MTV News |
- 'American Idol' Season 10 Premiere: New Judges In New Jersey
- Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, Muse Added To Grammy Show
- Jennifer Lopez's 'On The Floor' Will Be 'A Big One,' Producer RedOne Predicts
- Natalie Portman Details 'No Strings Attached' Love Scenes
- Sundance 2011 Preview: Tobey Maguire, Paul Rudd, Demi Moore And More!
- Colin Farrell Talks Doing 'Tricky' Russian Accent For 'Way Back'
- Stalley Is Shooting For Greatness On <i>Lincoln Way Nights</i>
- Steven Tyler And Jennifer Lopez's 'American Idol' Debut: How Did They Do?
- Will Eminem Put Out Another Album Soon?
- 'American Idol' Champ Kris Allen Rates Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez
- Katy Perry Announces California Dreams Tour Dates
- Kim Kardashian Says Kanye West Encouraged Her To Sing
- 'American Idol' Hopeful Travis Orlando Impresses Judges
- 'American Idol' Exec Says 'Legend' Steven Tyler Will Be Good TV
- Lady Gaga Previews <i>Born This Way</i> Track
- Avril Lavigne 'Really Excited To Be Back' With 'What The Hell'
- 'American Idol' Must Find A Michael Jackson Or Madonna, Randy Jackson Says
- Anne Hathaway Will 'Go There' As Catwoman In 'Dark Knight Rises'
- Lady Gaga Gets 'Bigger And Bigger' On <i>Born This Way,</i> RedOne Says
- Jennifer Lopez's 'American Idol' Past: A Look Back
| 'American Idol' Season 10 Premiere: New Judges In New Jersey Posted: 19 Jan 2011 07:59 AM PST Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez shine in their debut, judging crazy good and just plain crazy singers.
There's a very good reason "American Idol" has been the top show on TV for the past six years running: Its producers know how to milk the drama, cue the laughs and suck you in with just the right mix of goofy, crazy good and, well, just plain crazy singers.
All that and more was on display on the first night of the show's 10th season on Wednesday (January 19), an evening "Idol" fans have been patiently waiting for since last summer when things went a bit haywire with their favorite show. Though "Idol" normally exists inside a bubble that is immune to the outside world, there was no getting around the earthshaking drama that occurred over the past seven months, including the departure of founding lead judge Simon Cowell and the exit of short-timers Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi. Rules were changed, the age limit was lowered to 15 and just about every name in the pop world was bandied about as a possible replacement for Cowell. So it was fitting that the top of Wednesday night's show included a montage of the rabid speculation about who the new judges would be. And, despite assuring viewers that this season is not about the new kids on the block — Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler and pop star Jennifer Lopez — but about the singers, there was also a splashy montage that followed introducing the new panelists, packed with plenty of glamour shots and slow-motion catwalk struts. What nobody knew was how these two new faces would fit into the well-established "Idol" mix. The good news is, they slipped in just fine, and, in fact, Tyler quickly proved to be just the breath of fresh (and sometimes wacky) air the show needed going into the season of uncertainty. The first stop on the televised audition rounds was New Jersey, and right away, the new judges asserted their personalities, with Lopez fondly remembering a previous contestant and giving her some tough-love advice on making it in Hollywood. Tyler's charms shone through in nearly every audition, including one in which he mimed along, stomping his feet and rapping his knuckles on the table to the Ray Charles song "Hallelujah I Love Her So." The show's first 15-year-old auditioner, Pennsylvania's Kenzie Palmer, did a nice job on Carrie Underwood's "We're Young and Beautiful," but Lopez was the only one feeling it until she convinced her cohorts to rethink their votes with a little of her Jenny From the Block sass. As always, the real test came when the clunkers stepped to the big "Idol" logo and blew it. "You gotta pull those wild horses in," Tyler counseled one contestant, as Lopez struggled to say no and break a heart. "This is awful. Oh my God, I hate this!" she wailed in mock pain, biting her lip while saying "no" even as Tyler quickly got the hang of letting the kids down easy. The night's first heartstring moment came when 16-year-old Robbie Rosen — who spent some of his childhood in a wheelchair — sang a soulful take on the Beatles' "Yesterday" and won over the panel with his schoolboy charm. "Beautiful!" Tyler said to the kid who had watched every season of the show and long dreamt of getting his shot. They also fell for spunky Southern belle Victoria Huggins, 16, of Lumberton, North Carolina, who surprised the judges with a full-throated "Midnight Train to Georgia" and charmed them with her oversize personality. As always in the early rounds, it was mostly a parade of crackpots, nasal wheezers and goofy white guys in plaid shirts singing R&B — badly. "Did you eat a lot of paint chips as a child?" Tyler asked after a murderous take on a Tina Turner tune. Whereas Cowell used to slay them with meanness, Tyler seemed to have instantly perfected the art of the playful, entertaining putdown, adding a new wrinkle to the judge's mix. The king of the reject singers was Japanese native Yoji "Pop" Asano, a 25-year-old Brooklyn student who sang (OK, squeaked) Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A." like nobody ever has, or should, while tossing in some spastic Michael Jackson dance moves. And then there are the ones you never see coming, like twitchy Ashley Sullivan, 25, who confused the panel with a bombastic show tune that initially got her the boot. But when the waterworks started coming and Sullivan's quirky (OK, unhinged) personality started to shine, Lopez and Tyler couldn't bear to say no, putting her through to Hollywood over Randy Jackson's objections. Yonkers, New York, native Melinda Ademi, a 