September 23, 2024

Review Category : TMZ Music News

Hunter Hayes Gives Advice To Early-Morning OMAs Performers: ‘Don’t Sleep’

Just one day after rocking out in front of thousands of fans at Webster Hall for MTV's Artist to Watch LIVE concert, Hunter Hayes is heading right back to the stage for the O Music Awards — this time as a presenter.

"It's going to be fun," Hayes told MTV News backstage at Tuesday night's show. The singer is an OMAs veteran, having performed at last year's show for an early-morning set. "We got to do some stuff last year with the 24-hour thing like at 5 in the morning, so it's going to be a little easier on this one, but I love that whole thing, it's so different."

So what advice does Hayes have for those performers slotted in the wee hours? "Coffee, I don't know how I can help, just don't sleep," Hayes said.

Hayes is presenting the award for and one of the nominees is Nashville-based duo Striking Matches, who also happened to be handpicked by Hayes to open his MTV Artist to Watch concert.

"It's the best kind of award in my opinion because it's all fan-voted," Justin Davis of Striking Matches told MTV News. "We got our fans busy and they got to show their support, and so playing there is going to be really cool."

Bandmate Sarah Zimmermann added, "I think we are the only country band out of the five nominated, so it's cool to represent country music in that way."

Striking Matches, along with fellow nominees Chill Moody, Darling Parade, The So So Glos and Syd ...

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James Gandolfini Brought ‘Comfort’ On Set, Kristen Stewart Says

Since the announcement Wednesday afternoon of , the entertainment industry has started reflecting on his influence on acting throughout his vast and eclectic career.

Gandolfini won three Emmys for his role as Tony Soprano on the acclaimed HBO series, which ran for six seasons, from 1999 to 2007. But his influence reached far beyond the mob, through his more recent roles in "Zero Dark Thirty," "Where the Wild Things Are" and "Welcome to the Rileys."

While she had yet to make a public statement on his death at press time, Gandolfini's "Welcome to the Rileys" co-star Kristen Stewart spoke to MTV News in 2010 about working with an actor of his caliber.

Gandolfini was well-known for playing characters that are intimidating, which suggests he was himself an imposing presence on set. But Stewart insisted that sharing the screen with him offered her much more reassurance than insecurity.

"It's actually really oddly comforting," she told MTV News' Josh Horowitz. "Like, if you're working with someone who's an unknown, it's always like, 'Oh, I hope they're [OK].' But going into a movie with James and Melissa [Leo], the nerves come from 'I hope I'm going to be OK' rather than 'I hope they're not going to let me down'."

And he didn't seem to let her down one bit. In the film, Stewart plays an underage stripper who allows Gandolfini's character, a grieving father, to stay with her, only to find herself becoming part of an unconventional family after his estranged wife shows up as well. Stewart said that his contributions were ...

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Jonas Brothers Kick Off O Music Awards With Acoustic Times Square Show!: Watch Now!

The Jonas Brothers kicked off the O Music Awards on Wednesday night (June 19), with a special unplugged set for fans watching live at home — and in the audience. Screaming fans welcomed the trio to the Times Square stage for their three-song set, which sparked the start of the MTV, VH1, CMT and LOGO-hosted "Live Music Day." That is 24 consecutive hours of great music from 50 great bands.

The Jonases sprinkled their show with an oldie-but-goodie and shared their excitement for the trio's upcoming summer tour. Their position on the lineup was a "huge honor," Kevin told MTV News just hours before they took the stage playing "Pom Poms" as their opener. The single sounded even more bluesy as Kevin and Nick slowed it down on acoustic guitars.

And although their next single, "First Time," isn't out officially until June 25, their loyal fans sang along to every word and got especially loud during the "ohh" part of the tune. That could help explain why "Team Jonas" is nominated in the O Music Awards' Best Fan Army category. "Our fans are the best," Nick, the youngest JoBro, said between songs. The brothers also shared they were "happy to be here at this amazing award show" and to be nominated.

Middle brother Joe, rocking his short new haircut, got fans even more excited when he mentioned the tour. "It's about freakin' time. We can't wait," he said. Rehearsals begin in three to four weeks, and Joe jokingly said he would let everyone know the location so they could ...

