Tag Archives: songs

Taylor Swift’s Road To Rap: T-Swizzle To B.o.B’s ‘Both Of Us’

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

MTV News takes a look at Swift’s hip-hop history, leading up to her track with the Strange Clouds rapper. By Jocelyn Vena Taylor Swift Photo: Getty Images Taylor Swift — or T-Swizzle, as she’s known in rap circles — has been working her way toward a legitimate appearance on a hip-hop track for some time now. After welcoming many an MC onstage during her Speak Now Tour, the singer now guests on B.o.B’s Strange Clouds track “Both of Us.” The Dr. Luke-produced song blends the unlikely duo’s musical genres, with jangly guitars that pay homage to Swift’s country roots and synthy beats that have Bobby Ray’s hip-hop flavor. Surprisingly, the duet came about at the insistence of the singer. B.o.B recently explained that “she came to Atlanta and she hit up Grand Hustle. I wasn’t there. Tip was there and I eventually linked with her in Dallas and the rest is history.” This is not the first time the twosome have appeared on a song together. Last year, during Swift’s tour, B.o.B took the stage to perform “Airplanes” with the star. Swift took over chorus duties from her pal (and Paramore leading lady) Hayley Williams. But we have to go back even further than that to really dive into T-Swizzle’s hip-hop history. In a 2008 MTV News interview, the singer opened up about one day wanting to work with rappers . “I’d like to do a completely off-the-wall collaboration,” she said. “I would like one of my songs to be the hook to a rap song. That would be so much fun! You know, I love Kanye West and I love T.I. — he’s amazing.” The following year, at the 2009 CMT Awards , she hooked up with T-Pain to parody her good-girl image in the song “Thug Life.” She showed not only her gangster side, but also her funny bone, rapping lyrics like, “You can find me making cookies at night/ You out clubbing? I just made caramel delights.” Taking some time off from her rap game for a minute, in 2011 she enlisted the likes of Nicki Minaj, Flo Rida , and, yes, T.I. to put her stamp on some of their biggest hits during the Speak Now Tour . Initially, it surprised Tip that the country cutie would want to have him appear onstage with her last October. T.I. explained, “I was confused, because I know it’s a phenomenal opportunity, but being T.I. — the Rubberband Man — and Taylor Swift being America’s Sweetheart, I had just gotten out of prison like two days [earlier] and all of a sudden my phone rings.” Eventually, though, she was welcomed with open arms into his crew. “Taylor’s extended Hustle gang. She a part of the crew,” T.I. said in March. “She just ain’t got her dog tags yet, but she’s a part of the crew, though.” In the midst of the tour, Swift talked about asking rappers to perform with her. “I’m a huge hip-hop fan,” she shared. “And it’s been so amazing to have so many incredible artists come out and to get to sing the hooks on their songs that I’ve been blasting in my car for the last couple years.” Now, with so much practice singing other people’s hooks behind her, it seems like the right time for her to get her own. On the B.o.B track, she sings, “I wish I was strong enough to lift not one, but both of us/ Someday, I will be strong enough to lift not one but both of us.” The lines mirror the song’s theme of battling hardships and strife. “Both of Us” will be featured on B.o.B’s May album release. Are you ready for more T-Swizzle? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos MTV First: Taylor Swift Related Artists Taylor Swift B.o.B T.I. Flo Rida

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‘American Idol’ Judges Save Jessica Sanchez

