Music News

Rita Ora has recorded a song with Ed Sheeran.
The 24-year-old singer revealed she headed into the studio with the 'Thinking Out Loud' hitmaker to create a song about how despite being "best friends," they have never got intimate with each other.
She said: "I did this incredibly beautiful song with Ed about our friendship; he's one of my best friends. It's amazing having a friend in this industry of the opposite sex that you haven't hooked up with. He's such a legend. I respect him in so many ways."
The 'I Will Never Let You Down' hitmaker - who released her debut album, 'Ora', in 2012 - didn't reveal whether the track will feature on her forthcoming second album, but recently premiered her new single, 'Poison'.
And while the as-yet untitled record has been delayed several times after her ex-boyfriend Calvin Harris pulled songs he had written for the star from the LP, Rita insisted her experiences have influenced the collection, which may shock people as she's been writing about "controversial things".
In an interview with entertainment website Noisey, she said: "The selective people that have written with me have seen that I'm writing about controversial things, but they understand that it's time. It's time for me to share it, to state the reason for why people think I'm famous."

Steve Aoki is being sued for reportedly breaking a fan's neck.
The 37-year-old DJ jumped 20 feet off a stage onto an inflatable lilo during a show at the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego in 2012, reportedly injuring the woman, Brittany Hickman, who was stood underneath the swimming pool toy.
Recalling the incident she said: "I was trapped underneath the pool raft because they threw it out right where I was standing.
"My friends told me he landed on top of the pool raft, hit me on top of the head and I got knocked over."
Following the incident, Brittany - who is suing the 'Boneless' hitmaker as well as the hotel - visited her doctor who confirmed she had broken her neck, with the injury preventing her from working for two months.
She told ABC 10 News: "If I would have thrown my arms above my head or reached for something, I could have paralysed myself."
The electro house star has since issued a statement insisting he feels "badly" about the injuries she sustained as he always wants his shows to be safe, but said he will not speak about the case until it goes to trial on 28 August 2015.
In the statement, released through his attorney Peter Doody, he said: "I would never want anyone to get hurt at any of my shows and feel badly that someone has, but at this time I have been advised by my attorneys to not speak about this as it's going to trial. Thank you for your understanding."

Rita Ora wants her forthcoming LP to be "timeless".
The 'Poison' singer admitted she felt like she was trying too hard to please everybody else on her debut LP 'Ora' and feels it's time to start making music for herself.
Speaking about making her new album, she revealed: "I wanted it to have a presence and a meaning. I asked myself, 'What can I do to make something timeless, something I still want to perform in 10 years?' You can't please everybody but you've got to start pleasing yourself, and I wasn't doing that with my debut."
This could have something to do with Rita relying on her record label Roc Nation - fronted by Jay Z - and being too young to understand the music business when she released her debut in 2012.
She said: "I don't think I was never in control. I relied on the advice of others because I was naïve, young, and completely in awe of Jay Z and the world. I was so happy to be signed to someone I loved. My label did no wrong, but they couldn't know what I wanted. Only I could figure that out."
The 24-year-old star - who has dated Calvin Harris, Ricky Hil and Rob Kardashian - also explained what has influenced her latest collection, teasing fans can expect to hear about her tumultuous love life in her heartfelt lyrics.
She told Noisey: "You're gonna see my gratitude and my appreciation on this album, you're gonna see me complaining about all my s***ty love stories, then you're gonna see me recalling all these memories in my life: the first time I kissed a person, my first boyfriend... It's a balance."

Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj lead the BET Awards nominations.
The 'Loyal' rapper and the 32-year-old star have each been shortlisted in six categories at the awards, with the pair going head-to-head for Best Collaboration and Video of the Year.
Meanwhile, Beyonce has achieved four nominations including for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, as well as Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice Award and Video of the Year for her '7/11' clip, while rapper Lil' Wayne is also up for four awards.
British acts including FKA twigs and Fuse ODG have been shortlisted in the Best International Act: UK category, which also features Lethal Bizzle, Stormzy, Little Simz and MNEK.
Speaking about the nomination, Lethal Bizzle said: "Feeling very proud to represent the UK for such a coveted award, just to be nominated is an honour."
MNEK added: "Really wasn't expecting to be nominated for a BET award! This is awesome and I'm very humbled!"
The ceremony - which is now in its 15 year - celebrates the achievements of African Americans and other minorities in music, entertainment and sport, and will air on 28 June.
However, '212' rapper Azealia Banks has been quick to criticise the awards, saying the Best Female Hip Hop Artist category is "a bit of a running joke", as Nicki Minaj has won the prize for the last five years running.
She wrote on Twitter: "I really hate getting nominated for @bet awards. They're so bogus. The female rap award goes to nicki every year, it's not even a real award anymore lol it's a bit of a running joke. (sic)"

The full list of BET Award nominations:

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist:
Beyoncé
Ciara
Janelle Monáe
Jhené Aiko
K. Michelle
Rihanna

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist:
August Alsina
Chris Brown
John Legend
The Weeknd
Trey Songz
Usher

Best Group:
A$Ap Mob
Jodeci
Migos
Rae Sremmurd
Rich Gang
Young Money

Best Collaboration:
August Alsina F/ Nicki Minaj - 'No Love' (Remix)
Big Sean F/ E-40 - 'Idfwu'
Chris Brown F/ Lil Wayne & Tyga - 'Loyal'
Chris Brown F/ Usher & Rick Ross - 'New Flame'
Common & John Legend - 'Glory' (From The Motion Picture "Selma")
Mark Ronson F/ Bruno Mars - 'Uptown Funk'

Best Male Hip Hop Artist:
Big Sean
Common
Drake
J. Cole
Kendrick Lamar
Wale

Best Female Hip Hop Artist:
Azealia Banks
Dej Loaf
Iggy Azalea
Nicki Minaj
Tink
Trina

Video of the Year:
Beyoncé - '7/11'
Big Sean F/ E-40 - 'Idfwu'
Chris Brown F/ Lil Wayne & Tyga - 'Loyal'
Chris Brown F/ Usher & Rick Ross - 'New Flame'
Common & John Legend - 'Glory' (From The Motion Picture "Selma")
Nicki Minaj - 'Anaconda'

Video Director of the Year:
Benny Boom

Beyonce Knowles and Nicki Minaj have released a new music video together on Tidal. Last night (18.05.15), the two superstars dropped the video for the 32-year-old rapper's song 'Feeling Myself' exclusively on Jay-Z's streaming service, and it includes...

Alesso received acting advice from Zac Efron for his 'Cool' music video.
The 23-year-old DJ plays a school student who seduces his teacher in the clip, and revealed he took tips from the '17 Again' actor in order to play the role convincingly.
He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "He said to really think about what you're doing, really believe that you're this character, that's the biggest key to being a good actor. I'm not saying I'm good, but he is!"
The 'Heroes' hitmaker - whose real name is Alessandro Lindblad - continued to explain the encounter came about because the 27-year-old hunk wanted some tips on how to mix music for his new film 'We Are Your Friends', which charts his character's rise to fame as a DJ.
He explained: "He actually gave me some advice on acting. He was telling me some small advice, because I was giving him some DJ advice and he gave me some acting advice.
"He's a great actor and the movie is going to be great. It's about him becoming a superstar DJ."
And although Zac has only learnt how to DJ in order to play the character, Alesso confessed the actor had a clear skill.
He added: "He was good actually already, he had a guy with him in tour, but I was giving him some small tips, it was fun."
Alesso's debut album 'Forever' is set for release 25 May on Virgin EMI/ Def Jam.

