‘It’s awesome,’ the die-hard Brit fan says of getting to record ‘Whiplash’ for her album. By Christina Garibaldi Selena Gomez Photo: MTV News With her album When the Sun Goes Down set to be released on June 28, and her first big-screen movie “Monte Carlo” hitting theaters on July 1, Selena Gomez has been on a whirlwind promotional tour (her recent hospitalization doesn’t seem to have slowed the young starlet one bit). Last week, in the midst of all that, a couple of tracks from her LP hit the Internet, including one co-written by none other than the pop princess herself, Britney Spears. MTV News caught up with the Disney star on Friday and we asked her about “Whiplash,” the uptempo Spears dance tune. Gomez, who is a die-hard Britney fan , said she was excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with one of her idols. “It’s awesome,” Gomez said of the leaked track. “It was an honor and I’m completely stoked.” But when she was initially given “Whiplash,” a track that reportedly failed to make Spears’ Circus album, the “Wizards of Waverly Place” actress was unaware that Spears had helped to write the song. “I just heard the song; I fell in love with it,” Gomez said. “They gave it to me, the producers who worked on it, and I came and sang and saw that she had co-written it, so I was very excited.” Yet the ties to Spears don’t end there for Gomez. Next month, she hits the road for her first headlining summer tour, and she’ll pay homage to the Femme Fatale. “We are working on a few cover songs. We are working on a Britney tribute ,” Gomez told MTV News earlier this year. “I wanna do a mash-up of all her songs and just go for it ‘ … Baby One More Time,’ and then I think we’re going to try to incorporate ‘Toxic’ and that phase. And then we might do some of her recent, new stuff.” Related Artists Selena Gomez Britney Spears
‘There were mornings where I woke up and it was just like, ‘OK, I just need to stay in bed and try again tomorrow,’ ‘ he tells MTV News. By Jim Cantiello David Cook in his video for “The Last Goodbye” Photo: RCA David Cook is not a morning person. Throughout his new album, This Loud Morning, available everywhere June 28, there are numerous references to falling skies, suns and stars. The “night keeps calling” him. On the nearly six-minute closer “Rapid Eye Movement,” he hoarsely sings his desire to “kill the blinding lights of day.” Who could blame him for wanting to escape reality? In the year that preceded the studio sessions for This Loud Morning, Cook experienced new highs of a successful post-“American Idol” world tour and crushing lows after losing older brother Adam to cancer. “The world around me got a little loud, so there were mornings where I woke up and it was just like, ‘OK, I just need to stay in bed and try again tomorrow,’ ” Cook recently told MTV News. David stayed in bed, so to speak, by crafting a dozen ditties that each feature subtle dreamlike studio flourishes. Songs blend into one another. Melodies and themes reappear. This Loud Morning is not a “concept album,” per se, but it’s the most focused and complete artistic statement an “Idol” winner has created since Kelly Clarkson’s personal My December from 2007. (Incidentally, both were released by 19 Recordings/ RCA Records.) “The last thing I wanna do is make a record where it’s like, ‘Here’s the first song, and that ends; three-second break. Here’s the next song, that ends; three-second break.’ I don’t want to make a collection of songs; I want to make an album. That’s the goal. I feel like with this album, I really outdid my prior endeavor,” Cook said. To achieve David’s dream-inspired vision, he and executive producer Matt Serletic spent 18 months adding music boxes, echo-y strings, boys’ choirs, Theremins and sitars to Cook’s grungy guitars and pop-metal melodies. Some instruments are easier to pick out than others. David promises “headphone nuggets” on repeated listens. (Four spins in, I still couldn’t find a Theremin if my life depended on it.) As “arty” as that might sound, fans will be pleased to hear that This Loud Morning is populated with enough massive choruses to put a Monster Ballads compilation CD to shame. Every single track erupts with an arena-ready midtempo sing-along, tailor-made for lighters above heads. There are guitar solos straight out of Bryan Adams’ ’90s oeuvre. Guitarist Neal Tiemann channels U2’s The Edge on “We Believe,” an anthem about blind faith. Later, “Paper Heart” bursts at the seams thanks to an earworm of a lick that Coldplay members wish they thought of first. Tiemann and bandmate Andy Skib deliver the album’s biggest surprise, co-writing (with Cook) the spacious and timeless ballad “Goodbye to the Girl.” David gently croons over “Golden Slumbers”-esque chords, “When did all the gold around us rust, turning all the love we had to dust/ It took the best of you.” It’s a side of his voice fans haven’t heard since he belted Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Music of the Night” on “Idol.” Eventually, the track builds with swirling rock organs, strings