Music News

Cher admits her new show is "f***ing hard".
The 'Believe' hitmaker's 'Dressed to Kill' tour kicks off in a month but the star is already struggling in rehearsals as her set list is pushing her singing abilities to the limit.
She took to Twitter on Sunday (23.02.14) to tell followers she was finding it difficult, posting: "SANG 4 HRS LAST NITE THIS SHOW IS SO F*ING HARD ALMOST EVERY NEW SONG IS AT'TOP' OF MY RANGE (sic). "
Her new tour, which follows the release of her 25th studio album 'Closer to the Truth' last year, starts in Phoenix, Arizona on March 22 and includes gigs in the US and Canada before finishing in San Diego, California on July 11.
Earlier this month, Cher also tweeted about her exhausted crew members, telling fans they were all "beat" after working around the clock to get everything ready for the tour.
She wrote: "Therapist says I'm an Animal,&Ahead of schedule,but Im must eat Now," adding, "Sorry so few Twts,but seems every second is filled with Show! Been falling asleep at 10 ! You ALL Know Me..IM NIGHT OWL!" (sic).
Cher and the crew are also mourning the tragic loss of a fellow team member, Michelle Iown Stock, who was killed in a car crash last month.
The singer shared the sad news with fans and wrote on Twitter: "A LOSS of ONE CREW MEMBER IS A LOSS FOR ALL."

Adele is collaborating with Prince on a new track.
The 'Skyfall' hitmaker has been discussing the possibility of recording a duet with the legendary singer for her upcoming third album.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "The reason Adele only stayed a short time at Prince's gig at Ronnie Scott's in London was because it was just a business meeting and she had to get home.
"During their talks they got on like a house on fire. They want to work together for a track on her next album."
The 25-year-old star has started work on her new album after taking a well-deserved break from the limelight to raise her son Angelo, who is now 16 months old.
Adele has already enlisted the help of Phil Collins and producer James Ford to work on her record, the follow-up to 2011's bestselling '21' which is due for release later this year.
Prince previously confessed to being a massive fan of Adele's stripped-back ballads, saying, "When she just comes on and sings with a piano player, no gimmicks, it's great."
The 'Purple Rain' singer is currently in the UK performing with rock quartet 3RDEYEGIRL, so should have plenty of time to hit the studio with Adele.

Fall Out Boy are thrilled to have been accepted by the pop world.
The 'My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark' group - consisting of Patrick Stump, Pete Wentz, Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley - released their more pop-oriented 'Save Rock and Roll' album last year and are happy the more commercial sound has gone down well with fans and critics.
Pete told Gay Times: "It's different for us now ... we're a rock and roll band but we're being played on pop radio, especially in the UK. It's awesome. We always wanted to play big arenas and this record is going to give us the chance to play some of the older stuff in that setting as well, like stuff from [debut album] 'Take This to the Grave'."
Pete admits the newer music isn't to all of the band's tastes but fans won't have to listen to any one song for too long.
He explained: "Everyone is going to have their own favourite song, but luckily for us, our songs aren't very long, so if they don't like one, it's over pretty quickly. But we're going to make sure we play some of the old favourites too."

The Smiths' Johnny Marr says he "looked up" to his band mate Morrissey.
The star thought it was an advantage to have an age different between him and Morrisey when they first began working on their music, when they were 18 years old and 23 respectively, because they had different things to offer one another, and was surprised to discover they shared the same interests.
Johnny told the NME: "We discovered that we liked a lot of the same things, but more importantly, we liked them in the same way, very very passionately. Bands, record covers, song titles, stories, characters ... we both felt these things were more important than so-called 'real' life. We elevated pop culture to a sort of mythical status, and we recognised that insane idealism and romanticism in each other.
"The age difference between us didn't matter. In fact - I saw it as an advantage - he'd had a bit of experience and I had a lot of youthful exuberance. I looked up to him, but at the same time, I felt like a bit of a trailblazer myself."

Guns N' Roses will perform nine shows in Las Vegas later this year.
Axl Rose and his bandmates have inked a deal with The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino to return for a short residency, dubbed 'No Trickery! An Evening of Destruction,' in May and June.
The 'November Rain' rockers, who previously performed a series of concerts titled 'Appetite for Democracy' at the venue in 2012, will take to the stage at The Joint again on May 21, 24, 25, 28, 30, 31, and June 4, 6 and 7, 2014.
Bobby Reynolds, vice president of booking for concert promoters AEG Live Las Vegas, told USA Today: "If some is good, more is better! That's our take on welcoming back Guns N' Roses (GNR) to The Joint. Our first residency with GNR was fantastic in every way imaginable. The band and the fans loved the venue, and the business was great for everyone else involved. We want all of the Guns N' Roses fans across the globe to come see what one of the iconic rock 'n' roll bands can do when they have the best venue in the world to do it in, in a city made to party. We are gearing up for another epic residency."
Chas Smith, vice president of entertainment for Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, added: "What more can I say than it's a great honour to have one of the most iconic rock 'n' roll bands in the world coming back to rock The Joint for nine more shows! We are all excited about this next run."
The band have sold more than 100 million albums globally since 1985 and released their most recent album 'Chinese Democracy' in 2008.
Tickets start at $49.50 and go on sale next Friday (28.02.4).

