New in at Nº2 on the UK charts is Clean Bandit FT Jess Glynne with their disco-infused, up-tempo ode to the only thing that really matters in this life – Real Love.
Real Love is the second collaboration between Glynne and Clean Bandit, following their million-selling, worldwide chart-topper Rather Be. The songs are not unlike each other, with Real Love expanding on the theme of Rather Be by celebrating love and romance.
If you’ve been lucky enough to catch Clean Bandit on their US tour this year you will have heard this track. However, it doesn’t appear on their debut LP New Eyes, although the track is supposed to be included on an upcoming reissue of the album.
Jess Glynne has also had a terrific year with her chart topping hit My Love with Route 94 and her Top 10 Gorgon City-produced hit Right Here.
“Get ready to celebrate” said Pitbull just before the AMAs kicked off last night in the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. His words were spot on because although it was an award show, it was the live performances that provided a fantastic entertainment spectacle. It was star-studded night for the music industry.
If you missed the show last night, don’t worry, check out our list of the top 10 performances.
1. Taylor Swift – Blank Space
This performance was amazing! Everyone is talking about it – it really was the most original performance in the show’s history. It was the first time Taylor Swift had performed the song live and she really nailed it. She dangled form the ceiling, fed poisoned apples to her boyfriend, played with fire and looked like an authentic psycho. It was an absolutely stunning performance, I guess you could say Taylor Swift: 100 and Haters: 0
Later in the evening she was presented the Dick Clark Award for Excellence by the legendary Diana Ross. “Tonight we are all honored to present this to a young woman who has taken the music industry by storm,” Ross said.
2. Lorde – Yellow Flicker Beat
We love Lorde, she owns her own style and is the coolest dancer out there. It was her debut performance of the song and it started off just like a movie with her singing in the dark about “Silver and gold scars”. It was all about the music, and the dancing. She is just the coolest cat on the block. She might not have won any awards but alongside Taylor Swift, she was the star of the show.
3. Sam Smith – I’m Not the Only One
No theatrical sets, no gimmicks, just his gorgeous voice. Oh, and the trench coat of course. A$AP Rocky gave a helping hand on the vocals and dropped his verse into the mix. The standing ovation was well deserved.
Sam Smith won the Favourite Male Artist for Rock/Pop and gave such an emotional speech – as heartfelt as his songs. “I didn’t think I was going to be winning this … thank you to my fan base. Last year, I wrote an album about being lonely, tonight, I couldn’t feel further from lonely,” he candidly said.
4. Mary. J.Blige – Therapy
Just like Sam Smith’s performance, this was without bells and whistles and put her amazing voice front stage. The song was co-written by Sam Smith and her jazzy, soulful rendition of it was stunning.
5. One Direction – Night Changes
One Direction gave a great live performance, they were one of the few of the night’s performers to sing without a backing track – and hat’s off to them, they did a brilliant job. It might not have been the most exciting cut from their Four album, but they did it justice.
6. Ariana Grande & The Weekend – Problem/Break Free /Love Me Harder
Not only did Ariana dazzle us with her lacy, black dress, she stunned us with her voice in a jazzy, big band rendition of Problem followed by Break Free and then a beautiful performance of Love Me Harder featuring the Weekend and his hair.
Ariana Grande & The Weeknd – Problem/Break Free/Love Me Harder (Live at the 2014 AMAs)
How refreshing it was to see Nicki Minaj let the song be the star – instead of some part of her anatomy. She stood by the piano in a an elegant ball gown and delivered the song without any theatrics.
Nicki Minaj – Bed of Lies ft. Skylar Grey
8. 5 Seconds of Summer – What I Like About You
We are not boy band fans here at Creation 5, but this performance has started to change our minds. Perhaps 5SOS aren’t a boy band any longer? Their cover of the immortal New Wave hit was the best rock performance of the night. Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford, Calum Hood, and Ashton Irwin truly rocked out, as did most of the audience.
