Music News

George Michael doesn't "understand" why he has had to edit his new single.
The 50-year-old singer has digitally-removed the audience noises from his latest track 'Let Her Down Easy' - which was recorded during his 'Symphonica' world tour of 2011-12 - because of rules that would have prevented it from being played on radio, but he is unsure why the move was necessary.
He tweeted: "Good Morning campers! Just out of intrest, Let her down easy is indeed a live vocal, but radio these days wont any live or live sounding...
"sorry i meant radio wont PLAY any live or live sounding tracks on the radio on their playlists anyore, so we had to go in and ...
"get rid of all audience sounds off the track..I know i dont understand it either (sic)"
George previously went to number one with two live duets, in 1991 with Sir Elton John on 'Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me' and two years later with Queen on 'Somebody To Love', and he is grateful the rules didn't apply when he released those songs as they would never have been so successful.
He added: "all i can thank god for is that it's a recent development because id have lost on two number one's, with Elton and queen! Anyway, just thought you'd like to have that cleared up (sic)"
George's latest record, also named 'Symphonica', will be released on March 17.

Laura Mvula is an honest songwriter.
The 'Green Garden' singer led a BRIT Master Class at the British Music Experience at London's The O2 last Thursday (13.02.14) where she advised local music students, members of the BRIT School, youth groups and music enthusiasts to always be as true to themselves when composing tracks.
She said: "I think the main ingredient of good songwriting is honesty."
The star - who is nominated for both Best Female and British Breakthrough Act at this year's BRIT Awards - talked about her beginnings in the music industry, and how scary it was when she finished studies at the Birmingham Conservatoire with a degree in composition and had to get a job as a supply teacher.
She said: "I was privileged to have the experience of simply focusing on music when I was at The Conservatoire. When I left I was really scared. I had been in this amazing music bubble. Everyone loved each other, but at the same time were competing with each other - so it was this amazingly creative environment. When I left I was faced with the challenge of finding 'a real job.'
"It was a difficult year - I didn't even know what a manager or a producer did!"
Laura, 27, wrote songs on her computer before releasing her first EP 'She' in November 2012 and her debut album 'Sing to the Moon' last year, which was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize 2013.
Previous stars to share their knowledge at BRITs music masterclasses include Emeli Sandé, Rudimental, Imogen Heap, Bashy and Kate Nash.
The BRIT Awards 2014 will be held at The O2 on February 19 and will be broadcast live on ITV.

The Black Eyed Peas could soon reform for a world tour.
The 'I Gotta Feeling' hitmakers - will.i.am, Fergie, apl.de.ap and Taboo - are set to record their first studio album since 2010 before heading out on the road.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "The Black Eyed Peas are all in agreement that they should put a new tour on for the fans - it's not like they properly split when they parted for a hiatus in 2012.
"This time around they're going to head back into the studio and lay down a new album quickly and then hit the road once again."
Will.i.am, 38, is said to have been "instrumental" in persuading members to get back together, but he's finding it tough to get Fergie on board because she is demanding more for the reunion.
The 38-year-old singer has been spending time with her husband Josh Duhamel and their six-month-old son, Axl, and isn't as keen to tour again.
The source said: "Fergie's been stalling and wants to hold out for as much money as she can guarantee.
"She's got a baby now and needs it to be a very worthy amount to make her take her baby on the road.
"Will knows without Fergie there isn't really a BEP tour so they're willing to pay her more to keep her happy if that's what it takes.
"He just wants to celebrate the career they had and show people they still have what it takes to top the charts with the new music."

Amy Winehouse's earnings have quadrupled since the singer's death.
The 'Black to Black' hitmaker, who died aged 27 of alcohol poisoning at her home in north London in July 2011, has made more cash since her death than she did when she was alive.
New accounts show her Cherry Westfield company, which is managed by her parents Mitch Winehouse and Janis Seaton, made profits of £1.06 million for the 16 months to April 2013, according to The Sun newspaper.
It was a rise from £257,353 recorded from November 2010 until November 2011.
More than 1.7 million copies of 'Back to Black' - the star's critically-acclaimed second album - have been sold since Amy died. It follows similar situations after the deaths of legends Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson.
The latest figures show the star's company had to pay out nearly £1.4 million but has assets of £2.4 million - including £2.1 million in cash.
Meanwhile, Amy's dad recently said he has forgiven her ex-husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, who gave the late star her first hit of heroin.
Mitch, 61, is urging him to help others by speaking out about their addiction as he continues to dedicate his time to the Amy Winehouse Foundation.
He said: "Blake is the kind of person who we send into schools to talk to kids about the dangers of drugs. He has a story to tell and he could help many hundreds of young people through his story."

