MTV News |
- 'American Idol' Denver Auditions Turn Up Scarce Talent, 'Bikini Boy'
- Tony Yayo Puts New Mixtape Up For Sale, Will Drop Album In June
- Fantasia Says Her Career Is Her 'First Love'
- Hip-Hop Was Definitely In The Building For 'We Are The World' Remake
- An Open Letter To 'Iamamiwhoami,' Whoever You Are
- Michael Jackson's Influence Lives On In 'We Are The World' Remake
- MTV, VH1, CMT To Present Special Live Musical Event On 10-10-2010
- 'Bikini Boy' Ty Hemmerling Gives 'American Idol' Viewers An Eyeful
- Watch Lil Wayne Forget His Lyrics In This Exclusive Video
- Why You Shouldn't Hate On Taylor Swift
| 'American Idol' Denver Auditions Turn Up Scarce Talent, 'Bikini Boy' Posted: 02 Feb 2010 07:02 AM PST Victoria 'Posh Spice' Beckham returns for another guest-judging stint.
One week after uncovering a Texas-size amount of talent in Dallas, "American Idol" headed north to Denver on Tuesday night (February 2), looking to find more of the same (only, you know, Colorado-size). It seemed like a pretty safe bet; after all — this is where season-seven champion David Cook auditioned — but, for the most part, the only thing Mile High in Denver was the mediocrity. While there were some pretty great voices on display, Denver will probably best be remembered for a whole lot of auditioners with sad stories to tell (childhoods spent on the lam, tragic accidents, etc.), and the very last wannabe of the show: a guy in a bikini named, appropriately enough, "Bikini Boy."
But let's get to the good stuff first. Victoria Beckham was back behind the judges' table again (she also served as a guest judge in Boston), and right off the bat, we got a genuine taste of talent, in the form of 28-year-old Mark Labriola, who wowed the panel with a sandpapery version of Squeeze's "Tempted." He was followed by the bubbly Kimberly Kerbow, who got through to Hollywood with a take on Ingrid Michaelson's "The Way I Am" (and despite the fact that she sang a lyric about needing Rogaine directly at Simon), and Danelle Hayes, a down-on-her-luck karaoke hostess who earned high praise for a booming rendition of Melissa Etheridge's "I'm the Only One" ("That was the most moving audition," Kara raved. "I love that you wear your heart on your sleeve"). That was followed by the usual montage of assorted goofballs — a woman dressed in an electric-blue mariachi outfit, a tiara-clad glamazon, a hot dog and a winged gargoyle, to name just a few — and then we entered the "questionably talented" portion of the night's show, headlined by Casey James, a good-looking kid who survived a motorcycle accident ("The doctor said I'd never play guitar again," he told producers). James' audition — a flat-voiced take on John Mayer's "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" — was nothing special, but Kara and Beckham liked his look (they made him take down his hair and remove his shirt, BTW), and he got through, despite Simon's objections. And then there was 16-year-old Tori Kelly, who didn't impress much with her version of Mayer's "Gravity" but made it to Hollywood based largely on her outfit ("You're like a human orange," Simon hissed). And with that, day one in Denver came to a close. Day two opened with some more oddballs, one of whom inspired Simon to declare, "I think you just killed every cat in Denver" (one good thing about Tuesday's show: Simon really got to show off some killer one-liners). And then, finally, the first real breakout star of the auditions emerged: Nicci Nix, who spoke like she had just inhaled helium but unveiled a breezy, jazzy voice on her rendition of Girls Aloud's "Something Kinda Ooooh." Nix was followed by 16-year-old Haeley Vaughn, who dreamed of being "the first black, pop-country-kinda-mainstream singer" in "Idol" history. She took on Carrie Underwood's "Last Name" and, with her brassy voice, easily made it through to Hollywood. And that, unfortunately, brought us to the likely star of Wednesday's online-search trends, a guy named Ty Hemmerling, who, in an apparent attempt to make it to Hollywood like last year's "Bikini Girl," donned a striped two-piece and attempted to sing Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart." He didn't even get to belt out two lines of the tune before the judges stood up and walked out on him, but not before Randy dubbed him "Bikini Boy." And a brief, shining star was born. With that, the Denver auditions wrapped up. Probably for the best. All in all, 26 golden tickets were handed out, and hopefully on Wednesday, we can all do just a little bit better. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tony Yayo Puts New Mixtape Up For Sale, Will Drop Album In June Posted: 03 Feb 2010 03:50 AM PST 'It's all about the Internet now,' he says of selling his mixtape online, in Mixtape Daily.
