Tag Archives: extended-play

M.I.A. Declares She ‘Loves’ Justin Bieber

New love songs like ‘It Takes a Muscle’ may have inspired her soft spot for the Biebs … or not. By James Montgomery M.I.A. Photo: MTV News The lead-up to M.I.A.’s ///Y/&#92 album has basically been one long stream of bad PR , scurrilous spats and, uh, videos that depict things like the execution of redheads . So it may surprise you to learn that there’s actually a pair of songs on the record that are actually, well, sort of nice. “It Takes a Muscle” and “Lovalot” seem to be — on the surface, at least — about the trials and tribulations of the heart. So it seems that, deep down (and despite all the bluster), M.I.A. is actually a really sweet person. So in keeping with that spirit, we decided to ask her if there’s anything else she really, truly loves. “M.I.A. loves … Justin Bieber?” she laughed. Of course, we’re not entirely sure we believe her. You’ll remember, of course, that she once said that Bieber’s videos were “more offensive” than her own aforementioned “Born Free” clip, and while she’s since clarified her stance on Biebs , saying she meant it as “a joke,” you still probably wouldn’t peg her one who would succumb to Bieber Fever. But then again, given her new album, we suppose anything is possible. Because ///Y/&#92 isn’t just a new set of tunes, it’s a new chapter for M.I.A. She’s working with an entirely new team of producers, diving deeper into the sonic sample bin than ever before, and, most notably, she’s actually singing this time around. Or at least that’s what people are saying. “It’s sort of like [producer] Blaqstarr kind of encouraging me and making me comfortable to sing,” she said. “And I think on my first album — I think , or I thought — that [songs like] ‘Amazon’ was me singing, and ‘Paper Planes’ was me singing, but I guess everyone seems to think I’m singing more on this album. I’m just singing louder.” Is M.I.A. really a Justin Bieber fan at heart? Tell us what you think in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: M.I.A.

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M.I.A. Declares She ‘Loves’ Justin Bieber

Big Boi Wanted To ‘Seek And Destroy’ On Sir Lucious Left Foot

‘I’m an MC, first and foremost,’ the Outkast rapper tells MTV News of evolution from 2003’s solo Speakerboxxx. By Jayson Rodriguez Big Boi Photo: MTV News Big Boi’s Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty is billed as the OutKast rapper’s proper solo debut, but the Atlanta MC actually released a solo collection years ago, if you count his and Andre 3000’s double disc Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. The 2003 project was divided into solo sets from Big and Dre, and both rappers scored number-one hits from their respective albums. Still, while Big had technically recorded that collection on his own, he says his approach to this year’s Sir Lucious Left Foot was distinctly different because instead of releasing an LP that was an extension of the Outkast sound, this time, it was all about showcasing the Atlanta MC’s lyrical ability.

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Big Boi Wanted To ‘Seek And Destroy’ On Sir Lucious Left Foot

Kris Allen Offers Post-‘American Idol’ Advice To Lee DeWyze

‘Be humble, but get involved too,’ Allen tells the season-nine winner. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Jim Cantiello Kris Allen Photo: MTV News Once Lee DeWyze took home the “American Idol” crown this past season, Kris Allen was no longer the reigning ruler of the “Idol” kingdom — and he’s completely fine with that. “It really hasn’t crossed my mind at all [about what sorts of pressures I’m feeling now]. Maybe this is more of a product of being on my own tour and all that stuff that I feel like it’s a little bit separate now from ‘American Idol,’ which is a good thing,” he told MTV News during a recent chat. But don’t think Allen doesn’t have gratitude for the show that made him a household name. “Obviously, I owe a lot to the show, but the people who have made it successfully off the show have to separate themselves,” he explained. “So I think that’s happening, and that’s a good thing, and now Lee has taken the reins.” Allen has been out of the “Idol” loop for quite some time now, but he very vividly remembers the months after winning the show. And he has some sage advice for the newbie. “I feel like I learned so much during that recording process, but yet I still didn’t know a lot,” he recalled. “I would just say, ask a lot of questions, especially of those producers and all of those people that you work with. Just ask a lot of questions and figure out stuff, because I feel like I would just sit there and be like, ‘OK, you’re awesome.’ You know? Be humble, but get involved too.” Do you agree with Kris’ advice for Lee? Tell us in the comments! Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Kris Allen

