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Friday, January 31, 2014

Justin Bieber pursues the most "Confident" girl

Despite his recent run-in with the law and amid all of the controversy lately, Justin Bieber is still feeling pretty "Confident" in his new slick video. Bieber refuses to take no for an answer in his six minute "Confident" video. The 19-year-old lurking through a factory with a sexy new girl of his dreams in the epic visual and pursues her until she, rather inevitably, falls for his charms. That's the clip in a nutshell but there's also some great choreography, a cool party and the superstar's flawless hair.
The Canadian headline-grabber ended his strikingly somber "Music Mondays" series with this tribute to a confident girl who has got 'it.' Like the rest of those songs it features on his already forgotten "Journals" LP, the Chance The Rapper-assisted gem was the highlight of Bieber's "Music Mondays" promotion as Bieber explained to MTV News' Christina Garibaldi this is a song all about "sexual romancing." Backed by a beat that demands you find the closest open space and begin dancing immediately, the ballads and tongue-in-cheek duets from Bieber and Chance talk about being transfixed on the most confident woman in the room.
Awash in moody blue light and using hip-swaying dance moves, the Colin Tilley-directed video finds Bieber pursuing the newest object of his affection outside a gas station. As Bieber follows the lady into the station, uncovering a dimly-lit catacomb of a convenience store. He tails her to the checkout counter, where she's making a purchase of Takis chips. It's from where Bieber tries to pick her up by making a really awful pun. "Well, I'd like to Taki to you on the phone," Bieber tells her. She laughs, but he's rejected.
She hops on her motorcycle and drives off. But wait! It just so happens that they end up at the same dance club! This time, Bieber goes for a different approach. Instead of talking, he just goes in for the kill, as Bieber admits to Taki ignorance, pays homage to Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel" stalk-fest with smooth choreography, singing about how into her he is, and give Chance his biggest-yet opportunity to show up in front of kids' eyeballs. In the end, Bieber surprises his love interest with a sensual kiss that was so intimate it almost made us blush! He asks her, “Can I have your number now?” And she breathlessly answers, "Yes."

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Krewella catching their journey in "Human"

Krewella has just released the music video for "Human," the third international single and sixth overall taken from the popular EDM trio's latest hit debut album "Get Wet," released last September via Columbia.
 The emotional record is scheduled to impact Top 40 radio in early-February. This time, the electronic music trio, consists of sisters Jahan Yousaf, Yasmine Yousaf and 'Rain Man,' opt for a more soft and delicate production. Moving away from the strength of their previous singles and focusing on a dance piano ballad with touches of dubstep.
The road to the top of electronic music charts has been a long, yet rewarding journey for Chicago producer trio Krewella. Millions of adoring fans around the world have committed themselves to "Krewlife" as the breakout electro / dubstep group achieved stardom with successive hit singles. Krewella kicks off the New Year with the release of an emotionally charged music video for their inspirational dubstep single "Human," its emotion is just so raw and powerful. Well, the new video for their chillstep ballad was really no different. Krewella reminds us all that no matter what, We're only "Human."
With all the smoke and mirrors involved in the entertainment industry, it's incredibly refreshing to see that Krewella isn't afraid to show the world their true colors. This four-minute video is merely a snapshot of their journey to superstardom over the past two years, but it still manages to say everything about who Jahan, Yasmine, and 'Rain Man' are as people; anger and joy, sweat and tears, good times and bad, these are all parts of being human no matter who you are, where you're from, or what you do for a living. It's a recap video of two full years of touring and other shenanigans and the emotional shots of Krewella  in candid moments of sadness, loneliness, and exhaustion in contrast to some heartwarming moments of joy and togetherness.
The clip that fits perfectly with the song and really drives home the "I am only human" chorus, as director and videographer behind many of Krewella's visuals, Miles Evert, truly captures the humanity of these artists. It opens up with a quote: "This video was shot during our last two years of touring. It is dedicated to you, our Krew...the ones that make this dream possible." The clip featuring the trials and tribulations Krewella has faced on the rise to fame: A drunken hotel argument! A wedding proposal! Teary breakdowns on the road! An elimination round in which one of the members is kicked out of the band. Fans will see the hardships Krewella goes through to make their dreams possible.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Zendaya embraces '90s fashion in "My Baby"

Following the release of her single "Replay," Zendaya drops the brand-new swag-tastic visuals for her Bobby Brackins-produced track "My Baby." The song was recently remixed by Cali rapper Iamsu and singer/producer Ty Dolla $ign. While Zendaya let her killer dance moves rule her video for "Replay," this time the singer is a bit more relaxed, letting her hip-hop swagger speak for itself as she bounces to the beat. In fact, it's kind of hard not to notice that Zendaya is channeling her idol, '90s R&B star Aaliyah, in the video.
Like 2 Chainz, Zendaya's different. The talented 17-year-old actress/singer proved that she's not your average Disney diva with '90s R&B-flavored debut single "Replay" and hammers the fact home with bouncy urban jam "My Baby." It's a cute change of pace that shows another side of the Disney starlet's bubbly personality. The follow-up urban-pop track taken from her self-titled debut album released last September, was recently also remixed by rappers Ty Dolla $ign, Iamsu and Bobby Brackins.
In the months prior to the release, the singer opened up about embracing both pop and hip-hop in her music. "I'm kind of creating my own music and I'm kind of creating my own zone, my own lane as an artist. I want to do rhythmic pop," Zendaya told MTV News last year. "It's not necessarily your average pop song. It has some kind of urban edge, some kind of more hip-hop-ish tones to it that kind of edge it up and do something a little different so it's not just your stereotypical pop music." Zendaya promised us a while back that she was "gonna swag it out," and with her new video, she keeps that promise.
Zendaya is bringing the '90s back in Stephen Garnet-directed video, as she flaunts her personal style, shows off several different cutting edge styles, and rocks everything from a Diamond Supply Co snapback and teal lipstick to a gothic-looking black cloak and epic fingernails. The Oakland homegirl loves the Raiders Varsity jacket, as she's said before, and she proudly dons the NFL team's gear head-to-toe while singing along to the urban-flavored track. With all the wardrobe changes, "My Baby" is similar to her "Replay" music video. But it's a new look for Zendaya in a couple of different ways, and all eyes are on her.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Capital cities dance through era in 'safe & sound'