and a doozy of a chorus that you swear Journey’s Steve Perry is singing. The topic of love dominates the majority of Cook’s new songs. The sweeping power-waltz “Fade Into Me” — co-written by David, Jamie Houston and Better Than Ezra’s Kevin Griffin — finds the rocker tapping into his sensual side. “Fade into me, fade into you/ The two of us melting together until we become something new,” goes the chorus. Pretty sure he’s not talking about a conjoined twin. Ahem. Two tracks later, his lover has grown distant. David pleads, “Give me one more try before we say goodbye,” but then, the song’s called “Take Me As I Am,” so one can only assume that Cook himself isn’t willing to change. Eventually he accepts his relationship’s “doomed” status on kickoff single “The Last Goodbye,” co-penned with OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder. Lyrically, This Loud Morning never explicitly references Adam’s death, but knowing Cook’s history may give certain songs a deeper meaning. “Time marches on without you,” David sighs at the end of “Time Marches On,” just as a funereal vocal arrangement takes over your speakers. What exactly are he and his partner-in-crime hoping to run away from in “Right Here, With You?” Time? No matter what the universe has in store for them, David finishes each heavy chorus with a quiet refrain, as if it’s a bedside lullaby. “I’m on your side.” Cook takes things further on the piano-driven shuffle “Hard to Believe.” “When did you lose any sense? And when did you find that you can’t hold on?” he asks. Three minutes later, the song has swelled and David repeats, “Just stay with me!” Romantic or otherwise, this is a relationship Cook does not want to see go away. Maybe the overarching theme of This Loud Morning isn’t love or dreams, but rather inevitability. Whether you like it or not, all things must come to an end, be it a day, a dream, a relationship or a life. This Loud Morning concludes with the same haunting music-box melody that begins the opening track, “Circadian.” The bookended structure begs the listener to hit “replay” the same way we all smack the “snooze” button on those dreaded mornings where we don’t want to face the day. David Cook invites you to stay in bed and dream a little longer. You can always try again tomorrow. If you can’t wait until June 28 to hear This Loud Morning, AOL will be streaming it on Monday. Are you excited for David Cook’s sophomore major-label release? Sound off in the comments below!
We know some of y’all are droolin’ for anything Beyonce right now — even those of you who already got your paws on ’4′. Check out the latest to come out from Camp BeyBey … some new promo photos: Kinda kinky… You likey? Source
‘I will not be releasing a new album this year if we don’t get on the same page,’ Fif tweets. By Rob Markman 50 Cent Photo: Christopher Polk/ WireImage On Thursday morning (June 16), 50 Cent took to Twitter, blasting Interscope Records and saying he wouldn’t be releasing his Black Magic album this year unless he and his label can find some common ground. “Ok I tried to be cool with my record company. I went to the meeting talk to everyone and sh– feels like there moving in slow motion,” he tweeted around 9 a.m. ET. “I’m sorry to announce I will not be releasing a new album this year if we don’t get on the same page.” Soon after, he fired off : “My whole career iv been doing sh– and they have been playing catch up this is the last f—ing album THEY BETTER WAKE UP AND WORK.” A source close to 50 confirmed to MTV News that he is, in fact, tweeting from the account and it has not been hacked. On April 18, the Southside Jamaica, Queens, rapper tweeted that he was going to drop the album’s lead single during that week, but never did. When MTV News caught up with him a few days later on the L.A. set of Nicole Scherzinger’s “Right There” video, 50 backtracked , saying that instead, he opted to work with Interscope rather than independent of them. “I tweeted something about the actual single,” 50 Cent said. “While I’m out here, I got a meeting, I gotta sit with Jimmy [Iovine, chairman of Interscope/Geffen/A&M], I gotta sit with the guys that push the button. I’ve done it by myself on my other albums, ’cause I got my own radio staff. And I worked the record and get it to 500 spins and then let them kick in. But I think it’s better to just go with the entire building, have everybody on deck so they understand my plans for this project.” Judging from Fif’s tweets on Thursday, it’s safe to assume that those meetings didn’t go so well. “I worked really hard on this album I’m not gonna let it come out like some bullsh–. There use to me just putting it out,” he continued to tweet before finally giving in to fans’ tweets urging him to release new music. “Ok f— it I’m putting the first song off my new album out tonight.” Related Artists 50 Cent
