Tag Archives: artists

Madonna Super Bowl Gig A ‘No-Brainer’ For Cee Lo

‘The Voice’ judge gives MTV News exclusive, behind-the-scenes scoop about Sunday’s halftime show. By Jocelyn Vena Cee Lo Green and Madonna perform at the Super Bowl on Sunday Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images When Madonna calls, you answer. The Queen of Pop rang up Cee Lo Green several months back about performing “Like a Prayer” during the Super Bowl halftime show , and he didn’t give it a second thought. “I was asked — cordially invited — by Madonna to be a part of it and, of course, very eagerly obliged. So it was basically as simple as that,” he told MTV News late Monday about the eye-catching gig, which included a dazzling light show, loads of dancers and fellow guests LMFAO, Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. “It was kind of like a no-brainer. Working with Madonna is a very simple process,” he added. “She’s a very hard worker, quite the perfectionist, and we worked awfully hard for that entire 12-minute performance to be as close to perfection as possible.” With 100 million-plus viewers tuning in to the game and halftime show , it was no doubt the biggest audience Cee Lo and company had ever performed in front of. But everyone was so ready for anything that there was very little room for error or time to be nervous, Cee Lo told us. “In our line of business and at this point of my career, I think I’m as prepared as you can be,” he said. “I’m most certainly poised to be in that place, in this place. It’s where we rehearsed, so well in advance, that it becomes a second nature.” Cee Lo cited the professionalism of Madge and the entire crew for the performance going off without a hitch. “The technicalities of it are just amazing,” he said. “[It was] such a large crew that really helped. Without their tenacity and their know-how, it could not be done. It would be impossible. So I must commend the entire crew. Technically it takes an entire team to make something like that a success.” Fashion also played a big part in the performance. While Madonna was sporting looks by Givenchy, Cee Lo’s black, sequined choir robe was a design all his own. “They tease and they call me ‘Reverend Green’ and ‘Preacher Green,’ so I had a couple of those robes made just for fun,” he explained. “I mean, you know me, I’m still the same, you know, known for my sense of style, so on and so forth. And when the nature of the performance was discussed and they were saying, ‘We’re gonna do “Like a Prayer” and everyone will be in robes,’ and they were looking for my measurements to see if they were going to have to make me one, and I was like, ‘What do you mean? I have my own already!’ So she was pretty touched by that. I brought a lot of myself.” What did you think of Cee Lo’s contribution to the halftime show? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Super Bowl 46: Movie Spots Related Photos Super Bowl XLVI Performances: Madonna And Kelly Clarkson Related Artists Cee Lo Green Madonna

View original post here:
Madonna Super Bowl Gig A ‘No-Brainer’ For Cee Lo

Metallica Announce First-Ever Orion Music Fest

Arctic Monkeys, Modest Mouse, Gaslight Anthem among other acts on June festival lineup. By Gil Kaufman Metallica’s James Hetfield and Robert Trujillo Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ WireImage They’ve headlined stadiums around the world and made an incredibly polarizing album with punk grandfather Lou Reed. So what’s left for Metallica to do to cap off a stellar year? How about launch their own summer festival with a lineup that includes some of their favorite bands? On Tuesday (February 7), the group announced the debut of the Orion Music + More fest, described as an annual “music, arts and lifestyle” gathering that will feature multiple stages and take place June 23-24 at Bader Field in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In addition to headlining sets from Metallica each day — during which they will play The Black Album one night and Ride the Lightning the other in their only North American performances of those classic releases in 2012 — the festival will also feature sets from: Arctic Monkeys, Avenged Sevenfold, Modest Mouse, the Gaslight Anthem, Cage the Elephant, F—ed Up, Best Coast, Hot Snakes, Titus Andronicus, Gary Clark Jr., Lucero, Roky Erickson, the Black Angels, the Sword and Liturgy. More bands will be announced in the coming weeks. “We’ve had the idea of doing our own lifestyle festival with lots of diverse music and fun and games for years,” drummer Lars Ulrich said in a press release announcing the event. “Finally this year all the practical ducks lined up in a row, and we are beyond psyched to bring Orion to our fans, friends and the curious. After the most incredible of weeks ever in December 2011 celebrating our 30th anniversary at the Fillmore in San Francisco, CA, bringing the spirit of that week, the looseness of that week, the possibilities of that week, the fan interactive elements of that week, and the (fill in your own blank here) of that week to a festival setting is so exciting we can hardly contain ourselves.” Pre-sale tickets for the Metallica fan club start Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET, with the public on-sale slated to begin Saturday. Tickets are $150 for two-day passes for the public and $125 for fan-club members. Head to OrionMusicAndMore.com for details. Will you check out the first Orion fest? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Metallica The Gaslight Anthem Modest Mouse Arctic Monkeys

