News and Gossip World: June 2011

Thursday, June 30, 2011

'Harry Potter' Bank Heist Footage And More Revealed

Two new featurettes show Harry and gang breaking into Gringotts Wizarding Bank and trying to destroy the Horcruxes.
By Eric Ditzian

Daniel Radcliffe in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"
Photo: Warner Bros.

"This is Harry's last chance to finish this once and for all."

So says Daniel Radcliffe in one of two new "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" featurettes that reveal tons of new footage both from the upcoming film and the on-set production that brought those scenes to life. Taken together, the fresh videos give us even keener insight into what it's going to take for the Boy Who Lived to complete the task of slaying Voldemort and saving the wizarding world.

In one featurette, posted by Entertainment Weekly, we go inside what director David Yates calls "a bank heist." The scene features Harry, Emma Watson's Hermione and Rupert Grint's Ron as the three break into Gringotts Wizarding Bank, gaining access to Bellatrix Lestrange's vault. Harry dons his invisibility cloak, Ron wears a funky bearded disguise and Hermione creates a potion to become Bellatrix herself. "Hermione is very uncomfortable about playing Bellatrix," Watson explained. "She wears a corset and she's evil and she wears leather. I think she just feels insecure about it."

The shoot required the makeup department to outfit 45 actors in full facial prosthetics to become goblins, bringing the total number of actors in makeup for the scene to 175. The featurette delivers our closest look yet at this key Gringotts scene.

Harry and his pals are there to locate and destroy a Horcrux, one of seven in which Voldemort has stored parts of his soul. The second featurette, posted by Yahoo! Movies, takes us inside their hunt for the Horcruxes and again unveils a lot of new footage. As "Part 2" begins, they've already destroyed three of the Horcruxes and need to destroy four more before they can vanquish He Who Must Not Be Named.

"Voldemort knows that as each Horcrux is destroyed, he loses his power and is actually diminished to nothing," said Ralph Fiennes, who plays the Dark Lord.

And as Harry and his friends begin to destroy the Horcruxes, Voldemort starts to lose his mind — a transition Yates sought to focus on in "Part 2."

"I wanted to explore the vulnerable side of Voldemort — his fear, his anxiety, the things that make him the monster that he is," the director said.

Who is the best "Harry Potter" character of all time? The "Harry Potter" World Cup will find out! Voting is going on now over on the MTV Movies Blog, and you can also get the debate going on Twitter with the hashtag #mtvpottercup.

Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Britney Spears' 'I Wanna Go' Director Breaks Down Cheeky Clip

Chris Marrs Piliero explains the video's 'Half Baked' and 'Terminator' homages, but what about those elusive seashells?
By Kara Warner

Britney Spears in her "I Wanna Go" music video
Photo: Jive

Britney Spears' video for "I Wanna Go" — a dream-sequence-y, pop-culture-reference-packed tongue-in-cheek attack on the paparazzi — is so fun, it's quickly becoming one of our favorites. And because we can't get enough of it, MTV News sought out the vid's creative mastermind, director Chris Marrs Piliero (who also directed Ke$ha's "Blow"), to explain it to us, frame by frame.

"This opening scene poked fun at the ridiculous rumors that surround Britney," Piliero said of the clip's opening press conference, during which Britney tells off a room of reporters. "That is our homage to 'Half Baked.' I was really stoked that we were able to include that little parody homage in the video and that Guillermo Diaz, who is the guy [in the scene] giving the thumbs up, is from the movie."

After strutting out of the press conference and squeezing the butt of an autograph-seeking fan (played by one of her dancers), Spears strolls down the street, passing by a baby in a stroller who whistles at her.

"We were actually going to have three babies," Piliero revealed. "But the other two were just crying and crying. and I was like, 'F--- it, get 'em outta there.' And the one baby, he ruled and was supercute, so we went with him."

Spears' next saucy move is to flash a bunch of guys on the street: a young boy, his dad, a male driver getting a ticket and the cop writing it.

"That little kid was awesome," Piliero said of the young redheaded boy. "If you look closely, he's actually squeezing his juice box all over this shirt. The cop is another one of Britney's dancers. You might recognize him from the 'Hold It Against Me' video, he had blue hair."

