title: Corey Haim

text: On February 7, 2008, Haim ran a paid advertisement in the Hollywood trade publication "Variety" with a full-page photo, stating: "This is not a stunt. I'm back. I'm ready to work. I'm ready to make amends".


title: Corey Haim

text: In February 2008, filming commenced in Vancouver for "", a direct-to-DVD sequel featuring few of the original cast. Haim wept when he was told on-camera that there was no role for him in the film. He later was scheduled to film a cameo appearance, but turned up on the set obviously under the influence and was unable to remember his lines. A&E canceled "The Two Coreys" midway through its second season in July 2008.


title: Corey Haim

text: Amid the Two Coreys' well-publicized estrangement came unconfirmed reports that Warner Bros. planned to release a "Lost Boys 3"—with their characters facing off. Feldman was confirmed to star in and act as executive producer of "". In July 2008, Haim completed filming on the gambling comedy "Shark City" in Toronto with Vivica A. Fox, Carlo Rota and David Phillips.


title: Corey Haim

text: Haim and G Tom Mac developed an idea for a reality show called "Lost Boy Found", documenting Haim's addiction and recovery through music at Mac's studio, where he had been given a place to stay. Mac pledged that if Haim stayed clean, he would allow him to come on tour and perform with him. A pilot was filmed, but the show was not picked up.


title: Corey Haim

text: In 2009, "" was released, which saw Haim sporting a blonde mullet alongside Jason Statham, Amy Smart and Dwight Yoakam. Haim completed two films scheduled for a 2010 release: the thriller "American Sunset", in which he played a man who is abducted in the search for his missing wife, and "Decisions", shot in December 2009, in which his character is a cop working with troubled kids. After "American Sunset" wrapped in New Brunswick, Canada on June 18, 2009.


title: Corey Haim

text: Haim was attached to several films scheduled to go into production in 2010. In his final days, he was working on "The Dead Sea", a film in which mercenaries on a naval ship are trapped by zombies. He requested a "clean set" from producers to reduce temptation, although his fellow cast members commented on his hyperactivity and need for attention. Haim came to the set on his days off.


title: Corey Haim

text: During the filming of "The Lost Boys", Haim bonded with Corey Feldman as they stayed in the hotel watching movies and visited the local arcade. The two became best friends.


title: Corey Haim

text: Following the release of "The Lost Boys", Haim visibly embraced the privileges of his new-found fame, becoming a regular at Alphy's Soda Pop Club, a private nightclub for underage actors at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.


title: Corey Haim

text: In February 1993, Michael Bass reported to police that Haim had threatened him during an argument. Haim was arrested. According to Haim's publicist at the time, he was shooting BB guns at a target in his backyard while trying to fire Bass, who refused to accept that he was being let go. Initially investigated as a terrorist threat (a felony), Haim's charge was downgraded to the misdemeanor of exhibiting a replica handgun in a threatening manner. Feldman posted Haim's $250 bail.


title: Corey Haim

text: By late July 2008, Haim had become destitute and homeless in Los Angeles. He was taken in by singer-songwriter G Tom Mac, who wrote "Cry Little Sister" for "The Lost Boys" soundtrack. They developed an idea for a reality show called "Lost Boy Found", documenting Haim's addiction and recovery through music at Mac's studio, where he had been given a place to stay.


title: Corey Haim

text: Despite their close bond in their early years of fame, Haim and Feldman had a number of disagreements in Haim's later years. Many of these disputes occurred due to Haim's drug use, which was documented in "The Two Coreys documentary". Before his death, Haim reconciled with Feldman off-camera. The two were spending time together developing a sequel to "License to Drive" called "License to Fly", a project of Haim's conception.


title: Corey Haim

text: Haim struggled with substance abuse for most of his life. He was already drinking beer in his early teens on the set of "Lucas" in 1985, and a year later, he tried marijuana on the set of "The Lost Boys". Haim asserted that the filming of "License to Drive" was his "breaking point" for becoming addicted to drugs. On his return from a Hawaiian family vacation in May 1989, Haim told the press that he had been clean for a month after going cold turkey without the help of a substance-abuse program.


title: Corey Haim

text: Fellow "Lost Boys" actor Brooke McCarter began managing Haim in an effort to keep him clean. McCarter was dating Oscar-winning producer Julia Phillips, who termed the assignment "babysitting". In her memoir, Phillips recalled Haim's asking her permission to take out her daughter, and the moral conflict she experienced while smoking marijuana in front of him, saying: "Mixed feelings about Corey. Love him. Detest him too, or at least the manipulative part that knew how to make people twice his age snap to. Are you really only eighteen? Who writes your dialogue"?


title: Corey Haim

text: During the filming of "Without Malice" (2000), Haim would reportedly halt production to call Toronto and check if his dog was dead, and sudden medical incidents required the filling of emergency prescriptions.


title: Corey Haim

text: By 2001, Haim had sought rehabilitation 15 times for his drug addiction. He spent time in rehabilitation and was placed on prescription medication, which he began to abuse. On August 10, 2001, his mother found him unconscious at his Los Angeles bungalow. He was rushed to the UCLA Medical Center where doctors managed to stabilize him. Two weeks earlier, from July 23, 2001, Haim had spent some time in Sherman Oaks Hospital.


title: Corey Haim

text: Feldman said of Haim: "He made so many attempts at suicide. He's OD'd so many times. I mean, I can't begin to tell you, having him foaming at the mouth, coming downstairs and finding him that way and drooling and not able to speak, and me, having to put charcoal down his throat so that he could breathe."


title: Corey Haim

text: Haim stated that at one point, he did not leave his apartment for three and a half years and ballooned from 150 to 302 pounds. By 2004, Haim appeared to have overcome his drug habit after his mother persuaded him to return to Toronto with her and resettle there.


title: Corey Haim

text: Feldman avowed that he would no longer speak to Haim until he got clean, On "The Two Coreys", Feldman and his wife, along with two other former teen stars, called on Haim in an effort to get him to admit he needed help. Feldman added that he did not consider Haim to be "a safe person to have around my wife and child at the moment". After his falling-out with Feldman, Haim had a car accident while under the influence and walked out for good on the show's therapist. Publicly severing his ties with Haim, Feldman stated: "I am not going to watch him destroy himself."


title: Corey Haim

text: On the advice of his lawyer, Haim went to a physician in California with the goal of sticking to a program to wean off pills without multiple doctors in order to demonstrate that he was working toward getting clean. Haim's agent stated that the doctor was reluctant to drop Haim from his current level to zero pills, fearing a seizure, and took him to an addiction specialist to get mental help.


title: Corey Haim

text: Haim never married or had any children. He was involved with "Who's the Boss" actress Alyssa Milano from 1987 to 1990. Milano and her parents, together with his manager at the time, unsuccessfully tried to get Haim help for his addiction.


title: Corey Haim

text: Lala Sloatman co-starred with Haim in "Watchers" (1988) and "Dream a Little Dream" (1989), and they dated on and off for two years at the peak of his fame.


title: Corey Haim

text: Haim was engaged to "Baywatch" actress Nicole Eggert, with whom he starred in "Blown Away" (1992) and "Just One of the Girls" (1993). Eggert is credited with helping to save Haim's life at least once by taking him to hospital to detox during a "narcotic rush". Eggert once said: "I spent a lot of nights in emergency rooms with him. I don't think that I saved his life, I just think that I was there for him".


title: Corey Haim

text: Haim had a year-long relationship with actress Tiffany Shepis. In October 2008, he stated that the two were engaged and due to marry on May 9, 2009.


title: Corey Haim

text: In an episode of "The Two Coreys", Haim told Feldman that he had been sexually abused at the age of 14 by one of Feldman's acquaintances. Declining to identify his molester (a 42-year-old man), Haim said that the abuse had continued for two years with Feldman's knowledge. This disclosure led to a further rift between Haim and Feldman, and the show continued to expose the darker side of their lives as teen stars.


title: Corey Haim

text: In 2011, after Haim's death, Feldman stated that a "Hollywood mogul" who abused Haim was to blame for his death. Feldman's 2013 memoir, "Coreyography", stated that he and Haim suffered sexual abuse as young actors in the film industry. Feldman stated that during the filming of "Lucas", Haim "had been tricked into engaging in a painful session of anal sex by a man on the movie set. The man told Haim that sex between men and boys was normal in Hollywood". Feldman reported that after this experience, Haim suggested that he and Feldman engage in sex and Feldman declined.


title: Corey Haim

text: In 2016, Judy Haim threatened to sue Feldman. Haim claimed that many of his statements were false and added that Feldman was looking for attention and money. In 2017, Judy Haim again spoke out against Feldman, who was seeking $10 million to make a documentary exposing those who had allegedly sexually abused him and her son; Judy Haim referred to Feldman as a "scam artist".


title: Corey Haim

text: In a 2017 interview from the "National Enquirer", actor Dominick Brascia alleged that Charlie Sheen was the person who had raped Haim on the set of "Lucas". Sheen was 19 at the time, while Haim was 13. Sheen denied these allegations and filed a lawsuit against the "National Enquirer" that was settled in 2018. In a 2017 interview on "The Dr. Oz Show", Judy Haim denied that Charlie Sheen was sexually involved with her son and accused Brascia, who died in 2018, of having sexually abused him.


title: Corey Haim

text: In March 2020, Feldman's documentary, "", was released. Feldman alleged that Sheen had raped Haim and added that Haim had described the incident in graphic detail. These claims were backed up in the documentary by Jamison Newlander, Haim's friend and co-star in "The Lost Boys", and Feldman's ex-wife Susie Sprague. Feldman accused Brascia of having sexually abused Haim as well. Feldman also spoke out against Judy Haim's attacks on his credibility. Sheen's publicist denied the abuse allegations.


title: Corey Haim

text: On March 10, 2010, after Haim's mother phoned 911, paramedics took Haim from their home to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, where he was pronounced dead at 2:15 a.m. He was 38 years old. The 10-minute 9-1-1 call made by Haim's mother was leaked on the Internet. Haim had been ill with flu-like symptoms for two days before his death. A doctor called on him and took his temperature, but did not suspect serious problems. Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said: "As he got out of bed, he felt a little weak and went down to the floor on his knees."


