Pop star’s duet with Elton John, ‘Hello Hello,’ is on short list for Best Original Song. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage How does Lady Gaga feel about making the short list for the Best Original Song race at the Oscars? Well, she’s pretty excited. “Just heard my duet ‘Hello, Hello’ with Elton [John] is up for nomination at the Oscars! ‘Gnomeo & Juliet’ is such a beautiful film,” she wrote on Twitter. “I’m so happy!!” On Monday, it was announced that the Gaga/Elton duet is one of the 39 tracks vying for a nomination. will.i.am’s “Rio” track, “Hot Wings,” Mary J. Blige’s “The Living Proof” from “The Help,” and Zooey Deschanel’s “Winnie the Pooh” track, “So Long,” along with multiple tracks from “The Muppets” are also in the running. The final nominations will be announced January 24, and the awards show is slated to take place February 26 at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. Gaga is celebrating her latest achievement in Japan , where she will spend the holidays. “Well, I’ll be in Japan right up until Christmas Day,” she recently told MTV News. “So I’ll be eating with all my Japanese Little Monsters. I like shabu shabu [a type of Japanese hotpot].” After touching down, Mother Monster has been keeping her fans up-to-date on what she’s been up to on Twitter. “Sipping tea in Japan with Haus. Feeling so grateful,” she wrote. “We sold about 1 million albums a month worldwide since the release of BORN THIS WAY.” The busy holiday season caps off an even busier year for Lady Gaga, who happened to be MTV News’ Top Newsmaker of 2011 . She tirelessly released singles, videos, personas, a chart-topping album ( Born This Way ) and scooped up awards at seemingly every show from the Grammys to the VMAs. She was also #5 on our list of Best Artists of 2011 , and her disco empowerment track “Born This Way” snagged the #5 spot on the Best Songs of 2011 list as well. Related Artists Lady Gaga
‘It felt like ‘Gladiator’ up there,’ Josh Krajcik says of 13-year-old’s exit. By Gil Kaufman, with reporting by Jim Cantiello Rachel Crow after hearing the news of her elimination on “X Factor” Photo: FOX It may have been one of the most heart-wrenching scenes in recent reality-TV memory. And while the sight of 13-year-old Rachel Crow collapsing into sobs and calling for her mommy made for great TV, it’s also likely the reason “X Factor” is alone among major American singing competitions in allowing such young contestants. When MTV News’ Jim Cantiello caught up with the remaining semifinalists on Monday, he asked Chris Rene, Josh Krajcik, Marcus Canty and Melanie Amaro what they said to Crow on elimination night and how they’re handling the aftermath of her ouster. “I was just telling her that she really cannot give up, because she’s an amazing singer,” said soul-diva-in-the-making Amaro, who was one of the first to embrace Crow onstage and console the tweenager. “She’s only 13, and she can sing like that? She has a big career ahead of her. She really has to continue to work hard and do what she loves.” Cantiello also unraveled the mystery of what Crow was saying to Amaro after their embrace, when the pint-size belter gestured emphatically to the only remaining female in the competition. “She said to me, ‘You’ve gotta represent! You’ve gotta represent for the girls!’ ” Amaro said. “I was like, ‘OK, I will represent for the girls.’ ” Rough-edged hip-pop singer Rene said the vibe backstage after the elimination was so uncomfortable that he just wanted to leave. “It felt like your little sister … you see your little sister cry like that, it doesn’t make you happy,” he said. “You wish you could do something about it, and you can’t.” The scene was especially tense for Michael Bolton-esque crooner and sudden front-runner Krajcik, whose mentor, Nicole Scherzinger, took the brunt of the audience’s anger when she voted against Crow and sent the contest to deadlock. Ever since that fateful, tear-stained decision — which clearly had an emotional effect on the former Pussycat Doll as well — Scherzinger has come in for some harsh criticism that Krajcik said she didn’t deserve. “[It was] brutal,” said Krajcik, who did not deny that he felt like he wanted to take a swing at every boo bird in the house when they turned on Scherzinger. “You get emotional; it was tough. It felt like ‘Gladiator’ up there. I thought that I was in the middle of a blood-soaked sand arena. It was really, really weird. It’s something I will never forget. … I was surprised by a lot of things that night.” For his part, R&B smoothie Canty, who was standing beside Crow when she got the bad news, was still a bit miffed with host Steve Jones for setting a pick on him. “I said, ‘Can I talk to her?’ Obviously I didn’t want to see her on the ground,” Canty said. “Let her know everything was going to be all right.” What was your reaction to Rachel Crow’s elimination? Leave your comments below!