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Kris Allen Offers Post-‘American Idol’ Advice To Lee DeWyze

Kris Allen Was ‘Pretty Upset’ About Shirtless Photos

‘American Idol’ winner tells MTV News he was embarrassed by shots showing his ‘pasty’ body. By Jim Cantiello Kris Allen Photo: MTV News When shirtless vacation photos of Kris Allen recently landed him on the pages of TMZ , the modest “American Idol” season-eight winner was baffled that people would want to see what was hiding underneath his plaid shirts. “I was pretty upset. It was like, ‘Seriously?’ ” a visibly embarrassed Allen told MTV News during a recent New York tour stop. The revealing pics were snapped in April when Kris and his band were hanging out at the pool before a Paradise Island gig in the Bahamas. “I knew it was probably going to happen. We’re in Atlantis, which is not the most secret place in the world. And we were trying to have a good time. People weren’t bothering us, but apparently they were taking sneaky pictures and selling them to the tabloids,” Allen said before joking, “I don’t know what they got off them, but I would like a cut.” Kris wasn’t the only one caught in the paparazzo’s crossfire. One photo showed the singer with his younger brother Daniel and guitarist/keyboardist Cale Mills. “That made me feel better because I was like, ‘Cale, you’re in here too, buddy. I’m not by myself,’ ” Allen said, happy to deflect some of the attention from his own “pasty” body. “I’m so glad I didn’t make those photos,” Kris’ drummer, Ryland Steen, chimed in. “I think just my elbow was in one of them.” Pasty or not, Kris’ band wasn’t so surprised that the bashful singer’s physique ended up being discussed and praised by radio DJs and on gossip sites. “He’s a hunky guy,” admitted Steen. “As soon as we heard about it we went and tried to find [the photos],” Mills said. “You know how Google will give you suggestions? If you type in ‘Kris Allen’ and hit a space, ‘shirtless’ pops up. And we were like, ‘Well, I’m guessing people have been looking for that before,” he laughed. Although the Arkansas native garnered a lot of attention for showing a little skin, Kris isn’t interested in pushing the beefcake angle in order to get more headlines. “[The tabloid scene’s] not my thing, man. Although maybe it should be,” the laid-back singer quipped. Kris’ bandmates have another idea. Drummer Steen announced, “Instead of doing our version of [Kanye West’s] ‘Heartless,’ it’s going to be ‘How could you be so shirtless’ from now on.” What do you think of Kris’ accidental photo shoot? Do you think the singer should strut his stuff more often? Leave a comment below! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Kris Allen Related Artists Kris Allen

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Kris Allen Was ‘Pretty Upset’ About Shirtless Photos

Metric Say Having A Song In ‘Eclipse’ Is ‘One Big Wow’

“Eclipse (I’m Yours),” written from Bella’s perspective, closes the film. By James Montgomery, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Emily Haines of “Metric” Photo: MTV News Metric’s Emily Haines wasn’t exactly the natural choice to pen the closing number to “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” and not just because she fronts one of the most fiercely independent bands out there. When she was asked to contribute to the flick, she hadn’t read a page of Stephenie Meyer’s books or seen a second of the first two films. “I was not aware of anything about the books or the movies,” Haines told MTV News at the world premiere of “Eclipse” on Thursday (June 24) night in Los Angeles. “I don’t know where I was the whole time. Maybe in the studio, or on tour? I don’t know.” But even though she had, uh, limited knowledge of the series, legendary composer Howard Shore still insisted she work on a song for the film, one that was written from the perspective of heroine Bella Swan. In fact, he seemed to think it was better that she came in without a preconceived notion of Kristen Stewart’s character. “I said that to Howard right away, you know, ‘Look, if you’re looking for someone who knows the ins and outs of these books, and has watched the films, I’m the wrong person,'” Haines said. “And he said, ‘Actually, it’s good that you’re not, because we want [it written] from the perspective of the character.’ … So, since then, I’ve learned a little bit more about how Muse plays into the books, and the larger themes. But I think it’s good I went into it just looking at the character.” The song Haines ended up contributing to the soundtrack — a tune called “Eclipse (I’m Yours)” — was so strong Shore insisted that it close the film, which is what brought Haines and her Metric mates to the red carpet. And even though they were about to watch the film with an audience for the first time, they weren’t the slightest bit nervous. After all, it wasn’t like they were about to go play a rock show or something. “It’s easier. There’s no equipment to malfunction or anything,” Haines laughed. “But anyone who knows the band knows we’ve had a hilarious adventure over the years, and this is just, like, one big ‘Wow.'” Related Videos ‘The Twilight Saga: Eclipse’ Hollywood Premiere Brings Out The Stars Related Photos “Eclipse” Premieres In Los Angeles Related Artists Metric

