From office flirtation to bestselling romance novel, the journey of author Patricia Dlamini captures the imagination of readers and aspiring writers alike. Her latest book, ‘The Competitor’s Kiss: When Rivalry Turns to Romance, Who Really Wins?,’ takes inspiration from her own experiences in the corporate world, intertwining personal anecdotes with imaginative storytelling to create a captivating narrative that resonates with many.
CAPE TOWN, ZA / ACCESS Newswire / July 4, 2025 / The story follows two colleagues who develop a romantic relationship amidst the challenges of office politics and career aspirations. As the protagonists navigate their feelings and professional lives, readers are treated to an engaging exploration of love, ambition, and the complexities of workplace dynamics. Dlamini’s ability to blend humor with heartfelt moments allows the narrative to stand out in a crowded genre.
Amazon.com: The Competitor’s Kiss: When Rivalry Turns to Romance, Who Really Wins? Checkout Book Availability On Amazon.com
Dlamini’s background in marketing and her experiences in various corporate environments provided a rich foundation for her writing. The author draws on real-life scenarios to craft relatable characters and situations, making the themes of her book accessible to a wide audience. Readers will find themselves immersed in the ups and downs of office romance, reflecting on their own experiences as they turn the pages.
Prior to the release of ‘The Competitor’s Kiss: When Rivalry Turns to Romance, Who Really Wins?,’ Dlamini self-published several short stories online, gaining a dedicated following through her relatable writing style and authentic voice. The success of these stories paved the way for her transition to a full-length novel, showcasing her growth as an author and her commitment to storytelling. Her journey from a corporate employee to a bestselling author serves as an inspiration for many who dream of writing and publishing their own work.
The launch of ‘The Competitor’s Kiss: When Rivalry Turns to Romance, Who Really Wins?’ marks a significant milestone in Dlamini’s career, with pre-orders already exceeding expectations. The book has garnered interest from both readers and publishers, leading to discussions about potential adaptations for visual media. Dlamini aims to reach an even broader audience, sharing her insights on love and relationships in the modern workplace.
In conjunction with the book launch, Dlamini will engage with her readers through various platforms, including virtual book signings, social media discussions, and writing workshops. These events aim to foster a sense of community among readers and aspiring writers, providing a space for sharing experiences and insights about writing and love in the workplace.
‘The Competitor’s Kiss: When Rivalry Turns to Romance, Who Really Wins?’ is set to be released on July 15, 2025, and promises to offer an engaging read for those who appreciate romance intertwined with relatable workplace scenarios. As Dlamini continues to develop her craft, her debut novel stands as a testament to her journey and the power of storytelling.
While he’s best known for Nip/Tuck, McMahon’s decades-long career in film and television includes performances opposite everyone from Sandra Bullock to Jessica Alba to Nicolas Cage — and starring roles in two separate Marvel franchises.
Scroll through the photos below to see a selection of moments from his work and life.
Despite a busy schedule of globetrotting for Jurassic World Rebirth, actress Luna Blaise is all smiles.
The 23-year-old, who joins the iconic franchise as almost-college student Teresa in the latest Jurassic installment, has been taking the entire experience in. “I felt like I was at the masterclass,” Blaise tells The Hollywood Reporter on a Friday morning Zoom weeks before the film’s release.
The actress, whose past credits include a series regular role on NBC-turned-Netflix fan favorite Manifest, prides herself on having worked hard to get where she is, and she doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon.
Below, Blaise speaks with THR about Jurassic World Rebirth, taking any opportunity she can to be onset, and where she sees herself going in the future.
How do you feel about joining such a beloved and large franchise with Jurassic World Rebirth?
Truly, it’s been an unbelievable experience from the beginning to getting the call all the way to now. It’s been a minute-by-minute, heart-pounding, eyes-widening, mind-melting situation. When you get the call to do this, it’s one you’ll never forget. Honestly, I have been so blessed. To be able to have this opportunity and work with the people that I did and just continue to go on this journey is so exciting. I’m just so excited now for the world to now see it.
It has to be a little intimidating. Do you feel that you learned anything from other members of the cast?
Beyond. Oh my gosh, yes. The whole thing was a learning experience. I felt like I was at the masterclass, literally. To be able to work with the people that I did — [the] actors, yes, but crew as well. It’s just not your everyday thing. Honestly, [it was] a college course for what I want to do — to have a captain of the ship, which was Scarlett [Johansson], and to be able to have her set the tone for everything. Really from the beginning, the tone was set, and we all knew that no matter what, we’re all going to be taken care of. We all have each other’s backs. This is a hard process, but we’re not going to be able to do it without each other. We stuck with that, which was so helpful and so amazing.
What was it like getting to watch the film with audiences at the premieres? What were the reactions, particularly with your big T-Rex scene?
