Anant Chaturdashi

Anant Chaturdashi is a festival observed and celebrated by Jains and Hindus. Chaturdashi is the 14th day of the lunar fortnight. In the normal course, Anant Chaturdashi falls 10 days after Ganesh Chaturthi.
Jain religious observance
See also: Jain rituals and festivals
This is an important day in the Jain calendar of festivities. Digambara Jains observe Paryushana in the last 10 days of the bhado month, Anant Chaturdashi (also known as Anant Chaudas) is the last day of Paryushana. Kshamavani, the day the Jains ask for forgiveness for mistakes they have made intentionally or otherwise, is observed one day after Anant Chaturdashi. This is the day when Lord Vasupujya, 12th Tirthankara of the present cosmic cycle, attained nirvana.

Hindu religious observance
In parts of Bihar and Eastern U.P., the festival is closely linked to kshirsagar (Ocean of Milk) and Lord Vishnu's Anant Roopa. Fourteen tilaks (small vertical strips) of vermilion are made on a wooden plank. Fourteen puri (fried wheat bread) and 14 pua (deep fried sweet wheat bread) are placed on the vermilion strips. A bowl containing panchamrit (made of milk, curd, jaggery, honey and ghee) symbolizing kshirsagar is placed on this wooden plank. A thread with 14 knots, symbolizing Lord Anant is wrapped on a cucumber and is swirled five times in this "Ocean of Milk". Later this Anant thread is tied on the right arm above the elbow by men. Women tie this on their left arm. This Anant thread is removed after 14 days.

The story behind the festival
Sushila and Kaundinya
There was a Brahmin named Sumant. With his wife Diksha, he had a daughter named Sushila. After the death of Diksha, Sumant married Karkash, who gave a lot of trouble to Sushila.

Sushila married Kaundinya, and they decided to leave the house to avoid the harassment of the stepmother. On the way, they stopped near a river. Kaundinya went to take bath. Sushila joined a group of women who were worshiping. They told Sushila that they were worshiping "Anant". "What kind of worship is this?" Sushila asked.

Anant's vow
They told her that it was Anant's vow. They explained its importance and ritual. Some fried "gharga" (made of flour) and "anarase" (special food) are prepared. Half of them have to be given to the Brahmins. A cobra made of "darbha" (sacred grass) is put in a bamboo basket. Then the snake ("shesh") is worshiped with scented flowers, oil lamp, and incense sticks. Food is offered to the snake. A silk string is kept before the God and tied to the wrist. This string is called "anant." It has 14 knots and is coloured with "kumkum." Women tie the "anant" on their left hand and men on their right. The purpose of this vow is to obtain divinity and wealth. It is kept for 14 years.

After listening to this explanation Sushila decided to take the Anant vow. From that day she and Kaundinya began to prosper and became very rich. One day Kaundinya noticed the Anant string on Sushila's left hand. When he heard the story of the Anant vow, he was displeased and maintained that they had become rich, not because of any power of Anant, but because of the wisdom he had acquired by his own efforts. A heated argument followed. At the end Kaundinya took the Anant string from Sushila's hand and threw it into the fire.

After this all sorts of calamities happened in their life, and they were reduced to extreme poverty. Kaundinya understood that it was punishment for having dishonoured "Anant" and decided that he would undergo rigorous penance until God appeared to him.

In search of Anant
Kaundinya went into the forest. There he saw a tree full of mangoes, but no one was eating them. The entire tree was attacked by worms. He asked the tree if he had seen Anant but got a negative reply. Then Kaundinya saw a cow with her calf, then a bull standing on a field of grass without eating it. Then he saw two big lakes joined to each other with their waters mixing with one another. Further, he saw a donkey and an elephant. To every one, Kaundinya asked about Anant, but no one had heard this name. He became desperate and prepared a rope to hang himself.

Then suddenly an old, venerable Brahmin appeared before him. He removed the rope from Kaundinya's neck and led him into a cave. At first, it was very dark. But then a bright light appeared and they reached a big palace. A great assembly of men and women had gathered. The old Brahmin went straight towards the throne.

Kaundinya could no longer see the Brahmin but only Vishnu instead. Kaundinya realized that Vishnu himself had come to save him and that Vishnu was Anant, the Eternal One. He confessed his sin in failing to recognize the Eternal in the string on Sushila's hand. Anant promised Kaundinya that if he made the 14-year vow, he would be free from all his sins and would obtain wealth, children, and happiness. Anant disclosed the meaning of what Kaundinya had seen during the search. Anant explained that the mango tree was a Brahmin, who in a previous life had acquired plenty of knowledge, but had not communicated it to anyone.

The cow was the earth, which at the beginning had eaten all the seeds of plants. The bull was religion itself. Now he was standing on a field of green grass. The two lakes were sisters who loved each other very much, but all their alms were spent on each other only. The donkey was cruelty and anger. Finally, the elephant was Kaundinya's pride

MS Dhoni

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (About this soundpronunciation (help·info) born 7 July 1981), commonly known as MS Dhoni, is an Indian international cricketer who captained the Indian national team in limited-overs formats from 2007 to 2016 and in Test cricket from 2008 to 2014. Under his captaincy, India won the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, the 2010 and 2016 Asia Cups, the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. A right-handed middle-order batsman and wicket-keeper, Dhoni is one of the highest run scorers in One Day Internationals (ODIs) with more than 10,000 runs scored and is considered an effective "finisher" in limited-overs formats.[2][3][4][5] He is also regarded by some as one of the best wicket-keepers in modern limited-overs international cricket.[6]

He made his ODI debut in December 2004 against Bangladesh, and played his first Test a year later against Sri Lanka. Dhoni has been the recipient of many awards, including the ICC ODI Player of the Year award in 2008 and 2009 (the first player to win the award twice), the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2007, the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour, in 2009 and the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour, in 2018.[7] He was named as the captain of the ICC World Test XI in 2009, 2010 and 2013. He has also been selected a record 8 times in ICC World ODI XI teams, 5 times as captain. The Indian Territorial Army conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel[8] to Dhoni on 1 November 2011. He is the second Indian cricketer after Kapil Dev to receive this honour.

Dhoni also holds numerous captaincy records such as the most wins by an Indian captain in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, and most back-to-back wins by an Indian captain in ODIs. He took over the ODI captaincy from Rahul Dravid in 2007 and led the team to its first-ever bilateral ODI series wins in Sri Lanka and New Zealand. In June 2013, when India defeated England in the final of the Champions Trophy in England, Dhoni became the first captain to win all three ICC limited-overs trophies (World Cup, Champions Trophy and the World Twenty20). After taking up the Test captaincy in 2008, he led the team to series wins in New Zealand and the West Indies, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2008, 2010 and 2013. In 2009, Dhoni also led the Indian team to number one position for the first time in the ICC Test rankings.