More here:
Metallica Announce First-Ever Orion Music Fest

Has ‘The Voice’ Already Re-Signed Christina Aguilera?

TheWrap reports that Xtina is onboard for season three, which could debut in the fall opposite ‘X Factor.’ By Kara Warner Christina Aguilera on “The Voice” Photo: NBC We are only two episodes into the second season of “The Voice,” and already there is some news about the hit NBC show’s third season. According to TheWrap , Christina Aguilera has signed a contract to continue her stint on the judging panel for a third season of the singing competition. Aguilera is the first of the four judges to ink her deal, a payday for which is supposedly in the $10 million realm. TheWrap also reports that the third season could premiere in the fall rather than waiting until 2013; this would potentially put “The Voice” in direct competition with Fox’s “X Factor.” When MTV News reached out for comment from NBC, a show insider said no decision has been made about season three. It is expected that Aguilera’s fellow judges Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton will all renew their contracts in the coming weeks and that the third season will tape from September through December of this year. “The Voice” has proven to be a major hit for NBC. The season-two premiere following the Super Bowl on Sunday earned NBC’s best ratings for an entertainment show in six years. Monday’s episode earned the network’s best numbers for that particular timeslot in nearly eight years, save for broadcasts of the Olympics. When MTV News caught up with the show’s new social media correspondent Christina Milian recently, the singer/actress gushed about the lovefest on set. “It’s been fabulous. I’ve had fun working with the cast already,” she said. “Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Cee Lo, Carson Daly — it’s an awesome super team they have, and from day one, they treated me like family. “This show is about music, it’s about talent, and it’s about this passion and this dream of becoming a star,” Milian added. “Still to this day, every day that I wake up, I have that same dream, so to be involved with the show, [it’s amazing] to watch what they incorporate and how the coaches act as advisers and mentors to the artists and really truthfully help them and push them and want them to be the best so they can win.” Are you hoping all four “Voice” judges are back for season three? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Christina Aguilera

Read more here:
Has ‘The Voice’ Already Re-Signed Christina Aguilera?

Jay-Z, Nas At Carnegie Hall: A History Of Their Performances

Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

View post:
Jay-Z, Nas At Carnegie Hall: A History Of Their Performances

Beyonce’s First Post-Baby Appearance Was Picture-‘Perfect’

‘It’s perfect for this private couple,’ one celebrity expert tells MTV News of B’s low-key NYC outing. By Jocelyn Vena Beyonce leaves 40/40 Club in New York City Photo: Splash News It was only a month ago that fans were wondering when the first images of new mom Beyonc

