable,' he says. 'I think [him being kicked out though] shows the commitment of event organisers in taking action.' The Met is well aware that many have lost faith in the police following the damning Casey report two years ago, which found the force to be institutionally racist and misogynistic. Few women will ever forget the likes of serving officer Wayne Couzens, found guilty of raping and murdering Sarah Everard, nor David Carrick, a serial rapist who was allowed to continue serving despite numerous complaints being made against him. 'We know that people in the public feel we have let them down. This is about wanting more women and girls to engage with us, to feel positive, to feel supported,' Russell acknowledges. 'We are there to protect the public [but] we know we've got more work to do. Officers wake up every day trying to make a difference and rebuild the trust.' As well as concerts, the Met has a broader strategy to tackle violence against women and girls in London, known as the V100 project, which uses data to track and target the most harmful offenders (the list of whom changes monthly). A Rapid Video Response pilot has also been introduced, wherein if you report an assault to the Met Police they're quickly able to capture video as evidence. 'We're already seeing some of the results; we've more than doubled the charge rate for rape since 2022.' Cosmopolitan UK has requested the exact figures for this. When responding to news that the Met is pouring more resource into patrolling concerts, Andrea Simon, Director of End Violence Against Women (EVAW), said while an increased police presence might help some people to feel safer, in order to actually tackle male violence and abuse 'we need to look beyond the criminal justice system; we cannot police our way out of violence against women'. Simon adds that 'many women don't want to report to the police when they have been subjected to harassment or abuse'. According to Rape Crisis, only one in six women who are raped file a report – compared to one in five male victims – while just one in four women report other types of sexual assault. Concurrently, the BBC writes that one rape in London is reported every hour. 'Preventing women and girls from being harassed, assaulted or abused requires an approach that goes across the whole of society – from education in schools to equipping health care workers to identify abuse and signpost to support, to provision of housing for women and children fleeing abuse, and more,' Simon details. 'Ending violence against women is everyone's business and we need to see greater investment in prevention campaigns that raise awareness of how to safely intervene as a bystander, as well as sustainable funding for the life-saving specialist support services women rely on. Services which are chronically underfunded and often on the brink of closure.' It's a sentiment that Gina Martin agrees with; she is a gender equality activist and author who led the charge in making upskirting a crime after experiencing it firsthand at a festival. 'More policing isn't a solution. The data shows us policing overwhelmingly doesn't bring justice to victims and logically, the police role comes after harassment or violence has already taken place.' From Martin's standpoint, preventative measures that incentivise bystander action and investment in safe spaces run by sexual violence and harassment professionals would be a more effective approach. 'We need the Government to consult with specialists on prevention rather than just increase policing, as if that will solve anything." This isn't the first time people have questioned how likely police-endorsed schemes are to work, especially when it comes to them being enforced long term. Ask for Angela is the name of an initiative set up by Hayley Crawford, District Commander for Bassetlaw (Nottinghamshire Police), in 2016. Crawford is the patron of Ask for Angela, a non-profit organisation, and decided to create the scheme while working as the Sexual Violence (Prevention) Lead for Lincolnshire County Council. Last year Cosmopolitan UK reported that 'Ask for Angela', which is advertised in music venues and other entertainment sites, like bars and clubs, was ineffective in many areas (despite well-intentioned proprietors). It was found that some venues displayed 'Ask for Angela' posters, encouraging guests to use the code word 'Angela' with staff if they felt in an unsafe situation (such as a date) in order to receive help and support, but many workers had not been trained in the scheme – and some were unaware of it entirely. Clearly, there's a long way to go before all venues – be they sold out stadiums or the local pub – are fully equipped and committed to ending violence against women and girls; police schemes like this cannot be viewed as the cure. It's only with true, widespread educational work, that takes the public along with the cause, and by properly funding the organisations working directly with women and girls who've experienced violence, that real positive change can occur. Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC's Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women's Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Dua Lipa shows off her impressive balance with a headstand and flashes the middle finger with boyfriend Callum Turner in fun photodump ahead of headlining Wembley Stadium