With the Grammys going on for 3½ hours Sunday night, I'd like to review some of nominees for Best music video. Capital Cities, an Electro-Rock duo from Los Angeles comprising Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian, had a big 2013, vaulting to the top of the Alternative Songs chart and Billboard's Hot 100 top 10 with their infectious debut hit "Safe and Sound." The genre-bending single shot into the public conscious in large part due to its music video, which earned the duo a nomination for best music video at the 56th GRAMMY Awards, and the video has racked up over 66 million views on YouTube, as Capital Cities knew right off the bat it potentially had something intriguing on its hands.
The song was actually created back in 2011, before Merchant and Simonian were known as Capital Cities, when the Los Angeles pair were earning their corn composing music for advertising campaigns. "It started as a little idea we came up with - it wasn't a fully fleshed-out song, per se," Merchant told Billboard magazine. "We noticed that, when we showed it to people, there was this unanimous feeling that there was something special about this music, and we started to develop it."
"It took 10 different versions before we finally came to what you hear on the radio now, where we decided to add a trumpet for the main bridge part, which I think was one of our best decisions on the song. And we brought out this vintage keyboard that provides the foundation for the song. So the song really took a long time to get right, because we knew it was such an important song for us." Regarding the track's meaning, Merchant noted to Billboard magazine: "The song is an anti-doomsday song in some ways - expressing the idea that every generation thinks that the end of the world is right around the corner, but it never comes to pass."
The Grady Hall-directed clip is a rapid tour of the history of dance through the decades. There are more than 40 dance sequences, each representing a different style or era. "When we started working on and developing ideas for the music video, we felt like we were onto something special," Simonian told Billboard magazine. "The day of the shoot was at the Los Angeles Theatre, which was this historic, beautiful theater in L.A., and we brought 60-70 dancers that we discovered on Craigslist [which is] how we met. So all these dancers came in, and some semi-professional, some were amateurs, some were pro and it was this really cool cultural clash happening during the video shoot, so we felt like there was something there."

Monday, January 27, 2014

B.o.B narrates a struggling actress in "John Doe"

Big city dreams don’t always go as planned. B.o.B issues a cautionary tale of addiction to the fast life in the Priscilla-assisted thought-provoking video for "John Doe," the fifth single off his newest third album "Underground Luxury," is in stores now. B.o.B has his theatrics on point with this one, as he narrates the story of an actress on the come up in his new concept flick. As the visual jumps back and forth from B.o.B to the actress, the clip tells the tale of a struggling girl trying to make a living by any means.
When you finally break through after years on the hustle, it's tough not to overindulge in the pleasures that success has suddenly placed at your disposal. Take B.o.B; though he started out doing it for the love, his ascent to stardom kindled a powerful lust for liquor, drugs and promiscuous sex. On new single "John Doe," the A-Town hitmaker takes a long, hard look in the mirror and he isn't sure he likes what he sees. Unlike some of the previous singles from the album, this one takes a more introspective turn and looks at the concepts of handling addiction and the pressures of fame and the limelight.
"John Doe" is a more somber, 'meaningful' song on the album, but at the same time it definitely catchy. Producer Geoffro Cause provides a crossover-friendly backdrop for Bobby Ray's introspective bars, and saccharine vocals from Priscilla with her more edgy look, might we add. The song's topic is drug abuse on the first verse and he flips it to dealing with getting caught cheating, and spending time as an "underground artist," on the second. "John Doe" fits the Pop record meets rapper aesthetic Atlantic Records has a knack for creating. Lush chords, sweeping instrumentation and power vocals will not have you thinking Bobby Ray is back on his rappity rap grind, though.
The 25-year-old shows that sometimes big plans can have shallow endings in the K. Asher Levin-directed powerful visual, which takes a look at the false narrative of moving to Hollywood to become a star, we see a small-town young aspiring actress, starring porn star Skin Diamond, who dreams of being an actress and will do anything to make it to the top in the "City of Angels," only to find herself getting involved with the wrong type of crowd, slowly succumbs to the seedy underbelly of the big city, compromising herself just to get by and a life filled with drugs, sex and alcohol.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Kelleigh Bannen getting her revenge in "Famous"

Kelleigh Bannen is getting her revenge in her new vibrant video for her dynamic new single "Famous," after walking in on her boyfriend with another woman, she hits the road with the intentions of making him 'famous.' She wants everyone to know what he did. Back to 2012, Bannen released an interesting, well-written single called "Sorry On The Rocks" and it showcased the previously indie singer/songwriter's strong and powerful vocals in this catchy tune, as well as sense of melody, but for some reason the single failed to ignite with radio stations.
All of this should change with her new single "Famous," the lead single from Bannen's upcoming new debut album via EMI Records Nashville, is a good old-fashioned revenge song set to a very contemporary beat so catchy it might need a virus definition all of its own. The melody mixes a percussive beat and mandolins into an infectious bed that backs up strong lyrics which find Bannen singing about the various ways she's gonna make a guy famous in a small town for how horrible he treated her and about the lies and cheating ways he had. With her effervescent personality and country charm, Bannen might very well remind you of the girl-next-door.
Written by Sara Haze, Troy Verges and Gordie Sampson, "Famous" certainly is a 180 from the singer's previous material and that might get some 'traditionalist' fans who were behind her early self-released album to wonder if she's chasing 'trends,' but when a song's this good does it really matter? "What first attracted me to the single was the angle," explains Bannen. "You cheated on me, you hurt me – so I'm going to make you famous. It's not just revengeful, there's a little smile and wink to it – and I love that!"
Filmed in Palmdale, California, the visually stunning video was directed by London Alley's Hannah Lux Davis, showcases Bannen as the feisty heroine in the story alongside powerful performance footage from the up-and-coming star. While we've all seen the revenge plot played out in music videos before, director Hannah' adds an additional layer to "Famous" by focusing both on the revenge storyline and on the pain Bannen's boyfriend has caused her. It's always fun to see a cheater get what he deserves, but it makes a better story to reinforce the reason he deserves it, and Hannah does this all the way up to the very final moments of the video.
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Saturday, January 25, 2014

Ariana & the Rose writhing around "In Your Bed"

Ariana DiLorenzo, a New York-born indie singer-songwriter of Italian descent, who records under the stage name of Ariana and the Rose, was raised on a musical diet that included 90s pop rock-rooted favorites like Fiona Apple, Natalie Imbruglia, and Alanis Morissette, as she knowingly wanted her live shows to be "more than candy canes and pyrotechnics." Following the release of a couple of impressive buzz singles last year, including the lovely synth-driven "Heartbeat," a promising statement of intent that would soon captivate half the world. Ariana is now back with the second cut "In Your Bed," from her upcoming debut four-pieces EP "Head vs Heart," due out on March 23.
Taking sensuous vocals, building bass lines, and addictive sharp beats, this romantic song is hypnotically perfect, a perfect mix between the confessional lyricism of her favorite singer-songwriters (Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson) with the sound of dirty synths (Goldfrapp, Santigold) and the understated glamor of the French New Wave that she feels is best reflected in her sound. "In You Bed" is a synthpop masterpiece with lyrics "Lay me down slow/ Touch me all over with your eyes/ Let yourself go/ We got all night/ Just because I'm in your bed." It's time, she says, "for pop girls to be cool again. Pop shouldn't be a guilty pleasure."
The track starts off very bare with nothing but smooth "ba-ba-ba"s to accompany her voice. Then a sexy 80s synth pulse pops in and seduces you as much as all the sheet romping. And just when you get used to the beat, a sexy 90s guitar comes in and adds even more passion. The song ends with a Tron style outro, which is appropriate. You'll feel like you've been sucked into something magical, mysterious, and mindblowing. And you didn't even have to use a quarter. The vocals on this track will give you the chills and the drop just seals the deal.
"In You Bed" is a breakthrough song if we've ever heard one. start with a talented female artist, and think along the lines of Lorde, Sky Ferreira, or Ellie Goulding. Now for Ariana's twist: a sultry way of singing that doesn't feel dirty. She's full of power and in complete control, in the most beautifully effortless way. The clip for "In Your Bed" sees the songstress writhing around under the sheets as she breathlessly asserts her independence, over a cracking minimal electropop beat. Ariana is incredibly captivating in the video, and even though it's a very simple and common visual, her tumbles in the sheets just feel different.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Jennifer Hudson 'I can't describe(the way I feel)'