16-year-old daughter of immigrant refugees from war-torn Kosovo, had the kind of dramatic story arc custom-made for "Idol." But she also happened to have some serious pipes too. Her "If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keys won her a golden ticket, inspiring Tyler to quip, "You won the lottery twice." Other promising prospects included 20-year-old Times Square singing waitress Devyn Rush, who did a nicely nuanced job on a jazzy "God Bless the Child." Lopez, who knows a thing or two about being a glamour puss, advised Rush to match her golden inside with some glittery duds that would make her look like a star as well. Staten Island's Brielle Von Hugel had another heartstring-tugging backstory. In addition to being a fresh-faced beauty with a flower in her hair, she grew up crooning with her doo-wop-singing dad, who was diagnosed with throat cancer before her sweet 16. Her "Endless Love" melted hearts, and the judges made it official after bringing her Pops in to witness her golden-ticket moment. As is often the case, the producers saved the best for last, with tough-luck Bronx kid Travis Orlando, 16, telling his tale of surviving his borough's mean streets and life in a shelter before doing a soulful Jason Mraz-like take on the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby." Tyler asked for some more, so Orlando served up a scatty slide through Mraz's "I'm Yours" that worked for the panel. They brought out his ecstatic twin brother and overjoyed mom, who squeezed him in a family sandwich as Lopez told him to "really bring it in Hollywood, OK?" Who was your favorite from the "Idol" premiere? Is the new judges' panel working for your? Share your reviews 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 |
| Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, Muse Added To Grammy Show Posted: 20 Jan 2011 05:30 AM PST Usher, Jaden Smith, B.o.B, Janelle Monae and Lady Antebellum will also perform on February 13.
While Willow Smith is the one who made music headlines with "Whip My Hair" last year, it's her brother, "Karate Kid" actor Jaden Smith, who will take the stage at the upcoming 53rd Grammy Awards in a special performance alongside Usher and Justin Bieber. The trio joins a list of new performers added to the show on Thursday (January 20) that will also include another power trifecta made up of B.o.B, Bruno Mars and Janelle Monáe, according to a press release from the Recording Academy announcing the additions to the February 13 telecast from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Also taking the stage next month will be nominees Muse and Lady Antebellum. They will join a roster of previously announced performers that includes Eminem, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Arcade Fire, Cee Lo Green and Miranda Lambert. It will be the first time on the Grammy performance stage for Bieber, B.o.B, Lambert, Mars, Monáe, Muse and Smith. Eminem, Green, Gaga, Perry, Usher and Lady Antebellum will be making return visits for the occasion. While 11-time Grammy winner Eminem leads the pack in nominations this year (with 10 nods), Mars has seven nominations, and Gaga and Lady Antebellum are not far behind with six nods each. B.o.B. has notched five, Perry and Green are each up for four, and Arcade Fire and Lambert are vying for three awards. Bieber, Muse, Usher and Monáe are each nominated for two Grammys. No details of the collaborative performances were released, but the Grammy release promised a rare, never-before-seen event for the Mars, B.o.B and Monáe segment. With the addition of Antebellum, all five Album of the Year nominees (Eminem, Arcade Fire, Gaga, Perry) are now scheduled to perform on the show. Additional performers, presenters and special segments will be announced soon. Which Grammy performance are you most looking forward to? Talk about it in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Jennifer Lopez's 'On The Floor' Will Be 'A Big One,' Producer RedOne Predicts Posted: 20 Jan 2011 03:52 AM PST Lady Gaga collaborator calls new 'American Idol' judge 'a true artist.'
Jennifer Lopez might be a new judge on "American Idol," but let's not forget she's also a pop star. For her new club banger, "On the Floor," J.Lo teamed up with Pitbull and red-hot producer RedOne. The producer tells MTV News that for his work with the singer, he thought big. Let's face it: With J.Lo, you have to go big or go home.
"I love J.Lo. I've always been a big fan. She's a true star. They asked me to work with her and I was like, 'Absolutely,' " he explained. "She's one of those that I've always admired. What she's done with the music and film and everything, she's a true artist — a 360 artist. "It was natural for me to get into the studio with her," he continued. "I'm excited about J.Lo's 'On the Floor.'... It's getting the most incredible reaction. I'm happy for her." RedOne knew that if he was going to make a smash for the star, there would be several elements involved: dance, parties and her Latina heritage. He hoped to capture it all on the club-ready track, which samples Kaoma's worldwide hit "Lambada," and definitely has a Latin flare. "She's a dancer. She can sing. I was really amazed, and I had so much fun working with her," he gushed. "Her energy and everything about her is a star, and it was natural for me to do what we did. "Of course, she's global: She's a global artist," he continued. "She's a global actress, and the music has to be global, and the rhythmic side of it or the Latin and this thing of a dancer [all has to be there]. "She said, 'I want to dance. I want to make people dance and be able to sing with me.' That's what we did, and it feels good. I think we're going to have a big one." What do you think of "On the Floor"? Give us your review in the comments below! Related Photos |
| Natalie Portman Details 'No Strings Attached' Love Scenes Posted: 20 Jan 2011 03:52 AM PST 'It's very strategic,' she tells MTV News of filming racy sequences with co-star Ashton Kutcher.