Nicki Minaj To Perform New Single ‘Roman Holiday’ At Grammys

Young Money Barbie will release ‘Starships’ a day after awards show telecast. By Nadeska Alexis Nicki Minaj Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Nicki Minaj is in takeover mode. The Young Money rapper donned her best cheerleader outfit for the Super Bowl halftime show with Madonna on Sunday night, and next week she’ll storm the Grammys — performing her new song “Roman Holiday” — before officially releasing her latest Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded single “Starships.” On Monday, February 13, just a day after the Grammy telecast, Nicki’s “Starships” will premiere on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show and make its way to iTunes shortly afterward. Minaj gave fans the first preview of her sophomore album with the single “Roman in Moscow” back in November, followed by “Stupid Hoe” in December. The release of the Hype Williams-directed video for “Stupid Hoe” last month was accompanied by an announcement that her much-anticipated album would be pushed from its original February 14 release date to April 3. “New Album Date: April 3rd. Pink Friday: ROMAN RELOADED,” Minaj wrote to her loyal followers on Twitter. “But have no fear. Tons of surprises before then ;). Love Always, HB.” One of those surprises will come at this year’s Grammy Awards, where Nicki is set to perform a brand-new, unreleased single, “Roman Holiday” (the tune will also appear on Roman Reloaded ). The performance will mark her first time on the Grammy stage, an honor she adds to noms for Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Album for her 2010 debut Pink Friday. Cash Money Records CEO Birdman is among the few who have already heard Minaj’s new album, and he’s given it glowing reviews. “She’s grown so much as an artist. She’s so talented that this sh– is scary,” he told Complex. She really is the female Weezy . Hands down, she bad as a mother—-er. Her talents, skills and what she’s done with her music and the way she is in front of a camera. She’s just so talented to be so young. It’s a brand-new style. I’m just so glad she’s on our team.” The 54th annual Grammy Awards are set to air Sunday, February 12, on CBS at 8 p.m. ET. Chaos! Profanity! Wardrobe malfunctions! Don’t miss Sway and James Montgomery live from the Grammys red carpet this Sunday, February 12, for a full three hours of mayhem, starting at 5 p.m. ET. And the fun doesn’t end Sunday: MTV News has you covered until the Grammy hangover wears off! Related Videos A Guide To The Grammys 2012 Related Photos 2012 Grammy Performers 2012 Grammy Nominees Related Artists Nicki Minaj

See the original post here:
Nicki Minaj To Perform New Single ‘Roman Holiday’ At Grammys

Will Black Keys Team Up With Ke$ha? First They Want Jim Nabors

The duo sat down with MTV News in Berlin to discuss a pair of unlikely collaborations. By James Montgomery Black Keys Photo: MTV News Theirs is a relationship that has spanned time and Twitter, seafood and shaving , but over the years, the unlikely bond between the Black Keys and Ke$ha has grown to become something more : a genuine friendship, marked with the occasional trespassing charge. “We’re friends with her, we’ve known her since way before she was famous, before she was even a singer, I guess,” Keys drummer Patrick Carney told MTV News. “When she was 16 years old, she used to sneak into our shows. We kind of became friends with her by kicking her out of our backstage room, over and over again. She actually has snuck into shows in L.A., San Diego, Coachella …” “She snuck in and [got] kicked out of one show, like, five times,” frontman Dan Auerbach added. “[She] snuck in through the kitchen. I don’t know if she’s such a big fan; she just likes breaking the rules.” So, when MTV News sat down with the ‘Keys in Berlin during the premiere of their “Gold on the Ceiling” video, we had to ask if their friendship with Ke$ha would take the next step: an actual musical collaboration. It’s not all that far-fetched, considering both Ke$h and Auerbach live in Nashville (“I see her every once in a while flying by in her T-Top [convertible],” Auerbach laughed), and recently, the glittery one has logged studio time with the Flaming Lips . So, could we see a team-up on the next Black Keys album? “I guess, I don’t know,” Carney said. “We don’t really do that many collaborations, really.” OK, so if a Ke$ha collabo isn’t in the cards, just who would the ‘Keys like to work with next? Well, as it turns out, they’ve got their eyes set on landing a very big star for the next record … even if they mistakenly believe he’s deceased. “We both want to work with Jim Nabors very badly, but apparently he’s not with us anymore,” Carney said. Oh, but he is. Which means that, much like Nabors, the dream is alive. The Ke$ha collabo? Eh, probably not so much. Should the Black Keys hit the studio with Ke$ha? Leave your comment below! Related Videos MTV First: The Black Keys’ ‘Gold On The Ceiling’ Related Artists The Black Keys Ke$ha

More:
Will Black Keys Team Up With Ke$ha? First They Want Jim Nabors

Madonna Announces World Tour

Singer will play Israel, London and Paris before hitting U.S. By Gil Kaufman Madonna Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ FilmMagic She scored a touchdown during halftime at the Super Bowl, 
 and now

