wade's blog

måndag 1 augusti 2011

Katy Perry, Adele And More 2011 VMA Nominees ... Possibly

Bigger Than the Sound tries to predict the nominees for this year's Video Music Awards.
By James Montgomery

Katy Perry
Photo: Amy Sussman/ Getty Images

I've been told that the nominations for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards -- which air live Sunday, August 28, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV -- are going to be announced on MTV and MTV.com on Wednesday night (July 20) at 11 p.m ET, and that means you should probably get ready for a whole lot of Katy Perry. And Adele. And Britney Spears. And Lady Gaga. Oh, and Rihanna too.

That's because, to paraphrase Beyoncé (oh yeah, she'll probably get nominated too), it's been girls who've run the world in 2011, and the VMAs will probably be no exception. Perry — who has basically been unstoppable since last summer — figures to be the most nominated artist, with this year's breakout star, Adele, close behind. Britney, Gaga and all the rest figure to be in the hunt too. In fact, one has to wonder if the folks behind the show will just go ahead and eliminate the Best Male Video category altogether. More room for the ladies that way.

Of course, we won't know for sure until those nominations are officially revealed, but while we wait, I figured it was time to dust off the old Prognostication Cap and try to predict the 2011 VMA nominees in advance. I've done this for seemingly every awards show in the past, and sometimes I even manage to avoid embarrassing myself completely (not always, though).

So without any advance knowledge — and using as many sweeping generalizations as humanly possible — here are my picks for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. Accuracy not entirely guaranteed.

Best Male Video
In a year dominated by females, I suppose someone has to win Best Male Video. I think it's a given that Bruno Mars, Chris Brown and Eminem all land nods here, and I suspect Justin Bieber will sneak in too, if only because it builds off his Best New Artist win last year. The fifth spot is up for grabs, though in a pinch, I'll go with Pitbull, if only because of the recent success of "Give Me Everything." Lupe Fiasco or Trey Songz are also viable choices. My picks:

» Bruno Mars, "Grenade"
» Chris Brown, "She Ain't You"
» Eminem feat. Rihanna, "Love The Way You Lie"
» Justin Bieber, "U Smile"
» Pitbull, "Give Me Everything"

Best Female Video
Sure, Video of the Year is the night's biggest award, but given the success of every artist with a pair of X chromosomes, the Best Female Video might be the toughest — and not just to win. Predicting who even gets nominated is a challenge, considering there are only five spots available. Adele and Katy Perry seem mortal locks, and Rihanna is close. Britney will probably earn a nom too, which means that either Beyoncé, Lady Gaga or Nicki Minaj will be left on the outside looking in. Told you this was going to be tough. My picks:

» Adele, "Rolling in the Deep"
» Britney Spears, "Hold It Against Me"
» Beyoncé, "Run the World (Girls)"
» Katy Perry, "E.T."
» Rihanna, "S&M"

Best Rock Video
My official title at MTV News is "rock editor," but even I had a hard time coming up with five nominees here. Since 30 Seconds to Mars won last year, I suspect they'll be back to defend their crown. Folks were excited about the Foo Fighters' return, so pencil them in too. Mumford & Sons may very well be the year's most unexpected success, which should earn them a nod. The other two slots? I'm not gonna lie, I just picked names out of a hat.

» 30 Seconds to Mars, "Hurricane"
» Foo Fighters, "Rope"
» Foster the People, "Pumped Up Kicks"
» Linkin Park, "Waiting for the End"
» Mumford & Sons, "Little Lion Man"

Best Hip-Hop Video
A wide-open category, and one that raises several questions: Can Eminem win for the second year in a row? Will Nicki Minaj manage to bum-rush the boys' club? Is Kanye West's epic "Runaway" mini-movie even eligible? I'm not going to pretend to know all the answers, but it certainly makes for an interesting field. In the end, I left Em off — since "Love the Way You Lie" was released in such a nebulous time (August 2010, a month before last year's VMAs and a full 12 months before this year's) — and went with the Beastie Boys, since I have a creeping suspicion they'll earn a nod or two, and this seems as logical a place as any. Nicki and Kanye are in (though I went with the latter's "Monster" video), and so is Lil Wayne. For the last spot, I went with Lupe Fiasco, though it wouldn't surprise me to see Tyler, the Creator here instead.

» Beastie Boys, "Make Some Noise"
» Kanye West (featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Bon Iver and Nicki Minaj), "Monster"
» Lil Wayne (featuring Cory Gunz), "6 Foot 7 Foot"
» Lupe Fiasco, "The Show Goes On"
» Nicki Minaj, "Super Bass"

Best Pop Video
Another big-time category, another bunch of deserving artists destined to be left out. I like Britney's, Katy's and Gaga's chances, and I'll toss Rihanna into the mix too. For the fifth spot, I went with Bruno Mars, since, otherwise, this category would basically just be Best Female Video, Part II. Of course, in doing that, I excluded Adele, Beyoncé, Ke$ha and about a dozen other worthy acts too. Prognostication is hard work, people.

