‘I feel horrible and embarrassed to have participated in this mess,’ singer says about 2009 concert funded by the Libyan dictator. By Aly Semigran Mariah Carey (file) Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Mariah Carey wants to make things right after accepting $1 million to perform for family members of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi at a 2009 New Year’s party in St. Barts. The singer released a statement regarding the performance that reads: “I was naive and unaware of who I was booked to perform for. I feel horrible and embarrassed to have participated in this mess. Going forward, this is a lesson for all artists to learn from. We need to be more aware and take more responsibility regardless of who books our shows. Ultimately we as artists are to be held accountable.” Carey, 41, who is expecting twins with husband Nick Cannon , told Showbiz411.com that after the birth of her children, she plans to record a new song called “Save the Day,” the proceeds of which will go entirely to human rights charities. But Carey isn’t the only artist with regrets about performing for and receiving money from the Gaddafi family. In February, Nelly Furtado tweeted, “In 2007, I received 1million$ from the Qaddafi clan to perform a 45 min. show for guests at a hotel in Italy. I am going to donate the $.” Following suit, on Wednesday, Beyonc
‘If it puts me in a good mood, it clicks for me,’ singer tells Ryan Seacrest of Ke$ha-penned track. By Jocelyn Vena Britney Spears Photo: Jeremy Cowart/ WireImage Britney Spears got her fans amped up for her forthcoming album, Femme Fatale, when she released its second single, “Till the World Ends,” on Thursday. The chugging, Ke$ha-penned club banger is all about getting your dance on. And when Spears stopped by Ryan Seacrest’s radio show on Friday (March 4), she admitted that the song just felt right for her as soon as she heard it. ” ‘Till the World Ends’ is fun! It’s fun. I like it. It’s good energy,” she said of the track, which was produced by Dr. Luke, Max Martin and Billboard. “I’m a vibe person, and I think I love good-mood songs, and if it puts me in a good mood, it clicks for me.” As for the album, which already spawned a chart-topping single, “Hold It Against Me,” she teased, “I think it’s my best work yet. I listened to it on the way over here. It’s definitely something you want to work out to. … And I’m a dancer, so it’s definitely something I can work with.” “Oh my God! Will.i.am is amazing,” Spears said of the producer, who teased the track “The Big Fat Bass” recently. “He’s so much fun and he’s funny and he’s a charm. His music is so much fun. When they told me I was going to be working with him, I couldn’t wait. If it gets you going, you get excited, and he has that type of energy.” In addition to talking about the album, Spears also shared plans for a summer tour. And she talked about how she’s keeping in shape these days as she amps up to promote the album, which drops March 29. “I have a trainer. [I go] on the treadmill for 30 minutes and we do a lot of cardio, running,” she explained. “He kicks my butt. You pay to hate your trainer!” It seems that the workout regiment has also had an effect on her beau, talent agent Jason Trawick, who, according to Seacrest, was “pudgy” before he hooked up with the pop star. “He wasn’t pudgy,” she laughed. “He wasn’t pudgy. He is definitely ripped. He just got on this health kick. I guess he’s on a health kick. He eats what he wants.” Related Videos MTV First: Britney Spears’ ‘Hold It Against Me’ Premiere Related Photos Britney Spears’ ‘Hold It Against Me’ Pop-Culture References Related Artists Britney Spears Ke$ha
‘This was the place that birthed her,’ Laurieann Gibson tells MTV News of choosing location. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Lady Gaga knew exactly where she wanted to shoot her trippy music video for Born This Way. If she was going to properly tell the story about the birth of a new race that doesn’t judge or hate, the New York native knew she had to take it home to the Big Apple. “We took two days and when Gags was making the album, she wanted to be in New York,” Gaga’s creative director , Laurieann Gibson, told MTV News on Monday. “This was the place that we started. This was the place that birthed her. This was the place that birthed my dance. New York just has something so real about birthing something specific.” Before cameras even started rolling, Gibson and Gags, as she calls her, decided there was only one place