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Brandy Talks 'Majors & Minors' And Her Big, In-The-Works Album

Posted 9/23/11 12:42 pm EST by in Brandy, Television


Tonight, a very different kind of reality singing competition debuts on the Hub. On "Majors & Minors," 12 talented young performers get the chance to be mentored by some of the biggest and most established artists in music, including Leona Lewis, Jordin Sparks, Avril Lavigne, Sean Kingston, One Republic's Ryan Tedder, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and will.i.am. The kids range in age kids ages 10-16, and though no one is ever voted off the series, one lucky kid will score a recording deal with RCA/Jive and be featured in a cross-country concert tour.

The series' first mentor is Grammy-winner Brandy, and we were lucky enough to talk to the R&B songbird about the show and even got some early news on her buzzed-about upcoming album.

"I was blown away by the idea and they are celebrating kids and their art and their journey into becoming, you know, the artists they already are within, and it just took me back to my youth, 15-years-old trying to become a great artist and I immediately wanted to get involved," Brandy told MTV News about the show. "When I met the kids I was just completely blown away, just really moved very deeply. And from there, I just wanted to stay as involved as I could because I wanted to be a part of their experience. I actually wanted to see them grow and how far they will go and how far they have come, so far, has been so amazing."

The pop star admitted that, for her, one of the reasons she was so drawn to "Majors & Minors" was because it celebrates the contestants' talent and provides constructive criticism without being overly judgmental, something many other reality competitions thrive on. It's a topic Brandy has plenty of experience with, having been a judge on "America's got Talent" and a contestant on "Dancing With The Stars."

Read on for more of our interview and for an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip from "Majors & Minors." Read More...

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A Love Letter To Sara Bareilles

Posted 9/23/11 10:33 am EST by in Music


Sara Bareilles

By Morgan Schwartz

I love Sara Bareilles. There. I said it. And no, it’s not because I’m an a cappella nerd (even though I totally was in an a capella group all throughout college and loved every minute of it) and she’s the host of NBC’s "The Sing Off." And it’s not because she makes awesome music, like her sophomore album, Kaleidoscope Heart, which came out last year. And it’s most definitely not because her new music video for the second single off that album was directed my one of my favorite funny-men, Jonah Hill. Who am I kidding? It’s totally all of those things that make Sara Bareilles insanely amazing.

First, let’s talk about her music. Even if you don’t know Sara Bareilles by name (shame on you!), you probably know her breakout tune, "Love Song." From that first note on, Sara has continued to produce beautiful melodies whose lyrics seem to somehow ALWAYS be relatable to something I’m going through. If you don’t believe me, put on any one of her albums. Just broke up with your boyfriend? Sara will help you get through it. Annoyed with your boss? Sara will provide the soundtrack to your anger. So happy you could die? There is no doubt in my mind that Sara will have the perfect song to match your mood. And it doesn’t hurt that the voice singing those lyrics is both original and beautiful. Read More...

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Recently Unearthed Footage Shows Baby Frances Bean Cobain On Set With Mom And Dad

Posted 9/23/11 8:36 am EST by in Courtney-Love, Music, Video


By Andréa Duncan-Mao

As the enigmatic leader of one of the most impactful rock acts in modern history, Kurt Cobain’s music touched a generation of fans. Just as we are moved by his dense, personal lyrics, raging guitar and outsider ethos, we are equally fascinated by his complex personality. He was a man who dreamt of fame but couldn’t cope with it, a performer who could move a crowd but couldn’t stand to be in one, someone we all heard of but never really knew.

But there was a chubby toddler with golden locks and crystal blue eyes who knew him in a way no one else would. Frances Bean Cobain, Kurt’s daughter with wife Courtney Love, was born 1992 and even as a newborn went everywhere with him. And in their interactions, we see a glimpse of Cobain as a father — patient, tender, in wonder.

