Britney Spears picked up three prizes at the MTV Video Music Awards.
The singer who is slowly getting her career back on track following a public breakdown earlier this year looked stunning in a tight silver Versace dress as she took to the stage to open the Los Angeles ceremony, before accepting the trio of accolades.
As she picked up her first award for Best Female Video for Piece of Me, Britney who has two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, with ex-husband Kevin Federline - said: I'm speechless. Oh, my goodness, thank you! First I want to thank God for blessing me like this and my family... my two beautiful boys for inspiring me every day.
After winning Best Pop Video for the same track later in the evening, Britney hugged her manager Larry Rudolph before going up to collect her statuette.
The 26-year-old singer who had never won a Moonman, the nickname given to the distinctive silver awards, before completed the evening by winning the third award for which she was nominated, the biggest honour of the evening, Video of the Year.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Britney pick up prizes at MTV awards
The Resurrection of Britney Spears
AFTER a tumultuous year in which she was admitted to a psychiatric unit and lost custody of her children, Britney Spears has staged her greatest performance yet – appearing before the world looking healthy and composed.
The troubled pop singer dominated the 25th MTV Video Music Awards in Hollywood, winning awards for all three categories in which she was nominated.
The ceremony's host, comedian Russell Brand, declared the evening "the resurrection of Britney".The 26-year-old took home awards for best video, best pop video, and best female, all for her single, Piece Of Me.
Her haul of statuettes was not the defining moment of the evening – that was reserved for her ability to endure the ceremony without incident or embarrassment.
Only a year ago at the same awards, a dishevelled Spears delivered a universally mocked performance, lip-synching out of time and forgetting her dance steps to her single, Gimme More.
That precipitated a tough time for the singer, which saw her shave her head for the paparazzi, find herself admitted to a hospital psychiatric award, and lose custody of her two sons.
Spears received a standing ovation from the crowd as her best-known song, Baby One More Time, blasted through the auditorium's PA.
Britney Spears is back
In just seven months Britney Spears has turned around her disastrous personal and professional life to regain her status as award-winning darling of pop. How on earth did she manage it, asks Emma Cowing
IT TOOK just 20 seconds. Striding onstage at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in Los Angeles on Sunday night in a vintage silver Versace mini-dress, her skin glowing and her eyes bright, Britney Spears uttered the four short sentences that would resurrect her career.
"I want to thank God first and foremost for just blessing me like this," she told the crowd of hardened music industry types as she accepted three awards, for best female video, best pop video and video of the year. "I want to thank my beautiful family, my two beautiful boys for just inspiring me every day. And my fans, this is for you. Thank you so much".
The crowd got to its feet and – as the singer flashed the innocent white-toothed smile that had once made her America's sweetheart – gave her a standing ovation. With that, Britney Spears was back.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
PARAMORE SPEAK OUT FOR CYRUS
MILEY CYRUS has found an unlikely source of support in a rock star - PARAMORE's HAYLEY WILLIAMS.
The Hannah Montana star sparked controversy in the U.S. when the candid snaps - which show Cyrus posing bare-backed, wrapped in a satin sheet - emerged online, forcing the 15-year-old to issue an apology over the controversial Annie Leibovitz photos.
But Williams - who is a family friend of the star - insists her pal will survive unscathed by the scandal.
She tells MTV news, ""We grew up around the Cyrus family, and they're amazing people, and I know they wouldn't steer their daughter wrong.
"Miley's got a good head on her shoulders, so I think she'll come out of all this strong. She's a great girl."
PARAMORE VOW TO NEVER STOP
PARAMORE have reassured fans they are not splitting up - insisting "the music's never gonna stop". The band sparked rumours of a split last month (Feb08) by cancelling the remaining dates on their European tour due to unspecified "internal issues". But the Tennessee four-piece were adamant they had put their problems behind them at a gig in La Zona Rosa as part of the South By Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas on Friday (14Mar08) night. Frontwoman Hayley Williams told the audience, "I know there's been a lot of craziness going on and if you follow our band you may have heard about it in the press or whatever, but the music is never gonna stop for us, and thanks for believing in us." She added, "This was our first show in about a month, and it couldn't have gone any better."
