
Taylor Swift turned down Meghan Markle's 'handwritten' invite to her podcast
Singer Taylor Swift turned down Meghan Markle’s personal request to appear as a guest on her now-cancelled podcast Archetypes. When they stepped down as working members of the royal family in January 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle soon found other roles that kept them busy. Through their podcast production company, Archewell Audio, they brokered a deal with Spotify, through which Markle launched her own podcast series, Archetypes. The first episode was released in August 2023, but the podcast series was axed after just one season, despite high-profile guest stars such as tennis legend Serena Williams and pop icon Mariah Carey. But, even with her vast connections, Markle was unable to secure Taylor Swift who declined her invitation to appear on the podcast after she had sent her a hand-written letter. According to the Wall Street Journal, singer Swift turned Markle’s personal request down to appear on Archetypes via a representative, for unknown reasons. In the podcast series, Markled discussed the history of negative stereotypes used to label women with her celebrity guests. It won the top podcast award at the People’s Choice Awards, but despite this, it was cancelled by Spotify in June after airing 12 episodes. The cancellation comes as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly struggled to come good on the $20 million Spotify deal, leading to its collapse. Bill Simmons, Spotify’s head of podcast innovation and monetisation, called the pair "f**king grifters”. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-06-26 19:57

Syria war: Nine killed as Russia air strike hits Idlib market
The UN expresses deep concern about escalating hostilities after Russian jets bomb rebel-held Idlib.
2023-06-26 19:47

Germany ready for permanent brigade presence in NATO member Lithuania
BERLIN Germany is ready to deploy a robust brigade of some 4,000 troops to Lithuania permanently, in coordination
2023-06-26 19:28

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar worth $3.5M face money issues after show cancelation and Josh's sex scandal
The Duggar family's financial struggles became evident as Jim Bob sold several plots of their Arkansas property over the past two years
2023-06-26 19:25

Victims' families, united in grief, face 2 paths to justice as Pittsburgh synagogue shooting death penalty trial moves to next phase
Federal jurors in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial will soon decide whether to sentence the convicted gunman to death or life in prison -- two potential avenues for justice that in the years since the deadliest antisemitic attack in US history have found varying levels of support in an otherwise unified community.
2023-06-26 19:19

Republicans move to exert new control of election oversight ahead of 2024
Republicans who control the North Carolina legislature are moving to change the makeup of state and county election boards and sideline the state's Democratic governor, Roy Cooper.
2023-06-26 18:22

RB Leipzig make Josko Gvardiol transfer fee demand clear to Man City
RB Leipzig are seeking a world record transfer fee for a defender in order to sel Josko Gvardiol to Manchester City.
2023-06-26 17:16

Factbox-Japan ramps up efforts to strengthen its chip industry
TOKYO Semiconductor materials maker JSR Corp's board will meet on Monday to discuss a potential multi-billion dollar buyout
2023-06-26 16:50

Japan-backed fund to buy out JSR, in latest chip sector intervention
By Sam Nussey and Tim Kelly TOKYO (Reuters) -Semiconductor materials maker JSR Corp said on Monday it has agreed to
2023-06-26 16:48

Barcelona complete signing of Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan
Ilkay Gundogan has joined Barcelona on a two-year contract after opting against renewing his Manchester City contract.
2023-06-26 16:28

Brandon Flowers' Glastonbury outfit compared to Alan Partridge
Brandon Flowers sported a drastically different look to what fans were used to as he took to the stage with Sir Elton John for the final night of Glastonbury festival on Sunday. The Killers frontman, 42, wore a bright red suit and a blue shirt, while fans pointed out that he also sported a glowing tan, neatly styled hair and gleaming white teeth, in a look which has been compared to Alan Partridge. He joined Sir Elton to perform his 1971 hit 'Tiny Dancer' during the pop legend’s final UK show of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Journalist Nooruddean Choudry tweeted: “Did Brandon Flowers stick his head in a beehive?” Another person said: “Enjoying Brandon Flowers with Elton John,” with a picture of Alan Partridge in a similar outfit. One commenter added that Flowers looked like “an android televangelist”. The performance saw Sir Elton perform some of his biggest hits, including 'Rocket Man', 'Tiny Dancer' and 'Crocodile Rock'. He thanked his fans for “52 years of amazing love and loyalty”. He told the crowd: “I want to thank you for all dressing up in your costumes and your glasses and your outfits ... it makes me feel so happy. Thank you for your love. And I want to thank you, also, for 52 years of amazing love and loyalty that you've shown me.” Despite some people commenting on Flowers’ appearance in his guest role, others were quick to defend him. Some posted videos of The Killers’ memorable performance of their hit 'Mr Brightside' when they headlined Glastonbury in 2019. Others shared a screenshot of a message, apparently from another social media website, which said: “God forbid he takes good care of his skin, god forbid he has white teeth, god forbid he likes his hair to look a certain way”. Another person posted a picture of the two embracing at the end of the performance, saying: “I’m not crying, you are.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-06-26 16:24

How many children does Lala Kent want? 'Vanderpump Rules' star reveals future plans as she seeks sperm donor
Lala Kent is embroiled in a custody battle after splitting from her ex-fiance Randall Emmett
2023-06-26 15:48