Next up, Spears encounters a paparazzo on the street and grabs his camera and throws it to the ground.

"That was a very genuine performance from Britney," Piliero said of the scene. "I felt like she was letting out her inner emotion toward paparazzi. It was also really cold. I think she just went for it."

Cut to Spears on top of a taxi, microphone in hand with a long cord, which she uses to take out the various photographers who have surrounded her.

"A lot of people think this was inspired by 'Kill Bill,' because I'm a huge Quentin Tarantino fan. I would totally own up to that if it was true," he admitted. "But I actually intended for her to always having her performance with the microphone [throughout the video] for her performance setup, so I thought that was a good way to tie it all together and I didn't want to give her a real weapon."

But Piliero was making an intentional pop-culture reference with the wording on the movie theater marquee in the background of the scene that reads "Crossroads 2: Cross Harder." "I've always thought that 'Die Hard 2: Die Harder' is one of the most ridiculously awesome titles for a sequel," he said. "And I needed to put something in the marquee, and I thought it would be a really fun Easter egg for fans."

Now something odd happens with the paparazzi who've been hit by Spears' microphone weapon — they are revealed to be robots or androids. "I love pop culture and this whole video is kind of a dream sequence," Piliero said. "I think it's natural to have fantasies and dreams with stuff inspired by pop culture, so that's why the robot guys kind of have a 'Terminator'-ish feel."

Before the "Terminator" 'bots can move in on Spears, Diaz drives up in a sports car and whisks her away, where he celebrates by pouring a carton of milk all over himself.

"Guillermo kills it in the scene with the milk, he's hilarious," Piliero enthused. "And I love Britney's reaction there; both her reactions where she's laughing are so good. A lot of people ask about the milk and what the deal with it is, a lot of people have theories too. I don't need to say what the point is, because I love hearing what people say, so I'll leave it at that. Same goes with the seashells too."

Cut to the final scene, where we realize that it was all a dream. Spears is at the press conference, shaken out of a daze when Guillermo steps in and tells the reporters, "No more questions," then hands Spears a handful of those seashells that Piliero won't explain. He looks back at the camera at the last moment and we see his eyes are robot red, an obvious nod to Michael Jackson's zombie-green eyes in the last shot of "Thriller."

" 'Thriller' is one of my favorite music videos ever," Piliero said. "I remember watching it when I was 5, that was what inspired me to become a music video director so I wanted to pay homage to it."

What do you think the milk and the seashells signify in "I Wanna Go"? Share your theories in the comments below.

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Lindsay Lohan Begins House Arrest

Actress turned herself in Thursday (May 26) to begin her 35-day term.
By Gil Kaufman

Lindsay Lohan
Photo: Getty Images

You are not likely to see many pictures of Lindsay Lohan over the next month, as the troubled actress turned herself in to authorities early Thursday morning (May 26) to begin her 35-day sentence of home confinement in connection with her deal in a recent theft case.

According to People magazine, Lohan, 24, turned herself in to authorities at Los Angeles' Lynwood Jail shortly after 5 a.m. PT, at which point she was fitted with an electronic ankle bracelet that she will wear while serving her term at her Venice, California, townhouse.

"She is now confined to the interior premises of her home at all times," the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department said. Lohan had originally been sentenced to four months in jail after pleading no contest May 11 to stealing a $2,500 necklace from a Venice jewelry store, but because of chronic jail overcrowding in Los Angeles and because she's a nonviolent offender, she was eligible for house arrest.

Lohan was originally charged with felony grand theft due to the listed price of the necklace, but the judge reduced the charges to a misdemeanor in April.

The magazine reported that her sentence could be reduced down to just over two weeks in all, thanks to time off for good behavior and budgetary constraints. The judge in the case also sentenced Lohan to perform 480 hours of community service, but she will not be allowed to perform that work while under house arrest.

In addition to the community service — which will mostly be at a homeless shelter for women, with the remainder at the Los Angeles County morgue — Lohan was ordered to undergo psychological counseling and participate in a shoplifters alternative course.