In 2013, under his captaincy, India became the first team in more than 40 years to whitewash Australia in a Test series. In the Indian Premier League, he captained the Chennai Super Kings to victory at the 2010, 2011 and 2018 seasons, along with wins in the 2010 and 2014 editions of Champions League Twenty20. In 2011, Time magazine included Dhoni in its annual Time 100 list as one of the "Most Influential People in the World."[9] Dhoni holds the post of Vice-President of India Cements Ltd., after resigning from Air India. India Cements is the owner of the IPL team Chennai Super Kings, and Dhoni has been its captain since the first IPL season.[10][11] He announced his retirement from Tests on 30 December 2014.[12]

In 2012, SportsPro rated Dhoni as the sixteenth most marketable athlete in the world.[13] Dhoni is the co-owner of Indian Super League team Chennaiyin FC.[14] In June 2015, Forbes ranked Dhoni at 23rd in the list of highest paid athletes in the world, estimating his earnings at US$31 million.[15] In 2016, a biopic M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story was made about him.
Early life & background
Dhoni was born in Ranchi, Bihar (now in Jharkhand),[16] and he identifies as a Hindu Rajput.[17] His paternal village Lwali is in the Lamgara block of the Almora District of Uttarakhand. Dhoni's parents moved from Uttarakhand to Ranchi, where his father Pan Singh worked in junior management positions in MECON. Dhoni has a sister Jayanti Gupta and a brother Narendra Singh Dhoni.[18][19] Dhoni is a fan of Adam Gilchrist, and his childhood idols were cricket teammate Sachin Tendulkar, Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan and singer Lata Mangeshkar[20][21]

Dhoni studied at DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir, Shyamali, Ranchi, Jharkhand where he initially excelled in badminton and football and was selected at district and club level in these sports. Dhoni was a goalkeeper for his football team and was sent to play cricket for a local cricket club by his football coach. Though he had not played cricket, Dhoni impressed with his wicket-keeping skills and became the regular wicketkeeper at the Commando cricket club (1995–1998). Based on his performance at club cricket, he was picked for the 1997/98 season Vinoo Mankad Trophy Under-16 Championship and he performed well.[19] Dhoni focused on cricket after his 10th standard.[22] Dhoni was a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) at Kharagpur railway station from 2001 to 2003, under South Eastern Railway in Midnapore (W), a district in West Bengal.[23][24][25] His colleagues remember him as a very honest, straightforward employee of the Indian Railways. But he also had a mischievous side to his personality. Once, while staying at the railway quarters, Dhoni and a couple of his friends covered themselves in white bedsheets and walked around in the complex late in the night. The night guards were fooled into believing that there were ghosts moving around in the complex. The story made big news on the next day.[26][27][28]

Early career
Junior cricket in Bihar
In 1998, Dhoni was selected by Deval Sahay to play for the Central Coal Fields Limited (CCL) team.[29] Till 1998 Dhoni, who was in class 12th in school, had played only school cricket and club cricket and no professional cricket. One of the famous episodes, when Dhoni used to play for CCL, was when Deval Sahay used to gift him Rs 50 for each six that he hit in Sheesh Mahal tournament cricket matches.[30] Playing for CCL, he got a chance to bat up the order. He grabbed the opportunity and scored centuries and helped CCL move to the A division. Deval Sahay impressed by his hard-hitting shots and dedication, used his contacts in Bihar Cricket Association to push for his selection in the Bihar team.[31] Deval Sahay, an ex Bihar Cricket Association Vice-President, was the Ranchi District Cricket President at that time and was instrumental in pushing Dhoni to the big stage of Ranchi team, junior Bihar cricket team and eventually senior Bihar Ranji Team for the 1999–2000 season. Within 1 year, Dhoni moved from playing in CCL to the Bihar Ranji team. Dhoni was included in the Bihar U-19 squad for the 1998–99 season and scored 176 runs in 5 matches (7 innings) as the team finished fourth in the group of six and did not make it to the quarter-finals. Dhoni was not picked for the East Zone U-19 squad (CK Nayudu Trophy) or Rest of India squad (MA Chidambaram Trophy and Vinoo Mankad Trophy). Bihar U-19 cricket team advanced to the finals of 1999–2000 Cooch Behar Trophy, where Dhoni made 84 to help Bihar post a total of 357.[32] Bihar's efforts were dwarfed by Punjab U-19s' 839 with Dhoni's future national squad teammate Yuvraj Singh making 358.[33][34] Dhoni's contribution in the tournament included 488 runs (9 matches, 12 innings), 5 fifties, 17 catches and 7 stumpings.[35] Dhoni made it to the East Zone U-19 squad for the CK Nayudu trophy[36] but scored only 97 runs[37] in four matches, as East Zone lost all four matches and finished last in the tournament.[38]

Bihar cricket team
Dhoni made his Ranji Trophy debut for Bihar in the 1999–2000 season, as an eighteen-year-old. He made a half century in his debut match scoring 68* in the second innings against Assam cricket team.[39] Dhoni finished the season with 283 runs in 5 matches. Dhoni scored his maiden first-class century while playing for Bihar against Bengal in the 2000/01 season, in a losing cause.[40] Apart from this century, his performance in the 2000/01 season[41] did not include another score over fifty and in the 2001/02 season, he scored just five fifties in four Ranji matches.[42]

Jharkhand cricket team
Dhoni's performance in the 2002–03 season included three half-centuries in the Ranji Trophy and a couple of half-centuries in the Deodhar Trophy, as he started gaining recognition for his lower-order contribution as well as hard-hitting batting style. In the 2003/04 season, Dhoni scored a century (128*) against Assam in the first match of the Ranji ODI tournament. Dhoni was part of the East Zone squad that won the Deodhar Trophy 2003–2004 season[43][44] and contributed with 244 runs in 4 matches,[45] including a century (114) against Central zone.[46]

In the Duleep Trophy finals, Dhoni was picked over international cricketer Deep Dasgupta to represent East Zone.[47] He scored a fighting half-century in the second innings in a losing cause.[48] Dhoni's talent was discovered via the BCCI's small-town talent-spotting initiative TRDW. Dhoni was discovered by TRDO Prakash Poddar, captain of Bengal in the 1960s, when he saw Dhoni play for Jharkhand at a match in Jamshedpur in 2003, and sent a report to the National Cricket Academy.[49]

India A team
He was recognised for his efforts in the 2003/04 season, especially in the One Day format and was picked for the India A squad for a tour of Zimbabwe and Kenya.[50] Against the Zimbabwe XI in Harare Sports Club, Dhoni had his best wicket-keeping effort with 7 catches and 4 stumpings in the match.[51] In the tri-nation tournament involving Kenya, India A and Pakistan A, Dhoni helped India A chase down their target of 223 against Pakistan A with a half-century.[52] Continuing his good performance, he scored back to back centuries – 120[53] and 119*[54] – against the same team. Dhoni scored 362 runs in 6 innings at an average of 72.40 and his performance in the series received attention from the then Indian captain – Sourav Ganguly[55] and Ravi Shastri, amongst others.

ODI career
Start of ODI career
The Indian ODI team in the early 2000s saw Rahul Dravid as the wicket-keeper to ensure that the wicket-keeper spot didn't lack in batting talent.[55] The team also saw the entry of wicket-keeper/batsmen from the junior ranks, with talents like Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik (both India U-19 captains) named in the Test squads.[55] With Dhoni making a mark in the India A squad, he was picked in the ODI squad for the Bangladesh tour in 2004/05.[56] Dhoni did not have a great start to his ODI career, getting run out for a duck on debut.[57] In spite of an average series against Bangladesh, Dhoni was picked for the Pakistan ODI series.[58]

Start of "Dhoni" era
In the second match of the series, Dhoni, in his fifth one-day international, scored 148 in Visakhapatnam off only 123 deliveries. Dhoni's 148 surpassed the earlier record for the highest score by an Indian wicket-keeper,[59] a record that he would re-write before the end of the year.

