In April, Miley Cyrus said she was headed on an international tour because she didn’t know if America wanted to hear from her these days. It was an odd thing to say, but if Cyrus was looking for love, she definitely found it in Panama City. That area welcomed the singer with open arms, and very loud screams this week. And Miley rewarded the crowd with a set that included such favorites as “Stay” and “Can’t Be Tamed.” Just listen to how bonkers it gets when the former is introduced… Miley Cyrus – Stay (Live) Cyrus next heads to Australia, where all her shows are sold out. But before she goes there, listen to three more Panama performances below: Miley Cyrus – Can’t Be Tamed (Live) Miley Cyrus – Forgiveness And Love (Live) Miley Cyrus Covers Joan Jett
‘As a friend and as a fan, she’s so loyal to what she likes and who she loves,’ Semi Precious Weapons’ Justin Tranter tells MTV News. By James Dinh, with reporting by James Montgomery Lady Gaga Photo: MTV News Underneath the layers of over-the-top outfits and catchy dance tunes, Lady Gaga has always remained loyal to her friends, family and army of Little Monsters. That was just one of many points made in the MTV documentary “Lady Gaga: Inside the Outside,” which dove into Gaga’s pre- and post-fame life . During “Lady Gaga: The After-Show,” MTV News’ James Montgomery chatted with many of the singer’s confidants, including Semi Precious Weapons frontman Justin Tranter, Lady Starlight, documentary director Davi Russo and producer Fernando Garibay. As the opening act for her worldwide Monster Ball Tour, Tranter knows more than anyone about the singer’s devotion, calling her “the most loyal friend you could ever ask for.” “We’ve been so desperately wanting to be a band for so long and busting our asses, and for Gaga to put her foot down as the biggest star in the world and insist that this really f—ing loud rock band fronted by a man in heels needs to open for her all over the world shows her character,” Tranter said of the singer, who used to open for his band before she hit it big. “As a friend and as a fan, she’s so loyal to what she likes and who she loves.” Gaga’s longtime friend and early performing partner Lady Starlight also chimed in on the pop star’s devotion since before her fame years, praising the singer for always giving credit where it’s due. “She’s always … talked about me and given me credit for anything we worked on together,” Starlight told us via Skype. “And you don’t see people coming out after, like, their first album, when they’re trying to prove themselves, so willing to give exposure to the people who they care about and who influence them and who they work with. That’s unprecedented.” Russo echoed those sentiments about Gaga’s bond to friends like Starlight and Tranter. “It’s just refreshing and inspiring to know. … It’s like the people you really come up with are the people you still surround yourself with, regardless of what’s happening,” Russo said of the singer. “I can’t say that about so many people, unfortunately.” How does Lady Gaga show her loyalty to her Little Monsters? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Lady Gaga: The After-Show Preview ‘Lady Gaga: Inside The Outside’ Related Artists Lady Gaga Semi Precious Weapons
Pop powerhouse begins revealing one song title an hour from the 12-song disc via Facebook. By James Dinh Beyonce’s 4 Photo: Columbia After two showstopping performances of her song “Run the World (Girls)” earlier this week, Beyonc
Singer overcame vocal problems Tuesday night for a great performance of Carrie Underwood’s ‘Flat on the Floor,’ but our money’s on Scotty McCreery. By Eric Ditzian Lauren Alaina performs on “American Idol” on Tuesday Photo: FOX Contrary to our earlier predictions, “American Idol” on Tuesday night was indeed packed with surprises — just none that had anything to do with Scotty McCreery’s and Lauren Alaina’s performances . The two finalists, as expected, kept the penultimate “Idol” a strictly country affair. Instead, the shocking twists and turns took place before and between the singers’ onstage appearances (though, sadly, not even these oddities could turn the show into a particularly compelling viewing experience). Ryan Seacrest hit pause on the proceedings just minutes after they began, telling the audience (as had been widely reported online) that Lauren had severely strained her vocal chords but wouldn’t bow out of the competition. “I’m here. I’m ready to sing,” she said, attempting to maintain her composure. “And I’m fine — don’t worry about me.” So much for the possibility of Haley Reinhart rising up from the heap of “Idol” castoffs to challenge Scotty for the win. No sooner had the 17-year-old country