» Britney Spears, "Hold It Against Me"
» Bruno Mars, "Grenade"
» Katy Perry, "E.T."
» Lady Gaga, "Born This Way"
» Rihanna, "S&M"

Best New Artist
Who will follow in the footsteps of Biebus Christ (and Lady Gaga) and take home the Moonman for Best New Artist? Good question! This is always one of the hardest categories to predict, and this year is no different: The only sure things seem to be Mumford & Sons and Wiz Khalifa, and though Robyn isn't exactly new, she's new enough here (and made some terrific strides over the past 12 months), so I think she's a lock. In a pinch, I'll pick Foster the People (big radio hit) and Tyler, the Creator (big buzz), though Kreayshawn could sneak in too.

» Foster the People
» Mumford & Sons
» Robyn
» Tyler, the Creator
» Wiz Khalifa

Video of the Year
Last year's Video of the Year race featured a trio of underdogs — 30 Seconds to Mars, B.o.B, Florence and the Machine — thrown into the mix. Will 2011 follow suit? Probably not. Adele seems to be a no-brainer, even if most folks have never seen the video for "Rolling in the Deep." Katy, too, but it remains to be seen which of her videos gets the nod. (I went with "Firework." It's mad inspirational.) Em will be back — though one has to wonder if "Love the Way You Lie" peaked too early to be considered a genuine front-runner — and Gaga should return also. I went dark-horse with my fifth pick, taking the Foo Fighters' "Rope" over bigger clips from Beyoncé and Rihanna, mostly because I've got a sweet spot for VHS.

» Adele, "Rolling in the Deep"
» Eminem (featuring Rihanna), "Love the Way You Lie"
» Foo Fighters, "Rope"
» Katy Perry, "Firework"
» Lady Gaga, "Born This Way"

Did we get it right? Share your picks in the comments!

Justin Bieber Doing NKOTB? Jim Jonsin Reveals Ideas

Producer says he would like to help Biebs channel New Kids on the Block, New Edition and Kelly Rowland.
By Rob Markman

Justin Bieber
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images

Multi-platinum producer Jim Jonsin has some interesting plans for when he gets in the studio with Justin Bieber. No, he won't be coupling the teen-pop sensation with B.o.B, but rather he will try to capture the vibe of NKOTB.

"For Bieber, I think I want to reach back to New Edition, those days," Jonsin initially said before referencing another 1980s Boston-bred boy band. "I want to try to do something like that — 'Please Don't Go Girl,' New Kids on the Block — because the girls would go crazy. Maybe not that song, but something that feels like that: little bit of soul, R&B, but pop as well."

While the track pre-dates the 17-year-old Bieber by about four years, "Please Don't Go Girl" was the first single from NKOTB's sophomore album, Hangin' Tough, and ultimately put the group on the map. The ballad, which featured Joey McIntyre as the lead vocalist, drew comparisons to New Edition's 1983 single, "Is This the End" — not surprising considering both acts were founded and produced by Maurice Starr.

It isn't all about the '80s however: Jonsin also would like to produce something more modern for JB as well, using Kelly Rowland as a reference. "And then I'd love to put him on something like that 'Motivation' type of track," he said of the hit Rowland single he helped create. "Just a hard beat that he could sing something super slick [on]."

Jonsin admits that, at first, he didn't know what to make of Justin, but thanks to the Biebs' "Never Say Never" film, the hitmaker has a newfound respect for the young star. "When I watched the movie with my 8-year-old daughter, I was floored and inspired at who he was as a person. He's a good kid, he's a philanthropist, he's a good role model," Jonsin said. "I have a newfound respect for the young man, and I'm honored to work with him."

Who would you like to hear Justin Bieber channel on his next album? Share your ideas below!

Amy Winehouse: In Process of Adopting 10-Year-Old St. Lucia Girl

The late Amy Winehouse was readying to adopt a 10-year-old girl from St. Lucia at the time of her death, the girl and her grandmother told a UK paper.

Dannika Augustine says she met Amy during one of her long visits to the Caribbean island over the past couple of years. Amy often went there for R&R.

She says she was living in poverty with her single mom when Winehouse took an interest in her, and that the two remain close from that point on.

A-Dubs during one of her lengthy stints in St. Lucia.

Dannika tells The Sunday Mirror, "Amy was already my mother."

"I would call her mum and she would call me her daughter. She took care of me and we had fun. I loved her and she loved me ... She was the most amazing person and I was looking forward to living with her here or in London."