Dhoni had few batting opportunities in the first two games of the Sri Lankan bilateral ODI series (October–November 2005) and was promoted to No. 3 in the third ODI at Sawai Mansingh Stadium (Jaipur). Sri Lanka had set India a target of 299 after a Kumar Sangakkara century and, in reply, India lost Tendulkar early. Dhoni was promoted to accelerate the scoring and ended the game with an unbeaten 183 off 145 balls, winning the game for India.[60] The innings was described in Wisden Almanack (2006) as 'Uninhibited, yet anything but crude'.[61] The innings set various records including the highest individual score in ODI cricket in the second innings,[62] a record only broken after seven years by Shane Watson.[63] Dhoni ended the series with the highest run aggregate (346)[64] and was awarded the Man of the Series award for his efforts. In December 2005, Dhoni was rewarded a B-grade contract by the BCCI.
India scored 328 in 50 overs with Dhoni contributing 68 in their first match of 2006 against Pakistan. However, the team finished poorly scoring just 43 runs in the last eight overs and lost the match due to Duckworth-Lewis method.[66] In the third match of the series, Dhoni came in with India in a precarious situation and scored 72 runs off just 46 balls that included 13 boundaries to help India take a 2–1 lead in the series.[67][68] The final match of the series had a repeat performance as Dhoni scored 77 runs off 56 balls to enable India win the series 4–1.[69] Due to his consistent ODI performances, Dhoni overtook Ricky Ponting as number one in the ICC ODI Rankings for batsmen on 20 April 2006 becoming the fastest batsman to do so, in 42 innings.[70] His reign lasted just a week as Adam Gilchrist's performance against Bangladesh moved him to the top spot.[71]

Two cancelled series in Sri Lanka, one due to the withdrawal of South Africa from the Unitech Cup due to security concerns[72] and the replacement three-match ODI bilateral series against Sri Lanka washed due to rain,[73] was India's prelude to another disappointing tournament – DLF Cup 2006-07. Dhoni scored 43 runs as the team lost twice in three games and did not qualify for the finals. India's lack of preparation showed in the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy as they lost to West Indies and Australia, though Dhoni scored a half-century against West Indies. The story of the ODI series in South Africa was the same for both Dhoni and India as Dhoni scored 139 runs in 4 matches and India lost the series 4–0. From the start of the West Indies ODI series, Dhoni had played 16 matches, hit just two fifties and averaged 25.93. Dhoni received criticism on his wicket-keeping technique from former wicket-keeper Syed Kirmani.[74] Yet, for his performances in 2006, he was named in the World ODI XI by the ICC.[75]

2007 World Cup
Preparations for the 2007 Cricket World Cup improved as India recorded identical 3–1 victories over West Indies and Sri Lanka and Dhoni had averages in excess of 100 in both these series.[76]

India unexpectedly crashed out of the World Cup after losses to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the group stage. Dhoni was out for a duck in both these matches and scored just 29 runs in the tournament. After the loss to Bangladesh in 2007 Cricket World Cup, the house that Dhoni was constructing in his home-town Ranchi was vandalised and damaged by political activists of JMM.[77] The local police arranged for security for his family as India exited the World Cup in the first round.[78]

Dhoni put his disappointing performances in the World Cup behind him by scoring 91* against Bangladesh, after India were left in a tight spot earlier in the run-chase. Dhoni was declared the Man of the Match for his performance, his fourth in ODI cricket. He was also later adjudged the Man of the Series after the third game of the series was washed away. Dhoni had a good Afro-Asia Cup, scoring 174 runs in 3 matches at an average of 87.00, with a blitzkrieg 139 not out off 97 balls, a Man of the Match innings, in the third ODI.

Dhoni was named vice-captain of the ODI team for the series against South Africa in Ireland and the subsequent India-England seven-match ODI series.[79] Dhoni, who received a 'B' grade contract in December 2005, was awarded an 'A' grade contract in June 2007. He was also elected as the captain of the Indian squad for the World Twenty20 in September 2007. On 2 September 2007, Dhoni equalled his idol Adam Gilchrist's international record for the most dismissals in an innings in ODI by catching five English players and stumping one.[80]

Rise through ranks
For his performances in 2008, he was named as wicket keeper of the World ODI XI by the ICC.[81] He was also named as captain and wicket keeper of the World ODI XI by the Cricinfo.[82]

During the series between India and Australia in 2009, Dhoni hit an aggressive 124 runs in just 107 balls, in the second ODI, and a measured knock of 71 runs in 95 balls, along with Yuvraj Singh and saw India home by 6 wickets in the third ODI. Dhoni took his first wicket in international cricket on 30 September 2009. He bowled Travis Dowlin of the West Indies during a match of the 2009 Champions Trophy.
Dhoni topped the ICC ODI Batsman rankings for several months in 2009. Michael Hussey from Australia replaced him at the top spot at the beginning of 2010.[83]

Dhoni had an excellent year in ODIs in 2009, scoring 1198 runs in just 24 innings, at an astonishing average of 70.43. Dhoni was also the joint top-scorer in ODIs in 2009 along with Ricky Ponting, but the latter having played 30 innings. For his performances in 2009, he was named as captain and wicket keeper of the World ODI XI by the ICC.[84] He was also named as wicket keeper in the World ODI XI by the ICC for 2010.[85]

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 kicked off in the subcontinent and Dhoni-led India were seen as "favorites". Although Dhoni didn't had a good show with the bat averaging just 30.0 in seven innings and managing 150 runs, India reached the finals with victories over Australia and Pakistan in quarter-finals and semi-finals, respectively. Chasing a target of 275 in the final against Sri Lanka, Dhoni rescued his team alongside Gautam Gambhir, and later Yuvraj Singh to help India lift their second World Cup title since 1983. He scored 91 not out, finishing the game with a historical six and claiming the Man of the Match award.

For his performances in 2011, he was named as captain and wicket keeper of the World ODI XI by the ICC.[86] He was also named in the World ODI XI by Cricinfo.[87]

Post 2011 World Cup

Daniel Johnston

Daniel Dale Johnston (January 22, 1961 – September 10, 2019) was an American singer-songwriter and visual artist regarded as a significant figure in outsider, lo-fi, and alternative music scenes.[1][2] Most of his work consisted of cassettes recorded alone in his home,[4] and his music was frequently cited for its "pure" and "childlike" qualities.[5]

Johnston spent extended periods in psychiatric institutions[4] and was diagnosed with schizophrenia[6][7] and bipolar disorder.[8][1] He gathered a local following in the 1980s by passing out tapes of his music while working at a McDonald's in Austin, Texas.[9] His cult status was propelled when Nirvana's Kurt Cobain was seen wearing a T-shirt that featured artwork from Johnston's 1983 album Hi, How Are You.[4] In 2005, Johnston was the subject of the documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston.
Early life
Johnston was born in Sacramento, California, and grew up in New Cumberland, West Virginia.[10] He was the youngest of five children of William Dale "Bill" Johnston (1922–2017) and Mabel Ruth Voyles Johnston (1923–2010). He began recording music in the late 1970s on a $59 Sanyo monaural boombox, singing and playing piano as well as the chord organ.[10] Following graduation from Oak Glen High School, Johnston spent a few weeks at Abilene Christian University in West Texas before dropping out. He later attended the art program at the East Liverpool campus of Kent State University, during which he recorded Songs of Pain and More Songs of Pain.[11]

Career
1980s–1990s
When Johnston moved to Austin, Texas, he began to attract the attention of the local press and gained a following augmented in numbers by his habit of handing out tapes to people he met.[12] Live performances were well-attended and hotly anticipated.[13] His local standing led to him being featured in a 1985 episode of the MTV program The Cutting Edge featuring performers from Austin's "New Sincerity" music scene.[14]

In 1988, Johnston visited New York City and recorded 1990 with producer Kramer[15] at his Noise New York studio.[10] This was Johnston's first experience in a professional recording environment after a decade of releasing home-made cassette recordings. His mental health further deteriorated during the making of 1990.[16] In 1989, Johnston released the album It's Spooky in collaboration with singer Jad Fair of the band Half Japanese.[17]

In 1990, Johnston played at a music festival in Austin, Texas. On the way back to West Virginia on a private two-seater plane piloted by his father Bill, Johnston had a manic psychotic episode; believing he was Casper the Friendly Ghost, Johnston removed the key from the plane's ignition and threw it outside. His father, a former U.S. Air Force pilot, managed to successfully crash-land the plane, even though "there was nothing down there but trees". Although the plane was destroyed, Johnston and his father emerged with only minor injuries. As a result of this episode, Johnston was involuntarily committed to a mental hospital.[18]

