Music News

Kaiser Chiefs say flying two fans to South Africa to record with them was like Christmas Day.
The group teamed up with MasterCard as a part of their 2015 Priceless Surprises campaign for the BRITs, to stun devoted supporters Jessica Wright and Sarah Luke with a trip to Cape Town to join them on tour and they even got the pair to join them in the recording studio to add vocals to new track 'Say My Name'.
Frontman Ricky Wilson said of the scheme: "It's really nice because this Priceless Surprises thing, you get excited on Christmas day about giving presents. You get excited about getting them as well, but giving them is really nice and this feels a bit like that.
"It's something you can't buy, it's something we're able to give someone and it's not that hard, it's just a couple of plane tickets and a couple of days in the studio.
"I'm really grateful we've been able to give them that and it's not like climbing a mountain or anything - although we could go and climb a mountain."
Superfan Sarah admits the surprise break last month was the "trip of a lifetime", especially as she got to be so close to her favourite band.
She said: "It was an out of this world experience to be that close to the Kaiser Chiefs who I have been following for years and just love. South Africa is a beautiful country, and it really was the trip of a lifetime!"
MasterCard will be working with more artists organising a host of Priceless Surprises for their 2015 BRITs campaign, giving MasterCard cardholders unique opportunities to get closer to their favourite artists.
Fans of Kaiser Chiefs can stay tuned to pricelesssurprises.co.uk for their own chance to see the band up close at an exclusive, intimate gig later this year.
MasterCard is in its 17th year of sponsoring The BRIT Awards, which will be broadcast on ITV1 on 25th February 2015.

Paloma Faith, George Ezra and Royal Blood have joined the line-up for the BRITs 2015. The three British acts have been announced as performers during the evening, joining the already announced Taylor Swift, Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran for the prestigious...

Noel Gallagher "can't live in a world" where Ed Sheeran is playing Wembley Stadium.
The former Oasis lead guitarist and vocalist has blasted the 'Thinking Out Loud' hitmaker, who will play three dates at iconic 80,000 capacity stadium in north-west London later this year.
Referring to the concerts, the 47-year-old musician said: "I don't think I can live in a world where that's even possible.
"When you hear that kind of polished pop and then there's a ginger guy with a f***ing guitar it seems subversive, but it's f***ing not."
The 23-year-old singer/songwriter responded to the comments by Noel, writing on Twitter: "i can live in it, its really enjoyable (sic)"
Noel also slammed the state of the current music scene, explaining that it was a "strange time" for music.
He told NME magazine: "It's a strange time, and it seems like the whole thing is embedded for good now, for f***ing forever.
"It's not all over, but it'll go back to the way it was in the early '80s where indie bands are the alternative thing, the lower level. In the early '80s everyone at indie labels, even major labels, were trying to push this music to the fore because everything else was s**t, and maybe it'll happen again, but I don't see it for the next decade."

James Bay is desperate to play "big gigs" in 2015.
The rapidly rising star has gained praise for his debut single 'Hold Back The River' and now has his sights set on a string of huge performances in the next 12 months.
He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "I just want to play big gigs!"
The 24-year-old singer-songwriter - who last month was named as the recipient of the 2015 Brits Critics' Choice Award - admitted he is also keen to let people hear his debut album 'Chaos and the Calm', which will be released on March 23 in the UK, because he wants to hear his fans singing his songs.
He explained: "My album is coming out this year which is still something I find hard to believe but I am also burning to get it out because I want people to hear it.
"With the EPs I've released I've heard people singing the words at my gigs to my songs, so I want to show the people all the material now, so they can sing all the songs... if they want to!"
The handsome musician performed as part of BBC Radio 1's Future Festival last night (13.01.15) alongside other hotly-tipped artists including Years & Years, Shura and Coasts, and is hoping he will have plenty more concerts in store for the rest of the year because it is what he enjoys most about being a musician.
He added: "I'm excited to play loads of shows. It's the simple stuff but it's why I do it all."

One Direction have started recording their next album.
The five-piece band - featuring Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne - confirmed in December they had started thinking about their next LP, and have now headed into the studio to begin work on the collection.
A source revealed: "There has been a bit of a question about the timing of the fifth album but there was never any doubt it would be released, despite the ridiculous speculation."
The chart-topping group released their latest album, 'Four', in November, and are now hoping to have their fifth record completed in time to release before Christmas - as they have done with all of their previous albums - despite considering taking a break.
The source continued: "Initially the guys thought they might want more time away from the studio because they've been busy promoting 'Four'.
"But they've been itching to get back recording again because it's what they love to do, so it's full steam ahead."
As with their previous albums, the lads have enlisted the help of songwriting experts Wayne Hector, who co-wrote 'Best Song Ever' and 'Steal My Girl', and Julian Bunetta, who was responsible for 'You And I' and latest single 'Night Changes'.
Wayne - who has previously written hits for Nicki Minaj, Olly Murs and Westlife - recently confirmed he would be returning to write with the band following sessions with drum and bass group Sigma.
He said: "I'm finishing off some songs with Sigma then I'm going to start writing for the new One Direction album.
"I'm really looking forward to it -- they're always great to work with."
Despite enlisting the help of their long-term songwriting collaborators, the world-renowned band - who scooped the American Music Award for Artist of the Year at the 2014 ceremony in November - will have "control" over the music and the direction of the band.
The source told The Sun newspaper: "The reality is that after nearly five years together they are very much in control of their sound and the process."