It was completely surreal. I remember just sitting at the Odeon [Luxe in London], and I was just with all my cast, and finally we’re seeing and hearing it be received by others. You’re looking around, and you’re just like, oh my gosh, this is happening. To be able to have so many people invested and involved and vocal about everything, it made the experience so much more heightened and so much more memorable because it wasn’t just you experiencing this. You were in a room with everybody else experiencing it, and it was just so special.
Did you always see this type of film for yourself, or do you feel it’s a departure for you?
I think that for me, if I was writing the script of my acting career, I don’t think I know what I see at all. I have a vision of where I want to go and what I want to achieve, but anything that comes along with that is all part of the ride. It’s all part of the journey. I’ve been blessed to be able to work in this industry for the amount of time that I have and have been attached to projects that have truly changed my life. I’ve had just such a pleasure doing them. Having this come my way — it’s my biggest thing yet — it’s not that I didn’t ever see it for myself, but I almost thought that that was something just completely unimaginable. Being in a Jurassic movie, it’s like a dream. I’m still waiting to be woken up.
You get that call, and you don’t think that that’s the actual call. I’m still waiting for that to simmer down in my brain because it’s just unbelievable. I guess if I were to close my eyes, look out and see what would be happening, it’s not that I wouldn’t not see this, but it was in an unimaginable sort of way. Now that it’s been able to happen, it’s even crazier.
Are you someone who takes roles as they come, or do you have certain milestones you’re looking to hit at certain times?
I’m just excited to be here. [I’m] just excited to be working in this industry, no matter what scale that’s at. It could be your Jurassic blockbuster, it could be a guerilla-style shoot for four days with one camera guy. It doesn’t matter. If I’m creating, and if I’m just continuing to just have my juices flow in that way and continue to work on my craft … I’m just excited for the opportunity. I think that whatever comes my way will come my way. If it’s something that I am intrigued about and something that resonates and sits with me, then 100 percent, I’ll take the opportunity to do anything on a set for sure. But then on the other hand, when those other projects do come, it’s like [you] jump at [them]. It’s an ebb-and-flow sort of situation but excited. Period.
It’s obviously a busy time for you with several premieres and the movie coming out. What does self care look like for you?
You can hear my lingering press sickness that’s happening right now. (Laughs.) It’s all fun. The stress of doing the 6 a.m. to this to going to the premiere and going to this and doing that and doing the press day; it’s like there’s so much, but you have to have fun. Because if you don’t, you’re just going to stress yourself out even more. I think for me, remembering to stay light, to stay positive. You’re tired, but it’s all part of the job, and you just have to get your work done. That’s it. It’s still work. You’re still working. The movie’s not over yet. It’s not over yet.
For me, especially within this past week that I’ve had — hopping from three different countries and doing a premiere and coming back here and going to New York and doing the whole thing — I have had to at least take 20 to 30 minutes at the beginning of my day to just breathe, to just set my intentions, to just center myself. [I will] repeat strong words in my mind that are just going to continue to keep my brain positive. I think if I’m lucky enough to be in a hotel that has a spa, I will go to the sauna, and I will go to the steam [room], and I will meditate for a second. I have definitely been taking advantage of my spa privileges during this press run.
Like you said, this is the biggest project you’ve ever done. What are you hoping to do next? Where’s your head at?
The actual percentage of working actors in this industry is so small, so small. For me, Luna, if I’m in that percentage, I want to do anything. I just want to have the opportunity to be on a set and to do what I love, regardless of what that is. To just have that young excitement is so refreshing, and it’s so nice to have. I can’t write what I want to do next. It is not something that I know yet. Everything that’s coming my way right now, it’s super exciting, and I’m into everything. Honestly, it’s just [me] waiting to see what actually meshes and what clicks. Whatever that may be is going to be the next opportunity that I’m so unbelievable blessed to have.
I think that I want to do something that is going to make me work even harder, something that I can fully invest my time and energy [into] and create a character. Because it’s also crazy for actors too. You spend so much time in a role, you have to let that go. Even after all the press and after everything, you’re like, OK, onto the next, let’s move on. That’s that. To be able to really immerse myself in another character and to do something that’s just completely different than anything I’ve ever done before, which Jurassic was for me at the time… I think that’s just what’s exciting for me, to be able to do something that I haven’t done, something that’s new and something that’s exciting for me in my life.
How do you want people to view you as a performer?
I think the no. 1 thing with actors that I personally get turned off on is you watch their films and you get this sense of light and you get this sense of character. Obviously, they’re playing something else, but then you watch the interviews and you watch everything else and you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s not who you are.’ I think that’s the worst. That’s the last thing I would want to happen to me. I want people to just see me. I hope you’ve seen talking to me, I’m excited to be here. I’m excited to have this opportunity. I’ve worked hard, and I am not going to stop working hard. I want people to see that. I want people to know that I am nowhere even near the top of where I want to go in my vision of life.
