Up All Night

For Immediate Release: Cyndi Lauper

2011-03-21T17:01:00.001-04:00

Cyndi Lauper Stays in Japan to Raise Funds, Lift Spirits for Earthquake Relief

TOKYO — U.S. pop icon Cyndi Lauper is on the front lines of disaster relief for Japan. The "True Colors" star is currently in the country offering aid by raising money and lifting spirits through concerts and charity events in Japan.

The singer was in the country touring for her Grammy-nominated album Memphis Blues when an 8.9-magnitude earthquake and tsunami struck the island March 11, followed by the threat of nuclear crisis. Though recommended to leave, Cyndi and her band didn't feel they were in imminent danger so they elected to stay and offer support the best way they could: through the healing power of their music.

By continuing the tour Cyndi wanted to personally offer her fans 90 minutes of distraction and a chance to unite and transcend the national tragedy through music. She is doing radio and TV charity events at each concert, collecting cash at the shows and donating all her Memphis Blues royalties earned in Japan to the Japanese Red Cross. In addition she recorded a ringtone to sell in Japan through Kyodo, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to help victims of the natural disaster.

Of course, Cyndi is no stranger to humanitarian aid. She co-founded the True Colors Fund and its related tour and "Give a Damn" Campaign to advance lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality and to end LGBT youth homelessness. And as a spokesperson for MAC Viva Glam lipstick and lipglass, she has helped raise millions of dollars to help women, men and children affected by HIV/AIDS.

The Memphis Blues tour continues this summer in Europe.

Jessie And The Toy Boys "Push It"

2011-03-14T20:18:00.002-04:00

Taken from "PUSH IT" EP available on Itunes

Jessie Malakouti is ready to push some buttons.

Upon introduction, her disarming smile and runway-ready blonde beauty might inspire you to quickly peg her as the latest addition to pop music's growing army of disco dolls. But you would be wrong. Jessie is far more than merely meets the eye. As the voice and creative mastermind behind Jessie and the Toy Boys, she reveals herself to be a clever, driven young woman on a mission.

"I don't mind that people approach me with one attitude and leave with another," Jessie says. "I like having the power to play with stereotypes... and then shatter them. It's fun and gratifying."

First and foremost, Jessie smashes preconceived notions by being the primary architect of her band's sound. This girl can write. Every note of every song is the result of a self-imposed musical boot-camp that saw the artist immerse -- and isolate -- herself in the European club underground.

"I'd been in a band that left me feeling like I needed to break out of my comfort zone and gather new perspective and experience," she says. "So, I went to the U.K., which is where a lot of important and trend-setting music is made. I went alone. I needed to live by my musical wits and instincts for a while, and see where it took me."

It was a brave move that tested Jessie's determination. "I won't deny that those first few days were difficult," she recalls. "It's challenging to be that far from the places and people who feel familiar and safe. I even contemplated giving up and going home at one point. But that feeling didn't last very long. The intention behind going abroad was to grow, and to learn more about who I am as a person and as an artist. You can't achieve that without a little pain, so I toughed it out."

The result of Jessie's determination is a sound that brings listeners to the next sonic dimension of electronic-rooted pop music. The first single, "Push It" (featuring a playful rap interlude by Yelawolf), combines an urgent club bassline with vibrant, sixties-spiked girl-group colors. Jessie's vocal, by turns, has sex-kitten and brash, rock-diva qualities.

"A great song, to me, is one that sticks to your brain long after you've heard it for the first time," Jessie says. "What I'm trying to accomplish is music that is catchy, but smart. Part of that is combining elements of different genres in ways that you might not imagine working together at first."

Jessie deftly succeeds in her creative mission with songs like the new-wave-spiced "Valentine" and the introspective, retro-soul-infused "Long Way From Home." It is during these songs, in particular, that Jessie most effectively proves herself as a vessel for widely varied concepts, while also indicating a remarkable talent for genre interpretation.

It's been an intriguing journey up to this point for Jessie Malakouti. This enigmatic bombshell admits to starting her own rock band just to piss off her parents and then promptly left home at 16. Growing up in rough patches around Southern California's Inland Empire added a dark tinge to her savvy pop outlook.

Going from friends' sofas to audition to odd job and back again, Jessie would live off various paid acting/dance gigs as well as teaching at the local dance studio. She earned her stripes by fronting her rock band Shut Up Stella hitting the sweaty LA club scene and building a West Coast fan base.

Then things started to change. "I just wasn't in the same head space anymore," says Jessie, "they wanted to carry on making angry music and I was writing happy pop songs."

From there, Jessie began to believe that she could navigate her own creative ship. "When you have a vision for yourself, you have to take risks," she says. "I'm completely comfortable with that, because I decided a while ago that I was going to live or die by my own sword. I'd rather people love me or hate me, nothing in between, thanks."

Given what Jessie Malakouti has beneath the surface, there's little chance that her future is anything but bright. If there's a boundary, Jessie is going to push it.

www.jessieandthetoyboys.com

Ellie Goulding "Lights"

2011-03-04T21:41:00.002-05:00

Click to launch "Ellie Goulding Live at the CherryTree House"
http://www.cherrytreerecords.com/CherrytreeHouse

Ellie Goulding "Lights" (CherryTree/Interscope) available March 8th

Having already conquered her native Britain with the biggest and fastest selling debut album of 2010, Lights-- premiering at No. 1 on the U.K. album chart, four hit singles she co-wrote, and a BRIT award -- singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding is ready to make a similar splash in America with her sparkling electro-folk-pop sound. Lights is, as the New York Times put it, "a happy car crash of signifiers: part electro-pop, part soul, part blues, part indie rock, part folk" that mixes heartfelt emotion with other-worldly atmospherics. Anchoring her songs with acoustic guitar, Goulding and her producer, Starsmith, spin cool electronica into dreamy warmth on "Starry Eyed," "Guns and Horses," "The Writer," and "Under the Sheets."

"I'm not afraid of pop or electronic music," Goulding says of the euphoric, dance-till-you-drop vibe of Lights, "but I also wanted the album to embrace my love for folk music, not just by my playing guitar on it, but by writing about things that have truly affected me. I wear my heart on my sleeve and am aware of how I'm feeling all the time, so it's impossible for me to write words that are contrived or meaningless."

Goulding's lyrics are refreshingly direct as she chronicles the highs and lows of love in her airy, gossamer voice. "Under The Sheets" addresses sleeping around, while "Animal" revels in the feverish state of falling in love. "The Writer" cops to her being paralyzed with obsession over a lover. "I've gotten so many messages from girls who can relate to 'The Writer,'" Goulding says. "I think anyone can get to the point where they love someone so much that they just start doing ridiculous things, like smoking or drinking, or dressing differently, I know I've done it." "Guns and Horses" is about falling in love with someone who doesn't really know how to love and wanting to take their pain away. The album takes its title from the song "Lights," which is about Goulding's fear of the dark. "Having a light on always makes me feel safe," she says. "It gives me strength, which is why I named the album after that song."

Then there's the first U.S. single "Starry Eyed," which Goulding describes as "one of those rare songs that isn't melancholy and is actually a bit happier. I kind of throw everything to the wind and say, 'Who cares about emotions? Let's just have fun,'" she says with a laugh. "I love sad songs, but I also appreciate feel-good songs."

A self-taught singer and guitarist, Ellie was raised with her three siblings in Hereford, a cathedral city about 16 miles east of the Welsh border. After her parents divorced when she was five, Goulding moved to the tiny rural village of Lyonshall with her mother and her mother's new boyfriend, a lorry driver. "I basically went from living in the city to suddenly living in the countryside," she says. "At first I hated it, but I slowly grew to love it and became completely fascinated by being surrounded by all this wide open space – it still colors everything I do to this day."

Money was scarce, so Ellie shared a bedroom with her two sisters. "It wasn't easy, plus there was the added stress of my dad leaving, but I got along okay," she says. Her first memory of becoming interested in music is wanting to sing the loudest in her school's assemblies. "I was pretty quiet, but I really loved to sing and would use my voice at any opportunity," she says. "We couldn't afford lessons, so I learned by copying other singers, like Lauryn Hill, Beyonce, and Celine Dion; I loved singers whose voices were really powerful." Being a performer, however, didn't seem like a real possibility. "It didn't feel like something that could ever really happen, coming from my background," she says. At 15, obsessed with bands like Deftones, Pearl Jam, and Rage Against the Machine, Goulding taught herself to play guitar. "The minute I could master actually strumming and singing at the same time was when I started writing proper songs," she says. In her teens, Goulding sang one of her own compositions for a family friend, who encouraged her to listen to folk music. She soon became inspired by such artists as Alison Krauss, Fleet Foxes, Joni Mitchell, and Sufjan Stevens.

It was while studying Politics, English, and Drama at the University Kent in Canterbury, where Goulding first found the confidence to perform onstage after winning a university talent competition. Gigs in London followed and soon Goulding was looking for a producer to help her flesh out her songwriting ideas. She discovered Vincent Frank, a British electro-pop musician and producer who goes by the name Frankmusik, and got in touch with him via MySpace. "He listened to my demos and really loved them, so we started working together and writing more songs," she says. "I began getting more gigs and that's when I realized I wanted to drop out of university to focus on music."

Goulding moved to London and locked herself in her room with a guitar. Songs like "The Writer," "Starry Eyed," "Salt Skin," "This Love," and "Your Biggest Mistake," came pouring out. After a friend sent a link to a MySpace page for Fin Dow-Smith, a remixer, composer, and musician who works under the moniker Starsmith, Goulding sent him a demo she'd done, which resulted in a fruitful working relationship that continues to this day.

"Fin understood that it was pop, but a bit more emotional," Goulding says of Starsmith, who's known for his remixes of tracks by Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Passion Pit, among others. "I liked that he was this really cool DJ with really fresh sounds, but wasn't afraid of pop music. Working with him was when I started to have faith in my writing and thinking something could actually come of giving music a go."

The two began making tracks an album in the summer of 2009, demos of which caught the attention of the major labels in the U.K. Goulding signed with Polydor Records and released her first single "Under the Sheets," which she later performed, along with "Guns and Horses," on Later…With Jools Holland, a star-making appearance that won her the attention of both critics and fans. In early 2010, it was announced the Goulding had topped the "BBC Sound of 2010" poll, which surveys critics and broadcasters for their top choices for rising stars in the coming year. She also won the Critics' Choice Award at the 2010 BRIT Awards (previously won by Adele and Florence & the Machine). In February, "Starry Eyed" was released as a single (climbing to No. 4 on the U.K. Singles chart), followed by the March release of Lights, which shot straight to the top of the U.K. Albums chart.

"I found out that the album was No. 1 while driving through the countryside on my way home from a gig up north," she says. "I was very emotional and, quietly, very proud. I felt like this was just the beginning." And it was. More hit singles followed, "The Writer" and a cover of Elton John's "Your Song," which climbed to No. 2 after being featured in a Christmas commercial for British retailer John Lewis. Goulding hit the road and sold out three headlining tours in the U.K., and performed at numerous music festivals, including Glastonbury, V Festival, and T in the Park, earning rave reviews for her joyful, no-holds barred live shows.

Nominated for two 2011 BRIT Awards (for "British Female Solo Artist" and "British Breakthrough Act"), Goulding is gearing up for the Stateside release of Lights. "I'm really excited to come to America and visit new places and see new countryside," she says. "I feel ready to introduce my music and see what people think of it there. I'm hoping they'll like it and be inspired, the way I was when I first heard certain artists. I want to create that excitement you get when you've discovered something special and feel happy to have ever come across it in the first place."

ELLIE GOULDING ON THE ROAD

3/16 Austin, TX SXSW
3/17 Austin, TX SXSW
3/18 Austin, TX SXSW
3/19 Austin, TX SXSW
3/22 Washington,DC Rock And Roll Hotel
3/23 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
3/24 New York, NY Webster Hall
3/25 Philadelphia, PA World Café Live Downstairs
3/27 Toronto, CAN Phoenix theatre
3/30 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
3/31 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Café
4/2 Boulder, CO Fox Theater
4/3 Salt Lake City, UT Avalon Theatre
4/10 Vancouver, CAN Venue
4/11 Seattle, WA Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room
4/13 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
4/14 San Francisco, CA Rickshaw Stop (Popscene)
4/16 San Diego, CA Casbah
4/17 Indio, CA COACHELLA
4/20 Los Angeles, CA The Music Box

Jennifer Lopez "On The Floor" video

2011-03-04T21:31:00.001-05:00

Lady Gaga "Born This Way" New Video

2011-03-04T21:24:00.001-05:00

Ellie Goulding

2011-02-25T16:08:00.003-05:00

* Starry Eyed (Live From Soho House Los Angeles) :
http://www.vevo.com/watch/ellie-goulding/starry-eyed-live-from-soho-house-los-angeles/GBUV71100081

CHERRYTREE/ INTERSCOPE ARTIST ELLIE GOULDING ANNOUNCES US TOUR DATES
IN SUPPORT OF STATESIDE DEBUT LIGHTS OUT MARCH 8TH
US INVASION COMMENCES AT SXSW

UK singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding announced today that she will tour in support of her stateside debut, LIGHTS out March 8th on Cherrytree/ Interscope Records. The tour will commence with performances at SXSW and wrap at Coachella in Indio,CA.

Currently nominated for two 2011 BRIT Awards (for "British Female Solo Artist" and "British Breakthrough Act"), Goulding is gearing up for the Stateside release of Lights. "I'm really excited to come to America and visit new places and see new countryside," she says. "I feel ready to introduce my music and see what people think of it there. I'm hoping they'll like it and be inspired, the way I was when I first heard certain artists. I want to create that excitement you get when you've discovered something special and feel happy to have ever come across it in the first place."

Having already conquered her native Britain with the best selling debut album of 2010, Lights -- premiering at No. 1 on the U.K. album chart, four hit singles she co-wrote, and a BRIT award -- singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding is ready to make a similar splash in America with her sparkling electro-folk-pop sound. This past December "Your Song" hit #2 on the charts and #1 on the iTunes Chart and the video has received over 7 million views. The focus track, "Starry Eyed" has already received over 13 million views on YouTube.

This past September, Ellie made her maiden voyage to the US in support of her EP, AN INTRODUCTION TO ELLIE GOULDING. She performed in New York and Los Angeles to rave reviews. The New Yorker called Ellie "the future of music" and the Los Angeles Times raved, "She can reel off some powerful drum and guitar chops and her voice is a serious and sure instrument in person."

www.elliegoulding.com / www.myspace.com/elliegoulding / www.cherrytreerecords.com

*********************************
ELLIE GOULDING ON THE ROAD

3/16 Austin, TX SXSW
3/17 Austin, TX SXSW
3/18 Austin, TX SXSW
3/19 Austin, TX SXSW
3/22 Washington,DC Rock And Roll Hotel
3/23 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
3/24 New York, NY Webster Hall
3/25 Philadelphia, PA World Café Live Downstairs
3/27 Toronto, CAN Phoenix theatre
3/30 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
3/31 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Café
4/2 Boulder, CO Fox Theater
4/3 Salt Lake City, UT Avalon Theatre
4/10 Vancouver, CAN Venue
4/11 Seattle, WA Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room
4/13 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
4/14 San Francisco, CA Rickshaw Stop (Popscene)
4/16 San Diego, CA Casbah
4/17 Indio, CA COACHELLA

March 2011

JENNIFER LOPEZ "AMERICAN IDOL" FANS GIVEN EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE THE ENDING OF THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR JENNIFER LOPEZ'S NEW SINGLE "ON THE FLOOR"

2011-02-25T15:04:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"AMERICAN IDOL" FANS GIVEN EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY

TO CHOOSE THE ENDING OF THE MUSIC VIDEO

FOR JENNIFER LOPEZ'S NEW SINGLE "ON THE FLOOR"

Fans Should Visit americanidol.com/jennifer_lopez/ to Cast Their Votes

Ford to Sponsor World Premiere of Video

During AMERICAN IDOL Thursday, March 3, on FOX

Grammy Award-winning superstar and AMERICAN IDOL judge Jennifer Lopez is partnering with americanidol.com to offer fans the amazing opportunity to choose the ending of the music video for her new Island Def Jam hit single, "On The Floor."

Now through 12:00 PM (Noon) ET on Thursday, March 3, IDOL fans can log on to americanidol.com/jennifer_lopez/ to view different possible endings to the video and vote for their favorite. The world premiere of the full video – with the winning ending – is made possible by Ford and will air during AMERICAN IDOL Thursday, March 3 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.

International icon Jennifer Lopez is an actress, entertainer, recording artist, film & TV producer, fashion designer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Lopez has sold over 55 million records worldwide and has starred in multiple No. 1 box office films, including "The Wedding Planner" and "Monster-In-Law."

This is a milestone year in her lustrous career. Lopez serves as a judge on AMERICAN IDOL, the juggernaut TV series now in its 10th season. She has launched worldwide campaigns as the ambassador of L'Oreal and Venus Gillette, and she has been named the spokeswoman of the Boys & Girls Club of America. It was Lopez who set the standard for celebrity branding in fragrance, apparel and accessories, and she will launch an exclusive collection with Kohl's, the first ever for the retailer. In addition, her recent fragrance, Love and Glamour, has marked 17 successful launches and has taken in over $1 billion combined.

In 2001, "The Wedding Planner" was the nation's top-grossing film while her album, "JLO," was No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart. The two simultaneous honors made Lopez the first woman in history to have a No. 1 movie and album in the same week. Lopez made her feature debut in the highly acclaimed feature "Mi Familia," which garnered her an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her role as young mother "Maria Sanchez." Lopez earned widespread acclaim for her work in the title role of "Selena," which brought her a Golden Globe Award nomination. The National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino advocacy group in the nation, named her Entertainer of the Year at the American Latino Media Arts (ALMA) Awards.

Lopez's production company, Nuyorican, is in development on several film and TV productions that includes a partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Film. She founded The Maribel Foundation along with her sister, Lynda, with a mission dedicated to improving the health and well-being of women and children and raising the level of medical care available to them. The foundation is currently working with Children's Hospital Los Angeles on a telemedicine program that will help underserved communities by providing technology and top-notch doctor resources. The first telemedicine center opened in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 2010.
www.jenniferlopez.com

Oh Land

2011-02-24T15:14:00.003-05:00

THE "ARTIST TO WATCH" FOR 2011;

SELF-TITLED ALBUM TO BE RELEASED MARCH 15TH

MAJOR SLATE OF TV PERFORMANCES SCHEDULED, INCLUDING LETTERMAN, CARSON, KIMMEL AND THE LOGO AWARDS

OH LAND KICKS OFF NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
MARCH 5TH WITH OMD

(New York, NY) – Heralded by critics as the "Artist to Watch in 2011," Epic Records recording artist Oh Land will release her self-titled debut album March 15th. Oh Land has unveiled a jam-packed schedule leading up to the release including national television appearances, a string of SXSW dates and a much-anticipated first-ever North American tour with OMD kicking off on March 5th.

Oh Land is without question one of the most talked about new artist for 2011, landing on many critics' must-listen lists in advance of her highly anticipated debut album. The eleven song album is a mix of lavish loops and layered vocals that pound through on songs like the album's first single "Sun of a Gun." The jungle drumming electro-pop of songs like "White Nights" evokes a quest to find peace and a sense of home in the chaos of a city that never sleeps. The speaker-panning samples and honeyed hooks of Dan Carey (The Kills, Franz Ferdinand, Hot Chip) and Dave McCracken (Depeche Mode, Beyoncé, AFI) along with Oh Land have created an album of rich harmonies, beautiful symphonic arrangements over the enchanting voice of Oh Land.

"This album is all of my secrets, wishes, dreams and fears," explains Oh Land. "I tell stories from my life wrapped in fairytales and fables all happening in the dreamy landscapes of a world I call Oh Land. I hope people will find an escape in the music and let their thoughts and dreams run wild, just for a moment."

A series of television appearances have been scheduled, kicking off with her debut performance on the CBS "Late Show with David Letterman," on March 2nd followed by NBC's "Last Call with Carson Daly" with more to be announced soon. Oh Land is also set to take the stage at Logo's Network's "NewNowNext Awards" 2011 where she is nominated for "Brink of Fame: Music Artist."

March will mark Oh Land's triumphant return to SXSW week in Austin, Texas (where she was discovered in 2009) with over 10 performances including Fader Fort, Billboard Showcase and Perez Hilton Showcase.

In other news, VEVO selected Oh Land as part of their groundbreaking emerging-artist platform, LIFT, which produces exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, video premieres and intimate live concerts over the course of 8 weeks delivering over 150 million impressions to Oh Land videos on YouTube. In addition, Oh Land won "MTVU's Freshmen Five" artist contest charging her debut music video for "Sun of a Gun" into rotation.

For additional news and information, please visit www.ohlandmusic.com.

Oh Land Album Track Listing
1 Perfection
2 Break the Chain
3 Sun of a Gun
4 Voodoo
5 Lean
6 Wolf & I
7 Human
8 White Nights
9 Helicopter
10 We Turn It Up
11 Rainbow

Oh Land with OMD Tour:
MARCH
5 Toronto Phoenix Concert Theater
6 Montreal Le National
7 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
8 New York, NY Terminal 5
10 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
11 Pontiac, MI Crofoot Ballroom
12 Chicago, IL Park West
14 Atlanta, GA The Loft
20 Dallas, TX Granada Theater
22 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater
23 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot
25 Los Angeles, CA Henry Fonda Theatre
26 San Francisco, CA Fox Theatre
27 San Diego, CA 4th and B

Click to launch the video for "Sun Of A Gun": http://www.vevo.com/watch/oh-land/sun-of-a-gun/USSM21001844

Jennifer Lopez "On The Floor" feat. Pitbull

2011-02-24T14:02:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For a preview of the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwE2lTVWzdI

JENNIFER LOPEZ TO WORLD PREMIERE THE VIDEO FOR NEW ISLAND DEF JAM SINGLE "ON THE FLOOR" DURING "AMERICAN IDOL" THURSDAY, MARCH 3, ON FOX
"ON THE FLOOR" DEBUTS ON TOP 40 CHARTSURGES TO #2 ON iTUNES

Platinum-selling recording artist and AMERICAN IDOL judge Jennifer Lopez will world premiere the music video for her new hit single, "On The Floor (featuring Pitbull)," during AMERICAN IDOL Thursday, March 3 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Video premieres online at leading music platform Vevo.

"On the Floor" marks JLO's first new studio release on the Island Def Jam Music Group. The RedOne – produced track debuts on the Top 40 chart at #38 and is locked in at more than 100 radio stations across the country. In just 24 hours, "On The Floor" has already surged to #2 on the US iTunes chart and has hit #1 in Spain, France, Sweden, Australia, Finland, Greece, Austria and Belgium!!!

International icon, Jennifer Lopez is an actress, entertainer, recording artist, film & TV producer, fashion designer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Lopez has sold over 55 million records worldwide and has starred in multiple # 1 box office films including The Wedding Planner and Monster-In-Law. 2011 is a milestone year in her lustrous career. The juggernaut TV series American Idol now in its 10th season has named her one of the celebrity judges. She has launched world-wide campaigns as the ambassador of L'Oreal and Venus Gillette. Lopez will launch an exclusive collection with Kohl's the first ever for the retailer and has been named the spokeswoman of the Boys & Girls Club of America. Lopez set the standard for celebrity branding in fragrance, apparel and accessories. Her recent fragrance, Love and Glamour marks 17 successful launches taking in over $1 billion combined.

In 2001, The Wedding Planner was the nation's top grossing film while her album, JLO, was #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart. The two simultaneous #1 honors made Lopez the first woman in history to have a #1 movie and album in the same week. Lopez made her feature debut in the highly acclaimed feature Mi Familia, which garnered her an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her role as the young mother 'Maria Sanchez.' Lopez has earned widespread acclaim for her work in the title role of "Selena", which brought her a Golden Globe nomination. The National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino advocacy group in the nation has named her 'Entertainer of the Year' at the American Latino Media Arts Awards (ALMA) for TV and film. Lopez's production company, Nuyorican, is in development on several film and TV productions that includes a partnership with 20th Century FOX and projects with ABC and TruTV. She founded The Maribel Foundation along with her sister, Lynda, with a mission dedicated to improving the health and well-being of women and children and raising the level of medical care available to them. The Foundation is currently working with Children's Hospital Los Angeles on a Telemedicine program that will help underserved communities by providing technology and top notch doctor resources. The first Telemedicine center opened in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2010.

www.jenniferlopez.com

EVA "Not My Daddy"

2011-02-23T12:03:00.005-05:00

Click to preview "Not My Daddy" by EVA: http://soundcloud.com/eva-15/sets/not-my-daddy

EVA

There are tons of potential rising stars every year in pop music. But, none more memorable than the dynamic and alluring, one-named Eva. She has already caught the eye of Snoop Dogg, Lupe Fiasco, and Scott Storch. Now, it's your turn to discover who Eva is: singer, dancer, and baby pop star.

With her long blond locks, bubbly personality and the all-American story, she proves that dreams still come true. "I just want to put me out there," says a passionate Eva. "I want people to be able to see me and my personality. I want people to like my music. I want people to put my music into their daily lives. That's my dream come true." The dream will soon be real.

Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, but raised in the Bay Area of California, Eva always wanted to be a star. Since her days as a little girl jamming out to Britney Spears, singing Christina Aguilera hits in her bedroom mirror and rocking to the tunes of nineties boy bands, the California girl had an unstoppable passion for dance music. Now, the up and coming pop songstress is on the verge of international super stardom. Like so many before her, Eva is climbing the ranks of fame, bound to be one of the hottest names in contemporary music.

