JayZ

13 November 2025

JLS have kept a champagne bottle they were given by Jay-Z 15 years ago.

Aston Merrygold on The Red Carpet Treatment – On The Road

The quartet won the Best Breakthrough and Best British Single for Beat Again at the 2010 BRIT Awards and Aston Merrygold has recalled their wild celebrations afterwards, which saw his bandmate J.B. Gill take home a special souvenir from a high-profile reveller.

Speaking to Luke Hamnett on The Red Carpet Treatment – On The Road presented by Mastercard podcast, he said: “I’ve never, ever partied like that. It was absolutely rammed. Jay-Z was at the opposite end of the room. He was just there sending us drinks, all sorts.”

Asked what he sent them, Aston replied: “Cristal, JB still has the bottle.”

Aston released his solo single Grateful in September and while the track has become his “story”, he revealed it was initially written with Rihanna in mind.

He said: “We were actually on Rihanna camp at the time, which is where you write songs to pitch for Rihanna. And just try and get Bad Girl Riri to come out and release the music. We actually had a later session and we ended up writing Grateful and it just kind of turned into, I suppose, my story.”

While fans are keen for the 37-year-old star to release a solo record, it “maybe” in the pipeline but the Get Stupid singer also has other ventures in the works.

Asked what’s next, he said: “I’m being pestered at the minute by a lot of my fans and followers that haven’t had an album from me yet. I’m just a single machine, apparently. So maybe something like that.

“But yeah, I’m definitely going to be back on the road next year, which I’m very excited about.

“And then I’m diving more into the acting world as well, which is lovely.

“I have just finished a West End Run of 101 Dalmations and last year I did Wizard of Oz, yeah.”

The Red Carpet Treatment – On The Road Presented by Mastercard is available to watch in full on YouTube or across @BRITs social channels.