I have had the same visions for so long, and I am going to continue to try and work and to do that. I want people to see the hard work. I want people to know that. I also want people to know that this isn’t my first rodeo that I’ve done. I’ve been doing this for a while, and I want that to come off when people see me. I want people to know that it’s not just a walk in the park and that you have to be a hard worker to be able to get here. Nothing’s been handed to me in that way. I just want people to see that this is something that I truly, truly love to do, and I haven’t been given anything straight off the bat. I’ve done the work, and I’ll continue to do the work — and if you don’t see that, then that’s on you.
Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah claimed that he has not deleted his post supporting Diljit Dosanjh. He added that he “does not care about any backlash”. Taking to his FB account, Naseeruddin wrote: “I have NOT deleted my post about Diljit Dosanjh. I don’t care a fiddler’s fart for backlash.” Quoting German scientist and philosopher Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, the ‘Ishqiya’ actor penned, “It is almost impossible to carry the torch of truth through a crowd without singeing somebody’s beard – Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, scientist and philosopher.” Naseeruddin had made remarks against those criticising Diljit for working with Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in “Sardaar Ji 3.” Stating that Diljit played no part in casting Hania in the film, the ‘A Wednesday’ actor posted on FB, “I stand firmly with Diljit. The dirty tricks deptt of Jumla Party has been awaiting a chance to attack him. They think they’ve got it at last. He was not responsible for the casting of the film, the director was. But no one knows who he is whereas Diljit is known the world over and he agreed to the cast because his mind is not poisoned.”
Megyn Kelly has criticized Charlize Theron after the actress recently revealed that she had a one-night stand with a man nearly half her age while appearing on Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast.
“She decided to go on a podcast tour for some reason,” Kelly said during Thursday’s episode of “The Megyn Kelly Show.” “[She] sat down with ‘Call Her Daddy,’ the sex podcaster who interviewed Kamala Harris — all about how much they love abortions.”
The right-wing political commentator went on to accuse the “Mad Max” star of trying to act like a “super cool girl.”
During the July 2 episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Theron, 49, shared that she had slept with a 26-year-old man after Cooper asked the South African film producer for her best sex advice.
“I’ve probably had three one-night stands in my entire life, but I did just recently fuck a 26-year-old and it was really fucking amazing and I’ve never done that and I was like, ‘Oh, this is great, OK,’” she said during the episode. “When I do [have a one-night stand], I’m like, ‘Oh, fuck yeah, I should have done this in my 20s.’”
Later in the episode, Theron encouraged women to be more vocal about their desires in the bedroom.
“Women who come across as confident, women who come across as outspoken, ones that wouldn’t speak up for themselves tend to also be, in bed, people who want to please males,” Theron told Cooper.
Megyn Kelly and Charlize Theron.
She added: “Like, and I have found this in my experiences with talking to other women about this. Isn’t it strange? We should be the ones that are like, ‘Fuck you. I’m gonna have an orgasm.’”
Kelly went on to call Theron’s appearance on the podcast “weird” and “shockingly inappropriate.”
“She’s 49 years old, she’s trying to sound like she’s 26 years old … It feels weird. She’s one of our biggest stars, that’s true. Act like it. Have some class,” the former Fox News host declared.
“It’s a very strange thing to see one of our best-known actresses sit down, like, that with the crossed legs with this sex podcaster talking about their orgasms and who they f-ed,” she continued. “It’s really off-putting … it’s a turn-off.”
Elsewhere in the episode, Kelly took another jab at Theron, who ironically played her in the 2019 film “Bombshell,” which was based on the sexual harassment scandal at Fox News that led to the ousting of Roger Ailes.
“People can make their own minds up, [but] this is not how I would like to see our biggest stars behave,” Kelly said. “She’s on the opposite side of the aisle than we are politically, but you never see Julia Roberts do this kind of thing.”
Summertime living is supposed to be easy–so the dressing should be too. That’s why we’re all about matching sets. It’s all in the name–they match– taking the guesswork out of getting dressed, and getting you out of the house and into the sunshine. After all, is a summer spent inside picking outfits really a summer at all?
Vogue’s Favorite Matching Sets:
The Striped Set: Suzie Kondi Capri striped T-shirt, $195 and flare pant, $355
The Paisley Set: Nili Lotan Audrey bandana-print silk halterneck top, $450 and Frances silk twill shorts, $490
The Checked Set: Dôen Jonie top, $198 and Morgan pant, $228
The Crochet Set: Zimmermann Rhiannon cropped crocheted tank, $ and midi skirt, $
The Linen Set: Alex Mill Jo shirt, $165 and Riley pant, $175
The Printed Set: Mango printed crop shirt with knot detail, $60 and printed culotte pants, $60
The Bright Red Set: Matteau organic cotton poplin shirt, $360 and short, $290
The Floral Set: Hill House Adelaide top, $168 and Indra shorts, $150
Luckily the retail gods are on our side this summer–the (virtual) shelves are packed with sets of all shapes and sizes. For the down-to-earth dresser, striped pajama sets from The Row or With Nothing Underneath will carry you from the beach to the street, while the more festive summer stylite may opt to go for something printed or crochet. Either way, sets leave little to think about aside from accessories and attitude. Shop some of our favorites, styled out, right below.