Jennifer Hudson returns with a glossy music video for her newest 70s stylized uptempo ballad, "I Can't Describe (The Way I Feel)." The T.I.-assisted, Pharrell-produced 70's-influenced jazz-soul uptempo ballad is the first offering from Hudson's upcoming yet-untitled third studio album, expected on RCA this winter. Hudson has spent a lot of her time onstage fiercely performing the single, which is reminiscent of 70s throwback dance tracks and the new video transfers every bit of that ferocity in four minutes with feel-good sounds by taking Hudson fans back to the disco.
The Oscar and Grammy-winning singer, who doesn't wait long to explain herself despite the title for "I Can't Describe (The Way I Feel)," "It feels so good it hurts." Musically, it is an uptempo 1970s-inspired dance ballad that incorporates elements of disco music. Considering she had the "Blurred Lines" combo of Pharrell and T.I., the sensual track keeps up the throwback feel that marks a few of Pharrell's other recent collaborations. Excited about the new track, the former 'American Idol' contestant says, "Working with a visionary like Pharrell was a really special experience for me. He is one of the most talented musicians of our time and I couldn't be more proud of what we did together."
The Weight Watchers spokeswoman has been working with Timbaland, Pharrell, and R. Kelly on her upcoming album. "Some of the songs have a nice old school swag to them, but I think people will be very pleasantly surprised with this album 'cause it's about the mood and the groove and real music," she recently shared with Yahoo! Music of the follow-up to 2011's "I Remember Me," will have an old school feel, while revealing that the new record pays homage to Evelyn's 1981 hit "I'm in Love" and Rufus and Chaka's 1979 smash "Do You Love What You Feel."
In the Anthony Mandler-directed clip, the former 'American Idol' star shows off her svelte figure and gets her sexy on in a red bustier and sunglasses while busting out some choreographed moves (by Fatima Robinson) with her shirtless male crew. T.I. also shows up dressed in a tux. His swagger keeps in line with the coolness of his verse, as he stays calm during a peep show. Hudson told Huffington Post about new video: "It's a different side of me. I'm not going to say I discovered anything, but I'm introducing a new side of me."

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Katie Armiger Honors First Responders in "Safe"

As part of her "Project Feel Safe" campaign, Katie Armiger dedicated an emotional music video for her new single "Safe," the third single and closing track taken from Country singer's latest fourth studio album "Fall Into Me," to our nation's first responders. Armiger's newest video honors these heros and gives a look into the sacrifices they make everyday while telling a story about falling in love and feeling safe with someone. Her video is poignant and it really tugs at the heartstrings. You may want to grab a tissue before you watch her emotional "Safe" video.
Armiger is known for her powerhouse voice and pipes, in "Safe" she is more reserved and delivers a subtle and delicate vocal performance that is melodic and soothing. Some of the best love stories begin when you're not even looking for love. The 22-year-old star closes her "Fall Into Me" album with this gentle acoustic ballad "Safe," where she tells the sweet story of an unexpected romance. The gorgeous and sweet ballad which perfectly captures the security of a love that feels just right. "I wrote 'Safe' with Mallary Hope, one of my favorite singer-songwriters in town, and she actually sang on the track, as well," Armiger told The Boot.
"It's the last song on the album, and we wanted the last track to be that song because, stripped down, it's really about the vocal and about being in that moment. It's the most tender moment on the album. It's about being with someone who makes you feel safe. That's the best feeling, that when you're beside that person, nothing can harm you." Directed by Justin Baldoni and features the long Beach Fire Department, the emotionally intense clip is a narrative based video (a rarity in country music) which depicts the sacrifices of not only first responders, but their families in honor of the brave men and women who keep us safe and the families who love them.
It starts out with a blazing fire and a mom in search of her 3-year-old son, amidst the blazes. A selfless fireman assures the distraught mother, The clip, which isn't set in chronological order, skips over to Armiger in the desert with a broken-down car. A handsome stranger comes to her rescue before the blazing fire scenes are back, and the fireman is desperately searching for the crying little boy. Armiger eventually falls in love with the stranger who rescued her, and they're seen in bed together before she leaves him a note with lyrics from her song. The reality of the fire once again sets in and the life-saving fireman, who's none other than Armiger's sweet stranger, is carried boy out from the fire and returned to his mother as Armiger watches and cries.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

R5 are lost in Tokyo in '(I can't)forget about you'

After teasing fans for almost a week, American pop-rock band R5 has finally released their new shiny music video on Disney Channel for their new song, "(I Can't) Forget About You," the the second official and third overall single taken from their début studio album "Louder." We know that from tweets, Instagram posts, and videos, that R5 is simply crazy about Japan. So it totally makes sense why the guys and girl took their music across the world and gave the Japanese R5 Family the chance to star in an R5 video.
R5 has rapidly emerged as an exciting new voice in the world of pop rock. Originally from Littleton, Colorado, the Los Angeles-based band R5 was formed in 2008 and is comprised of siblings Riker, Ross, Rocky and Rydel Lynch; along with friend Ellington "Ratliff." After a successful first single, "Pass Me By" that reached 4.5 million views, the Lynch team is back with a follow-up "(I Can't) Forget About You." The song is about being left in a daze and only being able to remember details about a special girl, and the emotional free fall sparked by falling in love.
The song's theme definitely runs through the video, which takes place across Tokyo, Japan! Directed by Thom Glunt, the video was shot over the Thanksgiving 2013 holiday in Tokyo during the band's first visit to Japan. The fun clip is all about the day after a night none of them seem to remember how they ended up there. It starts off with the clip of Rocky being rolled up in a carpet. As the video goes on, we learn that Rocky's not the only one who isn't waking up in his bed. In fact, the whole band looks like they are waking up in a strange place.
After a strange and wild night, each band member wakes up in separate random locations scattered across Tokyo, in bewildering circumstances and can't remember what happened the night before. As they navigate the streets of Tokyo to reunite, each one of them comes across someone who will give them the clue to where they will find each other again. Call this 'The Hangover' for the tween set, since R5 is Disney-affiliated. Still, Japan is known for crazy things in their culture, so the aftermath of a wild party there shouldn't be that unexpected. Let your imagination run wild as to what really happened.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

James Blunt sings his feelings in "Heart to Heart"