Ashton Kutcher ran into what he described as a "dirty feet situation" while shooting the romantic comedy "No Strings Attached." But when we caught up with Kutcher's co-star, Natalie Portman, she told us that particularly sexy scene not only led to filthy feet, but also required a lot of choreography so that she and Kutcher would look "natural" together.
"Some of the things were in [the script]," she explained about the flick, which follows two friends as they try to maintain their sex-with-no-attachment arrangement. "Some of the things were like, 'What are we going to try today?' And also, a lot of it gets choreographed because it's like, 'How are we going to get my hair thing out so that I don't fall on it?' or things like that where I'll be like, 'I can cover you there, and you can [cover me here],' " she added. "So it's very strategic." We can only imagine how amusing it must have been for Portman and Kutcher to construct those scenes. In addition to the required choreography, Portman admitted to a few makeout mishaps. "I feel like we probably bumped heads or something," she said of their sex-scene bloopers. "I feel like most of the mistakes were usually like, we would be wearing modesty undergarments or something that would be revealed." "No Strings Attached" hits theaters on Friday. Check out everything we've got on "No Strings Attached." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| Sundance 2011 Preview: Tobey Maguire, Paul Rudd, Demi Moore And More! Posted: 20 Jan 2011 03:52 AM PST MTV Movies team will be on the ground in Park City, Utah, to bring you the latest from the snowy film fest!
By the time you read this, the MTV Movies team will be hurtling about 550 miles per hour through the sky on our way to the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. We can't get there soon enough.
It's been 12 months since we last trekked up and down Main Street in Park City, Utah, bringing you interviews with top talent like Kristen Stewart and Ryan Reynolds, reviews of the most anticipated premieres, and the inside scoop on parties, swag suites and more. And now, it's about to happen all over again. Starting Thursday evening (January 20) and continuing well into next week, MTV News will be your go-to spot for the latest news coming out of Sundance. Keep checking back for everything there is to know about the festival — and, man, is there a lot to know. Paul Rudd will be sweeping into town to premiere "My Idiot Brother," his upcoming comedy co-starring Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer. Ed Helms has a comedy too; he stars in "Cedar Rapids" opposite John C. Reilly and Anne Heche. And, well, what are we to make of "The Details," which stars Tobey Maguire, Banks and Laura Linney? Check out its plot description: "When hungry raccoons discover worms living under the sod in a young couple's backyard, the pest problem sets off a wild and absurd chain reaction of domestic tension, infidelity, organ donation and murder by way of bow and arrow." Yep, that one is most definitely high on our list of must-sees. Also exciting is "Margin Call," a drama set during the 2008 financial crisis starring a killer collection of Hollywood talent: Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Demi Moore and Stanley Tucci. Two music-focused premieres have also caught our eye. Adam Yauch has directed "Fight for Your Right Revisited," a short film that takes place after the events of that classic 1987 Beastie Boys video and which stars Seth Rogen, Danny McBride and Elijah Wood. Additionally, Michael Rapaport is presenting "Beats, Rhymes and Life," a documentary about the "rise and influence" of A Tribe Called Quest. It's going to be another great year. By festival's end, we'll be exhausted from lack of sleep, weary-eyed from far too many screenings, and sore from hiking up and down Main Street in the freezing cold. But you know what? We'll be psyched to do it all over again in 2012. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| Colin Farrell Talks Doing 'Tricky' Russian Accent For 'Way Back' Posted: 20 Jan 2011 03:52 AM PST Irish A-lister tells MTV News he tried to capture the 'beautiful' and 'hard' language for upcoming World War II prison drama.
Colin Farrell plays an intimidating Russian prisoner in the World War II drama "The Way Back," about a group of inmates who escape the Siberian Gulag and must walk more than 4,000 miles to freedom. We caught up with the Irish actor recently and we talked about how he tackles foreign accents and other languages for roles like his "Way Back" character, Valka.
"Accents are tricky sometimes, all the time, potentially," Farrell admitted to MTV News. "They either keep you away or they bring you in. They're either a conduit into a character or they're a fence that keeps you at a distance that you don't want to be," he said. Farrell explained that he worked with a dialect coach and read Russian poetry to get a feel for the language, which eventually began to flow rather naturally for him. "It really just initially and unconsciously started affecting the way I moved or sat or [my] facial expressions and just feeling those sounds in my mouth," he said. "Russian to me, to my ignorant ears is an incredibly evocative language and accent, even. If a Russian is speaking English, it's an incredibly evocative sound that's committed each time a Russian opens their mouth." The "Way Back" actor said he essentially fell in love with the language. "It's beautiful and it's hard. There's a sense of hardship, and I say that with absolute humility and lack of judgment," he said. "It's a beautiful language and it gave me my version of it in the film, wherever I got to in the journey of getting there, brought me as close to the character as any other bit of research or any other contemplation of his background." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| Stalley Is Shooting For Greatness On <i>Lincoln Way Nights</i> Posted: 20 Jan 2011 03:52 AM PST Ohio native gave up NBA aspirations and tells Mixtape Daily, 'I'm more than an MC.'
Fire Starter: Stalley In person, upstart rapper Stalley is unassuming and measured. But once the former high school sports star gets in the booth, he delivers with the same kind of authority that landed him on the University of Michigan men's basketball team. Now, on the cusp of releasing his next project, Lincoln Way Nights (Intelligent Trunk Music), a mixtape set to drop in February, the Ohio native is poised to make the transition from underground sensation to starter.
