THERE’S one after-party invite that’s shaping up to be the golden ticket for Britain’s biggest night of music.
I can reveal record label Warner is taking over royal favourite Claridge’s hotel in Mayfair following the Brit Awards at the O2 next Saturday.
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If that’s not enough, it has signed up Madonna’s son Rocco Ritchie to DJ, as well as Mike Skinner and Charli XCX’s producer A.G. Cook.
Charli, who is signed to Warner, is expected to be one of the big winners at the Brits.
It will be the party of all parties as the famous ballroom is transformed into an adult bouncy castle with inflatable panels covering the walls.
My source said: “Warner is going all-out for the party and has let their imagination run wild.
“The inflatable disco will be like a children’s party but for adults, so guests can truly let their hair down.
“Charli XCX is going to be the queen of the night and the design is in honour of her playful and messy Brat aesthetic. It’s going to be legendary.”
Meanwhile, I have heard Maya Jama is DJing at another record label’s celebrations.
But she’s desperate to attend the Warner bash and has got a room in Claridge’s, so she can party hop.
Other nominees including Teddy Swims, Rachel Chinouriri and Ella Henderson are expected.
There will be Charli-inspired cocktails in a collaboration with cognac house Hennessy, and a gold cube photo booth.
Charli XCX fans say X-rated Grammys performance is ‘best in show’s history’ – but critics blast the star’s ‘lip-syncing’
The source said: “Anyone who is anyone will want to be there. It is going to be the hottest ticket going.”
I have also heard whispers that TikTok will be holding its bash at members-only nightclub Tramp in the capital.
JADE: GIVE ME THEATRICS
JADE THIRLWALL has given a glimpse of her rehearsals for The Brit Awards next weekend.
The Little Mix singer is due to perform and is also nominated for Pop Act and Song of the Year With Mastercard for her hit Angel Of My Dreams.
Jade said: “As a pop girlie I want the whole shebang. I want the theatrics, big staging, the screens, costumes, props, everything.
“Why not? This is my first opportunity to do that.”
I can’t wait to see Jade in her element.
RIRI’S GREATEST SITS
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RIHANNA is sitting pretty as she poses for these smouldering new pics.
The Umbrella singer showed off her jaw-dropping figure in a set of sexy outfits for fashion and beauty mag Harper’s Bazaar.
It comes after the mum-of-two’s partner, rapper A$AP Rocky, was found not guilty of a gun assault charge earlier this week.
She told the mag: “I’m annoyed because my sons sometimes just live for him more than they live for me.
“And I’m like, ‘Did you know who cooked you? Do you know who pushed you out?’.”
ASHANTI WANTS BABY NO2
ASHANTI is already trying for baby number two with rapper Nelly – just seven months since giving birth.
When asked if the couple wanted more, the hip-hop superstar, who only had their son Kareem in July, said: “Oh, absolutely. Me and dad were working on it last night.”
With a laugh, she added: “I would like a few.
“What I will say is a long time ago I always said I wanted six kids.
“Absolutely not any more. If that happened a long time ago, maybe. But we’ll see what happens. Definitely more than one though.”
Ashanti is coming to the UK later this year with Sean Paul for their Bring It Tour. It will include London’s OVO Arena Wembley alongside hip-hop great Fat Joe on April 18.
She will also be bringing along Kareem, a nanny and her mum.
Ashanti is happy to ditch wild nights out for a “party in the baby crib”.
Putting on her finest English accent, she added: “I do like tea, darling. I sometimes like scones”.
Rock and roll . . .
Ed’s wife at heart of his new record
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I can reveal ED SHEERAN has yet another hit up his sleeve – this time inspired by wife Cherry Seaborn.
He is no stranger to writing number one love songs, and the new single is called Azizam – a Persian term of endearment meaning “my dear” or “my beloved”.
Ed used the word on Valentine’s Day, when sharing a cute snap of Cherry with his 48.6million Instagram followers. He captioned it with a red heart and “Azizam”.
I’m told he filmed the video for the single in Battersea, South London, earlier this week.
Comidian and actor Omid Djalili, who was in Gladiator and Sex And The City 2, has a starring role.
A source said: “Ed can’t wait for everyone to hear the new record – mainly because it’s inspired by Cherry and their love affair.
“A huge budget has been thrown at the video, which features a stunning wedding and none other than Omid.
“They all had such a fun time making the video and can’t wait to release it into the world.”
Ed has sold more than 150million records, making him one of the world’s best-selling music artists.
Among the touching tracks he has written over the years is F64, a single he released in early 2023 as a tribute to his pal, the late music entrepreneur and DJ Jamal Edwards.
There’s no release date yet for the new record, but I’m told it could be a summer smash hit.
Can’t wait to hear it.
WOODY’S OLDIES STILL FUN
ZOE Ball and Norman Cook’s son Woody reckons his family “is full of kids pretending to be adults”.
Former Radio 2 host Zoe and DJ Norman – aka Fatboy Slim – were married for 17 years and were known for their hellraising antics before parting in 2016.
Woody says: “They are still doing the cool rock and roll stuff, but now instead of partying, it’s gardening.
“It’s this spiritual rebirth. They’ve accepted they’re old in a healthy, fun way and do things that old people do.”
Woody, whose grandfather is former TV maths favourite Johnny Ball, added: “Even with my grandad, it’s how much do you grow up?”
Zoe stepped down from her Radio 2 show in December to “focus on her family”.
She flew to New York at Christmas to spend time with Woody, who was making music there.
Back in the UK, Woody, who has a sister, Nelly, fronted a Specsavers campaign to mark Tinnitus Awareness Week, which ran from February 3 to 9.
Having been a long-time tinnitus sufferer, he said: “For me, it’s about protecting my hearing for the future.
“It feels good to be able to help people and to spread a positive message.”
CAUGHT LIVE
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MAYHEM erupted as indie rockers Cage The Elephant returned to London after five years.
The Grammy-winning six-piece from Kentucky performed as if physically jolted by an unseen current as they belted out their first song, accompanied by flares that shot out from the stage on Tuesday night.
But it’s not just theatre. Their gigs have always had a genuine, untamed energy and a sense that anything can happen – and it was no different for this sold-out show in South London.
Surprisingly for a band that first came on to the scene in 2007, the crowd was full of Gen-Z fans who lapped up the energy of charismatic frontman Matt Shultz in an oversized beanie.
Their hits Too Late To Say Goodbye and Cold Cold Cold invited huge singalongs with their cult following bellowing every word.
The newer tracks, which have a bit more grit, also went down well.
Expressing his sheer joy at being back in the capital, Matt said: “We started out in London living in Leyton.
“I remember us being on the Central Line drinking Strongbow and gin on the Tube.
“We were on a budget and that was our drink of choice.”
I hope the band were popping champagne instead after this performance.
★★★★★
LAURA GOES IN FOR KILL
LAURA Whitmore’s switch from entertainment host to serious journalist is going great guns.
I am told she has got her own TV series looking at teen killers.
It follows the success of her ITVX programme Laura Whitmore Investigates and true crime podcast Murder They Wrote, which she presents with husband Iain Stirling.
A TV source said: “Laura jumped at the chance to front the show.”
She presented Love Island until 2022, when she was replaced by Maya Jama.
Laura has spoken of her discomfort hosting the dating show as she wasn’t able to ask contestants if they were OK.
Now she can ask all the questions she wants . . . .