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Katy Perry's 'Last Friday Night' Gets Teen-Party Makeover From Rebecca Black

Hanson, Kenny G and 'Glee' stars Darren Criss and Kevin McHale also guest-star in teen-movie homage.
By Jocelyn Vena

Katy Perry in her "Last Friday Night" video
Photo: Capitol Records

What happened "Last Friday Night"? Katy Perry's alter ego Kathy Beth Terry is trying to figure that out. In the just premiered video, directed by Marc Klasfeld, Perry pays homage to the teen flicks of the '80s, with the help of quite a few famous friends.

In the midst of a rousing game of sudoku, the brace-faced, headgear-wearing, nerdy Kathy seems initially mad at the house party going on outside. So, what's a girl to do? Well, try to reason with the revelers and get them to stop, obviously.

But those revelers happen to include "Friday" singer Rebecca Black, house band Hanson, with an assist from Kathy Beth Terry's crazy uncle Kenny G, and "Glee" stars Darren Criss and Kevin McHale, the latter of whom has a mad, fantasy-tinged crush on Kathy. And soon, rather than put an end to the festivities, she's drawn into the party, which includes the tropes from movies like "She's All That," "Can't Hardly Wait" and about five flicks by John Hughes.

After Black gives Perry a makeover, complete with spandex, big hair and funky earrings, she's hanging with all of the cool kids. She's drinking, dancing, vomiting and falling over drunk, while the song's lyrics talk about regretting the Friday-night actions that are inevitably documented and spread online.

And, of course, it all comes back to Saturday morning, when a hungover Kathy is both pleased and shocked by what happened the night before, as her passed-out guests and Facebook page remind her of it all. Her parents arrive on the scene, but they don't seem too angry at her party-girl antics, maybe because they're played by Debbie Gibson and Corey Feldman. The only real casualty of the party? Kathy's solar system model!

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Prince Rocks The 2011 Montreal Jazz Festival

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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

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Jill Scott Scores First #1 on Billboard 200

Bon Iver debuts at #2, followed by Adele at #3 and 'Weird Al' Yankovic at #9.
By Gil Kaufman

Jill Scott's The Light of the Sun
Photo: Blues Babe Records

R&B singer Jill Scott will notch her first #1 album next week when her fourth effort, Light of the Sun, crashes the top of the Billboard 200 chart thanks to sales of 135,000 copies, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan.

That was more than enough to hold off the charge from another chart-topping newbie, sensitive Wisconsin folkie Bon Iver (a.k.a. Justin Vernon), whose self-titled second collection of pastoral Auto-Tuned hymns hits #2 after selling 104,000 copies.

The pair leads a parade of new faces, which include country singer Justin Moore at #5 with Outlaws Like Me (65,000), Pitbull, whose Planet Pit lands at #7 (55,000), and perennial chart-crashing joke man "Weird Al" Yankovic, who yuks his way to #9 with Alpocalypse (44,000).

The rest of the top 10: Adele, 21 (#3, 101,000); Jackie Evancho, Dream With Me (#4, 77,000); Bad Meets Evil, Hell: The Sequel (#6, 63,000); Lady Gaga, Born This Way (#8, 49,000); and Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party (#10, 40,000).

Speaking of parties, all-night disco rockers LMFAO wiggle in just outside the top 10 with their second effort, Sorry for Party Rocking, which hits #12 (27,000), while soul singer Ledisi takes a 10-spot tumble in week two with Pieces of Me, which falls to #18 (20,000). Without a smash hit like "Fireflies," fans seemed to flee Owl City's latest, All Things Bright and Beautiful, which plummets 26 spots in week two to #32, as sales drop 73 percent to 13,000.

Pop punk veterans Simple Plan rolled into the #52 slot with Get Your Heart On! (9,000).

Over on the iTunes charts, it's a different story, as Bon Iver rules the album tally, followed by Adele, Scott, the Eminem and Royce Da 5'9" collabo Bad Meets Evil, Pitbull, Moore, Mumford & Sons' Sigh No More, LMFAO, Matt Nathanson's Modern Love and a Frank Sinatra greatest hits collection.