"I'm more than an MC, I'm actually a writer. I can write songs. I can write good songs, and that's what I want to do," Stalley told Mixtape Daily. "That's what I did on this project. I wrote out full songs, with ill concepts, ill lyrics and ill beats. Everything is put together. I want to be a great American writer, not just an MC, not just a rapper. So to be that, is just amazing to me." The Creative Control/ Ski Beatz affiliate first made noise last year with his Madlib-inspired project, MadStalley: The Autobiography. Since then, he's made his mark in a variety of ways, including blog partnerships with Slam magazine and HighSnobiety, a clothing sponsorship with 10 Deep and putting out the rumbling track "Hercules." Now, three years after giving his undivided attention to hip-hop — back-to-back injuries at Michigan and then Long Island University shifted his focus — he's beginning to see the payoff. That decision wasn't easy for the Massillon native: His Ohio hometown is obsessive about high school sports (check the movie "Go Tigers"), but Stalley was able to channel that intensity into the laidback Lincoln Way Nights (Intelligent Trunk Music) collection. "When you're someone known to be a lyricist, when you're writing certain music, it comes off as dumbing it down," he explained of searching for a sound over punchlines. "And people are confused, 'Is this good?' 'Cause you're used to this super lyrical dude. I took that and put it to the side and was just me. I spoke my story in a deeper way over deeper beats. So, I'm really happy with it. I'm becoming the artist I want to be." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Videos |
| Steven Tyler And Jennifer Lopez's 'American Idol' Debut: How Did They Do? Posted: 19 Jan 2011 08:35 AM PST So far, new additions make for a kinder, gentler judges' panel during season 10 premiere.
As "American Idol" kicked off its 10th season Wednesday (January 19), all eyes were on new judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. Would they play nice with contestants or get snippy? Would they be nurturing and helpful or dismissive and cold? And how would they get along with the panel's only holdover from previous seasons, Randy Jackson?
Both offered glimpses of their goals as judges in interviews that aired prior to the auditions: Lopez said she was leaning toward compassion, saying, "I'm not in the business of crushing spirits," while Tyler said he wanted to encourage contestants to give it their all. "Sing like you do when no one is looking," he said. As the auditions began, Tyler proved the more unpredictable of the two newbies, prone to bursting into song mid-sentence or lightening the room's mood with a joke ("I know why you're here; we're all here 'cause we're not all there," he said to one contestant). He showed himself to be a thoughtful, attentive judge, locking in on singers with focus in his eyes and even offering to oversee one contestant's "Idol" run himself ("I'm gonna personally work that into something good!" he told 25-year-old Ashley Sullivan). J.Lo was clearly cut from the Paula Abdul cloth and was much more comfortable dishing out praise than rejection. She came off as an eagle-eyed "Idol" viewer when she recognized a little-seen contestant from season six, calling out specifics from her auditions, and didn't hesitate to disagree with Tyler when standing up for a contestant she believed in. But when it came time to tell singers "no," she winced and cringed before finally letting out a regretful "sorry." "Why did I sign up for this?" she lamented. "I wanna go home. It's tough! I don't like saying 'no.' " She got more comfortable as time went on, though, overall, this set of judges seems like a kinder, gentler bunch than the Simon-led panels of the past. Even as Jackson fell into his old habits of laughing off contestants during clearly bad auditions, Tyler and Lopez for the most part avoided such pat dismissals, instead offering advice or accentuating the positives in even the most hapless auditions. But if it's a kinder panel, it's also an easier panel, as they handed out an unusually high 51 golden tickets to Hollywood during the New Jersey auditions. The judges seemed easily swayed by teary backstories and particularly forgiving of contestants in whom they saw "potential." Tyler also seemed somewhat unsure of their convictions: After he first told 15-year-old Kenzie Palmer he wasn't "feeling" her performance, he buckled and gave her a thumbs-up after Lopez and Jackson approved of her talents. The panel is also very democratic, almost to a fault; where Cowell was always the clear leader in the past, one person has yet to emerge as the head of this new trio of personalities. Also, they need to work on their nonverbal communication: When Tyler went to give Jackson a high five, Jackson responded with a fist bump, resulting in an awkward five-bump. But they'll get there eventually. What did you think of the "Idol" premiere? Share your reviews of the new judges 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 |
| Will Eminem Put Out Another Album Soon? Posted: 19 Jan 2011 05:27 AM PST 'We're constantly working and we never know what projects the things we're working on will land,' producer Alex Da Kid tells MTV News.
Eminem took a five-year break between albums before he released Relapse and Recovery in consecutive years. Now, with two handfuls of Grammy nominations, will the Detroit lyricist be putting out another album anytime soon? According to Alex Da Kid, who produced Em's "Love the Way You Lie," the veteran MC is always working, so it's within the realm of possibility.
"We're constantly working and we never know what projects the things we're working on will land," he told MTV News. "But we have great musical chemistry, so he's someone I pray to work with for the rest of my career, hopefully. "I think he's in a great position where [he and Dr. Dre] can make music," he continued. "And whenever they feel like it, they can put it out. There's not a label telling them what to do, because they've been so successful, so it's really up to him." Eminem will be plenty busy this year whether he puts out a new project or not. He announced last week two new signings to Shady Records: underground supergroup Slaughterhouse and upstart rapper Yelawolf. Em called the acquisitions the next leg in his company's evolution, from D12 and Cashis (both still signed to the label) to Yelawolf and his new collective, which features Joe Budden, Royce Da 5'9", Joell Ortiz and Crooked I. "Yelawolf and Slaughterhouse, it's kinda phase two of Shady," Eminem explained in a statement. "It's the new generation of Shady Records, and as we're trying to rebuild our label, it's exciting for hip-hop, and with all of these forces coming together and with what everybody's capable of on the mic, it's gonna be fun." Do you want to see a new album from Eminem already? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Champ Kris Allen Rates Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez Posted: 19 Jan 2011 10:10 PM PST 'Steven Tyler was obviously the most interesting one,' he tells MTV News 'Idol' expert Jim Cantiello during our post-show live stream.