Rihanna can't wait to go on tour with Eminem.
The rapper announced he is embarking on a three-city US tour with the 26-year-old singer, whom he has collaborated with three times in the past, on 'The Monster' and on two versions of 'Love the Way You Lie', this summer.
The 41-year-old star told XXL magazine on Friday (21.02.14): "There are some shows coming up with Rihanna. It's a three-city tour: New York, Los Angeles and Detroit coming in August. The Monster Tour."
Rihanna later shared her excitement about their upcoming performances on Twitter, writing: "@Eminem: NYC/DET/LA this August with @Rihanna! #TheMonsterTour - OH IM THERE!!!!!"
The Barbados-born beauty opened up about why she loves working with the rapper during an interview with Complex magazine last month.
She said: "The moment I worked with him on 'Love the Way You Lie,' I wanted to work with him again, and we did 'Love the Way You Lie Part 2.'
"And then I wanted to work with him again. I just love working with Eminem. He's just one of my favourite rappers, and his lyrics - he's a true poet, and I enjoy that about him. For this song, I needed someone with not only his skill, but his personality. And I needed someone who really understands the perspective and the metaphor in the song of going numb and being numb to everything around and to say, 'F**k you.' Eminem is definitely the perfect guy for that."

Nina Nesbitt "feels sorry" for horrible online trolls with nothing better to do.
The 'Selfies' singer admitted she has had her fair share of abuse on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, but insisted it tables can be turned quickly if you have "a good comeback".
She told BANG Showbiz: "I've had a few trolls in my internet time. Sometimes if I'm in a bad mood I'll reply sarcastically, other times I just think they want attention and I won't reply.
"Generally when people are being horrible, they're just being horrible because they want attention, I just feel sorry for people who spend their time sending online abuse to people who are doing what they love.
"I think everyone has got an opinion and that's fine, and everyone can voice their opinion but someone is downright nasty about it there's just not really any point getting involved it. Sometimes if you come back with a good comeback that can be good."
The 19-year-old songstress insisted while social media can be "positive", it can also mean people can forget "how to socialise in real life".
She said: "I think social media is double edged. It's mostly positive but it can become a bit of an obsession for people.
"You can start to live your life through this fake persona that you've created online and it's something that's not really reality. The internet has become such an available thing now and everyone uses it.
"A few people, including myself sometimes, have actually forgotten how to socialise in real life and actually go out and talk to real people instead of just sitting with your phone and scroll through the internet. It can become a bit full on I think."

Snoop Dogg wants old enemies to respect him as a musician.
The 42-year-old star - who is due to appear in Los Angeles as an accessory for murder next month - insists he is focusing on his career and wants those around him to recognise him for his talent, and not dwell on his past.
Quizzed on whether people from his past want to settle scores, he told the NME: "A lot of them dwell on that s**t. But a lot of them just say 'F**k it, he's doing music now, he's rocking the world. So we gonna respect him as a musician first.' And if gang members can do it, the media should be able to do it. And the white Americans should be to do it too."
Snoop insists his music is an "art" and isn't made to "preach", unlike literature and books.
He added: "Some songs are just made to party to. Some songs are just made to sit down and listen and see what the f**k I'm saying. But not every song is made that way, because I'm not a political person at all. I wouldn't make no record for mo'f***ers to study. But music is an art, it's made to enhance mo'f***ers with. It ain't made to preach - that's literature, books and s**t like that."

Ne-Yo's next album will be "predominately R&B".
The 'Let Me Love You' hitmaker has thanked the dance world for "accepting" him but claims he will be returning to his musical roots for his upcoming record.
He told Billboard: "As of right this second my main focus is my new album. It'll be out probably towards the summertime, predominately R&B this time.
"I had a little stint with the dance music and all of that, which I had a good time with - and I love the audience, I love them for accepting me doing it - but I had to go home on this one. Had to take it back to my roots, and not to say that there won't be one, maybe two songs on there that the dance crowd can get into, but the majority, the girth of the album, will be R&B."
As he prepares for the R&B revival, the singer-songwriter dropped a new mixtape, '3 Simple Rules', on Valentine's Day (14.02.14), and he revealed he has waited to return to his old sound for the past few years.
He said: "But [I didn't], just from the standpoint of being a pioneer, leading people into whatever the next thing was gonna be. There wasn't a lot of R&B cats doing songs at 120 beats per minute before 'Closer,' which I take full credit and responsibility for.
"That's all good, but it was an experiment. You experiment with something, if it goes good, cool, but you never forget where you come from and R&B is where I come from."
And when he's not busy recording his own material, he's writing for the likes of Beyoncé, Rihanna and Celine Dion and is also grooming his own talent with Compound Entertainment, he said: "I have a few artists under me right now that I'm putting together. I pray that the stuff will be next year, but at the end of the day, until it's right, I can't put it out. It's gotta be right. I try not to be a perfectionist, I try not to be too hard on them but at the end of the day, it's gotta be right."