‘It turns me on to stare someone deep in their eyes,’ she tells MTV News of looking out at the crowd during California Dreams Tour. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway Katy Perry Photo: MTV News Katy Perry is currently on her California Dreams Tour, inspiring fans with anthems like “Firework.” But, as it turns out, Perry is just as inspired by her fans as they are by her. “It turns me on to stare someone deep in their eyes,” she tells MTV News of looking out into the audience every night on her tour. “Sometimes I see all kinds of emotions. It’s a lot of emotion. “It’s lovely, too, because I love people that are passionate about life and music in general,” she continued. “Music has been such a helping tool for me to get through so many things. That’s why I write a lot of times, is to continue to evolve as a person, and I can see the same thing has happened with other people; they’ve just adopted the song for themselves.” What’s also inspiring Perry these days is outer space. She headed out of this world for her just-released “E.T.” video , and she credits her new wave of fans for finally embracing the pop singer, allowing her the opportunity to be truly creative. “It’s pretty exciting that I have the opportunities now to work with great directors and have 100 percent of my voice heard,” she said. “That’s always been the challenge as an artist, is for other people to jump onboard and see your vision correctly. And that’s why, sometimes, it’s hard for me to break out, especially on other labels, because my vision was always so strong, and I think with Teenage Dream, the record on a whole, I knew I wanted to give so many different flavors, so many different ideas and just make a different movie for each song, and I feel like I’ve done that.” Which Katy Perry song inspires you? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Katy Perry Related Artists Katy Perry
Wayne waxes nostalgic to Mixtape Daily recalling Minaj’s beginnings. By Alvin Blanco, with reporting by Sway Calloway Nicki Minaj Photo: Jason LaVeris/ Getty Images Celebrity Favorites: Nicki Minaj There are many factors that contributed to Nicki Minaj ‘s breakout success, chiefly Lil Wayne and Minaj’s own hard work. The Young Money CEO and multiplatinum artist was so moved by his prot
‘I think she’s perfect and they did a great job casting those movies,’ actor who plays Caius in ‘Breaking Dawn’ says. By Jocelyn Vena Jamie Campbell Bower Photo: MTV News Jamie Campbell Bower was thrust into the world of “Twilight” as Caius in “New Moon,” and he’ll be back vamping it up in “Breaking Dawn – Part 2” next year. And the actor admits that as he preps to return to the “Twilight” set in 2012 for the final “Twilight Saga” movie, fans of the franchise will get to see just how bad Caius and the rest of the Volturi are. “Well, [director] Bill Condon, he brings something wonderful and a sort of theatricalness to the whole film,” Bower explained to MTV News when he stopped by to talk about his new Starz series “Camelot.” “The film itself, it’s much darker than the first three. It’s got a grittiness to it. From our side, the Volturi side, you really get to find out how messed up these characters are and just how badass they are,” he said. “We’re really evil people. I was always like, we’re not evil, we’re trying to keep it cool, but they are nasty blokes. So from us, you get to see how screwed up we are. That was great fun to play, just screw about on set and do as much as possible and be theatrical.” Much of the chatter about the final films in the “Twilight” series revolves around Kristen Stewart’s turn as vampire Bella , and from one vamp to another, Bower has nothing but praise for her performance. “She’s great as a vampire,” he said. “I think she’s perfect and they did a great job casting those movies. “Again to be a part of something that is such a success and has influenced so many different things, I’m really honored to be able to do that,” he added. Check out everything we’ve got on “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Photos On The Set Of ‘Breaking Dawn’
‘I think she’s perfect and they did a great job casting those movies,’ actor who plays Caius in ‘Breaking Dawn’ says. By Jocelyn Vena Jamie Campbell Bower Photo: MTV News Jamie Campbell Bower was thrust into the world of “Twilight” as Caius in “New Moon,” and he’ll be back vamping it up in “Breaking Dawn – Part 2” next year. And the actor admits that as he preps to return to the “Twilight” set in 2012 for the final “Twilight Saga” movie, fans of the franchise will get to see just how bad Caius and the rest of the Volturi are. “Well, [director] Bill Condon, he brings something wonderful and a sort of theatricalness to the whole film,” Bower explained to MTV News when he stopped by to talk about his new Starz series “Camelot.” “The film itself, it’s much darker than the first three. It’s got a grittiness to it. From our side, the Volturi side, you really get to find out how messed up these characters are and just how badass they are,” he said. “We’re really evil people. I was always