For our first-ever post-"American Idol " live stream, "Judging the Judges: An 'Idol' Without Simon," MTV News' resident "Idol" expert Jim Cantiello brought in the big guns to discuss and dissect the premiere episode of the 10th season.
A major highlight was the appearance, via Skype, of season-eight champ Kris Allen, who said hello with his dog Zorro and offered his thoughts on the new judges. "I thought they were good. I thought Steven Tyler was obviously the most interesting one," Allen said. "I figured he was going to be a wacky kind of guy, and, I mean, you can't be mad at him for singing [along] all the time — he's freakin' Steven Tyler! I thought it was awesome, I really did." When asked how Tyler and Lopez might have influenced his audition, had they been the judges during Allen's winning season, the 25-year-old said he hoped the Aerosmith frontman would have joined in on his audition like he did on Wednesday's episode. "That would [have been] awesome," Allen said. "It's probably a little bit different to sing for someone like Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, because they have been in the industry for so long and you've been watching them do it forever, so it would probably be weird." On the whole, Allen said the evening's viewing experience — which he shared with his wife, Katy, and a couple of friends — was a good time. "It was fun," he said. "It wasn't mind-blowing or anything. I thought there were some good singers. I thought there was some funny stuff, and I thought Steven Tyler was great," he said, adding that his dog, Zorro, definitely liked J.Lo the best. What did you think of the premiere? Share your reviews 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 Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Katy Perry Announces California Dreams Tour Dates Posted: 20 Jan 2011 09:03 AM PST Robyn, Marina and the Diamonds set to join 'California Gurl' on 41-date North American trek kicking off in June.
Get your daisy dukes ready! Katy Perry is going to make this summer hotter than the last as the "California Gurl" announced via Facebook (and then tweeted) that she's all set to kick off her California Dreams World Tour. Perry has planned 41 dates for the North American leg of the outing, beginning in Atlanta on June 7. The singer will hit the road throughout the U.S. and Canada before wrapping up in her hometown, Santa Barbara, California in August. Marina and the Diamonds and dance singer Robyn will also join Perry, who made a special live appearance via Facebook on Thursday (January 19) to announce the tour. Before the North American dates get under way, though, Katy will head to Lisbon in Portugal where she'll hit the stage on February 20; Perry will then travel throughout Europe, the U.K., Australia and Japan. The pop star plans to continue interacting with her fans through a variety of social media networks, including Facebook's Places function, which will allow concertgoers to get special treats when they check into certain concert venues. Fans will also be encouraged to submit their own photos of the show through Twitter, which will be incorporated into the live show and Perry's official website. Katy Perry's tour dates, according to a press release: » June 7 - Atlanta, GA @ Arena at Gwinnett Center Will you catch Katy on tour? Tell us in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Kim Kardashian Says Kanye West Encouraged Her To Sing Posted: 19 Jan 2011 05:12 AM PST 'It's just one song, and it's just for fun,' reality vixen says of The-Dream-produced project.
Even though she's got Grammy-winning producer The-Dream in her corner and encouragement from hitmaking friends Kanye West and Ciara, Kim Kardashian isn't swapping her gig as a professional vixen to be a full-time singer. The diva and Dash boutique co-owner has been tinkering in the studio with The-Dream on "Turn It Up," a one-off track she said is just for kicks. But she told MTV News on Wednesday (January 19) that the project might not have happened without some prodding from Yeezy.
" 'OK, I'm not a singer, this isn't what I do. I have too much other stuff going on. Is this really something safe for me to do?' " Kim recalled thinking. "And Kanye was actually one of the people who really talked me into doing it and telling me, like, 'Hey, look, what do you guys do for fun? You guys go shopping, you go to the movies. Kind of step into our world for a second and have fun, and we go to the studio,' " Kardashian explained of getting behind the mic. Although the song is a Dream-helmed enterprise, the curvy starlet said she and her sisters often take style cues from 'Ye, and it was during one of the Louis Vuitton Don's visits to their downtown NYC outpost that Kim and Kanye chopped it up about hitting the studio. "Kanye came to see the store and check out what we were doing in New York City. He's someone we look up to and just think as like, in the fashion world ... someone that we've always just taken advice from," Kim said. Her sister Kourtney chimed in, "He's our muse." "He wanted to come check out the store, and while at the store, I was really uncertain about the music thing," Kim added. "I'm just doing it for fun, and The-Dream wrote and produced the song, and Ciara talked me into doing it and said I should meet with him." Since the single is just for fun, Kim said she and The-Dream won't be pocketing all the track's profits. Some of the cash will go to a cause close to the producer and pinup. "Dream's mother passed away of cancer and so did my dad, so half of the proceeds are going to a cancer organization," she revealed. "It's just one song, and it's just for fun." What do you think of Kim Kardashian's "Turn It Up"? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Hopeful Travis Orlando Impresses Judges Posted: 19 Jan 2011 08:07 AM PST 'Idol' premiere auditioner is a bespectacled Bronx native who'll take his touching, hard-knock story to Hollywood.