title: Corey Haim

text: Los Angeles police initially stated that Haim's death appeared to be an accidental overdose; bottles containing Valium, Vicodin, Soma (a muscle relaxant) and Haloperidol (an antipsychotic) were retrieved. It emerged that Haim had used illegal aliases to procure over 553 prescription pills in the 32 days before his death, having "doctor-shopped" seven different physicians and used seven pharmacies to obtain the supply. The pills included 195 Valium, 149 Vicodin, 194 Soma and 15 Xanax. Haim's agent discounted the possibility of an overdose, citing his recent drive toward clean living and affirming that he had been completely drug-free for two weeks. However, Haim's primary doctor confirmed to Drug Enforcement Administration investigators that Haim was addicted to pain medication.


title: Corey Haim

text: California Attorney General Jerry Brown announced that his office was investigating Haim's death, saying an unauthorized prescription in his name had been found among fraudulent prescription pads ordered from San Diego. On March 17, 2010, Brown announced that an arrest was made in connection with the investigation, which involved doctor-identity theft and up to 5,000 illegal prescriptions. While detailed information was not released, officials stated that Haim had obtained Oxycontin via a prescription drug ring. Records showed he had received thousands of pills over the last year of his life, using physicians at offices, urgent-care facilities and emergency rooms.


title: Corey Haim

text: On May 4, 2010, the L.A. County Coroner's office autopsy report revealed that Haim died of diffuse alveolar damage and pneumonia, together with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and coronary arteriosclerosis. The death was ruled a natural death. As to the question of whether drugs were involved, the coroner stated: "the toxicology report revealed no significant contributing factor". Before the autopsy report was released publicly, Haim's mother stated that the coroner had given her a "courtesy call" to state his preliminary findings that Haim died of pulmonary edema and was suffering from an enlarged heart and water in the lungs. Haim's death certificate lists "Diffuse Alveolar Damage" and "Community Acquired Pneumonia" as causes of death, with "Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy With Coronary Arteriosclerosis" listed as other conditions contributing but not related to the immediate cause of death.


title: Corey Haim

text: On March 25, 2010, approximately twenty doctors were subpoenaed in connection with Haim's case. Haim had claimed to each that he was not seeing any other doctors, and many reported feeling "duped" by him. Attorney General Brown called Haim the "poster child" for prescription drug addiction.


title: Corey Haim

text: A private Jewish funeral ceremony for Haim took place on March 16, 2010 at Steeles Memorial Chapel in Thornhill, Ontario. Both of Haim's parents attended, along with 200 friends and family. A dozen fans waited outside. In an open letter written to Haim on that day, Corey Feldman stated his wish to stay away from the funeral to minimize publicity for the family; he said, "I always feared this day would come".


title: Corey Haim

text: Haim died with very little money, and his mother initially announced that the cost of his funeral would be covered by public funds provided by the city of Toronto as is customary in destitute cases. However, city officials stated that no paperwork had been submitted by the family, who entreated fans to help provide for the burial in an online appeal for funds. A CAN$20,000 contribution was made by a memorabilia site to which Haim had sold items over the years, but the company later canceled the check after it emerged that the funeral home had stepped in to cover the costs from the outset. Haim's personal effects were put up for auction on eBay by a cast member from "A Time to Live", whose listings claimed that the family had asked him to sell the items as they needed money for burial expenses.


title: Corey Haim

text: Haim was omitted from the "In Memoriam" tribute montage at both the 17th Screen Actors Guild Awards and the 83rd Academy Awards in the year following his death. Perceived by the press as a "snub", Haim's omission from the Oscars received widespread media coverage.


title: Corey Haim

text: Haim was the subject of a TV program, "Autopsy: The Last Hours of Corey Haim", which premiered on November 23, 2016, on the Reelz channel.


title: Sade (singer)

text: Helen Folasade Adu ( ; born 16 January 1959), known professionally as Sade Adu or simply Sade ( ), is a Nigerian-born British singer, known as the lead singer of her eponymous band. One of the most successful British female artists in history, she is often recognised as an influence on contemporary music. Her success in the music industry was recognised in the UK with an award of the Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2002, and was made Commander in the 2017 Birthday Honours.


title: Sade (singer)

text: Sade was born in Ibadan, Nigeria, and brought up partly in Essex, England, from the age of four. She studied at Saint Martin's School of Art in London and gained modest recognition as a fashion designer and part-time model, prior to joining the band Pride in the early 1980s. After gaining attention as a performer, she formed the band Sade, and secured a recording contract with Epic Records in 1983. A year later the band released the album "Diamond Life", which became one of the best-selling albums of the era, and the best-selling debut by a British female vocalist. In July 1985, Sade was among the performers at the Live Aid charity concert at Wembley Stadium, and the following year she appeared in the film "Absolute Beginners". Following the band's third and fourth albums, "Stronger Than Pride" (1988) and "Love Deluxe" (1992), they went on hiatus after the birth of Sade's child, while the singer experienced widespread media coverage for unsubstantiated claims of mental health and addiction problems.


title: Sade (singer)

text: After a spell of eight years without an album, the band reunited in 1999, and released "Lovers Rock" in 2000. The album departed from the jazz-inspired inflections of their previous work, featuring mellower sounds and pop compositions. The band then underwent another hiatus, not producing music for another ten years until the release of "Soldier of Love". Following that album's release, the band entered a third period of extended hiatus, and have only released two songs ("Flower of the Universe" for the soundtrack of Disney's "A Wrinkle in Time", and "The Big Unknown" as part of the soundtrack for Steve McQueen's film "Widows") since.


title: Sade (singer)

text: Helen Folasade Adu was born on 16 January 1959 in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, but is a native of Ekiti State. Her middle name, Folasade, means "honour earns the crown". Her parents are Adebisi Adu, a Nigerian lecturer in economics of Yoruba background, and Anne Hayes, an English district nurse; they met in London, married in 1955, and moved to Nigeria. When Sade was four years old, her parents separated. Anne Hayes then returned to England, taking Sade and her elder brother Banji to live with their grandparents near Colchester, Essex. When Sade was 11 years old, she moved to Holland-on-Sea, Essex, to live with her mother. After completing her education at Clacton County High School and Colchester Institute at the age of 18, she moved to London and studied fashion design at Saint Martin's School of Art.


title: Sade (singer)

text: After completing a three-year course in fashion design, and later modelling briefly, Sade began backup singing with British band Pride. During this time, she formed a songwriting partnership with Pride's guitarist/saxophonist Stuart Matthewman; together, backed by Pride's rhythm section, they began doing their own sets at Pride gigs. Her solo performances of the song "Smooth Operator" attracted the attention of record companies, and in 1983 Sade and Matthewman split from Pride, along with keyboardist Andrew Hale, bassist Paul Denman and drummer Paul Cook, to form the band Sade. By the time she performed her first show at London's Heaven nightclub, she had become so popular that 1,000 people were turned away at the door. In May 1983, Sade performed their first US show at the Danceteria nightclub in New York City. On 18 October 1983, Sade Adu signed with Epic Records, while the rest of the band signed in 1984.


title: Sade (singer)

text: Following the record deal, the group began recording their debut album, "Diamond Life," which took six weeks to record and was recorded entirely at The Power Plant in London. "Diamond Life" was released on 16 July 1984, reached number two in the UK Album Chart, sold over 1.2 million copies in the UK, and won the Brit Award for Best British Album in 1985. The album was also a hit internationally, reaching number one in several countries and the top ten in the US, where it has sold in excess of four million copies. "Diamond Life" had international sales of over six million copies, becoming one of the top-selling debut recordings of the '80s, and the best-selling debut ever by a British female vocalist.


title: Sade (singer)

text: "Your Love Is King" was released as the album's lead single on 25 February 1984 and was a success in European territories, charting at number seven in Ireland and number six on the UK Singles Chart. The song was less successful in the US, where it peaked at number 54 on the US "Billboard" Hot 100. The third single, "Smooth Operator", was released on 15 September 1984 and became the most successful song in the US from the album "Diamond Life". The track peaked at number five on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 and the US "Billboard" Hot Black Singles, as well as peaking at number one on the US "Billboard" Adult Contemporary chart. In Europe the song fared well, peaking at number 19 in the UK, and reaching the top 20 in Austria, Switzerland, France, and Germany.


title: Sade (singer)

text: In late 1985, the band released their second album, "Promise", which peaked at number one in both the UK and the US and became the band's first album to reach number one on the US "Billboard" 200. The album topped the chart in 1986 and spent two weeks at the peak position. Eventually, the album went on to sell four million copies in the region and was certified four times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album spawned two singles "Never as Good as the First Time" and "The Sweetest Taboo," the latter of which was released as the album's lead single and stayed on the US Hot 100 for six months. "The Sweetest Taboo" peaked at number five on the US "Billboard" Hot 100, number one on the US adult Contemporary chart, and number three on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. Sade was so popular that some radio stations reinstated the '70s practice of playing album tracks, adding "Is It a Crime" and "Tar Baby" to their playlists. The following year, 1986, the band won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.


title: Sade (singer)

text: In 1986, Sade made her acting debut in "Absolute Beginners", a film adapted from the Colin MacInnes book of the same name about life in late-1950s London. Sade played the role of Athene Duncannon and lent her vocals to the film's accompanying soundtrack. The film was screened out of competition at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival and grossed £1.8 million in the UK.


title: Sade (singer)

text: Sade's third album, "Stronger Than Pride", was released on 3 May 1988, and like Sade's previous album became a commercial success and certified three times platinum in the US. The album was popularized by four singles, most notably the album's second single "Paradise", which peaked at number 16 on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 and peaked at number one on the US "Billboard" Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, becoming the band's first single to do so.