In 1993, Kurt sat down with MTV to talk about his life since the explosive success of Nevermind, and brought Frances and Courtney along. As the camera rolled pre-interview, the happy — and somewhat frazzled — family were captured on tape. In this rare, unearthed footage of the Cobains, we see Courtney in a pre-Hollywood-makeover ripped dress, Kurt in the shadows, and Frances Bean, ready for her close-up at not even two years old.

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Sound Off: Did You Love Or Loathe 'The X Factor'?

Posted 9/22/11 4:50 pm EST by in Newsroom Poll, Television


Simon Cowell

Well, the ratings are in and the much-hyped debut of Simon Cowell's latest reality singing competition "The X Factor" were … well, they were alright.

"X Factor" premiered to a decent-but-underwhelming viewership of 12.1 million, with a 4.4/12 rating in the prized 18 to 49 demographic – far less than the third season premiere of Emmy-winning sitcom "Modern Family," which pulled in 14.3 million viewers and a 6.0/15. "Factor" was the fourth most-watched show last night.

Those numbers pale in comparison to the ones Cowell and co-judge Paula Abdul's former employers at "American Idol" enjoy. Last season's debut was watched by 26.1 million people.

Did you watch "The X Factor" last night? Let us know in the comments what you thought of the show. (Ratings aside, everyone we know who tuned in seemed to really like it.) And vote in our poll of which highly rated singing competition is your favorite.

Read More...

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LMFAO Tease Headlining Tour, Dreams To Collaborate With Katy Perry, Aliens

Posted 9/22/11 4:20 pm EST by in LMFAO


When we chatted up the fellas of LMFAO a while back, they were casting extras for their funny, NSFW "Sexy And I Know It" video and we wanted to know what else the Party Rockers had up their sleeves (even though they mostly never wear sleeves).

It turns out they have some big plans for the future. "It's all in the inspiration of life; everything we do in life is a representation of something we see," SkyBlu said of the music they are currently cooking up. "It's like we're news reporters."

Interesting analogy, but as a real news reporter, rarely do I see anyone doing the "wiggle" or the shuffle in my travels. But then again, I'm not hanging around with the LMFAO guys nearly enough. RedFoo added that whatever happens, happens with them. "We make stuff and then if somebody comes to mind, a female singer or a male singer or an alien," he trailed off before SkyBlu suggested a Katy Perry collabo. Read More...

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What Are Your Thoughts On Schweddy Balls? One Conservative Group Doesn't Like Them One Bit

Posted 9/22/11 3:30 pm EST by in Newsroom Poll, Politics


Schweddy Balls

By Henna Kathiya

Who knew ice cream could be such a touchy subject? Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's ice cream definitely have a sense of humor, as they recently released their newest flavor "Schweddy Balls." The new ice cream flavor is named after a popular "Saturday Night Live" skit in which Alec Baldwin, playing the character of Pete Schweddy, makes up a fictional treat called "Schweddy Balls" for the ladies of the fictitious National Public Radio program "Delicious Dish."

But conservative group One Million Moms is not laughing and has called for a boycott of the new flavor, claiming the name to be too vulgar. Can you imagine, children going up to the counter and asking for "Schweddy Balls"? One Million Moms certainly can't! Ben & Jerry's has been accused of being insensitive to conservative sensibilities in the past, like when it released a flavor last year called Hubby Hubby (a play on Chubby Hubby) to celebrate gay marriage, which also upset One Million Moms. Read More...

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That Sound You Just Heard Was A Sigh Of Relief Because 'Dark Shadows' Looks Awesome

Posted 9/22/11 3:10 pm EST by in Movies


From MTV Movies Blog:

Have you ever been so relieved that no matter what else is going on in your life, no matter how hectic your day, you pause and breathe and everything is just right?