Read the original:
Madonna Announces World Tour

Beyoncé Makes First Post-Pregnancy Appearance At Jay-Z Show

Beyonc

‘The Voice’ Season 2 Continues With Angie Johnson, Jamar Rogers

Judges Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine and Cee Lo Green kick off second episode with a Prince medley. By John Mitchell Cee Lo Green on “The Voice” Photo: NBC The blind auditions continued on Monday night’s (February 6) two-hour episode of “The Voice,” with each judge picking up two more contestants to fill out the 12-person teams they’ll take to the battle phase later in the season. The episode opened with a flashy medley of Prince hits “1999,” “Little Red Corvette” and “Kiss” performed by judges Christina Aguilera , Cee Lo Green , Adam Levine and Blake Shelton , before the crew got right to business with the auditions. Team Christina Aguilera picked up two acts, including the evening’s first performers: platonic duo the Line. The pair’s rendition of Tom Petty’s “American Girl” got all four judges’ attention, but despite much protest from Shelton, they picked Aguilera. Shelton later told the camera he thought they were “fooled by flash and boobs.” She also scored an interesting choice in chanteuse Lindsay Pavao, who got Shelton and Cee Lo to swivel their chairs too. In one of the more unique performances of the night, Pavao transformed a Trey Songz tune into a ballad that Green compared to Fiona Apple. It was that uniqueness that won Christina over, and Pavao chose to join the “Beautiful” singer’s team. Team Adam After being denied by two different singers, the Maroon 5 frontman picked up his first team member of the night in 50-year-old Kim Yarbrough — who revealed during an interview segment that one of her many past odd jobs was working security for the Dave Matthews Band. Her soulful rendition of Rufus and Chaka Khan’s “Tell Me Something Good” had all the judges dancing in their seats, but Adam won her over after asking for her name. When she said “Kim,” he corrected, “No, your name is Chaka Khan, baby.” Which is probably what any aspiring diva wants to hear after an audition. Levine also added the night’s final contestant, 23-year-old Angel Taylor, to his team. The Los Angeles native grew up in an abusive household and turned to music to get through the tough times. Her performance of Adele’s “Someone Like You” packed an emotional punch. Team Cee Lo The night’s two most compelling stories came from Jamar Rogers and Angie Johnson, both of whom opted for team Cee Lo. Rogers is a 29-year-old former drug addict from New York who was also featured on “American Idol” during season eight alongside his best friend and eventual finalist Danny Gokey. During his addiction, he contracted HIV. Now that he is clean and sober, Rogers volunteers for food-delivery services for the disabled in the Bronx. He also idolizes Cee Lo, so it’s good that the “Forget You” Grammy winner turned his chair around for Rogers’ performance of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” Cee Lo also picked up Staff Sergeant Angie Johnson, who was discovered and pushed to audition for “The Voice” after her fellow soldiers uploaded a video to YouTube of Johnson singing Adele on a military base while deployed in the Middle East. The video eventually tallied over a million views, which gave Johnson the confidence to hit the stage with a gutsy rendition of Pat Benatar’s “Heartbreaker.” “I love a girl with guts and confidence,” Cee Lo told the singer. Team Blake Blake’s first choice of the night fit firmly in his country wheelhouse: North Dakota native Gwen Sebastian, a musician who agreed with her drummer husband to hold off on having kids so she could take a go at being a performer. After her performance of “Stay,” Shelton remarked, “You are a great country vocalist … and I’m a country guy. I’m your man.” A more surprising choice for the country superstar came late in the show, when he promised he’d do everything he could for Jermaine Paul, a backup singer who has toured the world with Alicia Keys. Keys even sent Paul a video message wishing him good luck. He made a surprising song choice in Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated,” which also earned props from Cee Lo, who told Paul he could “hear the swag” in his voice. And even though it looked like Paul was favoring Cee Lo, he opted to move out of his R&B comfort zone and into Shelton’s country/rock genre. Four singers got the ax during the show when no judges swiveled around to offer a spot on their team. The judges went back and forth over country crooner Neil Middleton and pop singer Dez Durmon and ultimately regretted their decisions to pass on the singers. Durmon in particular had the judges all worked up, and when they turned around to see a handsome Yale football player standing in front of them, they practically slapped themselves across the head. “And it’s a good-looking guy,” Shelton sighed. Such is the point of “The Voice,” though. Durmon would have been a sure thing if the judges had gotten a look at him beforehand, but it’s all about the pipes — at least for now — on NBC’s reality hit, which kicked off its season to some pretty great post-Super Bowl ratings . Who was your favorite singer on the latest “Voice” episode? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Christina Aguilera Adam Levine Blake Shelton Cee Lo Green

Go here to see the original:
‘The Voice’ Season 2 Continues With Angie Johnson, Jamar Rogers