to work on the avant-garde, modern dance routine for the video. “So I took her to Alvin Ailey [where I studied dance], and we rehearsed there because the choreography is really modern-based. It’s, like, more technical than anything she’s ever done,” she recalled. “That was a great moment to engulf her in a real dance world and push her ability choreographically. “And we shot the video in Brooklyn over two days and it was freezing cold. And we had to hide the location and we were quite successful except at the last day there was one paparazzi sneaking around,” she added. “We had to build these boards and move because she was so passionate about it [not] getting out to her fans before it was ready.” But planning for the video started long before the Haus of Gaga landed in New York City to shoot the Nick Knight-directed clip. Gibson recalled how she and Gaga birthed the idea. “I’ve created, directed and choreographed for Lady Gaga since the beginning, so ‘Born This Way,’ this was musically such an amazing evolution and such a brilliant record, so when she played it for me, it took me a while to find out the visual interpretation that I could give back to her. “I woke up one night and I got it and I said, ‘I got it: We have to birth a new race,’ ” she recalled. “As genius as she is, she then begins to create all of these elements that make her Lady Gaga. When I saw the final edit I, of course, was loving some stuff and then I was like, ‘But oh, here we go.’ It was brilliant. Nick is amazing.” What do you think of the “Born This Way” choreography? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’ Video Premieres MTV News Extended Play: Lady Gaga Creative Director Laurieann Gibson
Montana Fishburne has settled her criminal battery case. Chippy pleaded no contest to assault with a deadly weapon, battery and trespass in an attack on her boyfriend’s ex , but was given 180 days in rehab. Her lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, was fighting for this sentence, over objections of prosecutors, who wanted the now infamous sex tape star to do hard time.
Welcome to THG’s first American Idol live blog of season 10. With the top dozen men taking to the stage tonight and singing for your vote, we’re here to offer commentary and insight along the way. Leave comments, refresh often for updates and let’s do this… 8:07 Contestants can choose any song they wish, Ryan tells us. Kicking the show off? Clint Jun Gamboa, karaoke host extraordinaire. He chooses “Superstition” and concludes with a scream that would make Steven Tyler proud. He gets two “brilliants,” one from Tyler, one from Randy. Not exactly constructive words from the judges. They’re off to a rough start. 8:14 Jovany Barreto abs alert! Over-played song choice alert! Jovany goes with Edward McCain’s “I’ll Be.” I found it bland. Tyler found it… “Holy shipyards!” J. Lo is “happy” because Barreto “did it.” Randy actually says something worthwhile for once, telling Jovany he brought nothing original to the performance. True dat, dawg. 8:18 Jordan Dorsey breaks out some Usher and, OMG, it sounds like… someone trying to sound like Usher. Minus the body and minus the dance moves, that is. Heck, I can shake my shoulders. The judges are actually critical, although J. Lo compares him to Nat King Cole for some reason. All three disliked it. And Lopez won’t stop interrupting Randy. 8:27 You won’t believe this, but Tim Halperin says everyone gets along well. The guys over there? They are like his brothers! We aren’t buying that for a second, but we might be purchasing stock in Halperin. The singer puts his own touch on a Rob Thomas classic (yes, those exist), and then faces criticism from the judges. Tyler and J. Lo thinks he’s “special,” but the latter at least says he has one of the best voices she’s ever heard. Yes, ever. Yes, she said that. 8:31 Brett Loewenstern is embracing who he is. That means an attempt at classic rock, apparently, and a version of “Light My Fire.” It sounds like a teenager trying to sound hardcore in my view, but the judges can’t get enough of the hair flipping, and the personality, and J. Lo tries to make a joke about Beyonce and Loewenstern leaves the stage too early, only to return and tell Ryan “I love you” and I’m already irritated by this guy. He comes across as fake cute, not natural, David Archuleta cute. 8:40 It’s time James Durbin to makes like Adam Lambert. He keeps telling us we’ve got “another thing coming,” which leads to the first Steven Tyler curse words of the evening. Was that really the first Judas Priest song in Idol history? Can someone look that up for us? Certainly a bold statement from Durbin, who raises his fist and eggs on the crowd. This is not someone who fears the spotlight. 