like, we’re not evil, we’re trying to keep it cool, but they are nasty blokes. So from us, you get to see how screwed up we are. That was great fun to play, just screw about on set and do as much as possible and be theatrical.” Much of the chatter about the final films in the “Twilight” series revolves around Kristen Stewart’s turn as vampire Bella , and from one vamp to another, Bower has nothing but praise for her performance. “She’s great as a vampire,” he said. “I think she’s perfect and they did a great job casting those movies. “Again to be a part of something that is such a success and has influenced so many different things, I’m really honored to be able to do that,” he added. Check out everything we’ve got on “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Photos On The Set Of ‘Breaking Dawn’
Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and their die-hard fans are up for awards at April 28 event. By MTV News staff Photo: MTV The typical awards show is packed with performances, celebrity appearances, red-carpet arrivals and, at some point, the presentations of the night’s biggest prize, usually just before the credits roll. The O Music Awards ? Not so much. The first-ever edition of MTV Networks’ latest awards extravaganza will take everything you know about awards galas, throw it in a blender, mash it up with an obscure black-and-white cartoon from the 1940s, add a Kanye West beat under it and maybe some adorable LOLcats and a snippet of “Friday” on top, post it on Twitter and watch it go mega-viral. Instead of just honoring the singers, songwriters, directors and producers who make our favorite digital-music products, the O Music Awards will dig deeper in such categories as Innovative Music Video, Fan Army FTW, Funniest Music Short, Innovative Artist, Must Follow Artist on Twitter, NSFW Music Video, Most Viral Dance, Best Independent Music Blog, Best Animal Performance, Best Performance Series and more to dig up the people behind your favorite online music and videos, professional, amateur or just plain awesome. Voting begins today (April 5) on the O Music Awards website , and like the best viral memes, it will be simple, social and transparent, with fans encouraged to vote via social media through a mobile voting wap site. You can follow the top vote-getters in the categories on a real-time leader board in the run-up to the April 28 event. Performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks. And unlike those other awards shows, the night’s biggest trophy might be handed out before the broadcast, during it or even after, to keep the conversation going. “There will be an event, but it won’t be a traditional awards show with a host, audience and a bunch of celebrities,” promised Shannon Connolly, vice president of music strategy for the MTV Music Group. “It will embody what the O Awards celebrates, which is being very interactive. We’ll have live performances, mash-ups, collaborations and it will be a Web event that will take place not just on MTV Music Group sites.” Lady Gaga and Odd Future’s Tyler the Creator lead with three nominations each, followed by Kanye West, the Flaming Lips and Nicki Minaj with two nominations apiece. Additional nominated artists include Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Justin Bieber, Lil B, Wiz Khalifa, Robyn, OK Go, Katy Perry and iamwhoiam. Notable nominees include Antoine Dodson/ Gregory Brothers (Funniest Music Short), the Lonely Island (Funniest Music Short), Funny or Die (Funniest Music Short), 50 Cent, Rebecca Black and Bert (Favorite Animated GIF), the Hype Machine (Best Music Discovery Service), Pandora (Best Music Discovery Service), Tiny Desk Concerts (Best Performance Series), Gorilla vs. Bear (Best Independent Music Blog) and Marshall Jones (Best Music Hack). Fans will definitely be front and center, with an entire category devoted to the Best Fan Cover, the most rabid online fan following (which will pit 30 Seconds to Mars’ Echelon against the Beliebers, Katy Perry’s Bandaids, Gaga’s Little Monsters and the followers of My Chemical Romance, Nicki Minaj, Tokio Hotel, Wiz Khalifa, Rain and Rihanna). There are also nods to the Best Fan Forum, Best Music Hack and Best Animal Performance. The Innovative Artist race is a tight one as well, including such nominees as the Flaming Lips, iamwhoiam, Kanye, Gaga, Lil B, Radiohead and Tyler the Creator. You’ll have to choose between the Dougie, the Pony, Lil B’s Cooking Dance and the “Whip My Hair” boogie in the Most Viral Dance category. In keeping with recent digital-music innovations from MTV Networks like MTV Hive and the Music Meter , Connolly said it was apparent that the time was right to create an awards show that moved at the speed of the Net. “Music consumption has never been greater, and it’s hugely important to our audience,” she said. “We felt like the time was right to look at the convergence of technology and music fans and the YouTube celebrities who’ve created this new ecosystem where music is exploding.” Voting starts today for the O Music Awards . Make your voice heard!
Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and their die-hard fans are up for awards at April 28 event. By MTV News staff Photo: MTV The typical awards show is packed with performances, celebrity appearances, red-carpet arrivals and, at some point, the presentations of the night’s biggest prize, usually just before the credits roll. The O Music Awards ? Not so much. The first-ever edition of MTV Networks’ latest awards extravaganza will take everything you know about awards galas, throw it in a blender, mash it up with an obscure black-and-white cartoon from the 1940s, add a Kanye West beat under it and maybe some adorable LOLcats and a snippet of “Friday” on top, post it on Twitter and watch it go mega-viral. Instead of just honoring the singers, songwriters, directors and producers who make our favorite digital-music products, the O Music Awards will dig deeper in such categories as Innovative Music Video, Fan Army FTW, Funniest Music Short, Innovative Artist, Must Follow Artist on Twitter, NSFW Music Video, Most Viral Dance, Best Independent Music Blog, Best Animal Performance, Best Performance Series and more to dig up the people behind your favorite online music and videos, professional, amateur or just plain awesome. Voting begins today (April 5) on the O Music Awards website , and like the best viral memes, it will be simple, social and transparent, with fans encouraged to vote via social media through a mobile voting wap site. You can follow the top vote-getters in the categories on a real-time leader board in the run-up to the April 28 event. Performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks. And unlike those other awards shows, the night’s biggest trophy might be handed out before the broadcast, during it or even after, to keep the conversation going. “There will be an event, but it won’t be a traditional awards show with a host, audience and a bunch of celebrities,” promised Shannon Connolly, vice president of music strategy for the MTV Music Group. “It will embody what the O Awards celebrates, which is being very interactive. We’ll have live performances, mash-ups, collaborations and it will be a Web event that will take place not just on MTV Music Group sites.” Lady Gaga and Odd Future’s Tyler the Creator lead with three nominations each, followed by Kanye West, the Flaming Lips and Nicki Minaj with two nominations apiece. Additional nominated artists include Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Justin Bieber, Lil B, Wiz Khalifa, Robyn, OK Go, Katy Perry and iamwhoiam. Notable nominees include Antoine Dodson/ Gregory Brothers (Funniest Music Short), the Lonely Island (Funniest Music Short), Funny or Die (Funniest Music Short), 50 Cent, Rebecca Black and Bert (Favorite Animated GIF), the Hype Machine (Best Music Discovery Service), Pandora (Best Music Discovery Service), Tiny Desk Concerts (Best Performance Series), Gorilla vs. Bear (Best Independent Music Blog) and Marshall Jones (Best Music Hack). Fans will definitely be front and center, with an entire category devoted to the Best Fan Cover, the most rabid online fan following (which will pit 30 Seconds to Mars’ Echelon against the Beliebers, Katy Perry’s Bandaids, Gaga’s Little Monsters and the followers of My Chemical Romance, Nicki Minaj, Tokio Hotel, Wiz Khalifa, Rain and Rihanna). There are also nods to the Best Fan Forum, Best Music Hack and Best Animal Performance. The Innovative Artist race is a tight one as well, including such nominees as the Flaming Lips, iamwhoiam, Kanye, Gaga, Lil B, Radiohead and Tyler the Creator. You’ll have to choose between the Dougie, the Pony, Lil B’s Cooking Dance and the “Whip My Hair” boogie in the Most Viral Dance category. In keeping with recent digital-music innovations from MTV Networks like MTV Hive and the Music Meter , Connolly said it was apparent that the time was right to create an awards show that moved at the speed of the Net. “Music consumption has never been greater, and it’s hugely important to our audience,” she said. “We felt like the time was right to look at the convergence of technology and music fans and the YouTube celebrities who’ve created this new ecosystem where music is exploding.” Voting starts today for the O Music Awards . Make your voice heard!
Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and their die-hard fans are up for awards at April 28 event. By MTV News staff Photo: MTV The typical awards show is packed with performances, celebrity appearances, red-carpet arrivals and, at some point, the presentations of the night’s biggest prize, usually just before the credits roll. The O Music Awards ? Not so much. The first-ever edition of MTV Networks’ latest awards extravaganza will take everything you know about awards galas, throw it in a blender, mash it up with an obscure black-and-white cartoon from the 1940s, add a Kanye West beat under it and maybe some adorable LOLcats and a snippet of “Friday” on top, post it on Twitter and watch it go mega-viral. Instead of just honoring the singers, songwriters, directors and producers who make our favorite digital-music products, the O Music Awards will dig deeper in such categories as Innovative Music Video, Fan Army FTW, Funniest Music Short, Innovative Artist, Must Follow Artist on Twitter, NSFW Music Video, Most Viral Dance, Best Independent Music Blog, Best Animal Performance, Best Performance Series and more to dig up the people behind your favorite online music and videos, professional, amateur or just plain awesome. Voting begins today (April 5) on the O Music Awards website , and like the best viral memes, it will be simple, social and transparent, with fans encouraged to vote via social media through a mobile voting wap site. You can follow the top vote-getters in the categories on a real-time leader board in the run-up to the April 28 event. Performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks. And unlike those other awards shows, the night’s biggest trophy might be handed out before the broadcast, during it or even after, to keep the conversation going. “There will be an event, but it won’t be a traditional awards show with a host, audience and a bunch of celebrities,” promised Shannon Connolly, vice president of music strategy for the MTV Music Group. “It will embody what the O Awards celebrates, which is being very interactive. We’ll have live performances, mash-ups, collaborations and it will be a Web event that will take place not just on MTV Music Group sites.” Lady Gaga and Odd Future’s Tyler the Creator lead with three nominations each, followed by Kanye West, the Flaming Lips and Nicki Minaj with two nominations apiece. Additional nominated artists include Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Justin Bieber, Lil B, Wiz Khalifa, Robyn, OK Go, Katy Perry and iamwhoiam. Notable nominees include Antoine Dodson/ Gregory Brothers (Funniest Music Short), the Lonely Island (Funniest Music Short), Funny or Die (Funniest Music Short), 50 Cent, Rebecca Black and Bert (Favorite Animated GIF), the Hype Machine (Best Music Discovery Service), Pandora (Best Music Discovery Service), Tiny Desk Concerts (Best Performance Series), Gorilla vs. Bear (Best Independent Music Blog) and Marshall Jones (Best Music Hack). Fans will definitely be front and center, with an entire category devoted to the Best Fan Cover, the most rabid online fan following (which will pit 30 Seconds to Mars’ Echelon against the Beliebers, Katy Perry’s Bandaids, Gaga’s Little Monsters and the followers of My Chemical Romance, Nicki Minaj, Tokio Hotel, Wiz Khalifa, Rain and Rihanna). There are also nods to the Best Fan Forum, Best Music Hack and Best Animal Performance. The Innovative Artist race is a tight one as well, including such nominees as the Flaming Lips, iamwhoiam, Kanye, Gaga, Lil B, Radiohead and Tyler the Creator. You’ll have to choose between the Dougie, the Pony, Lil B’s Cooking Dance and the “Whip My Hair” boogie in the Most Viral Dance category. In keeping with recent digital-music innovations from MTV Networks like MTV Hive and the Music Meter , Connolly said it was apparent that the time was right to create an awards show that moved at the speed of the Net. “Music consumption has never been greater, and it’s hugely important to our audience,” she said. “We felt like the time was right to look at the convergence of technology and music fans and the YouTube celebrities who’ve created this new ecosystem where music is exploding.” Voting starts today for the O Music Awards . Make your voice heard!