5 Seconds of Summer – What I Like About You (Live at the 2014 AMAs)
A great performance from Charli who sang the oh so sweet Boom Clap, dressed in a prom gown, which had the whole audience singing along. She then transitioned into a kick-ass performance of Break the Rules tearing off her sweet prom dress to reveal a tight leather skirt and top. A lollipop got smashed to bits at the end, proving that pop music can sometimes rock as hard as rock!
10. Iggy Azalea– Fancy / Beg For It
After a political-themed delivery of Fancy, Iggy transitioned to her latest single, Beg For It. She seemed to be having mic problems during the song which was a shame. Great showmanship nonetheless.
Iggy won the Favourite Artist Rap/Hip Hop and also Best Hip Hop Album for The New Classic. Youmight think that Iggy has loads of Awards already, but not so, this was her first one, ever!. “This award is the first award I’ve ever won in my whole life.” Well congratulations! Let’s hope for many more!
Iggy Azalea – Fancy & Beg For It ft. MØ (Live at the 2014 AMAs)
UNICEF, in collaboration with David Guetta and Yoko Ono, are bringing the world together to create the largest sing-along ever, to cover John Lennon’s beloved Imagine in order to raise awareness and funds for children’s rights globally. They are calling it the Imagine Project.
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child this #IMAGINE Project has brought global stars together to add their voice. In this video you can see Katy Perry, Will.i.am, MAGIC!, Nicole Scherzinger, Adam Lambert, Cody Simpson, Idris Elba, Lance Bass and others, as well as actors, athletes and dignitaries.
The fun part of it is that anyone can add their voice. All you have to do is download the TouchCast app and sing your own version of Imagine. You voice will then be a part of a new David Guetta ‘world version’ of Imagine for UNICEF, which will be released just in time for New Year’s Eve 2014. It will certainly be a unique moment in music history that will also highlight the tremendous challenges children face the world over.
Every child counts. #EVERYVOICECOUNTS. Find out more on the UNICEF #IMAGINE website: imagine.unicef.org/en
We think Beyoncé just dropped her best video ever! Isn’t this what all girls do when they are alone? Looks like it was shot on a GoPro, in a messy hotel room, no make up, spectacular dancing. Totally Works!
As the biggest pop star on the planet Beyoncé has every resource possibly available to make any kind of music video she likes. For her to choose this kind of style, without the professional production quality of most videos, is impossibly cool. Paying homage to the low-fi viral video, at one point she even holds the camera herself in the typical selfie style. You can see that she is having so much fun – just like anyone would who made this kind of video.
Beyoncé dropped the video last night (Friday November 21), without any prior warning, and her fans went wild – the video has already notched up over 2.3million views in less than 24 hours! Let’s face it, only Queen Bey could pull this off. In this incredibly fun, fast-moving video she has connected with her fans and audience like she has never done before – it makes you want to be there and dance with her – she’s human after all!
7/11 is from the platinum edition of her self-titled album which will drop next week. So far the album has sold 5 million copies worldwide.
Combining her love of classical music with EDM, hip-hop, and dubstep; violinist, dancer, and performance artist Lindsey Stirling is a one-of-a-kind. Born in Santa Ana, California, Stirling grew up in Arizona and began studying classical violin at the age of five. In 2010, she appeared as the “hip hop violinist” on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. After finishing in the quarter-finals of the show, Stirling worked with director/cinematographer Devin Graham and produced her first series of videos on YouTube. Crystallize, was her first major hit, and has been viewed more than 107 million times. In 2012 Lindsey independently released her self-titled debut album, which sold over 200,000 copies in the United States and was certified Gold in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. After successful concert tours throughout the US, Europe, Asia, and Russia, Stirling signed a deal with Lady Gaga’s management firm, Atom Factory, and reissued her eponymous debut album through Universal Music. Lindsey’s second album, Shatter Me, arrived in 2014.