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James Gandolfini Dead At 51

James Gandolfini, the beloved actor made famous for his role as Tony Soprano on "The Sopranos," died in Italy on Wednesday (June 19), according to reports.

Deadline is reporting that the actor suffered a massive heart attack earlier today. He was 51.

Gandolfini's breakthrough came in Tony Scott's 1991 film True Romance", where his portrayal of a ruthless hit man won him initial recognition. Gandolfini won three Emmy Awards for his portrayal of the New Jersey mob boss on the acclaimed HBO series, which ran for six seasons, from 1999 to 2007.

Gandolfini's influence was felt far beyond television and into the world of music. Tony Soprano was forever immortalized on Jay-Z's verse on Beyonce's 2003 smash "Crazy In Love": "Stick bony, but the pockets is fat like Tony Soprano."

Apart from his iconic mob boss role, New Jersey-born Gandolfini recently appeared in as the director of the C.I.A., lent his voice to "Where the Wild Things Are" and also appeared in

According to TMZ, the actor was in Italy for the Taormina Film Festival, where he was supposed to participate in an even with director Gabriele Muccino.

The actor is survived by his wife, former model Deborah Lin as well as a son with ex-wife Marcy Wudarski.

...

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50 Cent Challenged J. Cole ‘To Get It Right’ In The <i>Born Sinner</i> Studio

Sixteen tracks weren't enough for J. Cole to share all of the music he's been recording over the past couple years, so his June 18 sophomore album Born Sinner includes noteworthy bonus cuts like with 50 Cent. During his visit to "RapFix Live" on Wednesday (June 19), the Roc Nation rapper relived his memorable studio session with Fif.

"That was incredible. The features on this album... a lot of them I was blessed [with]," Cole said, adding that there were no e-mail exchanges involved. "We're in the day and age where you just send it away and it comes back but I actually recorded with TLC and [50 Cent].

"He just happened to be L.A. and I had that song," Cole explained. "I'd stolen 50 Cent melodies and was humming it on the hook like, 'Man, if 50 do this hook, it'll be so amazing.' And he came through the studio in L.A., so it was crazy."

Cole has cemented himself as a talented producer with his work on Born Sinner, Cole World: The Sideline Story and his acclaimed mixtapes, and even 50 recognized that he was on top of his game. "I played him the joint, and when the hook came on, he was like, 'I could tell you was thinking about me when you did the melodies,' so he just sat and filled in the words. I got to literally watch 50 Cent sit there and write. It was wild."

Besides the music that comes out of a studio session with a successful and accomplished ...

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‘Star Wars VII’ Cast List Leaks: Who Are The Seven Characters?

Foregoing the requisite "galaxy far, far away" jokes, it appears that J.J. Abrams may have begun casting Schmoesknow.com reprinted text from a casting website announcing the availability of roles in a film directed by Abrams, and offered descriptions of seven characters who are set to appear in it.

Details are scarce about the plot of the film, which was written by Michael Arndt ("Oblivion," "Catching Fire"). But the first character is described as "a young man aged between 20 and 25, witty and smart, fit but not classically handsome." Interestingly, that seems to resemble the physical description of Luke Skywalker but the personality of Han Solo, but that seems like an unlikely genetic combination. That is, unless the fella is Han and Leia's son, who perhaps resembles his uncle but retains the scrappy charm of his father.

A second male character is described as a "man in late twenties, also fit, but this one is handsome and confident." While this description suits Han Solo to a tee, an interesting characterization for this role would be an Anakin Skywalker type. Already self-possessed and confident, he could either have his sense of security shaken, or find himself going down a path where confidence leads to, well, the Dark Side, as has been thoroughly documented in "Star Wars" films several times.

The first female character listed is described as "late teenage" with a "great sense of humor, also physically fit." Sadly, there were few female characters in either trilogy that possess all of these qualities — as strong ...

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O Music Awards Kick Off With 50 Bands Over 24 Hours: Watch It Now!

