Music News

Lorde says Kanye West is like her "school principal".
The 'Royals' hitmaker has admitted she looks up to the 37-year-old rapper like a school teacher who has taught her everything she knows about pop music.
She told The Guardian: "(He's) like my school principal, if the school is pop."
The 17-year-old singer has also revealed that Kanye inspired her to have confidence in herself and doesn't care that people think she is arrogant.
She explained: "I like making grand statements. The name Lorde is quite grand and a little bit arrogant. I like that, I like the intensity of it.
"I don't mind. I'm a really big fan of Kanye West. He's confident and I like that."
Meanwhile, the Grammy Award-winner - who shot to fame after releasing her debut album 'Pure Heroine' in 2013 - has revealed her follow-up album will have a "different vibe".
She previously told the BBC: "I think I've learned so much as a songwriter, there's going to be so much of an improvement because of that. I'm working on stuff quite tentatively, it's definitely still at the beginning and yeah, it's totally different."
She added: "I wrote the last album about that world which was the suburb where I grew up and populated by my friends and people who were really familiar to me. Now I'm in a different place every day and I'm with new people every day and it's a different vibe."

Jess Glynne doesn't think urban music should be "about race".
The 'Right Here' singer has defended Ed Sheeran against backlash after he topped BBC Radio 1Xtra's Power List - which celebrates "the most important U.K. artists on the current black and urban music scene" - and doesn't think the urban genre should be about the colour of one's skin.
She exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "To be honest with you, it's a genre of music, it's not about race. He's got f***ing good songs and he's a wicked artist. That's what he loves and that's what he does.
"If you're going to call it 'black music', you can't just make it one race. I think it's ridiculous.
"At the end of the day, soul and groove - yeah, OK, great, black music. But at the same time, white people, Asian people - anyone can [sing].
"I don't see the issue, if you love a type of music and you're good at it, why not be voted at the top of that?"
The 24-year-old singer surprised chicken lovers as she performed on top of Nando's food truck, the Cock O Van, at Lovebox festival in London's Victoria Park yesterday (19.07.14).
Jess sang her recently released solo single 'Right Here' and thrilled the crowd with her number one hit with Clean Bandit, 'Rather Be'.
Having topped the UK singles charts on two occasions - including a collaboration with Route 94 titled 'My Love' - the flame-haired singer admitted she has now set her "goals high" for her solo career.
Speaking after her performance, she explained: "I don't think it puts pressure on me, but it sets my goals very high. I don't ever like to make myself feel pressured but I put pressure on myself to do well - I think you have to."
Jess also revealed that her debut album will follow a more urban musical style and won't be as dance-centric as her songs with Route 94 and Clean Bandit.
She added: "The album's sounding really cool. I don't think people are expecting what they're going to be getting. I'm a very soul, R&B, hip-hop influenced girl. I love my pop as well, but my album's going to be inspired by what I love. It's definitely not going to be a dance or a house album."
Other performances atop the Cock O Van came from Bipolar Sunshine and Soul II Soul's Jazzie B.
The stars also enjoyed tasty PERi-PERi chicken from the Nando's food truck, including the chain's signature flame-grilled chicken wings and burgers.

M.I.A's performance at Lovebox was hit by a power cut.
The 'Paper Planes' singer - who was headlining the festival, held in London's Victoria Park, last night (19.06.14) - was forced to cut down her set after an audience member dislodged a power cable with their foot.
The incident - which happened just after the 39-year-old singer invited fans to join her on the stage - caused the screens at the side of the stage to go black and the sound to cut-out shortly afterwards.
Following a great deal of booing from the crowd, M.I.A - whose real name is Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam - left the stage while organisers fixed the issue before returning to play three more tracks including her hits 'Paper Planes' and 'Bad Girls, closing her show after an hour instead of the planned 90 minutes.
M.I.A had faced further difficulties earlier on in the set when she appeared noticeably frustrated by sound levels and repeated, "Turn my mic up", during her performance of 'Sunshowers' and 'Bring The Noize'.
It is thought that the 'Galang' hitmaker - who also asked for her bass to be turned up - was struggling to hear through her ear piece.
Meanwhile, the london-born star seemed very happy to be headlining the stage in her hometown after coming to the end of her tour for her new album 'Matangi'.
She shouted,'Big up London town' and demanded more noise from the festival's revellers.
Other headliners at the festival included rapper NAS, dance act Chase & Status and DJ Annie Mac.

No Devotion will "definitely never" play Lostprophets songs.
The Welsh group disbanded after frontman Ian Watkins was jailed for 35 years for child sex offences in December, but the remaining members - Lee Gaze, Stuart Richardson, Mike Lewis and Jamie Oliver - now formed a new band with ex-Thursday singer Geoff Rickley, but won't be paying homage to their previous work when they go on the road.
Guitarist Lee said: "It's always at the back of your mind, it's a raw nerve. We have every right to carry on writing music, but you do think about how people will take it.
"We'd definitely never play the songs again. We can take some good stuff from it and some bad stuff and just bury it in a box at this point, but I don't think we'd ever revisit anything."
Lee admits he has no "regrets" about the end of his former band, except for the circumstances, but he does feel embarrassed when asked about his musical background.
He added to NME magazine: "We did Lostprophets for a long time. I flirted with loving it and hating it for many years for different reasons.
"So in the bluntest way possible, I don't have any regrets about the band being finished; I obviously just wish it wasn't in the circumstances that it was.
"You can't ever mention it to anyone, you know? We were really proud of it, whether people liked us or not, we came from the f***ing middle of nowhere.
"Now, when people ask what bands I've played with, my answer is just, 'Eurgh'. It's an awkward position to be in."