Katy Perry was the queen of the iTunes singles chart thanks to "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," which beat out Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger" collaboration with Christina Aguilera on "The Voice," then LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem," Pitbull's "Give Me Everything," Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass," Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory," Hot Chelle Rae's "Tonight Tonight," Lil Wayne's "How to Love" and Blake Shelton's "Honey Bee."

Expect more shake-ups at the top next week when Beyoncé's 4 charts, along with new ones from Selena Gomez, former "American Idol" winner David Cook, Big Sean, Curren$y and, yes, the reunited Limp Bizkit.

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Katy Perry Tweets About Russell Brand's Deportation From Japan

Brand was forced to leave the country on Saturday because of unspecified prior offenses.
By Gil Kaufman

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Photo: Michael Tran/ FilmMagic

Russell Brand's past just keeps catching up with him. No, we're not talking about his critically panned remake of "Arthur," but rather his bad-boy days before he cleaned up his act, rebooted his career and married pop queen Katy Perry.

According to tweets from Perry, Brand was held in custody by Japanese authorities on Saturday before later being deported from the country as a result of unspecified offenses from a decade ago.

Brand had flown to Japan to watch Perry perform a show, and the singer provided updates to fans about her hubby's legal problems. "So ... my husband just got deported from Japan," Perry tweeted on Saturday afternoon. "I am so. sad. I brought him all this way to show him my favorite place #tokyodreamscrushed."

About an hour later she updated the situation and said that Brand was sent packing for "priors from over 10 years ago!" She did not specify what those prior offenses were. Brand, a self-professed former sex and drug addict, has a long history of arrests in England, as well as a 2010 arrest for attacking a paparazzo at Los Angeles International Airport.

Despite the international incident, Perry told her fans she had no ill will toward Japanese authorities. "But of COURSE I ♥ my Japanese fans & the show #MUSTGOON no matter the daily aftershocks or husband kidnappings! #it'snotrightbutit'soka."

Brand also kept his chin up and brushed off the incident in his usual self-deprecating manner. "Planning escape from Japanese custody. It's bloody hard to dig a tunnel with a chopstick," he tweeted after his deportation on Sunday, noting soon after that "Stockholm Syndrome kicking in. Just asked my guard out for (vegetarian) sushi. He giggled."

Once the ordeal was over, Brand added, "Alcatraz! Shawshank Redemption! And now this! Ah, sweet blue bird of freedom!" According to reports, Tokyo immigration officials declined to comment on the incident, citing privacy issues.

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Katy Perry's 'Last Friday Night' Invite Thrills Hanson

'We thought we could bring the party — even if it was a fictional party,' Taylor Hanson tells MTV News of video cameo.
By Jocelyn Vena

Hanson
Photo: Getty Images

Katy Perry rounded up quite the cast of cameos for her "Last Friday Night" video. The Marc Klasfeld-directed clip featured "Glee" stars Darren Criss and Kevin McHale, "Friday" singer Rebecca Black, Kenny G, Debbie Gibson and Corey Feldman. Oh, yeah: It also had Hanson as the video's house band!

"We were flattered to be asked, and it was great to be a part of it," Taylor Hanson told MTV News on Tuesday (June 14). "We had a really good time. It was one of those things that worked out really well. They said [they] needed a band to play the party, and we thought we could bring the party — even if it was a fictional party.

"First of all, Kenny G's an icon, so it was pretty awesome to, in some ways, have been able to perform together," Taylor continued. "And, again, there's a little bit of the tongue-in-cheek element to the entire concept of the video. We went in there without taking it too seriously. [Kenny G] was a scholar and gentleman, and it seemed like Katy was fulfilling the idea. She seemed like she was pretty happy with how things were coming together."

Taylor said it was hard to get Perry out of character as the geeky Kathy Beth Terry on set. "She was completely in character and to the point of like, 'OK, where does Katy Perry begin and this character end?' " he recalled. "And, honestly, it seemed like she kind of is a Method person. She seems like she goes in all the way. So we hung out a little bit, and during the performance and everything, obviously, we were all there on set, but she was definitely inside of the character throughout the shoot, which sounds tiring to me."

So what would it take to get the guys to play your house party? "We work for Twizzlers and good times," Taylor said. "You'd have to have a lot of spandex, a huge tree covered in toilet paper, Kenny G — apparently that's what it takes to get us to a house party."