Interest in Johnston increased when Kurt Cobain was frequently photographed wearing a T-shirt featuring the cover image of Johnston's album Hi, How Are You that music journalist Everett True gave him. [10] Kurt Cobain listed Yip/Jump Music as one of his favorite albums in his journal in 1993.[19] In spite of Johnston being resident in a mental hospital at the time, there was a bidding war to sign him. He refused to sign a multi-album deal with Elektra Records because Metallica was on the label's roster and he was convinced that they were of Satan and would hurt him[16], also dropping his longtime manager, Jeff Tartakov, in the process.[20] Ultimately he signed with Atlantic Records in February 1994 and that September released Fun, produced by Paul Leary of Butthole Surfers.[21] It was a commercial failure. In June 1996, Atlantic dropped Johnston from the label.
In 1993, the Sound Exchange record store in Austin, Texas, commissioned Johnston to paint a mural of the Hi, How Are You? frog (also known as "Jeremiah the Innocent") from the album's cover.[22] After the record store closed in 2003, the building remained unoccupied until 2004 when a Mexican grill franchise called Baja Fresh took ownership and decided to remove the wall that held the mural. A group of people who lived in the neighborhood convinced the managers and contractors to keep the mural intact.[23] As of 2018, the building houses a Thai restaurant called "Thai, How Are You".[24]

2000s
In 2004, he released The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered, a two-disc compilation. The first disc featured covers of his songs by artists including Tom Waits, Beck, TV on the Radio, Jad Fair, Eels, Bright Eyes, Calvin Johnson, Death Cab for Cutie, Sparklehorse, Mercury Rev, The Flaming Lips and Starlight Mints, with the second disc featuring Johnston's original recordings of the songs.[25] In 2005, Texas-based theater company Infernal Bridegroom Productions received a Multi-Arts Production/MAP Fund grant to work with Johnston to create a rock opera based on his music, titled Speeding Motorcycle
In 2006, Jeff Feuerzeig released a documentary about Johnston, The Devil and Daniel Johnston; the film, four years in the making, collated some of the vast amount of recorded material Johnston (and in some case, others) had produced over the years to portray his life and music.[27] The film won high praise, receiving the Director's Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.[28] The film also inspired more interest in Johnston's work, and increased his prestige as a touring artist. In 2006, Johnston's label, Eternal Yip Eye Music, released his first greatest-hits compilation, Welcome to My World.[29]

Through the next few years Johnston toured extensively across the world, and continued to attract press attention. His artwork was shown in galleries such as in London's Aquarium Gallery, New York's Clementine Gallery and at the Liverpool Biennial in 2006 and 2008,[30] and in 2009, his work was exhibited at "The Museum of Love" at Verge Gallery in Sacramento, California.[31] In 2008, Dick Johnston, Johnston's brother and manager, revealed that "a movie deal based on the artist's life and music had been finalized with a tentative 2011 release."[32] He also said that a deal had been struck with the Converse company for a "signature series" Daniel Johnston shoe.[32] Later, it was revealed by Dick Johnston that Converse had dropped the plan.[33] In early 2008, a Jeremiah the Innocent collectible figurine was released in limited runs of four different colors.[34] Later in the year, Adjustable Productions released Johnston's first concert DVD, The Angel and Daniel Johnston – Live at the Union Chapel, featuring a 2007 appearance in Islington, London.[35]

Is and Always Was was released on October 6, 2009, on Eternal Yip Eye Music.[36] In 2009, it was announced that Matt Groening had chosen Johnston to perform at the edition of the All Tomorrow's Parties festival that he curated in May 2010, in Minehead, England.[37] Also that year, Dr. Fun Fun and Smashing Studios developed an iPhone platform game called Hi, How Are You. The game is similar to Frogger, but features Johnston's art and music. Johnston played it during its development and liked it, although he was not familiar with the iPhone.[38]

2010s
On March 13, 2012, Johnston released his first comic book, Space Ducks – An Infinite Comic Book of Musical Greatness[39] at SXSW, published by BOOM! Studios. The comic book ties-in with the Space Ducks album and an iOS app.[40] Johnston collaborated with skateboarding and clothing company Supreme on numerous collections (consisting of clothing and various accessories) showcasing his artwork.[41]

On March 1, 2012, Brooklyn-based photographer Jung Kim announced her photo book and traveling exhibition project with Johnston titled DANIEL JOHNSTON: here, a collaboration that began in 2008 when Kim first met Johnston and began photographing him on the road and at his home in Waller, Texas.[42] On March 13, 2013, this photography book was published, featuring five years of documentation on Johnston. [42] The opening exhibition at SXSW festival featured a special performance by Johnston along with tribute performances led by Jason Sebastian Russo formerly of Mercury Rev.[43][44] The second exhibition ran in May and June 2013 in London, England, and featured a special performance by Johnston along with tribute performances by the UK band Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs with Steffan Halperin of the Klaxons.[2][45] On October 10, 2013, Jason Pierce of Spiritualized hosted the New York City opening of the exhibition, which included special tribute performances led by Pierce and Glen Hansard of The Swell Season and The Frames.[46][47]

In November 2015, Hi, How Are You Daniel Johnston?, a short biopic about Johnston's life, was released featuring Johnston as his 2015 self and Gabriel Sunday of Archie's Final Project as Johnston's 1983 self. The executive producers for the film included Lana Del Rey.[48][49]

In July 2017, Johnston announced that he would be retiring from live performance and would embark on a final five-date tour that fall.[50] Each stop on the tour featured Johnston backed by a group that had been influenced by his music: The Preservation All-Stars in New Orleans, The Districts and Modern Baseball in Philadelphia, Jeff Tweedy in Chicago, and Built to Spill for the final two dates in Portland and Vancouver.[50]

Death
Johnston died of a suspected heart attack at his home in Waller, Texas, on September 10, 2019. He was 58.[51][52]

Discography
Main article: Daniel Johnston discography
Studio albums

Songs of Pain (1981)
Don't Be Scared (1982)
The What of Whom (1982)
More Songs of Pain (1983)
Yip/Jump Music (1983)
Hi, How Are You (1983)
Retired Boxer (1984)
Respect (1985)
Continued Story (1985) (with Texas Instruments)
Merry Christmas (1988)
It's Spooky (1989) (with Jad Fair)
1990 (1990)
Artistic Vice (1991)
Fun (1994)
Rejected Unknown (2001)
Fear Yourself (2003) (with Mark Linkous)
Lost and Found (2006)
Is and Always Was (2009)
Beam Me Up! (2010) (with Beam)
Space Ducks (2012)

شون مينديز

شون بيتر رول مينديز (بالإنجليزية: Shawn Mendes)؛ (ولدّ 8 أغسطس 1998) هو مغنٍ كندي. بدأ نجاحه سنة 2013، حينما بدأ في نشر أغاني غلاف على تطبيق مشاركة الفيديو الشهير فاين (تطبيق محمول). في العام التالي، لفتّ إنتباه مدير الفنانين أندرو غيرلتر وآيلاند ريكوردز زيغي شارتون الأمر الذي قاده إلى التوقيع مع شركة تسجيل.

أطلق مينديز أول أغنية منفردة له "حياة الإحتفال" التي نجحت في موطنه كندا كما العالم. متابعة لإطلاق أغنية حياة الإحتفال، فقد أصدر ألبوم قصير وألبوم إستوديو، وأدى جولة منفردة ناجحة.
حياته ومسيرته المهنية
ولدّ مينديز في تورنتو، أونتاريو بكندا وترعرع في بيكرينغ، إحدى ضواحي المدينة. هو ابن كارين، وكيلة عقارية، ومانويل مينديز، رجل أعمال. والده من أصول برتغالية (من عائلة من لاغوس)، بينما والدته إنجليزية. أول بداياته مع نشر فيديوهات الأغاني المقلدة تطبيق مشاركة الفيديو الاجتماعي الشهير فاين سنة 2013 وتحصل على الملايين من المشاهدات والمتابعات خلال أشهر، وأصبح مشهور جدًا لمقاطع الستة ثوانٍ من تأديته لأغاني شهيرة عدة. مدير المواهب أندرو غيرلتر اكتشفّ مينديز على الإنترنت في يناير 2014، وأصطحبه إلى آيلاند ريكوردز حيث وقعّ وأطلق أول أغانيه المنفردة في يونيو 2014. مينديز هو أصغر فنان ولأول مرة في أعلى 25 مع أغنيته الأولى في القائمة المئوية لمجلة بيلبورد، محتلاً المرتبة 24 في نهاية الأسبوع 12 يوليو 2014، في الخامسة عشر من عمره.

