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Happy Birthday, Estelle!

Posted 1/18/11 9:30 am EST by in Music


It's already afternoon in the United Kingdom, which means that R&B singer and much-sought-after collaborator Estelle is probably already well into her birthday celebration. The singer turns 31 years old today, and she can eat a slice of cake and smash apart a pinata with the knowledge that her resume already speaks for itself.

Born Estelle Fanta Swaray in London, Estelle grew up listening to a blend of British R&B and American hip-hop — a combination that clearly comes across in her work. She first gained exposure in her home country with her debut album The 18th Day, which contained the early hits "1980" and "Free." Though she picked up a few awards for her work in the U.K., her American breakthrough didn't arrive until 2008, when she hooked up with Kanye West for the single "American Boy." The breezy, catchy song showed off Estelle's groovy vocal chops and her prowess as a songwriter. "American Boy" was not only a chart hit, but it also earned Estelle a Grammy and helped propel her 2008 album Shine to commercial success.

Since her big breakthrough, Estelle has become an incredibly in-demand guest star, dropping in on tracks by Busta Rhymes ("World Go Round"), Robin Thicke ("Rollacoasta"), Gucci Mane ("Grown Man") and Reflection Eternal ("Midnight Hour"). She'll probably be cashing in some of those favors for her forthcoming third album All Of Me, which should be hitting store shelves some time this year. The album's first single "Freak" combines all the elements that make Estelle a hitmaker, from her morphing voice to her ease with melody to her obvious sex appeal.


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Estelle Narrowly Beats Beyoncé And Keri Hilson As Kanye West's Best Female Collaborator

Posted 10/14/10 5:00 pm EST by in Music


It has been two days, but Kanye West's drop-in on the remix of La Roux's "In for the Kill" remains at the top of the regular rotation in the MTV Newsroom. It's a killer track that deftly combines each of their skill sets for a swirling, banging track. It represents yet another triumph for West as a collaborator, and it further expands his resume of huge hits and genre-bending experiments.

But is "In for the Kill" Kanye's best tag-team with a female artist? That's the question we asked in a poll on Wednesday (October 13). With such an impressive lineup of possibilities, it was going to be a difficult decision for everybody, and after thousands of responses, the margin of victory for the first place vote-getter ended up being razor thin.

Who sat on top of the pile? That would be Estelle, whose success with West on "American Boy" earned her 31 percent of the total vote in the poll. But it was hardly a runaway victory, as Keri Hilson (and her "Knock You Down") was just behind her nipping at her heels with 30 percent. Not to be outdone, Beyoncé (with "See Me Now") came in a close third, nailing down 29 percent of the total vote. With three top-shelf divas and three smashing tunes, it's not surprising that the final vote tally was so tight.

After Beyoncé, there was quite a gap between the top three and the bottom three. La Roux and Janet Jackson each grabbed five percent, while Kid Sister brought up the rear with a paltry two percent (not surprising considering "Pro Nails" was probably the least successful single in the poll, even though it absolutely rules). Statistically, these numbers don't really resolve the question about who Kanye's best female collaborator is, but one thing is for certain: If Kanye West touches a song, it tends to turn to greatness.

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U.S.A. Vs. Algeria: The World Cup Playlist Featuring Kid Rock, Estelle And Europe

Posted 6/23/10 10:00 am EST by in Music


The 2010 FIFA World Cup has provided a tremendously exciting few weeks of soccer action and already features a handful of narratives that will not soon be forgotten. There is the failure and internal conflict that plagued the French squad, the noble and poetic but ultimately just-short pursuit by the South African team and the controversy over the disallowed goal in the United States' match against Slovenia last week. That game ended in a draw, which puts the U.S. team in a precarious position today. With two draws to their credit and two points in Group C, they can advance to the next round of the tournament with a victory over Algeria today (it would give them five points, which would clinch at least second place in the group). If they lose, they are definitely out, as Algeria would leap over the U.S. and leave them in last place.

Should this morning's match go to a draw, things get a little more complicated. The U.S. would have to hope that either Slovenia beats England or the match goes to a low-scoring draw (the tiebreaker would come down to total goals scored in the tournament so far).

But to keep things simple, the United States simply needs to score a victory against Algeria and move on to better things. In order to help the home team, we've put together a batch of songs that should get the blood pumping and the American pride swelling. Kid Rock's "American Bad Ass" should put them in the right frame of mind, as should James Brown's immortal "Living In America." If they want to focus on "Fancy Footwork," they can press play on the Chromeo video of the same name. They don't have to worry about being "The Underdog" (they're a slight betting favorite), and they just have to hope the game doesn't devolve into a "House of Cards" (as too many games have changed because of red and yellow cards during this tournament).