Eva's sound allows you to escape into a dream world of beauty, rhythm and dance. With a musical combination of early Madonna and Britney Spears at her "Oops!...I Did It Again" peak, the tracks on the 2009 digital EP, In The Beginning, distributed by In Ya Face Records, is everything a pop album should be. There is no political agenda, she wants you to love life and have her music as your soundtrack. "I'm all about having fun," says Eva, 20. "I love dancing, I love performing. I'm all about feel good music. A good song that makes you want to have fun, want to dance!"

There is the Lady Gaga-type "Fashion Show," produced by Scott Storch, who is known for chart toppers with Justin Timberlake, Pink, Beyonce, and Britney Spears.

The catchy "Slow Down" showcases Eva with hip-hop heavyweight Lupe Fiasco. Produced by Pooh Bear, the head-nodding track, which has garnered over 500,000 plays on MySpace.com, warns listeners to slow down in life and love.

The infectious track, "Popular," is produced by Poli Paul and teams Eva with the legendary Snoop Dogg. The bass-heavy song is perfection for the clubs and an ode to the "popular" beauties from Hollywood to New York City who rule the dance floor. You need some musical chops to keep up with Snoop in the studio! "Snoop is a really nice guy; he's passionate and loves what he does. To say I have a song with him is always cool," says a humble Eva.

Although she sings about fashion, glam and popularity, ironically, Eva, who graduated from Los Gatos High School, was never one of the cool kids. "When I was in high school, I was never popular. I rocked to the beat of my own drum." This beat gave her the attention she craved, regardless if people understood her. "I liked having attention, I'll admit it. I liked to put it out there."

Eva is no standard pop-tart. Over the past few years, she has put her soul where the beat is, paying dues in the industry, managing to land gigs as the opening act for hip-hop icon Nas and Grammy-winner Alicia Keys. While Eva's sound is definitely pop, she transcends musical confines, adding a little hip-hop, R&B, funk and rock to her music. "I want anyone to be able to rock out to my music!" stresses Eva. "I definitely don't want to stick myself into one genre. Even though pop is where I personally feel the most comfortable, I like pushing myself, being challenged and creating music that is likable to everybody."

Through all of the emerging success Eva maintains a strong relationship with her family, which keeps her grounded and allows her to be a better artist. "I love my family very much," she explains. "They've been nothing more than extremely supportive and helpful through this whole process. I'm just so thankful for my parents. I'm really a humble person; it's all because of my family and the morals my parents have taught me."

Now, Eva is reloaded with new music, more passion and a grasp on her goal as an artist. This was her dream from the start and she is never letting go. "There has never been a moment where I've said, 'I'm going to be a star one day!' Ever since I was little and saw people like Britney Spears perform on stage, sing and have people look up to them—I've always wanted that. I'm so excited it's all happening and starting to come true."

For more information:
www.myspace.com/evamusiconline
www.facebook.com/evamusiconline
www.youtube.com/evamusic1
Twitter.com/evamusic

Lady Gaga "Born This Way"

2011-02-09T20:33:00.001-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LADY GAGA TO RELEASE HER NEW SINGLE "BORN THIS WAY" WORLDWIDE ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2011

Following her tweet Monday morning, "Can't wait any longer, single coming Friday," (twitter.com/ladygaga), it's announced today that "Born This Way," the first single and track from the upcoming album from Lady Gaga, the most influential music artist in the world today, will be released worldwide to radio at 6:00 a.m. EST on Friday, February 11th. It will then be available for purchase online at 9:00 a.m. EST the same day.

WHO: International multi-platinum pop icon Lady Gaga
WHAT: Release of the first single from her third album, "Born This Way"
WHEN: Friday, February 11th
WHERE: At radio worldwide at 6:00 a.m. EST and available for sale digitally at 9:00 a.m. EST

Neon Hitch

2011-02-09T19:17:00.005-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Check out the video for "Get Over U" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN8QCYsXhao&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Co-written by Sia with Neon and produced by Benny Blanco (Ke$ha, Katy Perry, Mike Posner, Britney Spears, Taio Cruz)

Taken from Neon Hitch's debut album, Beg, Borrow, and Steal out on Reprise Records later this year

NEON HITCH

Newly signed to Warner Bros. Records, British singer and songwriter Neon Hitch may not have begun recording her debut album yet, but she already has the perfect title all figured out. "I'm calling it Beg, Borrow, and Steal," she says, "because quite frankly, I have done everything to get where I am now. The stories I could tell you …" she trails off before adding: "I have a lot of emotion about the things I've been through, and I've channeled it into music, because that's my outlet for expressing myself."

The emotion is palpable in Hitch's soulful, jazz-inflected vocals, which are deployed to striking effect atop a rich, organic backdrop of eclectic pop melodies and hip-hop-tinged beats crafted by her executive producer Benny Blanco (Ke$ha, Katy Perry, Britney Spears). Along the way, songs like "Black and Blues," "More Than A Friend," "Piece of Shit," and "Black Sunshine" weave a captivating tale of a life hard-lived and a happiness hard-won.

Neon (her real name given to her by her lighting technician father) was born in London to hippy parents in May 1986. "The day I was born, our house burned down, so we were homeless as soon as my mum gave birth," Hitch says. Her parents broke up soon after and Hitch and her mother Irene set out to travel the world in a caravan. "We were gypsies," Hitch says. "I know that has a different connotation in the States than it does in Britain. We weren't thieves, we were traveling street performers." By the age of four, Hitch was performing with the alternative, theatrical circus Archaos, and training to be a trapeze artist, fire swinger, and stilt walker. Her sister Pema was born five years later, and Irene and her two daughters traveled from festival to festival around Europe earning a living from street performing and making and selling jewelry and clothing. At age 10, Hitch began writing poetry, which led to her writing lyrics.

Her family, which by now included two more siblings, lived in a bus that didn't have electricity, running water, central heating, or television, so Hitch had little knowledge of pop culture, but her father, who had worked and toured with David Bowie, Duran Duran, Sting, and Annie Lennox, brought her Madonna and Michael Jackson cassettes as gifts. "He said, 'These are the only two artists you need to know about,'" she recalls. Over the next few years, Hitch found herself alternating between traveling with friends all over Europe and living in squats in London. At 16, she followed a boyfriend to India where she spent two years looking after a group of street kids. "It was amazing, but I didn't feel fulfilled in life so I went back to London to try to pursue my singing career." She supported herself and Pema by rummaging for items they found in the trash and selling them at London's various outdoor markets. "I've done so many things to make money," Hitch says. "I used to push a shopping trolley up this huge hill to the market at 5 a.m. in the freezing rain. We'd just sell crap and make 10 pounds."

But Hitch never gave up on her dream. Her boyfriend at the time introduced her to his friend, pop singer Neneh Cherry ("Buffalo Stance"), whose husband, Cameron McVey, wound up managing Hitch and introducing her to various producers. After singing on several tracks for British dancehall/reggae label Greensleeves Records, Hitch signed to The Streets' Mike Skinner's indie label The Beats Recordings (a subsidiary of Atlantic's 679 Recordings) and went on tour with Skinner. She performed her first major show opening for rapper 50 Cent at England's Nottingham Arena before the label shut down in 2007. "Everything crumbled, but I didn't let it stop me," Hitch says. Shortly after, she received a MySpace message from Benny Blanco's manager James Johnson, of Pilot Creative, who encouraged her to fly out to New York to meet him, but Hitch was pretty much homeless and had no money. It was around this time that she bumped into an old friend, singer Amy Winehouse, whom she knew when their boyfriends were friends. Winehouse invited her to move in. "I love that girl like my own sister," Hitch says.

In 2008, James flew Hitch out to NYC for a meeting, signed on as her manager, and landed her a publishing deal with EMI. Hitch co-wrote "Stupid Love Letter," off the Friday Nights Boys' album Off The Deep End, and the hit single "Blah Blah Blah," off newly minted pop star Ke$ha's No. 1 album Animal. She has also worked with Miike Snow (appearing on Blanco's remix of "Burial"), Sky Ferreira, The Darkness, and Mike Posner. A song she wrote with 3OH!3, "Follow Me Down," will appear on the soundtrack to the new Tim Burton film adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. Last summer James and Blanco introduced Hitch to Warner Bros. Records' Senior Vice President of A&R and American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi who signed her to a recording deal.

"For the last two years, I've been trying to figure out my sound," Hitch says, "and I've decided to just be myself because my life up till now is enough to fill 10 albums' worth of songs." This year, Hitch will go into the studio with executive producer Blanco and a host of top-notch producers, including Greg Kurstin (Lily Allen, Kylie Minogue), Jimmy Harry (Pink, Kelly Clarkson), Toby Gad (Beyoncé, Fergie), Kevin Rudolf (Lil Wayne, Cobra Starship), Claude Kelly (Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears), Savan (Carrie Underwood, Allison Iraheta), and No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal (Pink, Gwen Stefani).

"I want to be the kind of artist that people feel like they can relate to," Hitch says. "Maybe my music will make them feel a bit less lonely. They may not be able to relate to my story, but they'll be able to relate to me as a person. The album is going to be me, inside and out, because I'm a very honest person. I've been through so many bad patches, but having the opportunity to do this makes it seem like it all happened for a reason. I want people to know that, yeah, times are tough, but you know what? There's a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm living proof."

http://www.neonhitch.net/

I Square "Hey Sexy Lady"

2011-02-09T19:17:00.004-05:00

FOR IMMEDAITE RELEASE

Click to launch the "Hey Sexy Lady" Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgU-zH-HC0Q

Get to Know i SQUARE, a New Dimension for Music

Hip hop, pop, R&B and electronica converge to form i SQUARE, whose debut single "Hey Sexy Lady" is the perfect party track, holding steady on the Billboard Dance/Club Play chart and showing the shape of pop music to come.

i SQUARE, comprised of Mike J, Destiny, Briddy and 10Beats, formed by chance in 2009 at Babyface's Brandon Way studios. The group had explosive chemistry right off the bat, and charmed Sean "Diddy" Combs - now an executive producer on their forthcoming debut album - with their first performance. Says Mike J, "Diddy is seriously like our big brother. We can call on him for anything, and we always go to him for advice. He gives us a perspective that is invaluable."

The i SQUARE philosophy starts with a distinct sound, and that sound can incorporate anything from the four distinct personalities that make up the group. Destiny, a space-age femme fatale with a larger-than-life style, explains, "'Hey Sexy Lady'" introduces the world to each of us. Mike J's a balladeer. 10Beats gets people hyped with super sexy rhymes. Briddy's amped all the time, and his energy is contagious. I do the ethereal singing. It's our duty not to half step. We're about to smash the stage."

Get a taste of what this boundary-bending group is all about at isquareonline.com, where fans can get all the latest updates from the band and see out the "Hey Sexy Lady" Skrillex Remix video, which cuts together clips from the original music video and behind-the-scenes footage from the shoot. The Skrillex track can be found on the Hey Sexy Lady Remixes EP, which features four other cuts by Afrojack, Laidback Luke, and more and is available now on iTunes.

###

"Hey Sexy Lady" Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgU-zH-HC0Q

"Hey Sexy Lady" (Skrillex Remix) Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU2hkDfE4tQ

"Hey Sexy Lady" iTunes Buy Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/hey-sexy-lady/id388659820?i=388659830

"Hey Sexy Lady" Remixes EP Buy Link: http://bit.ly/aWk4M9

Ellie Goulding "Lights"

2011-02-09T19:16:00.003-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Click to launch the new video for "Lights" taken from debut CD LIGHTS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NKUpo_xKyQ

CHERRYTREE/ INTERSCOPE TO RELEASE SPECIAL VERSION OF DEBUT CD

FROM UK AWARD WINNING ARTIST ELLIE GOULDING

LIGHTS OUT MARCH 8

Already a success in her native England, 24 year-old UK singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding will release a special US full length of LIGHTS March 8th on Cherrytree/ Interscope Records. The US version will include three songs ("Lights," "Animal," and "Your Song") not available on the original UK version.

Produced by Starsmith, Goulding's full length release LIGHTS shot to #1 on the UK chart in March 2010. This past December "Your Song" hit #2 on the charts and #1 on the iTunes Chart and the video has received over 6 million views. The focus track, "Starry Eyed" has already received over 12.5 million views on YouTube.

This past September, Ellie made her maiden voyage to the US in support of her EP, AN INTRODUCTION TO ELLIE GOULDING. She performed in New York and Los Angeles to rave reviews. The New Yorker called Ellie "the future of music" and the Los Angeles Times raved, "her set seemed to cement her pop bona fides." "She can reel off some powerful drum and guitar chops and her voice is a serious and sure instrument in person."

Ellie has received numerous accolades from her motherland in the form of The Critics Choice Award at the 2010 Brit Awards and topped the BBC sound of 2010 poll. Goulding's debut CD has garnered much critical praise. NME calls Lights, "never less than stunning…it marks the emergence of a smart, sincere and talented new pop star," and Q declares, "There is undeniable greatness afoot here."

Described as "electro-folk-acoustic-pop," Ellie's songs mix heartfelt emotion with other-worldly atmospherics, spinning electronica into dreamy warmth.

For more on Ellie Goulding, please visit:
www.elliegoulding.com /
www.myspace.com/elliegoulding /
www.cherrytreerecords.com

George Michael "Faith" Remastered Expanded Editions

2011-02-09T19:15:00.009-05:00

check out the sizzle reel: http://www.myplay.com/videos/george-michael/faith-2011-sizzle-reel

GEORGE MICHAEL, FAITH

REMASTERED EXPANDED EDITIONS AVAILBLE FEBRUARY 1, 2011
GEORGE MICHAEL's FAITH
THE ALBUM THAT MADE HIM AN ICON TO GENERATIONS
CELEBRATED WITH THREE COMMEMORATIVE PACKAGES

FAITH: DELUXE EDITION – Limited edition, numbered box set presented in black-and-gold-foiled slipcase, with:
• CD of remastered 10-song album
• CD of remastered 7-inch and 12-inch singles and B-sides
• 180-gram vinyl replica LP
• DVD with BBC interview, original EPK, and 7 promo videos (approx. 100 mins.)
• 60-page hardbound book with interview, rare photos and memorabilia
• Memorabilia envelope with 5 art prints, poster, tickets, and Faith tour pass
• First 2,000 orders receive a specially-designed, numbered art print
• AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY at GeorgeMichael.com;
pre-order now, ships January 31, 2011

FAITH: SPECIAL EDITION (includes two CDs and the DVD) and
FAITH: 2CD REMASTERED EDITION both released
February 1, 2011 through Epic/Legacy

WORLDWIDE BEST-SELLING, GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING ALBUM OF THE YEAR (1987) FEATURES 6 HIT SINGLES: "I WANT YOUR SEX," "FAITH," "FATHER FIGURE," "ONE MORE TRY," "MONKEY," "KISSING A FOOL"

Of the many events that truly define the evolution of global pop at the end of the 20th century, the release of George Michael's debut solo album, Faith, in November 1987, occupies a special place in music history. Spending 87 weeks on the Billboard 200 albums chart (including 12 weeks at #1 in 1988), a rare RIAA diamond certification (for U.S. sales in excess of 10 million units, the biggest selling album of 1988, by far), and the Grammy Award as Album Of The Year – are just the tip of the Faith iceberg.

Added to it are the album's six top-charted singles: "I Want Your Sex," "Faith," "Father Figure," "One More Try,""Monkey" and "Kissing A Fool.." Together, they maintained George Michael's presence on the Hot 100 for a cumulative 85+ weeks, from 1987 to 1989. Written, produced and arranged entirely by George, Faith was a singular achievement that placed him at a level of royal stardom in the '80s alongside Michael Jackson, Elton John, Paul McCartney and Madonna.

Three new packages pay tribute to this landmark album, beginning with FAITH: DELUXE EDITION. This numbered, limited edition box set can be pre-ordered now, exclusively at www.GeorgeMichael.com. The finished package ships January 31, 2011, released by Epic/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.

The richly-designed FAITH: DELUXE EDITION 12"x12" commemorative box set will contain several key components, starting with the remastered 10-song album on CD, another CD of remastered 7-inch and 12-inch singles and B-sides, and a 180-gram vinyl replica of the original LP. There will also be a DVD (running 100 minutes) featuring a BBC interview from 1987 with UK journalist Jonathan Ross; an EPK (electronic press kit) produced in 1988 by Epic Records; and all seven promotional videos (re-synched with the new remastered audio): "I Want Your Sex," "I Want Your Sex (uncensored)," "Faith," "Father Figure," "One More Try," "Monkey," and "Kissing A Fool."

FAITH: DELUXE EDITION is rounded out by a stunning 60-page hard-bound book which includes an exclusive interview with George by BBC Radio personality Mark Goodier, and an essay by Robbie Elson of Genesis Publications. The book also includes rare photos and memorabilia. A separate memorabilia envelope will contain five art prints, reproduction poster, tickets, and tour pass from the Faith tour.

Two additional Faith packages will also be released. FAITH: SPECIAL EDITION will feature the two CDs and the DVD, as described above. A standard remastered double-CD edition will also be released. Both of these editions will be available at all retail outlets starting February 1, 2011.

With his olive complexion and stubble-whiskered Olympian good looks (courtesy of his Greek heritage), the trademark crucifix earring, leather motorcycle jacket, and blue jeans – George Michael graduated from the duo known as Wham! to become an icon to tens of millions of fans around the world. Faith confirmed George's status as a songwriter of outstanding ability and emotional depth.

Faith not only earned diamond (i.e. 10x-platinum) certifications in the U.S. and Canada, but also hit 4x-platinum in his UK homeland, and 5x-platinum in Australia. Equally massive sales and chart figures were also achieved in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland – the list goes on and on. To date, over the course of his five studio albums and some 30-plus original single titles, George Michael has generated more than 200 million record sales.

In addition to the Grammy for Album Of The Year, Faith won three American Music Awards: Favorite Album (Soul/R&B), Favorite Male Vocalist (Soul/R&B) and Favorite Male Vocalist (Pop/Rock). "Father Figure" took home an MTV Award for Best Direction.

FAITH: DELUXE EDITION by GEORGE MICHAEL (12"x12" box set)
(Epic/Legacy 88697 62837 2)

CD One (remastered album) – Selections: 1. Faith • 2. Father Figure • 3. I Want Your Sex (Parts 1 & 2) • 4. One More Try • 5. Hard Day • 6. Hand To Mouth • 7. Look At Your Hands • 8. Monkey • 9. Kissing A Fool • 10. A Last Request (I Want Your Sex Part 3).

CD Two (remastered 7-inch and 12-inch versions / B-sides) – Selections:
1. Faith (Instrumental) – B-side of 12-inch "Faith" single
2. Fantasy – B-side of "Waiting For That Day" single (all formats)
3. Hard Day (Shep Pettibone Mix) – From original CD album (also track 3 of "Faith" CD single)
4. I Believe When I Fall In Love – B-side of the 7-inch and cassette singles of "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me"
5. Kissing A Fool (Instrumental) – B-side of 7-inch and 12-inch singles of "Kissing A Fool"
6. Love's In Need Of Love Today (live recording) – B-side of 7-inch "Father Figure" single
7. Monkey – 7-inch edit
8. Monkey (A Capella & Beats) – A and B sides respectively of 7-inch "Monkey" single
9. Monkey (Jam & Lewis Remix) – 12-inch single

LP (vinyl replica of original album) – Selections: 1. Faith • 2. Father Figure • 3. I Want Your Sex • 4. One More Try • 5. Hard Day • 6. Hand To Mouth • 7. Look At Your Hands • 8. Monkey • 9. Kissing A Fool.

DVD (running time 110 minutes):

1. "George Michael & Jonathan Ross Have Words" (1987)
2. "Music Money Love Faith" (February 1988)
Seven promotional videos (re-synched with remastered audio):
1. I Want Your Sex • 2. I Want Your Sex (Uncensored) • 3. Faith • 4. Father Figure • 5. One More Try • 6. Monkey • 7. Kissing A Fool.

12"x12" limited edition, numbered, black-and-gold-foiled slipcase also contains:
* Stunning 60-page hard-bound book including exclusive interview with George Michael, rare photos and memorabilia.
* Memorabilia envelope including 5 art prints, reproduction poster, tickets and tour pass from Faith tour.
* First 2,000 orders receive a specially-designed, numbered art print.

FAITH: SPECIAL EDITION by GEORGE MICHAEL (2 CD + DVD)
(Epic/Legacy 88697 75320 2)
CD One (remastered album) – as above.
CD Two (re-mastered 7-inch and 12-inch versions / B-sides) – as above.
DVD – as above.
Pre-order Faith: Special Edition here: http://amzn.to/bwSKAK
*******
FAITH by GEORGE MICHAEL (double CD)
(Epic/Legacy 88697 75319 2)
CD One (remastered album) – as above.
CD Two (re-mastered 7-inch and 12-inch versions / B-sides) – as above.
Pre-order Faith (double CD) here: http://amzn.to/93mfAt
********
www.georgemichael.com

Adele - 21

2011-02-09T19:15:00.006-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Click to launch the video for "Rolling in the Deep": http://bit.ly/ritdofficial
Taken from "21" Columbia Records/XL) available Feb 22nd

COLUMBIA RECORDS ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF 21, THE NEW

STUDIO ALBUM FROM TWO TIME GRAMMY® AWARD WINNER ADELE

ADELE'S 21 AVAILABLE IN THE U.S. AND CANADA, TUESDAY FEBRUARY 22

Columbia Records/XL is proud to announce the North American release of 21, the eagerly awaited sophomore album from British singer-songwriter Adele, on Tuesday February 22. 21, is the follow up to Adele's critically acclaimed, award winning debut album 19 (both named after her age at the time the songs were written). Renowned for her incredibly unique vocal ability and songwriting, Adele's debut received two Grammy Awards in 2009 (Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance) as well as a BRIT Award in 2008 (Critics Choice).

Recorded in Malibu and London, 21 offered Adele the opportunity to work with such luminary producers and songwriters as Rick Rubin, Paul Epworth, Ryan Tedder, Dan Wilson and Fraser T. Smith, as well as continuing to work with Francis "Eg" White and Jim Abbiss. This new collection of songs showcases the growth of this incredible artist, who at the very young age of twenty two, exhibits the poise of a seasoned veteran. Adele's music takes some new direction while staying true to her signature style. "I discovered lots of artists I'd never heard of, particularly Wanda Jackson, Allison Krauss, Yvonne Fair, Andrew Bird, Neko Case, Lady Antebellum and Steel Drivers who I fell in love with. Then I delved in to more from artists I've loved forever - Mary J. Blige, Kanye West, Elbow, Mos Def, Alanis Morissette, Tom Waits and Sinead O'Connor. There's something in every single one of these artists that have really really inspired 21" noted Adele.

"Rolling in the Deep" the pounding, energetic first single from 21, will impact at adult radio formats on November 15. The video for "Rolling in the Deep" was directed by Sam Brown (Jay-Z, Foo Fighters, Doves) and will premiere in early December. Adele will perform "Rolling in the Deep" live on The Ellen Degeneres Show on Friday December 3.

In early 2008, as her debut was reaching Double Platinum status in her native UK, Adele took North America by storm delivering groundbreaking performances on everything from Saturday Night Live to the Grammy Awards, where her four nominations yielded two impressive wins. Entertainment Weekly described Adele's voice as "astonishing" and People called it "a knockout that's rich and supple," but The LA Times put it best when it proclaimed "Adele exudes stylish confidence." Before returning home to work on her sophomore album Adele headlined the newly incarnated VH1 Divas Live and played a sold-out show at Los Angeles' fabled Hollywood Bowl in front of 19,000 devoted fans.

Jessie J

2011-02-09T19:14:00.002-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Click to launch the video for "Do It Like A Dude" : http://www.vevo.com/watch/jessie-j/do-it-like-a-dude-explicit/USUV71002683

Taken from debut album WHO YOU ARE (Lava/Universal Republic)

With an infectious laugh, 6-inch heels and a perfectly styled bob, she walks into the room and goes straight to the piano. Possessing a good sense of humour, a raw British accent and an un-doubtable eye for fashion, Jessie J has arrived. "I can't play...man, I wish I could. I just like to pretend I can," she smiles.

Jessie J is not just a great pop artist…or a great R&B artist, or even a great hip-hop artist. The British-born, Essex-bred vocalist is malleable enough to encompass several genres, while displaying vocals reminiscent of Motown-era greats. Although she may not be able to play the piano, Jessie is armed with the chops to blow people away, and the song-writing skills to pen a worldwide hit.

After one listen, it's clear the extraordinary Jessie J stands alone. For Jessie, her Lava/Universal Republic debut album, WHO YOU ARE, showcases the skills of a gifted lyricist while highlighting an unforgettable journey.

While Jessie's road to success hasn't always been easy, she's quick to emphasize the normalcy of her childhood. Growing up the youngest of three children, Jessie's mother was a nursery school teacher and her father a social worker. "My family is very creative, but no one in my family sings... I was the only one who put my life to a melody..."

For Jessie, melody has been the driving force behind her successful career as a singer/songwriter. At 17, Jessie wrote her first song "Big White Room." The song was inspired by real life events—specifically the time she was hospitalized at 11-years-old while sharing a room with a younger boy who sadly lost his life.

"I knew I wanted to write a song about that experience," she divulges. The song has followed Jessie J throughout her career, and it remains a YouTube and crowd favorite when she performs it live. Her YouTube rendition has been viewed nearly 300,000 times and has garnered over 50 covers organically without radio airplay. "'Big White Room' is my comfort blanket, and I'm so happy that people can personalize the meaning of the song..." states Jessie.