Travis Orlando was the final New Jersey auditioner to face the three-judge panel on Wednesday night's (January 19) "American Idol" premiere, and they clearly saved one of the best for last. Sporting a snug red T-shirt and skinny jeans, the slender, bespectacled Bronx native first won over judges with a tender rendition of the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby," in a delicately soulful voice that newbie judge Jennifer Lopez later called "pretty" and "sweet." Clearly feeling the teen singer's cover, Steven Tyler asked to hear more, and Orlando obliged with Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours," which scored approving nods from judge Randy Jackson.
However, despite his sugary vocals, Orlando entered the "Idol" judging session with a scrappy backstory. The 16-year-old took viewers on a tour of his rough Bronx neighborhood near the Grand Concourse thoroughfare, an area he described as being plagued with murder and crime, as he and some family members walked past a curbside shrine to a fallen neighbor. "You have robberies, you have killings — anything you can possibly imagine goes on here," Orlando said. The teen crooner also spoke candidly about living in homeless shelters for a few years, when the tight-knit Orlando clan fell on hard times after their patriarch fell ill and they succumbed to the recession. Despite the adversity, Orlando said his twin brother, Timmy — who he admitted is nothing like him — supported him and told him to keep his head up and believe in his talent. So it was only fitting that not only was Orlando's family waiting for him with Ryan Seacrest while he auditioned, but they bum-rushed the room with glee when the judges announced Orlando was headed to Hollywood. The final audition of the day took a heartfelt emotional turn as the twins embraced and fought back tears. As the last of the 51 West Coast-bound "Idol" crooners, Orlando said he wanted his story to inspire others to chase their dreams, regardless of the circumstances. The teen singer tearfully signed off by saying he wanted to "prove to other people that anyone can do this." What did you think of "American 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. |
| 'American Idol' Exec Says 'Legend' Steven Tyler Will Be Good TV Posted: 19 Jan 2011 04:35 AM PST 'You never know what he's going to say. That, as a TV producer, you're interested in,' Nigel Lythgoe tells MTV News.
One thing that fans of "American Idol" can count on each season is a level of unpredictability, particularly once the show narrows the contestants down to 20 and the performance rounds and weekly eliminations begin. This season has upped the unpredictability factor in the form of new and potentially wayward, wacky judge Steven Tyler. When MTV News caught up with the reality show's returning executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, we asked if he was worried about having to censor the Aerosmith frontman.
"Oh yes, [I have] every worry about that," Lythgoe readily admitted about Tyler's sometimes-potty mouth. "But we're on a delay, and he's already done it. And then he forgets that he's not allowed to say it, so he'll say, 'F---! Did I say f---? Oh f---. Sorry mate.' " Lythgoe — who also appears as a judge on Fox's other reality talent show, "So You Think You Can Dance"— has said that a large part of Tyler's appeal is not being able to predict what he'll say or do. "He has come through that whole rock and roll circus," said Lythgoe of Tyler, whom he also hopes will perform on the show, along with judges Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson, at some point. "Why wouldn't you want a legend there? You never know what he's going to say. That, as a TV producer, you're interested in." As for 62-year-old rock icon Tyler, he seemed genuinely excited about the entire process but with one concern as the show prepares for its season 10 kickoff. "The part that's a little difficult is judging young kids," he said this week. "It took me a couple minutes to get into the role of that, but I've grown accustomed to it and it's fun and I get to sit next to J.Lo and Randy taking [the] you-know-what out of everybody." Don't miss our "American Idol" live stream "Judging the Judges: An 'Idol' Without Simon," featuring post-show analysis from Jim Cantiello and special guests, on MTV.com tonight at 10 p.m. ET. Tweet your "Idol" commentary with the hashtag #idolwithoutsimon and we could quote you on the show! Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga Previews <i>Born This Way</i> Track Posted: 19 Jan 2011 01:13 AM PST Remix of the song closes Thierry Mugler fashion week show in Paris.
As promised, Lady Gaga previewed a new song during the Thierry Mugler Paris Men's Fashion Week show. Gaga remixed a Born This Way track especially for the show, for which she acted as musical director. Possible Haus of Gaga member Jay tweeted a link to a YouTube video of the song playing during the models' final walk. "Watch this and f---ing dance," Jay tweeted. Reflecting the collection, the song is pulsating and dark. Although the audio is muffled, over a throbbing beat, Gaga's voice is heard repeating a phrase in German, which YouTube users translated as: "I'm absolutely clear/ As long as I'm a monster/ I wish we all could be blind/ It would be easier out there." Gaga was reportedly not at the show. A short film featuring the remixed track, shot by Mariano Vivanco, will appear on Mugler.com and AOL at noon on Thursday (January 19). Prior to the show's kickoff, Gaga expressed her excitement about the collaboration. She wrote, "MUGLER PARIS SHOW begins in 2 hours. I am so excited my fashion bones are rattling. The garments + music are poetic intoxication." Mugler is helmed by Gaga's stylist, Nicola Formichetti. In an interview prior to the show, Formichetti described how the song fits with his collection for the legendary fashion house. "It's very, very hard, but pop at the same time. It's really amazing," he said about the track. "When I heard it, I said, 'That's Mugler.' She's remixing it especially for the show." Of working with his longtime pal Gaga, he added, "It's me and her just having fun and getting very inspired from the idea of Mugler. She's very much involved, more in the early stages. "I want people to think, 'OK, there's something new happening.' I want people to get excited again, not only fashion people," he added about his work on the brand. "I'm not here to recreate what [Mugler] did. It was perfect for the time. I'm going to do something for today and the future." This isn't the first time Gaga presented new music at a fashion show. She premiered "Bad Romance" in 2009 at the Alexander McQueen show. Do you like what you've heard of Gaga's new track? Sound off in the comments! Related Artists |
| Avril Lavigne 'Really Excited To Be Back' With 'What The Hell' Posted: 19 Jan 2011 06:03 AM PST Song's 3-D video will premiere Sunday.
