Music News

Imagine Dragons feel 'Smoke + Mirrors' is their most "emotional and vulnerable" album.
The 'Radioactive' hitmakers believe their forthcoming second studio album, which is set for release next month, feels more "real" to perform live than their 2012 debut because it is based on hard-hitting emotional matters they've battled.
Frontman Dan Reynolds said: "It's just a really emotional album and vulnerable. For me, it made it more real every night to be able to get on stage. I didn't feel like I had to perform. It came easier because I was able to get behind the songs and the lyrics because they were real things that I was going through.
"Whereas with 'Night Visions', I wrote that over four years, so sometimes songs didn't feel relevant to me anymore. 'Smoke + Mirrors' just translated particularly well live because of the vulnerability of the album."
And the handsome singer thinks recording 'Smoke + Mirrors' during live sessions makes the album extra "special" because it adds a different "dynamic".
He told Rolling Stone magazine: "This record in particular was a special record to all of us. It translated well live just because it's a really dynamic album. Like, 'Night Visions' was really fun to play live, but I don't feel like it translated as well live as 'Smoke + Mirrors' did, particularly because we tracked a lot of this album live. A lot of the songs were just played as a band in a studio as opposed to 'Night Visions' [where] a lot of it was just kind of put together."
'Imagine Dragons: Smoke + Mirrors Live Concert' comes to Empire Cinemas from March 2, Ticket link: http://bit.ly/1N74TMl

Nile Rodgers has hailed Laura Mvula "a gift" following the release of their new track 'Overcome'.
The 63-year-old pop legend - who plays guitar on the track released Wednesday (13.01.16) - has declared his "love" for the singer/songwriter in a series of Tweets.
Taking to his Twitter account, he wrote: @lauramvula You are a gift! Nx ... I love you Laura!!!!!!!! (sic)
Nile's praise comes as the 'Green Garden' hitmaker took to Instagram to share how "privileged" she was to finally make music with one of her musical heroes.
Laura, 29, had been keen to hook up with the Chic guitarist for some time to "experiment" mixing their sounds together and the new track is the result of their meeting.
In March of last year, she told BANG Showbiz: "I kept talking about wanting to work with Nile Rodgers, because I think that could be an exciting experiment."
'Overcome' is taken from Laura's much-lauded second studio album, which is yet to be named.
Elsewhere, the Chic legend has revealed his new album will be released at the start of his world tour with Duran Duran, which begins on April 2 in Tampa, Florida.
In response to a fan's question on Twitter, he wrote: "The new album drops at the beginning of the @DuranDuran @CHICorg ft. .@nileroddgers tour (sic)."

Tom Parker has unveiled new solo track 'Lost In Your Love'.
Since The Wanted split the 27-year-old singer has released two songs with guest vocalists but he has now laid his own vocals down, something he was unsure about doing.
However, when he listened back to the demo version of 'Lost In Your Love' he liked the track so much with his voice he decided not to re-record it.
He revealed: "I said from the start I wanted to separate myself as a vocalist and a producer. You have to do that for what you want to achieve. When you've been in a band, if you sing on all your records, you then just become a singer.
"It was one of those things where I sang on it and I kinda thought it sounded pretty good the way it is. It was never my intention to be on it."
The 27-year-old star idolises DJ-and-producer Calvin Harris and admits he'd like to find the same "balance" between using guest singers and his own vocals on his tracks.
He told website Digital Spy: "I think Calvin Harris had a really good balance between it. He would get a lot of feature vocalists, but then occasionally would come onto a track and vocal it himself."
Elsewhere, Tom said he'd always been keen to get into the producing side of music, even when he was The Wanted.
He added: "Don't get me wrong, I love singing. It's a tool I'll always be able to use.
"But when I was in The Wanted, I was always by the producers and engineers asking questions. So when we decided to take a break, I wanted to give this a shot full-time."

Run-D.M.C. will be the first rap act to be honoured with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
The duo Joseph 'Run' Simmons and Darryl 'D.M.C.' McDaniels have been selected to receive the accolade at this year's Grammys along with other music legends Earth, Wind & Fire, Ruth Brown, Latin singer Ceila Cruz and Jazz star Herbie Hancock.
Rev Run took to Twitter as soon as he got the call telling him about the prize and was "shocked" because in the 57-year history of the prestigious ceremony not one rap artist has been given the accolade.
On Wednesday (13.01.16), he tweeted: "I just got a call from the Grammys!! They shocked me!! We're the first rappers to get this award!! Shocked! Grateful!. God is good!!! I'm so honored to be a #GRAMMYs Lifetime Achievement Award recipient this year. Thank you to the Recording Academy! (sic)"
Past recipients of the award include, The Beatles, the Bee Gees and Buddy Guy among many others.
The 'Walk This Way' hitmakers were also previously comprised of the late Jason 'Jam Master Jay' Mizell, who passed away in 2002, and the duo are expected to pay tribute to him in their acceptance speech.
The 58th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on Monday, February 15, 2016 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