boy finished his first performance than Seacrest rushed through the voting numbers and tossed to commercial. What, Randy Jackson doesn’t get to weigh in with a yo-dog this and for-me-for-you that? Steven Tyler doesn’t get to see how times he can say “beautiful” in a 15-second sound bite? As our MTV News colleague Jim Cantiello put it, “I guess ‘Idol’ producers finally realized what viewers have been saying for months: These judges are useless. Randy, Steven and Jennifer Lopez, in fact, wouldn’t get a chance to offer up their opinions until after the second set of performances, by which time one thing was clear: If you aren’t a country fan, this show was a super-boring affair. But a hoedown is what voters wanted in this “Idol” finale, and who are we to argue? Our job, instead, is to line ’em all up and lay down some grades. It’s time for our final “American Idol” report card of the year! Excellent Lauren Alaina : “Flat on the Floor” by Carrie Underwood Early in May, Lauren’s take on this track stood as a sort of comeback moment for the teen: After weeks of tentative performances in which the carefree and confident Lauren we knew seemed to disappear under the sweat-inducing reality-show spotlight, the singer stormed back. We had to stop ourselves from aping Randy and declaring, “She’s back, baby!” On Tuesday, she took that performance up a notch, not in spite of but perhaps because of her injured instrument. There was a welcome raspy quality to her vocals, and she overcame some initial nervousness to really let loose. Good Scotty McCreery : “Gone” by Montgomery Gentry When Scotty performed this tune a few weeks ago, we marveled at the kid’s swagger: He skipped around the stage, busted out a little call-and-response with the backup singers, and generally seemed to have reached a new level in his onstage persona . This time around, both by comparison and on its own, the performance was a bit of a letdown. Sure it had all sorts of energy, but Scotty mumbled his way through the early lines and didn’t soar to the kinetic heights he had before. It was a perfectly good performance, but it was by no means great. Scotty McCreery : “Check Yes or No” by George Strait Back in April when Scotty took on a Strait song , he let his vocals stretch further than at any point in the season. Yet he still stayed within his country comfort zone. It was a winning combination. “Check Yes or No” was another winner, though his vocals didn’t necessarily have the power to compete with all that instrumentation. Still, Scotty held his guitar like Elvis, wagged his eyebrows like a patient undergoing electroshock therapy and somehow came out looking like a future country superstar. With Scotty standing up there in a row with the band, the stage presented something of an “Idol” hero shot. Lauren Alaina : “Maybe It Was Memphis” by Pam Tillis We know Carrie Underwood’s heart was in the right place when she selected this song for Lauren. At least in genre, it truly is a great fit for the teenager. But mangled voice or not, Lauren doesn’t possess the vocal delicateness the song requires. Making up for the lack of artistic grace, however, was the grittiness with which her ailment had gifted her. Satisfactory Lauren Alaina : “Like My Mother Does” Call it a brilliant production move or contrived even for “Idol,” but Lauren’s ode to mothers was about as savvy a song choice as any contestant could ask for during a finale. There was a lovely little chorus, and who except the hard of heart can complain about the unvarnished, emotional hug she shared with her mom during the performance? Here’s the thing: By this point, Lauren’s voice really was struggling, the rasp giving way to a warble. Nonetheless, the judges fawned over her, with J. Lo declaring that the song might have won her the competition. Let’s not go overboard, but let’s also be clear: Anything can happen on Wednesday’s (May 25) elimination show. Unsatisfactory Scotty McCreery : “I Love You This Big” Maybe it was the video playing overhead, maybe it was the zombies waving their hands in the front rows, but this tune was undeniably, inescapably cheesy. When the song finally busted open, Scotty’s notes were flat, never soaring to the heights to which the song clearly aspired. Yet we have to give credit where it’s due. Scotty possesses the icy confidence you want in an ace pitcher: someone who can shut out the pressure, step on the mound and hurl some effing heat; and when a pitcher doesn’t have his best stuff on any given day, you need him to find ways to win. If you ask us, that’s what Scotty did on Tuesday. He didn’t have his best stuff, but his confidence in his gifts carried him through. Again, anything can happen, but we’ll call it now: Scotty McCreery for the win! Don’t miss a special edition of “Idol Party Live” Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, finale red-carpet coverage and the last “Idol in 60 Seconds” of season 10. Get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos ‘American Idol’ In 60 Seconds Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Song is rumored to be next single off the pop singer’s new album, 4. By James Dinh Beyonce Photo: Getty Days after the premiere of the postapocalyptic dance clip for fans are now being treated to the recently leaked tune “Till the End of Time.” Rumored to be the next single off Beyonc
