Blake Lively covers Vogue in its new issue, and needless to say because it’s Blake Lively, she looks incredible on it – no matter what she’s wearing. The 26-year-old former Gossip Girl actress dons American frontier-inspired attire in the magazine’s gorgeous photo spread, shot in Wyoming. Lively, famously private, reveals that her wedding dress was burned accidentally right after she tied the knot with husband Ryan Reynolds in 2012. She said that while she watched Florence Welch singing at her wedding reception, sparklers were brought out, and one damaged her Marchesa gown. “And later, my dress was hanging up and Ryan said, ‘Isn’t that beautiful?’ I said, ‘What?’ And he pointed to the burn,” Blake Lively told Vogue . “My heart just stopped,” she said, but Ryan saved the day: “He said, ‘You’ll always remember that moment with Florence singing and the sparklers. You have that forever, right there, preserved.’ Now it’s my favorite part of the dress.” Lively, who jokes that she wants “30” kids, also tells Vogue that she thinks 37-year-old Reynolds is “going to be a great father and leader and patriarch.” She is also making plans to launch her own lifestyle website, Preserve , which aims to “celebrate American craftsmanship,” according to the magazine. Ooh, did you hear that, GOOP. You’re officially on notice! And see more classic pics of Blake through the years: 27 Best Blake Lively Pictures 1. Blake Lively, Phone Blake Lively, or someone pretending to be Blake Lively, poses with an iPhone and looks downright sultry. Is this one of the purported racy pics of her that leaked?
Katy Perry apparently stands in solidarity with Prince Harry . Just kidding. We so wish that were true, as it might mean Katy Perry nude and playing strip billiards. But we digress. What we’re trying to get at here is that the singer appears on the cover of France’s L’Officiel magazine with a striking new ‘do. Check out her new fiery orange hair below! While her hair of fire also conjures up images of Lindsay Lohan, Perry strikes us more as a dead ringer for Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine. Interestingly, we also noted the big John Mayer hair switch this week. Perhaps both stars were looking for a change in the wake of their recent split. Regarding Katy’s, do you love it or totally not? Vote in our poll below! Katy Perry’s orange hair …
‘I went to raves, but I wasn’t really there for the music!’ Florence Welch confesses to MTV News at Lollapalooza. By James Montgomery Florence Welch Photo: MTV News
America moves Tony Lucca and Jamar Rogers forward, while the judges save Katrina Parker and Juliet Simms. By John Mitchell Cheesa on “The Voice” Photo: NBC Universal On Monday’s episode of “The Voice,” coaches Cee Lo Green and Adam Levine instantly eliminated James Massone and fan favorite Pip after both gave middling performances. On Tuesday night (April 24), after America’s vote saved former Mouseketeer Tony Lucca and Jamar Rogers, Katrina Parker and Mathai from Team Adam and Cheesa and Juliet Simms from Team Cee Lo were given one last shot to stay in the competition by performing to earn their respective judge’s lone save. Florence and the Machine opened the show in typically ethereal fashion with their new single “Breath of Life” from the “Snow White and the Huntsmen” soundtrack. Surrounded by ballerinas in flowing dresses and backed by Team Cee Lo, Florence Welch’s belting had coach Christina Aguilera nodding along in her chair. Up first in Tuesday’s sing-off was Team Adam’s Mathai, who changed up her quirky indie style radically to show off a different side of her voice by going country with Carrie Underwood’s “Cowboy Casanova.” Her teammate Katrina Parker followed and delivered yet another full-voiced performance, this time of Pink’s “Perfect. Blake called Katrina “the best singer on [Adam’s] team,” and Christina agreed, complimenting her song choice and saying that of anyone on Adam’s team, Katrina was the singer Xtina was most interested in hearing original material from. Adam had a tough time with the decision. A really, really tough time. As in, he went on and on about how both singers had come into their own late in the competition and how they had surprised him throughout. He was effusive with praise and rambled on like he was trying to delay the inevitable. Finally, he went with the same big voice he saved last time around. Adam’s Save: Katrina Parker Team Cee Lo’s last-chance singers took the stage next. Cheesa’s faithful take on “Already Gone” earned a pretty tough technical critique from all the judges, with each commenting that she was under pitch for the entire performance until the final note, which she nailed. They went easier on Simms, who sang Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn,” but Christina still was vocal about wanting more from the singer. Cee Lo was as complimentary as Adam but far more decisive. Cee Lo’s Save: Juliet Simms Moving on to the Semifinals Team Christina