قبل توقيعه، جال مينديز كعضو في جولة ماغكون جنبًا إلى جنب مع فنانين يافعين آخرين ومشاهير وسائل الإعلام الاجتماعي مثل ناش غراير، كاميرون دالاس، جاك أند جاك، وغيرهم. مينديز كان أيضًا في جولة وطنية رفقة أوستن ماهون كمفتتح وأطلق ألبومه القصير لأول مرة في يوليو، مع ألبوم آخر مقرر صدوره في 2014 وقد ربح جائزة تين تشويس سنة 2014 عن فئة نجم الويب في الغناء

Shawn Mendes

Shawn Peter Raul Mendes (/ˈmɛndɛz/; born August 8, 1998) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and model.[1] He gained a following in 2013, posting song covers on the video-sharing application Vine. The following year, he caught the attention of artist manager Andrew Gertler and Island Records A&R Ziggy Chareton, which led to him signing a deal with the record label. He has since released three studio albums, headlined three world tours, and received several awards.

Mendes released his self-titled debut EP (2014) and his debut studio album Handwritten (2015), whose single "Stitches" reached number one in the United Kingdom and the top 10 in the United States and Canada. He then released his second studio album Illuminate (2016), whose singles "Treat You Better" and "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" reached the top 10 in several countries. His self-titled third studio album (2018) was supported by the lead single "In My Blood". All three albums debuted atop the US Billboard 200, with the first one making Mendes one of five artists ever to debut at number one before the age of 18, and the third one making him the third-youngest artist to achieve three number one albums. In 2017, Mendes became the first artist to land three number one singles on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. In 2018, he became the first artist to achieve four number one singles on the Adult Pop Songs chart before the age of 20. In 2019, he released the hit singles "If I Can't Have You" and "Señorita" with the latter peaking at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Mendes has headlined four concert tours: #ShawnsFirstHeadlines, Shawn Mendes World Tour, Illuminate World Tour, and Shawn Mendes: The Tour. Among his accolades, Mendes has won 13 SOCAN awards, 10 MTV Europe Music Awards, eight Juno Awards, eight iHeartRadio MMVAs, two American Music Awards, and received two Grammy Award nominations. In 2018, Time named Mendes as one of the 100 most influential people in the world on their annual list.
Early life
Mendes was born in the Toronto suburb of Pickering, Ontario, to Karen (née Rayment), a real estate agent, and Manuel Mendes, a businessman, who sells bar and restaurant supplies in Toronto. His father is Portuguese (from the Algarve),[3] while his mother is from England. He has a younger sister named Aaliyah.[4] He was raised in a religious family.[5]

Mendes was raised in Pickering where he attended Pine Ridge Secondary School.[6] At school, he played ice hockey and soccer, joined his high school glee club, and practised his stage presence in acting lessons (leading as Prince Charming at one point). He also auditioned for Disney Channel in Toronto.[7] Mendes graduated from high school in June 2016.[8]

Career
2013—2015: Handwritten
Mendes learned to play guitar by watching YouTube tutorial videos at the age of 14 in 2012.[9] Less than a year later he started posting cover videos on YouTube. Mendes started attracting viewers after he posted a cover from Justin Bieber "As Long as You Love Me" on the social video app Vine in 2013 and got 10,000 likes and as many followers the next day. After that he gained millions of views and followers in a few months, becoming well known for his six-second snippets of renditions of many popular songs.[10] By August 2014, he was the third most-followed musician on Vine.[11] Artist manager Andrew Gertler discovered Mendes online in November 2013, bringing him to Island Records in January 2014. In April, he won Ryan Seacrest's "Best Cover Song" contest with "Say Something" by A Great Big World. He officially signed to Island in May 2014.

He released his first single "Life of the Party" on June 26, 2014.[12] He became the youngest to debut in the top 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it to number 24 for the week ending July 12, 2014.[13] Prior to his signing, Mendes toured as a member of the Magcon Tour[14] alongside other young Viners with a large following on social media.[15] Mendes was also on a nationwide tour with Austin Mahone as an opening act. He released his debut major label EP in July.[16] The EP debuted and peaked at number five on Billboard 200, selling 48,000 copies in its first week.[17] He won a Teen Choice award in 2014 for Webstar in Music.[18] On September 5, 2014, "Oh Cecilia (Breaking My Heart)" featuring Mendes was released as the fifth single from The Vamps' debut album, Meet the Vamps.[19] On November 6, 2014, "Something Big" was released as the second single.[20]

On April 14, 2015, Mendes released his full-length album Handwritten, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart with 119,000 equivalent album units, selling 106,000 copies in its first week and was certified platinum.[21][22] Mendes then became the youngest artist to debut at number one since the release of Justin Bieber's My World 2.0.[23] The third single from the album, "Stitches", peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming his first top 10 single in the US,[24] and became his first number one on the Adult Pop Songs[25] and Adult Contemporary charts.[26] The song later reached number one in the UK.[27] Also in 2015, Mendes opened for Taylor Swift during 1989 World Tour dates for North America and recorded "Believe" for the soundtrack of Disney Channel Original Movie Descendants.[28][29] In late 2015, Mendes and Camila Cabello, who was at the time a member of the group Fifth Harmony, released their collaborative single "I Know What You Did Last Summer". The song was included on Mendes' Handwritten Revisited reissue.[30]

Mendes was listed among Time's "25 Most Influential Teens of 2014", debuting in the list after being the youngest-ever artist to debut in the top 25 of Billboard Hot 100.[31] He was listed in Time's "The 30 Most Influential Teens of 2015", making the list after his debut album topped the Billboard 200 and his single "Stitches" made the top 10 in the US and other countries.[32]

2016—2017: Illuminate
On January 21, 2016, Mendes made his acting debut on The CW's The 100 third-season premiere.[33] He later announced his second world tour as a headliner, the Shawn Mendes World Tour which started in March 2016[34] and sold out 38 shows in North America and Europe within minutes.[35]

Mendes released "Treat You Better", the lead single from his second studio album, in June 2016.[36] In the US, the single reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, became his second single to peak atop both the Adult Contemporary[26] and Adult Pop Songs[25] chart, and was certified triple platinum.[22] It also went top 10 in the UK. The album, Illuminate, was released on September 23, 2016 and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 145,000 equivalent album units, including 121,000 in pure album sales and was certified platinum.[37][22] It debuted atop the charts in Canada, becoming his second number one album in his home country. "Mercy" was released as the second single on August 18, 2016,[38] which entered the top 20 in the US and the UK and was certified double platinum.[22] Mendes released the live album Live at Madison Square Garden in December 2016.[39] He appeared as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live December 3, 2016.[40]

In April 2017, Mendes embarked on his Illuminate World Tour which sold-out arenas around the world such as Los Angeles' Staples Center and London's The O2 Arena.[41][42][43] He released the single "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" on April 20, 2017, included on his Illuminate deluxe edition.[44] The song was Mendes' third single to reach the top 10 in the US[45] and third single to reach number one on both the Adult Contemporary[26] and Adult Pop Songs[25] chart.[46] In August 2017, he became the first artist under 20 years old to have three number-one songs on the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart.[47] In November 2017, Mendes became the first artist to have three number one songs on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart before turning 20 years old,[48] an unprecedented feat since the founding of the chart more than 50 years ago.

