Music News

Skye Stevens thinks Cher Lloyd is the "sweetest girl".
The 'Pass The Keyz' singer performed at a concert alongside the 'Want U Back' hitmaker and admitted that despite technical hitches, Cher put on a great show for her fans.
He said: "I think she's the sweetest girl ever ... When I met her she was very very sweet. The venue we were at, there were all these technical problems and she wanted to make sure all her fans were still able to see the performance and meet her...
"When I was there, she was very very sweet and nice. I have nothing but good things to say about her."
The 21-year-old singer from Boston, Massachusetts has been regularly compared to Justin Bieber but he believes the pair are quite different musically.
He told BANG Showbiz: "I think people look at my music and my videos and learn about me a little bit and actually realise I'm different to [Justin]. My music is more electro than what he's doing right now."
When asked if he worries about having similar brushes with the law like the 'Boyfriend' hitmaker has, he said: "I've had my ups and downs out of the public eye. When you go through your first ups and downs growing up and you're in the public eye, it kind of gets documented and everyone has all this judgement on you and I've kind of been lucky enough to mature without that.
"No part of me, I don't think, would ever be [in trouble with the law]. Even now, I'm not someone who is a club junkie. I like to keep all the focus that everyone ever sees on music."

5 Seconds of Summer are having "late night jamz" with the Madden Brothers.
The Australian band - which is made up of Luke Hemmings, Ashton Irwin, Michael Clifford and Calum Hood - appear to be collaborating with the duo on their new album.
In a photograph posted by Joel Madden, Luke, Ashton, his brother Benji and others can be seen crowding around a table as they pose for a photograph.
In another picture uploaded to Instagram on Sunday (08.02.15), Joel and Benji posed with Ashton, Michael and legendary music producer John Feldmann.
The brotherly duo - who found fame as members of rock band Good Charlotte - have worked alongside the 'She Looks So Perfect' hitmakers before, having writing credits on the band's track 'Amnesia', which was certified Platinum in the United States.
Meanwhile, Benji - who recently married Cameron Diaz - previously admitted that he felt as though the four-piece band were a "younger version" of him and his fellow Good Charlotte members.
He said: "But 5 Seconds of Summer remind me of Good Charlotte in the best possible way. They're a younger us. I'm glad they're doing this sound and I'm very happy to pass the torch.
"The thing is, me and Joel have always written pop songs - we just dress them up differently. We actually wrote 5SOS's song 'Amnesia', and it's [good] to see that sound coming back and being a part of it.
"Back in the day we often felt the brunt of being a rock band singing pop melodies. I'm glad it wasn't for nothing!"

Suede are "honoured" to be handed the Godlike Genius Award at the NME Awards 2015.
The legendary Britpop band are to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Blondie, Noel Gallagher and Dave Grohl in being given the coveted title.
When asked how he felt about the win, the band's lead singer, Brett Anderson, said: "Oh God. Well, it's an honour, of course. It's a slightly outrageous thing to be called, but it's slightly tongue-in-cheek, isn't it?
"It's wonderful to be recognised, and it's great for us having been through lots of ups and downs in our career. It's been a real roller-coaster ride of extreme highs and lows, so to be talking to you 25 years after we got together is lovely, really."
The band are set to also perform at the award ceremony, which takes place on February 18 at the O2 Academy in Brixton, south London.
Despite the award, Brett admitted that he only feels like a god is when he is performing onstage.
He added to NME magazine: "My day-to-day life is quite ungodlike, I have to reluctantly admit. I don't wear laurel wreaths or ride around on a chariot that often.
"Onstage is the only time: the magical feeling of power and omnipotence that one gets when one performs is the closest you ever get."
Other performers at the award ceremony include Charli XCX, Run The Jewels, The Vaccines and Royal Blood, with the ceremony being hosted by Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens.

