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Miranda Cosgrove's High Maintenance: The Reviews Are In!

Posted 3/16/11 10:30 am EST by in Music


Miranda Cosgrove is best known as the star of Nickelodeon's hit show "iCarly," but she has been gradually building a reputation as a top shelf pop singer over the past few years. Her debut album Sparks Fly was one of the most underrated gems of 2010, featuring exquisite writing and production care of the likes of Max Martin, Dr. Luke, Avril Lavigne and Rodney Jerkins. Cosgrove's natural charisma and sharp voice sat at the center of the proceedings, bringing together the beats and teasing out the hooks. Her new EP High Maintenance just hit stores, and its five tracks expand on the ideas first set forth in Sparks Fly. With the help of friends both old (Lavigne and Martin both return) and new (Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo contributed to the title track), High Maintenance could elevate Cosgrove to a whole new level in the pop world.

The reviews concur. "Cosgrove comes back stronger — and sharper — on High Maintenance," wrote Entertainment Weekly critic Mikeal Wood. "'So what if I break a few glasses, kick a few asses?' she sneers over a menacing synth riff on the electro-stomping title track. Fathers, lock up your sons."

The Boston Herald also digs Cosgrove's movement from teen star into more adult pop. "On this five-song EP, 17-year-old 'iCarly' star Miranda Cosgrove positions herself somewhere between a less-moody Avril Lavigne (who co-wrote lead single 'Dancing Crazy') and a Ke$ha-in-training party girl," wrote critic Lauren Carter. "High Maintenance is mostly high-octane fun, Cosgrove's all-grown-up soundtrack to letting loose and testing the rules without breaking them."

Other writers thought Cosgrove's new EP suffered from growing pains. "Though her duet with Weezer's Rivers Cuomo, with its bratty talk of crashing Ferraris, might be funny or appalling, depending on whether you pay the insurance, the party-all-night anthem 'Dancing Crazy' never gets more provocative than a kiss," Brian Mansfield wrote for USA Today.

The Washington Post also felt the EP's general tone felt a bit off, but critic Allison Stewart was impressed by the EP's lead single as a sort of modern pop catch-all. "[The] lead single, 'Dancing Crazy,' tries everything, all at once: the bratty speak-singing of Avril Lavigne (who co-wrote it), the stuttery electro-pop of Lady Gaga, the age-appropriate party heartiness of Miley Cyrus," she wrote.

What do you think of Miranda Cosgrove's new EP? Let us know in the comments!

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Miranda Cosgrove Taps Rivers Cuomo For Collaboration

Posted 12/20/10 1:30 pm EST by in Music


For most of his early career, Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo was known as a guy who was constantly at work in his lab, writing and recording by himself without much input from other people (even the other members of his band). But lately, he has been everywhere, working with everyone. It has lead to some incredibly strange and thrilling tag-team efforts, including at least one big hit (that being B.o.B's "Magic"). In the past two years, Cuomo has worked with the aforementioned B.o.B, Lil Wayne, Sugar Ray, Katy Perry (the fruits of which we have yet to hear) and a bunch of fans on the Internet. Over the weekend, we learned of Cuomo's newest in-studio partner: "iCarly" star and upstart pop sensation Miranda Cosgrove.

"I'm recording a duet with @riverscuomo in a few days for the new album!" Cosgrove wrote on Twitter on Saturday (Decmeber 18). "So freakin' excited!"

It makes sense for Cuomo to team up with Cosgrove, as his sensibilities match up well with Cosgrove's brand of guitar-kissed, hormone-fueled pop. It should be a victory for both parties, as Cosgrove will get a slightly punchier boost and Cuomo will introduce himself to a new generation of fans.

But who else will Cuomo work with in the future? Here are five collaborations that should happen in 2011.

Kiss
Cuomo, of course, has a metal past that is not so secret, and growing up in suburban Connecticut, he was obsessed with Kiss (this is all laid out on "In the Garage"). This should really be the year when Rivers teams up with Gene, Paul and whoever else is left among the Kiss ranks for a collaborative effort. The makeup alone should be worth it.

Susan Boyle
No, seriously. On paper, Boyle took a chance or two on her new album with covers of songs by Lou Reed and Leonard Cohen. Unfortunately, those were sort of bloodless and cold. Cuomo has great pop instincts and could provide Boyle with just enough garage rock energy to switch her game up just enough to make people raise their eyebrows again.

Drake
The most emo rapper int e world should definitely find himself in the same booth with the guy who helped bring emo to the mainstream back in the day. Drake and Cuomo also have similar crooning styles, which is why the two should do some killer harmonizing over a fantastically fuzzy backbeat.

Lady Gaga
Gaga is the very definition of a singularity, of course, but if there's one person who might be able to harness and work with her strange, exciting energy, it's Cuomo. Since many believe that Gaga is one or two rock riffs away from truly taking over the world, it seems like a perfect marriage.

