Music News

Little Mix think looking "horrendous" on the 'X Factor' helped them win the show.
The 'Black Magic' hitmakers were champions of the talent show's eighth series but believe they wouldn't have got so far if they were better looking.
Jade Thirlwall said: "Do you know what I hate? Timehop on Facebook. People keep tagging us in photos from five years ago and I don't appreciate that, because I looked horrific."
Whilst bandmate Leigh-Anne Pinnock added: "That's part of the reason why I think we're here now - girls weren't threatened by us. We looked horrendous, but we don't regret it. It probably helped us in the long run."
The girl band - which also includes Perrie Edwards and Jesy Nelson - also revealed details about their upcoming album.
Leigh-Anne said: "An interesting fact for you. There's actually a sister to 'DNA' on the album."
Jesy added: "We listened to the track and were like, 'Ooh, this sounds a little bit like it could be the second part of 'DNA', and then it pretty much is."
Leigh-Anne continued to Digital Spy: "We've always wanted to do [a follow up]. We love the sound of 'DNA' and we love being that weird character that's strong and powerful ... so we knew we had to have something like that on this album."

Diplo thinks Justin Bieber is a "jerk".
The pair recently collaborated on hit single 'Where Are Ü Now' and while they got on well in the studio he admitted he doesn't think the 21-year-old star is always the nicest of characters.
He explained: "Bieber's personal life is whatever it is -- he's a rich kid and he's pretty much gonna have to be a jerk. But he's respectful to me, and he has that weird gene where he's good at everything: better at basketball than me, better at drums. For us it's more like an art project where you utilize his voice."
Although the 36-year-old producer and DJ made a mainstream song with the 'Boyfriend' hitmaker, he went on to reveal he has been working on a more rockier sound recently with Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig and has been "harassing Haim" because he's so keen to collaborate with them.
He told Rolling Stone magazine: "I've done a lot of songs with Ezra Koenig, some really cool stuff that I hope people get to hear. We wrote a couple of things for another artist that might be huge records for the end of summer -- one of them started with a Vampire Weekend idea. But he's not traditional rock -- he's like me, a hodgepodge of styles and influences. And I have a studio with [producer] Ariel Rechtshaid, so every day I'm harassing Haim to listen to my beats. But I don't make anything that they ever like [laughs]!"

Naughty Boy wants to search Britain's prisons for new singers.
The 30-year-old producer - whose real name is Shahid Khan - has revealed he is on the lookout for fresh talent and said he wants to recruit prisoners because "everyone deserves a second chance".
He told The Sun newspaper: "Coming out of there is sometimes the hardest thing in life.
"You can imagine that there are people in there who are writing songs and can sing and they feel like they have to give up because of where they are.
"Whatever offence they've committed, everyone deserves a second chance. I want to make this year more about giving back and helping people."
His latest initiative comes just days after former One Direction singer Zayn Malik publicly slammed him on Twitter, despite the fact they used to be friends and had made music together.
In the outburst, Zayn wrote: "you fat joke stop pretending we're friends no one knows you . (sic)"
And sources suggest the 22-year-old musician's decision to lash out was because he blamed the producer for his solo music leaking.
A source said: "Zayn was very close to Naughty Boy when he left One Direction.
"Zayn is angry about the music that got leaked and blamed Naughty Boy.
"Zayn didn't like not being in control. This has been the sparking point."

Lana Del Rey's new album is inspired by Miles Davis.
The 30-year-old singer has revealed she has taken inspiration from the late jazz musician on her eclectic 14-track album 'Honeymoon' - due to be released in September - which she teased will also feature "muddy trap energy".
Premièring the record's title track, she wrote on Instagram: "Here it is, the first and title track off my record - Honeymoon. In some ways I feel it's where the record begins and ends... there are so many other tracks on the record, 13 others to be exact- Some with a muddy trap energy and some inspired by late-night Miles Davis drives... But I love this song because it encapsulates all of the things that come naturally to me. (sic)"
The 'Summertime Sadness' hitmaker's fourth studio album - which will be the follow-up to last year's 'Ultraviolence' - has seen her work with producer Rick Nowels again, who has previously produced for Madonna, Sia and Stevie Nicks, and the star recently explained how he makes the studio feel like "home".
Alongside a photo of the musician, she wrote on Instagram: "Meet my dear friend and producer, Rick Nowels. Every day in the studio with him and Kieron [Menzies, producer] is a good day. It's truly my peaceful place and in a way, my home. I'm so grateful for all of the beautiful ways he dances around my melodies, and all of the new melodies that spring from the muse that dances between us. (sic)"

Nancy Sinatra has hailed Morrissey as her "best mentor".
The 75-year-old singer worked with the former Smiths frontman and her ex-neighbour on 2004 track 'Let Me Kiss You', which was penned by the eccentric star, and she learned a lot from him.
She said: "He was my best mentor in a way because he didn't have the self-serving thing that Lee [Hazlewood] had."
Though Nancy likes Morrissey's version of 'Let Me Kiss You', she thinks she did it better.
She said: "I like mine better. So does he!"
However, the 'These Boots Are Made For Walkin'' hitmaker has lost touch with her pal in recent years and is desperate to reconnect with the singer.
She said: "I miss him. I can't find him. Maybe you should write that for me: where are you? Get in touch!"
Nancy's earlier career success was partly guided by Lee Hazlewood, and her famous father, late singing legend Frank Sinatra, was delighted with her soul-influenced pop sound.
She admitted to The Times newspaper: "He was thrilled. He owned the label [Reprise] -- he wanted the records to sell."
Though she still enjoys performing, Nancy expects her tour next year to be her last.
She said: "I think it's my last chance. I can't imagine doing 'These Boots Were Made for Walkin'' on a walker!"