L.A. Reid was the first judge confirmed for the U.S. version of X Factor this year. Now HE confirms that long-rumored judge Cheryl Cole will be there with him. The top music producer is also confident that between himself, Cheryl and creator Simon Cowell, the show will do just fine against its reality TV competition. “We’re gonna compete against American Idol just fine. I’m confident. But along with Simon Cowell and Cheryl, I don’t know who the other judge is,” he said . Who will fill out the panel with Cheryl and L.A.? Others rumored to be joining the U.S. version of the show: Nicole Scherzinger Jessica Simpson Nicki Minaj Which of those ladies would you like to see as a judge on the show? Or is there another celebrity you think would be a better fit for Simon’s project?
Video surfaced recently of Nicki Minaj giving Lil’ Wayne a lap dance on the I Am Music 2 tour. The “Moment For Life” star admits to being nervous about the whole ordeal. “Well, I have to say, I been giving lap dances, but I didn’t know Wayne was gonna jump out and pop out the back. I literally was up there trying to get a boy, then I turn around and I see this cute little dread in the chair with his legs dangling off. And I was like, ‘What?’ I was super nervous. It’s just the essence of a lap dance. Now, the down and dirty? Uh uh, not yet.” Lil Wayne Says He Never Heard Nicki Or Drake’s Albums [AUDIO] Nicki Minaj Disses Lil’ Kim In New Song “Tragedy”
IRS imposed lien on Wayne’s multimillion-dollar Miami home for nonpayment of income taxes. By Alvin Blanco Lil Wayne Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage Lil Wayne’s pockets are about to get a bit lighter, because Uncle Sam wants his fair share. The New Orleans rapper was hit with a federal tax lien to the tune of $5.6 million. According to The Detroit News , the IRS lien, dated March 2 but made official on March 28, was filed in Miami Dade County and notes that Dwayne M. Carter has an unpaid income-tax balance due of $3,351,078 for 2008 and $2,258,956 for 2009. The Miami Beach, Florida, address listed on the lien is for Wayne’s 15,101-square-foot mansion, which is currently on the market for a shade under $13 million. This is not the first time Lil Wayne has had to settle an overdue tax bill . Last year, the Young Money CEO was hit with a lien by the IRS that totaled $1.1 million for income tax years 2004, 2005 and 2007. Wayne, who reportedly paid the $1.1 million he already owed, will want to make sure he takes care of overdue taxes sooner rather than later. Recently, Ja Rule pleaded guilty to tax evasion in a federal court in New Jersey after admitting that he neglected to pay taxes on more than $4 million in income between 2004 and 2006. Already facing two years for attempted gun possession (Lil Weezy was arrested the same day as Ja Rule, resulting in his eight-month incarceration at Rikers Island), the Queens rapper will be sentenced for the tax evasion charges in June as well. Lil Wayne is currently on his I Am Still Music Tour, where he recently received a lap dance from Nicki Minaj during her show. Related Artists Lil Wayne
