Music News

Krept and Konan are the winners of MTV Brand New 2015.
The rapping duo topped the publicly voted annual poll and have promised to throw a party with free chicken to celebrate their win.
They said: "We won, so, everybody that voted can get free chicken, just follow us on Twitter, to find out exactly how ... just follow us to the chicken ... we're going to celebrate, have a party, free chicken.
"You think we're joking, but we're not joking, we'll have free chicken, waffles, doughnuts, everything. You are all invited to sit down and have dinner with us to celebrate MTV Brand New, the victory of Krept and Konan"
Consisting of Casyo 'Krept' Johnson, 24, and Karl 'Konan' Wilson, 25, Krept and Konan started making music in 2013 and have since signed a record deal with Virgin EMI and amassed over 100,000 followers on Twitter.
The prize - presented in association with Emporio Armani Diamonds - aims to shine a spotlight on the most promising musical acts of the year, with the MOBO Award winners beating off competition from nine other artists including James Bay, Becky Hill and Saint Raymond.
Previous recipients of the prestigious prize include Justin Bieber and Conor Maynard, with four-piece 'Wild Heart' hitmakers The Vamps picking up the title in 2014.

Madonna will perform at the BRIT Awards.
The iconic musician has confirmed she will take to the stage at the ceremony in London on February 25.
Posting an image on Instagram of the BRITs statue with black wire wrapped around its face to mimic her 'Rebel Heart' album cover, she wrote: "Hello to all my UK Rebel Hearts!!!! See you at the Brits on Feb 25th #BritsImMadonna #livingforlove #rebelheart (sic)."
The 'Hung Up' hitmaker previously performed at the celebration of musical talent 20 years ago when she sang her 1995 hit 'Bedtime Story'.
The performance will follow the 56-year-old singer's appearance at the Grammys on February 8, and precedes the official release of her 13th studio album, 'Rebel Heart', which will go on sale on March 9.
A source previously revealed: "Madonna wants to perform to the biggest number of people for the maximum impact and there's no better place for a controversy-filled Madonna performance than the Brits.
"Her album is due out on March 9, a month after the LA ceremony, so she wants another large platform to perform her songs on just before it is released."
Other acts set to perform at the ceremony at London's O2 Arena include Taylor Swift, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran and Paloma Faith.

Chic are to release a new album later this year.
The Disco group - fronted by legendary guitarist Nile Rodgers - have signed with Warner Bros. and agreed to release their first record in more than two decades in June, which Nile says is a "concept album".
Writing on Twitter, he said: "The new CHIC album is a concept album. The 1st two songs are the 1st (#LutherVandross) and the last songs ever recorded by original band. (sic)"
Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Cameron Strang said: "Nile has never stopped moving forward, so I am thrilled to welcome him into the WBR family as he begins a dynamic new chapter of his extraordinary career."
The record will act as a follow up to their 1992 album 'Chic-Ism', with their first single set to come out next month on March 20.
Warner Bros. has also signed a deal with Land of the Good Groove - the label that Rodgers formed with music executive Michael Ostin.
Referencing Madonna's 1984 album, which he co-produced with the singer, Nile said in a statement: "My relationship with Warner and Michael first started with 'Like A Virgin'.
"The album is double-diamond, just like our friendship is."
Rodgers recently returned to the spotlight producing songs and albums for artists including Daft Punk, Duran Duran, Avicii, Disclosure, Sam Smith and Rudimental while continuing to tour with his band.
Meanwhile, the 62-year-old star is set to receive the President's Merit Award at the upcoming 8th Annual Grammy Week celebration for Producers and Engineers later today (03.02.15) to mark his commitment to excellence and ongoing support for music following on from the induction of Chic's 'Le Freak' into the Grammy Hall of Fame last year.

Adele is working with Phil Collins.
The Genesis rocker was recruited to collaborate with the multi-million selling singer last year but believed he had been snubbed when Adele failed to get back in touch when he sent her his progress on a number of tracks.
However, a source revealed: "Over the past few months, Phil has been working on the tracks once again."
Although the 64-year-old musician said, "She's a slippery little fish is Adele," when she became impossible to contact last year, the 26-year-old star - who has two-year-old son Angelo with her partner Simon Konecki - explained she had put her album on hold to focus on her family.
A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "Adele put all her work on hold for a while, so it wasn't anything personal. It was just delayed.
"She did tell Phil that she was prioritising her personal life at that time, but now that she's back in work mode their track is happening once again."
The 'Skyfall' hitmaker, 26, is currently in Los Angeles where she is believed to be working on the record, and where she has been pictured dining with Harry Styles and hanging out with Lady Gaga.
Adele's highly anticipated follow-up to the bestselling 2011 album '21' has also seen her work with musical talent Ryan Tedder and rapper Wiz Khalifa.
Meanwhile, the superstar's producer, Paul Epworth, kept tight-lipped when recently questioned about the record which he said "will come when it's ready".