Third-place finisher also denies romance with Casey Abrams in call with reporters. By Gil Kaufman Haley Reinhart Photo: FOX Though she had to endure the slings and arrows of the judges’ criticism from week to week, ousted “American Idol” third-place finisher Haley Reinhart said she tried not to get online and read what “Idol” blogs were saying about her to save herself from too much negativity. Speaking to reporters on Friday (May 20), she did, however, say that she appreciated the online support she got from former “Idol” runner-up Adam Lambert, who she dubbed one of the most “spectacular” contestants in the show’s history. A number of questions focused on her sometimes difficult relationship with the judges, which Reinhart said she tried not to sweat too much. “It could go both ways,” she said of the flack she got versus the nearly universal plaudits for finalists Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina . “I believe their intention for it through this whole process was to push me along further. It was apparent that they liked to get me to where I could be at the top of my game and get me a little fired up inside so that I come out with something that they really, really did not expect.” As confused as she was about why the judges seemed to pick on her, Reinhart said even fellow finalists like Alaina would come up to her and express bewilderment over the sometimes cutting remarks. “The only thing I can try to get out of that is that they really just wanted to push my buttons, push me as far as I could possibly [go to] get whatever they wanted to get out of me,” she said. “And that was most of the time fire that they wanted so that I would get all ‘arghhhh,’ aggravated, and try to take it out on the stage.” Reinhart was proud of having taken risks early on in the season, at a time when many of her peers were playing it a bit safer. Yes, it might have hurt her initially — sending her to the bottom three four times — but eventually it seemed that America caught up and appreciated her sultry, bluesy vibe. And while hitting the bottom as many times as she did might have eroded another singer’s confidence, Reinhart said it somehow gave her a sense of invincibility. “I don’t like to sell myself short and I believe in taking that all in stride. ‘I’ve been in [the bottom three] so many times and I’m still around. … I have to step my game up even more week to week.’ And it [paid] off.” In addition to picking her Elton John cover of “Bennie and the Jets” as her favorite performance on the show, Reinhart reminisced about her first big gig, where she sang LeAnn Rimes’ “Blue” on her ninth birthday alongside her folks at a tattoo festival. Talking about how much fun it was to hang with the two teenage contestants headed to next week’s finale, Reinhart described herself as a “goofball,” which prompted a question about why so much of the negative sentiment online in the wake of her ouster seemed to peg her as an aloof, haughty princess. “Definitely,” she said when asked if America got the wrong impression of her on the show. “It’s easy to get depicted in different ways on the show. … The footage that was taken … usually I’m messing around with the camera guys, we’re all cracking up together. I like to have a good time. I’m usually always bubbly. It’s different to see what comes out.” As for whether she was angry when host Ryan Seacrest announced the results on Thursday, Reinhart denied being mad, despite what appeared to be an annoyed, incredulous look on her face. “Not at all, not angry. Of course everybody’s going to be surprised with the verdict,” she said. “But all in all I accepted it very quickly and I took it all with a grain of salt. … This is a good thing. This happened for a reason. And it only means that I’m going to start my career as a solo artist even sooner.” Like pal Casey Abrams, Reinhart denied a romance between the two and said the rumors probably stemmed from the fact that they were musical confidants and got very close on the show. She said they had a “different kind of connection” than the rest of the cast and when the whispers about their alleged liaison started they just kind of went with it and laughed at the tabloid attention. “We have a really, really strong relationship, not dating,” she said. “But the musicality between us has been wonderful.” Now that she can relax and think about her debut album, Reinhart said she’d love to do something that has a “sultry blues rock” feel, and then maybe circle back at some point to record her first love, jazz. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