This year, after an 8 week US tour, you then went on to tour for 6 weeks in Europe. Your european tour brought over 100,000 of your fans to come see you live in action. How was this whole experience for you? and are you planning on taking a break to recharge now that you’re back home? It was absolutely incredible; I felt so honored to be able to perform for so many of my fans all over the world. The fact that that many people were excited and even willing to buy tickets to my concerts still floors me haha; I couldn’t feel more blessed.
Speaking of living out your dreams, one of our favourite videos of yours is We Found Love which was filmed in Kenya and features some fantastic vocals and authentic African sound. You say that this was one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. Through the video we experience that with you, and that’s what’s so great about it. Tell us a bit about VenTribe and how you came to do this song and film in Africa? I was dating Devin Graham (devinsupertramp on YouTube) at the time, and he was doing the project with VenTribe and convinced me to come with him to Africa for the project. I figured I might as well participate in the promotion and make a video while I was there, so I contacted Alisha Popat, who is an amazing singer and even more amazing as a person. She strives to be an example to women in Africa and teaches young girls to love and respect their bodies, which I think is amazing. The children I met there were absolutely beautiful, happy, and thriving. I know that not all villages in Africa are like that, but their example was a testimony to me that true happiness can come from loving and being grateful for what you have. These people had so little, and yet they took such pride in the work they did and what they were able to do and contribute in their communities.
Going back to your worldwide popularity, you now have over 5.7 million YouTube subscribers and over 815 million video views. Did you ever imagine yourself becoming this huge? I always dreamed of it, yes, and I saw it in my mind and I hoped for it, of course. Did I believe it could happen? Of course I did 😛 I was raised to believe that anything is possible. Does it still shock me when I see how far I have come? Every day. I can’t even begin to describe how humbled I feel by my success, by all of the supportive people in my life, and for my faith in God who guided me where I needed to go.
A lot of your initial popularity stemmed from the time you were on America’s Got Talent. Shockingly, Piers Morgan told you that you weren’t good enough, and Sharon Osbourne commented that what you were doing was not enough to fill a theatre in Vegas. Boy were they wrong. This reminds us of Simon Cowell’s criticising comments to the now very successful Tori Kelly when she auditioned on American Idol. What was going through your head while the judges were dishing out those harsh comments? How did it affect your self esteem at the time, and ultimately, when did you decide to not let that block your road to success? It absolutely crushed me. I felt humiliated. At the time I wanted to hide under a rock and cry and never come out again. But as the days went by the shame and the hurt fueled the kindling within me into a blazing fire. I knew I could succeed, with or without their approval or help. So I resolved to prove them wrong.
Speaking of AGT, you returned earlier this year, giving a powerful performance of your hit song Shatter Me alongside Lzzy Hale. You make playing the violin flawlessly suspended in mid-air look so easy. How cool did it feel to be back and bigger than ever? And did you get any feedback from the judges for old times sake? Man… I gotta admit, it felt massively good to perform for AGT as a successful artist. I didn’t have to say a thing, but everyone there knew it was a massive “in your face” moment for me XD #thankyouagt
Let’s talk about your Master of Tides video. You’re playing the violin, whilst dancing like a gymnast, whilst submerged ankle-deep in water, surrounded by mer people, who are also dancing like gymnasts. There’s some crazy choreography happening- oh, and there’s a guy who cartwheels on his trident. Pretty spectacular. How did you manage not to slip over through all that? Believe me, I was nervous! Slipping was a definite possibility, so I put on my best shoes, prayed like crazy, and went for it haha.
Where did you learn to dance like that? Tell us the story behind your moves. I used to love to improve-dance when I was a little kid; I loved watching figure skating and “dancing” shows on TV and I would mimic their moves. As I got older I watched YouTube tutorials and had one or two private lessons.