The O.D.: A Mixtape Daily Exclusive You could just imagine the merch being sold on 50 Cent's Web site, emblazoned with the slogan "What Would 50 Do?" Tony Yayo said he was inspired by the G-Unit General to put his new mixtape up for sale on the Internet.
"It's [coming out] now, available on Amazon, iTunes and all these other places — we're rushing to put it out because of the reaction I got to my new video 'Bullets Whistle.' Shout-out to ThisIs50.com. Gunpowder Guru coming out in the next 48 hours. "Sometimes I be in the studio — I watch movies, read books and I just zone. I think I got [the title] from a movie, Gunpowder Guru," he answered. "I liked the way it sound. I went with it. It's a real dark mixtape. A lot of it, the production was done by my man Doe Pesci. We decided we give a lot of music away for free. What would 50 do in a position right now? 50 would sell his mixtapes on iTunes. It's all about the Internet now." The first record to come from the tape was "Obama," although the song has nothing to do with the president or politics and everything to do with drugs. "I'm not worried about that," Yayo said about potential backlash he could face for mentioning the president in the same sentence as illegal substances. "It's a playful song," Yayo added. "I'm happy we got a black president — it's a playful thing." Don't expect any lighter material to come off the tape — this is certified Queens-bred gangsta music. "I got a joint called 'Murder,' then 'Southside' where I'm shouting out cats like [DJs] Grand Master Vick and Doggtime. I got a joint with my artist Louis Castro. The next joint I'm gonna come with is 'Back Against the Wall.' It's a dark vibe. When I seen 50 did the War Angel, it was dark. I took the same vibe." 50, Yayo, Lloyd Banks and DJ Whoo Kid will start an overseas tour on February 22 that is set to last until sometime in April. 50 is slated to film two movies when he returns and then the Unit start a U.S. tour in June. "That's when the albums will come — me and Banks," Yayo explained. "We gonna drop it independently. We not on Interscope anymore. I feel the stuff I went through on a major was nonsense. You make more money on an independent label." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fantasia Says Her Career Is Her 'First Love' Posted: 03 Feb 2010 03:50 AM PST The 'American Idol' alum talks to us about her split from Young Dro for Hip-Hop and R&B Week.
It was a classic tale of famous boy meets famous girl — they fell in love only to have the music industry come between them. Fantasia said her two-year relationship with Young Dro dissolved because she couldn't focus on her career and be in a relationship simultaneously. "I manly just focus on my career right now," the singer said. "When love comes to me, it has to be right this time. Everybody wants love — right now it's not my main focus. When I let it be my main focus, it interfered with everything else I had going on. I kinda stopped performing. I became kinda like a housewife. People were like, 'What are you doing? You married, you have kids?' I'm a cancer woman — I love very hard. I feel right now I had to make [my career] my first love because I fought so hard for it — this is my boo right now."