Usher's eighth studio album will be called 'Flawed'.
The 'Love In This Club' hitmaker has revealed the title for his follow-up to 2012's 'Looking 4 Myself' in a new Snapchat video where he reveals the name to Daniel Arsham, who is working on the record with the R&B superstar.
In the clip posted on Daniel's Twitter account, he asks Usher: "Alright, what are we working on?"
To which Usher responded: "Something amazingly, incredibly awesome."
And Daniel then asks: "For What?"
And Usher confirmed: " For 'Flawed' my new album. It's coming."
The 37-year-old singer's last update came in September when he revealed he'd been working with Martin Garrix and teased that he's done a lot of collaborative work with various people.
He previously said: "New record is coming great. I've been working on some new music obviously. I've been doing some collaborations. I just brought out Martin Garrix, one of the collaborations that I've had. The album will hopefully be out very soon."
And Usher also said that travelling has been a major influence on the record.
He added: "Please know that every time I travel to a different place, I'm influence by what I am dealing with or what I am looking at, so a song will probably come from this experience."

Keith Urban's music is inspired by his late father.
The 'Making Memories of Us' hitmaker has revealed father Robert, who passed away in December, "pointed him in the direction of Nashville" and country music.
When asked if his dad was instrumental in his chosen music genre, he told The Ellen DeGeneres Show: "Totally. His, well our, record collection was all American country music and that's really what pointed me in the direction of Nashville."
Meanwhile, the 48-year-old singer - who is married to Nicole Kidman - previously revealed that it was his dad who started him out on the "journey" to music success.
He shared: "I remember saying to my dad, 'Oh, what's the single off this album?' And he said, 'I don't know. I haven't heard anything off it.' And I said, 'Well, how do you know it's going to be good?' And he said, 'It's Don Williams.'
"And it hit me in such a way that I thought, 'Oh, I'd love to make records where people know it's going to be solid and they go out and get it.' So I want to thank him for starting me on this journey."

Joe McElderry says his fifth studio album will be "more mature".
The 24-year-old singer - who won the 2009 series of 'The X Factor' - hasn't been able to release his much-anticipated LP because he's been preparing for his part as Joseph in the touring show of 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat', but once it ends he's going to finish the record.
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, he said: "I am busy doing 'Joseph' so that is taking up most of that time. But I've got material and I'm getting it all kind of together to release and work on after 'Joseph' finishes.
"I've been writing more material and I just think it's a bit more mature. I have more experience as an artist and it's different from the last."
Meanwhile, 'The Climb' hitmaker says he's become a lot more "confident" as a performer since gaining experience in theatre and from years of touring.
Asked how he's changed as a performer, he said: "I am a lot more confident and a lot more experienced as well. I enjoy it a lot more now because I am not as nervous, I really enjoy it and take it more."
And asked what his plans for the rest of the year are, he said everything is "top secret" for now, but he's definitely planning a holiday before knuckling down to release and promote the untitled record.
He added: "I am going to have a long holiday and you will have to keep any eye out for the rest because I haven't announced anything yet. It's all top secret at the moment."
Joe is starring in the UK tour of 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' from January 26. Visit www.josephthemusical.com for more information.

Ella Eyre almost broke her neck while working on Tuesday (12.01.16).
The 'Gravity' hitmaker - who is currently working on her second LP - made a series of cryptic posts on Twitter in which she described her day yesterday as one of the "scariest" of her life, but stated she has made something special and is very excited to share the "result" of her efforts with her fans.
She wrote: "Craziest, wettest, scariest, coldest day of my life, but what a result, can't wait for y'all to seeeeee ... there was a moment today where i genuinely thought i had broken my neck, just to give you a little insight ... (sic)"
Despite her brush with serious injury, Ella - who is dating Rixton drummer Lewi Morgan - reassured her followers that she was in fact well and "alive" and finished her day with a spicy Nando's takeaway chicken meal.
She tweeted: "I'm alive now and i have @NandosUK (sic)"
The 21-year-old singer's next album - the follow-up to 'Feline' - could drop as early as the summer time and will be mainly recorded in the US.
She previously told BANG Showbiz: "I'm writing album number two. I'm just experimenting at the moment so I'm really enjoying that. But I'm going to be spending a lot more time in America and writing with a few writers and seeing where we end up really. I will definitely be focusing on the new album in 2016. I just want to enjoy it, I know I don't want to spend too long on it but I know I want it to be very personal."

Sarah Hyland hasn't ruled out starting a music career.
The 'Modern Family' actress - who recorded the original soundtrack for Disney's 'Annie' in 1999 - was recently gifted a guitar by her Hollywood actor boyfriend Dominic Sherwood, who has been trying to encourage her to compose her own songs ever since.
And Sarah, who is close pals with Taylor Swift and is in her infamous girl squad with Cara Delevingne and Hailee Steinfeld might follow in the girls shoes as they've all had music careers.
Asked if she'll ever make her own music, she said: "That's a hard question for me to answer. I've recorded one song for a friend. It was a gift ... I wrote it for her and her husband, but that's the only type of recording that I've ever done other than, like, the 'Annie' soundtrack."
However, despite Dominic's best efforts to persuade her, she will only consider writing and singing her own stuff if she gets "bored" of acting.
She told Entertainment Tonight: "My boyfriend got me a guitar, because he's like, 'I love your music and you should be able to write and compose your own music. I thought that was really sweet, but I don't know. Maybe if I start getting bored? I'm not ruling it out!"