title: Sade (singer)

text: "Love Deluxe" was released as the band's fourth studio album on 26 October 1992. The album peaked at number three on the US "Billboard" 200 and has sold 3.4 million copies in the United States. The album was later certified four times platinum by the RIAA for shipments of four million copies. The album was also commercially successful elsewhere, reaching number-one in France, and reaching the top ten in New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. The album went on to be certified gold in the United Kingdom. In November 1994, the group released their first compilation album, "The Best of Sade". The album was another top ten hit in both the United Kingdom and the United States, certified platinum and four times platinum, respectively.


title: Sade (singer)

text: The compilation album included material from Sade's previous albums, as well as a cover version of "Please Send Me Someone to Love" (1950), originally by Percy Mayfield.


title: Sade (singer)

text: Following an eight-year hiatus, the band released their fifth studio album, "Lovers Rock", on 13 November 2000 and received positive reviews from music critics.


title: Sade (singer)

text: The album reached number 18 on the UK Albums Chart, number three on the US "Billboard" 200, and has since been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), having sold 3.9 million copies in the United States by February 2010. On 27 February 2002, the album earned Sade the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album, and the lead single "By Your Side" was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Although the single lost out to Nelly Furtado's "I'm Like a Bird", it has been listed as the 48th greatest love song of all time by VH1.


title: Sade (singer)

text: To promote the album, Sade and the band embarked on their fifth concert tour entitled Lovers Rock Tour. The tour was announced via the band's website in April 2001. The announcement stated the tour would begin in the summer of 2001 with 30 shows. Initial dates were rescheduled due to extended rehearsal time. The shows sold well, with many stops adding additional shows. In August 2001, the tour was extended by eight weeks due to ticket demand. Deemed by many critics as a comeback tour, it marked the band's first performances since 1994 and took place in 2001. Although many believed the trek would expand to other countries, this did not occur. With over 40 shows, it became the 13th biggest tour in North America, earning over 26 million.


title: Sade (singer)

text: Following the tour, the band released their first live album, "Lovers Live" on 5 February 2002 by Epic Records. "Lovers Live" reached number ten on the US "Billboard" 200 and number 51 on the UK Albums Chart, the band's first album to miss the top twenty in the UK. The album was certified gold by the RIAA on 7 March 2002, having reached US sales of 562,000 copies, while the DVD was certified platinum on 30 January 2003 for shipping 100,000 copies.


title: Sade (singer)

text: Following the release of "Lovers Rock", Sade took a ten-year hiatus, during which she raised her son and moved to the Caribbean. During this time, she made a rare public appearance for an award ceremony that took place in 2002 to accept an Order of the British Empire (OBE) at Buckingham Palace for services to music. In 2002, she appeared on the Red Hot Organization album, "Red Hot + Riot", a compilation CD in tribute to the music of fellow Nigerian musician, Fela Kuti. She recorded a remix of her hit single "By Your Side" for the album and was billed as a co-producer.


title: Sade (singer)

text: The band's sixth studio album, "Soldier of Love", was released worldwide on 8 February 2010, and was their first album in ten years to contain new material. Upon release, the album received positive reviews and became a success. The album debuted atop the "Billboard" 200 in the United States with first-week sales of 502,000 copies. "Soldier of Love" became the band's first album to debut at number-one and the band's second album to peak at number-one on the chart. The album also had the best sales week by a group since Australian band AC/DC released their album "Black Ice" and entered the "Billboard" 200 at number-one in November 2008. Consequently, the band became the act with the longest time between number-one albums, as the band's "Promise" (1985) and "Soldier of Love" were separated by 24 years, 10 months and 2 weeks.


title: Sade (singer)

text: The first single and title track, "Soldier of Love", premiered on US radio on 8 December 2009 and was released digitally on 11 January 2010. Subsequent singles, "Babyfather" and "The Moon and the Sky", were played by US urban adult contemporary radio on 13 April and 24 August 2010, respectively. At the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2011, the title track won Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, while the song, "Babyfather", was nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.


title: Sade (singer)

text: In April 2011, the band began their Sade Live tour (also known as the "Once in a Lifetime Tour" or the "Soldier of Love Tour"). The band toured Europe, the Americas, Australia and Asia to promote the band's sixth studio album and their second compilation album, "The Ultimate Collection" (2011). This trek marked the band's first tour in nearly a decade and ranked 27th in "Pollstar's" "Top 50 Worldwide Tour (Mid-Year)", earning over 20 million dollars. At the conclusion of 2011, the tour placed tenth on "Billboard's" annual "Top 25 Tours", earning over $50 million with 59 shows. The tour was chronicled with Bring Me Home - Live 2011, released in May 2012.


title: Sade (singer)

text: In March 2018, she (and the reunited band that also bears her name) released the acoustic ballad "Flower of the Universe" for the soundtrack to the Disney film "A Wrinkle In Time". About asking Sade to contribute to the album, director Ava DuVernay wrote "I never thought she'd say yes, but asked anyway." Later that year, Sade released "The Big Unknown" for the soundtrack to the 20th Century Fox film "Widows". That film's director, Steve McQueen stated that Sade agreed to write the song for the film, because "the original series of "Widows" had deeply resonated with her." The successor to "Soldier of Love" is in the works. The band were the first to record their seventh album at the rebuilt Miraval Studios, where they previously recorded Promise and Stronger Than Pride.


title: Sade (singer)

text: "The New Yorker" described Sade's voice as a "grainy contralto full of air that betrays a slight ache but no agony, and values even imperfect dignity over a show of pain", a "deeply English" quality that makes categorising the artist's voice difficult. Her voice was described by the BBC as "husky and restrained" and compared to singer Billie Holiday. BBC called her songwriting "sufficiently soulful and jazzy yet poppy, funky yet easy listening, to appeal to fans of all those genres." Sade has been called a "pop star". With the musicians in her band, Sade, "The New Yorker" wrote, "created one of the most profitable catalogues in pop"; the band's "easy" sound backing songs "exploring the heavier lifting inside love: commitment, consistency, friendship." Her success has been attributed to a combination of her unique beauty, seemingly indefinable origins, and mysterious persona.


title: Sade (singer)

text: Sade's work has influenced and been recognised by many singers and hip hop artists. Rapper Rakim of Eric B. & Rakim stated he grew up listening to Sade's music and was influenced by her voice and style. Rakim has also referenced Sade's song "Smooth Operator" in the song "Microphone Fiend" (1988). Talib Kweli stated he learned about precision from Sade due to her performance of "Love Deluxe" in its entirety at Madison Square Garden. Rapper Missy Elliott cited Sade's performance of "Smooth Operator" as one of her favourites. Hip hop group Souls of Mischief stated they grew up listening to Sade's music. Hip hop group Tanya Morgan also described Sade as one of their favourite artists. Other rappers to recognise Sade include the former rap-duo of Clipse – Malice and Pusha. In reaction to the newly released album "Soldier of Love", rapper Kanye West wrote, "This is why i still have a blog. To be a part of moments like this ... new Sade ... How much better this ... than everything else?". Rapper Rick Ross stated in an interview that "People may know my infatuation with Sade. There's never been a bad Sade track. I love all different sides."


title: Sade (singer)

text: American singer Beyoncé called Sade's music a "true friend" and an inspiration. The late singer Aaliyah said that she admired Sade because "she stays true to her style no matter what ... she's an amazing artist, an amazing performer ... and I absolutely love her." American R&B singer Brandy has cited Sade as one of her major vocal influences. Heavy metal singer Greg Puciato also named her as an inspiration.


title: Sade (singer)

text: Sade squatted in Tottenham in the 1980s, with her boyfriend Robert Elms. In 1989, she married Spanish film director Carlos Pliego. Their marriage ended in 1995. Sade moved briefly to the Caribbean to live with Jamaican music producer Bob Morgan in the late 1990s and gave birth on 21 July 1996. The child was raised as a daughter, who later sang on Sade's song "Babyfather" in 2010. Sade and Morgan later separated, and she has been in a relationship with Ian Watts, a former Royal Marine, since 2007; from this relationship, she has a stepson. In 2016, on National Coming Out Day, Sade's child came out as a transgender man named Izaak Theo Adu. In September 2019, Izaak posted a message online, thanking his mother for her support through his transition.


title: Sade (singer)

text: In 2005, Sade moved to the Gloucestershire countryside, where she bought a run-down cottage to renovate. Sade rarely grants interviews.


title: Sade (singer)

text: Sade was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2002 for services to music, and stated her award was "a great gesture to me and all black women in England". She was promoted to Commander of the same Order (CBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours, also for services to music. In 1986, she became the first Nigerian(African) to win a Grammy Award when she was chosen as Best New Artist.


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: The 2020 NBA draft was held on November 18, 2020. The draft was originally scheduled to be held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 25, but due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it was instead conducted at ESPN's facilities in Bristol, Connecticut, with the event held via videoconferencing. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players. It was televised nationally on ESPN. The draft lottery was originally scheduled to take place on May 19, 2020, it was rescheduled on August 20, 2020. This was the first draft since 1975 to not be held in June and was also the second to be done later than that month after the inaugural 1947 draft, which was conducted in July by the NBA's predecessor, the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The first pick was made by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who selected Anthony Edwards out of Georgia.


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: These players were not selected in the 2020 NBA draft, but have played at least one regular season or postseason game in the NBA.


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: Prior to the day of the draft, the following trades were made and resulted in exchanges of draft picks between the teams.


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that started earlier in the year, the invitation-only NBA Draft Combine and the event's on-court elements was held in multiple phases, lasting from September 28 until November 16, two days before the draft began. For the first part, players began their league and team interviews via videoconference feeds, similar to this year's draft lottery. This segment lasted from September 28 until October 16. Then, in the second part, players began their individual, on-court programs at the NBA team facility nearest the player's home or interim residence instead of at one standardized area. While players were allowed to continue working out on their own even back in September 2020, this section lasted from October 16 until November 16. This program included strength and agility tests, anthropometric measurements, shooting drills, medical testing and examinations, and a "Pro Day" video filmed via HomeCourt, a mobile basketball training application. The NBA also expanded their Combine HQ tool for this period. While the NBA disallowed their own staff members to be involved with these workouts in person (either in the team's own practice facilities or nearby the player himself) at first, they eventually relaxed some of these restrictions to include up to three team executives meeting with a player they're interested in personally, as well as allowed a player to workout with multiple teams at the same time in their own towns. The NBA also gave a limit of 10 meetings total with the candidates there, with any extra meetings with someone cutting into their amount allowed for this year.


