This girl is BLOWING. MY. MIND.

Here come the first promotional photos for Rihanna’s “Rude Boy” video from Island Def Jam. The video was directed by Melina Matsoukas, the same director behind her last video for “Hard.”

Like Alison Goldfrapp, it appears that Riri also enjoys riding on a white horse. Err, zebra.

Upon further review, I can confirm that my reactions to the video will likely include such phrases as ‘unbelievably amazing,’ ‘fierce to death,’ and ‘OH GRL WHY U SO HOT FIYA?’

“Rude Boy” will be released to US radio beginning tomorrow, February 9.

In case you haven’t gathered my feelings for the song by now (which have remained the same since November), remember this for tomorrow:

REQUEST THIS SONG UNTIL YOUR FINGERS BLEED.

That is all.

It was a very organic, sad experience, but I think that’s where the truth comes out.

While many people have heard Britney Spears‘ heartfelt ballad, “Everytime,” hardly anyone has ever heard the story behind its creation from the song’s co-writer herself.

After learning of her involvement in an interview about Britney for the upcoming NBC series called Killer Comebacks, I got in touch with Annet Artani to discuss her time spent working with Spears on the Dream Within A Dream tour, as well as their songwriting sessions together and her own musical plans for the future.

Click to read!

Photo courtesy of AzyxA.

HIKKIIIIIIIIIIIII!

On Utada Hikaru’s last tour, the Utada United 2006 tour in Japan, the average audience size per venue varied from 20,000 to 50,000 attendees nightly. Tonight, the singer responsible for the highest selling album in Japanese history was about to play to a tiny club of about 300 people in Boston, a few of whom only vaguely familiar with the music she was to perform.

When I got to the venue around 5 p.m., there were already about fifty people waiting outside the door. As I later learned, the first people in line had been waiting there since 9:30 that morning. In a split decision for the sake of sustenance, I ducked into (or rather walked into, really…I never have to duck) the Qdoba next door for a chicken burrito, which I feverishly devoured while waiting at the very end of the line. It was perhaps not my most glamorous moment (and also, I suspect, the reason I vaguely smelled of cilantro throughout the night).

Read the full review…

I’m about to run out the door to see Utada perform tonight in Boston (shaking and crying, etc.), but before I do…a free remix from Massive Attack that just came into my inbox!

This is the Gui Borrato remix of “Paradise Circus (feat. Hope Sandoval),” one of the saucier tracks and upcoming single off of their new album, Heligoland.

The remix injects both dreamy electronica elements and a sense of Western twang into the minimal original, sort of like if a Royksopp song were used in a Quentin Tarantino film. Does that make any sense? Hope so!

DL: Massive Attack – Paradise Circus ft. Hope Sandova (Gui Borrato Remix)

Here comes forty-five seconds of the upcoming video for Kimberly Caldwell’s debut single, “Mess of You,” shot at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood.

Looking good, feeling gorgeous. Can’t wait to see it in full!

I was contacted by Flaunt Magazine regarding Charlotte Gainsbourg’s feature in their latest issue, along with a set of photos from the shoot by Kurt Iswarienko.

Seeing as they were gorgeous, I’ve decided to post a few of my favorites. Enjoyez vous!

magnifique.

beautiful; flawless; love.

As if to make up for Sunday’s contentious Grammy wardrobe, we now have a newly leaked photo from the Mark Liddell Circus promotional photo sessions.

Living legend, you can look but don’t touch.

Thanks to the BMK Forums for the find.

Just in case you missed this, I’m presenting it now.

During last night’s 3rd annual BET Honors, gospel singer Kim Burrell came on stage to sing a special tribute to Whitney Houston. Houston, in turn, responded with a special tribute of crazy. It’s hard to miss, so please watch carefully.

Insert “I’ll have what she’s having” When Harry Met Sally .gif here.

And you thought watching girls walk down the streets of Paris with their bonbons out was bad.

Check out the brand new video for “KILL ME,” the new single from the “Baby Baby Baby” hitmakers, Make The Girl Dance. The concept? A video response to the question “What would you do if you only had eight days to live?” Click above to see how the boys decided to spend their time.

Some may label this as little more than a vile upchucking of debauchery and hedonism, but it looks like just another Friday night in my world.

Jónsi’s new album is going full steam ahead!

Go, his first solo endeavor, will be released on April 5 across the world. Above is the album’s cover art which, according to the singer’s website e-mail, was conceptualized by his sisters Inga and Lilja. Aww.

At the same time, the Sigur Rós singer is preparing his first tour of North America. Judging by the e-mail, he’s going Gaga in terms of set design: “We wanted you to know we are going for broke on this and it ain’t in any way going to be Jónsi alone on stage with an acoustic guitar, no sirree.” Then again, everyone’s broke in Iceland.

Check out all the dates for the upcoming Go tour below, which will go on pre-sale beginning February 9:

April 6 Vancouver, Canada Vogue Theatre
April 7 Vancouver, Canada Vogue Theatre
April 9 Seattle, WA The Showbox SoDo
April 10 Seattle, WA The ShowBox SoDo
April 13 Portland, OR Roseland Theatre
April 15 Berkeley, CA Zellerbach Auditorium
April 16 San Francisco, CA Palace of Fine Arts
April 18 Indio, CA Coachella
April 21 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre
April 22 Lawrence, KS Liberty Hall
April 24 Minneapolis, MN Pantages Theatre
April 25 Minneapolis, MN Pantages Theatre
April 26 Milwaukee, WI The Pabst Theatre
April 27 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
April 28 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
April 30 Toronto, Canada Sound Academy
May 1 Toronto, Canada Sound Academy
May 2 Montreal, Canada Metropolis
May 3 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
May 5 Boston, MA House of Blues
May 6 Boston, MA House of Blues
May 8 New York, NY Terminal 5
May 9 New York, NY Terminal 5

For more details, check out Jónsi’s official site.