Dua Lipa looked over the moon in a series of pictures posted to Instagram, as she gushed in the caption that she's 'LOVINGGGGG LIFEEEE!!!' And it's no wonder the Levitating hitmaker looked elated as she is due to headline Wembley Stadium on Friday night, just one week after confirming her engagement to Callum Turner. In her latest social media carousel, the British actor was seen with his arms wrapped round the popstar as the lovebirds beamed while brandishing their middle fingers. Other pics included a radiant selfie snapped by the 29-year-old singer in Wembley Stadium, and several photos of her band high-fiving on stage. In one snap, Dua looked a picture of calm as she performed a headstand against a brick wall in gym wear, and in another, she moved through yoga positions as sunlight dappled through the open door. There were several snaps of the British-Albanian singer being chased by her dog down a windswept beach, as well as a seaside eatery promising 'FRESH LOCAL FISH.' In one touching image, the superstar was flocked by fans who brandished merch for her to sign, including a 35mm waterproof film camera and a Radical Optimism vinyl. In another picture she grinned while brandishing her July '25 British Vogue cover story, and the penultimate image was a sweet snap of Callum sauntering through a field, clasping a takeaway coffee while gazing at his phone. Earlier this month, the singer-songwriter, who turns 30 in August, publicly shared her excitement for the first time since the actor, 35, got down on one knee. 'Yeah we're engaged. It's very exciting', she told British Vogue. 'This decision to grow old together, to see a life and just, I don't know, be best friends forever — it's a really special feeling.' Late last year, news of their romantic proposal emerged and Dua has regularly been seen with a dazzling diamond ring on her finger. Speaking of their wedding plans, Dua said she hopes to finish her tour and Callum to wrap up filming before they tie the knot. While the wedding hasn't been at the forefront of her mind amid her busy schedule touring, she did admit she has started to think about her dress. She said: 'I want to finish my tour, Callum's shooting, so we're just enjoying this period. 'I've never been someone who's really thought about a wedding, or dreamt about what kind of bride I would be. All of a sudden, I'm like: "Oh, what would I wear?" Dua said she's 'obsessed' with her engagement ring, before insisting 'It's nice to know the person that you're going to spend the rest of your life with knows you very well.' Dua and Callum were first linked in January 2024 and reportedly got engaged over Christmas in 2024. The Dance the Night Away hitmaker also shared that she is keen to have a family of her own but admitted she doesn't know when would be a 'good time' because of the demands of her pop career. She said: 'I'd love to have kids one day. But it's like the constant question of when would there ever be a good time – how it would fit in with my job and how it would work if I went on tour, and how much time out I'd have to take. On Thursday, Dua commanded attention as she arrived at her exclusive merchandise pop-up shop in London. the pop sensation stunned in a black sheer lace mini dress that flaunted her incredible figure, paired with a black bra and hotpants. She elevated her sizzling look with sleek black boots and carried a stylish leopard print bag. Appearing in high spirits, Dua greeted fans outside the venue to mark the launch of the limited-time pop-up - a four-day immersive experience celebrating her music and upcoming summer stadium shows. Presented by American Express, the event runs from June 19-22 at Protein Studios in London. Fans can explore exclusive merchandise, interactive photo moments, and a bar serving Dua's favourite drink. The pop-up also offers a unique opportunity to experience her album Radical Optimism using cutting-edge L-ISA Immersive Sound technology. It comes after it was reported that Dua has 'lined up' two huge British pop stars to support her at her upcoming 'monumental' Wembley Stadium gigs. The singer said to have approached Charli XCX and Raye to open her shows on June 20 and 21, ahead of their upcoming Glastonbury performances. A source told The Sun: 'These two Wembley shows are monumental for Dua and she wants to give her fans an extra treat. 'Her team has approached Raye to open Friday's show, while Charli is in talks to perform on Saturday. 'Dua, Raye and Charli are all super supportive of each other and it would be amazing to have these three British female powerhouses playing Wembley. 'With Glastonbury the week after, this is the perfect warm-up for Raye and Charli too as they'll be playing to almost 80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium.'
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Rita Ora cringes as ukulele busker Liam Cowan hops in her car for an impromptu performance
Rita Ora was left cringing after a ukulele busker hopped in her car to give an impromptu performance of his original tune, Dolla Dolla. The musician known as 'Liam C', real name Liam Cowan, went viral last year for his 'cringe-worthy' serenade of Dua Lipa, 29, and has also bombarded fellow stars including Stormzy, 31, at Glastonbury Festival. Now, a new video shared by Liam on Instagram sees the musician enthusiastically playing his tune to an uncomfortable-looking Rita, 34. At the beginning of the clip, Rita gets escorted to her car by security as she is mobbed by fans and photographers shouting out her name. Meanwhile, Liam could be seen pushing his way through people to get into Rita's car as well with his cameraman. Once inside the car, Liam introduced Rita to the camera and said: 'We just had an absolute madness. Now, a new video shared by Liam on Instagram sees the musician enthusiastically playing his tune to an uncomfortable-looking Rita, 34 He continued: 'Very very lovely of her to just let me come in her car so I can play her a good tune. Is that alright? Rita simply replied: 'Always.' Liam then explained what his song is about, he said: 'This is called Dollar Dollar. So, like I'm living out my rucksack, running around doing the whole Ed Sheeran thing, doing everything I can to get noticed. So this is my song about