8:49 Ryan introduces Robbie Rosen as the “pride of Long Island.” Isn’t JWOWW from there? She must have been a close second. We’re in the arms of an angel for this minute-plus, which just causes me to picture Sarah McLachlan telling us to save the animals. Tyler and J. Lo love the ballad and it definitely helps Rosen stand out. His heart was very much into the performance. Randy, though, continuing in his attempt to be contrarian, says the notes didn’t all connect. 8:57 Man, Scotty McCreery’s voice is deeper than a Maya Angelou poem (no? How about the Phillies starting rotation?). For non-country lovers, this is “Letters From Home” by John Michael Montgomery. Tyler is right that it’s the perfect song choice, while J. Lo gushes over the rendition. That’s been a rarity tonight, I know. Scotty doesn’t even know what to say when Ryan asks for his reaction. 9:01 Stefano Langone makes the mistake of choosing one of the most played songs on the radio, “Just the Way You are.” He mixes it up a bit, holding on to a few notes and showcasing his range, but I never think a contestant should choose a song everyone can instantly compare to the original. Or hear the next morning on their drive to work. Hard to stand out that way. Still, a solid performance of the Bruno Mars single. Ryan proceeds to put Stefano on the spot, who dedicates it to “all the ladies out there.” Smooth. 9:10 Paul McDonald challenges Durbin for most confident audition. He goes with a Rod Stewart classic and sounds very much like the music icon, encouraging the crowd to clap along. Doesn’t much different than the original, but McDonald clearly has talent. I like how he wandered around the stage, in his own universe. 9:14 Ryan refers to Jacob Lusk as “understated.” Oh, Ryan. Another soulful performance, great runs, but, excuse me, Steven? Did you just say “divine intervention” brought Lusk here? And did J. Lo really follow that up by saying “Luther Vandross is gone… but now we have you.” Sorry, Charlie Sheen, but the judges have clearly decided you won’t be the WINNER on American Idol . I like Lusk a lot, but this is an awful lot of praise to heap on someone so early in the competition. 9:23 Casey Abrams is putting a spell on us. A really intense spell. The guy is certainly putting it all out there, growling into the mic until ending on a literal high note, really getting into the spirit. I love it. Standing ovation. Tyler says it was as “good as it gets.” J. Lo says he’s “sexy” and will “redefine” the whole thing. Wait… will it no longer be a singing competition?!? How will Randy refer to it then?!? My top 5 from the evening: James Durbin Jacob Lusk Casey Abrams Scotty McCreery Paul McDonald
Welcome to THG’s first American Idol live blog of season 10. With the top dozen men taking to the stage tonight and singing for your vote, we’re here to offer commentary and insight along the way. Leave comments, refresh often for updates and let’s do this… 8:07 Contestants can choose any song they wish, Ryan tells us. Kicking the show off? Clint Jun Gamboa, karaoke host extraordinaire. He chooses “Superstition” and concludes with a scream that would make Steven Tyler proud. He gets two “brilliants,” one from Tyler, one from Randy. Not exactly constructive words from the judges. They’re off to a rough start. 8:14 Jovany Barreto abs alert! Over-played song choice alert! Jovany goes with Edward McCain’s “I’ll Be.” I found it bland. Tyler found it… “Holy shipyards!” J. Lo is “happy” because Barreto “did it.” Randy actually says something worthwhile for once, telling Jovany he brought nothing original to the performance. True dat, dawg. 8:18 Jordan Dorsey breaks out some Usher and, OMG, it sounds like… someone trying to sound like Usher. Minus the body and minus the dance moves, that is. Heck, I can shake my shoulders. The judges are actually critical, although J. Lo compares him to Nat King Cole for some reason. All three disliked it. And Lopez won’t stop interrupting Randy. 