And now Katy owes the brothers a cameo in their next video. "I think she has some obligation to spread the love on the next round," he said. "I don't know. ... We might have to come up with another character."

What did you think of Hanson's cameo in Katy's new video? Let us know in the comments!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

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Lady Gaga's 'Edge Of Glory': A Pop-Culture Cheat Sheet

In her newest video, Gaga pays homage to classic clips of the 1980s.
By James Montgomery

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Photo: Getty Images

The first thing that strikes you about Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory" video is the fact that it's steeped in the rich, gauzy traditions of classic pop clips and noticeably missing any of the allegories, agendas or, uh, afterbirth of her previous work.

Simply put, "Edge" is an homage to an entire genre of videos that has since gone by the wayside — namely, the eternally soft-focused, ethereal mini-movies of the 1980s, (mostly) pop productions that reimagined cityscapes as dream-like fantasy worlds, where the just-wet streets shone like mirrors, the manholes frothed with steam and no piece of fabric was left un-billowed. These were decidedly big-budget, unapologetically Hollywood things, shot on studio backlots, glowing with million-dollar lighting budgets and given extra grandeur thanks to sweeping, soaring crane shots. They made no attempt to portray reality as anything of the sort — because, much like the songs they accompanied, there was rebellion in that fantasy — or of hiding their excesses. And, not surprisingly, as the decade came to a close, and earnestness began to reign supreme, they slowly disappeared (surely, their big budgets didn't help their fate either).

But with her new clip, Gaga resurrects the epic videos of the '80s once again. And, seemingly, all at once. There truly are too many nods to the classics to list individually, and really, that's beside the point. With "The Edge of Glory," LG is paying tribute not to individual artists, but to an entire genre. Still, there are some whose influence stands above the rest, and we've combined them into one handy cheat sheet. Of course, in keeping with her tradition, not all of them come from the 1980s. Because if there's anything Lady Gaga has proven, it's that she refuses to be fenced in. Here's our list:

Bonnie Tyler: Welsh-born belter whose better-known videos (like "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "Holding Out for a Hero") practically set the standard for the fantastical pop videos of the 1980s. Soft focus, arching crane shots, achingly staged lighting — they're all there, and they're all on display in "Edge of Glory" too.

Blondie, "Rapture": One of the earliest examples of the ethereal '80s (it was released in 1981), the video follows Debbie Harry on a dream-like traipse through the streets of New York City, complete with guest appearances by Fab Five Freddy and a shuffling Uncle Sam (to name just a few). It makes no sense, because it's not supposed to.

Cyndi Lauper: Gaga's good friend and, along with Madonna, perhaps the premier '80s video star, Lauper's classics — be they the good-natured rebellion of "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" or the moody, arty "True Colors" — both seem like spiritual successors to "Edge."

"Fame": Epochal tale of performing-arts students living and loving in NYC during the early '80s, it's spirit and style have long influenced Gaga's work. With its dance moves and dreamy, freedom-in-the-streets scenes, "Edge" is perhaps the best example of that.

"Flashdance": Prototypical "girl finds escape in dance" film from 1983, it stars Jennifer Beals as a steelworker/dancer who dreams of a better life. Not only are the same sentiments echoed in "Edge," but Gaga pays tribute to the film's most memorable scene — where Beals reclines in a chair and is doused in water — by striking a similar pose outside her apartment building.

George Michael: Before he became known for his various, uh, exploits, Michael was the biggest British pop star of the 1980s, and as such, he churned out some appropriately huge music videos. Two of his biggest — "Father Figure" and "Careless Whisper" — seem to have influenced Gaga with their gauzy, steamy portrayals of late-night life in the big city and, in the case of "Whisper," that balls-out sax wailing.

Michael Jackson: You can't write anything about videos from the 1980s without mentioning MJ, who took the art form to rarely duplicated heights. Usually, his clips were fantastical things, but occasionally, he also got gritty, and it's those moments (videos like "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Billie Jean") that seem to have stuck in Gaga's mind.