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

On a wild results show, front-runners Sanchez and Joshua Ledet face elimination, with the judges using their save to spare the diva. By James Montgomery Jessica Sanchez, Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Ryan Seacrest on “American Idol” Photo: Fox A shocking Thursday night on “American Idol” began with an onscreen pledge to “Expect the Unexpected,” and boy, did the show live up to that promise. Because, for the first time in the unusually staid 11th season, there really is no clear-cut front-runner, as perceived favorites were relegated to the bottom three and one potential champion was left to sing for her life — almost. After the final seven sang the songs of this decade on Wednesday night’s telecast, most assumed it would be permanent bottom-dweller Hollie Cavanagh sent packing, especially after the judges were left grasping for compliments following her performance of Pink’s “Perfect.” Instead, Cavanagh was spared elimination (and even a spot in the bottom three), and, after a few tense moments, in which front-runners like Colton Dixon and Skylar Laine were left twisting, it was revealed that, this week, the three on the chopping block were Elise Testone — no real surprise, given that she’s been in this position before — and, amazingly, a pair of championship hopefuls: Joshua Ledet and Jessica Sanchez. The judges were understandably shocked by the reveal — Randy Jackson even called the bottom three “ridiculous” — but the surprises didn’t end there. Host Ryan Seacrest would first announce that Ledet was safe, leaving only Testone and Sanchez clinging for their lives. After ratcheting up the tension to the nth degree, Seacrest announced that Testone was also safe, meaning Sanchez, the prodigiously talented, supremely cocky diva, was the week’s lowest vote-getter. In a way, it was fitting that former “Idol” castoff Jennifer Hudson performed earlier in the telecast, because a potential Sanchez exit would have been the most shocking moment on the show since Hudson was given the boot all the way back in 2004. And as the crowd whistled in disapproval, Sanchez grabbed the microphone to sing for the judges’ save — only to be interrupted by Jennifer Lopez, who shouted “Gimme that mic” and announced, along with Jackson and Steven Tyler, that Sanchez would remain in the competition. “We are saving Jessica without any doubt,” Jackson emphatically said. “This girl is one of the best singers in America ever!” The obviously shell-shocked Sanchez was then allowed to finish her song, and as the show came to a close, the judges urged “Idol” viewers to vote for the best contestant going forward. But after the night’s startling results — and without a judges’ save going forward — the deck has certainly been reshuffled, and the stakes are higher than ever before. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 11 Performances ‘American Idol’ Season 11 Top 13 Contestants

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The Wanted’s ‘Glad You Came’ Tops Pop Songs Chart

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

British group are first boy band to see a debut track hit #1 on Billboard ‘s chart since Hanson in the ’90s. By Jocelyn Vena The Wanted Photo: MTV News If you’re one of those people who thinks the era of boy bands has come and gone — think again. After One Direction topped the Billboard charts with their debut album, Up All Night, the Wanted are also now chart-toppers. Their British group’s cheeky, innuendo-filled single “Glad You Came,” is currently the #1 song on the Billboard Pop Songs chart. The last time a boy band’s debut track took the top spot on that chart was back in 1997 when Hanson’s ubiquitous “Mmmbop” sat at #1 for eight weeks. In fact, it’s been about a decade since any boy band managed hit that high on the Pop Songs chart. (O-Town nabbed the spot back in 2001 with “All or Nothing.”) The Wanted are set to drop their debut U.S. album on April 24. Island Def Jam president and COO Steve Bartels commented on the popularity of the song, which has sold 1.5 million copies and placed at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Judging from the explosive reception to [the song] at radio and online, the appeal of that sound is as solid as ever, no matter how you describe it, a boy band or simply a male pop vocal group, which is what the Wanted is,” he said. “We have seen proof of this over the past several weeks with sales and when the ‘Glee’ cast covered the song [on its February 21 episode]. No matter what name you give the Wanted’s style, people of all ages have connected with the group. That connection is priceless.” The guys are certainly not resting on their laurels. They opened up to MTV News last week about shooting the video for their new single, “Chasing the Sun.” “We saw a lot of treatments and a lot of them took it literally: somewhere chasing the sun,” Jay McGuiness told us. “But we decided we weren’t into that. We worked with a director called Director X, so we know it’s going to be a good party. But we’ll leave the details until we release it.” The guys also shared that they’re hoping to get a rapper on a remix of the track. But the only clues they would give us was that the MC loves cats and it’s not Cee Lo Green, who frequently chills with his cat Purrfect on “The Voice.” What do you think of the Wanted? Tell us in the comments or on our Facebook page! Related Artists The Wanted

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Young The Giant Are Inseparable On ‘First Date’

