Music News

Taylor Swift has cancelled her upcoming concert in Thailand due to the political unrest in the country.
The 'I Knew You Were Trouble' singer was due to perform in Bangkok on June 9 but has decided to pull the plug on the show now the Far East nation is under military rule following the army's coup last week.
Taylor, 24, took to Twitter to express her regret over the cancelled concert, tweeting: "I'm sending my love to the fans in Thailand. I'm so sad about the concert being cancelled."
Concert promoter BEC-Tero posted a statement on its website confirming that Taylor would not be appearing in Bangkok.
The statement revealed that "due to recent events in Thailand" the musician would not be coming to Bangkok but it was "a difficult decision for all parties".
The next stop on Taylor's 'Red Tour' is the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China, on May 30.

Idris Elba has directed a new short film for a track produced by Dutch DJ R3hab.
The actor chose to work on the promo for the song 'Unstoppable', featuring Eva Simons, which will be included on the Pepsi Max 'Beats of the Beautiful Game' album to celebrate the World Cup this year, because he loved the idea of being unstoppable.
Idris, who has also achieved success as a DJ, said: "When I first heard the song I really loved the idea of being unstoppable ... it's self belief, its someone that just says, 'Guess what? I can do anything I want to do'."
The six-minute video is set in the 1970s and features a group of teenagers on a school bus, outlining 'the nerd', 'the lads' and the popular girls, who are all in different social circles.
The promo tackles bullying and eventually shows the school nerd throwing away his glasses, standing up for himself and showing off his skills in a game of football as the girls watch one.
Idris said: "I like the whole '70s era, the haircuts and the style, and I chose a character that is stereotypically a nerd, isn't sporty looking ... but [it] turns out that he really is good at [football], and he is unstoppable when he starts to let himself go."
Talking about the track, R3hab told BANG Showbiz: "For me, when we were making this song, we wanted to really look at the message and it was to do with winning and emotions and being unstoppable.
"You can be unstoppable in sports, in school, in business or even in a relationship. It can mean so much. We kept working on the idea and wanted it to relate to everybody. It took a fair amount of time but it was important."
R3hab, who has also remixed songs or the likes of Rihanna, Rita Ora and Calvin Harris, claims he feels unstoppable when he's on stage and performing at festivals.
He said: "When I'm performing [I feel unstoppable]. I've come a long way from playing festivals for free drinks. Now I'm playing in New York, Las Vegas, it's absolutely insane and hard to realise sometimes. I also have Creamfields [festival] coming up.
"I get a lot of feedback from the artists when I remix their tracks. I've also remixed for Tiesto and now he's remixing my records, which is pretty cool."
To watch the video directed by Idris Elba, search 'R3hab ft Eva Simons' and 'Pespi' on YouTube, or visit www.pepsi.com for more information about 'Beats of the Beautiful Game'.

Sam Smith has been told to curb his partying ways and concentrate on promoting his debut album.
The 'Lay Me Down' singer, who won the BRITs Critics' Choice Award this year, has been making the most of his new found fame by partying with celebrity friends, including model Daisy Lowe, but his management want him to calm down and focus on his music.
A source told The Daily Mirror newspaper: "Sam's been catapulted into success and he's only 22, so who wouldn't want to take advantage of all the free bars and cool parties? But he's also at a crucial point in his music career and is about to release his first solo album [In The Lonely Hour].
"So his team want people talking about that, not what he got up to in a nightclub the night before."
Sam's album, featuring hits 'Money On My Mind' and 'Latch', was released yesterday (26.05.14) and already music bosses want him to be looking ahead at writing material for the follow-up.
The source added: "Sam's such a great talent the people around him don't want him to get caught up in that hard partying scene, which is why they've been insistent that he gets back to the studio to carry on working on his music.
"Plus, it has the added bonus of keeping him away from any bad influences that may distract him."
Despite his new found fame and busy social life, Sam, who celebrated his birthday last week, previously claimed his record is about being a lonely 21 year old, and thanked fans for changing his life over the past few years.
He said: "I truly hope you love this album. I hope it is the soundtrack to all of those lonely moments. It helped me through mine."

Kasabian's Tom Meighan has slammed the possible tour of a Michael Jackson hologram, after the pop icon was 'resurrected' at this year's Billboard Music Awards.
The frontman is less than impressed by plans for the holographic image to visit arenas for Michael's fans to watch it perform a full show of hits.
Tom told The Daily Star newspaper: "I blame money. Holograms are not real. You've gotta be mental mate, it's ridiculous."
Guitarist Serge Pizzorno was also disgusted by the plans, despite Michael's family being overwhelmed by the hologram show, and claims tour promoters are going too far.
He said: "It's disgusting, they should leave the guy alone man, it's awful, it's done, let it be.
"They could bring John Lennon back next week. He's dead. Let's bring Elvis back, let's put Elvis on tour around arenas."
Despite their opinions on the Prince of Pop's hologram, the band - also made up of Chris Edwards and Ian Matthews - claim they are fans of the 'Thriller' hitmaker and were inspired by his moves.
Tom said: "I've been studying his stage act since I was three years old, and what we want is to give off that same power.
"But no-one can be Michael Jackson, he's too incredible."
Meanwhile, the band are also concerned about the state of the indie music scene in Britain and claim there a lot of "liars" and "fake bands and fake people."
Serge explained: "Rock music is about the realness, that's what sets it apart and that's what's disappeared."
Tom added: "The fact for me is that there are no big songs anymore. We unite people and give them what they really want and they're out friends and they get to escape.
"That's rock 'n' roll music and people believe it and that's great."
Kasabian's new single Eez-eh is released next week, taken from their next album '48: 13'.