"Newsies": The 1992 Disney musical is most notable for its initial "flop" status and its subsequent rebirth as a cult classic. It tells the story of newsboys on strike in New York City, and in classic scenes like Christian Bale's performance of the song "Santa Fe," it takes that struggle to the twisting fire escapes of the city. Sort of like "Edge of Glory," really.

"Rent": Broadway retelling of Puccini's "La bohème," set in the Lower East Side in the early 1990s. As some have noted, Lady Gaga seems to be paying tribute to the choreography of one particular number ("Out Tonight") as she dances on the fire escape.

"West Side Story": One of the best-loved Broadway musicals of all time, "Story" was remade as a film in 1961 and went on to win a whopping 10 Oscars, including Best Picture. As you can expect, there are plenty of street scenes and fire escapes in both the film and the stage show, but perhaps the most famous is "Tonight," where the story's star-crossed lovers profess their love for one another high above the city. Sure, Maria never tears off her Versace silk, but you seemingly cannot film a scene on a fire escape without recalling this classic, and, in "Edge," there's certainly a lot of the former.

Did we miss any influences? Let us know in the comments below!

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Monday, June 27, 2011

New 'Hobbit' Image Reveals Gandalf And Bilbo Baggins

So sue us, we're about as excited as you can get about Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" adaptation.
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Beyonce's 4: Early Reviews Are In!

'It's very much the sort of album a pop star makes when she doesn't feel like she has anything to prove,' one critic writes.
By Jocelyn Vena

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Photo: Columbia

Although Beyoncé's latest album, 4, was still weeks from its official release date, on Wednesday it was leaked and quickly caused a stir on the Internet, prompting fans and critics to weigh in on the singer's first new album in nearly three years.

So far, B's promo for 4 has been fueled by the release of tracks like the snarling "Run the World (Girls)", the track "Best Thing I Never Had," and the emotional "1+1." But now that all of the tracks are out there on the Net, Beyoncé's album is up for debate.

The Atlantic compares her latest to her last album: "In between, there's an unmistakable, if gradual, turn from melancholic top 40 ballads to the confrontational snap of military drums and giddy proclamations of love. Is this I Am ... Sasha Fierce part 2? Not quite. The course of 4 documents a progression, a maturation, of Beyoncé's worldview."

Rolling Stone observes, "Beyoncé's new album, 4, is a change of pace for the R&B queen ... 4 is a more relaxed, personal set that emphasizes ballads over bangers and showcases the singer's nuances; it's very much the sort of album a pop star makes when she doesn't feel like she has anything to prove."

Ology.com gives Beyoncé credit for working with so many producers on the album, but making it all sound "cohesive." "It stands quite easily as Knowles' most vibrant album; not saying it's her best (B'Day still holds that title), but it begs to be performed live in front of hundreds of thousands of screaming fans unlike anything else she's released yet."

Fans seem equally opinionated — and enthusiastic — about the album, which officially drops on June 28.

"This album is so not her, she took chances, went off in a new direction as far as sound, her vocal techniques are off the charts on this album," Lee Joseph Chaisson wrote on MTV.com. "She brought it vocally; the sounds are so uniquely different, her whole approach."

"I've heard the Album...The **** it BANGIN!" Oren Acquirestino added. "Beyonce's really really singing on this album."

B's most devoted also took to her Facebook page to put their two cents in. Tatyana Krasko wrote, "Beyonce thanks for great work...Album '4' it's amazing... I love Beyonce."

Another fan, Sunny Lochab, gave the singer props and said he was buying the album regardless of the leak. "I downloaded it. I couldn't help it - everyone was talking about it! and I completely love it - I'll be buying it too to show love! you show true growth on this album...it's ALL love."

Have you heard Beyoncé's album? Tell us in the comments!

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Sunday, June 26, 2011

When I Was 17 (Season 2) | Ep. 18 | Best Of Prom

Take a look back at the memorable prom nights of some of your favorite celebs featured in 'When I Was 17.'

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Taylor Swift, Rihanna Dress To Impress At Billboard Awards

Nicki Minaj, Ke$ha, Selena Gomez also make fashion splash on red carpet, as showgirl style rules at the Las Vegas event on Sunday night.
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Photo: Jordan Strauss/ Getty Images

On Sunday night, some of the biggest names in the music industry hit up the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas and decided that sparkles and sequins make for the perfect additions to any red carpet get-up. Well, it is Sin City after all.