In her upcoming ‘Unplugged’ special, airing Sunday at 11 p.m. ET on MTV, Florence Welch gets both personal and passionate. By James Montgomery Florence Welch There are definitely two Florence Welches. One is the quiet, slightly awkward woman you meet backstage, in dressing rooms strewn with flowers and fabrics. In conversation, she’s eternally, empirically British, reserved to the point of distance, whispering and always folding herself inward, as if she’s trying to reach into that formidable set of lungs to find the right words. If it wasn’t for her flame-red hair and striking, alabaster skin, she’d almost disappear into the background. And you get the feeling that she’d probably like to. The other Welch is the one you see onstage: ethereal, epic, seemingly channeling something from another place. There are moments, when she’s really blowing and she opens her eyes wide, that you get the sense even she can’t fathom the power she’s channeling or the places she’s letting it take her. She is a great singer, from a different era — and not just, like, the 1940s. Maybe the 1800s. Or medieval Europe. There would be flowered wreaths involved. The phrase “madrigal” comes to mind. You know. It’s not uncommon for performers to completely transform the minute they step beneath the spotlight; it’s practically a necessity. Singing is, by its very nature, a rather unnatural endeavor, and singing before an audience of people, well, that’s about as much of an out-of-body experience as there is. Going to that other place is less of a coping mechanism as it is a flat-out survival skill, it would seem. But it’s rare that you see two sides of the same person during one performance. Last December, at New York’s Angel Orensanz Center (a perfect venue), was one of those times. Welch was both the damsel and the demigod during her taping of MTV’s “Unplugged,” whispering her way through between-song banter one minute, belting so hard she lifted the rafters the next. Maybe it was the intimate nature of the show — surely having Kanye West sitting 10 feet from you would have an effect of some sort — or perhaps she was summoning the spirit of the place, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a more perfect Florence and the Machine performance. Of course, Florence the Former, being the church mouse she is, summed it up thusly: “It was really wonderful. But what to say in between? I got so bashful. I was so grateful to be there, and I was trying to express that, and it just went into this weird, stilted speech. Singing is fine. Talking, not so much. ” She’s not kidding, either. Before taking on Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” — which, you’re probably aware, Kanye sampled on the Watch the Throne standout “Otis” — she turned to West and muttered, “This is my favorite song … I think … um, yeah, hopefully it won’t go as well.” Speech is not her strong suit. But singing definitely is. And it’s readily apparent in “Unplugged,” which premieres Sunday at 11 p.m. ET on MTV. From the hushed, chill-inducing “Tenderness” (one of two covers she does; the other is a rather tidy little duet with Josh Homme on “Jackson”) to stirring, stripped-back takes on newer tunes like “Never Let Me Go” and “Only If for the Night” and set-closing hit “Dog Days Are Over,” Welch’s lofty range is on display throughout. And so is that ability to seize emotion from thin air. You will get goose bumps, that much is sure. And yet, that’s usually the case with a Machine performance. But on “Unplugged,” backed by a choir and strings, in a space first consecrated in 1850, it’s all taken to another level (no wonder it’s being released as a standalone album). Even if you weren’t lucky enough to be in the room that night, you get the sense that you’re truly witnessing something special. And when you throw in her fabulously furrowed banter (Welch definitely leads the league in “Ums”), well, then you get the other side of the coin too. Which is what makes it perhaps the definitive Florence set. Or at least the most personal. She truly was made for “Unplugged,” even if half her personality wouldn’t agree with that assessment. Then again, that duality is what makes all the great ones great. Welch never gets down and dirty the way singers like Nina Simone or Etta James did (it’s something you feel in your gut), mostly because it’s not in her wheelhouse. Instead, she floats above it all, goes higher (and subsequently deeper) than you’d think possible. And it’s fitting. After all, on this night, she was singing in a synagogue. And as we know, Welch is most definitely a proper girl. Some of the time, anyway. Don’t miss Florence and the Machine’s “Unplugged” on Sunday at 11 p.m. ET on MTV. Related Videos Unplugged: Florence + The Machine Related Artists Florence + the Machine
Welch says she got a lot of material for ‘Breath of Life’ from Charlize Theron’s beautifully wicked character. By James Montgomery Florence Welch Photo: Samir Hussein/ Redferns When Florence Welch was asked to write a song for the upcoming “Snow White and the Huntsman” soundtrack, she was given the opportunity to watch a select few scenes from the film itself … and almost automatically, she found herself drawing inspiration from a rather unlikely source: Namely, Charlize Theron’s wicked Queen Ravenna. “The Queen is just this incredible character; so hungry for life but so dead inside. She’s sort of eternal, but inside there’s nothing. She’s kind of like charcoal or something,” Welch told MTV News on Thursday (March 29). “[There are] these amazing scenes where she’s kind of picking out birds’ hearts and eating them. [She has] this thirst for youth and for life, but for what kind of life? This darkness, but she’s so beautiful, so it’s this kind of