So after announcing last week that this year Ariana Grande is planning on releasing an album called Moonlight, she is now thinking of changing the name!
This was first suggested when she took it out of her Twitter Bio and one of her Tweets have said that the album title is ‘between Moonlight and another…they’re my two favourite songs. It’s v hard’ Though it must be a tough decision she has promised fans she will let them know as soon as she decides!
This lead onto tonight’s theme which was artists who have changed their name’s to create a stage name which are catchier and easier to pronounce than their birth names!
Lorde (Ella Maria Lani Yelich-O’Connor)
Lorde has always liked the Royals, hence the name of her song, and wanted to be called Lord but thought it was too masculine, so she added an E to the end.
Back in 2012 Lily Allen decided to change her stage name to her actual married name. She did say in 2009 that she was retiring from music but has since made new material under her married name.
Lady Gaga (Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta)
Lady Gaga’s stage name steamed from her then music producer boyfriend calling her Gaga in relation to the Queen Song Radio Gaga, because her voice reminded him of Freddie Mercury. She also liked the connotation Gaga had of crazy as she was in a point in her life when she was changing into who she is now and in her words ‘living in a trash glitter environment’.
Katy Perry (Katy Hudson)
Katy Perry’s real name is actually Katy Hudson and she released her debut album under this name which was a Christian based album, but unfortunately is wasn’t very successful commercially. When she was signed to her first label she then created the stage name Katy Perry using her mother’s maiden name.
Snoop Dog/Lion (Calvin Broadus, Jr.)
In 2012 Snoop Dogg changed his name for a brief period of time to Snoop Lion. Apparently it was inspired by a trip to Jamaica he had. But of course even Snoop Dogg is just his rappers name not the name his parents gave him!
In 2009 Brandy thought she would try out a new name to try and sound a bit tougher and move away from the sweet image she had created. So she changed her name to BrandNu. However, she has gone back to Brandy – her actual name.
Jennifer Lopez was first known as J.Lo when she first launched her music career but in 2004 she decided she wanted to shake off her Diva image so started releasing music as her full name Jennifer Lopez.
Bruno Mars (Peter Gene Bayot Hernandez)
Brunos Mars’ dad gave him the nickname Bruno as a child because he had a resemblance to a wrester called Bruno Sammartino. Then when he started in music, Mars added Mars to his stage name as he explained: ‘I felt like I didn’t have [any] pizzazz, and a lot of girls I am out of this world, so I was like I guess I’m from Mars.’
Rihanna (Robyn Rihanna Fenty)
Rihanna is actually her middle name. It’s Arabic and means ‘Sweet Basil’. To her friends and family she still goes as Robyn which apparently makes her pay attention as she gets ‘kinda number to hearing Rihanna’.
Nicki Minaj (Onika Tanya Maraj)
Nicki Minaj was called Nicki for short when she was younger and she was going to go by her real last name but didn’t use it because it wasn’t catchy enough so changed it to Minaj when her CEO suggested it.
The Phoenix FM Club Guide
Date: 15th January 2016
Time: 10pm – 3.30am
Event: Bear’s Birthday
Location: Sugar Hut, Brentwood
Details: Ex on the Beach Star Stephen Bear celebrates his birthday at the Sugar Hut with his friends.
Admission entry: £5 until midnight, £10 after
Website: www.sugarhutbrentwood.com
Date: 15th January 2016
Time: Open until 3am
Event: Missoula, Fridays
Location: Missoula, Chelmsford
Details: With DJ Ollie weeks playing some Bangers and Old Skool.
Admission entry: Free before 10pm
Website: www.missoulachelmsford.co.uk
Date: 15th January 2016
Time: 10pm – 4am
Event: My Second Favourite F Word
Location: Fiction, Romford
Details: With guest DJ’s Billy the Kid, DJ SB, Scotty L alongside residents DJ Kicker and Brad James.
Admission entry: £3 before midnight, £7 after
Website: www.fictionclub.co.uk/romford
Date: 15th January 2016
Time: Open until 3.30am
Event: CTZN Fridays
Location: Citizen, Chelmsford
Details: With DJ’s Liam Bone and Pete Nicholls.
Admission entry: Free before midnight.
Website: www.twitter.com/ctznbar
Date: 16th January 2016
Time: Open from 9.30pm
Event: The Chicago’s Experience
Location: Evoke, Chelmsford
Details: Chicago’s DJ’s playing 80’s, 90’s and 00’s plus all your party favourites.
Admission entry: £6
Website: www.evokenightclub.com
Date: 16th January 2016
Time: 10pm – 4am
Event: Tempted
Location: Miya, Chelmsford
Details: Resident DJ’s Nick Christoforou and Remedy playing the best of RnB, Hip Hop, House and Old School Garage.
Admission entry: Free before 11.30pm if on the guest list
Website: www.miyanightclub.com
Date: 16th January 2016
Time: From 7pm
Event: David Haye vs Mark De Mori
Location: Yates, Romford
Details: Showing the fight live.
Admission entry: Book online
Website: www.weareyates.co.uk/romford
Date: 16th January 2016
Time: 10pm – 4am
Event: Couture
Location: Circuit, Romford
Details: The Main room has Rolling. Bouncy. House.
Admission entry: Online £8, on the door £10
Website: www.circuitessex.com
Date: 16th January 2016
Time: Open until 4am
Event: Missoula Saturdays
Location: Missoula, Chelmsford
Details: 2 floors of Club Anthems.
Admission entry: Free before 10.30pm
Website: www.missoulachelmsford.co.uk
Date: 17th January 2016
Time:
Event: Movement Sundayz
Location: Kosho, Romford
Details: With Joe Langenhan and friends.
Admission entry: Free entry before 11pm
Website: www.koshobar.co.uk
Date: 19th January 2016
Time: Starts at 8.30pm
Event: Quiz Night
Location: The Teriss Bar, Brentwood
Details: 6 people per team, free tapas food and cash prizes to be won!
Admission entry: £2.50
Website: www.theterissbar.co.uk
Date: 21st January 2016
Time: 8pm – 12pm
Event: Throw Back Thursdays
Location: O’Neil’s, Brentwood
Details: Student night
Admission entry: Free
Website: www.twitter.com/ONeills_Bwood