[Hot Video Alert] Olly Murs feat. Flo-Rida - Troublemaker

Perpetually ADORABLE Olly Murs has done it again, folks. The charming UK singer/songwriter has dropped YET ANOTHER infectious pop single and I can't stop listening to it! It's been on repeat for the past hour or so...LORD help me.  "Troublemaker" was produced by Steve Robson (Lily Allen, Take That, Busted, Blue) and written by Murs, Robson alongside Claude Kelly (Christina Aguilera, The Wanted, Jessie J) and Flo-Rida.  While it might sound a bit like a cut off of the new Maroon 5 album, it's not! It's Olly "Heart Skips a Beat" Murs!  "Troublemaker" is the lead single taken from Murs' forthcoming third UK studio album, Right Place Right Time, and is due out November 18th via Epic Records.

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UK Alterna-pop Artist V V Brown Scraps Planned Sophomore Release, 'Lollipops and Politics'; Promises New Album in 2013

For those of us eagerly awaiting the release of UK singer/songwriter V V Brown's sophomore album, Lollipops & Politics, there's some news and you're not going to like it.  The 29 year old "Shark In The Water" hitmaker took to her official Facebook page today, telling fans that the album has been completely scrapped.  While I'm disappointed, I'm willing to wait.  Brown's FANTASTIC breakthrough 2009 debut, Travelling Like The Light was so good, there's no sense in rushing the follow up just for the sake of putting out another album.  Sounds like Brown wasn't happy with the finished product and wants to make sure that album #2 is absolutely perfect.

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Olly Murs To Release Debut U.S. Album September 25th on Columbia Records

Just because I've been sitting on this, now OLD news, doesn't make it any less exciting. Olly Murs, the handsome and talented UK singer/songwriter who just finished up a successful opening slot on the One Direction U.S. tour is prepping for the release of his debut album here in America! FINALLY!  Olly's album, In Case You Didn't Know, featuring lead single "Heart Skips A Beat," assisted by Chiddy Bang will drop September 25th on Columbia Records. Pre-order it on iTunes or Amazon.

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[Hot Video Alert] Olly Murs feat. Chiddy Bang - Heart Skips a Beat

Last week, UK singing sensation Olly Murs dropped his debut American single, "Heart Skips a Beat," featuring hip-hop duo Chiddy Bang.  Murs originally released "Heart Skips a Beat" last August as the lead single from his sophomore UK album, In Case You Didn't Know.  The UK version of the single featured the popular English rap duo, Rizzle Kicks and went on to debut at #1 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Olly Murs' second #1 hit single.

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Ellie Goulding Covers The Weeknd; Offers Free Download

English folktronica songstress Ellie Goulding may still be milking her million + selling debut U.S. single, "Lights" with a string of recent U.S. performances (Good Morning America, The Ellen DeGeneres Show) but everybody knows that the talented 25 year electro diva is hard at work on her highly anticipated sophomore set.

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It's Official, Olly Murs Signs with Columbia Records, 'Heart Skips A Beat' Out May 22nd

A couple months after making the announcement via his own personal Twitter, UK singer/songwriter Olly Murs' U.S. label, Columbia Records confirmed the news by way of an official press release.  The label proceeded to confirm both Murs' signing as well as announcing his first U.S. single, a new version of the UK #1, "Heart Skips A Beat," featuring American hip-hop duo Chiddy Bang, due May 22nd (iTunes U.S.), and debut album due out in the Fall.  Listen to "Heart Skips A Beat" BELOW.

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Hot Video Alert: V.V. Brown feat. Chiddy Bang - Children

Back before Halloween I did a little write up on UK singer/songwriter V.V. Brown's tremendous new single "Children," and of course shortly after I stopped blogging for a month, she went ahead and released the official music video for the song.  The song offers listeners a little lick of what's to come from her sophomore release, Lollipops & Politics, due February 7th via Capitol Records here in America.  Written by Brown as well as C. Harmon, E. Kidd Bogart & Chiddy (of Chiddy Bang fame), the latter whom also raps on the track.   

When the song starts, you don't really know what of make of it.  "Where is this going?"  Of course, being that it's V.V. Brown we're talking about, it doesn't take long before it ascends into pop greatness.  This unconventional little pop tunes samples the familiar ice cream truck jingle ("Do Your Ears Hang Low") likely recognized by little children everywhere.  The song is slathered in originality, something that Brown has always brought to her tunes.  It's funny that I say "always." Girl has only released one album, yet here she is acting like she's been doing this for years. She amazes me.

Buzzed about in her native England long before she made a splash stateside, V.V. Brown's critically acclaimed debut album, Travelling Like The Light, was released in the UK back in July of 2009 and finally in the states in February of this year.  Brown wrote and co-wrote the entire 12-track album and worked with producers such as Kid Gloves, Steve Dub and Jeremy Wheatley  While the album was chock-full of quirky little pop gems, the most successful single released was "Shark In The Water."  Most successful, I say, because none of her other singles charted at all.  "Shark In The Water" was the song that introduced Brown to North American TV audiences, with prominent placements in popular TV shows Degrassi and Ugly Betty.