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: At the start of this year's draft combine, only 60 prospects were confirmed to participate in this event. The top, headlining prospect involved with this combine is LaMelo Ball, an automatically eligible draft prospect that gained fame as a professional player both nationally and overseas years earlier after skipping his junior year of high school and was a top-3 selection for the draft. In addition to him, R. J. Hampton was also invited as an automatically eligible draft prospect for this year, both representing Australia's NBL as outsider Rising Stars for different teams. Other notable invites include five fully international prospects (Deni Avdija, Killian Hayes, Théo Maledon, Paul Eboua, and Karim Mané, the last of whom played in a Canadian CEGEP), two high school postgraduates (Kenyon Martin Jr. and Josh Hall), and Jay Scrubb, a junior college prospect. Like with prior years, players still held the option to either sit out the combine or have only limited participation there, such as with LaMelo Ball doing interviews with teams only. For the first half of the combine, each participant was given a standard set of 10 questions to answer in front of each team asking them, as well as league officials under a half-hour setting, with players being allowed to interview as many teams as possible. In the second half of the combine, teams were allowed to meet with any candidate that had mutual interest in them back, though each team had a set limit of meetings with players in mind before the draft began. These meetings with players allowed teams to properly gauge each player to the best of their abilities during this time.


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: The NBA draft lottery is held annually to determine the draft order for the teams that did not make the playoffs in the preceding season. Every NBA team that missed the NBA playoffs holds a chance at winning a top-four pick, but teams with worse records have a better chance at winning a top-four pick, effective as of the 2019 draft. After the lottery selects the teams that receive a top-four pick, the other teams receive an NBA draft pick based on their winning percentage from the prior season. As it is commonplace in the event of identical win–loss records, the NBA performs a random drawing to break ties for not just lottery teams, but also for playoff teams with equal records. This year, the Sacramento Kings won a tiebreaker for the draft lottery over the New Orleans Pelicans despite having a better overall record to conclude the regular season, bubble games included.


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: The lottery was originally scheduled to take place on May 19 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the length of the 2019–20 season's suspension. On July 21, 2020, the lottery was rescheduled for August 20. The lottery teams included the eight teams that did not play in the resumed 2019–20 NBA season in July and August: the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, and Charlotte Hornets. They also included the other six teams that missed the playoffs in the resumed season: the Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, and Memphis Grizzlies, with seeding completely based on the teams' records from March 12, 2020. The new lottery still took place in the United Center, but all guests representing the teams in the lottery attended virtually instead through video communication feeds. This year, two of the bottom three teams (Minnesota and Golden State) received the top two selections, while Charlotte and Chicago both jumped up into the top four. Teams that resumed their seasons remained at their initial positions set at the time, with Memphis moving down to the 14th selection after initially being set for a playoff spot.


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: The draft is conducted under the eligibility rules established in the league's 2017 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with its player's union. The previous CBA that ended the 2011 lockout instituted no immediate changes to the draft, but called for a committee of owners and players to discuss future changes.


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: The NBA has since expanded the draft combine to include players with remaining college eligibility (who, like players without college eligibility, can only attend by invitation).


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: Players who are not automatically eligible have to declare their eligibility for the draft by notifying the NBA offices in writing no later than at least 60 days before the event. For the 2020 draft, the date fell on April 26 at first, but the deadline was postponed indefinitely and moved to August 17. After that date, "early entry" players are able to attend NBA pre-draft camps and individual team workouts to show off their skills and obtain feedback regarding their draft positions. Under the CBA a player may withdraw his name from consideration from the draft at any time before the final declaration date, which is 10 days before. Under current NCAA rules, players have until 10 days after the draft combine to withdraw from the draft and retain college eligibility; however, due to COVID-19 disruptions, the NCAA announced that for the 2020 draft, the withdrawal deadline would be changed to 10 days after the combine or August 3, whichever came first.


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: A player who has hired an agent retains his remaining college eligibility regardless of whether he is drafted after an evaluation from the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee. Underclassmen who declare for the NBA draft and are not selected have the opportunity to return to their school for at least another year only after terminating all agreements with their agents, who must have been certified no later than August 1, 2020.


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: This year, 205 underclassed draft prospects (i.e., players with remaining college eligibility) had declared by the initial April 26 deadline, with 163 of these players being from college or were high school postgraduates. The names left over mean they have hired an agent, or have announced that they plan to do so before the night of the draft. At the end of either the August 3 deadline (or the other one which was 10 days post-combine), 71 players declared their intentions to enter the draft with an agent, while 92 announced their return to college for at least one more season (or enter college in the case of Makur Maker). Additionally, one more academy postgraduate student managed to enter at the new underclassman deadline. Furthermore, three different underclassmen that were confirmed at the time (Jermaine Bishop, Isiaha Mike, and Filip Petrušev) all signed overseas contracts in Europe while waiting for this year's draft to begin, though they still remained listed under their colleges they played for before beginning the draft process as opposed to the new teams and leagues they signed for; Petrušev later withdrew from the draft on November 8, 2020 to stay with his new team, the Mega Soccerbet in Serbia, initially leaving the final number of underclassmen students entering the draft at 71 (69 excluding Bishop and Mike). Finally, at the November 8 deadline, Tony Goodwin II also withdrew his name from the draft, but Nikolaos Okekuoyen (a Greek-Nigerian postgraduate student from Ridgeview Prep) was approved for the draft that day, leaving the number of players still at 71.


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: International players that declared this year and did not previously declare in another prior year can drop out about 10 days before the 2020 draft, which was November 8 this year. By the initial April 26 deadline, 42 international prospects, including one from a Canadian CEGEP (Quebecer college), expressed interest in this draft. By the end of the deadline set in August, seven of these players pulled their names out, leaving only 35 prospects, later adding one more player from a Canadian preparatory academy who also entered at that deadline. With Sergi Martínez & Joel Parra also dropping out of the draft before the draft deadline concluded, but after the official announcement came out, this officially brought the final number of underclassmen available down to 84 players instead of 86, with 23 international players exiting the draft by November this year instead of 21.


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: Players who do not meet the criteria for "international" players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria:


title: 2020 NBA draft

text: Players who meet the criteria for "international" players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria:


title: Kumail Nanjiani

text: Kumail Ali Nanjiani (; , ; born May 2, 1978) is a Pakistani-American actor, comedian and screenwriter. He is known for his role as Dinesh in the HBO comedy series "Silicon Valley" (2014–2019) and for co-writing and starring in the romantic comedy film "The Big Sick" (2017). For co-writing the latter with his wife, Emily V. Gordon, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. In 2018, "Time" magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.


title: Kumail Nanjiani

text: Nanjiani has also voiced Prismo on the animated series "Adventure Time" and starred in the TNT series "Franklin & Bash" and the Adult Swim series "Newsreaders". He also co-hosted the Comedy Central show "The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail", as well as playing various roles on the comedy series "Portlandia". He also starred as the Eternal actor Kingo in the Marvel Studios superhero film "Eternals" (2021), which is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), starred as street-level con artist Haja Estree in the Disney+ miniseries "Obi-Wan Kenobi", and played celebrity scientist Vik in the television series "" and "The Boys".


title: Kumail Nanjiani

text: Nanjiani grew up in Karachi, the first of two sons of Shiite Muslim couple Shabana and Aijaz Nanjiani. The BBC radio presenter Shereen Nanjiani is his second cousin. During his childhood, he lived in Karachi and attended St. Michael's Convent School for his O Levels and graduated from Karachi Grammar School to complete his A Levels, where he was the class-fellow of Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy. At 18, he moved to the U.S. and enrolled at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, where he graduated in 2001 with a double major in computer science and philosophy. He then moved to Chicago and began performing stand-up comedy at open-mic events.


title: Kumail Nanjiani

text: In 2007, Nanjiani wrote and staged an original autobiographical one-man show in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. After moving to New York, he continued to perform stand-up and made occasional appearances on shows including "Michael & Michael Have Issues" and "The Colbert Report". In 2009, he performed at the "Just for Laughs" comedy festival. In 2011, Nanjiani and "X-Play" staffer Ali Baker began hosting a video game-themed podcast, titled "The Indoor Kids". In late August of the same year Baker left the show and Nanjiani began hosting with his wife, Emily V. Gordon. Until other commitments took over, he appeared regularly on Dan Harmon's podcast "Harmontown", where he played "Dungeons & Dragons" with Harmon as a character named Chris de Burgh. He played a delivery man in the 2013 film, "The Kings of Summer". In addition to guest-starring in various comedy shows like "Portlandia", Nanjiani was featured in a supporting role in the TNT series "Franklin & Bash". He played the role of Pindar Singh, an agoraphobic fiction nerd working for the title characters.


title: Kumail Nanjiani

text: Nanjiani guest-starred on HBO's "Veep" as a statistician. He had a recurring role of Amir Larussa on "Newsreaders", as well as Prismo on "Adventure Time". His Comedy Central special titled "Beta Male" aired in July 2013. In late June 2013, Comedy Central announced the pickup of a show "The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail" hosted by Jonah Ray and Nanjiani. The show, featuring Nerd Melt comedy regulars and various comedians, began airing in July 2014. In April 2014, he began playing the character Dinesh in the HBO sitcom "Silicon Valley". He voiced Reggie in the video game "". In July 2014, Nanjiani hosted a weekly podcast titled "The X-Files Files", dedicated to discussion and fond reminiscences about "The X-Files". Each episode features him and a guest, including former "The X-Files" writers, producers, actors and directors, in light-hearted banter about one or two episodes of the series. On July 30, 2014, Nanjiani appeared on Ken Reid's "TV Guidance Counselor Podcast".