'Tasia said she remains good friends with her ex. "Dro is hilarious," she offered. "He will keep you laughing. He's very fun. He reminded me of my father — that's why I fell in love with him. He's a good man. Shout-outs to Dro." "We spent a lot of time running around from state to state," Dro explained. "The time came for us to separate. I guess she was trying to do more of her music and I was getting on my gritty with my music. There was a little more to that though — we'll discuss that at a later time. She's cool though. We just broke up last year. There was a lot of rumors before then, but we broke up last year, 2009." Dro says he and Fantasia still speak often. "She's cool," he reiterated. "She reaches to me when she wants to talk. I reach out to her when I want to talk. I talked to her when she was on the set of Oprah." Fantasia has a new single out ("Even Angels"), a new reality show ("Fantasia for Real") and a new album due later this year. Meanwhile, Dro is working on a new mixtape with DJ Holiday to drop within the next week or so, and a new EP Lo Life due in the next few months. It's Hip-Hop and R&B Week at MTV News, and we're saluting some of the biggest names who have earned big-dawg status with their steadfast pursuit of excellence. We're also bringing you some of the acts on the verge of a mainstream breakthrough, so stay locked with us all week! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hip-Hop Was Definitely In The Building For 'We Are The World' Remake Posted: 02 Feb 2010 01:24 AM PST Lil Wayne, Kanye West, T-Pain, Wyclef Jean, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, Drake, Kid Cudi among hip-hop luminaries who joined in for 'We Are the World -- 25 for Haiti.'
iPhones, Twitter, green-screen technology, BlackBerries, Facebook ... and hip-hop acts. Those are some things that were not around for the recording of the original "We Are the World" in 1985. Stars including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Cyndi Lauper, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and dozens more — even actor Dan Aykroyd — joined in for the superstar collective. They created a great song — one that to date has raised and distributed more than $63 million to 18 countries in sub-Saharan Africa in emergency relief and development projects. Granted, at the time, hip-hop was in its early days. But Run-DMC, the Fat Boys, Whodini and Kurtis Blow were certainly worthy of getting the call. However, hip-hop was definitely in the building on Monday night, when Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie united the stars again for "We Are the World — 25 for Haiti," which will benefit earthquake relief in the country through the newly created We Are the World Foundation. Lil Wayne, Kanye West, T-Pain, Wyclef Jean, Kid Cudi, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, Drake, Bizzy Bone, Nipsey Hussle, Busta Rhymes and Swizz Beatz were all on hand, with more artists lined up to be added later.
"Everything was dealing with the 21st century," Jones said about the large hip-hop contingent. "That's the way you go. All you gotta do is wake up. Let's hear 'em! Young, old whatever." "As hip-hop artists, we're the voice of the young generation," Nipsey said. "So it's very important we speak our opinion and give our feeling as to what's going on in Haiti and contribute our celebrity and voices to the disaster. It's necessary." "It was great because we all make music, in one way or another," R&B singer Anthony Hamilton said about performing with rappers. "It was a great surprise. It was great to see Lil Wayne, Kanye and [everyone else] in the room doing something. Everyone was focused on one goal: to make a difference. Rap makes a lot of noise. It brings a lot of attention. It's a powerful form of music. People are watching. It will influence somebody." "What's going on inside, I feel like a kid in a candy store," Wyclef Jean said. "Between the younger artists and older artists getting together, I feel that this new version of 'We are the World' ... When you have a classic, you don't wanna touch it. But, being that we grew up with that record and we love it so much, it's incredible to see every kid, every genre coming in and singing that song." "I think we all turned to groupies," Hamilton added. "Everybody had a camera out and was filming. Even Tony Bennett had a handheld and was like, 'Oh my God, that's Lil Wayne.' I'm serious! It was so powerful." Wayne is actually singing Bob Dylan's famous part on the new version of the song. "I was like, 'You guys are real good comedians,' " Wayne laughed when telling reporters about his assignment. "After I did Bob Dylan's part, it kind of hit me that I guess this is way more important than I could ever imagine." "We are harmonizing with one another," Bizzy said about the recording process. "A bunch of artists in the same room with no ego. It's captivated in just this emotion and feeling of what they are telling us to produce and put forward. We have Barbara Streisand, Celine Dion and a few others who are doing the solo things — that's leading the way for us because they are still who they are [and we're] the hip-hop generation and the young ones. We're being guided by the same generation that started it from the beginning. "We all already knew the song," Bizzy added. "Everybody knows 'We Are the World.' It's bringing it to another level. It's showing the other young ones — our little 7 year olds, our 10 year olds, on and so — what it actually means with the disaster in Haiti." Learn more about what you can do to help with earthquake-relief efforts in Haiti, and for more information, see Think MTV. Visit HopeForHaitiNow.org or call (877) 99-HAITI to make a donation now. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| An Open Letter To 'Iamamiwhoami,' Whoever You Are Posted: 03 Feb 2010 03:50 AM PST Our writer's obsession with the viral campaign is getting unhealthy, in Bigger Than the Sound.