The Vaccines are to perform at Croatia Rocks.
The 'If You Wanna' hitmakers - which includes Justin Young, Freddie Cowan, Pete Robertson and Árni Árnason - are just one of the acts added to the festival's already-stellar line-up.
The event - which is run by the Ibiza Rocks brand - has also announced that Years & Years, Gorgon City, Lapsley and Bondax will appear at the five-day festival.
The Grammy award-winning Clean Bandit - made up of Jack Patterson, Luke Patterson, Grace Chatto and Milan Neil Amin-Smith - are also confirmed to perform at the event, whilst Jungle and Kate Tempest will also join revellers to party on the sunny island.
'Feel The Love' hitmakers, Rudimental - which includes Amir Amor, Kesi Dryden, DJ Locksmith and Piers Agget - have already been confirmed to hit the decks at the Croatian festival as well as BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe.
There will also be a special guest appearance from Fatboy Slim at the event.
Revellers will be able to enjoy boat and pool parties during the day, before partying under the stars at night.
Croatia Rocks will take place on July 19th to 23rd on Zrce beach on the island of Pag. Tickets start from just £119 and can be found at www.croatiarocks.com.

Rihanna will reportedly perform at the BRIT Awards.
Bosses are believed to be confident that the 'Diamonds' hitmaker will take to the stage at the ceremony later this month.
An industry insider said: "Brits bosses have wanted to get Rihanna for a long time, but they've been waiting for an answer.
"She has been finalising her album plans and wanted to get the Grammys out of the way before confirming a second performance."
It is unlikely, though, that she will be joined by Kanye West and Paul McCartney to perform 'FourFiveSeconds' as she did at the Grammys and bosses are hoping she may perform a new song off her upcoming album.
The source continued to The Sun newspaper: "It looks highly likely that Kanye and Macca will both be unable to make the performance too so she could sing an entirely different song.
"'FourFiveSeconds' would be tough for Rihanna to sing on her own so it's possible she will debut a new song entirely on the O2 Arena stage."
It is not the first time the 26-year-old beauty has graced the BRITs stage. She appeared three times before, most recently in 2012, where she performed her hit 'We Found Love'.
Taylor Swift, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran and Madonna are just some of the artists confirmed to perform at the annual ceremony, which will be held at east London's O2 Arena on February 25th.

Lady Gaga performed for Stevie Wonder alongside a host of music stars
The 'Do What U Want' hitmaker was just one of the star singers who honoured the musical legend in Los Angeles last night (10.02.15).
Writing on Twitter after the event, she said: "It was an honor to play 4 Stevie Wonder tonight & wonderful to see old friends! Couldn't help but cry watching him. (sic)"
Captioning a picture of the pair hugging, she added: ""I Wish" for just a moment I could talk to my 6 yr old Stevie lovin' piano playin self, and tell her how lucky I would be to honor such an important figure in music.
"A man who stands for love, Civil Rights, and like he said tonight..showing the world the impossible is possible. (sic)"
Other performers at the 'Stevie Wonder: Songs In the Key of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute' event at the Nokia Theatre included Beyoncé and Ed Sheeran, who collaborated to perform their versions of some of the 64-year-old singer's hits including 'Master Blaster (Jammin')' and 'Higher Ground'.
Popstar Ariana Grande also sung at the event and was clearly in awe of the experience.
She tweeted: "Had the honor of singing one of my favorite songs in the world w the incredible @kennyedmonds today to honor the one and only Stevie Wonder!
"Thankful to even be in the same room as so many of the arists that performed today let alone share a stage w/ them!! & Stevie Wonder! (sic)"
The concert will air on February 16th on CBS.