title: Kumail Nanjiani

text: In 2015, Nanjiani guest-starred in an episode of "Broad City" called "In Heat". Starting on March 22, 2015, he provided his voice for the character of Mshak Moradi in the "Hunt the Truth" audio drama, part of the marketing campaign for "". On May 5, 2015, he appeared on "Inside Amy Schumer" in the episode "12 Angry Men Inside Amy Schumer", a parody of "12 Angry Men", as one of the members of the jury. In July 2015, Nanjiani provided guest voices on "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" and "".


title: Kumail Nanjiani

text: In 2017, Nanjiani starred in the romantic comedy film "The Big Sick", which he wrote with his wife Emily V. Gordon. The film is about their relationship, with Nanjiani playing himself and Zoe Kazan playing Gordon (renamed Emily Gardner). The film was one of the most acclaimed films of 2017, and was chosen by American Film Institute as one of the top 10 films of the year and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. The film was also the third highest grossing independent film released in 2017, grossing over 40 million dollars.


title: Kumail Nanjiani

text: In 2018, he was invited to the actors and writers branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.


title: Kumail Nanjiani

text: In 2019, Nanjiani headlined the first episode of the CBS All Access revival of the anthology series "The Twilight Zone". For his role on "The Twilight Zone," Nanjiani received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. In film, Nanjiani voiced the alien Pawny in "Men in Black International", which was released on June 14. Nanjiani stated, "I play an alien so you won't see my face but you'll hear my voice, I'm a little alien frog/lizard... thing." Nanjiani also stars in the action comedy film "Stuber", released on July 12. In 2020, Nanjiani lent his voice to Plimpton, an ostrich, in the adventure comedy film "Dolittle". He also wrote for and produced the Apple TV+ anthology series "Little America", which premiered in January 2020. The series is based on the story collection of the same name from Epic Magazine which focuses on stories from immigrants. To promote the series, Nanjiani appeared at the Apple Event of March 25, 2019. Nanjiani starred with Issa Rae in the comedy-chase film "The Lovebirds", directed by Michael Showalter, produced by Paramount Pictures, and released by Netflix in May 2020.


title: Kumail Nanjiani

text: In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nanjiani and his wife Emily Gordon launched a podcast, "Staying In with Emily and Kumail." The series chronicles their experiences as a couple forced to live in isolation during the global pandemic. The podcast has been widely acclaimed in the media, as a welcome respite during a period of high anxiety. "GQ" described it as "consistently endearing, actually useful, and often hilarious." "New York" magazine relates that "all advice is shared via cute and charming banter."


title: Kumail Nanjiani

text: He starred in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film "Eternals", as Kingo, which was released on November 5, 2021. Nanjiani received widespread attention and went viral after sharing pictures of his body transformation for the shooting of "Eternals" in 2019. Speaking with GQ, he noted how he has since become less comfortable to speak about his body due to the intense amount of attention it received online. In March 2021, Nanjiani was announced as cast in an upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series for Disney+. In February 2020, Nanjiani signed on to star in "The Independent", a political thriller to be directed by Amy Rice, though he ultimately dropped out of the role.


title: Kumail Nanjiani

text: In 2007, Nanjiani married author, producer, and former couples and family therapist Emily V. Gordon at Chicago City Hall. She was the producer of "The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail" (2014–2016).


title: Kumail Nanjiani

text: Despite being a devout Muslim for most of his life, Nanjiani now identifies as an atheist. Nanjiani is an avid video gamer.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, and achieved commercial success after launching a solo career in 1996. His debut studio album, "Life thru a Lens", was released in 1997, and included his signature song, "Angels". His second album, "I've Been Expecting You", featured the songs "Millennium" and "She's the One", his first number one singles. His discography includes seven UK No. 1 singles, and all but one of his 14 studio albums have reached No. 1 in the UK. Six of his albums are among the top 100 biggest-selling albums in the UK, with two of them in the top 60, and he gained a Guinness World Record in 2006 for selling 1.6 million tickets in a single day during his Close Encounters Tour.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams has received a record 18 Brit Awards, winning Best British Male Artist four times, Outstanding Contribution to Music twice, an Icon Award for his lasting impact on British culture, eight German ECHO Awards, and three MTV European Music Awards. In 2004, he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame after being voted the Greatest Artist of the 1990s. According to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), he has been certified for 20.2 million albums and 8.66 million singles in the UK as a solo artist. Five of his albums have also topped the Australian albums chart, and has sold 75 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He also topped the 2000–2010 UK airplay chart. His three concerts at Knebworth in 2003 drew over 375,000 people, the UK's biggest music event to that point. In 2014, he was awarded the freedom of his hometown of Stoke-on-Trent and had a tourist trail created and streets named in his honour. Williams' thirteenth album, "XXV" was released on 9 September 2022.


title: Robbie Williams

text: After 15 years, Williams rejoined Take That in 2010 to co-write and perform lead vocals on their album "Progress", which became the second-fastest-selling album in UK chart history and the fastest-selling record of the century at the time. The subsequent stadium tour, which featured seven songs from Williams' solo career, became the biggest-selling concert in UK history when it sold 1.34 million tickets in less than 24 hours. In 2011, Take That frontman Gary Barlow confirmed that Williams had left the band for a second time to focus on his solo career, although he stated that the departure was amicable and that Williams was welcome to rejoin Take That in the future. Williams has since performed with Take That on three separate television appearances, and collaborated with Barlow on a number of projects such as the West End musical "The Band".


title: Robbie Williams

text: Robert Peter Williams was born on 13 February 1974 in Stoke-on-Trent, the son of Janet (née Farrell) and Peter Williams (also known as Pete Conway), who ran a pub called the Red Lion in Burslem before his father became the licensee at the Port Vale FC Social Club. His maternal grandfather was an Irishman from Kilkenny. He attended St Margaret Ward Catholic School in Tunstall and participated in several school plays, with his biggest role being the Artful Dodger in a production of "Oliver!"


title: Robbie Williams

text: In 1990, the sixteen-year-old Williams was the youngest member to join Take That. According to the documentary "", his mother read an advertisement seeking members for a new boy band and suggested that he try out for the group. He met fellow member Mark Owen on the day of his audition/interview with Nigel Martin-Smith. Although the majority of the group's material was written and performed by Gary Barlow, Williams performed lead vocals on their first Top Three hit "Could It Be Magic", I Found Heaven", and "Everything Changes". Williams' use of alcohol and cocaine brought him into conflict with Martin-Smith over the behaviour rules for Take That members.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In November 1994, Williams's drug abuse had escalated; he had a near drug overdose the night before the group was scheduled to perform at the MTV Europe Music Awards. According to the documentary "For the Record", he was unhappy with his musical ideas not being taken seriously by lead singer Barlow and Martin-Smith; his desire to explore hip hop and rap conflicted with Take That's usual ballads. Barlow explained in interviews that Williams had given up trying to offer creative input.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Noting Williams' increasingly belligerent behaviour and poor attendance at rehearsals, and worried that he might leave the group during their upcoming tour, Orange and Barlow took their concerns to Martin-Smith. During one of the last rehearsals before the tour commenced, the three confronted Williams about his attitude and stated they wanted to do the tour without him. He agreed to quit and left the group in July 1995; it would be the last time for twelve years that they were all together. Despite the departure of Williams, Take That completed their Nobody Else Tour as a four-piece. They later disbanded on 13 February 1996, Williams's 22nd birthday.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Shortly afterwards, Williams was photographed by the press partying with the members of Oasis at Glastonbury Festival. Following his departure, he became the subject of talk shows and newspapers as he acknowledged his plans to become a solo singer, and he was spotted partying with George Michael in France. However, a clause in his Take That contract prohibited him from releasing any material until after the group was officially dissolved, and he was later sued by Martin-Smith and forced to pay $200,000 in commission. After various legal battles over his right to a solo career, Williams succeeded in getting released from his contract with BMG. On 27 June 1996, Williams signed with Chrysalis Records.


title: Robbie Williams

text: By March 2009, Williams had shown interest in rejoining Take That; however, the band completed their The Circus Live without him. In spite of rumours that Williams was working in New York with Take That in September that year, by the day of the Children in Need charity concert at The Royal Albert Hall in November they were still performing separately. However, both did join with the other acts in the final song of the evening, with Williams putting his arm around Gary Barlow and singing "Hey Jude".


title: Robbie Williams

text: On 15 July 2010, Williams reconciled with his former colleagues and rejoined Take That. In November 2010 the Take That album "Progress" was released, becoming the fastest selling album since 2000 and the second fastest selling album in UK history. The group travelled across the UK on their Progress Live tour, which included eight nights at Wembley Stadium in London, then continued across Europe. The tour was the fastest selling in UK history with ticket hotlines and websites crashing under the demand.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In August 2012, Take That performed at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics. Williams was due to perform with Take That but missed the performance because his wife gave birth at around the same time; the group performed as a four-piece.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Although still officially part of the Take That, Williams chose not to return for group's seventh and eighth studio albums and their accompanying tours, focusing instead on his solo commitments. He continued to write music with his colleagues and performed with the group on several occasions since 2011's Progress tour and planned on return for a full tour to celebrate Take That's 30th anniversary in 2019.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams launched his solo career in 1996 with a cover of George Michael's "Freedom", which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart. Recordings for Williams's first album began at London's Maison Rouge studios in March 1997. Shortly after his introduction to songwriter and producer Guy Chambers, Williams released "Old Before I Die", the first single from his debut album. The single reached number two on the UK Charts; however, it was largely ignored on international charts. His debut album, "Life thru a Lens", was released in September 1997. The album launched with his first live solo gig at the Élysée Montmartre theatre in Paris, France. The album debuted at number eleven on the UK Albums Chart.


