music
The Pretty Reckless’ Taylor Momsen on Death by Rock and Roll and Her Love of Soundgarden
Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | RSS Taylor Momsen sits down with Kyle Meredith to talk about The Pretty Reckless’ new album, Death by Rock and Roll, a record born from loss but filled with a ferocious confidence. Advertisement Related Video The former actress-turned-rock artist discusses writing from a depth of honesty and reflecting the social movements happening around us while still keeping songs fun and full of imagination. Momsen also remarks on the guests that found their way onto the record, including Tom Morello and Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron. She also recounts the moment she went all in on being a musician in the song “Rock and Roll Heave...
Lil Nas X Skips The Shirt, Takes A Shower At Montero Prison At The VMAs
It’s Lil Nas X‘s world; we’re all just living in it. The “power bottom rapper” and five-time nominee at the 2021 Video Music Awards took the stage at Barclays Center on Sunday (September 12) to perform some of his most recent hits. And he did not disappoint. Performing on a bright-pink set alongside his “Industry Baby” collaborator Jack Harlow, Nas X stepped out onto the stage in his finest marching-band attire. The duo and their hunky, all-male backup dancers then took a trip to the (fictional) Montero State Prison, spitting bars while Nas X stripped off his shirt. Harlow rapped his verse in all-black, all-vinyl prison suit, swapping out a certain lyric about “handprints on her ass cheeks” with a seri...
Shawn Mendes And Tainy Shine Like the Sun At The VMAs
Hot Girl Summer, meet “Summer of Love.” Pop singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes and electronic producer-songwriter Tainy performed their sun-soaked hit single at the 2021 Video Music Awards on Sunday (September 12), and they brought the warmth. The set opened with Mendes crooning to the crowd in billowing trousers and a loose-knit striped sweater. Midway through, the stage turned red, and blue lights shone brightly on Mendes and Tainy, who was playing the keys. The lighting became more and more colorful throughout their set until the entire stage resembled a neon-hued sunset. Oh, summer… we miss you already. Both Mendes and Tainy were up for VMAs this year: Mendes for Best Pop for his hit single “Wonder,” and Tainy for Best Latin for &...
Doja Cat Danced Mid-Air In Acrobatic VMA Performance
Taking a break from her hosting duties at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, Doja Cat took the stage for a sizzling live performance of her songs “Been Like This” and “You Right” on Sunday (September 12) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Both tracks are featured on her debut album Planet Her, which was released in June. Introducing Doja Cat was gymnast Simone Biles, who said: “I’d say [Doja Cat’s] Team U.S.A., but I think she prefers Planet Her.” The introduction was appropriate for the high-flying performance that would ensure. Doja began “Been Like This” floating above the stage, surrounded by an orb of circling light. She was the fourth performer to begin their act suspended — after The Kid Laroi, Justin Bieber, and Olivia Rodrigo. Her body contorted...
Justin Bieber Wins Artist Of The Year And Immediately Thanks Travis Scott
Everyone else is playing catch-up to Justin Bieber. At the 2021 MTV VMAs, Bieber was crowned Artist of the Year, capping off an insurgent run that’s found him releasing a new album, Justice, starring in Drake’s “Popstar” video, and hitting No. 1 both with his infectious tune “Peaches” and his collab with The Kid Laroi, “Stay.” And he was ready to meet the moment. Accepting his latest Moonperson trophy, he spoke to that moment while also making sure to share it with those around him — namely his wife, Hailey, and a big inspiration: Travis Scott. “I look over here and I see my beautiful wife, and I just wanna say I love you so much,” he said sporting a large jacket and hoodie. “Travis Scott, man, you inspire me so much. Thank ...
Beyoncé Covers “Moon River” for Tiffany & Co.: Watch
Beyoncé and Audrey Hepburn have quite a bit in common. They’re both style and beauty icons, they’ve both contributed to human rights efforts, they’ve both appeared in legendary films — and now, they’ve both sang Henry Mancini’s “Moon River.” As a part of Queen Bey and JAY-Z‘s ongoing ad campaign with Tiffany & Co., the singer has shared a cover of the Breakfast at Tiffany‘s tune. Bey’s cover of “Moon River” arrives with a sweet 90-second clip, directed by Black Is King co-director Emmanuel Adjei. It pays homage to the 1961 film, opening with a shot of JAY-Z plunking away on a typewriter. While Hepburn’s famous recording of the song — penned by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer — is performed on guitar from a humble fire escape, Beyoncé’s rendition sees her take a seat behind a ...