‘I think Dre is, like, really cracking down on getting Detox finished,’ Em tells ‘RapFix Live’ about Bad Meets Evil project. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway Eminem Photo: MTV News With no production credits from the good doctor on the upcoming Bad Meets Evil EP , rap fans have been wondering whether Eminem and Royce Da 5’9″ forgot about Dre. Not exactly. During Wednesday’s (May 18) “RapFix Live,” Slim Shady explained Dre’s absence on their upcoming joint project, titled Hell: The Sequel. “I think Dre is, like, really cracking down on getting Detox finished, so I think he’s more so focused on that,” Em says of the producer who discovered him. Still, it wasn’t like Eminem or Royce reached out to the Doc either. “I really didn’t say anything to Dre till kinda like the last minute. We didn’t really say anything to anybody about what was going on because we weren’t sure what was going to happen with it,” Slim explained to Sway. “It wasn’t like I said, ‘Yo, Dre, can we get a beat for this project that we’re workin’ on?’ Because it wasn’t really necessarily a project yet.” Hell: The Sequel does feature production work from Mobb Deep’s Havoc, Sid Roams, Bangladesh, Denaun Porter, DJ Khalil and Supa Dups , who produced the project’s first single, “Fast Lane.” Still, there was no real science to selecting the beatmakers who’ll appear on the EP, which is dropping June 14. “We didn’t reach out to any producers, because we were just cuttin’ random,” Royce said. “And we didn’t actually know that we were workin’ on a project.” Eminem elaborated on how the duo went about securing music for the record. “It was more so that we were getting beat CDs from the label — from Shady and some of the A&Rs there were sending us beat CDs from various producers — and we would hear beats like, ‘That one’s crazy.’ ” What did you think of Em and Royce’s appearance on “RapFix Live”? Tell us in the comments! Related Videos ‘RapFix Live’ With Eminem And Royce Da 5’9″ Related Artists Eminem Dr. Dre Royce Da 5’9″
Judges call it a draw as singers tackle songs picked by Jimmy Iovine and the panel. By Gil Kaufman Scotty McCreery preforms on “American Idol” Wednesday Photo: FOX This is it. Wednesday night’s (May 18) “American Idol” performance show was the last, and best, chance for this year’s top three to make their final impression on voters before next week’s finale. With two teenagers and a 20-year-old vying for the title, the pressure was on to deliver the best three performances of their lives. Along for the ride to give some support was Beyonc
‘I hear what he’s sayin’, and I relate,’ Queens MC tells MTV News about collaborating with the ‘Novacane’ singer. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway Nas Photo: Jason Kempin/ Getty Images Everyone loves OFWGKTA. In an exclusive sit-down with MTV News, Nas spoke on his upcoming work with Odd Future singer/songwriter Frank Ocean . In April, the Illmatic rapper tweeted , “In the studio with my little n—a @frank_ocean,” and just last week he opened up to Sway about the collaboration and Ocean’s appeal. “He’s new, he’s fresh. He doesn’t sound fly-by-night. The moment you hear it — I hear what he’s sayin’, and I relate. He got me as soon as I heard it,” Nas said. The Queensbridge MC, who, like Ocean, is signed to Def Jam, feels that the 23-year-old talent has already proved he has chops. “He’s a Def Jam artist that’s been slept-on and he’s proven himself. He’s proven himself and I think he has a lot to offer,” the rapper explained. “We met, he played some music and we’re excited. We’ll see what happens. Nothing’s totally complete, but we have started recording some things.” Frank Ocean has earned critical acclaim thanks to the release of Nostalgia, Ultra, a free Internet album he released on his Tumblr page in February. The album’s de facto single, “Novacane,” has gained momentum, debuting at #65 this week on Billboard ‘s R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In addition to Nas, the singer has been in the studio writing for Justin Bieber, Brandy and John Legend and recently had a session with Beyonc