MTV’s Sway moderates a panel of our music experts as they count down the year’s top 10 bangers. By MTV News staff Rihanna Photo: Getty Images MTV’s list of the Best Songs of 2011 is like one of those old late-night commercials for awesome sampler albums: you’ve got your pop hit, a bit of rock, some hip-hop, R&B and a tune or two that you just can’t fully define, but which you definitely shook it to at some point over the past 12 months. Last week, MTV correspondent Sway Calloway moderated a spirited roundtable discussion with some of our very own experts: James Montgomery and Rob Markman (MTV News), Yomi Desalu and Malika Quemerais (MTV Music and Talent) and Tamar Anitai and Nicole Rosner (MTV.com). The panel managed to narrow it down to their top 10. While we’ll reveal #10 to #3, you’ll have to tune in to MTV at 4:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday night (December 14) to find out which songs snagged the top two spots. We will say that the year’s ultimate “Party Rock Anthem” made the cut, as did Rihanna’s waltz into the world of dubstep, a kitchen-sink empowerment anthem for anyone who’s ever felt marginalized, and an unexpected smash about a school shooting that is so catchy you might miss the sinister lyrics. Two of rap’s titans are also on the list, as is a pop princess who hopped on the Empowerment Express, an R&B singer who went the Dirty South route with two hip-hop icons, and a Latin rhymer asking for some eye contact over a club-banging beat. 10. “Firework,” Katy Perry Sure, its release as a single came in late 2010, but the true impact of “Firework” was felt in 2011. It rang in the New Year at #1, was Perry’s top single of the year and is nominated for the Record of the Year Grammy. More importantly, the song’s message touched fans all over the world as the pop star toured the globe. “I wrote this song for anyone who ever needed a song. To help them, to lift them up,” she told the crowd when I saw her at New York’s Nassau Coliseum this summer. The arena shook as every person sang along with her and pyro lit up the stage, raining down like a wall of sparklers. — John Mitchell 9. “Look at Me Now,” Chris Brown Tough, aggressive and completely unapologetic lyrically, Chris goes hard on the F.A.M.E. track, which also features rap heavy-hitters Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne. Grinding production, bleeping noises and bumping beats answer Brown’s siren call about not really caring very much what anyone thinks about him and his bad-boy rep. Why? Well, mostly because he’s “fresh than a mother—-er.” Given Brown’s nefarious past, it was a catchy, bold, brash statement from one of R&B’s biggest young stars. — Jocelyn Vena 8. “N—as in Paris,” Kanye West and Jay-Z Kanye West picked a fitting Will Ferrell sound bite for “N—as in Paris,” but not even Yeezy could have predicted just how much his and Jay-Z’s second Watch the Throne single would get the people going. After leading with “Otis,” the Throne’s kinetic follow-up joint seems to be the ultimate people’s choice. The brash title and profane hook (“Ball so hard mother—-ers wanna fine me”) doesn’t exactly scream radio hit, but that’s exactly what it has become, peaking at #1 on the Billboard Rap Songs chart. The song has become so popular that Hov and ‘Ye have performed it as many as eight times in a single night during their WTT Tour run. Now that sh– cray! — Rob Markman 7. “Pumped Up Kicks,” Foster the People If you went to a rock club or major festival, turned on satellite radio, or visited any retail store that sells skinny jeans, you were likely entranced by the from the Los Angeles trio’s breakout hit “Pumped Up Kicks.” The combination of lyrics about a psychotic, gun-toting teen and cheery, New Wave-y bass bounce, seven-dwarves-worthy whistling, hypnotic electronic effects and former jingle writer Mark Foster’s dreamy falsetto vocals revived the feel of mid-1990s alt-rock. Plus, as it turns out, this potential one-hit-wonder ended up having plenty more to offer. — Gil Kaufman 6. “Give Me Everything,” Pitbull Pitbull is perhaps music’s most underrated hitmaker, but if 2009’s “I Know You Want Me” and “Hotel Room Service” weren’t enough to convince the naysayers, the Cuban pop-rapper’s omnipresent “Give Me Everything” should’ve