Through your experience, what would you say is the greatest and hardest part about being an independent recording artist? I’d say the pace. It’s easy to get left behind in this industry if you aren’t putting out new stuff on a regular basis. Fans want new songs/new videos/new material, and of course I want to make my fans happy. So I work really hard to do that. It’s easy to get overloaded and sometimes I have to force myself to slow down. The greatest thing about being an independent artist is that I have so much creative freedom, and the ability to mold and channel my career how I see fit.
A very special aspect to your music is the diversity of it. You’ve featured in practically every genre under the sun, with loads of artists on different ends of the spectrum. You’ve single handedly proved that violin can accompany pretty much any type of music track and make it better. How does this process usually unfold? Does the artist send you the music and you fill in the blanks? or do you both work together in the creating process? It’s usually a collaborative effort/I’m allowed creative freedom, but there have been times when I’ve been given material and asked to stay “true” to the writing. In my collaborations with Pentatonix, for example, the violin parts were pre-written for me and I was asked to play them as such.
On the subject of collaborations, your cover version of Radioactive with Pentatonix won Response of the Year in the first YouTube Music Awards in 2013. Did this achievement spark the new cover of Papaoutai featuring you and the a cappella group? Fans want to know if we can look forward to more songs with PTX? We’re pretty obsessed. I absolutely love those guys; if they’re up for another collab I’m all for it!
A day in the life of a successful musician is no piece of cake. Are you playing the violin every single day? How intense is the practicing, and do you ever need to take a break from it all? It’s honestly been difficult to the find time to practice very much on tour due to the insane schedule. I still take private lessons whenever I’m stationed in Los Angeles, which is a great motivator for me, and I plan to practice several hours a day now that I’m home and off tour.
What was it like joining Cirque de Soleil earlier this year for the annual One Night for One Drop in Las Vegas? That was definitely a unique opportunity; absolutely loved it! Loved the costumes, loved the people, loved the whole production. I was honored to be part of it and I highly recommend.
We want to know what your favourite meal is, and is there a favourite person to sit and eat it with? Here we are indirectly asking about your dating life ;). Cereal! I don’t really have a dating life at the moment haha, so I think I would choose to eat with my dad. Only I would order him a hamburger because that’s his favorite (“No sissy cereal for me,” he’d say).
From the start you’ve been very open and honest with your fans and the general public about your life. One struggle you had to face in your early adulthood was an eating disorder. What would be your message to others going through similar struggles right now, and how did you personally overcome it? #1 would be that everyone struggles with something, and you absolutely have to be able to admit you have a problem before there is any hope of overcoming it. #2 Know that you are never alone and #3 It is absolutely critical to ask for and be willing to receive help. We all need it 😉 That’s what we’re all here for …we need each other.
Finally, what are you most looking forward to going into the new year 2015? I’m looking forward to touring again, making more music videos, and maybe producing a Christmas album.
Shatter Me tracklist
1. Beyond the Veil
2. Mirror Haus
3. V-Pop
4. Shatter Me
5. Heist
6. Roundtable Rival
7. Night Vision
8. Take Flight
9. Ascendance
10. We Are Giants
11. Swag
12. Master of Tides
Singer, songwriter, dancer, activist and musician, James Brown was known by two nicknames: The Hardest Working Man in Show Business and the Godfather of Soul. He is also known as the Inventor of Funk, the Grandfather of Hip-Hop and is certainly one of the most influential musical pioneers of the last century. Born in 1933 in South Carolina, he died in December 2006 of pneumonia at 73 years old. He lives on through his music. As he said himself “If people wanted to know who James Brown is, all they have to do is listen to my music.”
He grew up in abject poverty and his parents split up when he was very young, so at age 4 he was sent to live with his Aunt Honey, the madam of a brothel. Brown later recalled his impoverished childhood: “I started shining shoes at 3 cents, then went up to 5 cents, then 6 cents. I never did get up to a dime. I was 9 years old before I got a pair of underwear from a real store; all my clothes were made from sacks and things like that. But I knew I had to make it. I had the determination to go on, and my determination was to be somebody.”