title: Robbie Williams

text: "Angels", the fourth single, is Williams' best-seller in the United Kingdom. The song, apart from becoming a hit around Europe and Latin America, caused sales of his album to skyrocket. The album remained in the British top ten for forty weeks and spent 218 weeks there altogether, making it the 58th best selling album in UK history with sales of over 2.4 million. The album eventually managed to sell over three million copies in Europe.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams and Chambers started writing the second album, "I've Been Expecting You," in Jamaica in early 1998. The first single, "Millennium", accompanied with a music video featuring Williams parodying James Bond, complete with tuxedo and references to Bond films like "Thunderball" and "From Russia with Love", became Williams' first solo number one single in the United Kingdom. It also became a top twenty hit in many European countries, Latin America and Australia.


title: Robbie Williams

text: "I've Been Expecting You" was released in late October 1998 and debuted at number one in the UK Albums Chart. The album received more attention outside the United Kingdom, leaving its mark in the European and Latin American markets with hits such as "No Regrets", a collaboration with The Pet Shop Boys' singer Neil Tennant and The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon. "She's the One", a cover of a World Party track written by Karl Wallinger, became Williams' second UK number-one single. Williams finished the year with a European Tour late in 1999. "I've Been Expecting You" sold almost 3 million copies in the UK and was certified 10× Platinum by the BPI. In Europe, the album sold over 4 million copies.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In 1999, Williams was signed to Capitol Records in the United States, a part of EMI. He embarked on a United States promotional tour and released his first United States and Canadian single, "Millennium". The compilation album "The Ego Has Landed" was released in July 1999 in the United States and Canada. In the middle of promotion and the tours in 1999, Williams began work on his third studio album.


title: Robbie Williams

text: The first single taken from the album was "Rock DJ", a song inspired by Williams's UNICEF mentor, the late Ian Dury. The video created by Fred & Farid showed Williams in an attempt to get noticed by a group of females, first stripping and then tearing chunks of skin and muscle from his body, and caused controversy in the United Kingdom and many other countries. The video was edited by "Top of the Pops" for its graphic content and many other channels followed suit. The song became an instant hit, reaching number one in the UK (becoming his third number one single as a solo artist) and New Zealand. The song went on to win "Best Song of 2000" at the MTV Europe Music Awards, "Best Single of the Year" at the Brit Awards and an MTV Video Music Award for Best Special Effects.


title: Robbie Williams

text: When the album, "Sing When You're Winning" was released in August 2000, it topped the charts in many different countries. In the UK the album was certified 2× Platinum on its first week of release. After the success of his third album, Williams wanted to take another musical direction. He took two weeks off from his tour to record "Swing When You're Winning", his fourth studio album. Born from his lifelong love for Frank Sinatracombined with the success of the track "Have You Met Miss Jones?" that he recorded for the film "Bridget Jones' Diary" in 2001the album was recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams took the chance to duet with his long-time friend Jonathan Wilkes, "Little Voice" star Jane Horrocks, "Saturday Night Live" star Jon Lovitz, Rupert Everett and actress Nicole Kidman. The first single released from the album was a duet with Kidman, on "Somethin' Stupid". Originally a hit for Frank and Nancy Sinatra, the song became Williams' fifth number one hit in the UK. It eventually went on to become one of the biggest hits of 2001. "Beyond the Sea" was featured over the credits of the film "Finding Nemo" in 2003 and was also released on the film's soundtrack CD. A DVD, "Robbie Williams Live at the Albert Hall", was released in December of that year. So far, it has become one of the best selling music DVDs in Europe, being certified 6× Platinum in the United Kingdom and 2× Platinum in Germany.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In 2002, Williams signed a record-breaking £80 million contract with EMI. The contract included a number of provisos, including the label ceding greater creative control to the artist and a commitment to breaking Williams into the US market. So far it is the biggest music deal in British history. The deal was brokered by Ingenious Media, a UK corporate finance advisory business. Williams began working on what would be his fifth studio album, spending a year in the recording studio. The album heralded a new era for Williams. He had taken a more active role in the making of this album. "One Fine Day", "Nan's Song", and "Come Undone" were the first songs that Williams wrote without the input of Guy Chambers. Most of the songs were recorded in Los Angeles.


title: Robbie Williams

text: The album's first single, "Feel", written by Williams and Chambers, was recorded as a demo. When they started working on the album and were trying to re-record the vocals, Williams felt unsatisfied with it, so he decided to include the demo version and then release it as the first single. When the single was released in late 2002, it became Williams' biggest international hit, going number one in The Netherlands and Italy and reaching the top ten in many European countries. When Williams' fifth studio album, "Escapology", was released in late 2002, it hit number one in at least 10 countries around the world. In the United States, however, it failed to make such an impact. "Escapology" sold almost 2 million copies by the end of 2003 in the United Kingdom. On 1–3 August 2003, Williams played three consecutive concerts at Knebworth to 125,000 people each night, making it the biggest event in UK music history. Memorable performances included "Come Undone" where he interjected with "Britain, I'm Your Son", and further interacted with the audience when he brought a girl up on stage. In October 2003, Williams released a live album of the concerts, "Live at Knebworth".


title: Robbie Williams

text: In October 2004, Williams released, "Greatest Hits", a retrospective of his career, and also, to reveal the new tracks he had been working on with the then-new collaborator, Stephen Duffy. "Radio", the compilation's first single, debuted at number one in the UK Singles Chart (becoming Williams' sixth number-one hit). When the compilation was later released it debuted at number one in the UK and was the best selling album of the year in the UK and Europe. Eight years after the release of "Angels", the British public voted it as the "Best Single of the Past Twenty-Five Years" at the 2005 Brit Awards.


title: Robbie Williams

text: After touring Latin America in late 2004 for the promotion "Greatest Hits", Williams started working on his sixth studio album. Recorded at his house in the Hollywood Hills, the album was co-written by Stephen Duffy over the course of 24 months. The album "Intensive Care" was launched in Berlin on 9 October. It became an international hit. In November 2005, Williams took home the MTV Europe Music Award for 'Best Male', but also, entered in "The Guinness Book of World Records" when he announced his World Tour for 2006, selling 1.6 million tickets in one single day. Williams kicked off his "Close Encounters World Tour" in South Africa in April 2006, when he finished his European leg of the tour. 2.5 million people had seen the show, and after touring Latin America and Australia the numbers went up to 3 million.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams released his much anticipated dance/electro album, "Rudebox", on 23 October 2006. It featured collaborations with the Pet Shop Boys, William Orbit, Soul Mekanik, Joey Negro, Mark Ronson, Chris Grierson, and The Orr Boys. It received mixed reviews: Allmusic gave it a four star rating, the "NME" 8 out of 10, and Music Week and MOJO were equally positive, but it received much weaker reviews from some of the British press. The album sold 2× Platinum in Europe with sales of over 2 million making it the fastest platinum-selling album of 2006. To promote his album, Williams commissioned a series of short films. "Goodbye to the Normals" was directed by Jim Field Smith and features "Burslem Normals" by Williams.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In February 2009, it was confirmed that Williams had written material with Guy Chambers and Mark Ronson. A spokesman said that Williams was planning to begin the recording sessions in March and that the new album would be released in late 2009. This will probably be the last Williams album released by EMI. On his official website, Williams confirmed that he was working with producer Trevor Horn on his new album, which would eventually be titled "Reality Killed the Video Star", a reference to the song "Video Killed the Radio Star" by Horn's former band The Buggles. The album was released on 9 November 2009 in the United Kingdom.


title: Robbie Williams

text: On 11 October 2009 Williams published a 12-track compilation album, titled "Songbook", as a free CD for the newspaper "The Mail on Sunday". That same evening, Williams made his "comeback" on "The X Factor" results show, performing his new single "Bodies" for the first time live. On 20 October 2009 Williams opened the BBC Electric Proms at the London RoundHouse. It was his first live concert for 3 years and was broadcast across 200 cinemas worldwide. Accompanied by a string section, horn section, full band and producer Trevor Horn, Williams performed several new tracks from "Reality Killed the Video Star" and older tracks.


title: Robbie Williams

text: "Reality Killed the Video Star" was previewed in the UK on the Spotify music streaming service on 6 November 2009, and official released on 9 November. In a high-profile chart battle, Williams' album was pitted against "X Factor" 2008 runners-up JLS who released their debut album the same day. JLS beat Williams to the number one spot by 1500 sales. The album was also released in the United States (Williams' first album to be released there since 2002's "Escapology"). In late November 2009, Williams travelled to Australia to perform at the ARIA Music Awards of 2009.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In October 2010, Williams released his second greatest hits album, "", to celebrate 20 years as a performing artist. A single, "Shame", was also released, which was written and sung by Williams and Barlow.


title: Robbie Williams

text: On 21 October 2011 Williams signed with Island Records (Universal Music), following his departure from his previous record label EMI in 2010.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams was the opening act at the Diamond Jubilee Concert, which was co-organised by Gary Barlow, held outside Buckingham Palace on 4 June 2012. During the end of August his official website began a countdown to the release of information regarding his latest solo material, with an image of his face and his mind unveiled daily as the countdown expired. Titled "Take the Crown", the album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart making it Williams' tenth number one album. It also marked the second time that Williams had a number one single ("Candy") and album at the same time on the chart. The first time was in 2001 when "Somethin' Stupid" and "Swing When You're Winning" were number one on the singles and albums chart respectively.


title: Robbie Williams

text: The album's lead single, "Candy", premiered on 10 September 2012 and was released on 11 September in most countries and 29 October in the UK. In the UK, "Candy" became Williams' first number one single since "Radio" (2004) and his seventh solo number one single. In its first week the song has sold 137,000 copies becoming the fastest-selling male artist single of the year. On 26 November 2012 Williams announced a 17 date stadium tour of Europe. Williams also confirmed that the support act for the tour would be Olly Murs who also duets with him on "Kids". Universal and EMI merged in 2012, bringing Williams' Chrysalis/Virgin recordings full circle to Universal.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In September 2013, Williams announced a follow up to his 2001 swing album, titled "Swings Both Ways" for release in November. The album features covers and original songs, whilst also including duet recordings with Michael Bublé, Olly Murs, Rufus Wainright, Lily Allen and Kelly Clarkson. In November 2013 Williams made a cameo appearance in the video to Murs's song "Hand on Heart".