Dear Macabre and Strangely Masochistic Evil Geniuses Behind the "Iamamiwhoami" Viral Campaign: You're killing me. Seriously, you are. I know that may be difficult to hear, what with the albumen and mud in your ears, but I need to say it. I think you might have to end this, not because I've grown tired of you, or because I love you any less. Quite the opposite, in fact. I love you too much. I am neglecting my job, checking your YouTube account 15 times a day, spending my nights cooking up long-winded theories about your true identity and attempting to crack your bizarre numeric codes. It's getting unhealthy. And it needs to stop. See, ever since you came into my life back in December, with a 55-second video featuring spooky forests, dangling appendages and one particularly gruesome live birth, I've been obsessed. Admittedly, I'd been down this road before (twice), but this time was different. I followed you through two more videos, each a little stranger than the last. I Googled stuff like "Dendrophilia" and "Whale Sharks" to understand you better. I did research about the cultural significance of Jordgubbstårta and Vanuatu in vain attempts to figure out just where you came from. I printed out a copy of the alphabet, numbered it, then tried to figure out just what those numeric messages meant. Were you trying to tell me something?!? For a while, I thought you were Goldfrapp. Then, the Knife, MGMT, Aphex Twin, Trent Reznor, the Golden Filter — they all came and went. Shoot, for a while, I really believed you were Christina Aguilera (and I guess I still kind of do, even though Christina's rep has insisted otherwise). Eventually, I realized it didn't actually matter who you were, because no matter the answer, I would be let down. Such were the heights of my mania. I just knew I needed you in my life, for reasons I probably didn't want to admit. It was starting to get sad. And now, it seems like you're delighting in tormenting me. You haven't uploaded a new video in more than a week. You haven't made any attempts to contact me, despite the fact I keep writing stuff like this about you. I am reaching out into the void. I am grasping at ether. I am eternally coming back empty-handed. I can't keep doing this. It needs to end. So, sadly, I think I'm breaking up with you, "Iamamiwhoami?" if only to preserve my sanity. You have become — in my estimation, at least — the most maddeningly engrossing viral campaign of all time, chiefly because you don't seem to be in any particular hurry to end. You post videos at your leisure. You offer no explanation or solid clues. You are selfish and self-centered. And I get the feeling that this could go on for a while. And really, I deserve better than this. Say what you will about Panic! at the Disco, but at least they had the decency to end their viral campaign swiftly. Trent Reznor too. With them, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. With you, there's just more tunnel. So it's over between us. It's not you, it's me. And I'm sorry. Sincerely, PS: Of course, if you decide to post another video sometime soon, please forget everything I just wrote, and know that I'll be with you every step of the way. I'm negotiable. I'm not too proud to come crawling back to you. Even if it means crawling all the way to Vanuatu. Questions? Concerns? Hit me up at BTTS@MTVStaff.com. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michael Jackson's Influence Lives On In 'We Are The World' Remake Posted: 02 Feb 2010 09:28 AM PST Janet Jackson will represent her brother in new version of the song he co-wrote.
A number of today's biggest stars gathered on Monday night to record "We Are the World — 25 for Haiti," the classic 1985 charity single re-imagined as a benefit for earthquake relief. Though song co-writer Michael Jackson passed away last summer, his presence was most definitely felt in the studio, where fellow co-writer Lionel Richie and producer Quincy Jones had assembled more than 80 singers, rappers and actors for the new version.