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Metric Say Having A Song In ‘Eclipse’ Is ‘One Big Wow’

Drake Says Original ‘Light It Up’ Verse Was ‘Way Harder’

In MTV’s ‘Better Than Good Enough’ documentary, Drizzy is seen recording new rhymes for Jay-Z-assisted track. By Jayson Rodriguez, with additional reporting by Shaheem Reid Drake Photo: MTV During MTV’s “Drake: Better Than Good Enough” documentary, the Toronto MC is shown making last-minute adjustments to two songs the day before his debut album, Thank Me Later, is set to be mixed and mastered. One of those tracks, the Jay-Z-assisted “Light Up,” features Drake’s last-minute rhymes. “I like these bars better than the other bars,” he tells his road manager after laying down the new verse and listening to a playback. ” ‘Cause the other bars are so, like, ‘Oh, it’s kiddish.’ This is, like, I really think I’m the sh–, and then Jay comes and puts me in my place.” In an interview with MTV2’s “Sucker Free,” Drake revealed that his original verse was more aggressive and that he used it on a collaboration with a certain Kanye West prot

Miley Cyrus Says Can’t Be Tamed Is All About Female Empowerment

‘It’s just about freeing yourself from anything you think is holding you back,’ she says of her new album. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway Miley Cyrus Photo: MTV News Miley Cyrus has always been about girl power. Her tracks like “7 Things” and “The Climb” may at first glance seem like party anthems or weepy ballads, but she thinks that upon closer inspection her lyrics empower young women. And she says the tracks on her new album, Can’t Be Tamed, are no different. “I think ‘Tamed’ does it the best, and ‘Liberty Walk,’ ” she told MTV News. “It’s just about freeing yourself from anything you think is holding you back. And I think that’s really important, especially for girls, because so many people are told, ‘No, you can’t do something,’ or, ‘You need to be this because Mom and Dad say that, teachers say this.’ ” Her advice? Try to see what advice makes the most sense for your life. “Really think about what you want to do for the rest of your life,” the 17-year-old said. “There’s a short amount of time, when you think about it, and no day needs to go by wasted.” As for “Liberty Walk,” Cyrus said she tried to combine a very serious topic with a lighter sound. “I wrote it for women that feel like they’re stuck in abusive relationships, but it’s a dance song,” she said. “So you think that must be kind of a sad ballad, but it’s a party song. … It’s about breaking free.” Which new Miley Cyrus song is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments. Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Miley Cyrus Related Photos The Evolution Of: Miley Cyrus

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Miley Cyrus Says Can’t Be Tamed Is All About Female Empowerment

Drake Easily Notches #1 Debut With Thank Me Later

Early estimates show the album had the third-best first week sales of the year. By Gil Kaufman Drake Photo: Getty Images The Game may have been off by a bit when he predicted Drake would sell 650,000 in his first week, but according to preliminary figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan, Thank Me Later will debut very strongly on the Billboard charts. The Canadian rapper and Lil Wayne prot

