Michael Bolton for Issa charity concert

COME May 27, American

Grammy-winning singer, Michael Bolton, will be the headliner for Issa Trust Foundation for the Children Charity Concert slated for Couples Sans Souci in Ocho Rios, St Ann. Proceeds from the concert are earmarked for the construction of the Mary Issa Health Centre, a pediatric and adolescent care facility, near Richmond, St Ann.

Diane Pollard is president of the foundation. She said it took some effort to get the R&B singer on local soil.

“As you know, Michael Bolton is a multiple Grammy Awardwinning singer, songwriter and social activist, who has sold more than 65 million records globally and continues to tour the world. When I reached out to his manager approximately over five years ago, they...felt the Issa Trust Foundation focus on children and families was a great fit. The challenge was finding the right time that fit within his schedule. I stayed connected over the years with many discussions. Then COVID stopped all tours and really shook the industry. We stayed in contact and then once the industry opened again, talks began and we were thrilled we were able to confirm the date of Saturday, May 27. Working with Michael Bolton’s team has been a great experience,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

Pollard promises that the concert will be nothing short of memorable, due to the magnitude of planning that went into it.

“We have an amazing team of people who are doing this from their heart including myself, Paul Issa, Sean Edwards, Alex Ghisays, and Jan Polack. Music brings people together and we know how much Jamaicans love Michael Bolton, and Michael Bolton loves Jamaica. We hope everyone comes out to not only enjoy the music, From When a Man Loves a Woman to How Am

BEYONCE has announced a 43-date world tour in support of her critically-acclaimed Renaissance album, including five nights in the UK.

The shows will kick off in Sweden on May 10, before landing at Cardiff’s Principality stadium a week later.

Further UK dates will take place in Edinburgh on May 20, Sunderland on May 23 and London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 29 and 30.

Ticket demand is expected to be huge for her first solo tour since 2016.

A series of pre-sales for the star’s UK shows began at 10:00 GMT on Thursday before tickets then go on general sale next Tuesday.

In North America, fans are being asked to register for Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan process - which the company says will filter out touts - before ticket presales open next Monday.

Those who have registered will be entered into a “lotterystyle process” if demand outstrips the number of available tickets.

Politicians in the US, who are already investigating Ticketmaster over the fumbled sale of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, will be keeping an eagle eye on how the systems cope with Beyoncé’s concerts.

Last week, Beyoncé performed her first headlining con- cert in four years at the opening of a luxury hotel in Dubai, but did not play any of her new material.

She was reportedly paid $24 million (£19.4 million) for the one-off show, but faced criticism for performing in a country where homosexuality and gender reassignment are outlawed.

Critics said that contradicted the message of her latest album, which explicitly celebrates black and queer dance culture.

Beyoncé conceived the album as “a place to dream and to find escape” during the pandemic, layering her songs with multiple samples and references to club music, from Nile Rodgers’ Studio 54 disco grooves and Grace Jones’ imperious soul, to less-celebrated movements like bounce and dancehall.

Exclaim magazine called it “the sound of a once-in-ageneration superstar performing at her peak”, while the Guardian described it as “a breath-taking, maximalist tour de force”.

Unusually, Beyoncé has avoided making music videos for the album, meaning the Renaissance tour will be fans’ first chance to see her visual interpretation of tracks like Break My Soul, Alien Superstar and Cuff It.

The former Destiny’s Child star may reveal further details at this weekend’s Grammys, where she is up for nine awards, including album of the year.

The singer previously hinted at plans for a world tour in October, when she raffled tickets to a show during the fifth annual Wearable Art Gala.

Images shared from the auction suggested the “unique” prize, valued at $20,000 (£16,200), included first-class plane tickets, a three-night hotel stay, two concert tickets and a guided backstage tour from Beyoncé’s mother. (BBC)