8:27 You won’t believe this, but Tim Halperin says everyone gets along well. The guys over there? They are like his brothers! We aren’t buying that for a second, but we might be purchasing stock in Halperin. The singer puts his own touch on a Rob Thomas classic (yes, those exist), and then faces criticism from the judges. Tyler and J. Lo thinks he’s “special,” but the latter at least says he has one of the best voices she’s ever heard. Yes, ever. Yes, she said that. 8:31 Brett Loewenstern is embracing who he is. That means an attempt at classic rock, apparently, and a version of “Light My Fire.” It sounds like a teenager trying to sound hardcore in my view, but the judges can’t get enough of the hair flipping, and the personality, and J. Lo tries to make a joke about Beyonce and Loewenstern leaves the stage too early, only to return and tell Ryan “I love you” and I’m already irritated by this guy. He comes across as fake cute, not natural, David Archuleta cute. 8:40 It’s time James Durbin to makes like Adam Lambert. He keeps telling us we’ve got “another thing coming,” which leads to the first Steven Tyler curse words of the evening. Was that really the first Judas Priest song in Idol history? Can someone look that up for us? Certainly a bold statement from Durbin, who raises his fist and eggs on the crowd. This is not someone who fears the spotlight. 8:49 Ryan introduces Robbie Rosen as the “pride of Long Island.” Isn’t JWOWW from there? She must have been a close second. We’re in the arms of an angel for this minute-plus, which just causes me to picture Sarah McLachlan telling us to save the animals. Tyler and J. Lo love the ballad and it definitely helps Rosen stand out. His heart was very much into the performance. Randy, though, continuing in his attempt to be contrarian, says the notes didn’t all connect. 8:57 Man, Scotty McCreery’s voice is deeper than a Maya Angelou poem (no? How about the Phillies starting rotation?). For non-country lovers, this is “Letters From Home” by John Michael Montgomery. Tyler is right that it’s the perfect song choice, while J. Lo gushes over the rendition. That’s been a rarity tonight, I know. Scotty doesn’t even know what to say when Ryan asks for his reaction. 9:01 Stefano Langone makes the mistake of choosing one of the most played songs on the radio, “Just the Way You are.” He mixes it up a bit, holding on to a few notes and showcasing his range, but I never think a contestant should choose a song everyone can instantly compare to the original. Or hear the next morning on their drive to work. Hard to stand out that way. Still, a solid performance of the Bruno Mars single. Ryan proceeds to put Stefano on the spot, who dedicates it to “all the ladies out there.” Smooth. 9:10 Paul McDonald challenges Durbin for most confident audition. He goes with a Rod Stewart classic and sounds very much like the music icon, encouraging the crowd to clap along. Doesn’t much different than the original, but McDonald clearly has talent. I like how he wandered around the stage, in his own universe. 9:14 Ryan refers to Jacob Lusk as “understated.” Oh, Ryan. Another soulful performance, great runs, but, excuse me, Steven? Did you just say “divine intervention” brought Lusk here? And did J. Lo really follow that up by saying “Luther Vandross is gone… but now we have you.” Sorry, Charlie Sheen, but the judges have clearly decided you won’t be the WINNER on American Idol . I like Lusk a lot, but this is an awful lot of praise to heap on someone so early in the competition. 9:23 Casey Abrams is putting a spell on us. A really intense spell. The guy is certainly putting it all out there, growling into the mic until ending on a literal high note, really getting into the spirit. I love it. Standing ovation. Tyler says it was as “good as it gets.” J. Lo says he’s “sexy” and will “redefine” the whole thing. Wait… will it no longer be a singing competition?!? How will Randy refer to it then?!? My top 5 from the evening: James Durbin Jacob Lusk Casey Abrams Scotty McCreery Paul McDonald
‘She’s very proud of it,’ Gaga’s creative director reveals to MTV News. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images Fans have weighed in on Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” video, but how does Mother Monster herself feel about her latest entry into the world of music videos? The video’s creative director and Gaga’s choreographer, Laurieann Gibson, stopped by MTV News on Monday, the same day the Nick Knight-directed clip dropped, and she opened up about Gaga’s reaction to seeing the trippy “Born This Way” . “She loves it! She loves it so much and she’s so happy,” Gibson told us. “She loves it. She watches it all the time. Every time I walk in the dressing room [she says], ‘Ah! Look!’ She’s very proud of it.” Gibson shares that excitement and she said she’s pleased that Gaga and her team are spreading their message of love and acceptance. “I’m happy for her because she’s so fearless,” Gibson explained. “And she works so hard and, for me, those types of artists don’t come around that often.” Those sentiments were mirrored by one of Gaga’s producers, Fernando Garibay , who worked on many of the songs on the upcoming Born This Way. Garibay told us he thinks the video reflects the song’s feel-good message. “Well, I’ve seen pieces. We were privy to watching her make the video and stuff, and as we were watching her do the choreography and everything, we were just blown away, of course,” he said. “It’s amazing. Her talent, I mean, she’s so talented, but in combining the imagery, the dance and how it’s expressed with the song is truly amazing. … I’m still blown away by it. I saw it this morning and I was like, ‘Wow.’ ” What do you think of “Born This Way”? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Lady Gaga Creative Director Laurieann Gibson Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’ Video Premieres Related Artists Lady Gaga
‘She’s very proud of it,’ Gaga’s creative director reveals to MTV News. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images Fans have weighed in on Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” video, but how does Mother Monster herself feel about her latest entry into the world of music videos? The video’s creative director and Gaga’s choreographer, Laurieann Gibson, stopped by MTV News on Monday, the same day the Nick Knight-directed clip dropped, and she opened up about Gaga’s reaction to seeing trippy “Born This Way” . “She loves it! She loves it so much and she’s so happy,” Gibson told us. “She loves it. She watches it all the time. Every time I walk in the dressing room, [she’s says], ‘Ah! Look!’ She’s very proud of it.” Gibson shares that excitement and she said she’s pleased that Gaga and her team are spreading their message of love and acceptance. “I’m happy for her because she’s so fearless,” Gibson explained. “And she works so hard and, for me, those types of artists don’t come around that often.” Those sentiments were mirrored by one of Gaga’s producers, Fernando Garibay , who worked on many of the songs on the upcoming Born This Way. Garibay told us he thinks the video reflects the song’s feel-good message. “Well, I’ve seen pieces. We were privy to watching her make the video and stuff, and as we were watching her do the choreography and everything, we were just blown away, of course,” he said. “It’s amazing. Her talent, I mean, she’s so talented, but in combining the imagery, the dance and how it’s expressed with the song is truly amazing. … I’m still blown away by it. I saw it this morning and I was like, ‘Wow.’ ” Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Lady Gaga Creative Director Laurieann Gibson Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’ Video Premieres Related Artists Lady Gaga
‘I tend to borrow from a lot of different genres, because my palette is really pretty wide with music,’ DJ/producer tells MTV News of mix CD. By Adam Stewart Junior Sanchez Photo: MTV News Hip-hop heavyweights aren’t the only ones making waves with mixtapes these days. Dance music has taken the States by storm, and world-class DJs are having a field day with the seemingly endless supply of fresh beats and distinctly unique sounds. One of the best in the biz is veteran DJ/producer Junior Sanchez . After the massive success of “Where You Are,” his collaboration with Harry “Choo Choo” Romero and Alexander Technique, and the forthcoming release “I Believe In,” slated for Miami in March (both released on Steve Angello’s Size Records), Sanchez has positioned himself to be one of the biggest names of 2011, starting with his powerful new mix CD, Seize the Fewcha. “A lot of people build a CD and build it up, but I was like, ‘Let’s just go for the gusto and play all of these amazing tracks that people really don’t get to hear,’ ” Sanchez told MTV News. “I don’t have seven hours to build to that moment. So you just want to get to that moment and get to the moment where everyone is just kind of raging.” Junior dives headfirst into the meat of Seize the Fewcha, hitting heavy right out of the gate with the Armand Van Helden and Steve Aoki collaboration “BRRRAT!” and moving swiftly into a dubstep homage to dot-com dating with a remix of Christopher Just’s “You Looked Much Cuter (On My Computer).” “There’s a lot of dubstep influence,” he said. “I love cats like Rusko, and when