Posts By Zara Golden

June 27th, 2012 | 5:30 pm by Zara Golden (@zaragolden)

Muse’s “Survival” Named The Theme Song For The 2012 Summer Olympics

And the winner of the Official Song of the 2012 London Olympics is … British prog-rock trio Muse! Their new song, “Survivor,” will be played during sports sessions, as athletes enter stadiums, and before medal ceremonies. So, basically, all the time. They won’t get a medal for this big score, but they can rest assured that you, Olympic viewers, will have their song stuck on loop in your head between the opening ceremony on July 27th and the closing ceremony on August 12th.

According to Muse frontman Matt Bellamy, the song was written with the games in mind and is intended to “express a sense of conviction and determination to win.” It was scheduled to make its official radio debut tonight on BBC Radio tonight, but Warner Bros released the song on their official Soundcloud page today. Muse is also set to release their next album, The 2nd Law, in September. You can check out the dramatic preview for that album here.

Elsewhere, a list of songs Danny Boyle plans to use in the opening ceremony has leaked and it includes everything from Adele to Tinie Tempah to the Sex Pistols‘ anti-monarchist song “God Save the Queen.” A bit of punk, a bit of prog — let the games begin!

June 27th, 2012 | 10:00 am by Zara Golden (@zaragolden)

Tuned In: Katy Perry Keeps Jimmy Kimmel “Wide Awake”

Katy Perry joined Jimmy Kimmel last night from Hollywood Boulevard, where she working double-duty, premiering her new movie Katy Perry: Part of Me and performing her “Wide Awake” and “Part of Me.” Dressed for the occasion in a film reel bustier and concession stand print hot pants, had the famous street shut down and a “California Girls“-era, cotton candy decked stage set. This was her night, and she sounded great. First, she took center stage for “Wide Awake,” a more serious song about her journey that she wrote for the movie. A troupe dancers dressed like candy canes joined her for “Part of Me,” the evening’s energetic closer. The whole thing was no small deal, but neither is Katy. She’s earned it. Read more…

June 26th, 2012 | 6:39 pm by Zara Golden (@zaragolden)

Last Lap: Carly Rae Jepsen Is Working With LMFAO

CARLY RAE JEPSEN IS WORKING WITH LMFAO’S PARTY ROCKING REDFOO
They met at the airport and then he called her definitely, and now they are writing a song together. Over the phone. Literally. [MTV]

DRAKE SMOKES HOOKAH WHILE PREVIEWING A NEW TRACK
His smoke ring blowing game is good. [NR]

TUPAC HOLOGRAM WINS AWARD
The virtual Tupac that wowed at Coachella picked up a prestigious Cannes Lions Titanium Award. Respect where due! [AllHipHop]
Read more…

June 26th, 2012 | 5:15 pm by Zara Golden (@zaragolden)

Beyonce Wrote A Letter To Michael Jackson Thanking Him For His Influence

A letter writer consummate, Beyoncé has penned a sweet-as-ever note to the late King of Pop. “When I was just starting out, my first producer used to make me listen to Michael Jackson,” she wrote in the note posted to her Tumblr on the third anniversary of his death, citing a live recording of “Who’s Loving You” that she would listen to “for hours back to back.” She goes on to recall Jackson’s audible soul and unimpeachable swag, and to thank him for the influence he has had on her as a performer. No longer on earthly stages himself, Bey makes it clear that he lives on through her every performance.

“Michael taught me that sometimes you have to forget technique, forget what you have on. If you feel silly, you have to go from the gut and just let it go,” she writes. “Michael Jackson changed me, and helped me to become the artist that I am – thank you Michael.”

Our letter from the Queen B is coming soon, we just know it. Until then, read Beyoncé’s full tribute below:

June 26th, 2012 | 2:46 pm by Zara Golden (@zaragolden)

Pitbull and Shakira “Get It Started” On New Collaboration

Another summer, another sizzling hit from Pitbull. “To these rappers I apologize, I know it ain’t fair / Only ball I drop, New Year’s Times Square,” he raps on the opening to his newly leaked single, “Get It Started,” sounding sure that he’s sunk another one. And with his “Rabiosa” partner Shakira on the hook, he most definitely has.

Making reference to Tom Cruise in Vanilla Sky, the (former) welterweight boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, and his multiple passports, Pitbull declares himself once and for all Mr. Worldwide. “I went from evictions to food stamps … To a passport, flooded with stamps,” he raps, sizing himself up.

As for Shakira, she’s into this jet setting attitude. On the chorus, she teases: “Everytime I look into your eyes/I feel like I could stare in them for a lifetime/We can get started for love.” And the Afrojack and RedOne conjured beat is so big and celebratory that you, too, will be immediately on board, and all your weird feelings about Tom Cruise forgotten. It’s going to be a hot summer, might as well “Get It Started.”