‘It’ll have to be around $900 million,’ Tech jokes MTV News about giving up his indie hustle for a major label. By Rob Markman Tech N9ne Photo: MTV News A strange thing happened to Tech N9ne after he dropped his All 6’s and 7’s LP last Tuesday: more than 55,000 devoted fans bought it, making it the fourth-highest selling album this week on the Billboard 200. Many are wondering how the Kansas City, Missouri, rapper got up in the top five among the likes of Adele and Lady Gaga. Well, credit his independent hustle and devoted fanbase for making the release a success. In addition to grabbing that #4 spot, All 6’s and 7’s also ranks as the #1 independent album and rap album this week. And according to Tech, major record companies have been expressing interest in striking a deal with his Strange Music label. “They’ve already been calling, since last year or the year before. They’ve already been calling and asking us questions and stuff,” he told MTV News during an intimate sit-down in his Lee Summit, Missouri, offices last week. Tech and his business partner Travis O’Guin established the indie label Strange Music in 1999, and have been releasing Tech’s music on it ever since. In 2009, it was revealed that the label earned approximately $15 million, thanks to the support of Tech’s fans, who call themselves “Technicians.” When it comes to giving up his independence, Tecca Nina isn’t so quick to sign though. Instead, he loftily aims to grow Strange Music into a major in its own right without partnering up. “I think Strange Music will be the major this year or next year. It’s looking that way,” he said. No matter how things turn out, it’s clear that Tech is happy just the way things are and couldn’t fathom selling off his company. “You might wanna ask Travis this question,” he said laughing, while deferring to O’Guin. “He’ll probably say it’ll have to be around $900 million or something [to sign a deal]. We’re good.” All 6’s and 7’s, which features Lil Wayne, T-Pain , B.o.B and Busta Rhymes, initially drew criticism from some of Tech’s fans, who frowned on the underground icon teaming up with mainstream stars. For some, collabos with such high-profile artists meant that Tech was selling out. “Different artists are supposed to hook up and make something beautiful, that’s what makes music wonderful, I think,” Tech said, defending against criticism. “I already knew what I was gonna do. When I get with these [well-known collaborators], the beats gotta say their names.” After selling 55,715 copies of the album in its first week, Strange Music can put any fear of a fan blacklash to bed.”I can give a sh– about a chart position,” O’Guin told us last week. “A fan telling me that they love the album means more than them little glass trophies. The people, I think, genuinely love the album.” What do you think of Tech N9ne’s success? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Tech N9ne
Grimmie tells MTV News how Gomez’s parents discovered her on YouTube. By Christina Garibaldi Christina Grimmie Photo: MTV News Selena Gomez gave everyone a scare on Friday when she was hospitalized for nausea and a headache after an appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” Among those anxiously asking after her health was Gomez’s pal and the opening act on her upcoming tour, Christina Grimmie, who is happy to report that the singer is doing fine. “I texted her and asked if she was OK,” Grimme told MTV News on Monday (June 13). “I talked to her mom and [she] said she’s doing well.” Grimmie has become a close friend of both Gomez and her family ever since the Disney star’s parents came across Grimmie’s YouTube channel. The 17-year-old up-and-comer’s covers of pop songs from Lady Gaga to Nelly have made her an Internet sensation — her videos have been viewed more than 142 million times to date. But after Selena’s stepdad, Brian Teefey, messaged Grimmie’s brother, her career began to take off for real. “My brother texted me during math class and said, ‘OK, so I think Selena’s parents are trying to contact you,’ ” she recalled. “Obviously, my first reaction was like, ‘Come on now,’ but it was from Selena’s [YouTube] channel. So we got together, and that’s how I got hooked up with her.” Now, Gomez’s parents, Mandy and Brian Teefey are Grimmie’s managers, her debut EP, Find Me , drops via iTunes at midnight on Monday, and she’s slated to hit the road next month with Selena Gomez & the Scene and All Star Weekend for a summer tour. “My sound right now is pop-synthy-dance. I’m very much a rocker chick; I like to throw in some rock,” Grimmie said of her album. “Hopefully, my sound will evolve into something even bigger and better, but right now I’m thrilled with my album.” And while her career gets going, Grimmie is still looking to Selena as an example of how to handle the early stages of fame. “She’s been great,” Grimmie gushed of Gomez. “I can’t explain it — she was in my place at one point, but what I’ve learned from her is, just to keep going.” Related Artists Selena Gomez
Brandon Hilton, rising star of Texas, is quickly becoming known as the “male Lady Gaga” with hits like ‘Glamour Zombie’ … and as of today, the 13th, his new album ‘Nocturnal’ is out. Fresh new hot grooves from one of our faves…check it out!