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams released a compilation album entitled "Under the Radar Volume 1" on 1 December 2014 through his website, featuring leftovers and unreleased songs. "[These are] loads and loads of songs that I have written that I am incredibly passionate about, I want you to hear them, otherwise they are just going to remain in my computer!" Williams claims that Guy Chambers "is not happy" about these songs being released online: "He thinks I am a lunatic for not putting them on an album that we have promoted with TV performances and at radio stations and a big tour," Williams said. "But I am an impetuous bugger, and I want them out now, now, now!"


title: Robbie Williams

text: In May 2016, it was announced that Williams had signed a recording contract with Sony Music. In a statement, Williams said: "They're [Sony Music] inspired, I'm inspired. I'm more ready than I ever have been and I'm totally convinced I'm in the right place. I look forward to working on this album, which is an album I'm immensely proud of, in this exciting new partnership with Sony Music." "The Heavy Entertainment Show" became his 12th UK number-one album, putting him level with Madonna. In July 2017, Williams announced a new album, "Under the Radar Volume 2", which was released in November 2017. A third edition in the Under the Radar series was released on Valentine's Day of 2019.


title: Robbie Williams

text: On 14 June 2018, Williams performed at the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony held at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia. Williams sang


title: Robbie Williams

text: "Let Me Entertain You" and "Feel" before he performed a duet of "Angels" with Russian soprano Aida Garifullina. Williams then performed an encore with "Rock DJ", during which he gave the finger. Fox in the U.S. apologised for the incident which they had broadcast live. The incident was not shown on ITV in the UK who had cut away prior to the encore. Williams appeared on "This Morning" on 19 June and explained what happened, "It was one minute to kick off, I was under a lot of pressure, because there was one minute left and I didn't know how I was going to do half a minute, so I just did a one-minute countdown [using his middle finger]." Asked by presenter Phillip Schofield whether he regrets it, he said: "Yeah, of course, yeah. I cannot trust me. I don't know what I'm going to do at any time. There's no, sort of, plan. The plan was, sing in key, don't fall over. That was the plan and 99% of the plan, I pulled off." When asked did the idea just enter his head he responded, "Nothing actually pops into my head. There's a block between me and sense... then something happens and then five minutes later, I'm like, 'Did I? Yeah, I did, didn't I?".


title: Robbie Williams

text: On 17 July 2018, Williams along with his wife, and One Direction star Louis Tomlinson, were announced as the new judges on the fifteenth series of "The X Factor" in the UK, joining Simon Cowell and replacing Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne and Nicole Scherzinger.


title: Robbie Williams

text: On 22 November, Williams released his first Christmas album titled "The Christmas Present", which features guest appearances from boxer Tyson Fury, Rod Stewart, Jamie Cullum, Helene Fischer and Bryan Adams. The album debuted at number two on the UK Charts behind Coldplay's "Everyday Life". The album sold over 67,000 copies, which is identical sales to his previous studio album release "The Heavy Entertainment Show", Williams also sold over 10,000 cassettes in 7 days, which is the most in two decades. The following week saw Williams' album go to #1 in the UK, outselling the nearest competitor Rod Stewart by 5,000 copies. This was Williams' 13th UK number-one album, tying Elvis Presley for the most UK number-one albums.


title: Robbie Williams

text: On 25 February 2022, it was revealed that Williams had teamed up with his regular collaborators Tim Metcalfe and Flynn Francis to record the trance track "Sway" under the new alias 'Lufthaus'. In April 2022, "The Guardian" observed that while Williams "remains a big draw", he was no longer guaranteed hits and was "now more likely to be playlisted on Smooth Radio than BBC Radio 1". Williams said he was working on more experimental music, which he likened to David Bowie and Lou Reed, but said: "Do I unashamedly want to still be one of the biggest artists in the world? Yeah, I do ... I've had an interesting first half of my life. I’d like an interesting second half, too."


title: Robbie Williams

text: On 7 June 2022, Williams announced that his tenth compilation album, "XXV", would be released on 9 September 2022. It will feature new, reimagined versions of his hit songs, plus new material. On the same day as this announcement, Williams released "Angels XXV", a reworked version of "Angels". On 10 June 2022, "Angels (XXV)" reached number 92 on the UK Official Singles Sales Chart, rising to 74 a week later. On 5 August 2022, Williams released the single "Lost", also taken from "XXV".


title: Robbie Williams

text: "XXV" was released on 9 September 2022 and debuted a week later at number 1 on the UK Official Albums Chart. In doing so, Williams broke all previous "Official Chart" records with his fourteenth solo number one album.


title: Robbie Williams

text: On 24 September 2022, Williams performed at the 2022 AFL Grand Final held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia. Williams sang "Let Me Entertain You", "Rock DJ", "Lost" and "Feel" before he performed "Angels" which Williams dedicated to Australian cricketer Shane Warne, who had died in March 2022. Williams then covered John Farnham's "You're the Voice" stating "The next song is the unofficial national anthem of Australia! Let's all send our love to John and his family". Just two days prior on 22 September 2022, John Farnham had released a statement outlining that he was to undergo immediate surgery after being diagnosed with cancer. Williams then performed "Kids" with Australian singer Delta Goodrem.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In November 2022, Williams performed in Qatar as part of the country's FIFA World Cup 2022 celebrations. His appearance attracted criticism due to Qatar's human right's abuses and strict LGBT laws. After the criticism, Williams stated, "I don't condone any abuses of human rights anywhere [...] if we're not condoning human rights abuses anywhere, then it would be the shortest tour the world has ever known: I wouldn't even be able to perform in my own kitchen [...] Anybody leaving messages saying 'no to Qatar' are doing so on Chinese technology [...] the hypocrisy there is that if we take that case in this place, we need to apply that unilaterally to the world. Then if we apply that unilaterally to the world, nobody can go anywhere."


title: Robbie Williams

text: Robbie Williams collaborated with Australian pop star Kylie Minogue on the song "Kids". The single peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 2000 and was later selected to be part of the music of "Grand Theft Auto V". Williams also collaborated with Australian film star Nicole Kidman on a cover of Frank and Nancy Sinatra's "Somethin' Stupid". The single reached number 1 on the UK Singles Chart in 2001. His single "No Regrets" featured Neil Tennant, and Neil Hannon on backing vocals. In 2001, Williams recorded "We Are the Champions" with Queen for the 2001 medieval adventure film "A Knight's Tale".


title: Robbie Williams

text: In 2002, Williams appeared on the track "My Culture" on the "1 Giant Leap" album, alongside rapper Maxi Jazz (which features lyrics from the hidden track "Hello Sir" from "Life thru a Lens"). Williams also features on a double CD titled "Concrete" which was released on the same day as "Rudebox". The CD features a concert recorded for the BBC featuring the Pet Shop Boys and Williams singing their classic hit "Jealousy". Their joint effort, "She's Madonna", was released as a single in March 2007. On 13 August 2007, a Dean Martin duets album was released, on which Williams sings "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone".


title: Robbie Williams

text: In 2010 he announced the release of "Shame", a duet with Take That lead singer songwriter Gary Barlow, as the first single from his greatest hits collection, "", which was certified silver in the UK and charted in 19 countries worldwide. In 2010, Williams and comedian/actor Russell Brand along with Frank Skinner, David Baddiel and singer-songwriter Ian Broudie (of The Lightning Seeds), under the name "The Squad", recorded a new version of "Three Lions", the England football team's song, for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In 2012, Williams recorded a duet with Mexican recording artist Thalía for the Spanish song "Te quiero dijiste (Muñequita linda)", included on her album "Habítame Siempre".


title: Robbie Williams

text: In 2019 he collaborated with British comedian Jimmy Carr, co-writing the lyrics for "Live in Las Vegas" – the opening song of Williams's residency at the Wynn Las Vegas. A studio version of the song has been recorded excerpts of which have been used in promotional material for the show, but the song is not yet available for download.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In 2005 Williams provided the voice of Dougal in the film adaption of "The Magic Roundabout". On 26 August 2010, it was announced Williams would become a guest vocal coach on the ninth series of German reality television show "" to teach candidates for a girl group.


title: Robbie Williams

text: On 20 September 2010, Williams released his second book called "You Know Me" in collaboration with Chris Heath. The book features a collection of photographs of Williams from the past 20 years of his career and discussion of them by Williams as transcribed by Heath. Williams launched a radio show titled "Radio Rudebox" on 6 October 2011 where he played music and interviewed Gary Barlow.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams recorded the song "It's Only Us" as the theme for the "FIFA" video game "FIFA 2000". As part of the agreement to license the track EA Sports included Port Vale, the football club Williams supports, in the game, despite only being in the third tier of the English football league system.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams features in his own karaoke video game, "We Sing Robbie Williams", which was released on 12 November 2010 by Nordic Games Publishing AB.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In 2005, Williams founded a football team called Los Angeles Vale F.C. Williams formed the club with other celebrity friends after building his own soccer pitch at his home in Los Angeles. The club was named after Williams' hometown club, Port Vale, and its logo was very similar. The club supposedly was disbanded in 2007, reportedly after Williams discovered two players had swindled him out of £200,000.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In 2011, Williams announced he was working with entrepreneur Peter Jones in developing a clothing line called Farrell in honour of his grandfather Jack Farrell. Although the business had filed for bankruptcy, it was later relaunched in 2014 with support of clothing company Primark.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In 2018, it was announced that Williams and Guy Chambers would write the music and lyrics (with a book by Mark Ravenhill) for the stage musical adaptation of David Walliams children's book "The Boy in the Dress" for the Royal Shakespeare Company. The musical opened in November 2019 at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon where it ran for an 18-week season earning rave reviews from the critics and audiences.