that.' As he began to strum on his ukulele, Rita's unimpressed expression said it all, and she appeared lost for words. Following his quick performance, Liam asked Rita: 'Was it good?' and she politely replied: 'I loved it.' After posting the video to his Instagram, several people flocked to the comment section to share their opinions on the 'cringe-worthy' moment. One jokingly quipped: 'Her face says it all (laughing emojis); 'She was stressed (crying emoji)'; 'She's kool but she don't like it (laughing emoji).' Last year, Liam claimed he 'blagged' his way into Glastonbury Festival without a ticket in a bid to promote his fledgling music career. Joined by cameraman pal Andreas Tomoiaga, Liam documented his journey from his house to Somerset on his Instagram page which he has flooded with videos of himself performing his songs to both established artists and punters during the three-day bash. According to festival-goers, the wannabe singer played to 'anyone who would care to listen', many of whom mirrored Dua's unimpressed reaction which went viral. However, rapper Stormzy gave a far more sympathetic response moments after he joked 'not you again!' when Liam managed to locate him for the second successive year after he performed in front of him during the 2023 festival. The busker also serenaded Woody Cook, the son of DJ Fatboy Slim - aka Norman Cook - and Zoe Ball, and singer Hak Baker, plus festival-goers on site and the train down to the event. A festival source told MailOnline at the time: 'Liam was literally playing that song to everyone. 'Anybody who cared to listen, he was there with his ukulele. 'Lots of people took it in good grace and admired his positive attitude but there was also a hefty percentage of festival-goers who found him quite irritating'. After he claimed to have evaded security to enter the site, Liam told his followers how he wore wristbands from the previous year's festival to avoid further checks. The busker was so desperate to attend festivals and promote his music he even set up an online Crowdfunding page. His Facebook page states he grew up in Colchester, Essex, before moving to Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Liam, who has 67,000 followers on Instagram, attended the Isle of White Festival in June where he actually performed on stage. But he's most known for performing to random people on the street, as well as bidding to impress celebrities with his tunes. During his first trip to Glastonbury in 2023, he performed to not only Stormzy but ex-footballers Peter Crouch and Jamie Carragher, singer Tom Grennan, rapper Aitch and former Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews. Before his trip to the Isle of White, he managed to perform to both Strictly winner Stacey Dooley and Inbetweeners star James Buckley outside the stage door of their London theatre show 2:22. And in May 2023, he sang to Eighties crooner Rick Astley and rapper Professor Green at Kendal Calling and Girls Aloud duo Kimberley Walsh and Nicola Roberts at Mighty Hoopla. But it was his serenation of Dua at the festival which really put him on the map courtesy of her awkward reaction which went viral. Speaking to her behind the Pyramid Stage, Liam asked the superstar: 'I saw your Camden documentary and I thought it was amazing. 'Right now I am busking around Camden and I wanted to play you 30 seconds of my song and if you like it, I just want to get your reaction and that's it.' At 30 seconds Dua politely tells Liam 'I love it mate, so good, so good,' while walking away as he continues to sing. Her unimpressed reaction went viral with one tweeting: 'That video of the lad singing to Dua Lipa at Glastonbury has given me third degree cringe. Another shared a screenshot of Dua's unimpressed face as they quipped: 'Every woman on earth can identify with Dua Lipa waiting for the guy to stop playing guitar.' 'If you look closely you can actually pinpoint the exact moment her heart breaks in two'; 'She thought it would be like a chorus but he kept going lmao'; 'Dua hun, blink twice if you need help'; 'That Dua Lipa video nearly made me fold within myself like a camping chair.' Others though defended Liam with one musing: 'IDK man, if playing a sh***y song and looking like an idiot gets you a hug from Dua Lipa then I'm going to buy a ukulele.'
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Dua Lipa sets pulses racing in sheer lace minidress at the opening of her merchandise pop-up shop in London
Dua Lipa sent fans in a frenzy as she arrived at her exclusive merchandise pop-up shop in London, England on Thursday. The singer, 29, showed off her killer figure in a disheveled-looking black sheer lace minidress, paired with knee-high boots and a stylish leopard-print bag. Dua greeted fans outside the venue to mark the launch of the limited-time pop-up - a four-day immersive experience celebrating her music and upcoming summer stadium shows. Presented by American Express, the event runs from June 19-22 at Protein Studios in London. It has been reported that Dua has 'lined up' two huge British pop stars to support her at her upcoming 'monumental' Wembley Stadium gigs. The singer is believed approached Charli XCX and Raye to open her shows on June 20 and 21, ahead of their upcoming Glastonbury performances. A source told The Sun: 'These two Wembley shows are monumental for Dua and she wants to give her fans an extra team has approached Raye to open Friday's show, while Charli is in talks to perform on Saturday. 'Dua, Raye and Charli are all super supportive of each other and it would be amazing to have these three British female powerhouses playing Wembley. 'With Glastonbury the week after, this is the perfect warm-up for Raye and Charli too as they'll be playing to almost 80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium.'