‘It’s just something about ‘Pac and I,’ Weezy tells MTV News about performing ‘Hail Mary’ on June 12 special. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway Lil Wayne Photo: MTV It’s clear with his “Best Rapper Alive” proclamations that Lil Wayne wants to be remembered among the greats. And with an extensive and well-regarded catalog, he may already be there. Still, during Wayne’s MTV “Unplugged” special, set to air Sunday, June 12, the Young Money CEO pays homage to another rap legend: Tupac Shakur. “I knew because this is my ‘Unplugged,’ I said, ‘I want to do some kind of tribute to one of those great artists,’ ” Wayne explained to us of why he chose to perform the fallen MC’s 1996 single “Hail Mary.” “It’s just something about ‘Pac and I,” he said after the show’s taping last month. “I picked that second verse, ‘Penitentiaries is packed with promise makers,’ and I was like, ‘That whole verse is just perfect — they never realized the precious time that they wasting.’ ” “Hail Mary” appeared on Tupac’s The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, which he recorded under the alias Makaveli. Although ‘Pac finished the album before he was fatally gunned down on September 7, 1996, the LP wasn’t released until after he died. The track has been covered by quite a few rap artists, including Eminem, 50 Cent and Busta Rhymes, who remade the classic together in 2003 with a dis aimed at then-rival Ja Rule. The iconic song has never been covered by Weezy, though, until now. Last November, DJ Khaled appeared on “RapFix Live” and drew comparisons between Wayne and ‘Pac, noting Weezy’s eight-month incarceration for attempted gun possession, his work ethic and overall likability. “Ain’t nobody have that impact since Tupac. Lil Wayne is a genius and he’s a great person. He’s always showed love to everybody. You can’t say anything bad about Wayne,” Khaled told host Sway. “So when he was on vacation, it didn’t feel like he was gone. He dropped the album and it went #1. He was in every video. It was just as big. Now he’s home. When he was on vacation, he was that powerful. Imagine what he’s about to do.” Don’t miss “MTV2 Presents: Lil Wayne Unplugged,” premiering Sunday, June 12, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on MTV2, MTV and MTV.com.
Rep confirms that album will drop on August 29, while DJ Khaled’s newest is pushed to July 19. By D.L. Chandler Lil Wayne Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage Although Weezy gave his adoring public a new single “How to Love” last week, Lil Wayne fans will have to wait just a bit longer than expected for the Young Money head honcho’s ninth studio album, Tha Carter IV. One of the New Orleans native’s publicists confirmed to MTV News on Thursday (June 2) that the album is now due out on August 29. This is certainly not the first time the highly anticipated album has been pushed back. With some reports stating that Wayne had been working on the fourth installment of his Carter series back in 2008, Young Money president Mack Maine once said that Wayne wanted to release his opus upon the day of his release from prison last year. Then, in March, on the first night of his I Am Still Music Tour , he announced that it would drop on May 16. “It can come out tomorrow ’cause I’m so finished,” Wayne told MTV News at the time. But in April, the date was again pushed back until June 21. “He’s still perfecting a few things, he’s a perfectionist … changing a few lines,” Young Money president Mack Maine told us, hinting that they were waiting on some huge features to complete the album. “If you calculate all of that, by the time we would’ve finished mixing, we wouldn’t have met the [original] due date to turn in the album.” Lil Wayne isn’t alone in the pushback department either. DJ Khaled’s fifth album and major label debut We The Best Forever (a collaborative effort between his We The Best Music Group imprint and Cash Money) was slated for a June 28 release but will instead see the light of day on July 19. Are you bummed about Lil Wayne’s and DJ Khaled’s album delays? Let us know in a comment below. Related Videos MTV First: Lil Wayne’s ‘6 Foot 7 Foot’ Related Photos Lil Wayne Brings ‘I Am Still Music’ Tour Home To New Orleans Related Artists Lil Wayne
Selena Gomez may be busy being kissy face and playing family with Justin Bieber , preparing for her upcoming summer tour, meeting Justin Bieber's family, rehearsing, and, oh yeah, canoodling with Justin Bieber , … View post: Selena Gomez Releases 'When The Sun Goes Down' Album Track List …
