It’s OLL Blue Eyes
MURS, THE NEW SINATRA
OLLY Murs is the new Frank Sinatra, as far as his grandparents are concerned.
The Essex lad invited his family to watch him kick off a week of Teenage Cancer Trust concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Monday night.
The last time the older Murs members were there was to see Ol’ Blue Eyes himself way back in the day.
Olly told me: “The Royal Albert Hall is iconic and as soon as I knew I would be doing it I called my grandparents.
“This is my first headline show there and they were saying last time they went to see a proper gig was to see Frank Sinatra, so this is a different gig for them.”
It was a real family affair on the night as Olly’s mum, dad, aunt, cousin and grandad all attended; while the singer also wore earpieces with images of his nephews Louie and Quinn too. Olly has been supporting
Roger Daltrey’s Teenage Cancer Trust for years as a fan and fund-raiser. He explained: “I went to see
Paolo Nutini play Teenage Cancer Trust a few years ago and that’s how I met Paul
Weller and ended up working with him.
“Then I got chatting to Roger Daltrey, which was a bit surreal at the time, and he said: ‘We’d love to get you involved.’ I read how everybody will be affected by cancer in some way or another, whether it be family member or close friends, so this charity is important.
“I’ve been to see what this money does. I went up to Glasgow last year and other TCT centres and they are invaluable.”
Funked
As a Manchester United fan Olly was prepared for a bit of ribbing from TCT founder Roger, who is a life-long Arsenal fan.
He quipped: “It’s friendly banter, but I know not to wear my Man Utd gear on stage!”
Olly was on fire at the Albert Hall. Like five pop stars rolled into one, he and an 11-piece band rifled through funked-up versions of Wrapped Up, Kiss Me and an amazing old skool disco and R&B mega-mix culminating in Justin Timberlake’s Can’t Stop The Feeling.
Charming Olly also hugged an overwhelmed youngster and then waltzed on stage with someone closer to his mum’s age.
Following his current tour, he’s intent on extending his incredible chart run after matching One Direction’s total of four No1 albums.
He added: “Eight years ago I was working at a call centre and now I’m playing the Albert Hall.
“Obviously I’d love to keep making albums. JLS got five No1 singles and One Direction did too and I’m currently on four. I’d like to get another one to match the boys.”
I wouldn’t put it past him.
Visit teenagecancertrust. org to find out more about the Teenage Cancer Trust and the concerts.
ONLY Ed Sheeran is capable of stemming the power of Take That.
The manband’s new album Wonderland is selling bucketloads, over 100,000 copies in less than a week in fact, but it may not be enough to pip King Ed.
The Suffolk strummer’s Divide LP is on course to do the chart double for a fourth week, with album sales already well over 115,000 this week alone. Ed wowed the Royal Albert Hall for Teenage Cancer Trust, including first live UK performaces of Eraser, Dive and Galway Girl.
Meanwhile, Ed apologised to busker Charlotte Campbell who was banned from Facebook for posting a cover of one of his songs.
Ed got it reinstated, saying: “Just seen your video. I bloody love seeing people cover my songs, one of the best things I get is seeing other people find enjoyment too.”