Around the same time, Jessie J was signed to a short-lived independent label deal. She toured with various high-profile artists including Macy Gray, Sugarbabes, Girls Aloud, Chris Brown, Jools Holland, Cyndi Lauper and Taio Cruz. While showcasing her diva-infused voice and infectious songs, she had the freedom to explore her sound and a chance to teach herself how to adapt to diverse audiences. "I never had a band. It was me, my CD, my heels and a huge stage to fill. I loved that I had no one and nothing to hide behind..." The label eventually went bankrupt and closed its doors.

Still armed with a SONY ATV publishing deal, Jessie continued to hone her writing skills. It wasn't long before Jessie had opportunities thrown at her by the dozen. One of her songs, "Sexy Silk," was selected by NIVEA for a worldwide campaign. "I remember seeing the ad at the cinema and wanting to tell everyone, 'That's me! That's me!"

In the last few years, Jessie has penned songs for the likes of Chris Brown and Lisa Lois the Holland X Factor winner. Her life also inspired the melody of a major hit record, "Party in the USA," sung and performed by Miley Cyrus. "When Dr. Luke texted me saying my song was #1 on iTunes, I thought it was a joke!" she laughs.

Now, Jessie's signed worldwide to Universal Music Group. In the US, she inked a deal with Lava/Universal Republic Records and Island Records in the UK. "I feel like my album is an example of what exists in the world of music right now. It's like my album is an iPod... it's like when you go clubbing these days, you don't have a pop room and a separate R&B room, they're all together. People just appreciate great music..."

The title track and 1st single, "Who You Are" is about a point in Jessie's career where the singer's aspirations were hanging on a thread. "The most important thing in life is to be happy, but everything had become too 'business' and sterile. I really thought I was going to quit—not music, but the music industry...it wasn't easy," Jessie states. "I was really down, but when I'm down, I write a song about it."

Not all of Jessie J's songs are built around hardship. Much like Jessie herself, a lot of songs on WHO YOU ARE, are of the fun, upbeat variety she displayed in previous songs such as, "Party in the USA." Other songs that have had immense reactions on YouTube include "Rainbow," "Stand Up" and "Whose Laughing Now"—all written about personal times in her life.

Mix a bit of Rihanna with Gwen Stefani, add the charisma of Pink, and you will start to get an idea of what kind of girl Jessie J is. As much as she can be a voice for the hard times, those soulful, Aretha Franklin-esque vocals can also soundtrack the best of times too. Take the Dr. Luke (Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus) produced song "Price Tag"—an upbeat, energetic dance number that highlights Jessie's booming voice and can still stand out amidst glossy production.

There's also the live staple, "Mamma Knows Best," which showcases her hair-raising range and is an extremely funky ode to her loving parents. "My mom and dad always know best. I hate to admit that sometimes, but the song says it all. I base my confidence on purity and I want to be a role model... I want people to know that I am an unedited version of myself. I plan to expose the good and the bad to show that life is about being WHO YOU ARE..."

Zoe Badwi - Freefallin

2011-02-09T19:13:00.002-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Click to launch the video for FREEFALLIN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TURqCNY5gpI

Zoë Badwi - Freefallin'

If you've had an eye on the club chart or a foot on the dance floor over the last couple of years, then you'll be well acquainted with the name Zoë Badwi by now.

In late 2008, the Melbourne-based dance-pop diva burst on to the scene with the huge club smash Release Me that was the song of the summer. Produced by double ARIA-award winning outfit TV ROCK, it spent a massive 7 consecutive weeks in the #1 spot on the Australian ARIA Club Charts, and scored both ARIA and APRA nominations. A progressive monster, Release Me still fills dance floors over 18 months later, prompting The Freemasons, who've worked with the likes of Beyoncé, Kylie Minogue, Kelly Rowland, Shakira and The Eurythmics, to remark: "We still play Release Me every week! It was our fave track of last year - we love Zoë!"

The track's appeal swiftly spread beyond Australian shores, and it was subsequently released in 26 countries around the world (including the UK, US, Canada, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Brazil), commandeering dance floors and club charts from Berlin to Beijing in the process.

Throughout 2009, the magic continued, as two further collaborations with TV Rock - Don't Wan'cha and In The Moment - blitzed the Top 10 of the ARIA Club Chart. Zoë embarked on an international run of live dates, lighting up dance floors in hot spots such as London, Mykonos, and Sao Paulo, while remixers like Moto Blanco, Denzal Park, Niels Van Gogh, Ian Carey, and M.Y.N.C. Project lined up to work on her songs.

But Freefallin' - Zoë's latest assault on global dance floors - may be her finest moment yet. Fusing classic club beats from Australia's own Denzal Park (who have already topped the ARIA Club Chart twice in 2010) with a powerful, heady vocal and anthemic keys, Freefallin' is a dance-pop triumph. An uplifting floor-filler, its infectious singalong chorus will immediately take up residence in even the most seasoned clubbers' heads.

As well as topping ARIA Club Chart, the track immediately found support at key radio stations across the country, becoming the #4 most added track to radio in its first week, and beginning an ascent of the national radio airplay chart. It wasn't long before the international dance community got wind of another global smash in the making, and releases in the UK, US and across Europe were immediately locked in, confirming Zoë's status as a dance-pop superstar in the making.

Marsha Ambrosius "Late Nights & Early Mornings"

2011-02-09T19:11:00.005-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Click to launch the video for "Far Away"

http://www.vevo.com/watch/marsha-ambrosius/far-away/USJRV1000062

Taken from the upcoming album LATE NIGHTS & EARLY MORNINGS (J Records)

Already proven as a talented, sought after songwriter and revered platinum-selling artist, Marsha Ambrosius is meeting the next challenge in her already impressive musical career by reinventing herself as a solo artist with her J Records debut disc LATE NIGHTS & EARLY MORNINGS.

Hailing from Liverpool, England, fans first got a taste of Marsha's talent as the singing half of the duo Floetry. Their 2000 debut Floetic produced signature singles like "Say Yes" and "Getting Late" as well as four Grammy nods. Following the 2005 release of their second studio album, Flo'Ology, the ladies veered creatively and personally. While the split was difficult, Marsha continued to build a name for herself as a songwriter and producer, creating "Butterflies" for the late Michael Jackson and other hits for artists such as Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, Jamie Foxx and Nas. She's been nominated for a total of six Grammys and has been honored by BMI as their Songwriter of the Year.

Over the years, Marsha has stayed relevant as an artist via touring, writing/producing and mixtapes like 2007's Neo Soul is Dead, 2008's Yours Truly and 2010's Yours Sincerely. She also appeared as a featured artist on projects from Patti Labelle, The Game, Busta Rhymes, Jamie Foxx and Earth, Wind & Fire, among others. Eventually, Marsha signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records however a much-buzzed about solo debut never materialized due to creative glitches. Equipped with plenty of her own talent, she found herself being given songs from producers that were "great but not songs that made sense in relation to each other." Marsha calls her sound "honest and consistent" and it was important for her to make an album with an overall cohesive sound. She explains, "I think with an album everything has to make sense, like 'Where is this story going?'"

But that wasn't the only situation posing a challenge for Marsha. A basketball player since childhood, when her music career took off, her diet remained the same as when she was regularly active. Constantly on the road touring and promoting wasn't conducive to a healthy diet and resulted in her gaining 70 pounds in just one year. She finally got serious about her health and lost the weight safely and slowly over about a two-year period.

Now at a strong place mentally and physically, Marsha's ready to present her sound to the world. The first single, "Hope She Cheats on You (With a Basketball Player)," is an anthem that women and men can relate to. Marsha explains, "It's the reality of a bad break up. We wanna be decent human beings and say the right thing, you know, 'I wish you well.' But this is 'Everything that could go wrong for him I want it to because my ego is bruised and I'm acting out.'" There've been many songs written about heartbreak, but Marsha's approach to "Hope She Cheats on You" gets in your face rather than plays the victim.

LATE NIGHTS & EARLY MORNINGS is destined to be a classic, as Marsha offers a candid glimpse of her life and perspectives as a woman. Inspired by musical icons like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Prince, she concedes there is an overall male influence in her songwriting, such as the assertive sentiments heard on hits like "Say Yes." She explains, "My pen and my point of view has a certain aggression to it because I've listened to a lot of male influenced music, which I think makes me one of the most outspoken writers out here. Sometimes as a woman you don't wanna say what's on your mind for fear of being judged. But why wouldn't I say it like that if that's how I felt?" Musical peers recruited to contribute to the project include Alicia Keys, a reunion with Dre and Vidal (producers of "Say Yes"), Just Blaze and Focus.

While her success in the industry is already solidified, Marsha knows it's never easy to win over fans as a solo artist. Fortunately, she says, "It's like being thrown in the deep end. 'Okay I have to swim? Oh well.' I've taken that attitude and it's carried me forward."

www.marshaambrosiusmusic.com

Ellie Goulding "Lights" out March 8th

2011-02-09T19:05:00.002-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Click to launch the video for "Starry Eyed" taken from debut CD LIGHTS: http://bit.ly/StarryEyedvideo

CHERRYTREE/ INTERSCOPE TO RELEASE SPECIAL VERSION OF DEBUT CD

FROM UK AWARD WINNING ARTIST ELLIE GOULDING

LIGHTS OUT MARCH 8

Already a success in her native England, 24 year-old UK singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding will release a special US full length of LIGHTS March 8th on Cherrytree/ Interscope Records. The US version will include three songs ("Lights," "Animal," and "Your Song") not available on the original UK version.

Produced by Starsmith, Goulding's full length release LIGHTS shot to #1 on the UK chart in March 2010. This past December "Your Song" hit #2 on the charts and #1 on the iTunes Chart and the video has received over 6 million views. The focus track, "Starry Eyed" has already received over 12.5 million views on YouTube.

This past September, Ellie made her maiden voyage to the US in support of her EP, AN INTRODUCTION TO ELLIE GOULDING. She performed in New York and Los Angeles to rave reviews. The New Yorker called Ellie "the future of music" and the Los Angeles Times raved, "her set seemed to cement her pop bona fides." "She can reel off some powerful drum and guitar chops and her voice is a serious and sure instrument in person."

Ellie has received numerous accolades from her motherland in the form of The Critics Choice Award at the 2010 Brit Awards and topped the BBC sound of 2010 poll. Goulding's debut CD has garnered much critical praise. NME calls Lights, "never less than stunning…it marks the emergence of a smart, sincere and talented new pop star," and Q declares, "There is undeniable greatness afoot here."

Described as "electro-folk-acoustic-pop," Ellie's songs mix heartfelt emotion with other-worldly atmospherics, spinning electronica into dreamy warmth.

For more on Ellie Goulding, please visit: www.elliegoulding.com / www.myspace.com/elliegoulding / www.cherrytreerecords.com

Sarah Bareilles: King Of Anything

2010-08-30T21:33:00.002-04:00

*Press Release*

“King Of Anything”

taken from KALEIDOSCOPE HEART
(Epic Records) - available Sept 7th

Epic Records recording artist, Sara Bareilles is pleased to announce the release of, “King Of Anything” the highly anticipated first single off her sophomore album Kaleidoscope Heart.

“King Of Anything” which Sara wrote, was recorded in Los Angeles and produced by the renowned Neal Avron. The immensely addictive and charismatic pop driven track featuring Sara’s extraordinary vocal prowess and will kick off the official countdown to release of Kaleidscope Heart - available everywhere on Sept 7th.

"’King of Anything’ is sort of a ‘f*ck you’ song,” jokes Sara Bareilles. “I've had more unsolicited advice on my life than I care to mention, and this was how I dealt with it. It felt empowering to turn that frustration into music, especially a song that doesn't even sound angry. That's sort of what “Love Song” was as well. Apparently, I don't get over things very quickly."

The single’s release marks the first taste of new material following the massive success of Sara’s debut album, Little Voice from which Sara received two Grammy nominations for her triple platinum selling hit single, “Love Song.” The track enjoyed an astonishing 13 weeks in the Top 10 at pop radio, while the album has sold over 1 million copies worldwide, won accolades from press critics at places like Rolling Stone and the New York Times, and catapulted Sara to become one of the most interesting and promising new artists of 2009.

For more information please go www.sarabmusic.com

La Roux: Touring America

2010-08-30T21:29:00.002-04:00

*Press Release*

La Roux Announces Second Single, “In For The Kill”!
Fall Headlining Tour to Kick Off in November

Synth-pop sensation La Roux’s second single, “In For The Kill” is set to hit radio airwaves in the coming weeks. The track will be available as a digital remix EP set to hit on September 14 via Cherrytree/Interscope with a special edition vinyl to follow in late September. The “In For The Kill (Skream’s Let’s Get Ravey remix)” was recently featured on Entourage (8/7) and created such a frenzy with the show’s fans that the single spiked 600%+ that week. The stateside video for the track will shoot in the coming weeks and is set to be directed by LEGS (Florence and the Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over”, Goldfrapp’s “Alive”, etc).

La Roux has caught the attention of all the right ears with recent effervescent performances on Ellen, Good Morning America and most recently, The View and the band will appease and then rile up their legions of new fans with a national fall headlining tour. Set to kick off November 1st in Fort Lauderdale at the Culture Room, the tour will take La Roux across the country before wrapping in New York at Terminal 5 on November 17th.

What began in London’s burgeoning underground warehouse scene has since landed 22-year-old Elly Jackson, co-producer co-songwriter co-hort Ben Langmaid and their glittering self titled debut a long and impressive list of accolades and millions of fans internationally. Sizzling current single “Bulletproof” has become an instant summer hit climbing the Top 40 charts and making itself at home in the Top 10 with the track selling well over 1.5 million copies on our shores already.

La Roux’s Fall Tour Dates:
11/1 Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room
11/2 Orlando, FL – Hard Rock
11/4 Tampa, FL – Ritz
11/5 Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle
11/7 Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live
11/9 Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero
11/10 Washington, DC 0 9:30 Club
11/12 Providence, RI – Lupos
11/13 Hartford, Conn – Webster
11/15 Boston, MA – House Of Blues
11/17 New York, NY – Terminal 5

Digital Remix EP Tracklist:
In For The Kill (Skream’s Let’s Get Ravey remix)
In For The Kill La Roux (Tim Bran remix)
In For The Kill (Danger’s Ocean remix)
In For The Kill (Skrillex remix)

Raves for La Roux:
“Elly Jackson is the perfect… pop star of the moment” - **** Rolling Stone

“…a top 10 smash.” – Entertainment Weekly

“A perfect pop hook backed by bubbly eight-bit bloops” Spin

“La Roux has scored a slew of devastatingly addictive hits (including the disco-inflected “Bulletproof”, an “I Will Survive” for the Facebook generation.)” Elle

www.larouxonline.com
www.myspace.com/larouxuk
www.cherrytreerecords.com

The Puppini Sisters: Decked Out for Christmas

2010-08-30T21:24:00.002-04:00

*Press Release*

HAVE YOURSELF A FABULOUS SWINGIN’ HOLIDAY SEASON WITH
CHRISTMAS WITH THE PUPPINI SISTERS

Swingin’ and rockin’, sexy and eccentric have never before described a Christmas album--until now. Then again, there has never before been an artist who claims both The Andrews Sisters and The Smiths as influences. Holiday music finally puts on red lipstick, slips into a silky cleavage-celebrating ballgown, and goes gorgeous and glamorous with Christmas With The Puppini Sisters (Verve), released October 5, 2010.

A female vocal trio featuring ‘40s-style close harmony, backed by a fearless jazz threesome, the retro-futuristic Puppini Sisters put their signature sequined stamp on timeless songs of the season for the sensational group’s third album. From a scorching cover of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas,” hyperspeed “Step Into Christmas,” oh-so-sexy “Santa Baby,” cabaret “Here Comes Santa Claus” and lilting “Last Christmas” to a weirdly wonderful “White Christmas,” scat-filled “Let It Snow,” ukulele oozing “Mele Kalilimaka,” uber-trad “Winter Wonderland” and divine “O Holy Night,” the Puppini Sisters (no, they’re not really sisters, that would be so on-the-nose) deliver original twists rather than nostalgic flashbacks.

Whether imaginatively reworking standards such as “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and recent pop such as Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love,”
or introducing new songs, the classically-trained London-based trio first captured the hearts of fans around the world with their international gold 2007 debut Betcha Bottom Dollar (#2 on the U.S. Jazz chart) and 2008’s The Rise And Fall Of Ruby Woo (#5 on the U.S. Jazz chart).

Brunette Marcella Puppini, a former assistant to fashion icon Vivienne Westwood, had dreamed of becoming opera’s next star. Redhead Stephanie O’Brien began in music as a maverick of the classical world but found her niche playing gypsy jazz violin, South American harp and singing. Blonde Kate Mullins, well, she sings like an angel and swears like a sailor. The vocalists/multi-instrumentalists met in 2004 at London’s Trinity College of Music while pursuing Jazz Performance and Composition degrees. Offered a gig at an outrageous gay nightclub, they jumped at the chance to perform. Marcella, who gave the band her name, worked out a hasty arrangement of Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights” inspired by ‘40s swing and jazz. The crowd adored their stunning vocals and cocktail hour charisma.

Since then, along with releasing several singles and two albums, they have performed at the Glastonbury festival and on an American stadium tour supporting Cyndi Lauper; been heard on TV series in the U.K. and the U.S., including “Grey’s Anatomy”; and been in constant demand as guest performers at notable entertainment and fashion events across the globe. Even Prince Charles personally told them he thought they were “splendid” (seriously, we could not make that up).

The Puppini Sisters may have started out retro but they have become true originals. With Christmas With The Puppini Sisters, holiday music never sounded so fresh and new.

www.thepuppinisisters.com

The Ting Tings New Single: HANDS

2010-08-19T19:30:00.004-04:00

*Press Release*

THE TING TINGS
NEW SINGLE

“HANDS”

Tuesday October 12, 2010 sees the release of the brand new single “Hands” from The Ting Tings. A work of pure electro-disco heaven, “Hands” is a global shout out to everyone who’s working too hard. Written, performed and produced by Jules and Katie in their home made studio in Berlin, it has been mixed by label mate Calvin Harris.

The Ting Tings launched themselves into the world with their DIY hardcore-pop in 2008 to massive acclaim and success, with their hit singles “That’s Not My Name” and “Shut Up And Let Me Go” along with “Great DJ” selling over 4 million copies worldwide. With their music becoming the soundtrack not only on the radio but also to countless shows and films from “Slumdog Millionaire” to the likes of “Gossip Girl”, The Ting Tings debut album “We Started Nothing” went on to selling over two million copies. They also won the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for “Best Album” in 2009 and received a Grammy Nomination for “Best New Artist”.

After a whirlwind of touring live in the US, Europe and almost everywhere else non-stop for the last two years, The Ting Tings chose to move to Berlin to live and work. Renting out a disused basement jazz club in East Berlin’s Freidrichshain District, they turned it into their own studio, much as they had done back in 2007 when they took up residence in the artist’s haven The Islington Mill in Salford, near Manchester where “We Started Nothing” was made. Spending the winter of 2009 with their music equipment, fairy-lights, pens and gaffer tape and with no TV, no visiting friends, no distractions at all, they wrote, recorded and produced their next album. “Hands” is the first track to come from those sessions.

“Our time in Berlin was a fresh start, with no rules again” explains Jules, “when you’ve had an album that’s been successful, the danger is you go back in the studio, look back and try and emulate it”. “it’d be so lazy and easy to make the same album twice” adds Katie. A blast of the dancefloor monster “Hands” shows they mean what they say - a totally brand new sound from The Ting Tings and an exciting taste of things to come.

The Ting Tings Facebook page

Back from Holiday

2010-08-19T19:26:00.003-04:00

Sure is nice to take a Holiday! What a summer.

Well, now I'm back to keep the blog going.

So let's go!

Christina Aguilera: BIONIC

2010-06-02T21:08:00.001-04:00

*Press Release*

FIVE TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNING RECORDING ARTIST CHRISTINA AGUILERA TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM “BIONIC” ON JUNE 8TH

With 30 million albums sold worldwide and the prestigious honor of being the only artist under the age of 30 included in Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the 100 greatest singers of all time, 5 time Grammy Award winner Christina Aguilera has already achieved an unprecedented level of success. Aguilera’s been hard at work in the studio for the past year and is pleased to announce the release of her highly anticipated 4th studio album Bionic (RCA Records) on June 8th. The first single from Bionic is the fiercely energetic anthem “Not Myself Tonight”, produced by Polow Da Don. The song premiered on ChristinaAguilera.com and available on iTunes on now.

Bionic features songs co-written by Aguilera along with her much buzzed about collaborations including Sia, Tricky Stewart, Polow Da Don, Le Tigre, Hill & Switch, and Ladytron among others. Aguilera notes, “Working on this album with so many talented artists and producers that I admire was really an amazing experience. The artists I chose to work with added so many unique sonic layers to Bionic. My intention was to step into their world and what they do combined with my own vision and sound. The results were magic.” The album also features a ballad produced and written by Linda Perry titled “Lift Me Up”. The title Bionic reflects Aguilera’s ability to take her range to new levels and use her voice in various ways never heard before.

Aguilera describes the album as a unique mix of many genres and styles of music, “I was able to explore and create a fresh, sexy feel using both electronic and organic elements with subject matter ranging from playful to introspective. I am so excited for my fans to hear the new sound. It is something I don’t think anyone will expect.”

In addition to completing the album which was all recorded from her home studio after the birth of her first son, Christina also completed production on her first film, “Burlesque.” The film, which co-stars Cher, Stanley Tucci, and Kristen Bell will be released by ScreenGems this fall.

http://www.christinaaguilera.com/

Robyn & Kelis: All Hearts Tour

2010-06-02T20:54:00.004-04:00

*Press Release*

ROBYN AND KELIS LAUNCH
“ALL HEARTS” CO-HEADLINING TOUR ON JULY 23RD

Special Guests Dan Black And Far East Movement Will Support

Robyn’s Body Talk PT. 1 Set for June 15th Release and
Flesh Tone, Kelis’ New Album, Due Out July 6th In U.S. And Canada

Robyn and Kelis will kick off a North American co-headlining tour on July 23rd at The Music Box in Los Angeles. The two recently exchanged tweets about the outing, deciding to name it the “All Hearts” tour. Robyn and Kelis have selected UK sensation Dan Black and Far East Movement, Robyn's Cherrytree Records label mates, to kick off the festivities. Black was named as one of the Top 15 rising music stars on the BBC’s “Sound of 2009” list and heralded in the States for his recent solo debut, UN, and its smash single/video, “Symphonies.” Far East Movement, who were recently handpicked by Lady Gaga as support, will open with their kinetic brand of hiptronica music and preside over the breaks between performers with a live version of their FM Cherrybomb DJ Spin-off, which airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. PDT at www.CherrytreeRadio.com. The tour will conclude at New York City’s Webster Hall on August 5th.

Both Robyn and Kelis have received stellar reviews for their latest offerings. “Genius… she’s still ruling the school,” NME said recently of Robyn’s Body Talk PT 1, her new album, which is scheduled for release on June 15th. Pitchfork.com named it “best new music” earlier this week in an 8.5 out of 10 review. A mix of cool electronica, heartfelt pop and tracks that have all the hallmarks of becoming classic club and radio hits, Body Talk PT 1 is the follow-up to her self-titled 2007 album, which produced the international No. 1 smash single “With Every Heartbeat” and the Top 10 hit “Be Mine.” “Dancing On My Own,” the lead single from Body Talk PT 1, is streaming now at www.robyn.com. While in North America, Robyn will also perform at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, Montreal’s Osheaga Festival and the first-ever Disco Lemonade: Summer Mashup Festival in Toronto.

Kelis’ Flesh Tone, described by The New York Times as “one of her strongest records yet,” came out recently in the U.K., where early reviews have been remarkable, including 5 stars from Glamour, 4.5 stars from NOW Magazine and an 8 out of 10 rating from NME. It appeared on spin.com’s list of “25 Summer Albums That Matter Most” and perezhilton.com also found it one of the summer’s best, noting: “There are soooooo many good songs on Kelis album! Actually, they are ALL good!” Flesh Tone will be released by will.i.am Music Group/Interscope Records in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand on July 6th. It will be available for pre-order on the iTunes Store beginning June 15th. First single “Acapella,” which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs Chart and Music Week’s Pop Club Chart in the U.K. earlier this year, will be followed by “4th of July (Fireworks).” Kelis is known for such hits as “Caught Out There,” the Top 5, GRAMMY®-nominated “Milkshake” and “Bossy,” a million-selling ringtone. Fans can check out “Acapella” and “4th of July (Fireworks)” at www.iamkelis.com.

Follow Robyn (http://twitter.com/robynkonichiwa), Kelis (http://twitter.com/iamkelis) and Cherrytree Records (http://twitter.com/CHERRYTREEREC) or visit www.cherrytreerecords.com to learn more about the “All Hearts” tour.