Lorde has split from her manager.
The 18-year-old singer and Scott Maclachlan are believed to have parted ways following a seven-year business relationship, although it is not clear what sparked the decision for the pair to stop working with each other.
According to The New Zealand Reporter, Lorde decided to end her partnership with Scott - who scooped the MMF Music Managers Award for international achievement last week for the second year running - just a few weeks ago, although her record label Universal have declined to release a statement on the split.
Speaking about the singer following his win, he said: "You always try and recognise something special in artists; that's why you get involved. Thereafter, it's down to strategy, hard work and luck."
Meanwhile, the 'Royals' hitmaker has kept quiet about the matter, but tweeted a cryptic message on Saturday (16.05.15), saying: "now, i go out alone, if i go out at all (sic)."
The 'Royals' hitmaker - who was nominated for two Billboard Music Awards at the ceremony in Las Vegas on Sunday (17.05.15) - is currently working on the follow-up to her 2013 debut album 'Pure Heroine', and recently revealed she was feeling "much calmer" about making her second record.
She wrote on Tumblr: "i feel much calmer, more comfortable in my love of doing this, and its apparent love of me, this time around (sic)."

Charli XCX wants to write for Justin Bieber.
The 'Boom Clap' hitmaker has penned songs for stars including Gwen Stefani and Iggy Azalea, but admitted the 21-year-old singer is at the top of her list for artists she wants to write for because she thinks he's "really, really great".
She said: "I like Justin Bieber as a pop star. I think he's really, really great. I really love the song 'Baby.' I think it's awesome.
"I would love to. I've never written for a boy before. I don't even know what I would say, but who knows?"
However, the 22-year-old star - who recently released her second studio album 'Sucker' - confessed she had a bit of a break from songwriting due to a creative block in April, but is now keen to get back into the studio to make music for herself and other acts before she embarks on a US tour with Jack Antonoff in July.
Speaking to Billboard at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas where she was attending the Billboard Music Awards, she said: "Last month I had a bit of a breakdown because I was feeling like I couldn't be creative enough so I've booked a load of studio time and I'm gonna be writing for myself, for my new project, and some other artists too. I can't say who. But yeah, there's songwriting going on right now."

Jay Z attacked critics of Tidal in a freestyle rap during an intimate gig in New York City.
The hip hop superstar held nothing back, taking lyrical swipes at Spotify, Apple - in particular Jimmy Iovine, who is relaunching Beats Music with the company - YouTube and even Pharrell Williams as he defended his new music streaming service during a performance for 3,000 fans at Terminal 5 on Saturday (16.05.15).
Before beginning his rap, Jay told the crowd: "So I'm the bad guy now I hear, because I don't go with the flow ... I'm never gonna go with the flow, I'm never gonna let nobody take over our music ... This Tidal thing is all about the music. We gonna preserve the music, we ain't gonna let nobody take our music. We ain't gonna let nobody offer our music up and do what the f**k they want to do."
He then launched into his blistering freestyle rap attack, spitting the lyrics: "I don't need no middle man to talk to my n-gas .... I don't take no cheques. I take my respect. Pharrell even told me go with the safest bet. Jimmy Iovine offered a safety net. Google dangled around a crazy cheque.
"I feel like YouTube is the biggest culprit. Them n-gas pay you a tenth of what you supposed to get. You know n-gas die for equal pay, right? You know when I work I ain't your slave, right? (sic)"
Addressing the accusations that Tidal is just for rich and established artists, Jay - who launched the service with a galaxy of stars including his wife Beyonce, Coldplay's Chris Martin, Rihanna and Madonna - had a verse for those detractors.
He rhymed: "You know I came into this game independent, right? Tidal, my own lane, same difference. Oh n-gas is sceptical as their own s**t You bought nine iPhones, and Steve Jobs is rich. Phil Knight worth trillions you still bought those kicks. Spotify is 9 million they ain't say s**t. (sic)"
He continued: "You got some explaining to do. The only one they hating on look the same as you. I know they trying to bamboozle you. Spending millions on media trying to confuse you. I had to talk to myself, Hov get used to it. It's politics as usual. (sic)"
Other than his freestyle Tidal rhyme, Jay treated fans to a selection of rare B-sides, a Roc-A-Fella reunion with Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel and he paid a tribute to late blues legend B.B. King who died last week.