Avril Lavigne is as bratty as ever on her new single, the catchy, almost bubbly "What the Hell." The lead single off Lavigne's upcoming release, Goodbye Lullaby, due March 8, has not only been burning up the iTunes charts, but it's also gotten some Twitter love from Kanye West and Kim Kardashian.
"I'm just really excited to be back," the former teen star told MTV News. "It's been a few years, and I'm excited to see that 'What the Hell' [is] doing good so far on iTunes and [with] the fans. The response has been really great, so I'm happy." The song also just had an impressive debut on the Billboard charts, landing at #6 on the Digital Songs chart, beating Kanye West and Jay-Z's new song, "H.A.M." This Sunday, fans will finally get the chance to see the clip for the video when it debuts on ABC Family. "The music video for 'What the Hell': It's kind of a guy chasing me around, and I hop into a random cab, and he's chasing me," Lavigne explained. "And I go through a clothing store and he chases me, but at the end of the video, it's really just me having a bunch of fun with him, and he's my boyfriend, so I like him in the end." The video is special because it was shot in 3-D. "The music video's in 3-D, and my favorite part of the video is the rock-out scene at the end where I jump onstage and I'm with my band," she said. "When we shot it and I got to watch it back in 3-D with the glasses and actually you can see the crowd's hands and it felt like you were live in a crowd, so it was kind of cool." Are you a fan of "What the Hell"? Give us your review in the comments below! Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Must Find A Michael Jackson Or Madonna, Randy Jackson Says Posted: 19 Jan 2011 12:56 AM PST 'I hope that we find that quintessential star,' judge tells MTV News.
Even the most die-hard of "American Idol" cheerleaders would surely have to admit that the hit reality show experienced a downturn last season. Above and beyond the steady drop-off in viewership, the competition suffered from a lack of compelling talent. Season 10, which debuts Wednesday night (January 19), is seeking to remedy that deficiency, introducing multiple rule and format changes. Expectations are high among fans and "Idol" insiders. But perhaps the person with the highest expectations of all is Randy Jackson. The veteran judge is looking to find a once-in-a-generation artist who will fundamentally alter the pop-culture landscape.
"I hope that 'Idol' finds a killer vocalist that helps to change music completely," Jackson told MTV News in a recent interview. "Michael Jackson and Prince just slaughtered the business. Elvis slaughtered the business. I can't remember a time when someone was that important in the history of the game of music." OK, so expectations are not merely high, but possibly out of this world. Randy went on to mention a few other acts — Madonna, Coldplay, U2, Jay-Z, Biggie and Tupac — who also have had a transformative effect on artistry and culture. Even the biggest winners in "Idol" history, like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, cannot lay claim to such comprehensive influence. Yet it seems that it's a Madonna or an MJ that Randy is hoping to find, rather than a Clarkson or an Underwood. "No one has come in and changed the game, meaning that as soon as they showed up ... everyone was dressing, acting and wanted to be them, full stop," he explained. "I hope that we find that quintessential star." Ultimately, though, whatever a singer's vocal talent level truly is, success comes down to the quality of an artist's material. "You can be the best singer in the world, and if you don't have that great song, guess what? They're not going to buy it," Jackson explained. "It's like having bad salt at the table. If it's not good, people just won't use it." Don't miss our "American Idol" live stream "Judging the Judges: An 'Idol' Without Simon," featuring post-show analysis from Jim Cantiello and special guests, on MTV.com tonight at 10 p.m. ET. Tweet your "Idol" commentary with the hashtag #idolwithoutsimon, and we could quote you on the show! Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Anne Hathaway Will 'Go There' As Catwoman In 'Dark Knight Rises' Posted: 19 Jan 2011 03:50 AM PST 'Hathaway has longevity, a steady career arc and growth in appearing in big films,' a studio source tells MTV News of her casting.
