Music News

Kendrick Lamar stole the show at New Look Wireless day two.
The 28-year-old rapper took to the stage at the Finsbury Park festival yesterday (04.07.15) with a crowd-pleasing set featuring fan favourites 'Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe', 'Swimming Pools' and 'Poetic Justice'.
In his first performance since the release of his critically acclaimed album 'To Pimp A Butterfly', the 50,000 strong crowd chanted "King Kendrick" as the California-born hip hop star bounded around the stage.
Following the rapper's high energy set, Swedish DJ Avicii kept the crowd in high spirits as he hit the stage and performed his set on top of a colour-changing cube.
The 25-year-old star played a number of tracks from his 2013 album 'True', including 'Levels' and 'Wake Me Up' before rounding off his performance as fireworks and party streamers were let off from the stage.
Earlier in the day, Mary J Blige kept the revellers entertained as she belted out her hits 'Love Is All We Need', 'Real Love' and 'Family Affair' in an eye-catching red cut-out jumpsuit.
The 44-year-old singer - who also performed songs from her new album 'The London Sessions' - was followed by Gorgon City and a shirtless Childish Gambino, who kicked off his set with 'Crawl' before jumping off stage to mingle with his fans in the front row.

Ronnie Vannucci Jr. thinks he is the "weakest link" in Big Talk.
The 36-year-old rocker has hailed the musicians who form his side-project - including Tenacious D guitarist John Konesky and bassist John Spiker and Bad Religion drummer Brooks Wackerman -"geniuses", and he hopes he can get better through their talent.
He said: "I'd sling a guitar over and yell into a mic.
"I'm a slow adult bringing ideas to geniuses.
"Through osmosis I'm becoming a better guitarist and hopefully a better singer. That would do the whole world a favour."
The group's new album is titled 'Straight In No Kissin'', a phrase Ronnie heard while The Killers were performing in Dublin and he was determined to use even though he didn't really know what it meant.
Speaking of the title - which he initially suggested for The Killers' 'Battle Born' album - he said: "I don't know if it means 'we didn't get a parking space' or 'the date went well' but it'as a f***in grad title for a rocker."
Ronnie penned the record in 2013 while on the road with The Killers.
He explained to NME magazine: "I didn't have time to get drunk at night, so I wrote on a guitar while I was jetlagged."

Cara Delevingne has been making music with her girlfriend.
The model-turned-actress - who is dating St. Vincent, aka Annie Clark - is keen to establish her acting career before officially branching out into music, but has been working hard in the recording studio behind the scenes.
A source said: "Cara's recorded music with Pharrell Williams and she's working and writing with her girlfriend Annie.
"Once Cara finds success in her acting career, she'll be ready to share her songs with the world."
The 22-year-old beauty recently spoke publicly about her relationship for the first time, and friends say she wants everyone to know what a "positive" effect Annie has on her.
The source said: "Cara has been with guys and girls and could have chosen to hide this side of herself.
"But she can't live a lie, especially when Annie has made her so happy.
"Cara wants the world to know about her relationship and the positive effect it's having on her life."
And friends think her decision to take a step back from modelling can only be a good thing.
The source told LOOK magazine: "The lifestyle of excess that came with modelling was dangerous for Cara. Even Kate Moss told her to take some time off or she'd lose the plot.
"She actually got sidetracked into modelling. Cara was acting before she became a model so she's just reverting back to what she really wants to do."

Tom Parker was "shocked" when Max George revealed The Wanted had split.
The group were blindsided when the singer gave an interview in the US admitting they were going their separate ways as they were all in the dark that the decision had been taken.
Tom said: "It was a shock. None of the rest of us had a clue.
"At the time it was difficult. There can be tension but we're lads. There'll be a lot of shouting, then it's over and done with."
However, the 25-year-old star admits the time was right to call it a day.
He added: "Deep down I think I knew we'd come to our sell-by date. For every manufactured boy band, there's a shelf life. We were supposed to rival 1D but no one could touch them."
And the 'Walks Like Rihanna' hitmaker is thankful they split when they did as it has meant they have all remained friends.
He said: "We'll get together for shows and having time away has been good for us all.
"I'm glad we'll still get together - we're like brothers."
Tom does miss life in The Wanted, but also admitted he was "burnt out" by the end.
He told Britain's HELLO! magazine: "My whole life has completely changed. I have to admit I do really miss being in the band, I miss touring and performing.
"But it did get completely crazy, particularly towards the end.
"I was totally burnt out. We'd go from England to LA, LA to Australia, then back to LA in the matter of a week."

Kanye West takes "no pleasure" in award ceremonies.
The 'All Day' rapper hates events which honour musicians, despite the fact he has picked up multiple awards during his career, describing them as "diminishing returns".
He said: "Absolutely no pleasure in that side of it at all! At a certain point it's diminishing returns."
The 38-year-old star went on to admit he was "very upset" when Beck won the Best Album accolade at the Grammy Awards earlier this year as he believes Beyonce deserved the prize.
Speaking about the incident in February, he said: "Because of the blatant injustice and behind-the-scenes bulls**t that constantly happens I was very upset."
Kanye - who is set to become a dad for a second time later this year when his wife Kim Kardashian West gives birth - continued to criticise annual events such as the Grammys for trivialising the careers of hard-working artists by turning the music industry into a "game".
He ranted to Q! magazine: "It's not a game! Our careers and professions are not to be taken lightly. This is very serious, what we do, and we will be respected for it. I got the right to be upset about it."