George Ezra took the crowd on a romantic tour of Europe as he sang hits at his Somerset House gig last night (13.07.15).
The 22-year-old singer performed tracks from his debut album 'Wanted on Voyage' - written after he travelled solo across the continent - at the annual Summer Series of concerts held at the London landmark.
Speaking to fans during the set, he said: "I saw and took a note of everybody I met. And then when I got home I wrote songs from all the nonsense I had written down. Now one of the places I visited was Barcelona. So this song's about that..."
Under the threat of a torrential downpour that thankfully never came, the crowd were swept away in warm nostalgia by the talented storyteller who crooned his popular hits - including 'Cassy O'', 'Benjamin Twine and 'Blind Man in Amsterdam'.
George melted the hearts of fans old and new as he told of getting drunk and missing his train to Budapest - which led to the writing of one of his biggest hits - and revealed that he travelled along out of choice.
He said: "The reason I went by myself is because my whole life I've been somebody that needs somebody next to me for me to annoy, or for me to be annoyed by. I'm not very good at entertaining myself. So I wanted to see if I could exist for a month by myself, but I also thought it would be nice to have a few faces along the way for me to see.
The star chose an atmospheric close with the darker 'Did You Hear The Rain?'
The Somerset House Summer Series gigs, which are sponsored by American Express, continue this week with performances from artists including James Bay, Kwabs, Belle and Sebastian, and Jessie J.
Summer Series gig tickets are available on early release for American Express customers. For more information, visit amex.co.uk/potential.

Sarah Harding's solo material will show her "gritty" side.
The 33-year-old singer has revealed that her hotly-anticipated debut solo album, entitled 'Threads' - her first music since Girls Aloud split in 2013 - will finally be released in August and she is looking forward to showing fans the other sides to her personality through her new music.
She said: "The sound is different to Girls Aloud. Much rockier. My first single is quite gritty. There will be pop on the album, too, though. I'm just showing different sides to my personality"
The blonde beauty was said to be working on the album in 2013 with her then-boyfriend, producer Mark Foster but the couple split after two years of dating in 2014.
She confessed: "Finally I have a solo album. It's been a while coming."
Sarah - who has battled alcohol addiction and depression in the past and spent time in rehab in 2011 - says that working on the new music has given her an outlet to channel her past experiences.
Speaking to the Daily Star newspaper, she said: "I have so much material that I've been accumulating over the past few years, so much I want to say. It's great to finally have an outlet for my experiences,both good and bad."

Kaiser Chiefs "can't wait" to perform an intimate gig for their fans.
The 'I Predict A Riot' hitmakers will take to the stage at One Mayfair in London on July 29 to play for just 400 of their supporters, seven months after they teamed up with MasterCard and flew two of their loyal devotees out to join them in South Africa to watch them record a new song and even appear on the track.
Frontman Ricky Wilson said: "Having had the chance to give a truly unique surprise to two of our biggest fans in January, it will be brilliant to reward more of our fans by giving them a chance to see us perform this tiny one-off gig - we can't wait!"
The 'Ruby' hitmakers are following in the footsteps of stars including Usher, Mary J. Blige, Pharrell Williams and Paloma Faith in playing a small show as part of MasterCard's Priceless Surprises campaign and the company are thrilled to have them on board.
Shaun Springer, Head of Brand, Sponsorship and Music, MasterCard UK & Ireland said: "We're hugely excited to have The Kaiser Chiefs playing for us in such an intimate setting - it's set to be a truly unique performance. It's the third gig in our summer series and fans should stayed tuned to hear more details on our final gig of the summer."
MasterCard cardholders have an exclusive chance to win tickets and have until noon on Wednesday 15th July to enter at www.pricelesssurprises.co.uk.

Gwen Stefani thinks Eminem is "a real weirdo".
The 45-year-old star has collaborated with the rapper on new track 'Kings Never Die' for boxing movie 'Southpaw' and confessed she was thrilled to get asked to work with him because he's such a wacky artist.
She revealed: "I've been asking for so long to do something with him. He's so incredible. He's a real artist. He's a real weirdo, we all know that about him."
However, the 'Hollaback Girl' hitmaker admitted it wasn't the greatest timing when she got asked to sing on the track because it was a last minute decision and her voice wasn't on great form.
She told ETOnline: "I just finally got the call. It was one of those days where they were like, 'Can you come do this?' And I was like, 'Really? Really?' And they were like, 'It has to be done today.' And I was like, 'Ok!' And I just made it happen.
"I went down there and my voice happened to not be working that day, and I was like, 'Ok perfect -- like, the one time I get asked to be on the Eminem song!?' I don't know - I just prayed really hard and the engineer made it come to life."