Paul Westerberg
Just because it seems like this should have happened already. After all, shouldn't one of the godfathers of indie power-pop hook up with one of his disciples?

Who would you like to see Rivers Cuomo collaborate with in 2011? Let us know in the comments!

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Miranda Cosgrove, Steven Spielberg And The Flaming Lips: Three To See

Posted 4/29/10 1:00 pm EST by in Music


Every morning, MTV News delivers the top news stories in music, movies and pop culture hot and fresh for your reading and watching pleasure. We then bring together a trio of the biggest headlines for "Three to See," the daily digest of the top stories making noise on our site and across the Internet. This morning, stories on Miranda Cosgrove, the Flaming Lips and Steven Spielberg lead the way.

Flaming Lips' Steven Drozd Hospitalized
Steven Drozd, the multi-instrumentalist who is a key member of Oklahoma City psychedelic rock band the Flaming Lips, has been hospitalized with an undisclosed ailment. His hospital stay has forced the band to cancel their appearance at SunFest in West Palm Beach, Florida this weekend. The band's publicist said that Drozd is expected to make a full recovery.

Steven Spielberg Collaborating With J.J. Abrams
Legendary producer Steven Spielberg's next project will be a tag team with "Star Trek" director and "Lost" producer J.J. Abrams. The script, which is written by Abrams, is "a tip of the hat to [Spielberg's] movies of the '70s and early '80s," according to a source. Abrams will also direct, so it is unsure what Spielberg's role will be (though it will likely be in an executive producer capacity).

Miranda Cosgrove To Star In "How Can You Do This To Me?"
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Paramount Pictures is developing a film called "How Can You Do This To Me?" as a starring vehicle for "iCarly" lead Miranda Cosgrove. She would play a teen who tries to get her divorced parents back together. Cosgrove's debut album Sparks Fly is in stores now.

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Spotted: Kelly Osbourne Finds The Christmas Spirit

Posted 12/7/09 2:13 pm EST by in Music


Every day a multitude of stars wanders through the halls of MTV News to talk about their latest projects and goof around with our intrepid correspondents. But sometimes we catch stars elsewhere, and that's why we put together Spotted!, a daily compendium of stars in the wild.

She may have lost "Dancing with the Stars" (she was robbed!), Kelly Osbourne has kept her profile up in a much greater way than winner Donny Osmond or runner-up Mya. Osbourne seems to have fully recovered from her foot injury and used said foot to walk the red carpet at the Cracked Xmas Gala, which supports the Trevor Project, a suicide and crisis prevention hotline for gay youth. Osbourne shared the carpet with stars like "Survivor" host Jeff Probst and "How I Met Your Mother" star Jason Segal.

It's holiday party season, so Osbourne wasn't alone on the nation's red carpets. For example, Corbin Bleu and Miranda Cosgrove both received awards at Variety's "Power of Youth" event. Meanwhile, Paris Hilton and Doug Reinhardt did some holiday shopping in Van Nuys. Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted!" archive, which includes nearly 300 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Madonna, Adam Lambert, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, the Jonas Brothers, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Jessica Simpson and Alicia Keys!

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Miranda Cosgrove Invites Us To The 'iCarly' Awards

Posted 1/13/09 5:32 pm EST by in pop week


It's Pop Week here at MTV News, and that means we're catching up with and getting to know everyone who's going to make a splash in pop music and culture over the next 12 months. Whether they're just arriving on the scene or are already the name on everyone's lips, these are the artists we expect big things from in 2009.

Miranda Cosgove is not only one of our Female Pop Rookies of 2009, she's also a complete sweetheart. The actress/singer gave MTV News a chance to stop by the set of her hit Nickelodeon series "iCarly" to get a behind-the-scenes view of what it's like to work on a TV show about a Web show.

The day we stopped by, Miranda was working on the episode called "iCarly Awards." The bubbly star took us around and gave us a taste of what it's like to be her for a day. After she got her hair and makeup done, Miranda got in character for a scene in which Carly handed out the award for "best bottle-blowing" to a character named Jessica. Read More...

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Five Things You Didn't Know About Miranda Cosgrove

Posted 1/12/09 2:29 pm EST by in pop week


It's Pop Week here at MTV News, and that means we're catching up with and getting to know everyone who's going to make a splash in pop music and culture over the next 12 months. Whether they're just arriving on the scene or are already the name on everyone's lips, these are the artists we expect big things from in 2009. Are you ready?

Miranda Cosgrove plays iCarly every week on the popular Nickelodeon series — and now you can get to know the girl behind the character.

(For more on Miranda and other "it" girls, check out our Female Pop Rookies of 2009.)

When she's not hard at work on her show and music, she's learning how to drive. So what's her dream car? "I'm going to say a Prius. But, to be honest, I want a Range Rover, because all the 'High School Musical' girls have one. I think they're all pretty cool."

Besides fancy cars, what else is Miranda into? Read More...

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