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

California rock quintet reflect on their rise to fame, from little league soccer to a sold-out tour. By Rya Backer Rya Backer with Young the Giant Photo: MTV News Spend any time with Young the Giant and you’ll quickly learn that the quintet from Irvine, California, offers more than just rock music. Not to say that their music is something to be brushed off: Their choruses are anthemic, drums stomping, and guitar and bass intricate and commanding. It all results in a sound that music critics would describe as “sweeping,” “lush,” or more simply “whole” — with every band member getting their fair share of shine. On my First Date with Young the Giant to one of my old college haunts, the Pizza Box in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, it became clear that the reason they treat each other so fairly is simple: They’re best friends. They’ve spent nearly every day of the past five years together — yes, that does include living together. And even before they were Young the Giant, most of them were childhood friends. (Lead singer Sameer Gadhia and Payam Doostzadeh met playing little-league soccer.) Their years of work seemed to have paid off nicely. There’s their 2011 VMA performance , a sold-out tour, and a cushy bus for them to get from show to show in. But Doostzadeh (full disclosure: my fellow Persian) has a much more humble approach to gauging when he and his friends first “made it.” “Making it was the fact that we’re now on a tour, that we have a crew,” he explained, referencing their past ventures that were a lot more hands-on. “So we don’t have to load in and load out our gear.” After looking back on the past five years together ( always together), where do the guys see themselves in five years? “I don’t think any of us have a plan. … I don’t think we even know what’s gonna happen in the next year. That’s what makes it exciting for us,” stated Gadhia. We’ll at least assume they’ll have all gotten their own places by then. Related Videos MTV News First Date Related Artists Young The Giant

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‘American Idol’ ’80s Night Leaves Hollie Cavanagh Living On A Prayer

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Joshua Ledet, Jessica Sanchez and Skylar Laine shine during the top eight’s trip back in time. By Adam Graham Joshua Ledet and Jessica Sanchez on “American Idol” Photo: Fox The “American Idol” top eight traveled back to the ’80s on Wednesday (April 4), and were helped along the way by guest mentors Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal. Each contestant took the stage twice — once for a solo and once for a duet with a fellow contestant. The trip back in time paid off big for Skylar Laine, who made a huge surge forward in the competition. Laine said that after winding up in the bottom three last week, she was hesitant to return with another upbeat song, so she bagged doing Dolly Parton’s “Nine to Five” in favor of Bette Midler’s “Wind Beneath My Wings.” The gamble paid off: Laine received a standing ovation from the judges, and cameras caught Lopez mouthing, “That was so beautiful!” as the song was ending. “You know what you just said to America with that performance? Do not count me out,” Lopez told her. “You just told ’em you could sing with the best of everybody who’s here, and you can. Amazing!” Jackson called it Laine’s “best performance on the show to date” and Tyler called it “the beginning of a great career.” Laine received one of three standing ovations Wednesday; the other two belonged to Joshua Ledet. He earned the evening’s first standing O with his version of “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” and later earned the second for his duet of George Michael and Aretha Franklin’s “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” with Jessica Sanchez. His take on Simply Red’s 1989 hit — a cover of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes’ 1972 original — had Lopez gushing, “Lord, lord, lordy lordy lordy, it was spectacular!” while Jackson raved, “I wanted to stand up from beginning to end!” Tyler’s judgment was positive but wrapped in mystery; “It wasn’t too much over-the-top, and it was way over-the-top, so it was just perfect,” he said. (Say what?) On her own, Sanchez — or was it her alter ego, “BB Chez”? — revisited the songbook of Whitney Houston, which originally brought her frontrunner status back when she knocked “I Will Always Love You” out of the park. This time she took on Houston’s 1985 #1 smash “How Will I Know,” earning another set of raves from the judges in the process. “Your vocals just make everything go away for me,” Lopez told her, while Tyler said, “Everything you do is beautiful, everything you do is great.” Jackson dubbed her one of the evening’s “gotta have it” performers, the term he was using for the evening for performers with the most gusto. DeAndre Brackensick got positive remarks for his version of DeBarge’s “I Like It,” which he started out singing in the crowd before making his way up to the stage. The judges called it “natural” (Lopez) and “captivating” (Tyler), with Jackson calling it “amazing” and comparing Brackensick to a 2012 version of DeBarge. “It was one of my best performances from you,” he told him. Phillip Phillips was called “great” by all three judges for his version of Genesis’ “That’s All,” which he performed alongside his brother on guitar. “You’re just a wildflower, aren’t you?” Tyler told him. “You just love being who you are, and that transcends.” (Coherence, you see, isn’t exactly Tyler’s strong suit these days.) Colton Dixon’s version of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” was lifted mostly from Quietdrive’s cover of the song, which Dixon copped to at the end of the performance. It didn’t matter: He scored with the judges. “You could do a record right now,” Tyler told him, while Jackson told him he made it his own and celebrated him for being “current.” The song’s drummer also earned a fair amount of praise for his performance on the song. Elise Testone, who had scored big in recent weeks after a decidedly rocky start, suffered a setback with her lackluster version of Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is,” which never quite found its footing. While Lopez gave it a qualified “really great,” Tyler said it wasn’t the right song for her and Jackson said she was pitchy throughout and “out of tune everywhere for me.” But the evening’s most poorly received performance came from Hollie Cavanagh. Not only did the 18-year-old Texan get slammed by the judges for her version of the “Flashdance” theme “What a Feeling,” but something strange happened while she was being critiqued: The “Idol” audience, which usually boos at the first hint of criticism, was dead silent throughout the process. It was the most quiet an “Idol” crowd has been all season, and it was almost disconcerting to watch. “Your pitch was all over the place, I’m sorry to tell you,” Tyler told her, silence filling the studio, while both Jackson and Lopez told her she needs to stop listening to her advisers and feel the songs. But of any feelings gathered on the show, it feels like the fate of Cavanagh — who landed in the bottom two last week — could be sealed. What did you think of “Idol” on Wednesday? Let us know 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 Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 11 Top 13 Contestants