June 26th, 2012 | 1:45 pm by Zara Golden (@zaragolden)

Drake and Chris Brown Get Offered A Million Dollars Each To Take Their Beef To The Boxing Ring

Drake and Chris Brown’s bottle brawl is the bar fight that just won’t quit. Now, we see exactly what the narrative might be worth: Celebrity Boxing has gone ahead and offered the offending parties $1 million a piece to literally duke it out at L.A.’s Staples Center on August 25th. The fight’s potential organizer, Damon Feldman, says that Celebrity Boxing has organized 55 matches like this — think Danny Bonaduce vs. Jose Canseco, think Rodney King vs. a random cop — and he promises that “this would be the most interesting of all.” And as a cherry on top, he’s offered a portion of the proceeds to a charity that supports abuse victims. Yikes.

So, you know, should the two rap stars so choose, there is a venue, a financier, and a charitable motive ready to make this fight happen. So will it (happen, that is)?

June 26th, 2012 | 12:30 pm by Zara Golden (@zaragolden)

The Flaming Lips Will Attempt To Make History Tomorrow On OMusicAwards.com

Jay-Z, hold onto your hat, because the O Music Awards kick off tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. ET and that means the Flaming Lips are gunning for your record. Over the next day, in conjunction with the awards ceremony and with the help of a few friends and a bus named “Endeavor,” the Flaming Lips will attempt to best Hov’s record for most concerts performed in multiple cities in a 24-hour time period by playing eight shows between Memphis, TN and New Orleans. Along the way, they will be joined by Jackson Browne, Karmin, Neon Trees, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Grimes, as well as a slew of other artists and hosts.

And you can watch the whole thing, as it goes down. The record breaking attempt and the awards ceremony that will be broadcast on VH1, as well as on our sister stations MTV and CMT; and the full 24-hour record-breaking attempt will stream live on Omusicawards.com.

Anything can happen, and you won’t miss a thing. Check out the full schedule below:

June 26th, 2012 | 10:16 am by Zara Golden (@zaragolden)

Tuned In: Alabama Shakes Rock “Be Mine” On Jimmy Fallon

Southern soul rockers Alabama Shakes stopped by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last night to play the slow burning “Be Mine” off of their debut LP Boys & Girls. Ahead of their performance, Fallon warned that, “If you don’t know these guys yet, you’re gonna fall in love.” And, oh boy, he was right. You might need to hold on for this one.

At first, the song oozes out of the awesome Brittany Howard, the guitar riff following leisurely behind. “I’ll tell you why I took a shine to you,” she intones. But then, at about three minutes something catches, sparking the powerhouse within Howard. The band starts banging, and wailing “be my baby” again and again, she takes us home. Phewf! Jimmy was right.

Alabama Shakes — “Be Mine” 6/25 Fallon [AudioPerv]
Read more…

June 25th, 2012 | 6:15 pm by Zara Golden (@zaragolden)

Last Lap: Barack Obama Sings Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend” (!!!)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WANTS TO BE YOUR “BOYFRIEND”
And makes us wonder: would you rather have fondue by the fire with POTUS or the Biebs? We’ll take both, thank you! SWAGGGY! [YouTube]

SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA PREPARE FOR LAST DANCE
The electronic dance music stars announced have announced, via their website, that their next tour will be their last tour. “We came, we raved, we loved,” they say. Amen. [MTV]

June 25th, 2012 | 4:34 pm by Zara Golden (@zaragolden)

Rick Ross and Meek Mill Get “So Sophisticated”

Rick Ross takes his steak rare, his women beautiful and his Ciroc by the bottle because he’s just “So Sophisticated” like that. Given the video treatment by Dre Film, Ross and Meek Mill’s “So Sophisticated” is a picture of opulence, replete with expensive cars, fire hot and a shirtless Teflon Don. Because what would a Ross video be without a cameo from Ross’ famous belly?

“I just make it look easy,” adlibs Ross on the song’s intro, setting himself apart from the rest. We find the two rappers in the monstrous warehouse where they garage their nicest cars and their in-house butcher shop, and where they host their most lavish dinner parties. Sometimes lights strobe and other times fire laps; we would be pretty scared to find ourselves in a place as ominous as this, but never does Ross break a sweat. Seated at the table, Ross clutches a glass of bubbly with one hand while he waves a steak knife at the camera with the other as he goes hard over a beat that’s so heavy in bass it could break your speakers. Elsewhere, he dances through flames in a Miami Heat hat and he hacks at away at an animal carcass (you free for dinner tomorrow). That is sophistication made easy.