Well, as we know, the story has a happy ending because James Brown was certainly somebody! He developed his powerful voice singing in the church choir and his musical career started in earnest in 1955 when Bobby Byrd invited him to join his R&B group, The Gospel Starlighters. Naturally, with his almost overbearing talent and charisma it didn’t take long before he was running the show. Changing their name to the Famous Flames they started performing in local clubs. A year later in 1956 they recorded a demo tape of Please, Please, Please and played it for a talent scout for King Records. Within months the song reached Nº6 on the R&B charts. But it wasn’t until a couple of years later that Brown got the kick start he needed to make it into the big leagues. He recorded Try Me and the song went straight to Nº1 on the R&B charts. Then followed a string of hits, Lost Someone, Prisoner of Love and Night Train.
Brown toured relentlessly, performing 6 nights per week throughout the 60’s, which earned him his first nickname, The Hardest Working Man in Show Business. He was such a great showman – you could describe him as hypnotic even. His dancing was incredible and his charisma and passion left audiences in raptures. He mastered all the popular dances of the time “the camel walk,” “the mashed potato,” “the popcorn” and of course his own “do the James Brown.” He went on to record many of his most popular songs during the 60’s including Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag which is considered the first ‘funk’ song – an offshoot of soul and a precursor to hip-hop.
During the 70’s more hits came, most notably Sex Machine and Get Up Offa That Thing although with the advance of disco, plus personal financial troubles, the 70’s weren’t his best decade. He made a brilliant comeback in the cult 1980s film The Blues Brothers and recorded Living in America in 1985 which was featured in Rocky IV and became a huge hit for him.
He was one of the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – in 1986, which was the year it started. The late 80s were lost in a mix of depression and drug addiction and ended in 1988 when he went to prison for 15 months after a high speed car chase with the police. He continued touring after release from prison, albeit on a much lighter schedule than in his heyday.
This incredible show, filmed 6 years before he died, is a must-have video for any fan. He might not have had the energy of his youth but he could still hit it! This concert event at the House of Blues in Las Vegas features music through five decades of his chart-topping hits.
1 Get Up Offa That Thing 2 Gonna Have A Funky Good Time 3 Living In America 4 Popcorn 5 Soul Power 6 Soul Man (Vocals – Roosevelt Johnson) 7 I Got That Feeling 8 Hot Pants 9 Try Me 10 Prisioner Of Love 11 Georgia On My Mind 12 If I Ruled The World 13 Why Don’t You Do Right (Vocals – Candice Hurst) 14 Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag 15 Funk On A Roll 16 Payback 17 I Feel Good 18 Papa Don’t Take No Mess 19 Please Please Please 20 Sex Machine 21 I Still Care (Vocals – Tomi Rae) 22 Try (Vocals – Tomi Rae)
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Irish band The Script have just released a space-age-themed music video for their latest single No Good in Goodbye. It’s an intergalactic experience with an Avatar vibe.
Directed by Charlie Lightning the visual has some pretty cool lighting effects and begins with light shining down on frontman Danny O’Donoghue as he sings of mistakes he’s made in past relationships. Later you see a hologram of a group of women that look like they are frozen in time. O’Donoghue sings to one woman and she slowly comes to life.
We happen to agree with these lyrics – just exactly where is the GOOD in Goodbye?
Where’s the “good” in “goodbye”?
Where’s the “nice” in “nice try”?
Where’s the “us” in “trust” gone?
Where’s the “soul” in “soldier on”?
No Good In Goodbye follows the band’s huge hit Superheroes and comes from their 4th studio album, No Sound Without Silence, released in September this year. The group have described the album as a prequel to their debut album. It was largely recorded on the road while on tour in a mobile recording studio.
Lindsey Stirling fights dragons with the power of music in her amazing new video for Dragon Age. The hugely popular fantasy game Dragon Age: Inquisition landed in stores on November 18 and all reviews are saying it’s well worth the 60 dollars. If you’re not sure about it, this video might put your doubts to rest. The video follows Lindsey across a landscape devastated by the infamous Breach that lies at the centre of Inquisition’s narrative. She does battle with a ferocious fire breathing dragon who is no match for the power of music!