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Justin Bieber’s ‘Boyfriend’ Poised For Big Debut

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

The lead single off Believe could sell 400,000 downloads in its first week. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber Photo: WireImage He’s beloved by millions of teenage girls who already think of him as their “Boyfriend,” and now Justin Bieber ‘s edgier track seems poised to be one of the teen star’s biggest hits yet. According to Billboard, the song, which dropped Monday, could sell upwards of 400,000 downloads in its first week, giving it a big push on next week’s Billboard Hot 100 chart. This would give the singer his best sales week for a song to date in his career. His biggest thus far belongs to “Never Say Never,” which moved 199,000 downloads in its first week, eventually peaking at #5 on the Digital Songs chart. Based on the estimates for his Hot 100 debut (which takes into account radio airplay, sales and streaming data), Bieber could land in the top five going into next week. So far, his most ubiquitous track, “Baby,” is also his highest debut on the Hot 100, having landed at #5 in 2010. It seems that radio is also embracing the lead Believe single . While Bieber has always had a large fanbase and solid record sales, radio airplay has eluded him a bit. But Billboard further reports that this song could land him in a solid place on the Pop Songs top 10 based on early airplay. So far, he’s only managed to land at #14 in 2009 with “One Time” and #16 with “Baby.” “Boyfriend” was co-produced and co-written by Mike Posner, who explained to MTV News that they always intended to make a song that would shift Bieber’s career from tween heartthrob to legitimate pop star. “I think our goal was to make something that me and my friends could listen to in the car,” Posner explained. “I think we’ve all known Justin since he was 13, and that’s not the kid I was in the studio with anymore. He’s an 18-year-old. He skateboards with Lil Wayne and hangs out with Lil Twist. Those are his homies. And he listens to hip-hop and he’s a really cool kid. He’s not like a corny guy.” Related Videos Happy Birthday, Justin Bieber! Related Photos Justin Bieber’s Birthday: Celebrating 18! Related Artists Justin Bieber

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Felix Cartal Builds On Miami Momentum With Different Faces