Noel Gallagher believes the 90s music scene would "never have happened" without The Beatles album 'Revolver'.
The 'In The Heat Of The Moment' singer's former group Oasis became the biggest band in the world during the decade, emerging from the Britpop movement with Blur, Suede and Pulp and the 90s also saw the emergence of dance acts like The Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers.
Noel insists you can trace the sound of the 90s acts directly to The Fab Four's eclectic and acclaimed LP.
Speaking to Apple iTunes about his favourite albums and songs, he said: "The 90s would never have happened without The Beatles 'Revolver'."
'Tomorrow Never Knows' - the closing song of 'Revolver' - was described by The Chemical Brothers as their "manifesto" and its influence can be heard on their two tracks with Noel, 'Setting Sun' and 'Let Forever Be'.
The rock legend also lists The Sex Pistols self-titled debut LP and 'The Wall' by Pink Floyd as two of the most influential albums on his career, as well as several other LPs.
He said: "'Never Mind The B******s Here's The Sex Pistols' is probably the single most important album of all time. Why? Because it reignited youth culture.
"'The Wall' by Pink Floyd is staggering. The scope, the vision, the story, the iconic guitar playing - not to mention the songs! I know every single word of it."
Speaking about why he wanted to compile a list of his favourite music for iTunes (available at itunes.com/noelfavourites), Noel, 47, said: "iTunes asked me to put together a list of my favourite albums and songs. Your life will become instantly more interesting should you even consider buying any of this gear. Onwards!"

Meghan Trainor is taking her parents to the Grammy Awards.
The 21-year-old singer is up for two prizes, Record of the Year and Song of the Year for her smash hit single 'All About That Bass', at the ceremony and will be accompanied by her father Gary and mother Kellie because she wants to share her special night with them as a thank you for their support.
Speaking to 'Access Hollywood', she said: "Both my mother and my father are coming and they're very excited. But my dad's going to be sitting right next to me. Dad has come to every event because he was a musician."
Meghan is looking forward to sharing the room with so many of her pop peers and she is hoping to run into her idol Beyoncé again.
The young musician first met the former Destiny's Child star at the Billboard Women in Music Awards and was stunned when Beyoncé told her she and her three-year-old daughter Blue Ivy were fans.
Meghan recalled: "She came up to me and held my hands and said, 'I love your music, my daughter and I listen to your songs every day and dance to them.' I freaked out. I was pretty much complete with life. I was like, 'Oh! That's it, Beyoncé likes my songs. I'm done.' "
The 57th Annual Grammy Awards will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday February 8.
Other nominees include Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Iggy Azalea, Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams and Miley Cyrus.

Carly Rae Jepsen is recording a new song with Dev Hynes and Ariel Rechtshaid.
The 'Call Me Maybe' hitmaker has been in the studio with British musician Dev - also known as Blood Orange - and former Foreign Born band member and acclaimed producer Ariel and says the track they've collaborated on is one of her favourites from her upcoming third album.
Carly posted a photo of the trio in the studio together on her Instagram account along with the caption: "Recorded one of my fav songs today with - @devhynes and @arielrechtshaid (sic)"
Carly, 29, has been busy working on her new LP - the follow up to 2012's 'Kiss' - and has been in the studio with producers Josh Ramsay, Ryan Stewart, Max Martin, Benny Blanco and StarGate as well as Dev and Ariel.
Dev and Ariel previously worked together on Sky Ferreira's 'Everything is Embarrassing' and Solange Knowles song 'Losing You'.
Ariel, 35, has produced successful records for numerous artists, such as Kylie Minogue, Charli XCX, Haim, Usher, Justin Bieber and Vampire Weekend.
The 2014 Grammy Producer of the Year nominee most recently worked with Madonna on her thirteenth studio effort 'Rebel Heart', which is out in March.
Carly's third album is due to be released in the first half of 2015.

Kelly Clarkson's daughter "loves" listening to her music.
The 'Since U Been Gone' hitmaker gave birth to her daughter, River Rose, in June, and despite the tot only being a few months old, she has already taken a liking to her mother's hits and cries when her mother stops singing.
The blonde beauty admitted: "She loves it.
"She's so weird man. She loves music to go to sleep to, she loves loud music. She's the perfect tour baby. She'll go to rehearsals and when we're all playing she like, loves it, and she can fall asleep, and then right when the music stops she starts crying."
However, the 32-year-old star - who is married to talent manager Brandon Blackstock - joked she hopes her daughter does not embark on a career in music because she wants her to work in healthcare.
She quipped: "Unfortunately I really want her to be a doctor or something but we're in the entertainment world so..."
On Monday (12.01.15), the singer premiered the first track, 'Heartbeat Song', to be taken from her forthcoming seventh studio album 'Piece By Piece', which she plans to release in early March.
Speaking about the LP, Kelly - whose last album 'Wrapped in Red' was released in 2013 - said she is eager for her fans to hear her new music and teased an "evolution" in her sound.
She told BBC Radio 1's Nick Grimshaw: "It's been finished for a while so I'm really stoked for everybody to hear it.
"It's really cool, it's got kinda everything on there, but it's kind of an evolution. I guess every album is for every artist."