Taylor Swift has threatened to sue her old guitar teacher.
Computer repairman and part-time musician Ronnie Cremer recently spoke about how he gave the 'Shake It Off' hitmaker music lessons when she was younger, and since then he has registered the website ITaughtTaylorSwift.com, much to the fury of her representatives.
TAS Rights Management, LCC emailed Ronnie last week to say the domain name "incorporates the famous Taylor Swift trademark in its entirety and suggests TAS's sponsorship or endorsement of your website. The Domain Name and your use of the Domain Name are also highly likely to dilute, and to tarnish, the famous Taylor Swift trademark."
The letter went on to "demand" the technician give up the name within three days of receipt, but he insists he won't back down.
He told the New York Daily News newspaper: "I almost feel like they were trying to bully me a little bit.
"I'm not giving back the domain name. I mean, Go Daddy sold it to me."
Ronnie also admitted he has received hate mail after revealing he was hired by Taylor's parents to give her guitar lessons when she was 12, disputing the 25-year-old singer's previous claim that she was offered lessons by a computer technician while doing her homework.
He said: "I got a lot of hate mail from Swift fans who just do not want to believe under any circumstances that Taylor lied to them.
"That's she's just not capable. That her story, that she called a 'magical twist of fate' story, could ever not be the truth. And I just feel like if I keep getting the story that was told by you out there, and other bits, that the truth will finally come out, and she will have to acknowledge."

Azealia Banks wants to work with M.I.A.
The 23-year-old rapper has revealed she is planning on releasing a double disc album this year featuring a re-recorded version of her 'Fantasea' mixtape as well as a second disc featuring new tracks, on which she is hoping to work with the star.
She said: "I would really like [to collaborate with] M.I.A. I love M.I.A. I like her just because she doesn't give a f**k ... I live for her."
The '212' star - who released her debut album 'Broke With Expensive Taste' last year - explained her plans for new music by saying she is hoping to harness "deep dark energy" when creating it.
Speaking to SiriusXM, she explained: "'Fantasea 2' is coming ... It's already in the works.
"I wanna do like a double disc with 'Fantasea 1', re-record some of the songs and package it up and have a double disc with 'Fantasea 1' and 'Fantasea 2'.
"I was just scratching the service with 'Fantasea 1'
"It's gonna be f**king cool. But it's not going to be specific. I'm not going to expose anything, any secrets, but yeah it's going to be this deep, deep, deep dark energy."
Along with the 'Paper Planes' hitmaker, the controversial musician added Rihanna and Jay Z would complete her top three dream collaborators, but stated she would reject collaborations with Beyonce and Lady Gaga if the opportunities arose.
The statement comes two years after the trio are believed to have collaborated on a track named 'Ratchet', before Azealia fell out with Gaga who she claimed stole her track 'Red Flame'.
Tweeting in 2013, she wrote: "Make sure u let them know where u got the title for red flame from. U stole that from the demo I sent u.
"You can have it. Plenty more where that came from. Seriously... This one is free. Next time I'm charging (sic)."

Ringo Starr will release a new album next month.
The former Beatles member has announced 'Postcards From Paradise' will be available from March 30 in the UK, which will feature various musicians because he enjoys creating tracks with other artists.
He said: "I do basic tracks and I invite writers to come and join me, and we write songs -- from Van Dyke Parks to Richard Marx.
"So, I just have fun. I love hanging out with musicians. And we have the excuse, if we are writing a song."
The 11-track record - which will be his 18th studio release - was recorded and produced by the 74-year-old musician at his home studio in Los Angeles, with musicians already confirmed for the record including Dave Stewart, Joe Walsh, Benmont Tench, and Ann Marie Simpson, as well as friends and family members who visited him while the LP was being made last year.
As well as the new album, Ringo will tour the US and Latin America this year with his All Starr band - Steve Lukather, Todd Rundgren, Gregg Rolie, Richard Page, Warren Ham and Gregg Bissonette, who he has recorded the album with - and will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio on April 18, when he will receive the Award for Musical Excellence.
The tracklisting from 'Postcards From Paradise' is as follows:

1. 'Rory And The Hurricanes'
2. 'You Bring The Party Down'
3. 'Bridges'
4. 'Postcards From Paradise'
5. 'Right Side Of The Road'
6. 'Not Looking Back'
7. 'Bamboula'
8. 'Island In The Sun'
9. 'Touch And Go'
10. 'Confirmation'
11. 'Let Love Lead'