James Blunt is back in the game full swing this year and keeps it all moving fast in his new music video for his insanely catchy new tune "Heart to Heart," the second cut and the fourth promotional single taken from English singer-songwriter's latest fourth studio album "Moon Landing," which entering the charts at number two, securing his biggest sales figures for seven years. The 39-year-old singer says himself he'll never repeat the success of the song that made his name, 2005's inescapable "You're Beautiful."
Nevertheless, it seems the former soldier turned songwriter can still turn out a tune. "I have written it very much without an audience in mind," Blunt says of his new set. "In many ways this is, perhaps, the album that I would have recorded if my fast album 'Back to Bedlam' hadn't sold in the way that it did." After the success of first single "Bonfire Heart," the often-derided singer has produced a follow-up single to kick off his world tour. "Heart to Heart," is a radio-friendly pop affair that promises to be just as insanely catchy on the ears, was co-written with Daniel Parker and undoubtedly influenced by producer Robopop, making this another traditionally inoffensive Blunt song.
It's clear from its title that Blunt has an affinity for hearts. The track is basically, a private 'heart-to- heart' conversation between two people about their feelings, but in this song it becomes an important personal declaration of loyalty in friendship as well as in love. Of course, Blunt stays true to form by singing again about the uncertainty of being with someone. The lyrics border on being infantile, but are forgiven by the infectious melody. Hooks are plentiful, and smooth the transition from the verses to the choruses. The choruses continue the fun folk-pop, as Blunt re-affirms that despite everything, he sees 'eye to eye, heart to heart' and all is well.
The ear-worm "you and I/won't part until we die" is rhythmically brilliant and simply can't be ignored. "Heart to Heart" may be cornier than the lead single off "Moon Landing," but still has heart as it is quite possibly the most feel-good Blunt track ever. The accompanying video sees Blunt standing in different city sections, performing the track as everything zips by at the speed of a blur and various couples freeze among the crowd. The upbeat, hand clapping, positive track is sure to win more top spots on charts around the world and maybe even pull in a few fans that jumped ship a few years back.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Icona Pop fight over a man "Just Another Night"

The ladies of Icona Pop, Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo, have hit Paris, slow the tempo and get glam in the premiere of their latest music video for the mid-tempo gem "Just Another Night," the third cut from Swedish duo's international debut album "This Is... Icona Pop." It's a known fact that Paris makes everything more sophisticated, so Icona Pop set down there for "Just Another Night" to explore with a lavishly black-and-white, Paris-set tale of a love triangle between two Swedish girls, one Italian man, the City of Lights, funny business, love, deceit, passion, regret, desire, and intrigue.
The pop music's favorite diva duo Icona Pop has been dominating the charts since their debut hit single, "I Love It" in 2012. The two girls got their iconic band name thanks to Hjelt's mother, "My mother coined our collective name We were having dinner with some Italian friends, and my mother said I was going to be a pop icon one day. 'Icona pop' means 'pop icon' in Italian." Icona Pop switched up the pace for "Just Another Night" a silent hero off their album, a full of high energy songs, which they deliver in an incredibly exciting and vibrant live show.
This somber breakup ballad finds the Icona Pop duo taking turns singing about a relationship that has just ended, and it speaks to the young adults in the world, just another night out on the town and the shenanigans that ensue. It's a heartbroken song built around ballad-y piano passages, but with the same knowingness and real-talk lyricism of their breakout hit. The Stargate-produced single definitely shows a softer, more melodic side to our favorite Swedes but it's not exactly an invitation to dance.
The beautiful French New Wave-inspired video was filmed in Paris, directed by Marc Klasfeld and tells the story of a love triangle between the Icona Pop pair and an Italian man. The song's heavy synth opening lends itself to the darkness of the story. Over the course of 3 minutes and 31 seconds, Klasfeld manages to visually explore all the Parisians tropes: black and white stripped clothes, sitting at an outdoor cafe and drinking wine, eating pastries, smoking on balconies, birdcage veils, high fashion photo shoots, the Arc de Triomphe. In the twist ending, no one is satisfied except the Italian man. So, it's a true-to-life story.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Neon Jungle go rainbow bright in "Braveheart"

The ladies of Neon Jungle put girl power firmly back on the map as the freshly-formed British girl group continue to set themselves apart from the pack with the attitude-filled video for four-piece act's new single "Braveheart." With a sound that's a cross between the chanty agit-pop of Icona Pop and the rumbling, EDM-tinged noise that fills the radio, Neon Jungle might just be able to make things right again in 2014, following an odd year for girl bands in 2013.
After sending shockwaves through the pop scene with their excellent Top 10 debut single "Trouble" last August, Neon Jungle takes their potent brand of girl pop to a whole new level of excellence with this follow-up effort. For "Braveheart," they've refined the sound of "Trouble" into a more club-friendly, but no less characterful, mix of pulsing synths and huge bass drops. It sounds like a massive hit waiting to happen that combines an intensely soaring pre-chorus with a gigantic pop chorus that is ruled by a hard-driving, electro-edged production that is courtesy of production outfit More Mega.
"It's about letting go and having a good time," the group said of the cut. "We experience a lot of different emotions performing and listening to the song. Having it loud pumping through speakers, it's just like a rave every time it plays." The upbeat tune is weird, dark, pummeling and thoroughly out-of-the-box and one of the most blisteringly cool dance-pop singles in a long while. It's pop-rave stomper of the most flaming kind. It's bold, loud and legitimately massive.
The video for "Braveheart" perfectly captures the energy of the song. Drenched in bright hues of red and green, Shereen Cutkelvin, Amira McCarthy, Jess Plummer, and Asami Zdrenka step out in the lime light to show off their best dance moves as well as their style and their individual personalities while performing the song together as a solid union. The four turn it up to spark a massive dance party that will have you waving your palms to the sky the moment the chorus it hits, and also, inexplicably, a lion, they're proving their mettle as the most intimidatingly fierce girl group around.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Broken Bells explore space in 'Holding on for life'

Broken Bells, the indie rock duo of frontman James Mercer from The Shins and producer Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton, returned recently, and they've brought out some big guns and explored outer-space in an eponymous short film video for latest track "Holding On For Life," the lead single off the group's upcoming sophomore album "After The Disco," due for release on February 4. The video does have the larger scale that a film would. It contains impressive lighting, intense character story line and even plot development. The video has a retro feel but has modern elements that are brought in through the production of the music.
Accidentally channels Bee Gees, the indie-disco number finds vocalist Mercer channeling his inner Barry Gibb. "I was in the vocal booth and I was like, 'Let me try this falsetto thing,'" he recalled to NME. "But it was when we doubled the track that I was like, 'Oh my God, it's the f---ing Bee Gees! On a Shins record, that song would sound like a joke, but with Broken Bells, you change the context and it works really well." The single, "Holding On for Life," does feature a very unique sound. It combines indie influences with a futuristic background of guitars and electronica music.
Rolling Stone described the song as "a Bee Gees-like indie-disco number," a sentiment also expressed by NPR's Bob Boilen, who wrote that he "heard Bee Gees in something like this." In an interview with Boilen, Danger Mouse concurred with this comparison, saying, "It sounded kind of like the Bee Gees a little bit, but so what, the Bee Gees had some good choruses." Danger Mouse, who wrote the story, recently told Rolling Stone that the sort of retro vision of the future was inspired by watching old science-fiction movies. The duo challenged themselves to make a "Broken Bells" album in a vintage way, using minimal instruments over which Mercer would sing.
Directed by Jacob Gentry, the sci-fi-themed clip is a sequel to a previously released "Angel and the Fool" video and both of which starring Anton Yelchin and actress Kate Mara. The clip makes for a taut yet open-ended storyline about a human and a spacewoman fall in love and the side effects of inhaling vapors in a space helmet at a party. It finds its lovelorn lead characters in astronaut suits at a smoky space party where looks are deceiving. The duo are visible as spirit guides throughout the video, donning some very sharp Star Trek-ish unitards. It's a great piece of weird, disjointed sci-fi filmmaking well worth to watch.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Colbie Caillat can't fight moonlight in "Hold On"