Mendes was listed among Time's The 30 Most Influential Teens of 2016[49] and made his first appearance on Forbes's 30 Under 30 2016: Music.[50] He topped Billboard's 21 Under 21 list in 2017, after his two albums topped Billboard 200 and his single "There's Nothing Holding Me Back" became his fifth top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.[51]

2018—present: Shawn Mendes
Main article: Shawn Mendes (album)
On March 22, 2018, Mendes released the lead single "In My Blood" from his upcoming third studio album,[52] followed up by the second single "Lost in Japan" on March 23.[53] "In My Blood" topped the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart, making Mendes the first and only artist to have four number one singles in the chart before turning 20 years old.[25] "Youth" was released on May 3, featuring American singer Khalid.[54]

His self-titled studio album was released on May 25, 2018 to positive critical reviews, with particular praise towards his songwriting and artistic growth.[55] It debuted at number one in Canada, making it his third number one album in his home country. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, making Mendes the third-youngest artist to collect three number-one albums.[56]
To promote the album, Mendes will embark on his self-titled world tour in 2019.[57] Besides the tour, he performed at music festivals across Europe, North America, and South America. He performed at a televised concert honouring the 92nd birthday of Queen Elizabeth II on April 21, 2018.[58] He made TV show appearances on The Late Late Show with James Corden in June where he sang one of his latest singles each night for a week.[59] The tracks he performed live were "Nervous",[60] "Lost in Japan",[61] "Perfectly Wrong",[62] and the duet with Julia Michaels "Like to be You".[63] Mendes made an appearance on the late-night talk show The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in October and performed Lost in Japan.[64] He, together with Fallon and the show's resident band The Roots, performed a special version of "Treat You Better" for the show's Classroom Instruments series.[65] He has also performed his latest singles on the iHeartRadio MMVAs in Canada on August 27, where he received eight nominations and won four awards.[66]

Mendes starred in a documentary directed by YouTube star Casey Neistat. The short film is part of YouTube's Artist Spotlight Story series, featuring an interview with Mendes and backstage and behind-the-scene footage of Mendes during one of his tours.[67] The trailer was released on YouTube on September 22 to officially announce the upcoming documentary.[68] The documentary, Shawn Mendes – Artist Spotlight Stories, was published on September 28.[69] Ahead of the official release day, Mendes and Neistat held a previewing show of the film where selected fans of Mendes were invited for the event.

The remixed version of "Lost in Japan", by Russian-German DJ Zedd, was released on September 27.[70] Mendes performed the remix version of the single during the 2018 American Music Award held in Los Angeles on October 9.[71] He was joined onstage by Zedd.[72] Mendes was listed on Billboard "21 Under 21 2018", topping the list for the second year in a row for his chart performance, having three consecutive number one albums.

Charlotte Church

Charlotte Maria Church (born Charlotte Maria Reed, 21 February 1986) is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress, television presenter and political activist.

She rose to fame in childhood as a classical singer before branching into pop music in 2005. By 2007, she had sold more than 10 million records worldwide[1] including over 5 million in the United States.[2] In 2010, she was reported to be worth as much as £11m[3] (though one 2003 report quoted her worth at £25m[4]). She hosted a Channel 4 chat show titled The Charlotte Church Show. Church released her first album in five years, titled Back to Scratch, on 17 October 2010. Church is a soprano.
Early life
Church was born Charlotte Maria Reed in Llandaff, a district of Cardiff, Wales. She was brought up as a Roman Catholic by her mother, Maria, who was separated from Church's biological father, Stephen Reed. Church was adopted by her mother's second husband, James Church, in 1999.[7] Her musical break came at age 11 when she sang Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Pie Jesu" over the telephone on the television show This Morning in 1997, followed by her performance on ITV's Big, Big Talent Show in 1997.[8]

A request to sing Pie Jesu at Rupert Murdoch's 1999 wedding to Wendy Deng,[9] led to concerts at Cardiff Arms Park, the Royal Albert Hall and opening for Dame Shirley Bassey in Antwerp. Church also received a vocal scholarship to Howell's School Llandaff in Cardiff where she started in 1998, after leaving The Cathedral School, Llandaff. With help from tutors, she was able to manage both performing and school work, and said in many interviews that she was "just like every other girl her age". She left school at age 16.[10]

1998–2002: Classical career
As a classical music singer, Church used to sing in English, Welsh, Latin, Italian and French. She was then introduced to the Cardiff impresario Jonathan Shalit, who became her manager and negotiated a contract with Sony Music. Her first album, Voice of an Angel, was a collection of arias, sacred songs, and traditional pieces that sold millions worldwide and made her the youngest artist with a No. 1 album on the British classical crossover charts.

Church appeared on US Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) specials. Her self-titled second album also included operatic, religious and traditional tracks. One, the soaring and inspirational Just Wave Hello, was the centrepiece of a millennium-themed ad campaign for the Ford Motor Company. The song's full-length video, featuring Church, won acclaim at the Detroit Auto Show and introduced her to new fans. The track reached No. 31 in Britain.

In 2000, she released Dream a Dream, an album of Christmas carols. It included Church's first foray into a more non classical, pop-influenced style in the title track Dream a Dream, borrowing the melody from Fauré's Pavane and featuring child American country singer Billy Gilman.

In 2001, Church added more pop, swing, and Broadway with her album Enchantment. That year, Church made her first film appearance in the 2001 Ron Howard film A Beautiful Mind. Celine Dion was beginning a concert engagement in Las Vegas and was not available to perform the film's end title song, "All Love Can Be", so composer James Horner enlisted Church and the song was rewritten for her vocal range. Church also handled other vocal passages throughout the score.

In 2001, The Daily Star (a tabloid newspaper) was mocked and criticised for featuring a picture of Church in a tight top with sexualised comments ("she's a big girl now ... chest swell!") next to a piece condemning Chris Morris' "Paedogeddon" episode of Brass Eye, a comedy spoof of current affairs shows.[11]

In 2002, at 16, she released a "best of" album called Prelude, and took part in the Royal Christmas tour alongside Dame Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, marking the end of her classical music career. Her next album, Tissues and Issues, would be a pop release.

2003–2009: Pursuing pop career; Tissues and Issues
In 2003 Church teamed up with trance music producer Jurgen Vries to sing vocals on his track The Opera Song (Brave New World). She was credited on the records as CMC (her initials) as it was her first foray into pop music. The song reached number three in the UK Singles Chart, Church's second highest charting single and Vries' highest.

In 2005, Church issued her first pop album Tissues and Issues. Four singles were moderately successful in the UK with "Crazy Chick" reaching number two, "Call My Name" number ten, "Even God Can't Change the Past" number seventeen, and "Moodswings" number fourteen. Although these were released in Australia as well, they failed to reach the same level of success there. Church's pop album was released in the US through Amazon.com MP3 shop, and iTunes in 2009.

In April 2006, Church performed three concerts in Glasgow, London, and Cardiff, in venues holding between 2,000 and 3,000 people; the dates at London and Cardiff were sold out. Supported by Irish band the New Druids, Church performed a mix of tracks from her debut pop album and a number of pop covers including Prince's "Kiss" and Gloria Estefan's "Rhythm is Gonna Get You".

In November 2006, it was announced that she and Sony had parted ways. According to her publicist, this was a mutual decision reached after a series of meetings throughout the year, which were held since her six-album contract had ended. There was speculation that Church had decided to take a break from her singing career to focus on her television show. Others suggested that her pop releases' chart performance contributed to the decision.[12] Yet another factor was her pregnancy with her daughter, Ruby Megan Henson.
In 2007, Church became Patron of the charity The Topsy Foundation UK,[13] helping to raise awareness and funds for its work to support rural communities in South Africa, empowering people infected with and affected by HIV and AIDS, through medical care, social support and skills development.