"This is the worst thing that ever happened to me."

This is not a tabloid fabrication. Dannika's grandmother, Marjorie, says she was on board with this plan, and she spoke to Amy a few weeks ago about it.

Marjorie says Amy planned to return to St. Lucia next month, and that "Amy wanted to have a child so bad .... If she had not died, there is no doubt she would be here in St Lucia completing the adoption process."

"There is no way she would have done what she did to herself if Dannika was with her," she adds. "I cannot believe she is gone."

Given how Amy Winehouse died, it's hard to believe sending a 10-year-old girl to live with the Back to Black singer would have benefited anyone, as she seemed largely incapable of taking care of herself, let alone a minor.

Nevertheless, it's tragic for Dannika to lose someone she was apparently so close to. Both of Dannika's parents had signed off on the adoption. Yet another sad chapter in the untimely death of one of the great singers of our time.

Connie Nielsen

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Justin Bieber Joins Selena Gomez Onstage

'Had a #greatnight and surprised the people,' Bieber tweeted after California show.
By Jocelyn Vena

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez (file)
Photo: Getty Images

Selena Gomez played a show on Sunday night at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, California. And mid-concert, her fans got a big surprise as Gomez's beau, Justin Bieber, took the stage.

Video posted on Celebuzz.com shows Bieber giving his lady love a big hug before launching into an acoustic version of Justin Timberlake's classic breakup ode, "Cry Me a River." He also reportedly sang "Favorite Girl."

Bieber even took to Twitter to tell Gomez that he thought she did a great job onstage. "Had a #greatnight and surprised the people. felt good to be on stage. nothing is changing that. #REAL," he wrote. "@selenagomez u did great tonight. proud of u."

Bieber, who recently revealed that he was taking a bit of a summer break, also added that as nice as it was to be onstage again, he is even more enthusiastic about the new album he's working on. "More excited than ever to get back in the studio and make this #newalbum," he wrote. "Miss the tour and want to give u all new music. #BELIEVE I do this because i love music. #REAL."

Earlier in the weekend, and offered a big "thank you" to her fans on Twitter. "HappyBirthdaySelena is a trending topic," she wrote. "Thank you all so much for a great birthday. Thank you to everyone who sent birthday wishes, I love you all."

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Lady Gaga: Amy Winehouse "Gave Me Hope"

During a Los Angeles radio appearance on Thursday, Lady Gaga shared her thoughts on the passing of Amy Winehouse -- and told the emotional story behind her power ballad "The Edge of Glory."

"I didn't know Amy (Winehouse); I just loved her so much," Gaga told KIIS-FM's JoJo Wright. "I was such a huge fan, and I was a go-go dancer in New York when she was really big. So Amy gave me hope."

This account came days after Lady Gaga took to Twitter to express her grief and sadness after 27-year-old Winehouse died suddenly -- possibly from alcohol withdrawal -- in her London home on July 23. "Amy changed pop music forever, I remember knowing there was hope, and feeling not alone because of her. She lived jazz, she lived the blues," tweeted Gaga on July 24.

While on the radio, the singer also shared the powerful story of how her grandfather's death led her to write "The Edge of Glory." Watch her emotional retelling below.

"I had never experienced death before in my family -- it was my very first time," Gaga recalls. "And my grandmother and grandfather were married sixty years, and my grandmother was a virgin when she got married. So there was this purity between the two of them. And I just remember feeling so sad, and yet I knew that when he looked at her and she looked back -- even though he couldn't really move -- they both sort of acknowledged that they had won at life, because they won at love with each other."

When Gaga and her father returned home from their visit, they began doing tequila shots ("I've got that kind of relationship with my dad," she notes). While they were reminiscing and drinking, she sat down at the piano and wrote "The Edge of Glory."

"And my dad never really wrote music with me, but he was always kind of around the piano when I was a kid going, 'Yeah kid, that's good! That note right there, that's the one! That's the lyric right there!'" says Gaga. "So I was crying and he was crying and I was writing this song, and he was saying, 'That's it, that's it.' So for some reason, I felt like I was able to express what my dad couldn't express, which was what was so hard was [for my dad] to watch [my grandfather] be on the edge, to watch him cross over but not be there yet.”

In the process of making the "Edge of Glory" video, Gaga had to mourn the passing of another man close to her: saxophonist Clarence Clemons, who plays on the song.

"Clarence was on the video, and he and I became very close friends and I viewed him as a father figure in my life," she says. "And he died the day the music video came out."

"I'm just glad that Grandpa and Clarence are up in heaven together," Gaga says with a smile. And with Amy Winehouse up there too, there's bound to be some beautiful music in the clouds.

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