Colbie Caillat has dropped the music video for her melodic new song "Hold On," the lead single from Caillat's upcoming fifth studio album, which does not yet have a release date. This is not to be confused with a "Hold On" that appears on the singer’s 2010 iTunes Session EP. They're completely different records. The new video sees Caillat channeling her inner goddess in a big, cheesy moonlit jungle sequence.
co-written and produced by Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic, "Hold On" finds the singer figuring out what to do about her relationship with her lover, which is on the verge of collapse. With a pounding drumbeat and multiple vocal tracks, the song is a departure from Caillat's previous mellow acoustic work and sees Caillat exploring a slightly more electronic sound than she has in the past, as she in slighter rhythmic-pop territory. The song is a wonderful midtempo jam with an ultra-catchy chorus and it reminds us a bit more of, say, the mid '90s output of Annie Lennox; in particular.
The lyrics were inspired by Caillat's own experiences with broken-down relationships, where she's been the one urging to give it another shot. "I know a lot of people can relate, it's like the game of love," she told Billboard magazine. "When I was writing with Ryan it was basically about, 'You're ready to let go of this person, and the second you do, that's when they're all about you. They pull their same spiel where they back away, and you only want them more.'" It's nice to see the guitar-pop princess tackling something with a little more crunch.
Lyrically, the song's embrace of the spiritual power that flows through the stars in the sky. The visual has a similarly hippy dippy feel, which was directed by Cameron Duddy and Harper Smith. It sees Caillat walking barefoot through and lying on the beach sand, and on the grass in the middle of a jungle, and is also surrounded by a group of dancers as they dancing in a puddle of water and jive in front of a massive moonlit sky. The clip has an otherworldly feel, the 28-year-old emulating some sort of goddess as an interstellar backdrop spins behind her.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Pixie Lott hits a club & gets naughty in "Nasty"

Pixie Lott is well and truly back after a short absence away from music, and to celebrate reaching 23, the English songstress tries to leave her sweet angel image in the past with the premiere of her slightly-racy music video for her new singer "Nasty." The naughty, uptempo pop-blues track is the first single from the British singer's upcoming self-titled third studio album, due in stores on March 10th in the UK via Mercury Records. It’s been more than a year since Lott was last on the Official Singles Chart, but now she’s back and is ready to get N-A-S-T-Y!
The jazzy, provocative horn-heavy number was originally recorded by Christina Aguilera as a duet with her The Voice colleague Cee Lo Green. Their version was earmarked for Aguilera's 2010 "Burlesque" flick, but wasn't used in the movie though it did leak online in the spring of 2011. "A few other singers had recorded it and Christina was one of them so everyone wanted this song," Lott told The Metro. "When I heard other singers had done it I thought "I need to get this!" It was a difficult song to get because there are so many old-school samples on it, like James Brown, that are hard to clear copyright on. But I got it and now it is my new single."
"Nasty" marks a different style for Lott as she looks to reinvent herself as a 'pop' artist. Speaking about the provocative track recently, she said: "The thing is with this song, it's not nasty as in not being very nice, it's more about the naughty factor. It's more like a naughty nasty." The track recaptures that sultry jazzy voice Lott has and ups it with an incredibly catchy hook. Lott has turned this song into a mega-hit. As for the "Nasty" music video, the soul-pop princess did what the song required her too. She brought her nasty, sexy, naughty side to the surface.
Lott told You magazine about Bryan Barber-directed clip: "I wrote the treatment. I start out prim and proper, innocent and well-dressed, and then I see this guy and the clothes are transformed into something a bit more nasty. It was a cool video to shoot." The raunchy promo clip sees the blonde strutting down the street to an underground club, where she proceeds to get sweaty by dancing suggestively with her love interest while belting out the soulful and sensual track: "N-A-S-T-Y, you're nasty, but maybe I don't mind..." The point is, she does indeed get nasty.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Sub Focus is trying to do "Turn Back Time"

Sub Focus has premiered the official video for the house influenced house track "Turn Back Time," the sixth single from the British dance record producer's latest sophomore studio album "Torus." The track features uncredited vocals from British singer Yolanda Quartey, who is a member of the Bristol country/soul band Phantom Limb. The 31-year-old Sub Focus is turned in an absolutely phenomenal rework rammed full of rave atmosphere with chunky amens doing their thang alongside a monstrous sub line and a piano hook to die for.
Nick Douwma a.k.a. Sub Focus, came to the drum'n'bass scene from Guildford, UK in 2003, broke through with a number of tracks in his first year including "Acid Test," and "X-Ray." Entirely self taught, he was noticed at first by Andy C and, in a matter of months, went from being one of many wannabe producers to becoming a permanent fixture of the award winning RAM Records family. Although he may take his sweet time to churn out a full length, Sub Focus certainly knows how to add them into the history books. His 2009 self-titled debut was nine years in the making, and a genre-mashing breakout to critical acclaim.
"Torus," is a collection of eclectic genre shifting tracks that is pushing this reputation beyond the dance hinterlands and into the mainstream. On "Turn Back Time," we get a chest-thumping house cut that's driven by a powerful vocal and soaring melodies. At the time he was experimenting with 90's rave samples and the song originally used a Todd Terry sample but was re-recorded with session vocalist Quartey and worked into a new song. Terry is credited as a writer of the track despite not contributing specifically to the track. It's such a throw-back to the 90s diva-house sound, and he's just on fire.
Sub Focus told the story behind this song: "I've been doing a lot of sampling from the early '90s," he said. "There are quite a few acapellas that you can find; I'd really geek out and find out which versions of the original releases had the acapella on them, then try and buy the vinyl or CDs online to get the highest quality versions possible. That's how this track started by chopping these up, and coming up with ideas from there," he continued. "It ended up with me getting session musicians in to recreate some of the samples, which really freshened up the song." As always, the cinematography is stellar with the accompany video which telling a story of two individuals trying to do as the title of the song indicates. Simply a superb song and video!