ROBYN & KELIS – “ALL HEARTS” TOUR
featuring special guests Dan Black and Far East Movement

7/23 Los Angeles, CA The Music Box
7/24 San Francisco, CA Mezzanine
7/27 Boston, MA House of Blues
8/2 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
8/3 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
8/5 New York, NY Webster Hall

ROBYN SOLO TOUR DATES
6/17 London, England Heaven
6/19 London, England G.A.Y
6/25 Cologne, Germany Spex Live event
7/1 Borlange, Sweden Peace & Love Festival
7/3 Roskilde, Denmark Roskilde Festival
7/4 North Wales, U.K. Wakestock Festival
7/15 Arvika, Sweden Arvika Festival
7/16 Chicago, IL Pitchfork Music Festival
7/17 Detroit, MI Crofoot Ballroom
7/22 Solana Beach Belly Up Tavern
7/30 Toronto, ON Molson Amphitheatre
Disco Lemonade: Summer Mashup Festival
7/31 Montreal, QC Parc Jean Drapeau - Osheaga Festival
8/13 Oslo, Norway Oya Festival
8/20 Trondheim, Norway Pstereo Festival
8/21 U.K. V Festival
8//22 U.K. V Festival
8/27 Stockholm, Sweden Popaganda Festival

Robyn.com
http://www.iamkelis.com
http://www.cherrytreerecords.com

Alexis Jordan: Debut single doing well on Billboard chart

2010-06-02T13:36:00.001-04:00

*Press Release*

STAR ROC/ROC NATION’S ALEXIS JORDAN TOPS THE CHARTS

ALEXIS JORDAN’S DEBUT SINGLE “HAPPINESS” GOES #1 ON BILLBOARD HOT DANCE AIRPLAY CHART

The summer has begun and the official song of the season is Alexis Jordan’s “Happiness.” The Star Roc/Roc Nation artist has scored her first # 1 atop the Billboard Dance Airplay chart. Produced by Deadmau5 and Stargate, “Happiness” is the first single from Alexis’ upcoming debut album. In four short weeks, the single, jumped 20 positions on the chart to land in the top spot. Alexis has already been tapped for an AOL “About To Pop” story and a Clear Channel “NEW” feature, both of which launch this month.

The Roc Nation songstress is currently making several appearances to support her chart topping single. She recently performed at Wango Tango and sang the televised National Anthem for NCAA Lacross Championship. Coming up, Alexis will be featured in 944 Magazine’s upcoming music issue, perform at the yearly Arthur Ashe Kids Day and be featured in Rocawear’s digital Fall look book.

After watching several You Tube videos from the young singer, Stargate immediately brought Alexis to New York. After just one meeting she was signed to the newly formed Star Roc, the duo’s partnership with Roc Nation. "The moment Alexis walked into our studio we just got that special feeling,” says Tor of the hit-making production team, Stargate. “It was a blink-moment. This girl’s got it, let’s make a record.”

“I’m bringing something fresh, something new and something positive to the world,” says Alexis. We are going to make this international. That’s my goal, it’s going to spread all around the world.”

Additional information and Alexis Jordan’s video for “Happiness” can be found on www.alexisjordanofficial.com

http://www.vevo.com/watch/alexis-jordan/happiness/USQX91000441

Robyn: New Album, New Single

2010-06-01T20:18:00.009-04:00

*Press Release*

“DANCING ON MY OWN,” LEAD SINGLE FROM ROBYN’S BODY TALK PT I

OUT TODAY ON ITUNES

Body Talk PT 1 Due Out June 15th

Robyn Launches North American Tour On July 16th At Pitchfork Music Festival
And Appears On “Late Show With David Letterman” On July 19th

Robyn’s new digital single, “Dancing On My Own,” is available beginning today on the iTunes Store. Recently named “Best New Track” by Pitchfork, it’s the lead single from her forthcoming album, Body Talk PT 1, which is scheduled for release by Cherrytree Records on June 15th. Check out Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own” video, directed by Max Vitali:

Robyn 'Dancing On My Own' (Official Video) from Robyn on Vimeo.

Robyn, who will perform on “Late Show with David Letterman” on July 19th, will kick off a North American tour on July 16th with a performance at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. Other tour highlights include appearances at the inaugural Disco Lemonade: Summer Mashup Festival in Toronto (July 30th) and Montreal’s Osheaga Festival (July 31st). She’ll also play numerous European festivals this summer. See below for itinerary.

MySpace.com will host an exclusive global listening party for Body Talk PT 1 from June 11 – 18. Early reviews have been stellar. “Genius,” proclaimed NME. “she’s still ruling the school.” “Her new CD is the perfect example of how she eschews the norm,” said the New York Post. “The dynamic pounds and clicks behind each track are beyond anything that exist in my musical library.” Nylon, which ran a four-page fashion feature in its July music issue, noted: “Robyn isn’t afraid to be a bit—ok, very—different. and we love that obviously.”

A mix of cool electronica, heartfelt pop and tracks that have all the hallmarks of becoming classic club and radio hits, Body Talk PT 1 is the first in a trilogy of albums Robyn will release this year. It is the follow-up to her self-titled 2007 album, which produced the international No. 1 smash single “With Every Heartbeat” and the Top 10 hit “Be Mine.” The album was nominated for a GRAMMY® award and ranked in the Top 10 of Entertainment Weekly and Blender’s year-end critics polls.

Robyn.com
http://www.myspace.com/robynmyspace
http://twitter.com/robynkonichiwa
http://www.cherrytreerecords.com

ROBYN – UPCOMING TOUR DATES

6/17 London, England Heaven
6/19 London, England G.A.Y
6/25 Cologne, Germany Spex Live event
7/1 Borlange, Sweden Peace & Love Festival
7/3 Roskilde, Denmark Roskilde Festival
7/4 North Wales, U.K. Wakestock Festival
7/15 Arvika, Sweden Arvika Festival
7/16 Chicago, IL Pitchfork Music Festival
7/17 Detroit, MI Crofoot Ballroom
7/22 Solana Beach Belly Up Tavern
7/23 Los Angeles, CA The Music Box
7/24 San Francisco, CA Mezzanine
7/27 Boston, MA House of Blues
7/30 Toronto, ON Molson Amphitheatre
Disco Lemonade: Summer Mashup Festival
7/31 Montreal, QC Parc Jean Drapeau - Osheaga Festival
8/2 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
8/3 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
8/5 New York, NY Webster Hall
8/13 Oslo, Norway Oya Festival
8/20 Trondheim, Norway Pstereo Festival
8/21 U.K. V Festival
8//22 U.K. V Festival
8/27 Stockholm, Sweden Popaganda Festival

Natalie Merchant: TED 2010 at Long Beach California

2010-05-28T21:37:00.006-04:00

Natalie Merchant performs at TED 2010 in Long Beach, California.

Leave Your Sleep, is the double album to be released worldwide on April 13th by Nonesuch Records.

Currently, Natalie is touring, beginning the tour in the UK and ending it in September at the Peace Center in Greenville , S.C. Click here for the full tour schedule.

Merchant's unique voice and artistic sensibilities have enraptured audiences since the 1980s. She has a rich history, heart-warming ability, and this most recent affair with obscure 19th-century poetry serves to entertain- once again. Because she's so awesome, I forgive her appearing on Jay Leno's ill-gotten slot. Nevermind, watch her on TED if you can't make the live show.

Kelly Rowland Signs with Universal Motown Records: New Single Coming Soon

2010-05-26T19:43:00.003-04:00

*Press Release*

Kelly Rowland

Universal Motown Records has signed Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter-television host-actress Kelly Rowland as a solo artist, it was announced today by Sylvia Rhone, President of Universal Motown Records.

“I think Kelly is an immensely talented, gracious, and beautiful woman, and I am thrilled about the opportunity to work with her on what’s turning out to be an amazing album,” said Ms. Rhone. “For an artist whose career began as a member of a landmark group like Destiny’s Child, Kelly has truly come into her own and I am deeply inspired by her incredible energy.”

“I could not be happier working with Sylvia Rhone and the entire Universal Motown staff,” stated Ms. Rowland. “They have really embraced me and have set me up to succeed. I decided, after careful thought, to sign with Universal Motown not only because of their track record of success, but also because they truly put their artists first.”

Kelly Rowland first rose to prominence in 1998 as a member of Destiny’s Child, one of the most successful groups of all time. In 2002, the Texas native launched her post-Destiny’s Child solo career with the release of her RIAA-gold certified debut album, Simply Deep, which reached No. 12 on the Billboard 200 chart. That same year, Ms. Rowland teamed up with Universal Motown hip-hop sensation Nelly for a duet called “Dilemma,” which appeared on his 2002 album, Nellyville. “Dilemma” topped Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and earned two Grammy nominations, including a win for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. In 2007, Kelly Rowland’s second solo album, Ms. Kelly, hit No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart and sold more than 1.2 million copies worldwide.

Together with her recent move to Creative Artists Agency, a new management team in place, a new record label, and a worldwide No. 1 hit, “When Love Takes Over,” with acclaimed French dance producer David Guetta, Kelly Rowland is exerting full control over a dazzling career that has already produced millions of album sales, smash hit records, and numerous honors, including three Grammy Awards. Now hailed as the Queen of the Night, she is currently in the studio working on her hotly anticipated Universal Motown debut album, featuring the new international single “Commander,” with David Guetta, in addition to collaborations with Dr. Luke, Stargate, Salaam Remi, Ne-Yo, Rico Love, and Esther Dean.

Check out behind the scenes for the new video Commander

http://umrg.edgeboss.net/qtime/umrg/7518-kellyrowland/_video/behindthescene/behindthescenes.mov
http://umrg.edgeboss.net/wmedia/umrg/7518-kellyrowland/_video/behindthescene/behindthescenes_kelly.wvx

ALexis Jordon: Debut Album

2010-05-26T13:17:00.004-04:00

*Press Release*

With all of the stars that fill our sky, there are very few that shine as bright as Star Roc / Roc Nation’s newest signee, Alexis Jordan. With flowing red hair, just as vibrant as her personality, 18 year old Alexis possesses an emotive, awe-inspiring voice that is packed with a power strong enough to brighten our entire world. “I only sing songs that are from my heart,” says the compassionate young woman whose music promotes positivity and self-respect. “Because if I can’t feel it, it’s not going to come out right."

"The moment Alexis walked into our studio we just got that special feeling,” says Tor of the hit making production team, Stargate. “It was a Blink-moment, ‘This girl´s got it, let´s make a record’.” We didn´t know the depths of Alexis at the time, but as we were making the record it became clear to us that not only is she a world class singer, but she is a smart, confident all round entertainer with a big future. Alexis picks records, goes through lyrics, analyzes her every performance. We feel like we found a diamond in the rough. Only it´s not so rough anymore!”

Born in Columbia, South Carolina, Alexis embodies the new spirit of America with her rich cultural background that includes her father’s Puerto Rican heritage and her mother’s African American, Native American and European ancestry. At 11, Alexis moved with her parents and three younger siblings to Santa Clarita, California to pursue a career in the arts. After performing the National Anthem at the local Air Force Academy, the extremely talented, young singing phenomenon started to attract a ton of attention. Soon, she was asked to sing at the start of various professional baseball games, which quickly gave way to bigger and better opportunities.

“When I was 12, I opened up for Smokey Robinson at a Stevie Wonder tribute,” remembers Alexis. “I sang ‘Ribbon In The Sky’ and Stevie was backstage like, ‘You didn’t think I heard you singing my song did you?’ I didn’t know how big of a legend he was but looking back on it now, I can’t believe that I did that! It was such a great experience.”

While she continued to sing at high profile events around the country, Alexis spent the next few years in school, working as a professional actor, appearing on soap operas and commercials. At 14, she entered the Simon Cowell produced T.V. competition, America’s Got Talent and made it all the way to the semi finals thanks in part to a thrilling performance of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing.”

“When I got off stage after singing ‘I Have Nothing’ Simon said, ‘You are an amazing singer,’” says Alexis. “At the time I was crying, like oh my gosh, Simon Cowell! It’s a little girl’s dream to be singing for him so I was just so overwhelmed.”

With sharpened performance skills and more confidence than ever the family traveled to Atlanta for its burgeoning music scene and hotbed of talented producers. Alexis began making youtube videos in between professional appearances. Although it would be these same online clips that would eventually land her the recording deal she wanted, Alexis was never crazy about the idea of singing in front of a computer. “I was like, Mom, this is so not cool!” remembers Alexis. “Kids don’t sing in front of cameras, it’s weird. It didn’t feel natural at all! But after I did it for a little while I thought it was fun.”

In September of 2008, her most popular videos were racking up over a million views apiece. At that time, the multi-platinum, award winning, production and writing team Stargate contacted Alexis. The hit makers responsible for # 1 hits such as Rihanna’s “Take A Bow” and Ne-Yo’s “Miss Independent,” who entered into a partnership with Roc Nation forming Star Roc, made arrangements to fly the multi-talented singer out to New York for a meeting and recording session. “I thought if they didn’t love me then they wouldn’t fly me all the way out to New York,” says Alexis. “I knew I had a good chance. Once I got out there we recorded a few songs and JAY-Z came to the studio. I was so excited! And the next thing I knew I was signed to StarRoc/Roc Nation.”

Now that Alexis has had the chance to work with some of the industry’s most sought after hit makers, she is getting ready to release her debut album which is a universal collection of songs that not only displays her tremendous voice, but also conveys the constructive message she feels is missing in mainstream music today.

On the LP’s first single “Happiness” Alexis belts out a beautiful song about self-joy and empowerment over Stargate’s up-tempo track that will have listeners immediately singing along. “Good Girl” showcases Alexis sassy side as she sings, “I can be a good girl, but I’ve been bad before,” in between the upbeat, bouncing track where Alexis flexes her wide ranging and powerful vocal capability. Then on “How You Like Me Now,” Alexis struts her stuff and let’s us know that success is always within her reach and that she is better than ever.

“I want to be really positive, no cussing, none of that,” says Alexis. “I’m a young artist and I want to be a role model. A lot of songs are upbeat, and some are ballads. There’s a little bit of that country vibe in it, a little bit of that reggae vibe. My album really has everything”

With a debut as diverse as her own background, Alexis Jordan will not only impress each and every person who listens to her album, but she also hopes to inspire them as well.

“I’m bringing something fresh, something new and something positive to the world,” she says. “Something that is going to leave a mark on history and music. We are going to make this international. That’s my goal, it’s going to spread all around the world.”

Watch Alexis Jordan's video for "Happiness."

http://www.alexisjordanofficial.com/
http://www.myspace.com/alexisjordan

StarRoc / Roc Nation / Columbia

Scissor Sisters: NIGHT WORK

2010-05-20T20:52:00.005-04:00

*Press Release*

DOWNTOWN RECORDS TO RELEASE NIGHT WORK, THE NEW ALBUM FROM NEW YORK CITY’S
SCISSOR SISTERS, ON JUNE 29TH

“more fuel for the dance floor” – spin.com
“Welcome back to the future, Sisters!” – Rolling Stone

Night Work, the third album from New York City’s Scissor Sisters, will be released in the U.S. on June 29th by Downtown Records, which is distributed by Fontana, Universal Music Group’s independent distribution division. The band, which has sold over seven million albums worldwide, recorded the album in London, the Bahamas and New York City, working for the first time with an outside producer, Stuart Price (The Killers, Madonna).

Spin.com hailed Night Work as “more fuel for the dance floor” while Rolling Stone awarded three-and-a-half stars to album closer “Invisible Light,” praising Jake Shears’ “deep-throated New Wave-y vocal about ‘the doors of Babylon’ and an ‘opiate utopia.’ Welcome back to the future, Sisters!” Praising the “throbbing disco jam,” ew.com found Shears “in fine vocal form” and Sir Ian McKellen’s spoken-word interlude “awesome.” (The Harlem Gospel Choir is also featured on the track.)

From the album cover – a spandex-covered derriere shot by Robert Mapplethorpe – to its contents, Night Work pays homage to the club scene of the 1970’s and 80’s. Additional images by the iconic New York photographer, who died in 1989, will be used as covers for each of Night Work’s singles. Fans can get a sneak preview of the euphoric “Fire With Fire,” the album’s lead single, at http://www.scissorsisters.com/. While inspired by the past, Night Work is really about an alternate future, a glorious imagining of where the music might have taken us.

“So much was progressive and being pushed and something was on fire,” says Shears of the period. “And then the party stopped in a way that couldn’t have been more dramatic. A whole generation was wiped out. Where was Sylvester, Frankie, all that heading? What if music hadn’t stopped dead in its tracks? What if you could pick up where that left off?”

In the process of answering these questions, Scissor Sisters – comprising Shears, Ana Matronic (vocals), Babydaddy (guitar/bass/keyboards) and Del Marquis (guitar) – have nailed their own sound and rekindled the magic that led Rolling Stone to christen them “one of the most improbable and endearing success stories of recent years.”

Scissor Sisters will play second to headline at the Glastonbury Festival on June 26th and will headline the iTunes Festival at The Roundhouse in London on July 1st. See below for a detailed U.K. itinerary. U.S. tour dates will be announced shortly.

The band’s self-titled first album, which allmusic.com called “one of the catchiest debuts of the new millennium,” was the best-selling album in the UK in 2004 and earned the band three BRIT awards the following year. Stateside, Scissor Sisters performed on “Saturday Night Live” and enjoyed success at pop radio with “Take Your Mama,” which was licensed by numerous TV shows. Ta-Dah, released in 2006, debuted at No. 1 on the UK album chart while lead track “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’” simultaneously topped the UK singles chart.

Preview two tracks taken from Night Work http://www.downtownmusic.com/scissorsisters/streams/

The track listing for Night Work is as follows:

1. Night Work
2. Whole New Way
3. Fire With Fire
4. Any Which Way
5. Harder You Get
6. Running Out
7. Something Like This
8. Skin This Cat
9. Skin Tight
10. Sex and Violence
11. Night Life
12. Invisible Light

www.scissorsisters.com

Leela James: My Soul

2010-05-18T10:33:00.003-04:00

*Press Release*

LEELA JAMES DIGS THE ROOTS OF SOUL ON HER STAX DEBUT

My Soul set for release on May 25, 2010

From the very first track on her 2005 debut album Leela James has captured the gritty, emotion-drenched essence of artists like Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Mavis Staples, Marvin Gaye and has made it her mission to bring it all back – pushing the music forward with a fresh, contemporary perspective that remains faithful to the music’s deep and powerful roots.

My Soul, set for release on May 25 , 2010, marks Leela James’ debut on Stax Records, a division of Concord Music Group. The move to Stax – the legendary home of some of the greatest soul and R&B artists of the past half-century – is a fitting destination for a vocalist who has committed herself to preserving the soul tradition.

The new album comes on the heels of high praise from soultracks.com, the online source for all things soul and R&B, who recently bestowed a 2009 Readers’ Choice Awards to James in the category of Female Vocalist of the Year. Indeed, James has come to own the music that has inspired her since her teenage years. Her commanding live performances have become can’t-miss thrillers, placing her among today’s most electrifying international concert draws.

“The title of the album pretty much says it all,” she explains. “I just wanted to go into the studio and do what moved me at the time, and not think about it too much or not allow it to be something that was too planned. That’s what great soul music has always been about from the very beginning – something very raw, very authentic and very true.”

The first single off My Soul is “Tell Me You Love Me,” a track that James co-wrote with Andrea Martin and Gordon Williams. The track was produced by rap and hip-hop producer Gerrard Baker (Toni Braxton, Billy Crawford, Masta Ace), who deftly inserts a sample of James riffing on a line from “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye,” the classic ballad made popular among soul audiences by the Manhattans in 1978.

“This is one of my favorite tracks on the record,” says James. “It’s a song about someone who’s really trying to make love work, which is the same message you hear in ‘Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye.’ Great songs are great songs, no matter when they’re recorded, or by whom. And sometimes two great songs blend together well, like they do here.”

Other noteworthy tracks on My Soul include the churning opener, “Ain’t New To This” (also produced by Baker), a proud and defiant declaration of survival in the minefield known as the music business; and the bouncy “Party All Night,” penned by James and produced by Carl “Chucky” Thompson, who previously worked with Leela on 2005’s Change Is Gonna Come. Other notable producers on that debut record were Kanye West and Commissioner Gordon among others.

Thompson also handled the production of “Mr. Incredible, Ms. Unforgettable,” a sultry duet between James and vocalist Raheem DeVaughn. “Raheem and I are good friends, and we’d been talking for some time about doing something together,” says James. “We finally happened to be in the same place at the same time, and we just made it happen. It really wasn’t something that we planned. It was just something spontaneous that took its own course.”

Aside from Baker and Thompson, James enlists the services of a number of other producers on My Soul, including Kadis & Sean (“So Cold”), Carvin & Ivan (“It’s Over,” “If It’s Wrong”), Steven “Supe” White (“The Fact Is”), Ray Murray (“I Want It All”) and Butter (“Supa Luva”).

While James may have been surrounded by talent in the making of My Soul, the record is ultimately her personal statement – not just about the music’s rich past but about its present and its future as well. Her arrival at Stax may position her among legends, but she’s well aware that she still has much to do and say.

“To be on the premier soul label is a validation of what I’ve accomplished with my music and what I stand for,” she says. “I’ve always been a champion for this music. This album is my version of soul. It’s my experience of soul. It’s what soul means to me, and I want to share it with you.”

http://leelajames.com/
http://www.myspace.com/leelajames

Lilith 2010 Tour Compilation

2010-05-17T12:50:00.003-04:00

*Press Release*

LILITH 2010 TOUR COMPILATION
AVAILABLE IN STORES JUNE 15, 2010

A Celebration of Women in Music, Lilith 2010 Debuts a 16 Song Collection From this Year’s Incredible Array of Female Musicians

(New York - May 17, 2010) Lilith Fair Productions/Arista Records announces today the release of LILITH 2010 TOUR COMPILATION, a collection of 16 tracks from a talented array of artists performing on Lilith 2010, in stores on June 15th, 2010.

This special collection offers an abundant selection of songs from some of Lilith 2010’s most anticipated performances including Rihanna’s “Russian Roulette,” Ke$ha’s “TiK ToK,” Court Yard Hounds’ “The Coast,” Colbie Caillat’s “Fallin' For You,” to Norah Jones’ “Chasing Pirates,” Corinne Bailey Rae’s “The Blackest Lily,” as well as Lilith co-founder Sarah McLachlan’s “One Dream,” to name a few album highlights.

“This compilation represents an amazing cross section of artists performing on Lilith in 2010. Simply great music,” comments Lilith co-founder Terry McBride.
After an 11 year hiatus, Lilith Tour 2010, a celebration of women in music, returns this summer kicking off on June 27th in Calgary and wrapping on August 16th in Dallas, TX. Visit LilithFair.com and LiveNation.com for more information and tickets in your area.
From 1997 through 1999, Lilith Fair was one of the highest grossing touring festivals in the world, with over 1.5 million fans in attendance and raised over $10 million dollars for national and local charities. Founded by Grammy-award winning recording artist Sarah McLachlan along with Dan Fraser, Marty Diamond and Terry McBride, Lilith Fair was the only tour of its kind—a celebration of women in music featuring artists like Sheryl Crow, Christina Aguilera, Erykah Badu, The Dixie Chicks, Missy Elliott, The Pretenders, Nelly Furtado, Jewel, Queen Latifah, Indigo Girls, Tegan and Sara, and of course, Sarah McLachlan.

LILITH 2010 TOUR COMPILATION
Track Listing:
1. Sarah McLachlan – One Dream
2. Court Yard Hounds - The Coast
3. Colbie Caillat - Fallin' For You
4. Kelly Clarkson - Already Gone
5. Ke$ha- TiK ToK
6. Rihanna - Russian Roulette
7. Ash Koley - Brighter at Night
8. Tegan and Sara – Hell
9. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
10. Brandi Carlile – Dreams
11. Kate Miller-Heidke - Caught in the Crowd
12. Chantal Kreviazuk – Wonderful
13. The Weepies - I Was Made for Sunny Days
14. Nneka - The Uncomfortable Truth
15. Corinne Bailey Rae - The Blackest Lily
16. Norah Jones - Chasing Pirates

Full list of artists performing on Lilith 2010 announced so far (visit LilithFair.com to view artist pages):

A Fine Frenzy, Ali Milner, Anjulie, Ann Atomic, Anya Marina, Ash Koley, The Bangles, Beth Orton, Brandi Carlile, Butterfly Boucher, Caitlin Crosby, Cara Salimando, Carly Simon, Cat Power, Ceci Bastida, Chairlift, Chantal Kreviazuk, Colbie Caillat, Corinne Bailey Rae, Court Yard Hounds, Debi Nova, Donna Delory, Elizaveta, Elisapie Isaac, Emmylou Harris, Erin McCarley, Erykah Badu, Frazey Ford, The Go-Go’s, Gossip, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Hannah Georgas, Heart, Ima, Indigo Girls, Ingrid Michaelson, Janelle Monae, Jenni Rivera, Jennifer Knapp, Jesca Hoop, Jill Hennessy, Jill Scott, Julia Othmer, Kate Miller-Heidke, Kate Morgan, Kate Nash Katzenjammer, Kelly Clarkson, Ke$ha, Kina, La Roux, Lights, Lissie, Loretta Lynn, Lucy Schwartz, Marina & The Diamonds, Martina McBride, Mary J. Blige, Meaghan Smith, Melissa McClelland, Metric, Miranda Lambert, Miranda Lee Richards, Missy Higgins, Nikki Jean, Nneka, Norah Jones, Priscilla Renea, Queen Latifah, The Rescues, Rihanna, Rosie Thomas, Sara Bareilles, Sarah McLachlan, Selena Gomez, Serena Ryder, Shel, Sheryl Crow, Sia, Sugarland, Susan Justice, Suzanne Vega, Tara MacLean, Tegan and Sara, Toby Lightman, Vedera, Vita Chambers, The Submarines, The Weepies, Ximena Sarinana, Zee Avi

Cyndi Lauper: Memphis Blues

2010-04-26T18:44:00.004-04:00

**Press Release**

CYNDI LAUPER TO RELEASE MEMPHIS BLUES

Iconic Performer Re-invents Herself on New Album featuring B.B. King, Jonny Lang, Allen Toussaint and many others.