Ever wanted an awards show 24-hour drumming marathon, performances from your favorite artists and the wackiest awards? Look no further; the O Music Awards are HERE!

Watch the live stream at OMusicAwards.com for 24 hours, or if you can't stay awake, just check in when you can. It starts at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday (June 19) and featuring performances from Hanson, the Jonas Brothers, Kat Dahlia and Kate Nash, who will all join in for the first-ever "Live Music Day" festival. Grouplove will be there, and K Michelle and Ashley Monroe and the So So Glos and Langhorne Slim and Matt Nathanson... you get it... the list goes on. After all, there's 50 bands participating.

With the JoBros set to kick things off, we caught up with the band mere hours before show time. "We're really excited to be able to perform at the OMAs," Kevin said. "Twenty-hour hours of live music is really incredible and to kick it off is a huge honor and we're just happy to be a part of it. I think we're just gonna be playing some new songs as well, so if you haven't been able to come to one of the shows ... [you'll see us perform] 'First Time,' our new single and a couple others [but] we'll be playing that one, so make sure to tune in to watch."

Asked whether they had met Hanson, fellow performers and a boy band trio they've often been compared to, Kevin revealed, "We have not. I have not personally met all three of them. I ...

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‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ Locks In Director

The big-screen adaptation of E.L. James' bestseller, "Fifty Shades of Grey," has just locked in a director. Sam Taylor-Johnson has been confirmed by Universal Pictures and Focus Features to help adapt the first book in the trilogy.

"I am excited to be charged with the evolution of 'Fifty Shades of Grey' from page to screen," Taylor-Johnson said in a statement. "For the legions of fans, I want to say that I will honor the power of Erika's book and the characters of Christian and Anastasia. They are under my skin too."

Taylor-Wood is best known for her film, "Nowhere Boy," but has also directed a handful of short films as well. She beats out a who's who of directors who had been rumored to tackle the flick about the kinky relationship between Christian Grey, a 27-year-old billionaire, and his college-aged and inexperienced girlfriend, Anastasia.

Prior to Taylor-Wood joining the project, Angelina Jolie, American Psycho" author Bret Easton Ellis and even had all been rumored candidates to helm the movie.

"Sam's unique ability to gracefully showcase complex relationships dealing with love, emotion and sexual chemistry make her the ideal director to bring Christian and Anastasia's relationship to life," producer Michael De Luca added. "E.L. James' characters and vivid storytelling require a director who is willing to take risks and push the envelope where needed and Sam is a natural fit."

With Taylor-Johnson and both on board, fans of the New York Times bestseller are eagerly awaiting word on who will play Christian and Ana. Small-screen hunks like Alexander Skarsgard and ...

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Miley Cyrus On ‘We Can’t Stop’: I’m ‘Obviously’ Singing Miley, Not <i>Molly</i>

Miley Cyrus wants to clear the air once and for all. Though fans widely believed she was making references to "Molly" on her single (and just-released video) the 20-year-old star insists she's actually singing the word Miley — but with some flair.

"I have an accent! So when I say 'Miley,' it must sound like 'Molly,' " the Nashville native told Rolling Stone about the lyric, which seemed to be a reference to the slang term for the party drug Ecstasy. "You're not allowed to say Molly on the radio, so it obviously says Miley," she explained. "I knew people were gonna wonder what I'm saying in that song."

"People refer to [cocaine] as 'Miley Cyrus,' " she continued, referring to Rick Ross' verse on Meek Mills' "Believe It." "My name is used in hip-hop songs to mean that, so even if I'm saying 'Miley,' people could still find something wrong with it."

Miley's Southern Charm Praised by Pharrell!

In addition to the interview, on Wednesday (June 19), Cyrus dropped the much-anticipated video for "We Can't Stop." Directed by Diane Martel (Robin Thicke, Pink), the house party-themed clip seems cut to show fans she's no longer a Disney princess. (She even cuts off an ankle bracelet at the very beginning of it!)

The video has some unexpected visuals, including alphabet soup that forms the word "twerk," a skull made of French fries and a pinata filled with hot dogs. But it also shows off Miley's well-documented fun side, with the singer expertly twerking and going ...

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