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Paloma Faith feels jealous in 'Can't Rely On You'

Only a year and a half after the release of her sophomore album "Fall to Grace," Paloma Faith has come back swinging with funky new single "Can't Rely On You," serves as the lead single off the English soul siren's upcoming third studio album "A Perfect Contradiction," due out on March 3. As is always the case with the 'New York' maestra, she puts the music at the forefront of cause with the release of "Can't Rely on You," which is intriguing both musically and visually. The accompanying video is as visually sumptuous as we've come to expect from Faith.
Produced and co-written with former N.E.R.D.-boy Pharrell Williams, "Can't Rely On You" is funky pop jam and swings with a funky fresh groove that throws back to the '70s and filled with references to classic soul that effortlessly mixes Williams's trademark beats with Faith's always soulful distinctive vocals. It's a striking departure from the big, sweeping ballads of her last album, but a welcomed one as well. The song serves major throwback vibes, yet sounds undeniably fresh - A bold comeback! Top that with Faith's soul-shouter vocals and you've got a winner.
The 32-year-old Londoner laments feeling jealous of her lover in the funk-soul track "Can't Rely On You." The beat is so similar melody to Robin Thicke's ubiquitous "Blurred Lines." Williams clearly tried to disguise it all that he could, but in the end, it was inevitable for the "Blurred Lines" sound to surface. The intro in particular makes you think you've played Thicke's song by mistake. The accompanying "Blurred Lines"-esque video video, directed by Paul Gore, is a dazzlingly weird and left-of-center period piece that executes its high concept with impeccable attention to detail, contrasting the retro flavor of the song with lushly anachronistic visuals.
The clip begins with a French female voiceover about moving on from the end of a relationship, and the fiery red-headed, lingerie-clad Faith in bed with a lover. From there, Gore takes us on a bizarro-world ride filled with images of milk baths, a topless Faith wearing a white mask, women in religious-looking gowns, a stunned mustachioed gent, a black horse, and a chauffeured-driven vintage Mercedes that becomes driverless when he bails, leaving Faith in the backseat to fend for herself. It ends with the French narrator returning to inform us that "This is just a beginning." You've been warned.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Pia Mia shares a tale of heartbreak in "Red Love"

If you haven't taken notice of Pia Mia before now then you'll want to very soon. Sure, she may have been introduced to the celebrity world as Kylie Jenner's best friend but the 17-year-old singer has more talent than E!'s reality household combined. With an incredible voice and her exotic looks, Mia already has Drake and Kanye West as fans with their cover of "Hold On We're Going Home," and not to mention that Madonna has also supposedly chosen Mia as the new face of her clothing line Material Girl.
The Los Angeles based singer-songwriter is of European descent from father and Oceanian from mother. She started off her singing career by doing covers of popular songs on YouTube. Early this year signed record deal with Wolfpack Entertainment and released first solo single "The Last Man On Earth." She became a little more popular after featured on the song "Bubblegum Boy" with the 'Shake It Up' actress Bella Thorne. Recently, the singer has released two more buzz singles: "What a Girl Wants" and "Shotgun Love."
Now, she's back with her first ever music video for her official debut stunning pop single "Red Love," which is a gorgeous, delicate and melodic power ballad that showcases Mia's impeccable vocal range and talent.
 The singer has a keen, deep and heartbreaking pop ballad in her hands. Her style may remind the American singer and actress Ariana Grande, but with a much more acoustic feel and less R&B. The song is an emotional roller coaster and Mia, once again, delivers a powerful performance that many teen gals in distress will find comfort in.
The video is directed by Damien Sandoval and finds the young singer sharing a special moment with her boyfriend in a desert. However, as the song unfolds it becomes clear that their relationship has dried up like the arid setting they're in. The video shows the leggy blonde strolling around the desert heartbroken over her first love after going to bed with him; in other words, this guy takes her virginity in a four-poster bed in the middle of the desert and then he leaves her behind. Whether the meaning of the video is meant to be that literal or not, it's still a nice - albeit, dramatic - introduction to Mia, the singer. Check it out, below.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Kat Dahlia tackles domestic violence in 'the high'

Kat Dahlia is using her voice to speak out on an important issue. The beautiful and equally as talented Miami singer has been showing off her skills rather well over the past year, especially the past few months, and returns, plays a woman who's having an abusive relationship and tackles domestic violence with a brand new vampire-themed visual for the powerful number "The High," a cut off her recent standout mixtape "Seeds."
The 23-year-old Cuban songstress and rapper, is known for her "razor sharp" lyrics and her unique, aggressive flow, is currently working on her debut album, "My Garden", which is scheduled to be released later this year. The Miami singer has come through with music with a message through the song, "The High." which is a tough, relatable number that finds Dahlia speaking about love gone wrong. The video is a flawlessly representation of the track, as she addresses the issue of domestic violence and gives us a love affair turned violent in visual and lyrical form.
The up-and-coming singer isn't scared to touch on heavier themes in the Garcia-directed provocative clip, which was shot in Miami, and centers on the relationship between the singer and her on-screen partner as their intimate love affair turns violent when her vampire-abuser boyfriend starts to abuse her. At first, everything looks normal as the couple is seen making out passionately in the heat of passion. However, the seemingly healthy relationship suddenly turns abusive violent after the man physically hurts his lady.
As Dahlia looks vulnerable as she describes the pain of being with his man. "My arms, yea they're reaching for stones/ But they're covered in scars/ Oh baby you're the bleeding of my heart," she sings. There's plenty of blood sucking and fighting going on. The blood that's spilled on the floor is represented by red roses. Although visually provocative, the underlying message is the disturbingly that there are 4.8 million domestic abuse cases against women in the country each year. And it ends encouraging viewers to a website for the Speak Up Foundation, where women can go to seek help.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Jake Bugg laments in "A Song About Love"

Jake Bugg has just released a music visual for his latest single "A Song About Love," the third release off Bugg's sophomore album "Shangri La." The Nottingham-based singer/songwriter is still only 19-years-old, yet here he is with his second album already and, on the back of the acclaim he achieved on his self-titled debut album, the speedy release of "Shangri-La" is a promising sign that Bugg is bursting with ideas and has no plans of sitting back on top of his one Mercury nomination.
To be blunt, none of "Shangri-La" ever really steps too far from the safety zone of his debut, but Bugg is being fast-tracked by his label into producing new material, which is probably why the new album sounds so recycled. Should he be given the chance to master his penmanship and emulate his peers' musicianship, Bugg could genuinely live up to his hype and his potential within his next few releases. On "Shangri-La," however, Bugg is still searching for that special something and. providing he manages to find anything at all by the time he begins working on album number three, he could very well validate himself as a serious performer for years to come.
Following a similar structure some of the softer tracks heard in his debut, the new tune "A Song About Love," is a slow paced love ballad, in contrast to his rocking "Messed Up Kids." Bugg wrote this love ballad with two bars that last one beat too long before the chorus. It gave the session musicians who played on it a lot of trouble to work out. The British rocker is mainly self-taught; his only music training was a music technology course at college that he dropped out from at the age of 16.
According to an interview with the NME, Bugg didn't realize when he wrote this song that it would be difficult for his backing musicians to play, as he's never learnt how to read music. A dose of heartfelt romance is provided with "A Song About Love," where Bugg's honest emotions seem to pour out of this melancholy song. Bugg's versatility is showcased here and "A Song About Love" holds up just fine. He can easily bounce from rollicking folk to somber love tunes and back again. It Showing a more emotive side and a softer side of the young indie rocker. The video, showing a more sentimental side than we usually see of the Nottingham teenager, as he laments in his heartachey tune.