WILLIAMS SLAMS PARAMORE SPLIT REPORTS
PARAMORE front woman HAYLEY WILLIAMS has dismissed reports the band is to split - despite cancelling the remainder of their European tour over "internal issues". The 19-year-old singer posted a message, signed by all four band members, on her blog on Thursday (21Feb08) announcing the group needed to take time off to work out their personal problems. But Williams has since updated her blog, insisting her comments were taken out of proportion. She writes, "Since we posted the last entry, we've gotten tons of phone calls and people posting things on Web sites saying that we are breaking up. I just want to make it clear, though... we weren't saying the band was over. We posted because we are going through hard times and we felt that because we have a really good support system in you guys, our fans, it would be better for us to just be honest about what's going on - even though it was a pretty vague explanation." And the flame-haired star has refuted allegations the tour cancellation was caused by her falling pregnant. Williams adds, "Man, some of the rumors that I've heard going around are insane! It's weird how out of hand things can get even when you just try to tell a simple truth (for the record, my Eggo is not preggo). Anyway, we just need to take time to make this band the best it can be... and we are doing that now." A spokesperson for Atlantic Records has confirmed Paramore are still scheduled to tour with Jimmy Eat World in April (08) in the U.S.
PARAMORE TOUR CANCELED DUE TO INTERNAL ISSUES
The future of PARAMORE is in doubt after the U.S. rockers abruptly cancelled the remainder of their European tour, blaming "a lot of internal issues". Singer Hayley Williams posted a message, signed by all four band members, on her internet blog on Thursday (21Feb08) announcing the group needs to take time off to work out their personal problems. Williams writes: "(There are) a lot of internal issues that have been going on in this band for quite a while now... "We were able to fight through all of it for this long, but unfortunately we weren't able to keep it together long enough to make it through the end of the tour.” We really feel that taking this time is going to give us a chance to get away and work out our personal issues at home and on our own terms. We just aren't willing to risk the life of our band over one tour... "Maybe one day we will tell the whole story, but for now, just know that all five of us are going to work so hard to get it right."
Paramore was due to have played five more European gigs including a date scheduled in Paris, France on Thursday (21Feb08) night.
PARAMORE SHOCKED BY ELDERLY FANS
U.S. rockers PARAMORE are surprised that their music exerts a pull on elderly fans - but insist older people "are cool". The pop-punk four-piece are surprised their tunes appeal to a more aged market, but credit their younger supporters with bringing their parents along to gigs - and end up becoming fans of the group.
Guitarist Josh Farro tells MTV.com, "At shows now there’s a lot of an older person. It's cool because we're used to kids our age and mostly younger. But now it's anywhere from 10 years old to 55. But it's cool that people older than my dad enjoy our music."
Drummer Zac Farro adds, "For every five 13-year-old girls, there's a dad with them. And they're like, 'Well, they dragged me to this concert, but I just like it. I'm still gonna be out there singing the words.' We get it all the time. 'I'm not gonna use headphones, because I want to rock out with you guys.'"
PARAMORE NEARLY MISS U.K FESTIVAL
Rockers PARAMORE nearly let pass their set at England's Reading Festival last weekend (25Aug07) following their flight from the U.S was cancelled. The band - which was forced to pull out of the festival last year (06) because front woman Hayley Williams was sick - feared flight cancellations, would put this year's performance in jeopardy. But they finally managed to board a flight to the U.K in time to perform at the festival.
Williams says, "We had to cancel last year because I was really sick and I think it's time for another apology. But our flight got here today and now we're all together".
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Madonna, "Hard Candy"
The Cure singles release
The tracks will be issued on the thirteenth of each month, leading up to the release of the as-yet-untitled album in September.
The first single 'The Only One' – which has already been aired on the band’s recent European tour - will arrive on May 13. Subsequent singles will appear on the thirteenth day of June, July and August.
Each single will include unique B-sides – 'The Only One' will include the new song 'NY Trip', while June’s release, 'Freakshow' will be issued alongside the track 'All Kinds Of Stuff'. Details of the other two singles have yet to be announced.
'The Only One' is the first new material from the band since the Ross Robinson-produced self-titled album of 2004 and will appear on the Suretone/Geffen Records label.
The news comes as the band prepare to embark on a major US tour, which begins in Washington DC on May 9. The original American dates had to be rescheduled from late last year, as Smith wanted more time to finish the album.
"AT LAST!" he commented on the band’s official website www.thecure.com, following the announcement of the new singles.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Lopez's Twins Get Their Big Reveal
For Lopez and Anthony, joyfully nesting with their month-old twins means diaper duty, sleepless nights and the best sung lullabies in the business, PEOPLE reports in its latest cover story, on sale Friday.