Drake is planning to headline New Look Wireless again next year.
The 'Hold On, We're Going Home' hitmaker was top of the bill at last night's (03.07.15) festival and is hoping he can make a return to Finsbury Park, London again next year.
Speaking to the crowd of revellers, he said: "This is one of my most favourite nights ever. I just want to have so much fun.
"We're about to go ape s**t in this motherf***er. I'm gonna come back next year and do this all over again."
During the 28-year-old rapper's set, 'That's Not Me' hitmaker Skepta made an appearance, performing 'Shutdown'.
Earlier in the evening, fans were treated to a great set from Diplo, who also surprised the excited crowd when Major Lazer joined him on stage.
Other highlights of the night's entertainment was A$AP Rocky's set. The 'Electric Body' rapper, dressed head to toe in Adidas, performed a number of his hits in front of an American flag backdrop, ensuring the crowd was riled up for headliner Drake to take to the stage.
An impressive fireworks display after the 'Started From The Bottom' hitmaker's set made sure the second night of New Look Wireless Festival came to a memorable end.

Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson says beating cancer has been a "life enhancing" experience.
The 56-year-old rocker believes being given the all-clear of the disease in May following several weeks of chemotherapy has given him a new lease of life.
Speaking to BANG Showbiz at the O2 Silver Clef Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, he said: "Once I got through it, I just wanted to get on with life, and stop wasting time. I now have less time for people who waste my time. It's not that I'm impatient, I just think now that there are more important things to do than waste my time on people who are just wasting my time, there are more important things really. That's it really, not a great deal has changed. I didn't have any great religious experience as a result of it."
While the 'Run to the Hills' singer insisted the health scare didn't provoke a "religious experience," he admitted he is now a changed man as a result of the illness and wants to make the most of the time he has left.
He explained: "The one thing about coming back from something (an illness) where someone sits you down and tells you that you've got a 60/40 chance or survival, they didn't say that, they actually said your chances are quite good. So I went and Googled what my chances were and they were 60/40. Then when the results of the biopsy came back the chances were 80/20, I thought, 'Well that's even better.' So I thought I'd crack on and get on with it as there's only two possible outcomes, there's no point winging about it that's what it is.
"The one thing I'd like to say is that the treatment I got was astonishing, the nurses and the doctors (in the UK) were unbelievable."

ASAP Rocky has admitted his comments about Rita Ora were "tasteless".
The 26-year-old hip hop star has conceded rapping about the singer giving him oral sex on his recent song 'Better Things' was a bad idea, but doesn't understand why anyone cares about either of their love lives.
He said: "The Rita thing was tasteless of me.
"[But] I've got to stand by it, because I did it. I said it.
"Who gives a f**k about who I'm f**king? Nobody really cares. It's fun to hear, but who really gives a f**k about who Rita Ora's f**king?"
Despite his comments, ASAP - whose real name is Rakim Mayers - insisted he is "more humble" than when he first kicked off his music career.
He explained: "Coming in I was so braggodocious: gold, b***hes, all that other s**t. Not a lot has changed.
"I'm just a little more humble. I'm here to stand out, I'm not here to s**t on people no more."
The 'Multiply' hitmaker revealed he is hoping to put the incident behind him though, and is already looking at the next thing he can do after recently releasing his second studio album 'At. Long. Last. A$AP', admitting he is eyeing up the idea of making himself a big name on Broadway.
Speaking to The Guardian newspaper about what he hopes to do next, he considered: "Maybe Broadway; get my theatrical experience in. Or I want to develop my own show, on the internet and TV. "I just want to bring back actual culture to hip-hop."

Rita Ora didn't have time to shower before arriving at the O2 Silver Clef Awards.
The 24-year-old star jetted into London from Los Angeles for the ceremony at London's Grosvenor House Hotel and interrupted the pre-ceremony lunch to accept the Best Female accolade before dashing off to Paris.
She said: "I don't actually know what time it is.
"I had a 40 minute delay on the plane.
"I literally haven't even showered. I'll have a shower afterwards on the plane."
Meanwhile Kasabian thanked Primal Scream during their acceptance speech at the 40th edition of the annual ceremony.
Accepting the Royal Albert Hall Best Band prize, guitarist Serge Pizzorno said: "I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Primal scream for the influence they've had on our career ... I remember years ago Tom (Meighan) came to pick me up and he had this album playing called 'XTRMNTR' - and we went to band practise and we decided we had to start again."
The 34-year-old rocker continued to say the 2000 LP encouraged them to keep the album format alive as he believes they would all be working in supermarkets if it wasn't for the collection.
He added: "That's why it's important to keep the album alive, because an album can change your life. Maybe if we hadn't heard that album we could have been winning the award for best trolley pushers."
Primal Scream - fronted by Bobby Gillespie - were also present at the ceremony, which is raising money for music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins, where they picked up the Investec Icon Award, recognising their contribution to shaping the 1990s indie pop scene.
Other winners at the event included Duran Duran who won the Lifetime Achievement prize, Mark Ronson who received the American Express innovation award, James Bay who picked up the Jack Daniels' best newcomer, Jake Bugg who was named AEG Live best male, and Iron Maiden who were presented with the O2 Silver Clef award.