NEWS
Kim Kardashian has shared that Kanye West played Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ at the exact moment their daughter North West entered the world.
Speaking this week on her sister Khloé’s podcast Khloé In Wonder Land on January 21, she looked back on how Ye took control of the music while she was in labour with her first child in June 2013.
“She knew what she wanted since the moment she was born,” Kardashian said. “Getting born to the song ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Kourtney and I talk about this all the time. Kanye was DJing, so he put on ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ for the moment she came out.”
“And isn’t it so her?” she added. “Kourtney and I cry laughing thinking of this moment and how it’s just so like her, you know? That’s such a weird fact. When I listen to it, I just, like get [emotional].”
North West’s musical journey continues to gather pace. Last week, she teased a new collaborative track with her father titled “Piercing On My Hand (Ye Version)”, which features her delivering lines including: “No friends, just filter, you wouldn’t understand / Shopping in Japan, that’s where I always stand / Went to school for two days, then I got banned / Skipping school, yeah, I do it on the daily.”
She also appeared on FKA Twigs’ ‘Childlike Things’ from last year’s album Euxesua, where North can be heard singing in Japanese. Twigs explained that she wanted North on the track because her “energy is so inspiring”, adding: “It needs someone who has that tenacity, who has that strong point of view that you have when you’re 11.”
The youngster also took to the stage in 2024, performing ‘I Just Can’t Wait To Be King’ at the live production of The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl. Later that year, she revealed she was working on her debut album, titled ‘Elementary School Dropout’, a nod to her father’s 2004 record The College Dropout, which has yet to see an official release.
North has also added a verse to ‘Talking’ and ‘Vultures’, songs from Ye’s 2024 joint album Vultures 1 with Ty Dolla $ign, and joined her father on stage in Paris that February for a live performance of the former.
As for Ye, he is preparing to release his 12th studio album BULLY on January 30, following a surprise announcement made during a comedy show at the Hollywood Improv last month. His team have also recently addressed rumours surrounding potential AI involvement on the record.
NEWS
In a major setback for the UK summer festival season, global drinks brand Pepsi has confirmed it is ending its relationship with Wireless Festival. The move comes after strong political criticism and public reaction to the festival’s decision to book American rapper Kanye West, who is now legally known as Ye, as a headliner.
The situation intensified this week after Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke out against the booking, according to reporting from The Guardian. Starmer described the decision as "deeply concerning," pointing to the artist’s past antisemitic comments and his open praise of Nazi related figures as being at odds with the values of the United Kingdom. His remarks reflect a wider position within the government that antisemitism must always be challenged firmly to protect the Jewish community and maintain public safety.
Recent releases from the rapper have added further controversy. In the previous year, he drew global criticism after putting out a song called Heil Hitler and attempting to sell products displaying swastika imagery. Although West later apologized in the Wall Street Journal and said his actions were connected to a manic episode, many critics believe his influence still presents serious concerns.
The event, which is planned for July at Finsbury Park in London, is now dealing with growing uncertainty. Aside from losing a key sponsor, there are also questions about whether West will even be able to enter the country. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has the power to refuse entry if someone is considered not beneficial to the public good. These rules allow the Home Office to refuse visas to individuals whose behavior or connections could increase social tensions or encourage hate.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has already urged officials to impose a ban on his entry, while organizations such as the Board of Deputies of British Jews have described the booking as "deeply irresponsible." With a major sponsor stepping away and increasing calls for government action, organizers of Wireless Festival now face significant challenges in keeping the event moving forward.