The Striped Set With Sporty Extras
The Row’s relaxed stripe set pairs nicely with suede retro sneakers and Lemaire’s netted crossbody—perfect for weekend errands and a Saturday lunch, or a city trip when you’re out and about exploring.
Miu Miu
suede bicolor retro trainer sneakers
Lemaire
x FILT Fortune Croissant bag
The Crochet Set With Elegant Accessories
You’re spent but oh-so relaxed after a day soaking up the sun. What to wear for dinner on vacation? Zimmermann’s crochet set brings style to a no-fuss formula. Loewe’s Pebble slides are a nice break from daytime flip-flops.
Zimmermann
Rhiannon cropped crocheted tank
Zimmermann
Rhiannon crocheted midi skirt
Loewe
Pebble embellished leather slides
Toteme
gold-tone, crystal and onyx earrings
The Checked Set With a Roomy Tote and Flip-Flops
A pajama-inspired set is integral to a well-rounded summer-in-the-city uniform. Dôen’s checks all the boxes with its sweet print and relaxed (but still shapely) silhouette. Leather accents make the ensemble feel intentional, even if you indeed just rolled out of bed.
Massimo Dutti
Nappa leather maxi tote bag
The Striped Set With Playful Extras
Add whimsy to a more preppy striped short set with raffia ballet flats and a campy beaded choker.
The Flirty Skirt Set With Elegant Finishing Touches
Pearls and a tiny kitten heel are subtle but necessary supporting characters to this ruffled skirt set.
Valentino Garavani
cropped ruffled polka-dot top
Valentino Garavani
ruffled wrap-effect polka-dot midi skirt
Cos
crossover-strap kitten-heel sandals
The Striped Set With Sleek Slippers
Four hours plus on the road means one thing: lightweight fabrics and effortless silhouettes. Suzie Kondi’s striped set with velvet slippers is a reliable, and travel-friendly formula for laidback polish.
Vibi Venezia
suede easy loafer slippers
The Paisley Set With Boho Accessories
Nili Lotan’s halter top and mini short set is the fashion girl way into wearing bandana print. Stay on theme with a roomy shoulder bag and embellished leather sandals.
Nili Lotan
Audrey bandana-print halterneck top
Nili Lotan
Frances bandana-print shorts
Zimmermann
Wild embellished leather sandals
The Linen Set With Nautical Notes
Ground an airy white linen set with structured accents—boat shoes and a drawstring bucket bag bridge coastal ease with city polish.
The Printed Set With a Little Black Bikini and Mesh Flats
When in doubt, a matching printed set thrown over a little black bikini is an easy style win for hanging on a friend’s rooftop or backyard.
The Bright Red Set With a Leather Slides and a Roomy Tote
Matteau’s bright red set offers a vibrant take on summer minimalism. Add in a canvas tote for practicality and you’re weekend look is sorted.
Matteau
organic cotton-poplin shirt
Matteau
organic cotton-poplin shorts
The Floral Set With Sweet Accessories
Mary Janes and tortoiseshell sunglasses play up the femininity of this sweet floral set.
When people talk about family farms being endangered, they usually mean that farmers are struggling with the economics of modern agribusiness. But the movie thriller “40 Acres” imagines a more physical danger. The film is set in a world of famine, violence and lots of guns. You will hear the guns in critic Bob Mondello’s review, but he says the film also provides food for thought.
BOB MONDELLO, BYLINE: The first images are of heavily armed intruders penetrating the perimeter of the Freeman family farm. Words onscreen tell us that it’s 14 years since a fungal pandemic wiped out 98% of the world’s animals, 12 years since a war caused by food chain disruption. The world’s population has plummeted due to famine, but this little plot of land in rural Canada owned by a Black family that moved here after the American Civil War is an oasis of plenty, hence the intruders. A few approach the front of the house openly…
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “40 ACRES”)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character) Greetings. It’s a nice little farm you’ve got on this piece of land.
MONDELLO: …While others sneak around the barn into the cornfield and discover the Freeman family, mostly women and children, is ready with knives…
(SOUNDBITE OF STABBING)
MONDELLO: …And hatchets…
(SOUNDBITE OF AXE SPINNING)
MONDELLO: …And finally gunfire.