Articles emerged in the UK press in March and April 2008 stating that she was still training classically, considering a return to classical crossover. Church has sung in religious services in Taizé. She has also performed before Pope John Paul II, Queen Elizabeth II, the Prince of Wales and Bill Clinton.

In June 2008, she became pregnant with her son, Dexter Lloyd Henson. In Church's latest interview, she mentioned she would be ready to work on more music in a few months, although she was not sure whether she would further develop her career in classical, pop, or both, as she loves both genres for different reasons. Church also mentioned that she has been working with a vocal instructor to keep her voice in check, and while she has never put a focus on her body image, she would like to get back into pre-pregnancy shape before resuming work.

In June 2009, Church was interviewed for Hello! magazine,[14] and discussed her life since having her second child. She said that she was currently in the studio, resuming work on a new album and that her partner, Gavin Henson, had been strongly encouraging her to get back to work pursuing the career that she has greatly missed since settling down.

2010–2011: Return to music and Back to Scratch
Church appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on 13 March 2010, where she confirmed that she had already begun writing and recording her sixth studio album. Church also stated that the album was of a different sound to previous ones, more mature with a "kooky" vibe.

On 4 August 2010, Church made a new track, "Cold California", available to download from her website.[15]

Church's new album, Back to Scratch, was released in the UK on 25 October 2010. The 14-track album was produced by Martin Terefe. Back to Scratch was preceded by a single - the LP's title track - on 24 October. "Back to Scratch" was originally inspired "by problems facing a family member", but Church admitted in a press release that the song now has resonance to her own personal life following her split from Gavin Henson.[16] Back to Scratch also featured the song "The Actors", which Church performed on BBC One talent contest Over The Rainbow, and a cover of Joni Mitchell's "River".[16]

It was announced on 13 March 2011 that Church had terminated her US$3 million deal with Power Amp Music over promotional disputes. Her spokesperson released the following statement: "All I can really say, because of the confidentiality issues, is that it was in Charlotte's financial interests to do so before the agreement entered the second year of its term. This is typical for these type of deals, which are investment deals rather than record deals. I can also say that the decision to terminate the term early, which suited both parties, was made well before the commercial release of the album". A spokesperson from the record label also released a statement saying "It didn't work out with Charlotte and that's fair enough. There was no falling out. It was a mutual decision. They decided to exit the deal".

The third single to be released from the album, "Snow" was released on 11 April 2011.

Since 2012: ONE, TWO, THREE, and FOUR
On 26 May 2012, Church premiered three new songs "The Rise", "How Not to be Surprised When You're a Ghost", and "Say It's True" on BBC Radio with Bethan Elfyn. Church released her first EP ONE on 4 September 2012.[17]

On 19 December 2012, Church released the lead single from her second EP, "Glitterbombed" on The Line of Best Fit, an online music magazine.[18] Her second EP TWO was released on 4 March 2013.
ONE and TWO were combined for a US release on 12 March 2013.[19] Church promoted ONE and TWO in the US with her first North American performances in almost a decade. She appeared in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, and at the South by Southwest Festival.[20][21][22] Her costumes for her North American concerts were designed by Zoe Howerska.[23]

Church released the lead single from her third EP, "I Can Dream" via Soundcloud on 15 July 2013.[24] Her third EP THREE was released on 19 August 2013.[25]

Church's fourth EP FOUR was released on 10 March 2014. She released a music video for the lead single from her fourth EP, "Little Movements" on YouTube on 15 March 2014.[26]

Acting and television career
Church has made a number of cameo appearances on television. She appeared in the CBS series Touched by an Angel, starred in the 1999 Christmas special of Heartbeat, and in 2002, 2003 and 2012 she appeared on episodes of Have I Got News For You (the first time as the show's youngest-ever panellist; the second time as host). In 2005, she played herself in an episode of The Catherine Tate Show, in a sketch with the fictional character Joannie Taylor. In 2008, she appeared briefly in a sketch in Katy Brand's Big Ass Show.

In December 2005, for The Paul O'Grady Show Christmas pantomime, The Wizard of Oz, Church played Dorothy Gale.

In the summer of 2006, Church began work on her own entertainment TV show, The Charlotte Church Show. After a pilot episode which caused some controversy and which was never released to the public,[27] the series began on 1 September 2006 on Channel 4. Church won a British Comedy Award for "Best Female Comedy Newcomer" in 2006,[28] and the 'Funniest TV Personality' award at the 2006 Loaded Magazine's 'LAFTA' awards.[29] In 2008, she was nominated for the Rose d'Or Special Award for Best Entertainer.[30]

In late June 2008, Channel 4 began showing trials for the series. It has since concluded its eight-show run. A Christmas special aired on 21 December 2008. The show ended after its third series.[citation needed]

In January 2010 for Hospital 24/7, Church made an appearance on the programme finale, where she visits the Children's Hospital for Wales to launch the Noah's Ark Appeals campaign to fund the equipment in the new Critical Care Unit, which will help children needing high dependency, or critical & intensive care.

In 2014 Church performed as Mrs Ogmore Pritchard in a BBC adaptation of Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas.[31]

In 2018, Church appeared in the BBC One documentary Charlotte Church: Inside My Brain, in which she explores the subject of mental health and the various kinds of research being done in the field.[32]

Writing
Church released an autobiography titled Voice of an Angel (My Life So Far) in October 2000, at 14.[33] She released a second autobiography titled Keep Smiling in late 2007.

In 2019 Church wrote many opinion pieces for The Guardian[34]

Political activities
Church gave BBC 6 Music's John Peel Lecture at The Lowry in Salford in 2013, in which she criticised the music industry for what she described as a culture of sexism that pressures female artists to project a sexualised image of themselves.[35]

Following Church's appearance at the Leveson Inquiry, she became increasingly outspoken on a number of political issues, which she has explained as growing out of her experience of Leveson as well as the Conservative victory in the 2015 general election. She is a member of media campaigning group Hacked Off.[36] In May 2015 she joined a demonstration organised by the People's Assembly Against Austerity in Cardiff,[37] subsequently addressing a crowd of 250,000 at a People's Assembly march in London the following month.[38] At the 2015 Glastonbury Festival she chaired a conversation with two members of Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot.[39] In August 2015 she performed the song "This Bitter Earth" outside the Shell Centre in London as part of a month-long protest organised by Greenpeace against Shell's pursuit of petroleum exploration in the Arctic.[40]

In September 2015, she endorsed Jeremy Corbyn's campaign in the Labour Party leadership election,[41] but by December 2015 she was calling for him to be replaced by a "fresh face" who was more electable.[42] In 2016, Church along with numerous other celebrities, toured the UK to support Corbyn's bid to become Prime Minister,[43][44] and in March 2016, performed at a socialist fundraising event in Edinburgh for Corbyn.[45] In May 2016, she declared her support for the Welsh Nationalist party, Plaid Cymru in the National Assembly for Wales election.[46]

In January 2017, she took part in a protest in Cardiff about Donald Trump's inauguration as US president.[47]

Personal life
Church's personal life has often been reported in UK tabloid newspapers, inspiring the song "Let's Be Alone" on her album Tissues and Issues.[citation needed] At age 15 she was criticised for remarks attributed to her by the New York Post in which she allegedly criticised "the hero status afforded to New York firefighters" in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks.[48] She apologised for the remarks one month later,[48] as well as at the Leveson Inquiry in 2011, stating that her comments were taken out of context.[49] In a 2006 interview with Davina McCall, she agreed being diplomatic was "not in her nature".[50] In November 2011, Church testified before the Leveson Inquiry about the media intrusion into her personal life stating "I've been made a caricature for so long, and this person portrayed in the tabloids really isn't me. It's not the person I am, and it's had a massive impact on my career. As an artist, I find it hard to be taken seriously because my credibility has been blown to bits."[51] On 27 February 2012 Church accepted £600,000 in damages and costs in settlement of a lawsuit arising out of the News International phone hacking scandal. She had claimed that 33 stories about her that appeared in the News of the World were the product of illegal hacking into her family's voicemail. After the settlement was announced in open court she made a lengthy statement[52] in which she said, "I have also discovered that despite the apology which the newspaper has just given in court, these people were prepared to go to any lengths to prevent me exposing their behaviour. They are not truly sorry. They are just sorry they got caught."[53]