juxtaposition between beauty and, ultimately, death.” So, in a bit of a, uh, non-traditional move, Welch ended up writing a song called “Breath of Life,” which is sung very much from the perspective of the Queen herself (“I got a lot of material from her!” she laughed. “Beauty, death, life … it was pushing all of my buttons.”) So you can imagine her surprise when, after submitting the song, she found herself sitting in London’s Abbey Road studio, watching it all come together under the care of famed composer James Newton Howard. “We went in and demoed the track, these big, clattering drums, huge bass sounds and everything was very intense … and then we sent that to the guys in L.A. who composed it. And it was amazing to see the music we played being turned into this amazing orchestral thing,” Welch laughed. “You feel in a bit of a way like you’re kind of making it up as you go along, and then when you see it done, laid out before you in such a beautiful, orchestral fashion, it’s really incredible. And then we all went into Abbey Road and it was one of the best days of my life; I love choirs and I love choral music, and there was a 60-piece choir singing the vocal parts that I had written. When the baritones came in, I nearly wept, it was so emotional.” And thanks to all that, in a still-growing career that’s seemingly one highlight after the next, Welch said that writing and recording “Breath” was perhaps her favorite moment to date. Even if the whole 60-member choir thing did give her management team palpitations. “My manager was looking at me going ‘Do not get used to this. We cannot afford this 60-piece choir!’ ” she laughed. “It was just wonderful. Me and Isa [Summers, Welch’s Machine partner, and co-writer of the track] were in there, these young women who made music for love, but with not much money or much reason. … It was a really proud day for us. And, musically, for the composers at Universal to have understood the song and see it played out so beautifully, it was an amazing day. We felt a bit proper.” Who else do you hope to hear on the “Snow White and the Huntsman” soundtrack? Leave your pick in the comments section below! Related Photos Snow White And The Huntsman Related Artists Florence Welch
‘Breath of Life’ to be featured in Kristen Stewart movie, arriving June 1. By James Montgomery Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine Photo: Universal/ Island Records “Snow White and the Huntsman” doesn’t hit theaters until June 1, but we already have information about the film’s soundtrack — and just who will be involved in it. Namely, Florence and the Machine , who will channel all their ethereal, otherworldly magic into a brand-new song — called “Breath of Life” — for the “Huntsman” soundtrack. We’ve yet to hear “Breath,” but thanks to the good folks at Universal, we know it’s one of many songs featured on the soundtrack and comes backed by a full orchestra and choir. At press time, there’s still no info on who else will join Florence Welch on the soundtrack or when it will be released, but Flo definitely seems like a natural fit for the film, which stars Kristen Stewart as the titular heroine, Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen and Chris Hemsworth as the other titular character, the Huntsman. Judging by an early trailer for the film , this most certainly isn’t your mom’s adaptation of Snow White. Instead, it gets plenty dark and features Snow in full battle mode, armor and all. Late last year, Stewart praised the film and said she was having such a good time filming “Huntsman” that she was already open to making sequels . In particular, she loved punching Hemsworth in the kisser. “It made such a sound, it was in a scene,” Stewart recalled of the big moment. “Girls, if you’ve ever wondered if it works, it works. It literally spun him right around. I was supposed to miss him by this much. I basically knocked him right out of his close-up. It’ll definitely be in the movie.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Snow White and the Huntsman.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Photos Snow White And The Huntsman Scenes From The ‘Snow White And The Huntsman’ Teaser Trailer
Comedy Central stars share their silly slacker laughs with MTV News. By Rya Backer Cast of “Workaholics” Photo: MTV News There’s no normal way go on a date with four men simultaneously. That goes without saying. So, imagine going out with four guys who make a living rapping about what it’s like to be a wizard (while in equally mystical costumes, natch) and have popularized an observational comedy game called “poop dollar.” This is how I spent one recent afternoon at the Greenwich Village Country Club playing mini-golf with the cast of “Workaholics” for the most-recent edition of First Date. On the show, three men (Anders Holm, Blake Anderson and Adam DeVine, playing Anders Holmvik, Blake Henderson and Adam DeMamp , respectively) spend their days at a middle-management gig at a telemarketing company. During their downtime, they get really wasted and go on incredible, hilarious adventures, sometimes with their friend, Karl Hevacheck (played by … wait for it … Kyle Newacheck), where things get weird — but rest assured, everything just happens to be OK in the end. The way they were discovered almost echoes the optimistic slacker vibe the show lends: “I met Kyle