James Blake Shares New Song “Famous Last Words”: Stream
James Blake’s new album Friends That Break Your Heart has been delayed until October, another casualty of the worldwide vinyl crunch that’s been exacerbated by COVID-19. To avoid undue heartbreak before the record’s release, Blake is tiding fans over with the new song “Famous Last Words.” This is Blake at his most melancholic and miserable. “And I can’t believe I’m still talking about you,” he sings over softly pulsing synths. “That feeling/ I should’ve lost it/ I should’ve lost it by now.” It also includes one of the better lines about a breakup in recent memory: “You’re the last of my old things/ The cast from my broken limbs.” Check out “Famous Last Words” below. Friends That Break Your Heart has been rescheduled for October 8th, and pre-orders are ongoing. Previously, he...
Rick Ross Just Got His Driver’s License at 45 Years Old
In late July, Rick Ross admitted on Instagram that he never got around to getting his driver’s license despite claiming to own a fleet of more than 100 luxury cars. Drivers near his palatial mansion in Fayetteville, Georgia can now rest assured the 45-year-old rapper is officially approved to take to the roads. While appearing on The Today Show last week to promote his new book, The Perfect Day to Boss Up: A Hustler’s Guide to Building Your Empire, Rozay confirmed he had recently acquired his driver’s license. “I actually was driven to the test. I have over 100 cars, and I just hadn’t had my license,” he explained. “So, whenever I go joyriding, it was just one of those things. My mom and my sister pressured me, finally. So I went and took the test. It took me an hour. You know, I missed a ...
Tems unveils “If Orange Was A Place” EP tracklist
Sensational Nigerian singer Tems will be releasing her sophomore EP “If Orange Was A Place” pretty soon as she unveils the tracklist. A while ago, Tems announced she would be dropping another body of work this month. The title of her forthcoming EP is “If Orange Was A Place“. Last weekend she treated fans to the lead single off the project, “Crazy Tings“. It has been a phenomenal year for Tems after featuring prominently on Wizkid’s “Essence” that was remixed with Justin Bieber. The song has also gone top 20 on Billboard Hot 100 Chart. She was also featured on Drake’s “Certified Lover Boy” album on the track “Fountains“. “If Orange Was A Place” EP has tracks with songs and a couple of featured guests. All tracks were produced by GuiltyBeatz except track 3 produced by Jonah Christian....
We Got ‘Shivers’ From Ed Sheeran’s Sweeping VMA Performance
By Deepa Lakshmin As the sun went down over New York City Sunday night (September 12), Ed Sheeran cranked up the volume for his outdoor set at the 2021 VMAs. Under the stars in the shadow of a sweeping skyline, he debuted a no-frills rendition of his new song, “Shivers,” at Brooklyn Bridge Park. This performance sadly doesn’t involve a romantic meet-cute with actress AnnaSophia Robb, as the single’s music video does, but you’ll still get goosebumps watching Sheeran’s sheer joy and wide smile onstage. (After the past few months, anyone who’s a fan of live music would probably have the same reaction.) The “Bad Habits” singer has always been a songwriter who can thrill a crowd with just his voice and trusty guitar — that’s been his M.O. ever since his first VMAs back in 2013 — so it’s no surp...
Lil Nas X Was On ‘Cloud 179’ After His Big Night At The VMAs
With the benefit of 12 hours of hindsight, it seems accurate to say that no one had more fun at the 2021 VMAs than Lil Nas X. He went into the night with five nominations and left with three, including the show’s top prize of Video of the Year. He brought his cinematic visions for both “Industry Baby” and “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” to life onstage with a dazzling performance. And by the time MTV News got ahold of him backstage, LNX was searching very high in the sky for the right description to match his mood. “What does it feel like? I’m on cloud 179,” he told correspondent Dometi Pongo. Without missing a beat, because few understand the value of promotion as well as he does, LNX quickly added some key information in a single breath: &...
After Ed Sheeran’s Math-Symbol Albums Comes ‘Five More Records With A Plan’
A decade ago, Ed Sheeran began a quest. He named his first album + (“Plus”) and his 2014 follow-up x (“Multiply”) as part of a master plan. “‘Multiply’ was called ‘Multiply’ because it made everything that was on ‘Plus’ bigger,” he told Entertainment Weekly in 2015. “From the venues to the songs to the radio plays to the sales. I don’t know what the theme on the next album is yet because I haven’t made it.” That ended up being 2017’s ÷ (“Divide), which, despite its more reductive title, became his biggest yet: It hit No. 1 in the United States and all over Europe, yielded chart-topping singles, and led to the highest-grossing tour of all time. It also made Sheeran a household name — so it ...