(SOUNDBITE OF GUNFIRE)
MONDELLO: They were ready because Hailey Freeman, played with steely resolve by Danielle Deadwyler, and her partner Galen, played by Michael Greyeyes, have brought them up to be. Hailey’s a former soldier, still in radio contact with others.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “40 ACRES”)
DANIELLE DEADWYLER: (As Hailey Freeman) Freeman 1 to Augusta 24, do you copy?
MONDELLO: But the news is rarely good.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “40 ACRES”)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character) You’ve heard about the attacks by now?
DEADWYLER: (As Hailey Freeman) Thought your Union Army was going to come and take care of that.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character) They’re not. They’re dead.
MONDELLO: So Hailey runs the farm as if she were its commanding officer, her kids cadets.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “40 ACRES”)
DEADWYLER: (As Hailey Freeman) Everybody carries a sidearm and a radio at all times – in the fields, when you sleep, everywhere.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #3: (As character) Some of these people are posing as Union soldiers and workers trying to get information. We can’t trust what anyone says.
MONDELLO: It is no accident that first-time feature filmmaker R.T. Thorne framed this story around a family that is Black and Indigenous. The older generation doesn’t trust outsiders because they’ve learned from experience that they can’t.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “40 ACRES”)
DEADWYLER: (As Hailey Freeman) You see anybody, double back, do not engage. These folks’ll kill you for the boots on your feet.
MONDELLO: But the youngsters who have never known anything but the farm are chafing at their isolation. Seventeen-year-old Manny wonders if the sacrifice they make by being so cut off from the world is worth the safety it ensures.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “40 ACRES”)
KATAEM O’CONNOR: (As Manny Freeman) If we brought in some help.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #3: (As character) From where?
KATAEM O’CONNOR: (As Manny Freeman) The network. Other farms. I don’t know.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #3: (As character) Exactly, you don’t know. You got no idea what these people are like out there.
KATAEM O’CONNOR: (As Manny Freeman) Have you even tried talking to them?
DEADWYLER: (As Hailey Freeman) Boy, who the hell you think you’re talking to? You got a roof over your head, food in your belly while half the world’s starving, and you got the nerve to complain about that?
MONDELLO: But Manny, played by Kataem O’Connor, has ventured outside the farm a few times to trade food for supplies, also to swim in the river. And one day, he sees a young woman there and starts to think, maybe there’s another way to live. The farm’s generational divide is designed to hark back to civil rights and other social movements – veterans deeply skeptical of engagement, a younger cohort convinced that isolation is ultimately limiting. Director Thorne has said in interviews he was putting a dystopian frame on current concerns like food insecurity, an age of Black Lives Matter, indigenous land rights disputes. Though his film is often violent, he’s had the good sense to use a gentler narrative framework to give “40 Acres” its punch – a mother and a son with different ideas on how best to face the end of the world. I’m Bob Mondello.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SLOW UP”)
JACOB BANKS: (Singing) What I’ve learned from a soldier, every man is assigned to a daughter. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
Viewed from the outside, at least, far from united, the states of America appear irreconcilably divided.
Which may explain why Astrid Jorgensen, a 35-year-old choir director from Brisbane who honed her skills at the pub, has just toured the States to sold out shows and seen her US reality TV appearance go viral.
“When I stand on the stage, I would like to prove to you that, in 90 minutes, we can agree on something,” Jorgensen says.
“And I think that that’s a really important message anywhere but, for sure, I’m drawing the conclusion [that] in America … it feels like an antidote to whatever’s happening in their own communities.”
While it might take an hour and a half in her travelling Pub Choir shows – in which she coaches the audience to sing along to pop and rock classics in harmony – Jorgensen made her point in a matter of minutes when she flipped the script of America’s Got Talent in her televised appearance last month.
Instead of seeking their adulation for her own vocal prowess, the former high school music teacher got her audience to stand up and sing themselves. Yes, the cameras follow Jorgensen’s dynamic conduction on stage. But, for the two-minute rendition of Toto’s Africa, they mainly focus on the faces of the crowd. People of all ages, genders and colours, singing their little hearts out. Bemused, at first, before exuding the kind of pure and silly joy one only experiences belting out an 80s yacht rock anthem with a bunch of mates.
“If you bring some, like, cerebral, I dunno, indie thing, people are going to feel afraid and that they’re going to do a bad job,” Jorgensen says of her song selection. “I just want people to feel like they’re winning – because it’s just singing. It’s not that big a deal. We’ve been overthinking it. Just give them a win and let them feel good.”
The people must have done. Cajoled by judge Simon Cowell and by an adoring crowd, Jorgensen was voted through to the show’s next round. Tens of millions of people have watched, shared and commented on the clip online.