Memphis Blues out June 22nd on Downtown Records

(New York, NY – April 26, 2010) – Iconic performer and musical chameleon Cyndi Lauper will release Memphis Blues on June 22nd on Downtown Records. The collection of blues cover songs, recorded this March at Electraphonic Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, features appearances by such great artists as B.B. King, Jonny Lang, Allen Toussaint, Ann Peebles and Charlie Musselwhite.

“This is the album I’ve wanted to make for years,” said Lauper. “All of these beautiful songs, and all of the great players on the album, were carefully chosen because I’ve admired them my entire life. And I knew from the moment Alan Toussaint hit the keys in ‘Shattered Dreams’ that we were creating something really special.”

The feel of Memphis Blues is gritty and full of life. It bristles with the kind of energy that earmarked the hit singles invented on the fly at Stax Records, the historic and spiritual prototype for Electraphonic, where musicians of multiple generations work side-by-side creating soul-driven anthems for the brokenhearted, the unrequited, and the overlooked.

Lauper, who traveled from New York to Memphis to set up camp at Electraphonic Recording Studio, assembled a team of crackerjack session players to cut the way she knew this record had to be done: live, analog, with Cyndi herself calling out arrangements on the studio floor.

Produced by Scott Bomar and mixed by longtime collaborator William Wittman, Memphis Blues features appearances by a veritable dream team of blues and soul greats, including harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite, vocalist Ann “I Can’t Stand the Rain” Peebles, brilliant Crescent City organist Allen Toussaint, and hotshot guitar heroes Jonny Lang and legend B.B. King.

Memphis Blues session players include Stax veterans Lester Snell and Skip Pitts, and Hi Rhythm Section alums Leroy Hodges and Howard Grimes, studio careerists who cut their teeth recording with the likes of Isaac Hayes and Al Green. Along with the punctuating blasts provided by trumpeter Marc Franklin, baritone saxophonist Kirk Smother, and tenor saxman Derrick Williams, they provided a steadfast foundation for Lauper’s impeccable vocals.

Ranging from the harmonica blues ballad “Just Your Fool,” to “Don’t Cry No More,” originally a hit for Bobby “Blue” Bland, Cyndi starts with a slow burn and then pours on the gasoline, giving “Rollin’ And Tumblin’” an authentic hill country blues read and collaborating with the one and only B.B. King on the up-tempo Louis Jordan raver “Early in the Morning.”

As demonstrated by her scorching, tell-it-like-it-is renderings of Memphis Slim’s “Mother Earth” and Lowell Fulsom’s “Shattered Dreams,” even Cyndi’s topical themes – which, on past albums, have addressed homophobia and racism – are stripped away as she focuses on the most basic problem to plague humankind: love, and the havoc wreaked because of it.

About Cyndi Lauper
After 25 million albums sold, 13 Grammy Award nominations, two Emmy Awards, two American Music Awards, and 18 MTV Video Music Awards, Cyndi Lauper continues to lead as a singer, songwriter, musician, actress, and activist. Her most recent studio album, 2008’s dance-oriented, Grammy-nominated Bring Ya to the Brink, featured collaborations with a cadre of cutting-edge producers and spawned two No. 1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play singles. In 2009, the long-time actress appeared on such red-hot television shows as 30 Rock, Gossip Girl, Bones, and American Idol (performing with contestant Allison Iraheta), and was a surprise guest at the resurrected concert event “VH1 Divas.” In addition to her love of performing, Lauper is unwavering in her commitment to social activism, creating the True Colors Fund as a show of solidarity against discrimination and to raise awareness about the issues facing the GLBT population. Lauper is also writing her autobiography in which she takes readers on a journey through her colorful life, to be released next year by Simon & Shuster.

Memphis Blues track listing:
1. I'm Just Your Fool (feat. Charlie Musselwhite)
2. Shattered Dreams (feat. Allen Toussaint)
3. Early in the Morning (feat. Allen Toussaint & B.B. King)
4. Romance in the Dark
5. How Blue Can You Get (feat. Jonny Lang)
6. Down Don't Bother Me (feat. Charlie Musselwhite)
7. Don't Cry No More
8. Rollin and Tumblin’ (feat. Kenny Brown and Ann Peebles)
9. Down So Low
10. Mother Earth (feat. Allen Toussaint)
11. Cross Roads (feat. Jonny Lang)
12. Wild Women Don't Get the Blues

For more information visit:
Official website: cyndilauper.com
Official Twitter: twitter.com/shebop_aka_cyn

Sarah McLachlan: New Single and Album

2010-04-22T18:08:00.004-04:00

**Press Release**

CHECK OUT SARAH MCLACHLAN’S NEW SINGLE (AND COVER ART) “LOVING YOU IS EASY”

AVAILABLE MAY 4TH

SARAH’S HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED NEW ALBUM THE LAWS OF ILLUSION IN STORES JUNE 15TH, 2010!!!

CHECK OUT WWW.SARAHMCLACHLAN.COM FOR MORE INFO.

Marina & The Diamonds: The Family Jewels

2010-04-22T18:02:00.004-04:00

**Press Release**

MARINA & THE DIAMONDS’ “THE FAMILY JEWELS” DEBUTS TOP 5 IN THE UK; ACCLAIMED POP SENSATION SLATES U.S. RELEASE, “THE FAMILY JEWELS” ARRIVES EVERYWHERE ON MAY 25th

Chop Shop /Atlantic Records has announced the upcoming release of “THE FAMILY JEWELS,” the dazzling debut album from Marina & The Diamonds which made a stunning chart debut this week at #5 in the U.K. The collection will arrive stateside on May 25th.

“THE FAMILY JEWELS” will be heralded by “THE AMERICAN JEWELS EP,” a three-track EP featuring the album tracks “I Am Not A Robot” and “Mowgli’s Road,” alongside the exclusive “I Am Not a Robot Flex'd Rework (Passion Pit Remix).” “THE AMERICAN JEWELS” available at all DSPs on March 23rd.

Marina & The Diamonds – the nom de musique of Marina Diamandis – has quickly become a sensation in the UK, where Diamandis was recently named the #2 artist on the BBC’s ever-prescient “Sound of 2010” ranking. Dividing her time between her birthplace of Abergavenny in rural Wales, London and later her father’s traditional family home in Greece, Diamandis developed a truly idiosyncratic aesthetic, equal parts self-deprecating songstress, unabashedly intimate lyricist, and passionate pop star-in-waiting. A sequence of ’09 singles and EPs – released on the influential UK indie label, Neon Gold (Passion Pit, Ellie Goulding, Your Twenties) – earned her a steady stream of admirers, both public and in the press, all in thrall to Marina’s extraordinarily prodigious talent.

What’s more, Marina & The Diamonds will be among the artists appearing on this summer’s 2010 Lilith Tour, joining a remarkable line-up that includes Sarah MacLachlan, Norah Jones, Mary J. Blige, Loretta Lynn, Tegan & Sara, Janelle Monáe, Colbie Caillat, and many others.
Highlighted by the UK Top 20 hit single, “Hollywood,” “THE FAMILY JEWELS” is proving an early contender for 2010’s most distinctive debut. Songs like the dramatic “Oh No!” (produced by Greg Kurstin of The Bird And The Bee), “Obsessions” and the boldly ambitious “Mowgli’s Road” see Marina gleefully melding the theatrically lavish vocal and orchestral flourishes of Kate Bush with the wonderful pop eccentricity of everyone from Sparks to the Scissor Sisters.

“Astonishing,” declared NME of “THE FAMILY JEWELS” in its nine-out-of-10 rave. “Raining down on the ears like an explosion of sonic confetti, (“Hollywood”) boasts a chorus so killer it should probably be investigated by the police.” The Times’ Pete Paphides awarded the album four-out-of-five stars, praising it for “parachuting you into the world of a singer who wants your attention but hates compartmentalization.” The Telegraph decreed “THE FAMILY JEWELS” an “arch, clever debut,” hailing Marina for having “a larger-than-life quality, coming on like a drama queen using her personal neuroses as a prism through which to view the world.”

www.marinaandthediamonds.com

Lilith Fair 2010 dates announced

7/1 - Vancouver, BC - Pitt Meadows Airport
7/2 - Portland, OR - The Amphitheater at Clark County
7/3 - Seattle, WA - The Gorge Amphitheatre
7/7 - San Diego, CA - Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
7/10 - Los Angeles, CA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

She's redefining songs about coming of age, and the aftermath,
with bluntness and crafty intelligence." -The New York Times

"Marina has dance-pop hooks galore, a dramatically swooping voice, and very real magnetism.
Whether you know it yet or not, she's a star." -Entertainment Weekly

Marina And The Diamonds' debut album The Family Jewels available in the U.S. Tuesday, May 25th (Chop Shop/Atlantic)

Christina Aguilera New Album: BIONIC

2010-04-15T12:42:00.002-04:00

**Press Release**

FIVE TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNING RECORDING ARTIST CHRISTINA AGUILERA TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM “BIONIC” ON JUNE 8TH

FIRST SINGLE “NOT MYSELF TONIGHT” PREMIERED ON CHRISTINAAGUILERA.COM AND AVAILABLE ON iTUNES ON NOW

With 30 million albums sold worldwide and the prestigious honor of being the only artist under the age of 30 included in Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the 100 greatest singers of all time, 5 time Grammy Award winner Christina Aguilera has already achieved an unprecedented level of success. Aguilera’s been hard at work in the studio for the past year and is pleased to announce the release of her highly anticipated 4th studio album Bionic (RCA Records) on June 8th. The first single from Bionic is the fiercely energetic anthem “Not Myself Tonight”, produced by Polow Da Don. The song premiered on ChristinaAguilera.com and available on iTunes on now.

Bionic features songs co-written by Aguilera along with her much buzzed about collaborations including Sia, Tricky Stewart, Polow Da Don, Le Tigre, Hill & Switch, and Ladytron among others. Aguilera notes, “Working on this album with so many talented artists and producers that I admire was really an amazing experience. The artists I chose to work with added so many unique sonic layers to Bionic. My intention was to step into their world and what they do combined with my own vision and sound. The results were magic.” The album also features a ballad produced and written by Linda Perry titled “Lift Me Up”. The title Bionic reflects Aguilera’s ability to take her range to new levels and use her voice in various ways never heard before.

Aguilera describes the album as a unique mix of many genres and styles of music, “I was able to explore and create a fresh, sexy feel using both electronic and organic elements with subject matter ranging from playful to introspective. I am so excited for my fans to hear the new sound. It is something I don’t think anyone will expect.”

In addition to completing the album which was all recorded from her home studio after the birth of her first son, Christina also completed production on her first film, “Burlesque.” The film, which co-stars Cher, Stanley Tucci, and Kristen Bell will be released by ScreenGems this fall.

http://www.christinaaguilera.com/

MACY GRAY RETURNS WITH: THE SELLOUT

2010-04-11T10:08:00.006-04:00

**Press Release**

Celebrated Performer’s First New Album in 3 Years Due on June 22nd from Concord Records in US, Island Records in UK

Concord Records is proud to announce the release of Macy Gray’s new album, entitled The Sellout, on June 22, 2010.

The Sellout is the Grammy Award winning singer / songwriter's first album in more than 3 years and will be released by Concord Records in the U.S., Island Records in the U.K. and Universal Music Group, internationally.

The Sellout, featuring 12 new songs, was co-written and executive produced by Gray in Los Angeles throughout 2009. The album was mixed by four- time Grammy Award winning mixer Manny Marroquin whose credits include top 10 singles for Lady Gaga, Jay Z, Rihanna, Alicia Keyes, Kanye West and John Mayer. Collaborators on the album include Bobby Brown, The Bodyrockers’ Kaz James and Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum formerly of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver.

It’s clear from opening moments of the record’s first single, the irresistibly anthemic “Beauty In The World”, that The Sellout is the work of an artist who has reconnected with the essence of her creative gifts after a long, soul-numbing journey through the music biz’s star-making machinery. "The Sellout tells the story of how I found my salvation in just being myself instead of who other people thought I should be,” said the striking singer. “I had got to a place in my career where I tried everything that was asked of me and in doing so I lost sight of who Macy Gray really is. I spent over a year making this album without any pressure or opinions and being able to choose the co-writers, producers and artists that felt good to me. As a result, it really reflects my true identity. I feel like I have finally made the album I was capable of and that my fans wanted. These are some of my favorite songs that I’ve written.”

Sparkling melodies and personal lyrical insights dazzle throughout The Sellout, an authentic and confidently delivered statement from one of contemporary music’s most skillful and creative forces. The highlights are rich and plentiful including the alluring, soul-pop groove of “Lately”, “That Man” a mouth-watering slice of Ting Ting’s inflected 80’s new-wave, the Joan Jett meets T- Rex thump and screaming Slash guitar of “Kissed It”, and the beguiling, “Still Hurts”, a vulnerable, emotion filled keep-sake ballad, just to name a few.

Macy Gray first burst onto the music scene with her debut album On How Life Is and the massive hit single “I Try" both of which went number 1 all over the world. The album went on to sell 7 million copies worldwide with Gray winning a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist. Macy Gray has gone on to sell more than 15,000,000 albums worldwide and has been nominated for 5 Grammy Awards and 6 MTV Video Music Awards. She has collaborated on stage and in the recording studio with some of music’s greatest artists including Justin Timberlake, Common, Outkast, Rick Rubin, Carlos Santana, Erykah Badu, Fergie, will.i.am, John Frusciante (of Red Hot Chili Peppers), Nas, Mos Def and Natalie Cole, among many others. She has also appeared in numerous films including Training Day, Spider Man, Idlewild and the award winning HBO Film Lackawanna Blues.

Further details on The Sellout and Macy Gray's forthcoming world tour will be announced soon.

http://www.macygray.com/

http://www.myspace.com/macygray

Info About Press Releases

2010-04-11T09:58:00.007-04:00

1. Press releases posted on this blog will be identified with a **Press Release** indicator at the top of the article.

2. All images associated with the press release are untouched- posted here just as they are received in the press kit.

3. Journalists and fans are assured all info in these press releases is direct and of the highest quality. Feel free to use them in your articles and fan sites.

4. Enjoy the music!

Hot Chip - I Feel Better

2010-03-19T20:38:00.003-04:00

Little Boots - HANDS

2010-01-25T18:52:00.003-05:00

SET TO RELEASE MUCH-ANTICIPATED FULL-LENGTH ALBUM: HANDS

MARCH 2nd ON ELEKTRA RECORDS

U.S. TOUR DATES TO KICK OFF WITH ALBUM RELEASE SHOW AT NYC’S HIGHLINE BALLROOM

British dance-pop sensation Little Boots will release her much- anticipated full-length album debut, “HANDS” in the U.S. and Canada March 2nd, 2010 on Elektra Records. “HANDS” which was released in June ’09 in the UK, features the hit songs “Stuck on Repeat”, “New In Town” and current single, “Remedy” which the NY Post recently praised as a “synth-pop gem” and named one of their “Top 209 songs of 2009.” Beginning today, “HANDS” will be available for preorder as CD and limited edition vinyl at: http://store.elektra.com/collections/little-boots-us-webstore

Little Boots- known to her family and friends as Victoria Hesketh- is without question the most talked-about new UK pop star of 2009. She was named one of NME’s Best New Artists of the year, won a BRITs Critic’s Choice Award and BBC’s distinguished “Sound of 2009” poll and is the first artist to have appeared on the Jools Holland show TWICE before an album release. Here in the U.S. Rolling Stone named Little Boots as one of their prestigious “Artists to Watch” and Nylon Magazine hailed, “Synth sensation Victoria Hesketh a.k.a. Little Boots is poised to reinvent pop one small dance step at a time.”

The Blackpool-born performer first captured attention as a member of electro-indie combo Dead Disco. Opting to pursue a solo career as Little Boots, she assembled an arsenal of synths and began airing her developing work on YouTube for all to see. Earlier this year Little Boots’ U.S. only “ILLUMINATIONS” EP was released and served as an ideal introduction to her acclaimed brand of futuristic electro-pop. The five-track EP featured rare and exclusive tracks including the irrepressible anthem, “Stuck on Repeat” which started it all.

Little Boots, who completed a 5-city sold-out U.S. tour in the fall, will be back to kick off a North American headlining run March 2nd at NYC’s Highline Ballroom. (See below for listing of announced dates—many more to come). Little Boots has been touring non stop around the globe for the last year playing major headline shows as well as hitting 33 of the summer festivals including the UK’s prestigious Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds’ Festivals, Scotland’s T-In The Park, Japan’s Summersonic and Denmark’s Roskilde amongst many others.

For more information please visit:
www.littlebootsmusic.net/
www.myspace.com/littlebootsmusic

Little Boots North American Tour Dates (more to be announced)

March 2 Highline Ballroom New York, NY**
March 5 Venue Vancouver, BC***
March 6 Neumos Seattle, WA*
March 7 Hawthorne Theatre Portland, OR*
March 9 The Fillmore Auditorium San Francisco,CA*
March 10 El Rey Theatre Los Angeles, CA*
March 12 The Glass House Pomona, CA*
March 13 The Casbah San Diego, CA*

* With Dragonette & Fan Death
** With Fan Death& Body Language
*** With Fan Death

Mariah Carey: New Holiday Season Remixes

2009-11-21T11:15:00.003-05:00

MARIAH CAREY & LEGACY RECORDINGS
CELEBRATE 2009 HOLIDAY SEASON WITH NEW DANCE MIX OF "ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU"

1) Mariah Carey "All I Want For Christmas Is You" (Mariah's New Dance Mix) - 4:59
2) Mariah Carey "All I Want For Christmas Is You" (Mariah's New Dance Mix Radio Edit) - 3:35
3) Mariah Carey "All I Want For Christmas Is You" (Mariah's New Dance Mix Extended Version) - 6:42
4) Mariah Carey "All I Want For Christmas Is You" (Original Version)

Mariah's New Mix of Perennial Holiday Classic Available Through All Major Digital Service Providers On November 23, 2009

Angie Stone: Unexpected

2009-11-21T11:10:00.003-05:00

ANGIE STONE EXPECTS THE ‘UNEXPECTED’ ON NOVEMBER 23rd

R&B Star’s New Album is 2nd for Legendary Soul Label Stax Records

R&B/soul luminary Angie Stone has never shied away from pushing her own limits and the limits of her music. With each new recording, with each next step in her career, she has consistently hit the world with something it didn’t see coming. Her new album, Unexpected, set for release on November 24th from Stax Records (a division of Concord Music Group), encompasses a diversity of styles and influences that Stone has distilled over the years – rap, R&B, soul, funk and more – and weaves them together in a narrative that addresses life’s ups and downs, but ultimately strikes a redemptive chord.

“I wanted this album to be something different,” says Stone, whose 2007 Stax debut, The Art of Love & War, was her first album to top Billboard’s R&B/hip-hop chart. “I didn’t want to make the kind of neo-soul record I had made in the past. That would have been repetitive.”

But in the midst of mapping this new direction, Stone encountered a shock that even she didn’t see coming. Mid-way through the recording process, her father – Stone’s spiritual anchor and creative mentor since her childhood in South Carolina – passed away very suddenly. “It was totally unexpected,” she says, “and that’s where I came up with the title of the album. I really didn’t think I could finish the project, because I was so grief stricken…I had to do a lot of the vocals a second time. I had to lean on my dad’s wisdom and energy, and try to be open to what he would have wanted me to do in order to finish the songs. I can say that his spirit was literally there in the studio with me, and I’m grateful for that.”

Out of this tragedy comes Unexpected, the next step forward for Stone, a stretch beyond whatever limits – real or perceived – she might have been facing when the project began. From the get-go, the quick and funky title track – with its backbeat inspired by Sly Stone’s 1971 hit, “Family Affair” – warns the listener to “Prepare yourself for just about anything.” Equally energetic is the album’s first single, “I Ain’t Hearin’ U,” a song that decries rumor and gossip. The track is co-written by vocalist and songwriter Juanita Wynn, Stone’s collaborative partner for several years.

“I Don’t Care” is a proclamation of self-acceptance and self-assurance, based on sound spiritual advice that Stone received early on: “My dad always used to tell me, ‘Don’t worry about what people say. They can’t change anything. Whatever God wants for you is most important.” “Tell Me” settles into a techno groove wherein the dual vocals by Stone and Wynn – artfully co-produced by Kerrim “Ikon” King and Fitzroy “Art Teacher” Reid – create a wall of sound that’s augmented by an edgy delivery from rapper Dose.

“Think Sometimes” is a poignant ballad inspired in large part by Stone’s late father. “It’s funny how people can slip away so fast, and suddenly they’re in your past,” she says. “You wonder about what you could have – or should have – done differently. It’ll make you think sometimes.”

Unexpected represents a turning point for Angie Stone – not just in her career, but in her life and her world view. And while the losses that triggered the transformation may be painful, the artist and her work are stronger because of them. “This album is something that no one would have anticipated coming from me. My father always encouraged me and everyone else he knew to reach out and make a leap of faith, and that’s exactly what I’ve done.”

angiestoneonline.net

Shakira: She Wolf

2009-11-21T11:05:00.004-05:00

SHAKIRA

"I'm a little more in touch with my desires," Shakira recently said, "and a little more empowered, or encouraged, to satisfy those desires and set them free."

One of the few truly global superstars of our time, Shakira is extending her reach with her eighth studio album, SHE WOLF. The daring, innovative project is the long-awaited follow-up to 2005's groundbreaking one-two punch comprised of Fijacion Oral, Volume 1 and Oral Fixation, Volume 2, a pair of albums which combined to sell over 12 million copies worldwide and secured the young Colombian-born singer's place among pop music royalty.

SHE WOLF reveals, however, that despite her triumphs on the charts, and her increasingly ambitious off-stage role as an activist and philanthropist, Shakira's heart has stayed close to the dance floor. Co-writing and producing this album, Shakira worked with a diverse range of superstar producers and songwriters—most notably, Pharrell Williams and the Neptunes, but also Wyclef Jean, Timbaland and John Hill —she has created an irresistible set of deceptively rich, club-ready tracks.

"My biggest motivation was to make an album that people could just have fun with, and forget about their troubles," she recently said. "Now I can use music for the purpose it's created for—to amuse and entertain people, and also express other feelings, but things that are more personal."

Her musical style can be called “pop fusion,” characterized by her eclectic tastes, from Middle Eastern beats to heavy metal guitars—and new songs like the slinky, percussive "Long Time" or the rocked-up kiss-off "Mon Amour" illustrate her commitment to remaining a sonic omnivore. It's a long way from the folk-tinged intro of "Gypsy" to the full-on disco breaks of "Men In This Town" or her work with Hossam Ramzy of Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir fame arranging the Egyptian orchestra on “Why Wait,” but Shakira's voice and attitude make it all feel cohesive. SHE WOLF's title track, with its New Wave synth-pop sound and characteristically off-center lyrics ("darling it is no joke, this is lycanthropy") is already a multi-format smash in both English and Spanish ("Loba") versions.

“This was a sonic experimental trip. I wanted to play around with electronica, beats, synthesizers and I began to research folk from other countries looking for new influences that allowed me to combine electronics with world sounds, tambourines, clarinets, oriental and Hindu music, dancehall, etc.,” she has said. “You never know the final destination of a creative project, but from the beginning I wanted to make sure that this album had a very strong foundation. I wanted it to be very bass-driven, and to make sure the kicks hit really hard.”

During her fifteen-year career, Shakira has always been fearless in blending musical genres and sounds; in concert, she moves easily from belly-dancing to shouting out covers of AC/DC and Aerosmith songs. Recording sessions for SHE WOLF circled the globe, taking Shakira from New York to Paris, from Cairo to the Bahamas, and saw her cut dozens of songs before settling on a final album.

Shakira has said that she considers both "She Wolf" and its ultra-sexy video, “symbolic of the woman of our time, who knows what she wants and defends her individual liberties with teeth and claws, who rebels against the limitations that society and our own culture places on her." Indeed, though the album is geared for dancing, and devoted largely to matters of the heart and the bedroom, a deeper theme is also apparent in many of the songs, which examine issues of identity and role-playing. "My music always reflects my state of mind," she has said. “I’m in a more liberated place right now. I feel more solid as a person, as a woman.”

This sense of artistic exploration is no surprise coming from a woman who began writing songs at the age of eight, learned to speak English by studying the work of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Walt Whitman, and took history classes at UCLA during her break between albums. The compassionate side of Shakira is most obvious in the remarkable work of her Pies Descalzos (Barefoot) Foundation, which she started at the age of 18 and has now opened it’s fifth school. The foundation currently provides education and nutrition to over six thousand impoverished children in Colombia and is working to expand its work to other countries.

"We shouldn’t think of this as charity” she said “every child has talent to be developed and the potential to become a productive member of society. Education is a powerful tool to unlock those talents—and to break the cycle of poverty that too often traps them.” Shakira has also become a leading advocate for universal education, speaking to world leaders on the topic and advocating policy change to governments around the world.

Over the course of her career, Grammy winner Shakira has sold close to fifty million albums. Her collaborations with such stars as Beyonce and Alejandro Sanz have helped keep her audience expanding continually. She is the only artist from South America to have a Number One song in the US, and her performance was a highlight of the concert celebrating President Obama's inauguration. She has four of the twenty top-selling hits of the decade, more than any other artist—and that includes 2006's unforgettable "Hips Don't Lie," the biggest-selling single of the 21st Century, which reached the Number One spot in an astonishing 55 countries.