I make dance music in general, I tend to borrow from a lot of different genres, because my palette is really pretty wide with music.” Sanchez dabbles in some of the freshest floor-fillers ever thrown on to one disc. From the digitally distorted and mind-bending “Attack Muzik” by Sanchez and DJ Reza to “Select Start,” a techno-laden, infectiously hooked monster pumped out by up-and-coming Russians Hard Rock Sofa and Swanky Tunes, the level of intensity and off-kilter variety of Sanchez’s track selection never ceases to amaze. Garnished intermittently with Cirez-D “Total Departure”-esque infinite builds throughout “Elevator,” featuring Joel and Benji from Good Charlotte, and “nEthang!,” a classic electro groove that only Felix Da Housecat and Junior Sanchez could conjure up, Seize the Fewcha is a dazzling commentary on what is and what will be huge in dance music over the next year. Having produced Katy Perry’s “Ur So gay” and, most recently, Mya’s upcoming album, Sanchez is a true renaissance man whose talents are sought after by some of the biggest names in the game. “I’m working on her album; it’s kind of like a rediscovery of Mya, a reinvention of Mya. We are doing some really interesting sounds,” he said. “It’s a lot of dance-influenced stuff, but there are some tracks that are really dark pop, like really industrial; kind of Depeche Mode-influenced, but it’s still really dance-y. It’s a gambit of creativity, but the main thing at the end of it is like the songs are there. The songs are amazing.” Sanchez is also poised to release an R&B /dance record with newcomer O’Neil McKnight entitled “Crazy.” “It’s amazing. He’s an amazing artist. And he’s the future of R&B right there, for sure,” Sanchez said. “It’s a dance track. It’s kind of like what [Sanchez] does best: Dance music meets ’80s,” McKnight said. “Everybody who has heard it thus far has been going crazy. I was at Puffy’s house a couple weeks ago, and he was playing it, like, 30 times just dancing around. He was like, ‘This is so refreshing,’ so it’s a good feel!” Related Artists Junior Sanchez
Shout It Out ‘s message is ‘Get out there and let loose,’ Taylor Hanson says. By Jocelyn Vena Hanson Photo: MTV News The Hanson brothers released their latest music video, for their single “Give a Little,” on Tuesday (February 22). The sparse performance video for the Shout It Out track seamlessly includes dancers of all backgrounds showing off their skills. It’s a far cry from last year’s over-the-top clip for “Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’,” an homage to the Blues Brothers. Crediting much of the success of “Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’ ” to the video itself, Taylor Hanson said the guys have a new mission with this video. “With the ‘Give A Little’ video, we’re more thinking, ‘Hey this is about creating a template, a backdrop that just makes you love the song more,’ ” he explained to MTV News. “The difference with this song and the video is that it’s much simpler and much more about getting the song ingrained in your mind, thus was a very different thing.” The video is, in fact, pretty simple: It features cardboard cutouts, ballerinas, dancing couples, some paint splatter and even hip-hop dancers. The guys get in the action during a big dance break, playing instruments while surrounded by the clip’s various performers. “When we made the video, it was kind of the release after the high production of ‘Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’, ” Taylor explained. “With the ‘Give a Little’ video, it’s almost back to the blank slate. We invited all these dancers. We just set up a room, cranked up the music and threw a party and let people dance. The attitude is not about everyone doing the same moves; it’s about putting a unique twist.” The video’s dance theme makes tons of sense, given the song’s lyrics, including “Let your body lose control” and “You know she just wants to dance.” The guys explained that while they aren’t known for their killer moves, they enjoy the vibe that a song like this puts into the world. “There’s this energy to it,” Taylor said. “Strangely, there’s this dance theme. We’re not known for our dancing, but dancing is this metaphor that’s in the record. Kind of, ‘Get out there and let loose.’ “Spring will be here before we know it, and the song is upbeat and hopefully engaging.” Give us your review of the ‘Give a Little’ video in the comments section below! Related Artists Hanson
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