Friday, January 10, 2014

Lea Michele breaks the barrier in "Cannonball"

The 'Glee' star Lea Michele is getting up close and personal as she channels her inner diva in her first ever solo new music clip for her debut single "Cannonball," the lead single taken from the singer/actress' upcoming debut studio album "Louder," which drops on March 4. The emotional features shots of the 27-year-old belting the powerful, Sia-penned chorus in what appears to be an abandoned room with boarded-up windows.
Michele recently spoke to MTV News about the piano-driven anthem, revealing that it helped her to heal after the sudden and tragic death of her boyfriend and 'Glee' co-star Cory Monteith. Initially, Michele didn't plan on having the song be a part of the album, which she'd finished recording last June; but after Monteith died in July, Michele put her album on hold and took a moment to think if there was anything else she needed to get off her chest. Working with songwriters Sia Furler and Benny Blanco, she recorded the track and the single became a mantra of survival.
The uplifting ballad finds Michele reaffirming her newfound inner strength. The lyrics about finding inner strength after a difficult experience mirror Michele's own life: "The minute I heard the song, I had a physical reaction to it. For me, it's been my strength," she said of the track. "I listen to it every day. I know it was brought into my life for a reason. It's really been so helpful for me and I hope it's the same for other people as it's been for me." The track is instantly memorable, but still, it's Michele's powerhouse vocals that take center stage on "Cannonball" as she deftly switches from her Broadway-trained belting and 'Glee'-honed pop chops: "...I'll fly like a cannonball."
The clip, directed by Robert Hales, finds a vulnerable looking Michele cold and lonely in what looks like an abandoned mansion with a broken piano, singing about losing her mind. Sun streaks through the windows as the 'Glee' star dressed in a flowing black dress, slowly finds her strength as the song crescendos. As Michele's confidence builds, the room she's singing in slowly starts to shift to something brighter and, finally, letting the light into her life as she sings about her vow to "start living today." By the end, Michele is smiling brilliantly amid a sea of colorful, electrifying lights, all ready for her "new beginning." She certainly has come a long way, and The simplistic but visually stunning video is totally uplifting an inspiring!

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Lucy Hale gets flirty in "You Sound Good to Me"

Eighteen months after she signed a recording contract with Hollywood Records, Lucy Hale finally debuted the stunning new music video for her debut single, "You Sound Good to Me," during Tuesday night's broadcast of ABC Family's "Pretty Little Liars" premiere and quickly hit the web. Directed by Taylor Swift and John Mayer collaborator Philip Andelman, the new video highlights a carefree and spontaneous day with friends. As if we weren't already itching for summer.
The 24-year-old 'Pretty Little Liars' starlet-turned-Hollywood Records signee participated in a Twitter Q&A to promote her currently untitled country album. Hale told MTV News to expect a "Taylor Swift/Carrie Underwood-ish hybrid" when it came to her musical style and when her debut album hit stores. "I'm going to do a country/pop album, and I couldn't be more excited," she said. "I grew up in Tennessee, so that's always been my heart and soul." The sweet, doll-eyed actress hopes listeners can put their preconceived notions about actors-turned-musicians aside and give her single a fair shot.
The rootsy pop-country track "You Sound Good To Me," written by Ashley Gorley, Luke Laird and Hillary Lindsey, but the song was written for Hale. In other words, this song suited Hale's hopeful voice with country splendor. With Shania Twain and Faith Hill as influences, it makes complete sense that Hale made her big step into music to go through the doors of country. The American Junior alum added that the "cool thing about music is that you can find inspiration from anyone." Hale said on Twitter, "I want to create music as long as the world will possibly let me. I want to tour, see every place possible."
That ethos is also captured in the video for "You Sound Good To Me," which is showing off her country roots as the pint-sized songstress gettin' all kinds of country in her cowboy boots and a bunch of well-groomed friends as they take a road trip and have a bonfire in a trailer park. The visual lends itself to the song's lyrics: Hale flirts with her love interest as the two enjoy a road trip through the country side with friends. After goofing around in what looks like a truck stop, they get more serious by nightfall as they sit around a campfire and eventually locking lips!

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Foxes having a good time in "Let Go for Tonight"

You might not know Foxes by her name, but you definitely know her voice. She's the English singer-songwriter (aka Louisa Rose Allen) featured on Zedd's inescapable smash hit, "Clarity," and is now gearing up to release her debut album "Glorious," due out on March 4th via Sony Music Entertainment. the up and comer Brit-Pop sensation has just unleashed the fun and colorful video for new single, "Let Go For Tonight," a song originally from her "Warrior" EP that has been revamped as the next official single and sixth overall taken from Foxes' upcoming debut studio album.
Similar to her previous releases, Foxes' new offering, written by herself, is an inspiring mid-tempo pop tune and a wonderful synth-pop creation with loud, crashing production and an emphasis on her show-stopping acrobatic vocal performance. Foxes sings here about forgetting about your problems, and living your "present" the happiest you can. "Let go for tonight baby/ Let love in your life and be shown/ Let go for tonight baby, who needs sleep tonight," the 24-year-old British beauty sings.
With a soft, piano-driven intro, the single then kicks the energy into full gear as the four minutes roll on. "So I call your name, the only thing I know, is I need you here, will you be gone forever?", the singer questions before the chorus comes crashing in. The track is poppy, fun and inspiring. While the track holds fast to the worldly toned elements that her previous works are centered around, it also brings an explosive element to her sound that hasn't been showcased before. "Let Go For Tonight" may be her most gripping song yet. Sung with extraordinary heart, the lyrics propel over the gentle instrumental with such ambition that they quickly become the centerpiece in what is an overall fascinating anthem.
As for the Marc Klasfeld-directed video, Foxes does what she sings and lets go by taking part in a big mess at a dinner party after throwing colorful childish food fight at her friends. It opens with the singer sitting at a table in a pristine, all white room with a blank canvas, and triggering an epic paint fight, things get crazy as the song evolves. Surrounded by friends, Foxes seems to be having a carefree, good time as she gives a classy, yet sexy, performance and delivers the lyrics to her song in front of the camera before a desert scene is shown to end the visual on a high note. The concept fits the joyous message of the song perfectly.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Ellie Goulding lights up in "Goodness Gracious"