Renowned for her power and presence as a live performer, Shakira is gearing up for the release of a Spanish language album in the coming months, and a world tour in 2010. After dedicating some time to her concerns away from the spotlight, it's clear that Shakira's passion as an artist is as strong as ever, and SHE WOLF stands as proof that she will remain front and center on the global stage for a long time to come.

"When I look back, I can't believe the path behind me," she has said, "I always feel like I haven't really done anything. It's been 20 years, but I still care about my career. I care about the music."

Shakira “She Wolf” (EPIC RECORDS/SONY MUSIC) available Nov 23, 2009

Click here to view the video for "She Wolf"
taken from SHE WOLF (Epic/Sony Music) available Nov 23rd
www.shakira.com

Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster

2009-11-21T10:58:00.002-05:00

LADY GAGA RETURNS WITH 8 NEW SONGS ON THE FAME MONSTER

Lady Gaga will release The Fame Monster on Nov 23rd. The album will include the 4 million-selling album The Fame, along with eight entirely new songs. The Fame Monster (Streamline/KonLive/Cherrytree/Interscope Records), deals with the seamier side of fame, as experienced by Gaga over the course of her last history-making year.

Says Lady Gaga, "On The Fame Monster, I wrote about everything I didn't write on The Fame. While traveling the world for two years, I've encountered several monsters, each represented by a different song on the new record: my ‘Fear of Sex Monster,’ my ‘Fear of Alcohol Monster,’ my ‘Fear of Love Monster,’ my ‘Fear of Death Monster,’ my ‘Fear of Loneliness Monster,’ etc.”

“I spent a lot of nights in Eastern Europe, and this album is a pop experimentation with industrial/Goth beats, 90's dance melodies, an obsession with the lyrical genius of 80's melancholic pop, and the runway. I wrote while watching muted fashion shows and I am compelled to say my music was scored for them. I also composed a ballad for the album, ‘Speechless,’ a song for my father, and it's my favorite work of all. I wrote every piece on the road - no songs about money, no songs about fame. I wrote it for my fans, so I wrote everything in between."

The Fame Monster is a two-disc set with artwork shot by renowned fashion designer and photographer Hedi Slimane. The release will see two iconic covers – one limited to an initial run of 10,000 copies. A super-deluxe magazine-style edition will release on December 15th just in time for the holidays, including extra elements and never-before-seen photos of Lady Gaga: from the artist herself and loyal fans worldwide.

“Bad Romance” is the first club-banging single produced by RedOne. Included in the eight new songs is a duet with superstar Beyonce, the Rodney Jerkins-produced “Telephone.” Other collaborators on the new tracks include Teddy Riley, Rodney Jerkins, Ron Fair and Fernando Garibay.

www.ladygaga.com

Lady Gaga The Fame Monster (Streamline/KonLive/Cherrytree/Interscope Records) available Nov 23rd
*Also available “The Fame Monster” (standard version)

Watch the video for "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga
Taken from The Fame Monster" (Streamline/KonLive/Cherrytree/Interscope Records) available Nov 23rd

Rihanna: Rated R

2009-11-21T10:54:00.003-05:00

THE WAIT IS OVA!!!

RIHANNA’s NEW ALBUM - RATED R - HITS MONDAY, NOV. 23rd

“Russian Roulette,” first new single pick –written by Ne-Yo – launched worldwide Oct. 20th on radio and on official Rihanna website

Long-awaited follow-up to 2007’s worldwide multi-platinum Good Girl Gone Bad

The wait is ova – for one of the most hotly anticipated new albums in recent history, as multi-platinum, award-winning Def Jam recording artist Rihanna announces the completion of her fourth original studio album, Rated R, scheduled to arrive in the physical and digital marketplace on Monday, November 23rd.

Rated R’s first single pick, “Russian Roulette” will be launched worldwide on http://rihannanow.com. The “Russian Roulette” video is directed by Anthony Mandler

“Russian Roulette” was written and produced by fellow Def Jam artist Ne-Yo, whose long track record with Rihanna includes the #1 hit “Unfaithful” (2006, from A Girl Like Me), their Top 10 duet “Hate That I Love You” (2007, from Good Girl Gone Bad), and #1 pop/ #1 R&B “Take A Bow” (2008, from Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded). In addition to Ne-Yo, other producers and writers on Rihanna’s new album include the team of The-Dream and Tricky Stewart, Chase & Status, Stargate, Justin Timberlake and more.

Rated R is the long-awaited follow-up to Good Girl Gone Bad (May 2007), which contained the non-stop string of hit singles that began with the MTV VMA and Grammy Award-winning global #1 hit “Umbrella” (featuring Jay-Z), then “Shut Up and Drive,” “Hate That I Love You” (featuring Ne-Yo), and “Don't Stop the Music.” Good Girl Gone Bad spent 98 total weeks on the Soundscan chart, earned cumulative sales of more than 36-times platinum in at least 20 territories around the world, and spun off the CD+DVD package Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded (January 2009) – which continued the string of hits with the #1 “Take A Bow,” and the #1 “Disturbia.”

Good Girl Gone Bad was the third album release in less than two years by the 21-year old Barbados native Rihanna. It followed-up 2006’s RIAA platinum A Girl Like Me, which contained the back-to-back hits, “S.O.S.” and “Unfaithful”; and her RIAA gold debut from 2005, Music Of the Sun, featuring the world-wide smash, “Pon De Replay.”

Check out the video for “Russian Roulette”
taken from RATED R (Def Jam Records) available Nov 23rd

Timabaland: Shock Value II

2009-10-30T19:26:00.005-04:00

SUPER-PRODUCER TIMBALAND TO RELEASE TIMBALAND PRESENTS SHOCK VALUE II ON DECEMBER 8, 2009, ON Mosley Music Group/Blackground Records/Interscope Records

FOLLOW-UP TO 2007’S MULTI-PLATINUM SHOCK VALUE FEATURES SPECIAL GUESTS JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, NELLY FURTADO, KATY PERRY, MILEY CYRUS, THE FRAY, CHAD KROEGER OF NICKELBACK, DRAKE, CHRIS DAUGHTRY, AND MANY OTHERS

DIGITAL SINGLE “MORNING AFTER DARK” AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE THROUGH VERIZON V CAST
BEGINNING OCTOBER 23RD AND ITUNES OCTOBER 27TH

Multi-platinum producer, prolific hit-maker, and sonic innovator Timbaland will release his third solo album, entitled Timbaland Presents Shock Value II, on December 8 , 2009, on Mosley Music Group/Blackground Records/Interscope Records. The album is the follow-up to the super-producer’s multi-platinum 2007 album Timbaland Presents Shock Value, which spawned three No. 1 pop singles, the Grammy-nominated “Give It To Me” (featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake), “The Way I Are,” (featuring Keri Hilson and D.O.E.), and a remix of OneRepublic’s multi-platinum blockbuster “Apologize” (one of the best-selling singles of the decade).

On Shock Value II, Timbaland re-maps the pop/R&B landscape by batting away genre boundaries once again. His prodigious influence and ability to stay ahead of the curve have meant that a wide range of today’s most popular artists are eager to participate in the Shock Value series. This second iteration features guest appearances from Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, The Fray, Chris Daughtry, Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger, Brandy, Drake, and Keri Hilson. In addition, Timbaland asserts the wide-screen sonic adventurousness that has led the Virginia Beach native to dominate the pop charts for more than a decade.

“I’m so fortunate and blessed to be able to create a Shock Value II,” Timbaland says. “I’m really proud of the caliber of artists on this album and all the work they put into making it a success. I can promise that no one has ever heard Katy Perry, The Fray, or Brandy sound like this before. It’s exciting because not only am I giving fans the best of me on each track, I’m giving them a glimpse of their favorite artist in a completely different light. This is an album that can be listened to from start to finish every single time because each song is so unique and the range of artists so diverse. I can’t wait for my fans to hear the collaborations.”

Over the course of his career, Timbaland has made an indelible imprint on the music scene. His production has helped create career-defining hits for artists such as Aaliyah, Missy Elliott, Destiny’s Child, Madonna, Fall Out Boy, and Jay-Z, among many others. Respected beyond the genres of urban and hip-hop music, Timbaland, whose musical influences cross cultural lines, has also been sought by diverse superstars whose music similarly knows no boundaries, from pop star Justin Timberlake to avant-singer Björk. So prolific a hit-maker is he that in the span of a single year — 2006 to 2007 — Timbaland produced more than 10 international chart-toppers, including Furtado’s “Promiscuous,” Timberlake’s “Sexy Back,” and 50 Cent’s “Ayo Technology.”

Shock Value II’s first single, “Morning After Dark” premiered on KIIS FM’s “On-Air with Ryan Seacrest” on October 16th and available for purchase through Verizon V CAST and iTunes. The single features Nelly Furtado and French singer-songwriter SoShy, a new artist on Timbaland’s label Mosley Music Group.

www.timbalandmusic.com

Click onto link below to sample "MORNING AFTER DARK" feat. Nelly Furtado and SoShy

http://interscope.edgeboss.net/wmedia/interscope/timbaland/audio/morningafterdark/hi.wax

George Michael DVD: LIVE IN LONDON

2009-10-28T19:26:00.002-04:00

GEORGE MICHAEL’S
“LIVE IN LONDON” DVD
TO BE RELEASED ON DECEMBER 8TH

George Michael is to release ‘Live in London’ a special 23 song full concert DVD on December 8th through Epic Records/Sony Music Entertainment. This is the first live DVD of George’s career. Recorded and filmed at The Final Two concerts in London’s Earls Court arena on August 24th and 25th these highly anticipated shows marked the end of George Michael’s triumphant 25 Live Tour and were the last chance to catch George performing on a stage of this magnitude.

‘Live in London’ features tracks from George’s historic career including ‘Careless Whisper’, ‘Freedom’, ‘Faith’, ‘Everything She Wants’ and ‘Amazing’. A special behind the scenes bonus documentary, ‘I’d Know him a Mile Off,’ offers a glimpse behind the magic of these sold out shows even shadowing the man himself before and after his performances on stage. ‘Live in London’ will be available worldwide in two formats, double disc DVD and a single Blu-Ray disc.

When George first announced his 25 Live Tour tickets were snapped up in minutes. The critically acclaimed tour saw George perform in front of over 2 million people worldwide with a 49 date 25 Live Arena Tour and a 30 date 25 Live Stadium Tour. In Summer 2008 Michael took his 25 Live Tour to arenas across North America touring North America for the first time in 20 years. In London alone, 350,000 people collectively watched him performing in Earls Court, Wembley Arena, The Roundhouse and the newly renovated Wembley Stadium, where he made musical history as the first artist to perform at the momentous venue in June 2007.

His exceptional performances in the UK, Europe and North America received unprecedented praise from both critics and fans across the globe.

“George proved he is simply one of the best vocalists this country has ever produced.” - The Sun

“King George still reigns supreme” - Mail on Sunday

“A masterclass in pop genius” - The Observer

“A tremendous singer, a complete showman. All George Michael needs is a mic, his songs, and the magic on stage is instaneous” - La Parisien

“As he closed with the still stirring ‘Freedom’, his hands raised high, testifying like an evangelist for self determination. Then he was on his knees, giving the ‘I’m not worthy’ bow several times towards his fans. His crowds roared back, still dancing to the music, suggesting that maybe he was’. - Rolling Stone

George Michael is one of the world’s most successful male artists, selling over 100 million records world wide and encompassing 11 British No.1 singles, eight British No.1 albums and six US No.1 singles. The Multi talented artist also proved to be a big hit on the small screen as he parodied himself in Christmas specials of the hit UK television shows ‘Catherine Tate Show’ and ‘Extras’.

Last year George participated in US sitcom Eli Stone, where each episode was titled after a George Michael song and George made several appearances throughout the series.

DISC ONE

1. Waiting (Reprise)
Written by Dennis Morgan, Simon Climie

2. Fastlove
Written by George Michael, Patrice Rushen, Teresa McFadden, Freddie Washington

3. I’m Your Man
Written by George Michael

4. Flawless (Go To The City)
Written by George Michael, Paul Alexander, Nashom Wooden, Gary Turnier, Eric Matthew, Oliver Stumm

5. Father Figure
Written by George Michael

6. You Have Been Loved
Written By George Michael, David Austin

7. An Easier Affair
Written by George Michael, Ruadhri Cushnan, Kevin Ambrose, Niall Flynn

8. Everything She Wants
Written by George Michael

9. One More Try
Written by George Michael

10. Different Corner
Written by George Michael

11. Too Funky
Written by George Michael

12. Shoot The Dog
Written by George Michael, Niall Flynn, James Jackman, Phil Oakey, Ian Burton

13. John and Elvis Are Dead
Written By George Michael, David Austin

14. Faith
Written by George Michael

15. Spinning The Wheel
Written by George Michael, Johnny Douglas

16. Feeling Good
Written by Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley

17. Roxanne
Written by Sting

18. My Mother Had a Brother
Written by George Michael

19. Amazing
Written by George Michael, Johnny Douglas

20. Fantasy
Written by George Michael

21. Outside
Written by George Michael

22. Careless Whisper
Written by George Michael, Andrew Ridgeley

23. Freedom ’90
Written by George Michael

DISC TWO (BONUS TRACKS)

“I’d Know Him a Mile Off!” Documentary
Produced by Lisa Johnson, Filmed and directed by David Austin.
Made by G K Panayioutou

1. Precious Box
Written by George Michael

2. Jesus To A Child
Written by George Michael

3. First Time Ever
Written by Ewan McCall

Angie Stone - New Album: UNEXPECTED

2009-10-28T19:18:00.003-04:00

Leona Lewis - New Album - ECHO

2009-10-27T18:53:00.002-04:00

ECHO, NEW STUDIO ALBUM CO- PRODUCED BY CLIVE DAVIS AND SIMON COWELL
IN STORES NOVEMBER 17TH
(J RECORDS/SYCO MUSIC )

ECHO is the follow up to her 6 million plus seller, 3x Grammy-nominated debut album Spirit

Leona Lewis who took the music world by storm with the release of her 2008 debut album Spirit with the first single from her forthcoming album ECHO entitled “Happy.” “Happy” is available via iTunes. “Happy” was co-written by Leona Lewis with writer/producer Ryan Tedder, the co-writer and producer of Leona’s mega smash, record-breaking hit single “Bleeding Love.” “Happy,” a soaring ballad featuring an anthemic, life-affirming chorus, showcases Leona’s stunning vocal prowess and introduces what’s to come on Leona’s second album ECHO.

ECHO, set for release on November 17th, is the follow up to Leona’s debut Spirit, which has sold over 6 million albums worldwide, earned three Grammy award nominations, and resulted in her becoming the best selling new artist of 2008. ECHO sees Leona working with superstar talent Ne-Yo, John Shanks, Max Martin and Ryan Tedder, as well as with new collaborators Xenomania and Julian Bennetta. Clive Davis and Simon Cowell, who teamed up to sign Leona Lewis to a record deal with J Records/Syco Music, co-produced ECHO.

Leona, who co-wrote the lead single “Happy,” is currently putting the finishing touches on her new album and states: “I’m actually more confident with this album than the last. I’ve taken more control this time, and I feel more at ease with everything. To me, it’s all about great songs and I hope the songs move people as much as they move me.”

Visit www.leonalewismusic.com for news, updates and more.

Agnes: New video for Release Me

2009-10-10T12:23:00.003-04:00

Get to know Agnes

Growing up in the small town of Vänersborg, Sweden, music was always an integral part of Agnes Carlsson’s life. Her career took off at the tender age of 17 as the youngest-ever Pop Idol winner (Sweden’s “American Idol” counterpart), triggering a string of chart successes in Sweden. As she grew up, her style evolved. She was introduced to songwriter and producer Anders Hansson in 2008 and the creative sparks began to fly as Hansson’s dance-flavored production allowed Agnes to express her drive, energy and attitude…and of course, let loose with her incredible vocals. “Release Me” is the result of this studio alchemy and announces the arrival of a major new talent.

“Release Me” was released earlier this summer, and became a pan-European smash before spreading to airwaves around the world, from South Africa to Israel to Australia. The video for “Release Me” has already hit well over 5 million views on YouTube.

The album Dance Love Pop is soon to be released internationally and contains smashes like “On And On” and “Love Love Love”, both already proven hits in Sweden. Through beats and ballads, the album showcases Agnes at her best.

With her infectious enthusiasm, sparkling energy and stunning vocal ability, Agnes is on the way to becoming one of music’s biggest new names.

www.agnesmusic.com

Nellie McKay: Normal As Blueberry Pie (A Tribute To Doris Day)

2009-10-10T12:05:00.005-04:00

Nellie McKay gives Doris her due with Normal As Blueberry Pie - A Tribute To Doris Day (October 13th / Verve)

For Nellie, producing, arranging, and performing Normal As Blueberry Pie was the natural outcome of all the years she has spent listening enraptured to Ms. Day’s music. “She was - and still is - ahead of her time,” says Nellie, who received the Doris Day Music Award in 2005 for “The Dog Song” in recognition of her dedication to animal rights.

Nellie reviewed a recent biography of Day for The New York Times, and is one of the few people in 30 years to be granted an interview with Ms. Day (The Bark magazine, 2007). “What she possessed - beyond her beauty, physical grace, and natural acting ability - was a resplendent voice that conveyed enormous warmth and feeling,” writes Nellie (The New York Times, 2007).

Normal As Blueberry Pie features 12 songs handpicked from over 600 recordings by Ms. Day, with an original by McKay. Hailed as an “old pop soul in her ability to draw so effortlessly on a remarkable range of styles” (LA Times) who is “supremely gifted, charming and darkly funny” (Washington Post), McKay bridges the big band era of the ‘40s into Day’s later film career.

“From time capsule to timeless, her humanity always shines through. Her canon combines modern freshness with reassurance,” adds Nellie, who plays several instruments on the album, and uses four different old-time mics to evoke various moods (all lovingly engineered and mixed by recording maestro James Farber).

Exasperating, exhilarating, and altogether uncategorizable, this fourth album again showcases Nellie’s fresh take on music and life with a curtsy to Doris, a nod to convention, and a unique twist all her own.

=======================================

Doris Day is the # 1 female box-office star of all time, and one of the most prolific recording artists in history. In 1977, she became a leader in the animal welfare movement, an important cause for McKay. “She’s pursuing a change in the mind-set that allows human beings to treat other species as objects,” says Nellie. The Doris Day Animal League has more than 180,000 members and focuses on lobbying Washington for pro-animal legislation.

Nellie McKay has released three critically acclaimed albums: Get Away From Me, Pretty Little Head and Obligatory Villagers, and won a Theater World Award for her portrayal of Polly Peachum in the Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, as well as contributing to The Onion, Interview Magazine, and The New York Times Book Review. Her music has been heard on Weeds, Grey’s Anatomy, NCIS and Privileged, and she has dueted with Eartha Kitt, Trey Anastasio, Taj Mahal, and shared the stage with Odetta, Lou Reed, Elvis Costello and other notables in aid of various progressive pursuits.

Normal As Blueberry Pie - A Tribute To Doris Day Tracklist

“The Very Thought of You” (Ray Noble)
“Do Do Do” (George & Ira Gershwin)
“Wonderful Guy” (Richard Rodgers / Oscar Hammerstein II)
“Meditation” (Antonio Carlos Jobim / Norman Gimbel)
“Mean to Me” (Fred E. Ahlert / Roy Turk)
“Crazy Rhythm” (Joseph Meyer & Roger Wolfe Kahn / Irving Cesear)
“Sentimental Journey” (Les Brown & Ben Homer / Bud Green)
“If I Ever Had a Dream” (Nellie McKay)
“Black Hills of Dakota” (Sammy Fain / Paul Francis Webster)
“Dig It” (Hal Bourne, Johnny Mercer)
“Send Me No Flowers” (Burt Bacharach / Hal David)
“Close Your Eyes” (Bernice Petkere)
“I Remember You” (Victor Schertzinger / Johnny Mercer)

www.nelliemckay.com

Watch the video-
In the studio with Nellie McKay

Critical praise

“Doris Day is an emblem of sunshine, communion with nature and animals, and common civility… In a time when cynicism rules, her eager humanity is ever more precious…”
- Nellie McKay, The New York Times Book Review

“Ms. McKay has picked up not just antique musical styles, but also a tone that’s even more elusive: arch but amiable, with teeth behind the giggles.”
- Jon Pareles, The New York Times

“ Thanks to (McKay), the Great American Songbook has a living, breathing present as well as a glorious past.”
- Joan Anderman, The Boston Globe

Bebel Gilberto: All In One Available Sept.29

2009-09-26T15:37:00.003-04:00

BEBEL GILBERTO’S VERVE DEBUT
ALL IN ONE TO BE RELEASED SEPTEMBER 29

PRODUCERS CARLINHOS BROWN, DIDI GUTMAN, MARK RONSON, DANIEL JOBIM AND JOHN KING

Brazilian vocalist Bebel Gilberto’s new recording All In One will be released September 29 on Verve. Known worldwide for her ability to connect modern sounds with the heart and soul of Brazilian music, the New York-born Gilberto focuses on the rhythms of her native country, devising a cosmopolitan yet classic sound with the help of a diverse group of collaborators, including Carlinhos Brown (Caetano Veloso), Didi Gutman (Brazilian Girls), Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse), Daniel Jobim (grandson of Antonio Carlos Jobim) and John King (the Dust Brothers).

All In One perfectly expresses Gilberto’s interest in making music that feels romantic and fluid. In particular, “Chica Chica Boom Chic” stands out. The Carmen Miranda song is bolstered by Brown’s percussive-heavy arrangements, which is a hallmark of traditional Brazilian music. Most of the record is sung in Portuguese, Bebel’s native language, and was conceived, developed and recorded in her home studio. Ronson produced the Stevie Wonder-penned “The Real Thing,” which was originally recorded by Sergio Mendes. The Dap Kings, the band best known for supporting Sharon Jones and Amy Winehouse, join Gilberto for “The Real Thing.” The singer performs a duet with Daniel Jobim (the grandson of bossa nova king Antonio Carlos Jobim) on “Bim Bom,” a song that was first recorded by her father, bossa nova legend João Gilberto.

Gilberto’s first recording was released in 1986 at age 20, but it wasn’t until she moved to London in the early `90s, where she became interested in pop and urban music, that she began to develop her trademark sound. With her international debut Tanto Tempo (2000), which helped spark a resurgence in American interest in Brazilian music and sold millions worldwide, Gilberto met with critical acclaim, enjoying global success with the hits “Batucada” and “Technova.” Her music reached listeners across genres, from world music and jazz to electronic and indie. Over the years Gilberto has collaborated with artists including David Byrne, Arto Lindsay, Amon Tobin, Thievery Corporation and Nina Miranda.

www.bebelgilberto.com

Bebel Gilberto Live at The Box (NYC) on Sept 29th

For ticket information: www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/692065

La Roux's Self Titled Debut Street Date Sept.29

2009-09-26T15:28:00.004-04:00

La Roux’s Self Titled Debut Album Available This Week Exclusively on ITunes! Bulletproof is Single of the Week on iTunes.

South London synth-pop sensation La Roux are set to issue their self-titled US debut on September 29th via Cherrytree Records.

Starting TODAY, though, fans can purchase the UK smash hit album for just $7.99 exclusively on iTunes which will also feature first single Bulletproof as Single of the Week.

21-year-old Elly Jackson and co-producer co-songwriter co-hort Ben Langmaid, who are La Roux, have made an impressive impact on UK’s music scene since joining forces two years ago. What began in London’s burgeoning underground warehouse scene has since landed the pair a highly coveted Mercury Prize nomination and hot singles on daytime radio and the upper echelons of the British charts. La Roux the album continues to make waves in the UK. Dazzling current single “Bulletproof” entered the UK Singles Chart at #1 and “In For The Kill,” the album’s first single in the UK, sold more copies than any other single this year!

Catch La Roux on Tour This Fall:

10/18/09 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
10/19/09 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
10/21/09 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
10/23/09 Toronto, ON @ The Guvernment
10/24/09 Montreal, QC @ Studio Juste Pour Rire
10/26/09 New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
10/27/09 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club

Raves for La Roux:

“Elly Jackson is the perfect London pop star of the moment…” **** Rolling Stone

“Elly is no clichéd electro-minx. Her whipsmart modern take on the heartsore side of the 80’s is centered around her vulnerable voice and big-hearted love songs, drawing on a youthful infatuation with classic pop. It’s the raw humanity contrasted with the crispest, glassiest sounds and Langmaid’s bright beats that make La Roux as accessible as they are irresistible.” NME

“With pop songs like “Quicksand” and the synth-heavy “In for the Kill,” it’s time for them to set the U.S. on fire.” Bust

“something new and effortlessly winning.” Pop & Hiss – LA Times

www.larouxonline.com
www.myspace.com/larouxuk

Space Cowboy: Digital Rock Star Available Oct.27

2009-09-26T15:17:00.005-04:00

Those familiar with Lady Gaga’s platinum album “The Fame” will know her bold rallying cry from the song “Starstruck,” her duet with Space Cowboy featuring Flo Rida: “Space Cowboy just play that track.”

Indeed, the heavy bass, neck-breaking clap, sharp synths and duet vocals on that album’s “Starstruck” are courtesy of supa-producer/instrumentalist/vocalist Space Cowboy. As Lady Gaga’s collaborator and main foil in her intergalactic adventures (as chronicled in the episodic Web series “Transmission Gagavision”), Space Cowboy has built a loyal following as enigmatic musician/dj/producer extraordinaire.