To make sure that listeners feel his presence too, Janet Jackson will be representing her brother in the new recording. "She's doing Michael's part in the middle the same part Michael did," Jones told the press. "She's representing Michael." Many of those involved on Monday said MJ's part in the original will always remain their favorite. "My favorite part of the song — it would be the bridge [when Michael comes in]," said Mya, who hinted that Jackson's voice might make it onto this version too. "I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to share. ... We do hope [to have Michael's voice on the track]." "I was not born yet, but the song has had a huge impact on me," Jordin Sparks said. "And I've always loved Michael's love for the world and for the Earth and for other people and to help and give back."
Celine Dion, who paid tribute to Jackson at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, noted that by re-recording the song, they are not only helping the people of Haiti but also remembering the passion Jackson had for helping those in need. "In a way it was because of him I learned English. I had my posters in my bedroom when I was a young, young kid," she recalled. "The atmosphere [in the studio] is amazing. People are very touched to be there. We're talking about somebody who was living through music and his passion was to try to help and change the world through his lyrics and what he was doing." Akon, who worked on music with Jackson before his death, fondly remembered stories Jackson told him about working on the original "We Are the World." "The wild part about it, Michael used to tell me stories about making the 'WATW' song and then working with Lionel," he said. "I never thought I'd be in a position to be remaking it and actually be able to tell the story myself one day." Richie and Jones were quick to point out that if Jackson were still alive, he'd want to be just as involved with the song as he was 25 years ago, though maybe in a different role. "I know it's hard to believe, but if Michael were, alive he'd stand behind the scenes," Richie said. Learn more about what you can do to help with earthquake-relief efforts in Haiti, and for more information, see Think MTV. Visit HopeForHaitiNow.org or call (877) 99-HAITI to make a donation now. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MTV, VH1, CMT To Present Special Live Musical Event On 10-10-2010 Posted: 02 Feb 2010 01:39 AM PST For the first time ever, these music brands will come together to celebrate the decade in music on one big night, across all three networks.
On October, 10, 2010, a very special live musical event will take place, highlighting the top artists of the decade as selected by the viewers of MTV, VH1 and CMT, the networks announced via a joint press release Tuesday (February 2). For the first time ever, these powerful music brands will come together to celebrate the decade in music on one big night, across all three networks. Further details will be announced in the future and were not available at press time, but as the press release noted, "You know how we can't resist these numerical plays: 10-10-10!" Stay with MTV News as this unique event develops! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Bikini Boy' Ty Hemmerling Gives 'American Idol' Viewers An Eyeful Posted: 02 Feb 2010 07:27 AM PST Judges walk out on 'Idol' wannabe's scantily clad 'Achy Breaky Heart' audition.
Lots of "American Idol" contestants become famous for what they bring to an audition. On Tuesday night's (February 2) episode, however, a man might have become a household name for what he left at home: his clothes. At the tail end of the Denver audition episode, after the judges had let 26 people through to the next round, producers had one more surprise in store for viewers. It wasn't yellow or polka-dotted, but he was wearing an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny bikini.
His name was Ty Hemmerling. He halfheartedly shimmied and spoke/sang Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart" as the judges all got up and left. Kara DioGuardi told Ty, "Don't move your hips like that, honey. It's not a good look." For his part, "Bikini Boy" voiced displeasure as they walked out. "That's kind of rude. I think you should at least stay," he pleaded. "Kara, please stay! Can I get a hug?" Of course, the scantily clad sing-along was preceded by a tease as thorough as any "American Pie" straight-to-DVD "unrated!" release. During each commercial break, fans would see a blurred-out body walking into the judging room. The implied assumption was that an audition from a naked, most likely attractive woman was coming up. Instead, patient "Idol" fans were rewarded with a dude in a pink, purple and orange string bikini. As a follow-up to last year's "Bikini Girl," women might say the turnabout is fair play. Men, however, might finally agree after seeing Mr. Hemmerling that future contestants keep their clothes on and audition by showing off their vocals, not their assets. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Watch Lil Wayne Forget His Lyrics In This Exclusive Video Posted: 02 Feb 2010 03:50 AM PST Plus, original 'Banned From TV' duo Swizz Beatz and Noreaga give Weezy love during Hip-Hop and R&B Week.