done the trick in 2011. On paper, a song featuring Pit, Ne-Yo, Afrojack and sexy-siren Nayer might seem a bit all over the place, but by the end of the four4-minute, 12-second jam, it all worked out quite nicely. There’s a reason the one-night stand ode hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The energetic dance groove, rapid rhymes and the track’s infectious hook were choice ingredients for the perfect party record. — R.M. 5. “Born This Way,” Lady Gaga Quick, name another top 10 hit that seeks to empower the LGBT community, drag queens, the disabled or anyone who is “black, white beige, chola descent … Lebanese … orient.” You can’t, because nobody but Mother Monster has the cojones to release “Born This Way” as the first single off an eagerly anticipated sophomore album. The tune mixes soaring rhetoric with equally pulse-quickening beats. Of course, it was accompanied by a viscous-liquid-dripping seven-minute video that added to Gaga’s mind-tripping visual canon and further established her as one of the biggest triple threats in music. — G.K. 4. “Party Rock Anthem,” LMFAO LMFAO’s ode to being the life of the party is the definition of a guilty pleasure, and it was an instant hit, topping the charts and playlists. With a fist-pumping beat and lyrics that are nearly as silly as the leopard-print pants RedFoo and SkyBlu typically rock, “Party Rock Anthem” had everyone from your grandma to Justin Bieber “shufflin’. ” — J.V. 3. “We Found Love,” Rihanna Rihanna fully embraced EDM on her Talk That Talk single. Produced by Calvin Harris, “We Found Love” is a swirling party track about love and loss. It took pop’s obsession with dance music to the next level thanks to its killer production. Sparse at times and completely enthralling at others, “WFL” is sad and joyous all at the same time. A call back to ’90s raves, the song made pop lovers want to break out their glow sticks and just dance. — Jocelyn Vena We’ve counted down #10 to #3, but will Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” or Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass” come out on top in the final two? Stick with us as we reveal the Best Song of 2011 at 4:59 p.m. ET on MTV! All this week, watch “AMTV” on MTV every day at 8 a.m. ET for our Best of 2011 lists. Then, come to MTVNews.com at 5 p.m. as we reveal our top picks of the year! Related Videos Best Songs Of 2011 Debate
Mag tells MTV News ‘someone took photos of Lindsay’s pictorial in an advanced copy of the January/February issue.’ By Jocelyn Vena Lindsay Lohan’s leaked Playboy cover Photo: Playboy First, Lindsay Lohan’s Playboy cover leaked , and days later, a set of photos set to appear in the January/February issue hit the Net when Perez Hilton posted the photos on his blog Friday (December 9). The photos clearly pay homage to Marilyn Monroe and her vintage Playboy pictorial. Lohan, donning little more than red lipstick (and, in one pic, a fur shrug), poses nude in front of a red curtain. The actress was photographed in soft light as she poses on red couches and bedding, in various sexy positions. The photos were shot in November in Los Angeles, in between Lohan’s court dates and legal issues . In an interview with “The Insider,” mom Dina said the pictorial would be “tastefully done.” “She’s been working in front of the camera with Ford Models since she was a little girl,” she added. “So she kinda knows how to work that.” A rep for Playboy addressed the latest leak to MTV News in a statement: “Someone took photos of Lindsay’s pictorial in an advanced copy of the January/February issue. They posted the photos online without permission. We are not releasing any official images or information until December 15.” Lohan is set to do an interview with Ellen DeGeneres on her December 15 talk show to about the pictorial. It was originally planned that the cover and an additional image would debut on the show. A source told TMZ that Playboy execs are “freaking out” about the leak. The magazine is slated to hit newsstands next week, and the magazine allegedly printed thousands of extra copies. They fear the leak could hurt sales and they had been banking on the fact that this would be the mag’s best-seller of the year. The actress was reportedly paid nearly $1 million for the shoot.