That is how I feel right now. Earlier today, Entertainment Weekly unveiled an official first look at the full cast of Tim Burton's hotly anticipated big screen take on the classic Gothic soap opera "Dark Shadows," and coming just weeks after paparazzi shots of star Johnny Depp looking ghastly and weird in heavy white makeup leaked online and sparked a massive (and generally negative) fan response, the image is a sight for sore eyes.

I grew up watching reruns of the late-60s melodrama and have been excited about this film since I first heard it was being made. The dark aesthetic that made many of Burton's best films pop made him seem like a good fit to direct for "Shadows," and the cast, from Depp as vampire Barnabas Collins to Michelle Pfeiffer as family matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard and Jackie Earle Haley as groundskeeper Willie Loomis, was perfection. Read More...

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Lady Gaga, Her Sister, Natali, And Other Famous Sister Duos

Posted 9/22/11 2:30 pm EST by in Lady Gaga


Lady Gaga Natali Germonatta

They say all good things come in pairs, and in Hollywood that seems to be the case. For some, even good things come in threes (or more). The Germanottas of Manhattan seemed to have not only created the superstar known as Lady Gaga (real name Stefani G), but also a budding fashion designer, Gaga's baby sis, Natali.

Nats, a 19-year-old Parsons student, recently opened up to Teen Vogue about growing up in the G-clan. "Ever since we were kids, my parents gave us the freedom to be ourselves," she says, later joking, "Whenever I wear something crazy and my dad gives me a hard time, I say, 'Well, at least I'm not walking out on the street with red pasties,' and he'll be like, 'Good point.'"

While she's not as public as many younger sisters with famous older sisters, she has had brushes with fame. She appeared in the "Telephone" video and Gaga performed with her piano art installation on "Oprah" earlier this year. These two gals got us thinking about our favorite sisters in the biz. Read More...

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Brad Pitt Continues World's Most Unnecessary Apology Tour With 'Today' Appearance

Posted 9/22/11 1:49 pm EST by in Celebrity, Movies


Brad Pitt

By Dionne Buxton

Brad Pitt is still working hard to pry the foot out of his mouth after making a few ill-worded remarks about ex-wife Jennifer Aniston.

In a recent interview with Parade Magazine, Brad spoke candidly about his marriage to Aniston, the subtext of which was that it was, well, a bit boring. “I spent the ‘90s trying to hide out, trying to duck the full celebrity cacophony. I started to get sick of myself sitting on a couch, holding a joint, hiding out," he said. "It started feeling pathetic. It became very clear to me that I was intent on trying to find a movie about an interesting life, but I wasn’t living an interesting life myself. I think that my marriage [to actress Jennifer Aniston] had something to do with it. Trying to pretend the marriage was something that it wasn’t."

His comments sent #TeamAnniston into an uproar. It turns out people are more concerned with Brad hurting Jennifer's feelings than his admitted past drug use.

On “The Today Show” this morning promoting his new film, “Moneyball,” Brad took time to clean up his statements, saying that Jennifer is " good people” and that “there should be a statute of limitations on this." (We do not disagree with him on this point!) Read More...

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'The X Factor': Top Three Standouts

Posted 9/22/11 12:45 pm EST by in Newsroom Poll, Television


By Christina Garibaldi

Thank you, Television Gods, Simon Cowell has returned! On Wednesday night, "The X Factor" premiered, and let’s just say it was well worth the wait. Singers twelve and up took the stage in front of a crowd of over 4,000 people to sing their hearts out in order to move on to the next round and eventually take home a $5 million prize and a recording contract.

Yet, in order to do so, they have to get three yeses from the judges panel, who in my opinion, are the best set of competition judges out there … sorry Randy Jackson! Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul’s dynamic chemistry picked up right where it left off on “American Idol” and L.A Reid showed us he might give Simon a run for his money. British pop star Cheryl Cole took the judges seat for the first hour and then awkwardly left to make room for Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger. Oh yes, and there was singing. Many took the stage, both young to old, from solo to group performances, but there were three standouts from the premiere episode that really got our attention: Read More...

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