On Sunday night, millions tuned in to watch Lil Wayne go to work. Weezy, Eminem and Drake illuminated the 52nd annual Grammy Awards with "Drop the World" and "Forever." While he knows how to ignite the stage, Wayne's favorite workplace is still the studio.
Mixtape Daily debuted an exclusive clip last month that showed Weezy F. Baby recording his "Banned From TV" freestyle from the No Ceilings mixtape. Wayne laughs uncontrollably in the clip as he lays lines to the underground gem. In a new exclusive clip, he even does a little dance as he composes lyrics in his head, messes up and regroups. The New Orleans native loves his work. Stopping by the MTV News offices recently, Swizz Beatz — producer of the official "Banned From TV" track back in 1998 — had the opportunity to hear Wayne's freestyle for the first time and gave it a thumbs-up. "For Wayne to do that in 2010, millions of instrumentals are out," Swizz said. "For him to use 'Banned From TV' and air it out, that's super respect."
Last month, "Banned From TV" rapper Noreaga said Wayne is tops on his list right now. "Wayne is my favorite rapper of the new age," N.O.R.E. told Mixtape Daily. "Although in rap years, he's just as old as me. But that's my favorite rapper for the new age. For him to not only do the joint, but it appear on Mixtape Daily video ... that's an honor. My kids love Lil Wayne. Do 'Super Thug' next, Wayne — keep my legacy alive. ... I'm trying to do Special Ed's 'I Got It Made' and a few other classics over. It's only to give respect to the people. If Wayne is a real MC like I know he is, he was doing it to show love and respect to the joint and what it meant to him. I'm speechless." As much as the "Banned From TV" track is heralded, Swizz said he's made way better beats than that. "That's probably one of my most simple beats of all time," Swizz said. "That's, like, four sounds. "I think it's the moment that makes the track one of [my] greatest tracks of all time," the producer added. "I think it's the moment where hip-hop was at that time where you had [Big] Pun, [Jadakiss], Nore and everybody. All those elements make it that. I think as far as instrumentals, it was a'ight." In the new DVD "The Nino Brown Story, Pt. 2" (in stores and available on DJ Scoob Doo's Web site), you can see more clips of Wayne in the lab as well as in the club and clowning with the Cash Money Millionaires. It's Hip-Hop and R&B Week at MTV News, and we're taking a look at some of the biggest up-and-coming artists and the heavyweights of 2010. Stay tuned all week for more! Related Videos Related Artists | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Why You Shouldn't Hate On Taylor Swift Posted: 02 Feb 2010 02:09 AM PST Grammy wins, wobbly performance during show lead to backlash for Fearless singer, in a Bigger Than the Sound special edition.
I suppose this was inevitable. Actually, I knew it was. Given Taylor Swift's career trajectory — from sweet-faced Nashville ingenue (who wrote her own songs!) to super-duper country-pop megastar (who used to date the beefy dude from "New Moon"!) in less than four years — it seemed like a backlash was unavoidable. After all, this is what we, as a culture, tend to do in situations like this. It's in our nature to knock folks down from the pedestals we've put them on. Still, I'm sort of amazed at the acrimony with which Swift is being assaulted. Yes, I'm aware that the Internet has much to do with it ... after all, it provides not only the stage but the secure blanket of anonymity. The allure of the "comment" box is that it allows you to say the nastiest things imaginable — things you would never dream of saying directly to someone — without fear of direct retribution. And yes, I'm aware of the fact that negativity and pettiness are the cultural currency of the day, that they drive page views and sell magazines, and that we are all competing to see who can get to the bottom the fastest. There are Facebook groups with names like "Yo Taylor, ima let you finish, but Lady GaGa had the best album of the year," and "Taylor Swift is unworthy of even Stevie Nicks' presence." Articles like this one, which mention her "undeserved bulging trophy case." And just one comment of many on recent MTVNews.com stories suggests she take "a seminar on how to sing without Auto-Tune." And, like I said, all of this seems a bit, well, harsh. After all, what, exactly, is Taylor Swift's biggest sin? Faux earnestness? Bum notes on national TV? The fact that she's sold a whole lot of records and now gets to reap the awards? I suppose it's all of those things, though none of them seem to be all that important. So, the question begs to be asked: Why, all of a sudden, are people hating on Taylor