Michael Jackson Left Behind A Legacy Of Unfinished Projects

A year after his death, we’ve seen ‘This Is It’ and heard the leaked songs, but where’s that robot hotel? By Gil Kaufman Michael Jackson Photo: Getty Images In the twilight of his career, Michael Jackson was almost as well known for the projects he never completed as he was for the ones that came to fruition. From the mid-1990s on, fans were frequently tantalized with the promise of movies, theme parks, tours and song collaborations with the day’s hottest music stars that came and went without ever being realized. As the one-year anniversary of Jackson’s death approaches, MTV News is taking a look at the many plans the King of Pop dreamed up before his premature end, some of which are finally becoming reality. Despite more than a decade out of the pop-culture spotlight, Jackson also clearly never stopped having his finger on the pulse of what was going on in music. Lady Gaga recently revealed that Jackson had tapped her to open for his 50-show This Is It stand at the O2 arena in London. “I was actually asked to open for Michael on his tour,” she said. “We were going to open for him at the O2. … And we were working on making it happen. And I suppose there was some talk about the openers doing some duets with Michael onstage.” In fact, one of the choreographers of This Is It said in an interview that not only did Jackson want to have Gaga open for him, he was very interested in recording a song with her before his death. Travis Payne said that after giving Jackson a short list of possible collaborators for his next musical project (including Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Usher and Justin Timberlake), the pop icon suggested Payne check out the then budding superstar Gaga. “He goes, ‘Lady Gaga.’ I go, ‘Really?’ He goes, ‘Yeah.’ He’s the one who really got me to get into her,” Payne recalled. “He literally told me, ‘You gotta get into her. She’s good.’ So, I started listening to her music more and going on YouTube and looking at her performances, and I was like, ‘He’s right.’ ” Jackson was also clearly looking to take his place among the musical icons he most admired and whose sales records he was determined to break during the course of his career. Just like the Beatles and Elvis Presley, Jackson will be immortalized by Cirque du Soleil with a permanent show in Las Vegas and a touring version in 2011, thanks to an agreement with Jackson’s estate. This brings to fruition a long-held dream for Jackson, who was a big fan of the Canadian troupe’s productions and had discussed mounting a show based on his music several years before his death. Jackson always dreamed big , and toward the end of his life, he spent quite a bit of time in Vegas cooking up another abandoned pie-in-the-sky project. In October 2005, just a few months removed from his acquittal on child molestation charges , Jackson began work with fashion designer Andr

Miley Cyrus: ‘I’m Not A Rapper’

‘It’s speaking to the music,’ Cyrus says of her ‘rhythmic’ stylings on Can’t Be Tamed. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway Miley Cyrus Photo: MTV News In addition to adopting an edgier look and sound on her new album, Can’t Be Tamed, Miley Cyrus is also trying out a new way of expressing herself. On tracks like “Liberty Walk,” Cyrus raps — but please, don’t call MC an MC. “I call it more of a spoken, rhythmic [singing style],” she explained. “I’m not a rap type. Maybe a little bit. It’s speaking to the music, but if I say that I’m a rapper, I’m going to be like, ‘I’m not a rapper.’ I’ve got no flow in that way. I’ve got no swag.” Her “Can’t Be Tamed” single, however, did just get a hip-hop makeover, courtesy of Lil Jon, who Cyrus said took the track to a whole new level. “He’s sick,” she said. “I love him, because he just made this song. It was already something that set me apart, but it just [became something more with him]. You know, the fact that he respects my music and we are completely opposite styles, and the fact that he can be like, ‘OK, this is a good song,’ it just shows you don’t have to be a certain age, gender [to like it]. “It’s a dance song,” she added about the remix. “It’s a party song, and he’s awesome. I like how he’s one person when he’s chilling in the studio. I’ve never seen someone flip on and off. He’s got, like, double personas … like so wired. It’s cool.” Although she once admitted she has never heard a Jay-Z song — despite her Jay-referencing line in “Party in the U.S.A.” — she does have a few other favorite MCs, including Gucci Mane and OJ Da Juiceman. “I love it,” she said of the two rappers. “I don’t know any of the songs. They all blend in. I can’t really break it up, but I like it. But I’m not a rapper.” What do you think of Miley’s “spoken, rhythmic” style on “Can’t Be Tamed?” Let us know in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Miley Cyrus

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Miley Cyrus: ‘I’m Not A Rapper’