and Blake at community college. Improv class, day one … met ‘Ders at the Second City,” DeVine explained about the origins of their very real-life friendship. “And then we started making Internet comedy videos, and Comedy Central was like, ‘We like how you guys aren’t popular, but you have a voice, have a take,’ and gave us a show.” The franchise has long been centered on new music acts, but since the show’s premiere, a small sect of us at MTV News have taken it upon ourselves to spread its decidedly sophomoric gospel. The “Workaholics” brand of humor extends far beyond their show, as they attempted to out-funny each other’s answers to the Date questions. In regard to what a typical first date for them is like, DeVine bluntly replied, “For me, personally, just hard-core sex from the get-go … smashin’, beatin’-it-up sex.” His co-star Anderson (who recently got into a pretty unfunny fall) retorted with a first-date plan that’s too hot to write here — just know that his statement wrapped with, “I’m constantly stimulated.” And for those two-odd hours we shared on the course, it’s safe to say we all were. Related Videos MTV News First Date
‘It’s definitely going to be about showcasing the music,’ Florence Welch says of U.S. trek, which kicks off April 14. By James Montgomery Florence and the Machine Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images On Monday (January 23), Florence and the Machine officially announced their spring U.S. tour, a run of shows that kicks off April 14 in Santa Barbara, California, and wraps May 12 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, with a handful of festival dates sprinkled in for good measure. It’s the first proper stateside tour Flo & Co. have launched in support of their Ceremonials album (they played a light schedule of radio dates at the end of the year). But if you think they’ll be matching that record’s sonic scope with an equally gigantic stage show, you’d be wrong. After wowing audiences here with an unending stream of epic, wide-screen TV performances , this time out, they’re going to let the songs stand on their own, as mastermind Florence Welch told MTV News. “In a way, it’s not going to be too big a production; we’ve done a lot of quite extravagant stuff, and that’s been amazing, but for this tour, it’s definitely going to be about showcasing the music,” she said. “The songs are going to be the most important thing. It will be heavily based on the music … no bells and whistles just yet, we’re going to try and keep it quite pure.” So, in a sense, the upcoming trek will hark back to Welch’s early days, in more ways than one. She’s also taking along longtime friend and former collaborator Dev Hynes, currently recording as Blood Orange, as her opening act. “It’s going to be so fun, I can’t wait. I used to be his backing singer in Lightspeed Champion, he took me on tour with him for one date, in Manchester [England]. He was one of the first members of Florence and the Machine, he used to play guitar with me at all my first gigs,” Welch said. “Even though he was doing his own stuff, he used to come and play guitar for me. We’d be in these weird matching outfits, T-shirts and lumberjack trousers, doing Iggy Pop covers and I would play the drums, Green Day covers [too]. We covered the whole of Nimrod. ” Dates for Florence and the Machine’s spring tour:
Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson sparkle at ‘VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul,’ airing tonight at 9 p.m. ET. By Christina Garibaldi Jennifer Hudson Photo: Getty Images Some of the industry’s biggest divas brought more than just soul to “VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul” on Sunday night: they also brought style. The annual show, which this year celebrates the birthplaces of soul music, is set to air Monday (December 19) at 9 p.m. ET on VH1. MTV News hit the red carpet at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom, where we got to preview the fashion. Jennifer Hudson showed off her stunning figure in a skin-tight Francesco Scognamiglio dress with a ruffled neckline. The Oscar winner completed the look with thigh-high rose-colored boots, also by Francesco Scognamiglio. Mary J. Blige worked the carpet in a champagne-colored, crystal-embellished gown from Michael Kors. Champagne seemed to be a trend for the night, as Florence and the Machine ‘s Florence Welch also opted for a nude color in an embroidered Antonio Berardi dress. Welch was on hand to honor the late Amy Winehouse . “It’s a real honor, actually, to be counted amongst these amazing female performers,” Welch told MTV News on Friday. “It’s really special for me, because I am still a relatively new artist, and to be up there with these really established singers is amazing for me … I’m really grateful.” British songstress Jessie J, who never shies away from taking fashion risks, bared almost all in a sheer black dress with gold detailing, complete with shoulder pads and a black panel bottom. The boys also held their own against powerful divas like Kelly Clarkson and Jill Scott, as Travie McCoy and Boyz II Men took the “Divas” stage. Tune in to “VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul” on Monday, December 19, at 9 p.m. ET on VH1! Related Photos ‘VH1 Divas’ Celebrates Soul In New York City Related Artists Jennifer Hudson Mary J. Blige