Swift? While her rapid rise certainly is the main reason, it was amplified by Kanye West, who inadvertently made her into an underdog when he crashed the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards last year. It was impossible not to feel sympathetic towards her, and we carried that sentiment with us, as Swift made the rounds on talk shows ("Oprah," "The View"), and took home trophy upon trophy at the American Music Awards and the Country Music Awards. We were happy to see her do well. After all, she deserved it. But you could argue that the incident turned Swift into something she may never have intended to be: a bona-fide mainstream celebrity. Her songs were suddenly being played on pop and adult-contemporary radio she was on every TV channel imaginable and her rumored relationship (with "New Moon" star Taylor Lautner) became tabloid fodder. And this exposed her to a much larger audience, a more judgmental one. And here's where things began to change. Because that was the audience who began catcalling whenever Swift won another award, started to wonder how she could genuinely be that shocked each and every time she strode to the podium (a fair point, I will admit). They saw her not as a sweet gal who penned her own songs — because they didn't know her as that; they knew her as a celebrity. And the acrimony built steadily. "As the awards began to pile up, she went from the underdog to the over-dog. She became just another celebrity," Entertainment Weekly music critic Leah Greenblatt told me on Tuesday (February 2). "And the cycle of celebrity, it will always come back to a takedown. Some people are mad because she seems too perfect. Some people are mad at her for dumping Jacob from 'New Moon.' And a lot of people are mad because she wiffed so hard with Stevie Nicks at the Grammys." Ah yes, the Grammys. Swift's performance with Nicks at Sunday night's show was many things, but it looks like few of them are working out well for her. Her wobbly vocal performance put her in direct comparison with the likes of Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, both of whom she was competing against for the night's top honors, both of whom had already delivered astounding performances. And when, at the end of the night, Swift bested both to win Album of the Year, well, the hatred went haywire. "We got tons of comments from people, and a lot of them were really nasty. The cry of 'She writes her own songs' was overtaken by 'But she sings them badly,' " Greenblatt said. "We're used to divas — Mary J nailing it, Gaga doing versions of her songs to pound it in that she can really sing. And the thought after the Grammys seemed to be, 'If Pink can spin in a hammock, soaking wet, wearing a ribbon, and hit notes, why couldn't Taylor do it standing behind a microphone?' " So yes, while Swift's performance didn't go that well, it still doesn't mean that she deserves the sheer amount of hatred she's getting. So what if she had an off performance? So what if she won a boatload of awards? Her Fearless album (not to mention her self-titled debut) has been among the very few bright spots in the music industry over the past few years, and these awards are given out by that same industry. Swift deserves the accolades. She's earned them. But, like I said, all of this was probably inevitable. We live to knock people down, and it's just Swift's turn to take her lumps. It's already happened to the likes of Madonna, Britney and Beyoncé, not to mention her fellow country acts like Shania Twain and Faith Hill. It's been going on for decades, if not centuries, now. It's just part of the game. "The cycle of Britney is similar, only with Taylor, it's more rooted in her music," music critic Maura Johnston told me. "It's the whole idea of, 'Well, too many people like her, so let's pick at why?' There's a contrarian streak in culture, where it's a lot easier to share an animosity towards a figure, whether it's the government or a pop star. And animosity begets animosity. It's just the way things go these days." Still, it doesn't make it fair. I'll be the first to take someone down if the situation warrants it, and while Swift may have tiptoed that line, she hasn't fallen over. People are hating on her because she is popular, because she wins awards, and, yes, because she had an off performance on "music's biggest night." But keep in mind that she is still just 20 years old. I get the feeling there's genuine greatness in her future — she's just got to get through this part, and let it all come out. Questions? Concerns? Hit me up at BTTS@MTVStaff.com. Related Photos Related Artists | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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