The pair were interviewed at their Long Island estate, where they have been holed up since Lopez gave birth by C-section on Feb. 22 to Maximilian David and Emme Maribel. Since then, Lopez, 38, has shed most of the nearly 50 lbs. she gained during pregnancy – and has also entirely re-adjusted her attention.
"I've been very career-oriented my whole life and very focused on my own world and my own life, and all of a sudden the focus just shifts. It's like, 'Whoosh!' I want to do everything for them," says the new mom.
For Anthony, 39, life has changed, too. "I don't go to sleep!" he admits.
Describing the arrival of the babies, Lopez says, "To me, they both looked like Marc. I think that's the first thing I said: 'She looks like you! He looks like you, too!' My doctor said, 'Did Jennifer get a gene in here or what?' "
But how much did the photos cost? Early reports suggest the price tag was as high as $6 million for shots of the newborn twins and their mother, besting the amount the magazine paid for photos of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's daughter, Shiloh. Read More on the Rising Price of Baby Pictures
PEOPLE magazine is known for it's coverage of the celebrity baby boom, with cover stories including Christina Aguilera and her son Max, and Nicole Richie with her daughter Harlow Winter, as well as the Jolie-Pitts and Lopez.
Pearl Jam Recharges For Summer Tour
After playing just two shows in 2007, Pearl Jam will return to the road this summer for a 10-date tour beginning June 11 in West Palm Beach, Fla. The dates come in conjunction with the group's previously announced co-headlining appearance at Tennessee's Bonnaroo Festival in mid-June.
"I'm looking forward to Bonnaroo," bassist Jeff Ament tells Billboard. "The thing that's probably the most exciting to me is that we've been a band for 17 or 18 years and there's still things like this that we haven't done."
The trek includes a June 24-25 stand at New York's Madison Square Garden, which has hosted some of the band's most iconic shows. Kings Of Leon will support from June 11-17, while Ted Leo and the Pharmacists will open the other dates.
A couple weeks ago, band members got together for eight days to begin kicking around ideas for the next Pearl Jam album, although Ament cautions, "It doesn't mean there'll be a record our next month, but it's the start of the process. Sometimes it takes six months and sometimes it takes two years."
"It's just fun to play," he continues. "We've actually gotten really good at jamming with each other, so it's fun to get together and crank up the amps. We'll have (drummer) Matt (Cameron) throw a beat at us and try to come up with something. There's some new, different kind of things coming out of people."
"We're just getting into it, which is so exciting," guitarist Stone Gossard opines. "We have no idea where it's going but we have a lot of great little starts."
Band members have plenty on their individual plates as well. Gossard is working on his second solo album with longtime collaborator Pete Droge and guitarist Mike McCready is preparing for his annual benefit show for the Northwest Chapter of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, to be held May 3 at Seattle's Showbox.
Meanwhile, frontman Eddie Vedder's first solo tour, a short West Coast run, will get underway April 2 in Vancouver. "He's going to do great," Ament says. "He's been warming up for this his whole life, but especially the last seven or eight years, playing a song or two himself before our shows."
Here are Pearl Jam's tour dates:
June 11: West Palm Beach, Fla. (Cruzan Amphitheatre)
June 12: Tampa, Fla. (St. Pete Times Forum)
June 13-15: Manchester, Tenn. (Bonnaroo Festival)
June 16: Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Center)
June 17: Virginia Beach, Va. (Verizon Wireless Center)
June 19: Camden, N.J. (Susquehanna Bank Center)
June 22: Washington, D.C. (Verizon Center)
June 24-25: New York (Madison Square Garden)
June 27: Hartford, Conn. (Dodge Music Center)
June 30: Mansfield, Mass. (Tweeter Center)
Britney Goes Gaga in 'Mother' of All Roles
(March 20) - Excited to see Britney Spears in her return to TV comedy on "How I Met Your Mother"? CBS has released two snippets of the troubled singer's turn as a lovestruck girl on the popular sitcom.
Britney Spears On How I Met Your Mother
Spears shares scenes with the show's lead character, Ted, played by Josh Radnor, as a somewhat ditsy receptionist who works in his doctor's office and becomes smitten with him.The episode is scheduled to air March 24.
The show would mark Spears' first role in a prime-time TV series since a March 2006 guest spot on the NBC comedy "Will & Grace," in which she played a Christian conservative talk show host opposite series regular Sean Hayes.