The press devoted much attention to Church's relationship with boyfriend Gavin Henson, a Welsh rugby player. At the end of 2005, she bought a property in her native Cardiff—for a reported £500,000—which she later sold for £900,000. The couple then bought a manor with a 20-acre (8 hectare) small holding in the Vale of Glamorgan in the village of St. Bride's Major. The couple mentioned marriage on talk shows and in the press;[54] they eventually became engaged in April 2010.[55] In 2007, Church made another appearance on a British young people's rich list with Henson. They were ranked 49th-richest young people in Britain with an estimated joint wealth of £12 million.[56]

Church gave birth to a daughter, Ruby Megan Henson, on 20 September 2007,[57] and to a son, Dexter Lloyd Henson, on 11 January 2009.[58][59] Church and Henson separated in 2010, six weeks after becoming engaged.[55]

Church had dated musician Johnny Powell since 2010,[60] and married him on 4 October 2017.[61]

In July 2019 a controversial planning application was made for the annex of the home she resides in, to be turned into a small school. She had previously said she wished to open a teaching facility. [62] [63]

Discography
Main article: Charlotte Church discography
Studio albums
Voice of an Angel (1998)
Charlotte Church (1999)
Dream a Dream (2000)
Enchantment (2001)
Tissues and Issues (2005)
Back to Scratch (2010)

Prorogation

Prorogation (pronounced /ˌproʊrəˈɡeɪʃən/) marks the end of a parliamentary session. It is the formal name given to the period between the end of a session of the UK Parliament and the State Opening of Parliament that begins the next session. Prorogation of one session of Parliament in recent decades has usually been followed by the opening of a new session a few days later.[1] The parliamentary session may also be prorogued before Parliament is dissolved. The power to prorogue Parliament belongs to the Monarch as part of the Royal Prerogative, on the advice of the Privy Council,[2] but is rarely refused if requested by the prime minister.
Procedure and recall
By current practice Parliament is prorogued by commissioners acting in the Sovereign's name. Parliament is always prorogued to a definite day. Parliament, while prorogued, can be recalled by proclamation in accordance with the Meeting of Parliament Act 1797 and the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.[3] The parliamentary procedure for prorogation begins in the House of Lords, and is followed by a procedure in the House of Commons.[4]

Notable prorogations
Prorogation is normally a standard procedure in the calendar of Parliament, but the prerogative has sometimes been used for controversial political objectives.

After Petition of Right (1628)
King Charles I prorogued the Parliament of England in 1628, after the Petition of Right; this development preceded the era of Charles' Personal Rule.[5] The decision to prorogue the Parliament would eventually lead to the outbreak of the English Civil War and to the English Revolution.

Exclusion Crisis (1678)
King Charles II prorogued the Cavalier Parliament in December 1678 to prevent it continuing with the impeachment of the Earl of Danby. He dissolved Parliament that January and called a new Parliament, the Habeas Corpus Parliament, but prorogued it on 27 May 1679 to prevent it passing the Exclusion Bill (to exclude James II, then Duke of York from succeeding to the Crown of England). The next Parliament was summoned in July 1679, but did not meet until October 1680. Charles prorogued this on 10 January 1681 to prevent proceedings to impeach certain judges, dissolving it in 18 January and calling a new Parliament to meet at Oxford. This Oxford Parliament only met from 21 to 28 March 1681, when it too was dismissed by the king.

The Great Reform crisis (1831)
When the House of Commons defeated the First Reform Bill in 1831, the government urged the King to dissolve Parliament, which would lead to a new general election. William IV was initially reluctant, but he was irritated by the Opposition, which announced it would move the passage of an Address or resolution against dissolution. Regarding the Opposition's motion as an attack on his prerogative, and at the urgent request of the government, the King prepared to go in person to the House of Lords and prorogue Parliament.[6] Lord Wharncliffe had given notice of a resolution which was an Address to the monarch against a dissolution.[7]

The next day, 22 April 1831, the Prime Minister went to see the King in order to prevent these stratagems to frustrate the Reform being successful. They decided that, in order to prevent Wharncliffe's motion being carried, the monarch should prorogue the Houses in person, because were Commissioners sent to prorogue the Houses, it was the privilege of Parliament to keep them waiting until they had voted on any motion. However, if the monarch came in person, he could interrupt the debate and prorogue Parliament, so that Lord Wharncliffe's motion could not be passed. [8] When initially told that his horses could not be ready at such short notice, the King is supposed to have said, "Then I will go in a hackney cab!".[6]

At 2 p.m. that day the House of Lords assembled. Soon, over the uproar, cannons could be heard indicating the imminent arrival of the King. Crowds cheered the King's coach all the way from St. James's Palace. Hansard records there was a shout of "God save the King". At that moment, large doors were thrown open and the King, wearing his crown, entered the House of Lords. The members of the House of Commons, no less angry than the Lords, came into the chamber at the behest of Black Rod. The King then announced "My lords and gentlemen, I have come to meet you for the purpose of proroguing this Parliament".[8] Wharncliffe's motion was actually under discussion in the House of Lords when the King arrived to prorogue Parliament. Probably, both houses would have joined advancing Wharncliffe's motion had time been allowed them, and thus placed obstacles in the way. But by appealing to the people, ministers at once deprived their opponents of the vantage ground of parliamentary opposition.[7]

Clement Atlee's Lords reform (1948)
Immediately after the Second World War, the Labour government of Clement Attlee decided to amend the Parliament Act 1911 to reduce further the power of the Lords, as a result of their fears that their radical programme of nationalisation would be delayed by the Lords and hence would not be completed within the life of the parliament.[9] The House of Lords did not interfere with nationalisations in 1945 or 1946, but it was feared that the proposed nationalisation of the iron and steel industry would be a bridge too far,[10] so a bill was introduced in 1947 to reduce the time that the Lords could delay bills, from three sessions over two years to two sessions over one year.[11] The Lords attempted to block this change. The Bill was reintroduced in 1948 and again in 1949, before the 1911 Act was finally used to force it through.[12] Since the 1911 Act required a delay over three "sessions", a special short "session" of parliament was introduced in 1948, with a King's Speech on 14 September 1948, and prorogation on 25 October 1948.[11]

Cash-for-questions affair (1997)
In 1997, John Major, the then prime minister, and leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party, controversially prorogued parliament at a time that avoided parliamentary debate of the Parliamentary Commissioner's report on the cash-for-questions affair.[13][14] On that occasion, the prorogation was on Friday, 21 March,[15] and was followed by a general election on 1 May, resulting in a change of government to Labour led by Tony Blair.

Boris Johnson (2019)
On 28 August 2019, Boris Johnson declared he had asked the Queen to prorogue parliament from between 9-12 September until the opening of a new session on 14 October.[16] Parliament was due to have a three-week recess for party conference season,[17] and Johnson's prorogation would add around four days to the parliamentary break. The 2017–19 parliamentary session is the longest since the English Civil War,[18][19] while the prorogation in 2019 at Johnson's request is to be the longest prorogation since 1930.[20]

The government stated that the prorogation was to allow for the government to set out a new legislative agenda,[16] whilst opponents suggested it was to prevent MPs from discussing Brexit in advance of the UK's departure from the European Union on 31 October 2019.[17] The Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, called the decision a "constitutional outrage",[21] and three separate cases were lodged before the courts alleging its illegality. The High Court of Justice in Westminster found the issue to be non-justiciable, but the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled prorogation was unlawful as it had the "improper purpose of stymieing Parliament"; the issue is due to be brought before the Supreme Court on 17 September 2019