Directed by Joe Still, the special effects are awesome and the cool looking graphics compliment Stirling’s rendition of the Dragon Age theme perfectly. She teamed up with the Los Angeles-based Everdream digital studio to create it. Judging by the official Dragon Age: Inquisition branding at the end we can only assume that Electronic Arts was also involved in an official capacity.
This isn’t the first time that Stirling has turned her attention towards the world of video gaming. In the past she has released covers and tributes associated with franchises like Skyrim, Zelda, Halo and Child of Light.
Stirling has sold more than 1 million singles worldwide and on May 2014 her second studio album Shatter Me peaked at Nº2 on the Billboard 200 chart. Her YouTube channel has more than 5.4 million subscribers and 735 million total views. The deluxe version of the Shatter Me album comes out on November 28 and includes an acoustic version of Shatter Me, a full-color 48-page magazine with exclusive interviews and photos, plus word magnets!
Here’s the official trailer for the game – Dragon Age: Inquisition – The Hero of Thedas
#ThrowbackThursday We go back to 1989 when Janet Jackson started a 4 week run at Nº1 on the US album charts with Rhythm Nation 1814. This iconic album produced 7 top 10 singles! From one album! The album’s opening pledge states, “We are a nation with no geographic boundaries, bound together through our beliefs. We are like-minded individuals, sharing a common vision, pushing toward a world rid of color-lines.” Even though record label executives wanted material similar to her previous album, Control, Jackson insisted on a concept album addressing social change – she delivers an urgent cry, calling for racial harmony through “compassionate, dedicated people power.”
Jackson related the theme of the album as a means of creating a common identity, “I thought it would be great if we could create our own nation… one that would have a positive message and that everyone would be free to join.” The album blends dance-pop and rhythm and blues with industrial music and funk and is seen as one of the defining examples of dance-oriented pop music of its time.
It is the only album to achieve Nº1 hits in three separate calendar years. Jackson received 9 Grammy Award nominations, winning Best Long Form Music Video for Rhythm Nation. For promotion, Jackson released the Rhythm Nation 1814 Film and was presented the MTV Video Vanguard Award for her significant contributions to popular culture. Her Rhythm Nation Tour became the world’s most successful debut concert tour and Miss Jackson became quite a fashion icon, with “Rhythm Nation” attire copied by fans worldwide.
The following year after the album was launched the inaugural Billboard Music Awards were held in Santa Monica, California. Jackson was the main winner of the night, winning in eight categories, including Top Pop Album, Top R&B Album and Top R&B Artist.
Jackson talked about how important the lyrics are: “I’m not naive—I know an album or a song can’t change the world. I just want my music and my dance to catch the audience’s attention, and to hold it long enough for them to listen to the lyrics and what we’re saying. Hopefully that will inspire them, make them want to join hands … and make some sort of difference. […] If I just touched one person, just to make that difference, make them change for the better, that’s an accomplishment.”
Watch the new trailer for the Michael Bay time travel movie Project Almanac. Presented in a semi-found footage style it poses the fascinating question, ‘Would today be better the second time around’?
Previously titled Welcome to Yesterday the film follows a group of friends who discover plans for a time machine. And because they can’t resist tinkering with the past they end up manipulating things to further their own gain. One character even comes face to face with his past self. As you might expect, things go dreadfully wrong.
This sci fi adventure is another great attempt by Michael Bay and his Platinum Dunes team to extend their reach beyond blood and horror, and from the looks of the trailer, the film has a lot of heart and a very cool chronicle-like vibe.
Directed by Dean Israelite, the film features Jonny Weston, Amy Landecker, Sofia Black-Delia, Gary Grubbs and Virginia Gardner.
Project Almanac hits US cinemas on January 30, 2015 and not until February 6 in the UK.