Astrid Jorgensen: ‘I tell people to put their phones away.’ Photograph: Kristina Wild
Jorgensen is Zooming in from her bedroom in Brisbane, trying to keep an angry chihuahua called Penny quiet. Penny is never angry with Jorgensen – only with those who seek to steal Jorgensen away from her dog. Penny is frequently angry.
Jorgensen’s not long back from a hectic tour of the US. Yesterday, the ABC’s Australian Story team was filming hers. Pub Choir will tour Singapore, Tokyo, the UK and Ireland in August. Jorgensen is launching her memoir, Average At Best, in September. She will tour Australia and News Zealand in October and November. Her computer pings with Slack messages from her media team.
Unsure how to mute the notifications, Jorgensen takes a moment to message her handlers and kindly asks them to shush. The quiet brings oxygen back into the conversation.
Jorgensen takes a similar approach to her Pub Choir shows.
“I try to play into, and really appeal to, an analogue experience,” she says. “I tell people to put their phones away. And that is really hard for a lot of people.”
But choir, she says, is a unique act of communion in which the audience is transformed into artists. It is a sensation she experienced growing up Catholic, something that almost convinced Jorgensen to become a nun – until she realised that the “beautiful, hopeful, optimistic, spiritual feeling” that its services gave her came not from the word of God, but from the music of the church.
Running Up That Hill: Watch Brisbane choir’s rendition of Kate Bush classic – video
This is an experience Jorgensen wants for her audience, but she wants them to decide for themselves how they feel about it, with their own brain, ears and eyes – not through a screen. Even after the show she asks that they keep phones in pockets.
“And I think that’s really freeing for people,” Jorgensen says. “It’s really a lovely invitation for people to just experience, just to feel anything, to feel something at the show with others and to look around, to look eyes up, look at the board, look at each other, hold someone’s hand.
“I feel like it’s such a nice, rare opportunity to agree with other people just in such a low-key way.”
Jorgensen describes singing together as a “beautiful fast track to community” – something that, ironically, she alone is not part of at her own shows, standing as she does on stage. So after the final show of her US tour, at a nightclub in Honolulu, Jorgensen invited everyone in the audience to come and say hello.
“People were relaying to me that this felt like the opposite of the way they’d been feeling for … years even. And that it felt important for them to remind that humanity and, like, connecting on a level outside of politics is possible,” she says.
“That’s a special thing to be able to facilitate.”
The summer celebrity forecast predicts clear skies, and an unproblematic leading man heatwave in the form of Jonathan Bailey and Pedro Pascal.
In a time marked by division – over politics and pretty much everything else – Pascal and Bailey have seemingly united the internet by abiding by a fairly simple principle: It’s ok to have fun being a celebrity.
Case in point: Bailey matched wits – and clutched pearls – with one of the web’s most gifted in the art of the flirt, Amelia Dimoldenberg, who on Friday welcomed the fellow Brit on her popular YouTube series “Chicken Shop Date.” Their blush-inducing conversation ranged from Dimoldenberg calling their relationship “tantric” (Bailey qualified that description with, “From afar”) to her asking him about the chaps he was planning to wear to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour show that evening.
“Are they going to be with the bum, or without the bum?” she asked, to which Bailey responded, “We’ll see, maybe they’ll evolve as the night goes on.”
For those who don’t know him, Bailey was first introduced to most after an enchanting run on three seasons of “Bridgerton.” He then caught our attention when he starred in “Wicked” part one last year as the dashing Prince Fiyero.
Next up, Bailey is starring in “Jurassic Park: Rebirth” alongside Scarlett Johansson, out this week, before he reprises his role as Fiyero in “Wicked: For Good” in November.
What has made audiences fall in love with Bailey offscreen though, is that he can be devilishly flirty and disarmingly wholesome all in the same breath.
Further proof: The viral craze that was Bailey’s so-called “slutty little glasses,” a moniker for the eyewear that he sports in “Jurassic Park: Rebirth” coined by internet personality Blakely Thornton. The moniker stuck after audiences saw Bailey’s eyeglasses in the first trailer for the film.
Fully embracing the moment, Bailey told Entertainment Tonight at the London premiere of “Jurassic World: Rebirth” earlier this month that he’s “thrilled that people are having a hormonal explosion linked to optical supports.”
He also saw his viral moment as an opportunity for good. Bailey and spectacle maker Cubitts recently partnered to launch a limited-edition pair of sunglasses, inspired by his eyewear worn in the film, according to WWD. A portion of the sales will benefit Bailey’s charity The Shameless Fund, which he established last year in support of the LGBTQ+ community to “live authentically.”
Bailey is also busy living out his dream of playing in the “Jurassic” orchestra when they recorded the score for the new film at Abbey Road Studios. Bailey was able to perform the clarinet solo that played over a scene where his character interacted with a dinosaur for the first time.
“I’m sort of shaking,” Bailey said in a featurette for the film after recording his solo. “It’s a total dream come true.”