The Rolling Stones have played their first gig since the death of Mick Jagger's girlfriend L'Wren Scott.
The 'Brown Sugar' hitmakers, also made up of Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts, resumed their '14 On Fire Tour' after giving Mick time to grieve following fashion designer L'Wren's suicide two months ago.
They took to the stage in Norway last night (26.05.14) playing in front of 23,000 people at Oslo's Telenor Arena, the band's first show in the country since 2007.
Speaking before the gig, former Stones member Mick Taylor told The Sun newspaper: "We're all looking forward to it but we're a bit nervous. Mainly nervous for Mick," adding, "We need to get the wheels turning again."
But the legendary rockers had nothing to worry as the crowd went wild when Mick launched into 'Jumpin' Jack Flash', and the band powered through hits including 'It's Only Rock 'n' Roll', 'Honky Tonk Woman', 'Paint It Black', 'Midnight Rambler', 'Miss You' and 'Gimme Shelter'.
Mick, 70, asked the audience: "Are you feeling good, Oslo? Are you sure?"
Meanwhile, it was a day of celebration for Ronnie, who became a grandfather for the eighth time after his daughter Leah Wood gave birth to a baby boy, and he paid tribute to the new baby on stage, by coming out rocking his arms as if he was cradling the newborn.
He also congratulated Leah, along with husband Jack MacDonald and their four-year-old daughter Maggie, in a post on Twitter.
Ronnie, 66, tweeted: "Congratulations to my daughter @MsLeahWood and Jack & Maggie - Baby Otis Sonny David MacDonald was born today! (sic)"

Singer Cara Dillon is flattered that people compare her to Kate Bush.
The 38-year-old folk singer is a big fan of the 'Wuthering Heights' himaker and couldn't wait to get tickets for her first live shows in 35 years at London's Hammersmith Apollo later this year.
Talking about people comparing her to the star, Cara told BANG Showbiz: "Oh my God, I'm like Kate Bush's number one fan, so that is such a compliment.
"Maybe it might be because it's not conventional [what she sings] and it's quite soul-stirring. The songs I tend to sing are ones which have stood the test of time and I think you can hear that, I'm telling people stories using my voice.
"Kate's an amazing woman, she's back [and] I've got my ticket.
"I loved the fact that she never really compromised anything that she was doing, she just did it herself. The kind of things she was singing about were incredible really, I think she's an inspiration to most female artists out there and paved the way for a lot of people."
Meanwhile, Cara, who has released her new album 'A Thousand Hearts', has also been overwhelmed by praise from 'Sing' hitmaker Ed Sheeran on Twitter this month.
He posted: "Listening to @caradillonsings new album and it's sublime, heavily recommend to anyone (sic)."
He added: "@caradillonsings loved every single album you've put out, they are always my main home playlist x (sic)."
Cara said she was "totally and utterly honoyred" by his comments.
She tweeted back: "@edsheeran wow! You've just blown my mind. What else can I say (sic)."
Discussing her new record, she also said: "You make the music you want to make and you just hope that enough people hear it and get it."
Cara's new album is out now.

Iggy Azalea learnt how to twerk from strippers in Atlanta.
The 23-year-old pop star perfected her butt-shaking dance moves at house parties before she found fame, and has revealed the performers in the strip clubs in the American city were an inspiration to her.
Iggy - who moved from Australia to the US on her own when she was just 16 - said: "I used to live in Atlanta, and that's just how everybody dances at house parties and stuff."
She added: "The best twerkers are probably all the strippers in Atlanta. They're pretty good."
The 23-year-old singer - real name Amethyst Kelly - has also revealed how she came up with her unusual stage name.
The 'Work' hitmaker says her moniker is a combination of her pet dog's name and the street in New South Wales, Australia, where her mother's house was located.
She is quoted by People as saying: "Iggy was my dog's name. My dad picked him up a week after I was born, and he named him after Iggy Pop. And Azalea is the street where my mother lived."

M.I.A insists she doesn't like stage collaborations at festivals.
The 'Double Bubble Trouble' singer, who will headline London's Lovebox festival in July in Victoria Park, isn't a fan of sharing a stage with someone but claims there are a few ways she would like to bring something different to her live shows.
Asked if she ever does on stage collaborations at festivals, she told TIME Out magazine: "No, I'm really boring like that. That's an American hip hop thing, and I want a whole bunch of other sh*t. It would be nice to have a hologram of Julian Assange. I [also] want this dancer from Africa, he's the only guy on the whole planet who can dance as fast as he does. He's from this tiny village. I really want him to be a part of the show, but I think I'll have to actually go there and help him to get a passport. It's not very easy."
The 38-year-old star will play Lovebox the day after her birthday but admits she doesn't really like the celebration.
She said: "I don't really do anything for my birthday. I have a birthday complex, and just don't deal with it. All my family are coming, and my little nephews and neices are old enough to come and see me now."

Slash has put his "heart and soul" into his new record.
The rock legend is working on his third solo album, the follow-up to his 2012 record 'Apocalyptic Love', and claims it has been a "blast" laying down the tracks in the studio.
He told Metal Hammer magazine: "Everyone has been on top of their f***ing game for this thing - it's just been awesome.
"I don't like to pat myself on the back too much but I'm pretty proud of it!"
The record is set to be more stripped back than his previous offerings but the 48-year-old guitarist is keeping tight-lipped about the musical direction he's gone in on the album.
He explained: ""There's no sentence or phrase that encompasses the body of work that is this record - any kind of pitch like that is limiting.
"The last record we did completely live in the studio and that's how we put it out.
"This time around things are a bit more produced. I've gone in and overdubbed guitars and that has made everything a bit more lush."
He added: "I've put my heart and soul into it and if people think it's a good record then that's just something they have to figure out for themselves."
Slash's new album will be released later this year.