But Space Cowboy’s story begins before that in the United Kingdom where he moved soon after being born in Paris to a guitar-collecting father. Once in the UK, Space Cowboy began spinning in the sweaty London dance club scene. There, he found himself injecting the subliminal rock influences from his father into a new, stirring blend of techno, electro, hip hop and dance. Wrapping it all up in one cohesive pulse, Space Cowboy dubbed his new sound “Digital Rock” and began to experiment with the production of original recordings.

It wasn’t long before his first album, released on indy label Tiger Trax, began causing a commotion in Japan where he was invited to perform at the prestigious Fuji Festival. The reaction to his new sound there were such that another indy release followed and yielded the break-out track “Across the Sky.”

In 2006, Space Cowboy released his electronic-dance-rock manifesto “Digital Rock” in the UK with an early incarnation of the song “My Egyptian Lover” which was added to BBC Radio 1. It was a satellite transmission of the Radio 1 feed that caught the attention of Cherrytree Records whose roster also included a new, up-and-coming New York-based artist named Lady Gaga. The label made an introduction and the two hit it off creatively.

“I remember our first conversation was on the phone,” recalls Space Cowboy about his first chat with Lady Gaga. “She was talking about sequins, disco balls, Prince, David Bowie and body paint. Basically, she was speaking my language.”

Following that initial call, the two met up in LA where Lady Gaga invited Space Cowboy to join her touring ensemble. In the process, the two collaborated in the studio on the duet “Starstruck” as well as the futuristic Christmas song “Christmas Tree.”

Maestro of the portable studio and master of the multi-task, Space Cowboy not only crafted the personalized musical sound beds to each Lady Gaga show, but has also been recording part 2 of his “Digital Rock” opus: his new album “Digital Rock Star”.

Expounding on his unique combination of dance, hip hop, electro and rock, Space Cowboy has written all new songs as well as flipped a couple favorites from “Digital Rock” – in some cases, with a little help from his friends. For example, the hybrid rock-club anthem "I Came 2 Party" features German electro-glam rockers Cinema Bizarre.

"Falling Down," the first single off “Digital Rock Star" features vocals from Chelsea Korka of The Paradiso Girls. The influences in the tracks are varied but the marriage of dance and rock is consistent as is Space Cowboy’s vocal delivery; an exotic tenor shaped by the trials, tribulations and travels of his dj career. His delivery is a unique electronic patois somewhere between Sting and Hal, the computer from the film “2001.”

“I’ve always had a warped delivery, but it matches the idiosyncrasy of my beats.” Indeed, by harnessing the strange and wonderful, Space Cowboy has invented a new sound and made way for the first “Digital Rock Star”.

Check out the "Digital Rock Star" mash-up via: www.cherrytreerecords.com/spacecowboy

Space Cowboy "Digital Rock Star" (CherryTree/Interscope) available Oct. 27

"Falling Down"

Noisettes: Wild Young Hearts Available Sept.22

2009-09-26T15:05:00.005-04:00

With Noisettes, it’s always best to expect the unexpected. Two years on from a debut album awash with punk spirit and scorching blues-rock, the London trio return with Wild Young Hearts, a set of sleek pop songs steeped in soul, dizzy on disco and harking back to the days of blues and jazz greats.

From the stomping electro-rock of Saturday Night and galloping funk grooves of forthcoming, first single Don’t Upset The Rhythm, to the joyous, jazzy title track, the glorious ‘60s-tinged soul of Never Forget You and the sultry, shimmering pop of 24 Hours, in Wild Young Hearts, Noisettes have made what is set to be one of 2009’s most adventurous albums.

Never fond of a formula, the trio always intended on a radical musical detour from their acclaimed debut, What’s The Time Mr Wolf?, an album that spawned five singles and took them on tour for over a year, sharing arena stages with Muse and criss-crossing the States with TV On The Radio and Bloc Party.

“Some bands stick with the same style forever,” says singer Shingai Shoniwa, whose versatile vocals have seen her compared to everyone from Deborah Harry and Kate Bush to Billie Holiday and Diana Ross. “They get together because they share identical musical tastes, then never do anything different. We’re a gang, but we’re also three divas with different record collections who constantly introduce each other to new sounds, whether it’s African music, jazz, Van Morrison or Black Sabbath. For us, making music means keeping our ears open.”

Noisettes certainly took an unconventional approach to starting songwriting. Fresh from tour in summer 2007, guitarist Dan Smith (a man known to pair silver trousers with a yellow, sequinned shirt) and bearded drummer Jamie Morrison (who still seems surprised to be in a band at all) began sonic experiments that involved getting stoned before trips to the Natural History Museum, then attempting to cover the likes of Britney’s Hit Me Baby (One More Time).

“We wrote over the top of lots of brilliant, outright pop songs, then removed the backing track to see what was left,” explains Morrison. “None of what we ended up with appears on the album, but the process inspired us to come up with new ways of songwriting. We also hung out in a lot of clubs, then came home and tried to copy the sounds we liked. That freed us from the conventions of writing guitar-based tunes.”

Come autumn, the trio piled their equipment in to a van and spent random weeks writing at residential studios in the likes of Devon and Brighton. En route, they listened to early Prince and Portishead, Queen, Talk Talk and Fleetwood Mac. The theme of the songs was captured in the album’s title.

“Wild Young Hearts – it’s about feeling young and acting young, whatever your age,” says Smith. “It’s about having fun and not following the pack. The three of us became genuine friends making this record. We got drunk together and even trashed the odd hotel room. We’re very different people, but we formed a bond which you can hear in the songs.”
The new material was road tested at sporadic shows last year, including a performance at South By South West and a tour of France, where Don’t Upset The Rhythm brought the house down every night, convincing Noisettes they were on to something special. Yet the band still weren’t sure how the album would sound until they holed up in a London studio last June with Arctic Monkey’s producer Jim Abbiss.

“We knew we wanted soul and an atmosphere that captured a specific period of time, the way Portishead albums do,” says Morrison. “But we had never played the songs together in a studio. All the parts were demoed separately on computer, with no real instruments. The idea was to feel like we were covering songs we vaguely knew, so the album sounded fresh and spontaneous. It was so much fun we recorded a tune a day and didn’t argue once!”
Friends came in to add bass parts and strings and both Shoniwa’s little brother (a semi-finalist on TV talent search show I’d Do Anything) and a baritone from her childhood choir contributed backing vocals. Most striking though is the range of Shoniwa’s own vocals - soft and beguiling on album opener Sometimes, jazzy on the acoustic Atticus, strident and sexy on Don’t Upset The Rhythm and bright and bluesy on the Motown-tinged So Complicated and future single Never Forget You.

“I grew up with traditional music from Zimbabwe – Afrobeat mixed with reggae and funk, which my uncles played,” says Shoniwa. “Then I studied musical theatre, sang in choirs and jazz bands. Dan even got me a job singing vocals in a Diana Ross covers band. Because of that background, I can wrap myself around anything from a sweet soul ballad to a jazz song to noisy rock’n’roll.”

“We all felt Shingai’s voice was sitting idle a bit on the first album,” adds Smith. “Because most of the songs were guitar based, she had much less to play with. Shingai has an amazing jazz voice, but that didn’t come through before. Now, you can hear all her different moods. How she sings sets the tone for every song. On Never Forget You, she’s very upbeat and the lyrics sound like a conversation in a bar. On Every Now And Then, she’s more melancholy and reflective. The contrast is like going out on a Saturday night, then paying for it the next morning.”

What hasn’t changed with Noisettes is the energy they put in to performing. Described as ‘the best live band in Britain’ by The Guardian, a recent London show saw Shoniwa charge in to the audience playing guitar and sing clinging to a ladder suspended from the ceiling, a nod to the circus skills she learnt in her teens.

“The idea of putting on a proper show seems to be missing from a lot of young bands at the moment,” says Shoniwa. “We always go that extra mile to give the crowd a night they’ll never forget. I love artists like Hendrix and Bowie who fussed over their hair and took time choosing an outfit.

“We’re not trying to be trendy – we want to make music for everyone – but we put effort in to every aspect of being in a band. Our aim is to prove that pop music can still be alternative and exciting. With this album, I know we can do that.”

www.myspace.com/noisettesuk

Pioneer unleashes the CDJ-2000

2009-09-18T13:53:00.003-04:00

Finally, Pioneer gets into the controller market. The new CDJ-2000 retains the look and feel of the CDJ-1000, while adding a slew of laptop-dj features. The included RecordBox software helps you manage your music library, create loops, assign hot cues, and add artwork.

It will function as a standard CD player, but it also has native support for Ableton Live, SSL, Traktor, and Virtual DJ. Bring your laptop- or not. If the majority of clubs adopt the CDJ-2000, the DJs can organize their sets elsewhere, then walk into the club with a simple USB memory stick. A 24-bit sound card keeps the sound of this unit top quality.

The only bad news is the $2150.00 each price tag- two of these and a complementary mixer is going to punch through $5000.00 quickly.

Probably the biggest news here is that with the CDJ-2000 you have most of the features laptop DJs enjoy, without the laptop. That, and the unit is simple enough to navigate while drunk.

N'dambi

2009-09-02T22:29:00.004-04:00

STAX PRESENTS PINK ELEPHANT FROM GRIPPING SOUL SINGER N’DAMBI ON OCTOBER 6TH

Every so often, a musical soul emerges from the underground with the inescapable talent; artistry and charisma that marks the arrival a gathering storm. Pink Elephant is the Stax Records debut from N’dambi, a songwriter with emotional purpose and rare honesty. The striking vocalist, pianist and composer from Dallas, Texas, known for her signature afro and fiery style, possesses the intuitive perception and powerful creativity that ensures an essential contribution to modern R&B and soul.

N’dambi’s storytelling skills are in peak form on Pink Elephant with tunes like the Rod Temperton influenced, ‘80s hip-hop flavored “Nobody Jones,” the story of a girl with big dreams who won’t let her humble beginnings stop her, and the delicious saga “L.I.E.,” a tale of a man living a double life along New York’s Long Island Expressway. Delusions of love spring up in the old school love-gone-wrong melodic funk of “Daisy Chain”; “Ooo Baby” is the smooth-grooving tale of reconnection with a former lover; while the blues-inflected “Imitator” finds a young woman suffering over the collapse of her lover’s promises. “You’re not the man I used to know, you’re an imitator,” she sings on this mid-tempo urban gem. The hope of true love cries out in “The One,” a disarming, jazz-tinged ballad kissed with a touch of classic Stax. The album’s lead single, “Can’t Hardly Wait,” is a biting chunk of scorching sarcasm delivered in the commanding singer’s rich tone. Her opening complaint, “I don’t know why I keep f***in’ wit you,” perfectly expresses the inability to turn a listless love loose.

Pink Elephant was recorded in Santa Monica, California, with producer Leon Sylvers III, whose credits include Shalamar, Gladys Knight, The Whispers, Blackstreet, Lakeside and many more. N’dambi insisted the record have a modern sheen yet adhere to the sturdy influence of classic R&B and soul artists like Slave, Heatwave, Michael Jackson, Betty Davis, Isaac Hayes, Smokey Robinson, and The Sylvers. That led her to The Sylvers’ famous producer, big brother, Leon.

Blessed with a deep contralto, she became especially enamored with male singers from the ‘70s and ‘80s. The funky soul of the Bar-Kays’ Larry Dodson, the sophisticated syncopation of Earth, Wind & Fire’s Maurice White and the notorious abandon of the Ohio Players’ Sugafoot influenced her heavily. Later, the mysterious, uninhibited imagination of Nina Simone and Mahalia Jackson also became musical and cultural touchstones. N’dambi sang back-up and collaborated with fellow soul seeker Erykah Badu, all the while honing her artistry and slowly building a fiercely loyal fan base that resonates with the organic, authentic approach to her life and music.

On Pink Elephant, N’dambi ingeniously distills soul-deep inspiration into a sensual style of elegance and power, making her a fundamental new addition to the Stax legacy.

www.ndambionline.com

www.myspace.com/ndambi

Sample "Can't Hardly Wait" taken from PINK ELEPHANT below:

Quicktime

Windows Media

Check N'dambi Live

Sep 4 2009  

Majic - 1075/975 Outdoor Concert Series in Suwanee - Suwanee, Georgia 

Oct 13 2009  

SOB’s - New York, New York Oct 16 2009  Liv - Washington DC 

Oct 17 2009  

Utopia - Charlotte, North Carolina 

Oct 30 2009  

Muse Café Theater- Black Academy of Arts and Letters - Dallas, Texas 

Oct 31 2009  

Muse Café Theater- Black Academy of Arts and Letters (2nd show) - Dallas, Texas

Shakira: New Album, Debut Single- She Wolf

2009-08-31T22:37:00.007-04:00

FIRST SINGLE, SHE-WOLF, from forthcoming NEW ALBUM
AVAILABLE OCT 13, 2009

Spanish language version, LOBA, made available on 6/29

International superstar SHAKIRA is set to release the first single, She-Wolf, from her forthcoming album on CD and digitally worldwide.

Shakira wrote and produced She-Wolf with John Hill (Santogold) and penned the, as usual, quirky lyrics. She weaves a mischievous tale of a metaphorical she-wolf in the distinctively dance – fusion style that fans have come to expect. An inventively sexy video directed by Jake Nava and featuring the metamorphosis of a woman told through her unique dance techniques, will follow the single in late July.

She-Wolf boasts the infectious and energizing sound that made Shakira a household name, with a slightly more dancey/ electronic beat (about 125 beats per minute). The song has an organic disco feel with a chorus, “There's a she-wolf in the closet, open up and set it free, there's a she wolf in the closet, let it out so it can breathe." At the start, an ominous fanfare through a vocoder hooks the listener "there's a she wolf in disguise, coming out, coming out, coming out.” Then a vibrant string section builds to a final crescendo at the end of the song.

The full album is due out in October 13, 2009 from Epic, a division of Sony Music. The album features a predominantly English track list with a follow up album of new and unique repertoire in Spanish to come in 2010. Though most tracks on the upcoming album will be in English, Shakira chose to service the Spanish version of the first single, Loba on June 29th, 2009, two weeks before the English single is launched. Loba will be made available globally in recognition of Shakira’s longstanding fan base and unique bi-lingual appeal.

Shakira boasts a string of chart-topping hits in both English and Spanish and sales of over 50 million records. Her last project, Oral Fixation Volumes 1&2, has sold in excess of 8 million albums worldwide with the singles La Tortura and Hips Don’t Lie having earned over 10 million digital downloads.

www.shakira.com

Whitney Houston - The Megamix (Jody den Broeder & Warren Rigg Extended Video Edit)

2009-08-30T00:39:00.004-04:00

Check the flawless video treatment jnxdb (as known on YouTube.) He really took a lot of time with this one, and it came out great, not to mention Jody and Warren's megamix is very good!

Although this isn't a video, this is the Freemasons remix of "Million Dollar Bill."

Here, they demonstrate their ferocious talent for the remix-

providing the top current club remix of Whitney.

Whitney Houston: new album released August 31

2009-08-24T19:28:00.018-04:00

In the twenty-five years since she recorded her history-making debut album, Whitney Houston has become a superstar, a legend, an icon. One of the best-selling female artists of all time, she has sold over 140 million albums worldwide. She has been cited as an influence by the likes of Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, and Leona Lewis, and last year, Rolling Stone listed Houston as one of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time."

But when her longtime mentor Clive Davis, currently Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music Entertainment Worldwide, first approached her about recording her first album since 2002's Just Whitney, Houston didn't think that she wanted to get back in the game.

"When Clive called me and said, 'Are you ready?,' I said, 'Ready for what?,'" she recalls. "I didn’t particularly care for the way the industry was going or the music I was hearing. What I saw in the videos by most of the female artists—it was like, I’m just not doing that. I was raised in this business, I was raised in gospel singing, and I wasn’t about to change what people loved about me.

"My career and my life moved very fast," she continues. "At that time I was just hitting my 40s, and I basically just wanted to be a mother and a homebody.”

Fortunately, though, Davis was persistent—and the result, almost three years later, is the remarkable new album I Look to You. The disc matches Houston with some of the hottest writers and producers in pop and R&B (including R. Kelly, David Foster, Akon, Stargate, Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz) for a set of songs full of her signature vocal power and passion. The album is built on a strong message of survival and perseverance, and reflects the hard-earned lessons of the high-profile personal challenges Houston has encountered in recent years.

A key song for the project was “Nothin’ But Love,” a propulsive dance groove co-produced by Fernando Garibay (Britney Spears, Lady GaGa). "If there was anything I wanted to say after some of the things I had gone through," Houston says, "it was that I had nothing but love, regardless of the situation. Maybe that's just the way I was raised, or maybe I had just gotten to the point of, it’s all behind me now and I’m moving forward."

Davis, the album's Co-Producer, brought R. Kelly's composition "I Look to You" to Houston, and her reaction was instant—though she hadn't been given all the information. "I heard the song, and I loved that it was so short and sweet," she says. "And then I got to Chicago, and Robert told me there was still another verse to write and a bridge! So he stood there with me in the studio and wrote the second verse right off the top of his head. He closed his eyes, we kinda leaned on each other. As he was singing, I was praying, and the words just came out."

The song (one of two Kelly contributed; he also delivered the defiantly funky "Salute") would go on to give the album its title, and she credits Davis with understanding what the lyrics would mean to her. "When Clive heard 'I Look to You,' because he knows my background in gospel, he knew that song would put it all in check for me," she says.

The relationship between Houston and Davis goes all the way back to 1983, when he signed the young artist to Arista Records. He oversaw the development and marketing of her thirteen-million-selling debut, Whitney Houston. After all these years, he remains so close to the singer that she refers to him as "my father in the industry."

"Clive and I are partners," says Houston. "He still loves music, still loves lyrics and melodies. He’s one of the few people who still has that gift of knowing what song fits with what voice. Clive is able to go beyond the personality and see what’s inside a person, what really motivates them." “To be reunited with Whitney is so fulfilling,” adds Davis. “The album provides the most exciting challenge I’ve ever had and whatever happens, I know it’s very special. Its music and her voice will once again impact millions all over the world for many years to come.”

Even with a few strong songs in motion, though, Houston still wasn't sure that she had found the direction she was looking for. Surprisingly, it's the most light-hearted moment on I Look to You—the disco-flavored roller-skating jam "Million Dollar Bill"—which she considers the turning point.

"I worked with Alicia Keys on that one," she says, "and it was probably the most fun, but it also felt like I was working with someone who understood me, who could relate to me, singer to singer. At that point, I knew that it was coming together, that this was the album that I wanted, and that it was going to get done after two-and-a-half years in the making."

Akon, another 21st-century hitmaker joined forces with Houston for "Like I Never Left." She notes that the singer was a favorite among the friends of her daughter, Bobbi Kristina; "they all had his songs as their ring tones," she says. Houston praises the "island feel" of Akon's work, and adds that when she heard "Like I Never Left," she thought, "that sounds like it could be an album title for me."

Perhaps the most memorable recording session came on the powerhouse ballad "I Didn't Know My Own Strength," written by Diane Warren. The song reunited Houston with producer David Foster, who worked with her on the incomparable soundtrack to the 1992 film The Bodyguard, one of the biggest-selling albums in history. Foster's home was damaged in the Malibu fires of 2007, and when Houston came in to record her vocal, he was working out of a small apartment.

"Basically, I recorded in an office, next to the bathroom, with some sheets up near the microphone," she says. "It was totally different from doing 'I Will Always Love You' in a beautiful studio, or 'I Learned From the Best' in David's beautiful home. But when I listened to my vocal, it was real, it was passionate—which is most unusual when you're singing next to a bathroom!

"I wasn’t thinking only in terms of myself," she continues. "I was thinking about other people and other struggles. I thought about becoming a single mother, I thought about my mother, my cousin Dionne, my sisters-in-law. I thought about people with sicknesses, people who triumph in the face of adversity. The simplicity and strength that came out in my singing made me know how strong that song could be for a lot of people."

One of the most welcome elements of I Look to You is hearing Houston reconnecting with the dance floor and delivering uptempo songs with finesse and joy. Even the album's lone cover—Leon Russell's immortal "A Song For You," which has been recorded by greats from Ray Charles to the Carpenters to Donny Hathaway—begins at its traditional, stately pace but then breaks out into a celebratory, irresistible club beat.

Houston says that she enjoyed bringing that side of her singing out again, but that her heart will always be with the slower, more emotional numbers. "I love the uptempo songs, but I’m a balladeer," she says. "I can take a ballad and it gets in my heart, and I can understand where it’s coming from."

Most of all, Whitney Houston believes that she is a link in a chain of vocal tradition, and that I Look to You is one more extension of the sounds she was raised with. "I hope that the gospel tradition in my voice—which is just my soul—that it comes out, and that it is heard and felt by those who come after me."

The album is now being streamed at Whitney's site.

www.whitneyhouston.com

Imogen Heap: Ellipse is streamed

2009-08-18T18:51:00.003-04:00

Full album streamed online.

Ellipse will be available August 25th on RCA Records.

Hear it now.

David Guetta: One Love

2009-08-18T18:46:00.002-04:00

INTERNATIONAL HIT-MAKER DAVID GUETTA CREATES POP’S NEW
MANIFESTO WITH 4TH STUDIO ALBUM
ONE LOVE TO BE RELEASED AUGUST 25TH

ALL-STAR GUESTS SHARE LOVE WITH GUETTA:
LINEUP INCLUDES WILL.I.AM, AKON, KELLY ROWLAND, KID CUDI,
CHRIS WILLIS, ESTELLE, NOVEL, WYNTER AND OTHERS

First Single “When Love Takes Over” Featuring Kelly Rowland
Is #1 On The Billboard Dance Chart And Heating Up At Top 40 Radio;
Crashes Into British National Singles Chart at Number 1

As an internationally respected artist/producer/remixer/DJ, DAVID GUETTA’s track record has been impeccable for nearly two decades. Now, in mid-2009, his career is reaching new peaks: “When Love Takes Over” featuring the lead vocal of multi-platinum pop-R&B songstress Kelly Rowland, is taking off as a world-wide smash, posting its first national #1 charting in the U.K. this week; he is also the track producer of Black Eyed Peas’ rousing new #1 single, “I Gotta Feeling,” in whose video clip he makes a cameo appearance. And Guetta’s upcoming fourth studio album, ONE LOVE, scheduled for August 25th release on Astralwerks, is an ambitious, ingeniously crafted album that sets forth nothing less than a bold and beautiful manifesto for the global pop and dance audience.

“Making this record with so many talented artists was such an amazing experience and the end result is an album infused with all the best flavors of contemporary pop music that will appeal to such a broad audience both on and off the dancefloor,” noted Guetta.

Significantly, it was Guetta’s own defining and assured musical viewpoint as a DJ and producer that attracted the A-listers who make ONE LOVE one of 2009’s most diverse and star-studded album projects. Kelly Rowland, for example, moved to tears at first hearing the instrumental work-in-progress that became “When Love Takes Over” on the dance floor at Guetta’s famed F*** Me I’m Famous party in Cannes, greeted him in the DJ booth, and was later given the track to write to. will.i.am, similarly, had first approached Guetta to contribute to a club-inspired album planned by Black Eyed Peas (the just-released Energy Never Dies) – and their collaboration snowballed to include two tracks on ONE LOVE: the out-of-control “I Wanna Go Crazy,” and “On the Dancefloor,” joined by apl.de.ap, a fresh evocation of the hip-hop/house fusions of the late 1980s.

Throughout the agenda-setting ONE LOVE, Guetta serves up a body-rocking, all-embracing blend of hip-hop, soul and dance music – an audacious fusion that's been sorely missed ever since rap and dance audiences became polarized at the turn of the 1990s. With a global following of nearly five million celebrants at over 200 DJ performances just last year attesting to his musical authority, it’s no wonder that Guetta has emerged as a catalyst and a curator of an exciting new musical hybrid, his magical producer’s touch bringing out the best in all his collaborators -- even as accomplished a hook-meister as Akon, who sings the album track “Sexy Bitch.”

A rare dance album spotlighting its vocalists as well as its beats -- each singer cast flawlessly in tracks tailored to their individual qualities -- every one of ONE LOVE’s vocal collaborations is marked by arresting hooks, inventive musical development, and compelling humanistic messages. Notable among the guests who leave true personal stamps on each song is Chris Willis, the longtime lead vocal collaborator with whom Guetta has shared no less than seven top 10 chartings around Europe, who lends his larger-than-life, testifying vocals to the funky house of “Gettin' Over” and “Sound of Letting Go.” Recent Grammy winner Estelle imbues the title track with a rich, luminous emotional grace; and Kelly Rowland turns in another vibrant and melodic lead vocal in “It's the Way You Love Me” worthy of the most stirring of Donna Summer’s dance anthems.

Breakout stars Kid Cudi (“Memory”) and Novel (“Missing You Anymore”) also share surprisingly personal stories in a dance format; and, rounding out an album full of high points, Wynter, fresh off a worldwide hit with Flo Rida (“Sugar”), stars in the outrageous “Toy Friend;” and Makeba delivers “If We Ever,” a unique electronic confessional ballad.

The set-up single for ONE LOVE is in launch mode all over the world, ensuring that the album will be front-of-mind globally at its late-summer release: “When Love Takes Over” is currently #1 on the Billboard Club Chart and is now crossing over to top 40 radio in major markets, destined to become a runaway summer smash. BBC’s Radio 1 A-listed the song in advance of its official release in the U.K. Prior to official weekly chart publication, “When Love Takes Over” shot immediately to No. 1 in British and French iTunes single-song downloads.