If the United States soccer team really wants to get into the winning frame of mind, they need look no further than the first song on the playlist: Europe's "The Final Countdown." What more could they need to get psyched to play the beautiful game?

Be sure to vote in all the games in the MTV World Cup of Rock! Which nation's stars rock the hardest and best? Only you can decide!

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John Legend Welcomes Kanye West, Estelle, Rick Ross To Madison Square Garden

Posted 8/14/09 11:05 am EST by in Concerts, Music


By Ayana Allen

John Legend has performed in huge stadiums to massive crowds at the Super Bowl, WrestleMania, political conventions and at Live Earth. He's a guy who by now should be comfortable with fame and attention. But last night during his performance at New York's Madison Square Garden — the first time he has ever headlined the iconic arena — he seemed just slightly overwhelmed by the energy of it all.

"I used to sing this song in clubs," he said before launching into "Stay With You," the final song in his set. "And I couldn't wait for the day I got to sing it in Madison Square Garden."

(Click here for more photos from from John Legend's performance at Madison Square Garden!)

Legend certainly treated the show like a huge event, welcoming friends Kanye West, Rick Ross, Estelle, reggae legend Buju Banton and opening act India.Arie to the stage for some all-star collaborations.

"This is a star-studded event!" Legend announced following his opening number, a spot-on take on Bob Marley's "Redemption Song," which he crooned from the audience. He made his way up to the stage and rolled out hit after hit, climaxing in the appearance of Estelle and West for an extended version of the trio's hit "American Boy."

For one lucky fan, the highlight came when Legend invited her up on stage for a slow dance during (obviously) "Slow Dance." Though she looked like she was about to faint, she maintained her composure and walked away with a kiss on the cheek, a long-stemmed red rose and an unforgettable memory for her trouble.

But fans didn't need to dance with the man to appreciate the evening. By the time he ended the show with "Green Light," he had managed to seduce everybody at MSG.

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Estelle Says New Material Is 'Somewhere Between Marvin Gaye And Coldplay'

Posted 5/13/09 3:41 pm EST by in Coldplay


By Rya Backer

Did you have the sing-songy chorus of Estelle and Kanye West's Grammy-winning "American Boy" stuck in your head for a good amount of 2008? Well, so did Estelle. That's why she's happy to reveal that she's working on new material as we speak.

"I'm sick of singing 'American Boy,' so we need something else," the West London native confessed at a recent party for the fashion line Chloé.

Recently, Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio — who has produced work for Scarlett Johansson and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs — helped her record a track. "He's amazing," Estelle gushed, "I'm really excited. We just finished a song together. I listened to it all the way here. I'm having a moment. He's really, really cool.'' Read More...

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Mercury Prize Nominees Annouced -- We Pat Ourselves On The Back

Posted 7/23/08 2:44 pm EST by in awards, Music, Radiohead


Radiohead's Thom YorkeBy Steven Roberts

We at MTV News are pretty excited about the nominees for the 2008 Mercury Prize — and not just because the award recognizes some of the best albums to come out of the U.K. and Ireland. It's also because we've been on a lot of these artists for ages (that's the sound of us patting ourselves on the back!).

When James Montgomery isn't channeling Matt Pinfield on "FNMTV," one of the artists on his beat is Radiohead: He's covered just about everything surrounding the release of the Mercury-nominated In Rainbows. From the album's pay-what-you-want digital release to the innovative video for "House of Cards," he's been there. He has even found time to cover their eco-friendly water bottles.

Read More...

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Kidz in the Hall Try to Hock You Their 'Double-Beautiful' Album

Posted 5/13/08 6:16 pm EST by in Music, New Music Update



We hung out with Kidz in the Hall today at the famous J & R Music World downtown and talked about their new album. The In Crowd drops today, and the guys used the sales skills they learned playing used car salesmen in their video for "Driving Down the Block" to help move units.

Naledge and Double-O talked about how their academic background played a part in the conception of their album (the two met at UPenn). And, of course, they talked about their new tracks, whose lyrics range from politics to the art of hip-hop and the power of addiction. We'll be bringing you news on their collabos with Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes and Estelle in the days to come.

I've seen these guys go from being an mtvU Freshmen Five artist to doing "My Block: Chicago." Now they're on "TRL"! But these guys never forget their roots, whether they're talking early 90's hip-hop or reminiscing about meeting Barack Obama in their friend's living room back when he was running for State Senate in Illinois...

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