Spears' career as a performer has been mostly on the skids since her personal life plunged into turmoil following her breakup with Federline in November 2006.
She has been in and out of rehab, and her highly publicized comeback performance on the MTV Video Music Awards in September last year was widely panned as an embarrassing flop.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Britney Spears Wheeled Out Of House After Refusing To Turn Over Kids
The singer was reportedly under the influence of an unidentified substance when authorities were called to her house.
Britney Spears hit a perilous new low on Thursday night when authorities reportedly responded to a family-custody dispute at her house in Studio City, California. According to TMZ.com and other outlets, the singer refused to turn over her two children to ex-husband Kevin Federline, and authorities discovered her under the influence of an unidentified substance.
The Los Angeles Police Department was reportedly called to Spears' house after a person who has not been identified phoned authorities at 8 p.m. over a domestic disturbance. The call involved a "family custodial dispute that we are trying to resolve ... peacefully by court order," LAPD spokesman Officer Jason Lee told The Associated Press. She was due to have her sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, until 7 p.m. that day. UsMagazine.com later reported that Federline's bodyguards had gone to pick up the children at Spears' house, but she refused to turn them over, despite a court order to do so. She had been with the children since noon, according to UsMagazine.com. Federline's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan had also been at the residence, TMZ reports.
Police went to Spears' home 90 minutes later, as did ambulances, fire trucks and a police helicopter, according to TMZ. While there, authorities reportedly found Spears "under the influence of an unknown substance," TMZ reports. She was later taken out of her home on a gurney by paramedics and taken to a local hospital, where she was reportedly placed under medical evaluation. According to multiple reports, the children are in the custody of Federline, who has temporary custody of the children because Spears has not obeyed court orders.
Earlier in the day, Spears finally sat down for her long-awaited deposition in her child-custody battle, although she cut the session short and was only questioned for 14 minutes. She had been scheduled to start her deposition at 9:45 a.m. but didn't leave her home until after 10 a.m., according to photos and video taken of her drive to her ex-husband's lawyer's offices in Century City, California. By the time Spears arrived, she was 90 minutes late, and proceedings didn't start until just after 11:30 a.m., according to Kaplan.
"I would've preferred it had gone on longer," Kaplan told reporters waiting outside the deposition. Kaplan was expected to ask the pop star, who he called "cooperative," about her alleged drug and alcohol use around her sons, as well as her driving habits and parenting techniques. Whether he got the answers he sought, he wouldn't say, except to offer, "You can imagine in 14 minutes there's not a lot of time to develop questions."
Spears lawyer Sorrell Trope, a partner at the law firm Trope and Trope — which on Wednesday asked to be withdrawn as her legal counsel — told UsMagazine.com in reference to the Thursday night incident, "In a normal case when someone shows up with a certified court order saying the kids need to be somewhere else, the police see to it that the order is obeyed. But that is in a normal case."
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Who Will Be the Next Big 'Tween Star?
Among some of her fans and their parents, Nickelodeon star Jamie Lynn Spears may have lost some of her status as a 'tween idol. But there are many other young actors, actresses and singers whose talent could soon make them household names.
Already a superstar, of course, is Miley Cyrus of Hannah Montana fame. Here, PEOPLE looks at the next group of tween stars who we'll likely be talking about in the years to come.
Emma Roberts, David Henrie and Alyson Stoner
Saturday, November 24, 2007
GORILLAZ - D-Sides
Gorillaz' second rarities compilation covers "phase two" of the cartoon-avatar band's career, centering on its second album, 2005's "Demon Days." It's not all killer, but some impressive tracks lurk within.
BRITNEY SPEARS - Piece of Me
So guess who got the last laugh? "Gimme More," Britney Spears' launch single from fifth studio album "Blackout," peaked at a robust No. 3 on The Billboard Hot 100, garnering plenty of top 40 attention and consumer download love, while the album catapulted in at No. 2.
Follow-up "Piece of Me" has already fostered scrutiny with lyrical response to obsessive media attention: "I'm Mrs. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, I'm Mrs. Oh my God that Britney's shameless/ I'm Mrs. 'Extra,' 'Extra,' this just in, I'm Mrs. she's too big, now she's too thin." Musically, the song drips and drools '80s synths, alongside a drowsy midtempo clip, as Brit sings in a heavily layered near-monotone. Again, the cover of Us will be as big a catalyst for radio as vocal prowess.
SIMPLE PLAN - When I'm Gone
Pitbull - The Boatlift