DAVID GUETTA’s name is synonymous with the world’s greatest house and dance music, and with the parties that bring that music to life. Since releasing his first pioneering single “Up 1 Way” in his native Paris, France in 1992, David Guetta has sold over 2 million albums worldwide and over 3.2 million singles. He has been France’s No. 1 club DJ for a decade, and was named the world’s No. 1 House DJ in 2008. Attesting to his global appeal, Guetta is also a bona-fide YouTube star, holding the record for “most watched” of any artist in the electronic music genre with over 32 million views of his 2007 classic “Love Is Gone”.

In Europe, Guetta has previously released three chart-topping albums (Just a Little More Love, 2002; Guetta Blaster, 2004; Pop Life, 2007). Guetta and his wife Cathy are also famed for staging the mega-sized dance parties, F*** Me I’m Famous, for tens of thousands of house, electro, and dance-loving fans from Ibiza to Miami, New York, London, Barcelona and Paris. They have released four best-selling compilation packages of the same name.

For More Information on David Guetta, please visit:

www.davidguetta.com
www.myspace.com/davidguetta
www.youtube.com/user/davidguetta

Empire Of The Sun: We Are The People

2009-08-15T13:56:00.000-04:00

Simian Mobile Disco: Audacity Of Huge

2009-08-15T11:59:00.001-04:00

Fedde Le Grand: Scared Of Me

2009-08-15T11:50:00.000-04:00

Ledisi: Turn Me Loose

2009-08-14T18:23:00.002-04:00

Ledisi

Turn Me Loose

Ledisi wanted to make a few bold artistic changes this time out. But just before she started work on her sophomore Verve release, Turn Me Loose, she hit a wall. The singer-songwriter had a bad case of writer's block that stretched for six months. Ledisi was petrified as she tried to figure out how to follow up her 2007 Verve debut, Lost & Found. The album garnered strong reviews and two Grammy® nominations, including one for best new artist.

"It was the pressure of coming back after all the success with Lost & Found and trying to figure out, 'Who am I? Who is Ledisi now?'" says the New Orleans native. "Before, I wondered do people get me. Now it's like, 'Ok, we know you. What are you gonna do now?'" A friend gave Ledisi an album to check out, hoping the music would start the creative juices flowing again. It was Buddy Miles' 1970 soul-rock classic, Them Changes. "I had never heard it before," Ledisi says. "Once I heard it, I wanted to be able to be free on the new album. On my previous album, I was contained a little bit. But I said on my next project that I was going to be off the chain vocally. I promised to be more honest and talk about stuff that people don't like to talk about. I've always done that. But on this album, I went for everything." Inspired by the freewheeling music of Buddy Miles, Ledisi now had a direction. But she decided to push herself even further by reaching out to different collaborators, something she hadn't done before.

"Usually, I just come in, like 'I want this. Take that out,'" Ledisi says. "This time, I laid back a little more and that was new for me. I wanted to go for the ride. It was frustrating, because everybody had different energies and I had to adjust. They weren't crazy. I felt crazy," she says, laughing. "But I made myself go
through the different changes." Acclaim from Lost & Found boosted Ledisi's profile in the industry. So she was able to secure some of urban music's most respected producers, including Grammy® winners Raphael Saadiq and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

She also reunited with producer Rex Rideout, who contributed greatly to the sound of Lost & Found. But for Turn Me Loose, Ledisi didn't want to play it safe. With help from the four other producers (Ivan & Carvin, Chief Xcel, Chucky Thompson & Fyre Dept), the artist braided brilliant strains of the different sounds she loved while growing up in Oakland, Calif. Rock, blues, classic soul, funk and hip-hop are all fused together throughout Turn Me Loose. Ledisi often merges the old with the new. The funky title track, for instance, updates the sassy grooves of vintage Stax. As a tribute to Buddy Miles, Ledisi does a cover of "Them Changes" as a bonus track on the new album. The artist flirts with different genres throughout, but her elastic, Chaka Khan-influenced vocals still anchor everything. The approach comes close to matching the let-it-all-go energy of her stage shows. The process of working with different collaborators was challenging initially but ultimately rewarding. "Every step I made, I fought it," Ledisi says, shaking her head. "But I still made the step. I never wrote songs with different people. But what I found is that it's nice. Where I left off, somebody else took over."

On working with Chucky Thompson, perhaps best known for his productions with Mary J. Blige, on the edgy "Everything Changes": "Chucky is like a music box. You can just open him up and all kinds of styles pop out. It was like working in somebody's basement. I love his whole connection with streets and what folks are listening to in the clubs."

On working with the legendary Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on the passion-drenched "Higher Than This": "When you work with them, the song is custom-made to your body and spirit. I feel like I went through college of music and graduated." Lost & Found may have been Ledisi's well-received introduction to the mainstream, and Turn Me Loose is sure to break even more ground. But she is far from an overnight sensation. Born in New Orleans, Ledisi Young (her given name meaning "to bring forth" in Nigerian) has been singing professionally for much of her life. She started at age 8, fronting the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra. Her mother, also a singer who performed in local bands, was an early inspiration. Ledisi's family relocated to Oakland, California, and it was there that she seriously pursued a career in music.

The artist later formed her own band, Anibade, whose sound mixed classic soul and hard-hitting funk with jazzy overtones. She eventually released two indie albums: 2001's Soulsinger and 2003’s Feeling Orange But Sometimes Blue. Both became underground sensations and led to opening dates for the likes of Chaka Khan.

Although Ledisi was a seasoned artist before joining Verve, she says she is still finding herself musically. Turn Me Loose is a turning point in her artistic evolution. "During the making of this record, I was asking myself, 'How do I maintain the listeners I have now and be myself as I today? That was the struggle. But I knew I needed to stretch myself and be more open to different people."

After Turn Me Loose was completed, Ledisi had a personal epiphany. "You know, I realized that I'm never gonna fit into a box and it's OK, "the artist says. "All I need to do is focus on my music and just go with it. Go with that freedom voice, the voice that goes, 'Ahhhh.'"

www.ledisi.com
www.myspace.com/ledisi

Rufus Wainwright: Milwaukee At Last!

2009-08-11T21:43:00.003-04:00

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT RELEASES SPECIAL NEW LIVE CD/DVD MILWAUKEE AT LAST!!!
IN STORES SEPTEMBER 22ND ON DECCA
In response to the massive praise from fans and critics alike during his acclaimed and celebrated 2007 Release The Stars Tour of which The New York Times dubbed “a tour de force”, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, Rufus Wainwright is back with a highly anticipated new live CD/DVD Milwaukee at Last!!!. This “must have” package will be in stores September 22nd on Decca.

Milwaukee at Last!!! features a 10-track CD and a DVD boasting 23 songs from the iconic singer/songwriter’s sold-out performance at the Pabst Theatre in Milwaukee, WI. Select songs from Release The Stars are the main focal point of the CD with other highlights coming from Want One, a scintillating performance of Noel Coward’s “If Love Were All” from his Rufus Does Judy show and a version of the Irish song, “Macushla”. Filmed by the legendary documentary film maker Albert Maysles, the DVD features the entire Release The Stars album as well as select tracks from Want One, Want Two and Rufus Does Judy plus backstage footage and rehearsals.

Wainwright was fully complemented on the Release The Stars worldwide tour by his epic 7-piece band including; Jeff Hill (Bass), Jack Petruzzelli (Guitarist), C.J. Camerieri (Trumpet), Will Vinson (Saxophonist), Gerry Leonard (Guitarist), Louis Schwadron (French Horn) and Matt Johnson (Drums).

Most recently, Wainwright’s much acclaimed first opera, titled Prima Donna, premiered at the Manchester International Festival in July 2009 and will make its North American debut in Toronto at the Luminato Festival in June 2010.
See What the U.S. Media is saying about Rufus Wainwright:
“An intelligent and timeless, yet distinctly modern recording artist…”—NPR

““[Wainwright] is his generation’s answer to Morrissey: a dramatic, idiosyncratic
singer/songwriter with a keen social and cultural conscience, and an occasional weakness for bombast that’s tempered by his facile wit.”—USA Today

“[Wainwright] still yearns more beautifully than anyone.”—Entertainment Weekly

“A major artist with eccentric orchestral-pop records full of ornate arrangements, dreamy croons and good tunes.”—Rolling Stone

“A tour de force…”—The New York Times

“[Wainwright] douses his ornate pop with torch-singer romance, winning over wildly diverse fans with his dreamy tenor.”—O- The Oprah Magazine

“[Wainwright’s] pop songs tend toward ornate complexity.”—Variety

“Wainwright … proves classical and pop—in good hands—can be amazingly well-suited bedfellows”—Billboard

CD Tracklisting
1. Release the Stars
2. Going To A Town
3. Sanssouci
4. Rules & Regulations
5. Leaving for Paris
6. If Love Were All From ‘Rufus Does Judy Show’
7. Nobody’s Off the Hook
8. Not Ready for Love/Slide Show
9. Macushla (Performed Off Mic Live)
10. Gay Messiah From ‘Want Two’

DVD Tracklisting
1. Release the Stars
2. Going To A Town
3. Sanssouci
4. Rules & Regulations
5. Tulsa
6. The Art Teacher From ‘Want Two’
7. Tiergarten
8. Leaving for Paris No 2
9. Between My Legs

*** ***
10. Do I Disappoint You
11. A Foggy Day From ‘Rufus Does Judy Show’
12. If Love Were All From ‘Rufus Does Judy Show’
13. Nobody’s Off the Hook
14. Beautiful Child From ‘Want One’
15. Not Ready for Love
16. Slideshow
17. Macushla
18. 14th Street From ‘Want One’

Encores:
19. I Don’t Know What It Is From ‘Want One’
20. Pretty Things From ‘Want One’
21. La Complainte de la Butte
22. Get Happy From ‘Rufus Does Judy Show’
23. Gay Messiah From ‘Want Two’

www.rufuswainwright.com

Jessie James: Wanted

2009-07-30T22:32:00.002-04:00

INTRODUCING MERCURY RECORDS ARTIST JESSIE JAMES

JAMES' "BLUE JEANS" FEATURED IN HIT FILM AND ON ALBUM SOUNDTRACK OF CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC

GEARING UP FOR JESSIE JAMES' FIRST SINGLE "WANTED"

Destined to steal her way into the heart of pop and create her own legend, Jessie James rides in as a new artist signed to Mercury Records, a division of Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJ). This petite powerhouse with amazing vocal power and range will soon release "Wanted" (co-written by James and American Idol’s Kara DioGuardi). It's the first single from Jessie's debut album, which she has been recording in Los Angeles, New York and Nashville.

Jessie's song, "Blue Jeans," can be heard in the Touchstone film and Hollywood Records album soundtrack of the film Confessions of A Shopaholic, starring Isla Fisher, the eagerly-awaited first film adaptation of Sophie Kinsella's popular books. The soundtrack is currently #2 on the iTunes Top Chart, and the movie debuted in the top 5 in its opening weekend. Jessie is in great company on the soundtrack, alongside Natasha Bedingfield, Pussycat Dolls, Lady Gaga, Akon, Macy Gray and others.

The traffic-stopping Georgia beauty is a true daughter of the south – although she was born in a military field hospital in Italy. A self-proclaimed ‘military brat,’ she started writing music with her plastic guitar at nine years old, and then in high school, she made weekend road trips from Atlanta to Nashville, where she worked with some of Music City’s great producers and songwriters. A song demo eventually made its way to Mercury president David Massey, who arranged a live audition at IDJ headquarters in New York with Chairman Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid. When Mr. Reid started to dance, "I knew I'd finally found my home," said Jessie. "I can't wait to get out there and sing my songs and continue on this incredible journey."

Check out "Wanted" and "Blue Jeans" on Jessie's MySpace website.

Jessie James debut album featuring "Wanted" (Mercury Records) available Aug 11th
click to lanuch the video for "Wanted"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBZSK0gVClM

Anjulie: Debut Album

2009-07-30T22:27:00.003-04:00

Anjulie (Hear Music) available Aug 4, 2009

With her unique voice, disarmingly frank lyrics, melodic gifts, and exotic good looks, singer and songwriter Anjulie announces herself as a commanding new presence on the music scene. On her self-titled debut album, the Los Angeles-based songwriter comes across as a confident young woman who examines her life, loves, obsessions, and heartbreaks with fearless introspection. “I think what separates me from other artists is that I write from a really intimate place,” Anjulie says.“ This album is like me opening the door to my bedroom, literally. I come off as being pretty put-together, but my songs are the one place where I can pull the string and unravel. They’re where I can be vulnerable, insecure, jealous, silly, and childlike. It's too scary to do that in real life. You have to feel safe. I only feel safe with headphones on.”

The youngest of four children, Anjulie grew up in the Toronto suburb of Oaksville, Ontario, raised by immigrant parents from Guyana — a South American nation culturally influenced by its Caribbean neighbors to the north. As a result, her household was filled with everything from Afro-Caribbean calypso, reggae, and South American Latin music, to the pop and rock emanating from her older siblings’ radios. The mélange has definitely influenced Anjulie’s debut — a sophisticated blend of indelible pop smarts, hip-hop edginess, and world-music spice, topped by Anjulie’s sultry vocal stylings that she created with her producers and songwriting collaborators Colin Wolfe, who has worked with Dr. Dre and Monica, and her longtime collaborator Jon Levine, keyboardist for Toronto’s funk-pop combo The Philosopher Kings.

Anjulie and Levine first met when then-17-year-old Anjulie, already a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and performer hustling to catch a break, was doing an internship at Metalworks recording studio in Toronto. “I was basically cleaning the studio and getting coffee for people,” she says. “Jon came in and he was in a famous band, so I knew who he was. He asked me to have some lunch, but the people who work behind the desk are not supposed to hang out with clients, so I got fired.” Despite that minor setback, the story has a happy ending. Levine was intrigued enough to accept an invitation to hear Anjulie perform at an open mic night, which led to their current creative partnership. In 2005, the pair wrote two songs for actress-singer Emma Roberts’ debut album Unfabulous and More. Anjulie’s other songwriting credits include co-writing a track on the Philosopher Kings’ album 2006 album Castles, and penning “Don’t Call Me Baby” — a Billboard Top 10 hit in Canada for EMI recording artist Kreesha Turner.

“Anjulie’s songwriting is strong and confessional, but with a real pop sensibility,” Levine says. “As an artist, she is never satisfied to dole out the same empty pleasantries that most singers do. When we were making her record, I always believed what we put down on tape. Sometimes we’d have a song completely finished and we’d both be happy with it. Then the next day, she’d come into the studio with an entirely different verse written. She wanted to make sure it truly resonated and wasn’t just hooky. It’s that kind of determination that makes an artist great.”

The confident and eclectic mix of songs on Anjulie’s debut explore a wide range of moods, a sign that she is an artist with a lot of range and versatility. The slinky opening track “Boom,” works a dark, Nancy Sinatra-esque ’60s vibe, while ”The Rain” is a sleek, flamenco-flavored urban gem. Anjulie gets steamy on the feverish “The Heat,” the obsessive “Addicted2Me,” and the provocative “Some Dumb Whore,” before entirely switching gears on the uplifting acoustic-driven “Same Damn Thing” and the lovelorn piano ballad “Crazy That Way.”

“We were very particular about creating certain colors with the sound,” Levine says. “Most of the time it was a process of building a track up and then stripping away as much as we could till we found the bare essentials, or the heart of the track. We were really into carving out a lot of space to give the music a dark, open feel.”

It’s not surprising that Anjulie’s debut is as eclectic as it is, as the singer cops to a host of musical influences, everyone from confessional singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette and the always-enigmatic Annie Lennox, to hip-hop mavericks Kanye West and Lauryn Hill. “When you listen to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, it’s so unbelievably personal,” Anjulie says. “The songs are like snapshots of her life. I’m totally blown away by it.”

That honesty is something Anjulie strives to emulate in her own music. “I think I have something to say lyrically,” she says. “My background is in songwriting, so I’m really invested in melodies, song structure, and payoff choruses, but on this record, I tried to loosen up and just express myself how I wanted to. I really write for myself. I always tell people if they want to know about me, just listen to my music because I really do put it all out there.”

While she gears up for her album to be released by Hear Music in August of 2009, Anjulie is looking forward to putting a band together and taking her music out on the road.“ Being onstage performing is definitely a high point for me,” she says. “It’s so euphoric to perform live; you can really feel the energy from the crowd. I admire people who have the whole package and can really put on a show. That’s what I strive to do.”

www.anjuliemusic.com

Whitney Houston: I Look To You Release Info

2009-07-30T22:22:00.002-04:00

WHITNEY HOUSTON’S ALBUM MOVED UP TO AUGUST 31ST RELEASE

“I LOOK TO YOU” IS NOW A GIFT TO ALL!

FREE SONG DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE STARTING TODAY AT WWW.WHITNEYHOUSTON.COM

(New York, NY – July 28, 2009) Fueled by the continuous excitement from last week’s much-buzzed about Whitney Houston album listening events in New York and Los Angeles, Arista Records has moved the release date of I Look To You up to August 31st.

As a gift to her fans, a free download of the album's title track, powered by Yahoo! Music, is available now at www.whitneyhouston.com until July 31st. "I Look To You,” a sweeping ballad with Whitney's signature soaring vocals that fans have come to love, was written by R. Kelly.

I Look To You, Whitney’s 7th studio album, boasts a who’s who of A-List songwriters and producers.

The final track listing is as follows:

1. Million Dollar Bill
2. Nothin' But Love
3. Call You Tonight
4. I Look To You
5. Like I Never Left (feat. Akon)
6. A Song For You
7. I Didn't Know My Own Strength
8. Worth It
9. For The Lovers
10. I Got You
11. Salute

Be sure to visit www.whitneyhouston.com regularly for up-to-date album information, exclusive photos and breaking news!

Noisettes: US Tour Dates

2009-07-21T16:25:00.002-04:00

Noisettes are ready for a US tour- here are the tour dates:

Wed-Jul-22 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland / Club NME 122
Sat-Jul-25 Seattle, WA Capital Hill Block Party
Mon-Jul-27 Portland, OR Berbatis Pan
Tue-Jul-28 San Francisco, CA Rickshaw Stop
Sat-Aug-01 Brooklyn, NY Bell House
Mon-Aug-03 New York, NY Santo's Party House
Wed-Aug-05 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theatre (FREE SHOW!!!)
Mon-Aug-10 Boston, MA Great Scott
Tue-Aug-11 Philadelphia, PA M Room
Wed-Aug-12 Washington, DC Rock and Roll Hotel
Fri-Aug-14 Atlanta, GA Atlanta Opera House / Amstel Show

NOISETTES’ NEW ALBUM, WILD YOUNG HEARTS, SET FOR SEPTEMBER 22ND U.S. RELEASE ON MERCURY RECORDS – AFTER #1 iTUNES UK ALBUM CHART DEBUT

“LONDON TRIO NOISETTES HAVE DONE A STYLISTIC HANDBRAKE TURN FOR THE FOLLOW-UP, AND COME UP WITH AN INTOXICATING BLEND OF POP, SOUL AND DISCO.” Q MAGAZINE

WILD YOUNG HEARTS, the long-awaited second album by effervescent UK pop trio Noisettes, which debuted at #1 on the iTunes UK album chart – will be released in the U.S. on September 22nd via Mercury Records. The new album’s hit single, “Don’t Upset the Rhythm,” was a #2 smash on the UK national chart. The follow-up single, the ’60s-tinged soul gem “Never Forget You,” is
scheduled for release on both sides of the Atlantic.

Excerpts of “Don’t Upset the Rhythm”, “Never Forget You,” and “Saturday Night” along with the album title tune, “Wild Young Hearts” and “Atticus” can be heard on Noisettes’ MySpace website, http://www.myspace.com/noisettesuk. The site also includes three tracks from the debut album by Noisettes in 2007, What’s The Time Mr. Wolf?, all in full-length versions: “Scratch Your Name,” “Don’t Give Up” (featured in the soundtrack of the 2007 film series revival St Trinian’s), and “Sister Rosetta (Capture The Spirit).” The MySpace site has logged over 2 million total plays to date.

WILD YOUNG HEARTS, produced by Jim Abbiss (Adele, Arctic Monkeys, the Rakes) shines the spotlight on versatile singer Shingai Shoniwa, joined by fellow Noisettes Dan Smith on guitar and bearded drummer Jamie Morrison. Shingai has been compared over the years to great voices ranging from Kate Bush and Deborah Harry, to Billie Holiday and Diana Ross, but Shingai – steeped in a panorama of blues, soul, jazz, disco, and funk – is totally unique.

Whitney Houston: New Cover Art

2009-07-15T21:43:00.003-04:00

OFF THE HEELS OF YESTERDAY’S MONUMENTAL LONDON LISTENING EVENT,
WHITNEY HOUSTON
UNVEILS THE COVER ART
FOR HER HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEW ALBUM
“I LOOK TO YOU”
OUT SEPTEMBER 1, 2009 ON ARISTA RECORDS!

Reports out of London describe sheer pandemonium as the audience full of VIPs, press and tastemakers raved and danced in the aisle over Whitney’s new album!

The “Queen Of All Divas” was greeted by a standing ovation after Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music Entertainment, Clive Davis presented select tracks from the album.

Be sure to visit www.whitneyhouston.com regularly for up-to-date album information, exclusive photos and breaking news!

Basement Jaxx: Raindrops

2009-07-11T11:40:00.000-04:00

Ledisi: Turn Me Loose

2009-07-07T22:27:00.002-04:00

LEDISI RETURNS WITH ALL-STAR PRODUCERS FOR SOULFUL NEW ALBUM
‘TURN ME LOOSE’ (OUT AUG 18 VIA VERVE FORECAST)

Follow up from GRAMMY “Best New Artist” nominee and R&B phenomenon

Soul singer/songwriter Ledisi promises a to keep it “raw, spiritual, uninhibited, and aggressive, and tell it all” with her new album ‘Turn Me Loose’ (out Aug 18th on Verve Forecast). 2007 GRAMMY Best New Artist nominee Ledisi (rhymes with legacy) took the world by storm with her chart-topping Verve Forecast debut ‘Lost & Found,’ but says the new record is all about “the desire to be free and embrace change.”

Ledisi wrote and produced along with an all-star cast of producers of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Raphael Saadiq, Chief Xcel, Chucky Thompson, Ivan and Carvin, Lorenzo Johnson, Fyre Department, and ‘Lost & Found’ producer Rex Rideout to give her that “freedom sound” she was looking for, something she’s already known to bring to her live performances.

Listen to a sample of the new song "Alone" here: http://tinyurl.com/LedisiAlone

Though many have praised Ledisi’s sound, “a mix of contemporary urban, but her training and love of classic jazz and R&B show through, and her love of scatting has become signature,” (LA Times, 2/6/08), she says ‘Turn Me Loose’ was heavily inspired by listening to the raw soul/funk music of Buddy Miles’ ‘Them Changes’ over and over again for two months. “I cried when I first heard this album in 2008. I cried because I heard and felt the pain, the spirit in his voice it moved me. I wanted that freedom I heard in his voice. I wanted to scream and give my all without thinking,” she explains adding, “I studied Buddy's life and his music, which led me back to Mr. Jimi Hendrix, Mr. Prince, Mr. Sly, Mr. Fela Kuti and Mr. James Brown. I heard FREEDOM in their music.” Of the fourteen tracks on ‘Loose’, Ledisi wrote or co-wrote all but the cover of Buddy Miles’ “Them Changes.”

Ledisi will preview songs from ‘Turn Me Loose’ on the road this summer including July 4th at the Essence Music Festival.

Ledisi’s 2007 major label debut 'Lost & Found' garnered the Bay Area resident two GRAMMY nominations including Best New Artist. The recognition led to a series of high-profile appearances in 2008 including performances at the JVC and Monterey Jazz Festivals and the Essence Music Festival where she performed with Patti LaBelle, a role in the George Clooney film Leatherheads, a song in the Tyler Perry film Meet The Browns, a performance with Prince at Coachella and on the Tonight Show, and a BET award nomination. Her powerhouse voice and stories of everyday struggles and triumphs have made such a strong connection with fans.

http://www.ledisi.com
http://www.myspace.com/ledisi

Lady GaGa: Paparazzi (Moto Blanco remix)

2009-07-05T16:11:00.001-04:00

Lazee ft. Neverstore (Stonebridge remix)

2009-07-05T16:08:00.000-04:00

Jordan Sparks: Battlefield (Bimbo Jones remix)

2009-07-05T16:06:00.000-04:00

Keri Hilson ft. Kanye West and Ne-Yo: Knock You Down (Bimbo Jones remix)

2009-07-05T16:02:00.001-04:00

Pixie Lott: Mama Do

2009-07-05T04:13:00.003-04:00

Blondes get away with the most ridiculous shit. Cute. Totally derivative. Color me numb.

Melanie Fiona: Give It To Me Right

2009-07-05T04:07:00.002-04:00

Paul Emmanuel dishes out a soul slingn' remix.

Cascada: Evacuate The Dancefloor

2009-07-05T03:52:00.002-04:00

Check this sweating slice o' cheese!

Anton Powers and Rossko: Yellow Brick Road

2009-07-05T03:43:00.001-04:00

Well we have to wait forever for a proper video; no video here, but I'm feelin' this tune. In the vein of Prydz, hey, killer vocal and lyrics!

Agnes - Release Me

2009-07-05T03:38:00.001-04:00

Nice "cya" track.