Taylor Swift always seems to bring some of that Nashville sparkle to any red carpet. She arrived at the show in a pale-hued, sequined Elie Saab gown. Nicki Minaj showed off her signature sense of style in her baby-blue, body-hugging spandex Mark Fast catsuit.

Selena Gomez turned up the style dial in a sexy, cut-out black Dolce & Gabbana gown that she paired with red strappy sandals with sparkly bow detailing. Like Gomez, Ke$ha opted for some cut-out detailing in her sparkly, slate-gray dress with tulle skirt. Rihanna looked white hot in her men's tailored Max Azria suit, which she kept sexy and feminine by not buttoning her shirt all the way.

Fergie went S&M chic in her little black bandage-type dress by Hervé Léger. Nicole Kidman also wore black. She paired a casual braid hairstyle with a long black gown and Keith Urban. British pop cutie Kyle Minogue looked funky in her little black lacey dress. Inside the show, Britney Spears sat in the audience wearing a skimpy black dress of her own, her hair in loose curls, with little-to-no accessories.

While some stars kept the color scheme low-key, Keri Hilson decided to stand out in her billowy little yellow dress paired with a turquoise-colored belt. Kelly Rowland showed off some of her best assets in a body-hugging, bright pink bandage dress.

The fellas also looked tight on the carpet. Joe Jonas wore all black with white sneakers, Ne-Yo paired his periwinkle suit with a Yankees cap and Justin Bieber wore black tuxedo pants with a gold-lamé tuxedo jacket.

Which stars' styles caught your eye at the Billboard Music Awards? Tell us in the comments.

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Saturday, June 25, 2011

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Justin Bieber's Grammy Performance Will Be 'A Crossover,' Usher Says

The 'O.M.G.' singer looks forward to sharing the stage with his protégé on Sunday night.
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HOLLYWOOD — At Sunday's 53rd Grammy Awards, Usher will be pulling double duty as both a nominee and a performer. Of course, given the massive year he just completed — with the success of his smash single "O.M.G." and as a mentor to rising phenom Justin Bieber — Ush's Grammy plans seem rather fitting.

Especially since he'll be performing with Bieber (and Bieber's pal Jaden Smith), a move that's just as much about celebrating Usher's successes as it is the successes of his young protégé.

"Having been through [the Grammys] so many times, you couldn't want for anything more than for your young protégé to have the opportunity to have one, so, in support of him having his moment, I wanted to be here," Usher told MTV News on Thursday, hours before his performance at the (Belvedere) RED launch party in Hollywood. "And also to be there to perform, to kind of tell the story of how we came together. This music business has definitely been good to both of us, and this year we have a lot to be happy for."

And just how will the dynamic duo tell that story? Well, Usher wasn't about to reveal all the details, but he did say that he's hoping their performance will show another side of Bieber ... a side most tend to overlook.

"The performance will be fun," Usher explained. "We want to get up there and just do what we do. Be comfortable, and have a great time. ... This is kind of a crossover for Justin. Having performed on so many different stages, this is the way that I wanted him to be seen and an opportunity to show the industry — a lot of the industry, that didn't believe [in him] — some of his other talents. He's going to play acoustically, and also, we'll get down a little bit."

And though Ush is up for a pair of Grammy awards on Sunday — Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best Contemporary R&B Album for Raymond v. Raymond — he's most looking forward to sharing the stage with Bieber and giving fans a look at where the young artist will be heading next.

"I'm very proud, man. I definitely saw it from the beginning, but thanks to the team that we have around us, it was made to happen. And that story has only just begun," Usher said. "The story of Justin Bieber doesn't stop with screaming girls; we need screaming fans all around the world ... a cultural experience that's much more than just fanfare. And that's what this is. That's what the Grammys will be; that's what my next phase for Justin is. This is the way I found him: I found him with a guitar in his hand, so I want him to be seen that way."

Don't miss "Snooki & Sway: Live From the Grammys," a red-carpet live stream kicking off Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And stick with us all Grammy night for coverage of the red carpet, the show, the afterparties and beyond!

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