Given the overwhelming, worldwide success of "Batman Begins" and, even more so, "The Dark Knight," any time there's news about Christopher Nolan's third Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises," it make headlines. Case in point: Wednesday's (January 19) big announcement from Warner Bros. about the casting of Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle (a.k.a. Catwoman) and the unveiling of Tom Hardy's role as the formidable, villainous Bane. Regarding Hathaway's casting, who has been linked to the film via various rumors that started last November, a source at Warner Bros. told MTV News that the "Love & Other Drugs" star is a great choice to play the femme fatale. Click for photos of Anne Hathaway's good-girl-gone-bad moments. "She definitely has the [acting] chops," the studio source said. "She can 'go there' with this role. Obviously, Chris [Nolan] sees something in her that's fantastic that we haven't seen or have seen ... plus Hathaway has longevity, a steady career arc and growth in appearing in big films." Hathaway is, after all, an Oscar-nominated actress (in 2009, for her performance in "Rachel Getting Married"). She first captured the hearts of young girls everywhere in Disney films like "The Princess Diaries" and "Ella Enchanted," which showcased both a feminine vulnerability and modern, sassy takes on the traditional "princess" stereotype. From there, Hathaway's highlights include a supporting role in "Brokeback Mountain"; the action/comedy "Get Smart," where we saw her more mature, sexy side as Agent 99, the perfect foil to Steve Carell's bumbling Maxwell Smart; a starring role in "The Devil Wears Prada," opposite Meryl Streep; and her darker, subversive and ultimately award-worthy performance in "Rachel." So, in looking at Hathaway's résumé, particularly her film choices over the past few years, she looks to be prepared for this next great leap into Nolan's darker, edgier Gotham City — no matter whether Nolan chooses to make his Selina Kyle more villainous or more love interest. Check out everything we've got on "The Dark Knight Rises." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Related Photos |
| Lady Gaga Gets 'Bigger And Bigger' On <i>Born This Way,</i> RedOne Says Posted: 18 Jan 2011 11:37 PM PST 'She's growing all the time, from the day I met her,' producer tells MTV News.
It's only a matter of weeks until Lady Gaga releases the first single from her highly anticipated album Born This Way, due in May. Producer RedOne recently chatted with MTV News about their latest collaboration, saying it shows the next step in the evolution of the girl formerly known as Stefani Germanotta.
"She's growing all the time, from the day I met her," RedOne said. "Of course, she's an encyclopedia of music. She listened to all the Bruce Springsteens, all the legends, and she has music in her. But on her personal level, she's always growing and growing and growing and becoming bigger and bigger, and her vision's the same thing. She just needed this platform to put all her ideas and learning from what she's been doing [into one place], and she's doing her thing." With work on the album close to complete, this is a very exciting time for Gaga and him. "It feels exciting. It feels very exciting," he said with a smile on his face. "It's really exciting, and I hope the world is going to enjoy this as much as we do." RedOne also dished about the album's forthcoming single. "It's so beautiful, and Gaga is very special to all of us — to the world," he said. "Honestly, the only thing we do is we get into the studio and suddenly magic happens. We never overthink, or we just do what we do. That's how it all started. With 'Just Dance,' we did it in one hour. There was no overthinking. Even though I remember when we did 'Poker Face,' people said musically it brought something new to the music and you won't be able to top it, we went into the studio and we did 'Bad Romance' on a bus. "That explains how we do it, so I can't tell you anything about what's coming, but that's what we do. We just get in and do music we love and feel it, and thank God it comes out good." What are you expecting from Gaga's new music? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Jennifer Lopez's 'American Idol' Past: A Look Back Posted: 19 Jan 2011 03:50 AM PST J.Lo first surfaced on season six as a mentor, drawing on her dance roots to motivate 'Idol' wannabes.
When Jennifer Lopez appeared on "American Idol" in 2007 and pronounced her love for the infamous Sanjaya Malakar, who could have predicted that the diva-turned-guest mentor would one day return to the reality competition? But return she has, this time as a judge. As we prepare for her debut Wednesday night (January 19), alongside Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler, we're taking a look back at J.Lo's season-six "Idol" appearance, looking for clues as to how she'll handle the tricky task of being both entertaining and instructive in the course of a seconds-long sound bite.
Lopez stepped into "Idol" world for Latin night, when there were eight contestants still vying for the crown. What shines through most during her rehearsals with the singers is her desire to be supportive. When Haley Scarnato struggled to inject some passion into her performance, Lopez invited beat-boxing impresario Blake Lewis into the room to provide some energy. And instead of slamming Phil Stacey for butchering Santana's "Maria Maria," she urged him to imagine singing to someone as a way to connect with the emotional core of the tune. "The songs have to mean something," Lopez explained. "They have to come from somewhere. Otherwise you just leave people feeling vacant." That's a key insight, even if it's a bit obvious, and it'll bear repeating again and again as the new contestants move onto increasingly bigger stages as the competition progresses. But it's not just compassion and assistance with vocals that Lopez provided to the season-six crew. She also drew on her years as a dancer to help with the contestants' theatricality. "Ride the rhythm," she told LaKisha Jones as the two shimmied side by side. J.Lo also hoped that eventual winner Jordin Sparks would infuse her performances with more hip-shaking mojo, saying, "Let the rhythm in her body just move her a little bit." Mentoring contestants for one day, of course, is a very different task than judging them for an entire season. It remains to be seen if Lopez will channel her '07 performance during the new season, or whether she'll seek to stake out new territory or fill in perceived personality gaps left by the departures of Simon Cowell, Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi. What is clear is that even before she became an official "Idol" employee, she understood what separates the also-rans and wannabes from the singers who make it to the very end. "When [viewers] watch you guys every night, they're like, 'Who's going to give me goose bumps?,' " she told the final eight. "It doesn't necessarily mean the one who hits the highest note. It's the one who makes them feel good." How do you think J.Lo will do on "Idol"? Tell us in the comments! Don't miss our "American Idol" live stream "Judging the Judges: An 'Idol' Without Simon," featuring post-show analysis from Jim Cantiello and special guests, on MTV.com tonight at 10 p.m. ET. Tweet your "Idol" commentary with the hashtag #idolwithoutsimon and we could quote you on the show! Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos Related Artists |
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