And then, of course, there’s bee-swatter and Internet “daddy” Pascal, who is literally everywhere lately.
He not only recently appeared (and absolutely broke our hearts) in the second season of HBO’s “The Last of Us,” but he also showed up in Celine Song’s anti-rom-com “The Materialists,” out now. If that weren’t enough, he will also be appearing in the Ari Aster-directed drama “Eddington” and Marvel’s “Fantastic Four,” both out later this month.
He’ll also be reprising his role as the titular helmeted hero in the “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” film next year.
Outside of being one of the most sought-after movie and TV stars of the time, Pascal, like Bailey, is an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ causes.
In April, Pascal set the internet abuzz when he attended Marvel’s “Thunderbolts*” premiere in London wearing a white t-shirt that read “protect the dolls” to show support for the transgender community, including his sister, Lux Pascal, who came out as a transgender woman in 2021.
The t-shirt was designed by London-based designer Conner Ives. All profits from the shirt benefit Trans Lifeline, a charity that offers emotional and financial support to transgender people.
The Pascal craze came to a boiling point last month when a lookalike contest was held in New York City, as part of a growing trend that brings out doppelgängers of our most sought out celebs.
“It’s the Pedro takeover,” Emma Stone, who stars alongside him in “Eddington,” gushed about Pascal during an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” last week. “He’s so wonderful. He’s talented, he’s gorgeous, he’s nice, he’s funny.”
We can see it, too, Emma.
Even Robert Downey Jr., who will appear alongside Pascal in Marvel’s upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday,” can’t get enough of Pascal.
“Pascal’s slow trajectory to becoming a household name who is on a wildly hot streak kind of reaffirms my faith in our industry,” Downey said in a Vanity Fair interview published last week.
Pascal celebrated his milestone 50th birthday in April and spoke playfully and modestly about the renaissance he’s currently having at this age.
“Stepping into my 40s felt adult and empowered,” Pascal told the publication. “Fifty felt more vulnerable—much more vulnerable… What a silly thing for a 50-year-old man—to have all this attention!”
In the front of Cardiff’s Spillers Records – the oldest record shop in the world – there is a three-by-three vinyl display of records by artists “playing locally soon!”, announced by an orange paper slip inside the plastic sleeve. Despite the mass hoopla outside in the Welsh capital – where the main drag, St Mary’s Street, is a racket of bars blasting Britpop anthems and spontaneous singalongs of Champagne Supernova are breaking out – it is still somehow astonishing to see a copy of Oasis’s 1998 compilation The Masterplan in the top left corner of the shelf.
The band’s reunion may finally be starting on Friday at the city’s Principality Stadium, but after 16 years apart, it still feels so unlikely.
Spillers’ owner, Ashli Todd, has worked at the shop for almost 30 years (and on her first day sold Robbie Williams a copy of Super Furry Animals’ debut album, Fuzzy Logic). “They [Oasis] have never gone anywhere, as far as we’re concerned, in terms of sales,” she says. “Through various phases of their career, they’ve never dwindled. I can’t think of a time where we haven’t had them in the racks. And from an industry perspective, their team do a fantastic job of keeping their records in print.”
Todd says it is “exceptionally exciting to have their tour kicking off here”, adding: “It’s bringing a lot of fans to the city, which is wonderful. I just had a father in his 50s in, who saw them in their heyday, telling me he’s taking along his teenage child, which is beautiful.”
Families are almost as prevalent as the anticipated groups of lads. Photograph: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images
On Friday afternoon in the city centre, there are dozens of stories like these. Families are almost as prevalent as the anticipated groups of lads. In the St David’s Dewi Sant shopping centre, a queue has formed for photographs in front of a specially installed 230-sq-ft (23-sq-metre) mural of Noel and Liam Gallagher made entirely of black and white bucket hats.
Lottie, 11, wearing a Definitely Maybe T-shirt and “Cardiff Live 25” bucket hat, is a big fan. “My dad introduced me to them,” she says “We bond over their songs.”
Her aunt Rebecca chimes in. “I first saw them here 31 years ago, at the Cardiff Astoria, while I was pregnant with him,” she says, pointing at her adult son.
Her partner recalls the ticket price, £7.50, a figure that may smart a little for reunion tour ticketholders stung by Ticketmaster’s controversial dynamic pricing policy. (Daniel and Laura, drinking outside the Traders Tavern, defend the cost of tickets. “A lot of people are making a big thing about it but hotels tonight are also £800, £900,” says Daniel. “I don’t think it’s just a Gallagher thing – it’s this day and age, unfortunately.”)