Following a successful 2013, Ellie Goulding kick starts the new year with a new colorful video for the Nate Ruess-co-penned tune, "Goodness Gracious," a tropical-flavored highlight from "Halcyon Days," the hefty reissue of her sophomore album, 2012's "Halcyon." Any lingering doubts that Goulding is not ultra-cool should be squashed with the arrival of the "Goodness Gracious" video, which shows the U.K. songstress dancing in light-up shoes, partying with futuristic-looking pals and even skateboarding with ease.
This electro, tropically-infused tune finds Goulding singing about attempting to break free from a relationship but unable to sever the ties. She penned the song with Fun.'s frontman Nate Ruess. Goulding told Coup De Main magazine about their collaboration: "In Australia we first met and we hung out loads, and it turned out we were big fans of each other's writing," she said. "Sadly, we didn't get to write the song in the same room which was a shame, but he wrote his bit and I wrote my bit and I sent it back to him to see what he thought and thank goodness he liked it, because that would have been embarrassing if he didn't."
Directed by Kinga Burza, the video finds Goulding lighting up the night with the same pop pyrotechnics that highlighted the "Burn" music video. This time, however, everything is illuminated as the "Burn" singer and her gang of exceptionally attractive pals spend a rowdy, all-neon night on the town, bouncing from a private dance party to a psychic's den, finally landing on an admittedly cliché yet totally necessary moment of joyriding bikes down on an empty street. It's as if Goulding downed some psychotropic Starbursts with a bunch of friends and filmed the whole weekend.
The 27-year-old British electro pop goddess serves up so much fun in her new holiday-themed visuals, as Goulding explained that because the song's lyrics are dark, she wanted the images to be "bright and bold," so obviously, it was shot in Los Angeles, capital of all of the above. The video is both of those things, big time, and Goulding's glittery and glowing looks command attention. It is a day-glo dream. So forget the freezing temperatures outside for a second, and check out her cheery wardrobe and peep all the sparkly colorful goodness for yourself, below!

Monday, January 6, 2014

Katy B belts heart out in "Crying For No Reason"

Katy B is engulfed in her own personal light show in the music video for her new electro-ballad, "Crying For No Reason," which will serve as the second cut comes from British dance-pop purveyor's upcoming sophomore album, "Little Red," scheduled for release on February 3. The red-haired U.K. alt-dance pop diva has consistently slayed us with tunes such as "What Love Is Made Of," "Aaliyah," and "I Like You." Now, praise everything, Katy B's back with a new video and she's brought her own personal light show with her!
Speaking about new album recently, the star revealed: "That first album had a certain innocence about it. I think this album has a bit more experience. My relationships have got more serious, I've moved out of my parents' house, I'm dealing with issues on my own. My friends are all going through that transition as well - those questions you ask of yourself as an adult. This is real life." She added: "There are still going to be lots of songs about me and my little adventures around London, but then at the same time I've had experiences in love and life that have been about this period of my life."
"Crying For No Reason" is a big electronic ballad, where she croons about trying in vain to get over the ending of a relationship. The singer told Q magazine that she found it was an emotional experience laying the break up anthem down in the studio. "When we recorded that vocal, halfway through I started crying. I ran out the room," she recalled. "Five minutes later I came back and asked, 'Did you get that?'" The track features Katy B's buttery R&B pipes laced with some poignant Adele balladry and infused with a little forward-thinking electro-pop à la Robyn.
The emotional ballad is the twinkling, strobing heartbreak-anthem, and the video is beautiful and stark, perfectly pairing with Katy B's titanic performance and the track's dramatic swell of pop histrionics replete with huge glacial synths. In Sophie Miller-directed video, Katy B boldly stands alone on a platform and belts the song out before a dark, sleek, arena-like stage set while an epic extravaganza of light slowly erupts all around her. As the song builds from simple ballad to mid-tempo dance banger, the luminous beams slowly become more extravagant and everything feels right in the world. Simple and effective!

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Sara Evans threaten to walk out "Slow Me Down"

Sara Evans is excited to be getting back in the thick of the music business with the release of a music video for her emotional new ballad "Slow Me Down," the lead-off single and title track from her forthcoming seventh studio album, which will be released on March 4. It's been almost three years since Evans released her last album, "Stronger," and she's more than ready to bring new music to her fans. "I am so excited to have some new music out. We're finishing the album up in October," the 42-year-old powerhouse songstress said.
"Slow Me Down" is a mid-tempo country ballad, backed by plucked strings and guitar. The song is sung from the perspective of a woman threatening to walk out on her man, finishing by saying that if he has something to say that he should "hurry up and slow [her] down." Speaking of the song with Billboard, Evans said: "There's definitely something about it. That's what we all felt when we heard it. When they pitched it to us, it was so emotional and the thought of 'Hurry Up and Slow Me Down' is one of the best lines I have heard in a song in so long. I'm very lucky they pitched it to me."
Evans also told The Boot that she was excited about the recording process: "I love songs that evoke emotion - it really is what connects people to the music. When we went into the studio to record ['Slow Me Down'] my main goal was to capture the desperation and passion in the song - to strike a balance between a strong vocal and the emotion that would pull in the listener." The song seems poised to follow in the long line of successful ballads for the singer, who gives the song all she's got, delivering a forceful performance of the chorus while rendering the song's title phrase with a plaintive trill.
Directed by Peter Zavadil, and was shot primarily at Club Anthem in Nashville, Tennessee last September, the angsty, emotional clip begins with Evans in a wedding dress before cutting to her and her significant other, played by NASCAR driver Carl Edwards, arguing in their high rise. As the video continues, it's clear there is trouble in paradise. Edwards is glued to his phone while Evans vies for his attention before realizing she's fighting a losing battle. Does he convince her to stay or does she finally walk away? Watch the video below to find out!

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Christina Perri sings about heartache in 'Human'

After an arduous wait for new material, Christina Perri makes vulnerable return with a dramatic new visual for her brutally honest alt-pop ballad "Human," the first taste and lead single from her upcoming sophomore album, "Head or Heart." It's a properly dramatic way to come out swinging as Perri ramps up for the release of her new album, due out March 11. Named as iTunes' "Breakthrough Pop Artist of 2011," the 27-year-old singer-songwriter earned critical applause and an increasingly fervent fan following with her extraordinary debut and her raw-and-heart-wrenching break-up anthem "Jar of Hearts."
Perri wrote with Boys Like Girls frontman and top-notch popsmith Martin Johnson, "Human" is a soft, yet powerful ballad about the societal pressures placed upon women to be, well, perfect. The song is an emotionally charged ballad which finds Perri in a destructive relationship. Perri is sounding a bit more somber, telling her lover over a sparse piano melody, "Your words in my head/ Your knives in my heart/ You build me up and then I fall apart." Perri then dejectedly listing her subservient skills in the verses before finding her nerve in the chorus and declaring, "But I'm only human/ And I crash and I break down."
With its compassionate "be yourself" theme, Perri's "Human" says it's OK to be yourself, even if that means occasionally falling apart. Still prominantly featuring Perri's raw vocals and her broken lyrics, the song has an elevated production from her previous release, with swelling strings and bursting percussion over Perri's beautiful piano stylings. This emotionally-charged ballad also continues the theme of "lovestrong." relating to those broken and alone and commiserating with them. However, the defiance in the lyrics and Perri's own voice are hopeful and strong. For those who can relate to heartbreak, which is all of us really, this song will soon be on repeat.
Are humans just a series of parts or are we something deeper? That's the question at the heart of Perri's stunning video for "Human," which was directed by Elliott Sellers. The just-over-four-minute clip begins with Perri alone in a room and standing on a white platform against all-white background, wearing a black bra-like top, and black hotpants. Perri isn't really herself, or only Human, as the song's sonics build, so does her true self begin to emerge and dramatically turning into human while sings about her heartache. It's so simple, but this visual works for this kind of song.