Madonna wants to collaborate with Drake.
The 55-year-old singer has confirmed she's started working on her new album, the follow-up to her 2012 'MDNA' soundtrack, and she'd love to have the rapper collaborate with her on one of the songs.
When asked if she's planning a new album, she said: "Yes, plans are in the works already. Don't ask me with who - it's a secret. Top secret."
When asked if she has plans to work with Drake, she told the Canadian Press: "If he'll have me!"
Meanwhile, the 'Hung Up' hitmaker previously said she wanted to get in touch with Daft Punk because she wanted the electronic duo to help produce some of her tracks.
She said last year: "I would love to work with Daft Punk. Just waiting for them to return my call."
However, it appears Daft Punk told Pharrell Williams - who has worked with Madonna in the past - two years ago that they were also interested in collaborating with the energetic star.
Pharrell said: "We were at a party for Madonna's last album and I was like [to Daft Punk], 'You guys should have produced this! Why did that not happen? Madonna and the robots would have been unbelievable!' They were like, 'We're working on something'."

Laura Mvula doesn't think she's a good pop star.
The 27-year-old singer-songwriter narrowly missed out on winning a Mercury prize last year after James Blake claimed the honour and she's now in the running to receive a best British Breakthrough Act prize at the upcoming BRIT Awards, but she admits she's not very confident when it comes to her talent.
She told the Independent on Sunday's The New Review: "I'm still very shy, and very private. Being a pop star is something I don't think I'm very good at. I'm worried it's making me too paranoid, because all of a sudden, life has become this constant assessment.
"When you put something out there and people get to hear it, then those people react to it, socially, culturally."
The 'Green Garden' hitmaker - who only eighteen months ago was still working as a receptionist at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra - has also found it hard to adjust to her fame and doesn't like being the focus of people's attention.
She explained: "Nowadays, whenever I sit down with someone, or I see someone I haven't seen for a long time, or even if I'm in the toilet in a restaurant, people want to stop and talk about me.
"They tell me either that they love my stuff, or quite possibly - and this has happened, at least once - that they don't. They want to know about my hairstyle, or what I'm wearing, who I'm wearing."

One Direction have developed people skills since becoming famous pop stars.
The 'Little Things' hitmakers - consisting of Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson - are currently the biggest boy band in the world and they think their confidence has soared since they took part in 'The X Factor' in 2010.
Liam, 20 said: "I think for me - and for you, Zayn - we weren't that confident and because you have to talk to so many people it gives you so many more people skills. When I used to go to family parties as a kid I couldn't hold a conversation. Even with my own uncle. So it's nice that I've now got those skills."
Zayn, 21, added: "It's really built our confidence and our social skills. We do find it a bit easier to carry ourselves and speak to people - it's cool."
However, Niall and Harry, both 20, have joked that it's all "downhill" for them now because they've reached their twenties and have started coming into their own.
Niall said: "Like getting on stage - last year alone we did over 100 shows. So that helps with confidence. But I think we've all become our own people now because we're at that age where we're all turning 20 and we are who we are now, I guess."
Harry added to We Love Pop magazine: "We're over the hill, he's trying to say. It's all downhill from here!"

Jennifer Lopez is a workaholic.
The 'On The Floor' star - who has five-year-old twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony - is always working on new projects and ideas and though her work ethic is admirable, it makes some people around her uncomfortable.
A source said: "Jennifer is constantly working, 24 hours a day. She makes phone calls at all hours of the night. She'll have an idea and work non-stop until it happens. That kind of work ethic is why she's had success, but it's hard for people to deal with."
The source adds that the 44-year-old singer - who has returned as a judge on 'American Idol' this year - is worried if she has a break she will lose her status and profile.
The insider added to America's OK! magazine: "She's afraid that if she takes time off it will all be over. She actually took a break when she was with Marc Anthony and had the kids. Her career kind of stalled. She freaked out. She got everything back up and running because she was afraid. She feels that if she's not on top of everything it will go away."

Miley Cyrus appeared through a replica of her own mouth to open her Bangerz Tour in Canada last night (14.02.14).
The 'We Can't Stop' star entered through an opening in a picture of her face and slid down a huge pink tongue extending to the stage on the opening night of the tour in Vancouver.
The controversial singer showed off plenty of sexy dance moves including Twerking - the butt shaking dance she popularised last year - up against a giant blue teddy bear, rubbing her crotch, riding a hot dog and sucking on a foam finger.
The 'Party in the USA' hitmaker opened the show in a red studded two-piece, before changing into a leotard printed with marijuana leaves and wearing a golden cannabis leaf around her neck, which she paired with white cowboy boots.
She admitted her nerves before the performance, tweeting: "I don't know if it's Valentines Day or #BangerzTour but I'm most definitely having a panic attack."
However, she showed no signs of losing confidence as she sang tracks from her 'Bangerz' album including 'Love Money Party', '4X4', 'FU' and 'Adore You', surrounded by dancers dressed in many outrageous costumes including as the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore and former president of the US, Bill Clinton.
Despite giving such a visual performance, Miley has previously claimed it is all about her songs.
She said: "It is fun for people to walk out and be like 'Oh my god did she just do that?' and there's so much I love about shock value, but then I really want the core to be about the music."