Ciara’s attempt for a full comeback continues with the release of “I’m Out.”
“The energy of the record is so dope, and it’s really for the ladies, and Nicki she just killed the verse,” Ciara told MTV News recently. “She literally murdered it, like she got that throw-back, that thing that she does that’s so special. She went in.”
Taylor Swift, Gotye and Rihanna win big at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards, but here are my top 3 fave performances:
#3: Ed Sheeran – “Lego House”
I’m not on the Ed Sheeran bandwagon yet, but this performance was beautiful and understated—a nice contrast from the other numbers, which tended to be overproduced and indulgent.
Less than a year after playing at The Commodore, Marina & The Diamonds brought back her Lonely Hearts Club tour to Vancouver on May 3. The Welsh singer-songwriter was just as brilliant as the first time—although the audience was noticeably bigger and the production, more slick.
Opening with the crowd-pleaser “Homewrecker,” Marina sounded and looked fantastic throughout her 1 and a half hour set. Alternating from her new album Electra Heart and her debut The Family Jewels, Marina thrilled the crowd with pop gems such as “State of Dreaming” and “Shampain.” Marina kept it all about the music: there were very few costume changes and props.
The hiccups were minimal. Although the lighting was generally better than Marina’s concert here in July, it was difficult to see her during the “Starring Role” performance. I also question the choice of “Teen Idle” for the encore—she could have done a lot better here. “Primadonna” would have been an obvious choice, but I think “Power and Control” would have been a fabulous closer.
The highlights more than made up for the hiccups, however. “Radioactive” was fun, and so was “Bubblegum Bitch.” Another highlight was the piano-driven “Obsessions.” As expected, “How to be a Heartbreaker” thrilled the crowd, which was made up of mostly gay men with their bffs and straight men who got dragged to the show by their girlfriends.
As promised, Mariah Carey premiered her new video “#Beautiful” on American Idol tonight. The Miguel-assisted single has a refreshing vibe, and it’s nice to see that the video reflects that.
“#Beautiful”—with a hashtag and not to be confused with Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful”—marks the return of Mariah Carey and perhaps of RnB. The Miguel-assisted single is soulful and features some gorgeous instrumentation.
More info via Billboard.com:
After striking a completely different chord with last year’s single “Triumphant (Get ‘Em)” featuring Rick Ross and Meek Mill, Carey returns to classic soul alongside the 27-year-old throwback crooner, who kicks off the track with lines like “Hop on the back of my bike, let the cool wind blow through your hair.” The creeping guitar line, crackling percussion and simple, gooey center all scream ‘Motown,’ and Carey has smartly teamed with another vocalist who can effectively synthesize that frozen-in-time sound.
Produced and written by Carey and Miguel, “#Beautiful” will lead Carey’s thirteenth studio album, due out this summer on Island Def Jam and featuring production from The-Dream, Jermaine Dupri, Hit-Boy, Rodney Jerkins and Mike WiLL Made-It, among others. Along with “Triumphant,” which may or may not appear on the forthcoming full-length, Carey contributed the new track “Almost Home” to the soundtrack of the film “Oz the Great and Powerful” earlier this year.
Love this! The incredible Marina & The Diamonds hooked up with emerging artist Charli XCX for a new song “Just Desserts.” (You might know Charli XCX as the featured artist on Icona Pop’s “I Love It.”)