title: Robbie Williams

text: It has been claimed that Williams has sold more albums in the UK than any other British solo artist in history and has won more BRIT Awards than any other artist to date. His records sales stands at over 77 million worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. Williams was entered in "The Guinness Book of World Records" when, after he announced his World Tour for 2006, 1.6 million tickets were sold in one day.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Caroline Sullivan of "The Guardian" wrote Williams is "a perfect meeting of ego, self-deprecation and hits", adding "there really is nobody else, in pop music anyway, who combines monumental hamminess and bone-deep vulnerability quite so effectively."


title: Robbie Williams

text: He has received a record eighteen Brit Awards—Best British Male Artist four times, two awards for Outstanding Contribution to Music and the 2017 Brits Icon for his "lasting impact on British culture", and eight German ECHO awards. In 2004, he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame, after being voted as the Greatest artist of the 1990s. He appeared in the 2009 edition of the "Guinness Book of World Records" when his sell-out show at the BBC Electric Proms at London's Roundhouse was screened by more than 250 cinemas across 23 countries to set a new record for the most simultaneous cinematic screenings of a live concert. Williams appears in the list of the all-time Top 100 biggest selling albums in the UK six times–with four albums in the top 60.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In 2005, the British public voted "Angels" the song they would most like played at their funeral. In October 2009, it was announced that he would receive the Outstanding Contribution to British Music award at the 2010 Brit Awards. In September 2010, Williams switched on the Blackpool illuminations, stating that it was one of the greatest honours he had achieved. In October, Media Control named Williams the most successful album-artist of the millennium due to the fact that he had spent No. 1 on the German Albums Chart for 38 weeks since 2000. He also reached that chart's Top Ten 135 times.


title: Robbie Williams

text: During his childhood, Williams was influenced by swing musicians such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. The first records he listened to were released by Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Cole Porter, which belonged to his mother. At the age of 10, he got into Hip hop and started collecting Electro albums; and when he started his solo career in the ‘90s, he was influenced by Britpop bands such as Oasis, Blur and Pulp.


title: Robbie Williams

text: As a singer, his influences include Tom Jones, Freddie Mercury, Elvis Presley and Bono. He worked with Tom Jones several times throughout his career: They performed together at the Brit Awards in 1998; the following year, they recorded a cover of the song "Are You Gonna Go My Way" for Jones’ album Reload; and in 2012, Williams and Jones worked together again on the song "On My Own", b-side of his single "Different".


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams also feels great admiration for Freddie Mercury and Queen. In 2001, Williams, Brian May and Roger Taylor released a new version of "We Are the Champions" for the movie "A Knight's Tale". He also revealed that he was once asked to be the new frontman of Queen, but that he turned down the offer because of his "very low self-esteem". He said: "I just thought I'd save them the audacity of me even trying to step on a stage and be in the same echelon as Freddie Mercury. Because he, to me, is angelic. He's godlike. It was just too scary."


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams has revealed that he does the "Elvis Prayer" before going on stage at every concert. In 2000, he got a tattoo of the phrase "Elvis Grant Me Serenity" and he also played as an Elvis impersonator in the music video for his song "Advertising Space" (2005).


title: Robbie Williams

text: Speaking to BBC Radio 2 in February 2021, Williams cited Ian Dury as his biggest inspiration as a lyricist. He sings on "You're the Why", the final track of the posthumously released album Ten More Turnips from the Tip (2002).


title: Robbie Williams

text: Contemporary artists have expressed their admiration for Williams and have cited him as one of their influences. The English rapper Example admitted his obsession with Williams and how he had been inspired by Williams’ performances when he was younger. He described his own performance on stage as "a combination of rap, rock and Robbie Williams".


title: Robbie Williams

text: Ed Sheeran, in an interview with El Hormiguero, revealed that the first album he ever bought was "Life Thru A Lens". English pop singer Olly Murs paid tribute to Williams' "Angels" music video in the music video for his single "Hand on Heart". And one of Louis Tomlinson's earliest influences was Robbie Williams, of whom he declares a big fan.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In 2006, Williams emigrated to Los Angeles. He briefly moved back to the UK in 2009 when he bought an £8.5 million mansion in Compton Bassett, but sold the property a year later to move back to Los Angeles. In 2017, he sold his mansion in Beverly Hills to DJ Khaled for $9.9 million. In 2016, he moved into Woodland House, a £17 million mansion in the Kensington area of London. His next-door neighbour there is Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, who has lived in The Tower House since 1972. In 2018, Page delayed Williams' plans for an underground swimming pool, stating that construction work would damage The Tower House.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams has reportedly battled mental illness, obesity, self-esteem issues, alcoholism, and substance abuse throughout his life. He has discussed how his friend Elton John booked him into a clinic to cope with his drug use that emerged from the depression he was experiencing while still in Take That.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams revealed in 2011 he had been experiencing lethargy caused by a type of hormone imbalance called andropause for a number of years, and thought at first it was a return of his depression. In a June 2020 interview with "Weight Watchers Magazine", he revealed that he had developed an addiction to online golf games.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams has a strong interest in UFOs and related paranormal phenomena, and pursued this interest during his 2007–08 sabbatical. His interest in the subject led to him taking part in a documentary for BBC Radio 4 with Jon Ronson. The documentary followed them to a UFO convention in Nevada, during which Williams connected his interest in the paranormal with the desire to understand his childhood fears of his mother's interest in "the world's mysteries, elves, demons, [and] witchcraft".


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams featured in a 2018 TV documentary "Hunt for the Skinwalker" by Jeremy Corbell, and revealed that his partner Ayda Field dissuaded him from buying the Skinwalker Ranch when it became for sale.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams became an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church Monastery to officiate the wedding of friends.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams became a fan of his hometown football team Port Vale FC as a child after his father became the licensee of the team's social club. He has played in a testimonial game for club legend Neil Aspin.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In 2020, Williams received backlash for expressing his belief in the widely debunked Pizzagate conspiracy theory.


title: Robbie Williams

text: In 1997, Williams was in a month long relationship with Spice Girls singer Melanie Chisholm. In May 2006, Williams started dating American actress Ayda Field. She was featured in the UFO documentary that Williams did for BBC Radio 4 and took part in a field investigation he did in Trout Lake, Washington in 2008. Williams and Field wed at his home in Mulholland Estates in Beverly Hills on 7 August 2010. They have four children: daughters Theodora and Colette, and sons Charlton and Beau.


title: Robbie Williams

text: There have been questions about Williams's sexuality, with some speculating that he may be bisexual. In an interview with the "Daily Star", he stated: "I love musical theatre and a lot of the other things that are often associated with gays. I am 49% homosexual and sometimes as far as 50%. However, that would imply that I enjoy having a particular sort of fun, which I don't."


title: Robbie Williams

text: In the 2011 "Sunday Times Rich List" of wealthiest people in the British music industry, his wealth was estimated at £90 million. Williams is a lifelong supporter of football club Port Vale, based in his home town of Stoke-on-Trent, and in February 2006 he bought £240,000 worth of shares in the club, making him the largest shareholder. However the club entered administration on 9 March 2012, and as a result Williams lost all of his shares in the club and received only a fraction of his original investment back.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams has set up a charity in his home town of Stoke-on-Trent entitled "Give It Sum", its goal being to "improve local conditions and strengthen community life by giving money to those who are disadvantaged."


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams, with the help of friend Jonathan Wilkes, has organised charity football matches called Soccer Aid to raise money for UNICEF UK. A mixture of non-football celebrities and professional football players have played Soccer Aid matches in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018 at Old Trafford in Manchester and Wembley Stadium in London.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams has been the Patron of the children's charity the Donna Louise Trust, based in Stoke-on-Trent, since 2002. The charity offers respite and palliative care to terminally ill and life-limited children who are not expected to live past the age of 16.


title: Robbie Williams

text: Williams has won various awards, with some of his more recognised accolades being the Brit Awards. He has won a record eighteen Brit Awards, which also include the Brits he won with Take That, making him the most successful artist in the history of the awards. He has also won 8 Echo Awards from the German music industry.


title: Song Joong-ki

text: Song Joong-ki (; born September 19, 1985) is a South Korean actor. He rose to fame in the historical coming-of-age drama "Sungkyunkwan Scandal" (2010) and the variety show "Running Man" (2010–2011) as one of the original cast members. Since then, he has played a diverse spectrum of roles in the television series "The Innocent Man" (2012), "Descendants of the Sun" (2016), "Arthdal Chronicles" (2019), "Vincenzo" (2021) and "Reborn Rich" (2022), as well as the hit films "A Werewolf Boy" (2012), "The Battleship Island" (2017) and "Space Sweepers" (2021).


title: Song Joong-ki

text: Song was Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year in 2012 and in 2017. He was first included in the "Forbes" Korea Power Celebrity list in 2013 placing seventh, and subsequently ranking second in 2017, and seventh in 2018. The success of his TV series and film works internationally established him as a top Hallyu star in the Korean entertainment industry.


title: Song Joong-ki

text: Song is the second child (or middle child) of three siblings and was raised in the rural outskirts of Daejeon. He competed in short track speed skating and represented his home city of Daejeon at a national level; his skating background would prove useful for his role as a national team skater in the TV series "Triple". An injury forced him to give up the sport during his first year of high school. He excelled in his studies all through high school and scored 380 points out of 400 on his national college entrance test, gaining admission to Sungkyunkwan University. While in Seoul preparing for the entrance test, he was scouted on the subway by an agent but did not immediately enter the entertainment industry as he was still ambivalent about his career path, and because his father had initially been against him becoming an actor. He continued to study part-time after deciding to enter the entertainment industry full-time during his third year of university, eventually graduating with a degree in Business Administration (minor in broadcasting) in 2012.


title: Song Joong-ki

text: Song first appeared in a TV show as a contestant on KBS's "Quiz Korea", substituting for a senior who was sick. Song eventually won second place. This brought him significant attention, and he became a cover model for the university magazine "College".