Surprisingly enough, the single was more successful overseas than it was in the UK, where it stalled out at #34 on the Official Singles Chart.  In France, "Shark In The Water" peaked at #13 while here in the States it did respectably well for an otherwise unknown singer from England, going Gold and peaking at #67 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also fared well in other formats, coming in at #20 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary chart and an amazing #11 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.  Her album charted respectably, peaking at #30 at home in the UK, #16 in France and #179 on the tough to crack Billboard 200.

"Children" is the first single released off the new album and the first tease of what V.V. Brown has up her sleeve and if it's any indication of what we can expect to hear on the new record, I think we're all in for a sweet treat.  Check out the very "REAL" video for "Children" below, shot in Los Angeles and look out for some sick dance remixes from Mike Rizzo, Twice as Nice, Club Cheval and Easy Does It.  Download "Children" featuring Chiddy on U.S. iTunes HERE.

Check out VV Brown on the web:

Official Site//Myspace//Facebook//Bebo//YouTube//Twitter

V.V. Brown Teaches 'Children' A Lesson with New Single, Sophomore Album Due Next Year

PHOTO CREDIT: Paul Kalirai

One of my favorite artists to emerge over the last couple of years, V.V. Brown, recently dropped a new single and announced details from her forthcoming sophomore record, Lollipops & Politics. FINALLY!  After hearing her for the first time in the summer of 2009, it's been a fast road to obsession for me.  I've seen her live twice in Boston (once as the headlining act, once opening for Little Dragon) and turned on countless friends to her unique voice and funky style.  There's just something alluring and engaging about V.V. and everyone seems to agree with me.

Following the release of her final single off Travelling Like The Light, I was ready for new music.  By that time I had already listened to her debut album ALMOST to the point of getting sick of it, so some new tunes were much needed. Of course, I realized this would take a while, given her heavy promotional schedule and various tours, opening for the likes of Little Dragon, Maroon 5, Owl City and  P!nk.  Well, the wait is now over! New V.V. Brown music is HERE and more is on the way.

First single, "Children" was released September 20th in the U.S. featuring U.S. rapper Chiddy, 1/2 of Philadelphia-based rap duo (and Capitol Records label mates) Chiddy Bang.  The aggressively catchy single was produced by Chuck Harmony, a man behind hits from the likes of Rihanna, Mary J. Blige and Ne-Yo and has been described as "a hip-pop classic, with one ear cocked to Kelis' 'Milkshake' and the other to T.Rex's 'Children of the Revolution.'"  The song was written about the materialistic nature of CHILDREN in this day and age, where possessions equate happiness.  According to V.V., "It's pop, but that doesn't mean it can't be interesting."  Well put Ms. Brown.

PHOTO CREDIT: Paul Kalirai

During Brown's extensive touring schedule, she started to map out what would eventually become Lollipops & Politics.  According to V.V., "I set up a studio in my flat, with just me and my engineer, and started going a bit mad with music.  It was all part of the process of getting to where I am now. I had to re-program and learn who I was again."  In discussing her morphing sounds, Brown explains "I was going to the kind of experimental place I hadn't been before. It felt like growing up. I felt freer."

While "Children" is definitely different than anything Brown has released before, it's not that far of a stretch.  Travelling Like The Light was full of semi-unconventional pop songs, with a few exceptions of course - her biggest hit "Shark In The Water" being one of them.  Aside from "Shark In The Water," all of Brown's other singles ("Crying Blood," "Leave!," "Game Over") released in the UK were unconventionally POP, so "Children" is sort of a natural progression if you ask me.

PHOTO CREDIT: Paul Kalirai

On Lollipops & Politics, Brown worked with writers Evan Bogart (Beyonce, Adam Lambert), Jean Baptiste (The Black Eyed Peas, Chris Brown), Mr. Griffiths (Jem) and writer/producer Bjorn Yttling (1/3 of Swedish indie rock band Peter Bjorn and John).  The album includes a Ronettes-style ballad ("Be Yours"), a "fuzzed out discordant synthesizer"-lead "Like Fire" and "Famous," co-written by Yttling.  From the sounds of it, Lollipops & Politics is as diverse an album as they come.  The album is due out sometime in early 2012 via Capitol Records.  Download "Children" on U.S. iTunes HERE and scope out the tracklisting and some tour dates below. Make sure you check out the 'Behind The Scenes' video below featuring "Children."  Get ready for new V.V. Brown folks!

Lollipops & Politics Tracklisting:

1. Children (feat. Chiddy)

2. Famous

3. Red Balloon

4. Tough Like Glue

5. Climbing High

6. Heartbeat

7. Be Yours

8. 10 Ft. Tall

9. Circus Town

10. Like Fire

Tour Dates:

November 1st//Brooklyn, NY//Knitting Factory

November 2nd//New York, NY//Mercury Lounge

November 4th//Washington, DC//DC9

November 7th//Los Angeles, CA//Bardot

November 8th//San Francisco, CA//Rickshaw Shop

November 9th//Los Angeles, CA//Hotel Cafe

November 10th//Seattle, WA//Nectar Lounge

Check out VV Brown on the web:

Official Site//Myspace//Facebook//Bebo//YouTube//Twitter