Perry tells MTV News the Swedish star is ‘the epitome of effortless cool.’ By Jocelyn Vena Katy Perry on the set of “Saturday Night Live” Photo: MTV News NEW YORK — Katy Perry knows a thing or two about being the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” . But this week, she steps up into the role of hostess , and she’s welcoming her former California Dreams tourmate and Swedish pop powerhouse Robyn as the show’s musical guest. When MTV News caught up with the pop stars during rehearsals Thursday, they opened up about reuniting for the late-night show. “It was a pleasure to do rehearsals here today in the ‘SNL’ studio,” Robyn told us. “You’re gonna see what you always see: me, like, dancing and giving it my all.” While Perry and Robyn, an “SNL” first-timer, hung out a bit during a promo shoot — co-starring the show’s city correspondent, Stefon (played by Bill Hader) — she said she hadn’t yet gotten some words of wisdom from the California Gurl. But when we asked Perry if she had any advice for her pal, she didn’t think she had much to offer. “I don’t need to give her advice,” she said. “She needs to give me advice. She’s cool, dude. She makes everyone cooler. … She’s just, like, the epitome of effortless cool, like you look at her wardrobe and you think, ‘I don’t think I could wear that,’ but she wears it and she just owns it.” There’s one look you may see Perry sporting on the show that was inspired by the singer. “She’s always wearing platform shoes, whether it’s, like, creepers or Prada shoes. And she was wearing them way back when, in the beginning of the tour,” she said. “And now Prada’s doing them; everyone’s wearing them. Rihanna’s wearing them. I’m wearing them after all of the convincing, so she’s kind of the tastemaker. It’s gonna be a great show because of that.” What songs are you hoping Robyn performs Saturday night? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Katy Perry Robyn
Perry tells MTV News the Swedish star is ‘the epitome of effortless cool.’ By Jocelyn Vena Katy Perry on the set of “Saturday Night Live” Photo: MTV News NEW YORK — Katy Perry knows a thing or two about being the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” . But this week, she steps up into the role of hostess , and she’s welcoming her former California Dreams tourmate and Swedish pop powerhouse Robyn as the show’s musical guest. When MTV News caught up with the pop stars during rehearsals Thursday, they opened up about reuniting for the late-night show. “It was a pleasure to do rehearsals here today in the ‘SNL’ studio,” Robyn told us. “You’re gonna see what you always see: me, like, dancing and giving it my all.” While Perry and Robyn, an “SNL” first-timer, hung out a bit during a promo shoot — co-starring the show’s city correspondent, Stefon (played by Bill Hader) — she said she hadn’t yet gotten some words of wisdom from the California Gurl. But when we asked Perry if she had any advice for her pal, she didn’t think she had much to offer. “I don’t need to give her advice,” she said. “She needs to give me advice. She’s cool, dude. She makes everyone cooler. … She’s just, like, the epitome of effortless cool, like you look at her wardrobe and you think, ‘I don’t think I could wear that,’ but she wears it and she just owns it.” There’s one look you may see Perry sporting on the show that was inspired by the singer. “She’s always wearing platform shoes, whether it’s, like, creepers or Prada shoes. And she was wearing them way back when, in the beginning of the tour,” she said. “And now Prada’s doing them; everyone’s wearing them. Rihanna’s wearing them. I’m wearing them after all of the convincing, so she’s kind of the tastemaker. It’s gonna be a great show because of that.” What songs are you hoping Robyn performs Saturday night? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Katy Perry Robyn
‘I think they will watch this film and say, ‘That could be me’ and ‘What would I do?’ ‘ director/writer tells MTV News. By Kevin P. Sullivan Angelina Jolie Photo: MTV News Angelina Jolie lives her life in front of cameras. Even when she’s off the job and not starring in action films like “Salt” or “Wanted,” paparazzi follow her every move. But in the last three years, Jolie has only appeared onscreen in two films, representing a dialing back on her profile as an actress. Now Jolie has returned in a big but unexpected way. Her feature-film directorial debut, “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” follows the relationship of a man and a woman during the Bosnian War, and Jolie is nowhere to be found in front of the camera. Her work remains entirely behind the camera as the film’s writer and director, leaving the acting to people native to the countries portrayed in the film. At the New York premiere of her film, Jolie spoke with MTV News about why the movie is especially important for a younger audience, who may not have even been alive or remember the Bosnian War of the early 1990s. “This young audience will be interested because [of] the characters — they’ll identify with them,” Jolie said. “This is the ’90s. They may have been children or not alive during that time, but they’re watching people who were 18 years old, 10 years old in a European cosmopolitan society, and it’s what would have happened if they went to war.” It’s this identification that Jolie believes will ultimately draw younger viewers to the film and will make them question how the same conflict would affect their own lives. “I think they will watch this film and say, ‘That could be me’ and ‘What would I do?’ and ‘How would I handle this situation?’ ” she said. “So I think it will become very personal to them, and I think they will identify with it. And it’s war in our generation, so we must pay attention.” Check out everything we’ve got on “In the Land of Blood and Honey.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