‘I’m still clicking up the track,’ latest castoff says of his post-‘Idol’ career. By Gil Kaufman James Durbin is eliminated on Thursday’s “American Idol” Photo: FOX James Durbin had a weird feeling when he got to the “American Idol” studios on Thursday. “Something was off with the kinetic energy,” he said Friday (May 13) during a call with reporters. “I felt it in people’s body language. … There was a real somber feeling.” Asked if he was blindsided, then, by the news that he would be going home in fourth place on the show later that night, Durbin paused and said, “I’m not going to lie, I definitely was.” He said he “freaked out” a bit just before the show went on air and had a feeling that his ride might be over. With less than an hour of sleep since his surprise ouster, Durbin said the hours since his elimination had been a “whirlwind” of emotion. “I’ve been really thinking about why I came on this show and why I even auditioned in the first place,” he said. “It’s for my family and to try and give a voice to a genre of music that seems like it’s slowly fading away. I really accomplished a lot on the show, and I’m grateful for the opportunity.” While other fourth-place finishers, including rocker Chris Daughtry , have said not winning “Idol” was probably the best thing that ever happened to them, Durbin said he understood that sentiment, but “winning would have been just great too.” He said his first instinct when host Ryan Seacrest broke the news was to think about how badly he’d wanted to win and fight back the feeling that somehow he’d failed. But after some time to reflect, Durbin said he’d come around on that thought. “I haven’t failed at all,” he said, adding a refrain often heard from “Idol” finalists. “This is just the beginning.” The singer, who provided one of the most emotionally engaging moments of the season with his tearful farewell, compared the journey on “Idol” to a roller coaster, saying it has loops and corkscrews and that while some people think of elimination as the first step toward the crazy ride down the other side of the fame hill, he sees it differently. “I’m still clicking up the track,” he said of his wild ride yet to come. “I’m really, really stoked.” While some of his castmates have hooked up with movie starlets , Durbin said one of the biggest celebrity perks he enjoyed on “Idol” was becoming close to professional wrestler and “Dancing With the Stars” contestant Chris Jericho , whose show is filmed at the same studio as “Idol.” For the lifelong wrestling fan, who always idolized Jericho, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And given that Jericho fronts his own metal band, the boys bonded over body slams, life on the road and all things hard rock. Given the Hollywood-ready arc of his story — from his Asperger’s and Tourette’s syndrome to the death of his musician father from a drug overdose when James was 9 years old — someone asked who the singer might like to see portray him in a movie. At first, he was speechless and then said he might want to do the honors himself. But then he suggested Matt Damon, since some people have said he resembles the actor, and maybe Steven Seagal for his older incarnation, since he used to rock a Seagal-like ponytail back in the day. Durbin has lots of plans for his debut album. He’d like to work with Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy, reunite with guitar legend Zakk Wylde and bring out his “secret weapon,” his best friend from home who is a shredding guitar player. As he’s said before, James wants to bring back the classic metal sound, starting with an iconic singer/guitarist pairing along the lines of Wylde and Ozzy Osbourne or Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. And given the chance, he’d like to re-create the sound of his favorite record, the 1983 debut from late Black Sabbath metal screamer and solo star Ronnie James Dio, Holy Diver. He wouldn’t give any details, but Durbin said he heard the song that might be his first single Thursday. “I really dig it,” he said of the unnamed tune. “It’s something I can really work.” He described it as having a heavy edge, but also being radio-friendly enough to get airplay. With no regrets, Durbin did point out his one potential misstep on the show when asked why his number might have been called Thursday. Referring again to his friendship with wrestler Jericho, he noted that the last song Jericho danced to on “Stars” was, yes, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” ” ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ eliminated James Durbin, Chris Jericho and Tony Soprano,” he said with a laugh. Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos ‘American Idol’ In 60 Seconds Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