Ed Sheeran has teamed up with Rudimental.
The 'Waiting All Night' foursome - made up of DJ Locksmith, Piers Agget, Amir Amor and Kesi Dryden - have duetted with Ed on a new "sick" track for their upcoming album after spending time with the 23-year-old singer in a studio in LA last year, accompanied by rapper The Game and 'Burn' hitmaker, Ellie Goulding.
Locksmith said: "We were working in LA last year and he rocked up to our studio with The Game and Ellie Goulding.
"We made four tracks and revisited one this year to give it a Rudimental spin.
"We've known Ed for years. I remember when we first saw him getting noticed by everyone, he gave us one of his tracks to remix and he said it was one of the best remixes he'd ever had.
"We'd never recorded with him before, but we kept the connection and he's a massive name now. The song is so sick, so insane. We can't wait to show it to people."
The drum and bass group's second offering will also feature more collaborations with Ella Eyre and John Newman following on from the success of their duets on their debut album 'Home'.
The band also recently announced their own festival, 'Wild Life', alongside dance act Disclosure which is set to take place in Brighton on the June 6 and 7.
Locksmith - whose real name is Leon Role - told The Sun newspaper: "The album's in its finishing process. It should be out in April, just in time for the festivals. The plan is to debut the stuff. Ella Eyre and John Newman are back on this album too."

Mumford & Sons are to headline at this year's Reading and Leeds Festivals.
The British rock band - which previously appeared at the events in 2010 when it performed on the NME/BBC Radio 1 Stage - will take to the Main Stage alongside already announced act Metallica between August 28 and August 30, 2015.
Melvin Benn, festival boss, said: "I'm delighted to have secured Mumford & Sons for Main Stage headliners this summer."
The festivals will be Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall and Ted Dwane's first UK performance as a group in over two years following a brief hiatus.
Melvin added: "I can't wait to see them return to the festivals for their first UK performance in over two years. With today's announcement of a further eight great acts joining the bill, the Reading & Leeds line-up is already shaping up to be one of the best ever and I'm looking forward to revealing the third headliner and even more great artists soon."
Other acts set to grace the festivals this year include Bastille, Royal Blood, Rebel Sound ft. Chase & Status, Rage, David Rodigan and Shy FX, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Wolf Alice, Years & Years, Pretty Viscious and Hannah Wants.
Tickets for Reading and Leeds 2015 are on sale now.

Kasabian rocker Serge Pizzorno can't understand why Ed Sheeran is so popular, admitting he finds his success "scary".
The guitarist misses the music scene of the 1990s, which was dominated by Britpop and rock acts, and thinks the charts nowadays are "too pop" and "middle England".
Serge has cited acoustic songsmith Ed - who is up for several Grammy Awards and BRITs - as a prime example of what's wrong with modern pop.
Speaking in the new issue of Loaded magazine, he said: "I do miss the Britpop era. The loonies took over for a bit, which was great. It's so pop right now. Too pop. It was great with Blur and Oasis. Those days were so exciting to watch and I'm not sure if we're ever going to get that back. Ed Sheeran is killing it. It's middle England. We are so middle England, it's scary."
Despite enjoying a phenomenally successful 2014 - which included a headline set at the Glastonbury Festival - Kasabian have not been nominated for any prizes at the upcoming BRIT Awards.
Although they have been snubbed from the ceremony, singer Tom Meighan is hopeful the event will still open people's eyes to different genres of music.
He said: "What's good about the BRIT Awards is rock music - if you can call it that. It allows the music to reach out to people who usually watch 'The X Factor' or some s**t. It's about turning them on to alternative music which can only be a good thing."
The 250th celebratory issue of Loaded - which has Kasabian on the cover - is available to buy in both print and digital formats now.

Steve Forrest has left Placebo.
The drummer - who joined the 'Pure Morning' group in 2008 - has "amicably" departed the band to focus on his own music, and singer Brian Molko and bassist Stefan Oldsal will now be joined on the road by former Colour of Fire drummer Matt Lunn.
A group statement said: "The split is very amicable and Steve was keen to pursue his own musical ambitions, and has been writing and recording his own material over the last few years.
"Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal would like to thank Steve for all his work with the band and wish him all the very best in his future career."
Fans will get their first glimpse of Matt when the group embark on their huge UK and Ireland tour later this month, on which they will be supported by The Mirror Trap.
The 20-date tour begins at the Olympia in Dublin on 25 February and ends with two nights at London's Hammersmith Apollo on 24 and 25 March.
Some fans may already be familiar with the new touring drummer as his former group previously supported Placebo when they toured in 2004.
Matt is the band's fourth drummer, with original sticksman Robert Schultzberg replaced by Steve Hewitt in 1996.
Steve left in 2007 due to "personal and musical differences".

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has backed Pharrell's Live Earth campaign.
The 'Happy' hitmaker recently announced a series of seven concerts to all take place on June 18 2015 to gather public support for action against climate change, with the 70-year-old leader pledging his support to what has been dubbed "the largest global campaign in history" in the lead up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris this December.
In a message targeted at world leaders, he declared: "The year 2015 must be a time for global action, unsustainable development and climate change. In Paris this December, all governments must come to a meaningful, universal agreement on climate''.
The series of performances - which have been collectively named Live Earth 'Road to Paris' - will be broadcast worldwide through international television networks, and are also being supported by campaigner Kevin Wall and former vice president and climate change activist Al Gore.
Ban Ki-Moon continued: "We must join hands to mobilise finance, global markets and encourage bold action from world leaders. Live Earth 'Road to Paris' will bring us together, and amplify our voices.
"It will help us cease the opportunity of a low carbon future. We all have a role to play in building a more peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world for ourselves and for our children."
More than 100 artists have been promised to perform, in New York, Paris, Beijing, South Africa, Brazil and Antarctica, although no acts have yet been announced.
The global event follows the 2007 Live Earth concerts which featured more than 150 musical acts in 11 locations, including Madonna, Foo Fighters, Metallica, The Black Eyed Peas and Shakira.