The Wonder Wall, a mural by the Welsh artist Nathan Wyburn made out of 3,000 black and white bucket hats. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PA
At an official pre-party at the Blue Bell pub thrown by Pretty Green, the fashion label that Liam Gallagher founded in 2009 (but no longer runs), William is wearing an Oasis Adidas T-shirt. He says has come down from the north-east of England with his dad, Steven, to celebrate his 10th birthday on Friday. For his birthday present, he is hoping they play Acquiesce, the B-side to Some Might Say. “I like the hype of it,” William says. “They both sing on it.”
Steven first saw Oasis in 2000. “I was 17 or 18,” he says. “My dad took me, so it’s come full circle.”
There is a festival atmosphere in the city, the bars overflowing with fans and blaring with Oasis anthems, creating a sonic effect down the high street that sounds like being stuck in an exhaust pipe.
Outside the Principality, Donna, a Big Issue vendor, is holding up the magazine’s dual-cover edition, Liam on one, Noel on the other, and asking buyers who they prefer. It is a trick question: the answer is in fact Donna, AKA the Queen of Cardiff, who is this month’s “My Pitch” profile on the magazine’s back page.
Bars blast out the anthems and spontaneous singalongs of Champagne Supernova fill the streets. Photograph: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters
Phil is selling copies of the Socialist Worker newspaper, which is leading on a defence of Kneecap and Bob Vylan. He isn’t getting much interest from Oasis fans. “I don’t think there’s anything rock’n’roll about them,” he says. “Beatles rip-off band from the 90s.” The Gallaghers’ dalliances with New Labour were “runaway great branding” for both sides, Phil says.
Where, say, Bruce Springsteen concerts are a parade of fans proudly wearing vintage merchandise from gigs they saw in the 70s or 80s, most Oasis fans in Cardiff on Friday are kitted out in box-fresh items from the two official stalls the band have set up in the city, showcasing their own products and a bespoke tour collaboration with Adidas.
The vintage shops Hobos and Beyond Retro report a run on old-school Adidas track jackets (though shop staff at both independently say demand is nothing like for Lana Del Rey’s gig here last month, when white blouses and boho skirts sold out). There are warring street stalls selling knockoff bucket hats bearing the band’s song titles. “You look like a supermodel,” one vendor tells a woman umming and ahhing over a blue hat, then sings “would I lie to you?” at her.
Molly, 16, is getting a glittery transfer of Oasis on her cheek from another high street stall. After discovering Don’t Look Back in Anger, “that was it from there”, she says, citing Bonehead’s Bank Holiday as an unlikely favourite song. “I love Liam. He’s so funny. No filter.”
Most Oasis fans in Cardiff on Friday are kitted out in box-fresh items from the two official stalls. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PA
Inside St David’s Dewi Sant, Asad, 24, is one of the staff at the official shopping centre popup, but he’s been drafted out of the shop by security to help manage a queue that snakes around an entire concourse. “It’s been very hectic but surprisingly well behaved,” he says. The shop has been playing non-stop Oasis. “Some songs I didn’t know they were by them,” he says. “I’ve been interacting with people coming from Italy, Miami, Canada – they touch this many people, it’s crazy.” Sadly, he does not have a ticket. “I wish I did.”
In the queue, Trevor, 43, and Michelle, 52, are wearing homemade Oasis T-shirts but waiting to buy some official Adidas jackets. Trevor has an immaculate version of Liam Gallagher’s most famous haircut: long sideburns, a bit spiked on the top. “I’m contractually obliged to have this haircut,” he says. “I’m Liam in a tribute band.”
It turns out that Hemel Hempstead’s own Oh-aces have their own turbulent history. “The first lineup failed,” says Michelle. “Me and Noel fell out,” says Trevor. “It’s been this lineup since January.”
It is when he puts on his stage gear and glasses and has a couple of beers that he starts to feel like Liam. Tonight, he says, “I’ll definitely be looking for some tips, but not judging.”
Fans have come from as far away as Tokyo to attend the first gig of the reunion tour. Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA
Outside the stadium there is another merchandise booth, where Marina, 36, and Shun, 29, are waiting holding a Japanese flag. They have flown 16 hours from Tokyo to see Oasis for the first time. It is personal for them, too. Marina translates for Shun: “He has a brother and it was not a good relationship, similar to Oasis. But they are in a band: Shun plays drums and his brother plays guitar, and they have a good relationship now. The music helps.”
At least a few fans seem to have travelled from even further away. Back in Spillers, a group of three friends are wearing T-shirts that say: “We live in desert looking for Oasis – 2025.7.5 – From Shanghai to Cardiff – 8,100km”. The trio travelled to the UK last month for their first Glastonbury and to finally see Oasis live after 20 years of being fans.
Teresa, 37, has loved the band since she was 13. “When I feel sad, their songs make it better,” she says. “The songs mean a lot – their spirit gives me the hope to meet difficult things and it can become the energy for me. I think the concert will become very important for me in my future life.”