Kodaline don't think "perfect" gigs exist.
The 'Love Like This' group don't have a specific "formula" for a successful show because they know every venue and audience is different.
Frontman Steve Garrigan told BANG Showbiz: "I don't think there are set key ingredients that act as a recipe for a perfect gig.
"Obviously the crowd and their reaction are very important but we treat each gig very differently and wouldn't apply one formula to make all successful.
"Plus there isn't such a thing as a perfect gig. You always make mistakes and the key to a successful gig is turning the mistakes into great, enjoyable music."
Steve also revealed the group have been working on the follow-up to last year's debut album 'In a Perfect World', but fans will have to wait until early 2015 to hear any new songs.
He said: "We've actually already started to work on our second album. When we haven't been touring we've been in the studio and are about half-way through so far so hope to finish it by the end of the year. That way we will be ready to share some new music with our fans early next year."
Kodaline were part of the stellar line-up for this year's Summer Series at Somerset House with American Express(r), just one example of the enriched entertainment experiences available to Cardmembers. For more insider information from some of the UK's most sought after events visit youtube.com/AmericanExpressUK.

Ice T doesn't want to make hip-hop music any more.
The 56-year-old musician is releasing a new rock album with his thrash metal band Body Count and says this is the kind of music he prefers now as hip hop has lost its way.
He said: "Hip-hop's gone in a different direction - it's club music, no content, just, 'I got money, cars, girls'.
"Underground hip-hop's still prolific, but the stuff on the radio sucks.
"Ice T has always been about hardcore, aggressive music. With Body Count, it's art, it's over the top, it's hypersexual.
"I roll with the people who get it. The people who don't, I throw them a Barry Manilow album."
And Ice also mocked hip-hop fans who "act tough" but have no idea what it is really like in the worlds they enjoy hearing about.
Discussing his track 'Wanna Be A Gangsta', he told NME magazine: [It's critical of] suburban kids listening to rap and acting tough behind their keyboards.
"If they touch down on those streets, they're gonna get their ass sewn up."

Harry Styles was among the stars at Warner Music Group's big summer party last night (17.07.14).
The 20-year-old heartthrob took a break from One Direction's sell-out 'Where We Are' stadium world tour to sip cocktails at the lavish party, held in association with British GQ magazine, at Shoreditch House in trendy east London.
Harry and other A-list guests enjoyed music-themed cocktails including the Parlophone Punch, Atlantic Breeze and Warner Spritz.
Other stars who attended the lavish bash included former Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts, who wore a striking halter-neck red dress, Conor Maynard, Rudimental and Amber Le Bon.
Harry was recently praised for his songwriting skills by US songbird Ariana Grande, for whom he penned a track called 'A Little Bit of Your Heart'.
She said: "I was at the studio one day and he was there, and literally, [songwriters] Johan [Carlsson] and Savan [Kotecha] were like, 'Hey, do you want to write something for Ariana?' And he was like, 'Sure, mate.' And he just did.
"It's a beautiful song. He's an amazing writer. It's really beautiful. He's amazingly talented."

Nicole Scherzinger says Beyonce is "a great hugger".
The former Pussycat Doll has praised her fellow singer, describing the 'Drunk in Love' hitmaker as an inspiration and revealing she "gives good" cuddles.
She said: "She's no stranger, we all know her, we all love her. I'm inspired by her in every way as a singer, as a performer, as a woman, very empowering.
"And she's a great hugger as well, gives good hugs."
Meanwhile Nicole also paid tribute to 'Purple Rain' star Prince and called her friend a "great mentor" as she explained what the pop icon means to her.
She added: "He is one of my favourite artists ever, I think most of the world can agree. And he's one of my favourite humans. A very good friend of mine.
"I've learnt so much from him, a great mentor, and I'm just inspired by every single one of his shows.
"I think I saw his last show recently here in London at Electric Ballroom. Probably the greatest performer I've ever seen."
Prince isn't her only idol from the past, though, as she described Janet Jackson's song 'Love Will Never Do (Without You)' as a direct inspiration for her own track 'Your Love'.
She explained: "This woman, although this song is a bit of a throwback, this song and video actually inspired my newest video and single 'Your Love'.
"This video I believe is the first video that Herb Ritts actually directed. It's a beautiful, classic video. It's timeless, and it just made me fall in love with Janet Jackson all over again."
Nicole Scherzinger was speaking to music streaming service blinkbox music.
For more information on the service please visit blinkboxmusic.com.

Sir Paul McCartney says he'll retire when he "feels like it".
The 'Hey Jude' singer has had an iconic career, but he insisted he is constantly learning new skills, which means he has no plans to call it quits just yet.
The rocker has recalled an early show when The Beatles were still known as the Quarrymen, and he messed up his big moment as he stepped forward to take on lead guitar duties.
He told Rolling Stone magazine: "I don't even think we were The Beatles, it was the Quarrymen ... and I had a lead solo in one of the songs and I totally froze when my moment came.
"I really played the crappiest solo ever. I said, 'That's it. I'm never going to play lead guitar again'. It was just too nerve-wracking onstage.
"So for years, I just became rhythm guitar and bass player and played a bit of piano, do a bit of this, that and the other. But nowadays, I play lead guitar, and that's the thing that draws me forward. I enjoy it. So, yeah, that means the answer to 'Are you going to retire?' is 'When I feel like it'. But that's not today."
Paul, 72, admitted he was once told by a manager he should retire when he was 50, but he quickly dismissed the idea - and has now claimed The Rolling Stones prove why he can keep going.
He added: "I thought about it for a second and thought, 'Nah'. When will you give up? When will it give out? Who knows? But the margin has been stretched these days.
"The Stones go out now, and I go to their show and I think, 'It doesn't matter that they're old gits. They can play great'. And I talk to young kids who say exactly the same thing: 'They play good.' "