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘I want people to remember it,’ EDM up-and-comer tells MTV News of just-released album. By Nicholas Philippou Felix Cartal Photo: MTV News Felix Cartal is one of the most promising young stars of EDM, a fact that became even clearer at this year’s Miami Music Week , where he played multiple shows days before the release of his latest album. Cartal’s Different Faces was unleashed on iTunes on Tuesday (March 27) under Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak label. Fresh off of his second Ultra Music Festival appearance and the success of his latest single, “Don’t Turn on the Lights,” Cartal told MTV News he’s been eager for the album’s release. “It’s been the last year of my life kind of putting this thing together,” Cartal said. “The record’s basically all that’s going on in my life. I want people to remember it, and hopefully it means something to them.” MTV News was able to catch some of Cartal’s set at the National Hotel during Miami Music Week, and it was obvious that “Don’t Turn on the Lights,” featuring Polina, has become a certifiable breakthrough hit. But what was most surprising was how many of Cartal’s fans could be seen singing so many of his songs throughout the set. “I play all the singles every set, and everyone was singing along today,” Cartal said. “I don’t think you can ever get tired of that feeling.” He may not have to, because his new album is loaded with potential smashes, already finding tracks trickling into some sets of the biggest DJs in the world. The record will feature some collaborators that EDM fanatics have followed, like Miss Palmer, whom he works with on “Black to White”; Miss Palmer is best known to EDM fans for “No Beef,” one of the biggest tracks of 2011 by Afrojack and Steve Aoki. Cartal also combined with Sebastien Grainger, from Death From Above 1979, and his contribution on “H.U.N.T.” pushes the album’s boundaries beyond EDM. “I think that’s what moves music forward, because anytime genres are colliding, I think that’s what helps music become something new,” Cartal said. “I think a lot of people thought that electronic music was just going to be a passing phase, and I kind of compare it to rap music, where it kind of brought a whole culture with it, and I think that’s why it’s lasted and continued to grow.” Cartal told MTV News his next move will be a two-month tour through May, touring major cities and finishing up at the Sasquatch Festival in Washington. And since he’s part of the Dim Mak family, and because he’s such a nice guy, we asked if he even had it in him to cake someone ,

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Justin Bieber – BOYFRIEND (Full Song HD + Lyrics)

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

ALL RIGHTS GO TO JUSTIN BIEBER AND HIS MUSIC INDUSTRY. I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING. thanks for watching, enjoy x twitter = twitter.com http://www.youtube.com/v/eYOTlgxbMs8?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Read the original: Justin Bieber – BOYFRIEND (Full Song HD + Lyrics)

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Katy Perry, Rihanna Could Learn From These Killer Collabos

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Catch Katy talking duets and more on ‘MTV First’ Wednesday at 7:23 p.m. ET on MTV and MTV.com! By John Mitchell Katy Perry Photo: Jeff Bottari/ Getty Images Rihanna recently discussed the possibility of a duet with pal Katy Perry . Now, the “Part of Me” singer is weighing in on the collaboration talk. During a conversation with Britain’s Radio 1, Perry confirmed Rihanna’s statement, saying that a collabo was imminent but added that they’re waiting for the right tune to come along. “I want it to be like that Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin song ‘Sisters are Doin’ it for Themselves,’ not like [Shakira and Beyonc

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Kylie Minogue Launches Anti Tour, Does Rarely Heard Songs In Melbourne

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

http://www.youtube.com/v/3KU56NIE7To

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Kylie Minogue returned to her hometown of Melbourne, Australia, to launch her Anti Tour with not one, but two gigs yesterday at The Palace. If you ever wanted to hear rarely-performed Kylie jams live, like B-sides “Cherry Bomb”, “Tightrope” and “B.P.M.”, or ’80s album tracks such as “Over Dreaming (Over You)” and “Enjoy Yourself”, then … More » Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Idolator Discovery Date : 18/03/2012 14:52 Number of articles : 2

Kylie Minogue Launches Anti Tour, Does Rarely Heard Songs In Melbourne

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