‘He always wants there to be the soul in there,’ Cruz tells MTV News about his ‘Without You’ collaborator. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias Usher Photo: Todd Williamson/ WireImage Usher is hard at work on his next album. Set to work with fellow hitmaker Taio Cruz , the two already cooked up some magic with their David Guetta anthem “Without You,” and it seems they are hoping to recapture that spirit for Usher’s follow-up to 2010’s Raymond v. Raymond . “I saw Usher a few times, but I spoke to him at length at David [Guetta]’s house when we were in Ibiza [Spain],” he told MTV News in L.A. after his Jingle Ball set. “He has very specific ideas of where he wants to go musically and sound-wise.” Given that Usher has never shied away from exposing a bit of himself in his music, while also keeping the party going, Cruz wants to make sure they can connect the mind, body and soul for this next release. “He always wants there to be the soul in there,” he explained. “I’m kind of, not the opposite, but I’m always like, ‘Let’s get straight to the point and be really clear with the message and be simple.’ “So we try to match those two worlds together: being soulful and, at the same time, catchy,” he added. Cruz can’t yet discuss what they’re working on: Besides “Without You,” he said, “Everything else is secret.” Usher said he was drawn to the Guetta hit because he connected to it emotionally, explaining to MTV News recently what an important part that plays in his musical philosophy. “I think the world wanted a record like that. That [song] really spoke to the journey that I’ve actually been on in the last three years,” he said. “Traveling all around the world, music sounds different. There’s many different genres, and when you see R&B and pop and house, as well as electronic, come together, that’s the reality of what music is.” Related Artists Usher Taio Cruz David Guetta
Clip will premiere Wednesday on BET’s ‘106 & Park.’ By Jocelyn Vena Nicki Minaj and Willow Smith in ‘Fireball’ Photo: Big Machine Records Nicki Minaj and Willow Smith shot the video for the kid star’s pumped-up “Fireball” last month in Los Angeles, and the party-rocking duo plan to show the world the fruits of their labor Wednesday. Their clip for the newest single from Willow’s upcoming debut album will premiere on BET’s “106 & Park.” In a sea of scenes teased in a 30-second trailer on BET’s website , Willow is decked out in a number of colorful, over-the-top, futuristic outfits. It also previews a big dance number in which Smith shows off some sassy moves. A majority of the teaser takes place in a city setting. Minaj, in rainbow-colored fur boots and a dress made of teddy bears, dances around with the young singer. Smith plans to release her debut album, Willow: You Think You Know Me, this April. According to Jukebox, who worked with the 10-year-old on several tracks, the album will focus on her youthfulness. “Willow is a combination of what ‘Whip My Hair’ was. Willow just isn’t a pop star, she isn’t just an urban artist; she’s very international,” he said. “A lot of her music has a very big influence of everything from rock to pop to hip-hop.” “Fireball” is the follow-up to Willow’s other releases, “21st Century Girl” and the instant viral smash “Whip My Hair.” “It’s just the whole process,” Jukebox added. “You got to think about it: She’s a 10-year-old girl. She’s gotta have a life, she’s gotta be a kid.” Related Artists Nicki Minaj Willow Smith
‘Kourtney & Kim Tale New York’ star confirms to Us Weekly she’s expecting second child with Scott Disick. By Jocelyn Vena Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick Photo: Getty Images Kourtney Kardashian is expecting baby number two. The reality star confirms that she’s pregnant in the new issue of Us Weekly. This will be the second child for Kardashian and her longtime boyfriend Scott Disick. “Now, I’m nine weeks along,” she told the magazine, going on to explain that she took a pregnancy test five weeks ago and woke up her beau to share the results. “You’re supposed to wait 12 weeks to tell people, but I feel confident.” Earlier this year, rumors surfaced that the couple were engaged but it was never confirmed. Kourtney’s baby news may be surprising to viewers of E!s “Kourtney & Kim Take New York,” which premiered on Sunday night. The first episode of season two followed Kourtney and Scott as they worked to find the spark they once had in their relationship, before 23-month-old son Mason was born . It was also revealed on the episode that the couple of five years sleeps in separate bedrooms. Kourtney and Scott surprised fans of the Kardashian family when they announced their first pregnancy in 2009. In fact, the couple were a bit surprised by it as well. This time, however, they were more prepared. “It wasn’t like we weren’t trying,” Disick said. “We kind of just said, ‘If it’s meant to be, it’ll be. ‘” Kourtney’s pregnancy news comes just after sister Kim’s revealing quotes in the new issue of Glamour hit the Web. In the January cover story, the soon-to-be-ex of Kris Humphries admitted she has been reconsidering having a family of her own and may just have to focus on being an aunt. “I don’t know,” Kim said. “I always wanted what mom and dad had. And at first I was like, ‘I want six kids.’ Then I went down to four, then I was down to three … and now I’m like, ‘Maybe I won’t have any. Maybe I’ll just be a good aunt.’ ” She added, “That’s how I feel. Maybe my fairy tale has a different ending than I dreamed it would. But that’s OK.” Share your well-wishes with Kourtney and Scott in the comments section.
