After adding “bad girl” to their CV with “Notorious” and making the party super naughty on the hot, hot, hot “All Fired Up,” the lovely ladies known collectively as The Saturdays have decided to take the BPM down a few notches with “My Heart Takes Over,” the third single from their upcoming studio album.

The Sats’ latest is a surging power ballad, not at all unlike your standard Leona Lewis/Ryan Tedder production circa 3 years ago (a la “Bleeding Love”). “‘Cause if there’s a chance we might have missed / And if there’s a ray of light in this / Baby you should know that this is where my heart takes over,” the girl powerfully chant during the chorus.

Overall it’s a good song–a fine song even, if not largely unadventurous (especially when compared to the edgier past two single offerings from this era.) Still, as an incredibly radio-friendly production, “My Heart Takes Over” nearly guarantees that the girls are about to have another smash hit single on their hands when released on November 14.

In the meantime, the video for the song will be shot later this week…in Iceland. Perhaps we can expect some Björkian undertones? Probably not, but I can always hold out hope to see Una dancing with a cat one day.

Also released today? The long-awaited details about the Sats’ upcoming third studio album, which has been titled On Your Radar: The album is out on November 21, and will feature production by Space Cowboy, Steve Mac, David Eriksen, Brian Higgins (Xenomania), as well as a feature by Travie McCoy. Yum, yum!

“My Heart Takes Over” will be released on November 14. (iTunes)

Over the last few weeks, I’ve gone from liking to full on L-O-V-I-N-G Leona Lewis‘ “Collide.” Or is it Avicii‘s “Collide”? Or Leona Lewis feat. Avicii? Or Avicii feat. Leona Lewis? I don’t know–all I know is that the single art changed to something rather dreadful to acknowledge the whole rip-off controversy, and I don’t really want to talk about it.

Luckily, the remixes just keep coming in for Lewis’ latest banger due out today in the US (it’s already climbed to #13 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart!), which also doubles as the lead single from her forthcoming studio album, Glassheart.

Check out the Alex Gaudino & Jason Roony remix, the Cahill remix and the Nay Ray club mix below!

Collide – Alex Gaudino & Jason Roony by LeonaLewis

Collide – Cahill Remix by LeonaLewis

Collide – Nay Ray Club Remix by LeonaLewis

Note: This post was roughly 89.7% inspired by my desire to post the brand new Glassheart promotional photo above, which I find to be generally fierce, fabulous and flaw free.

Thank you for your time.

The new Leona Lewis single, “Collide,” is great. It’s also mired in controversy.

The beef? The song’s instrumental is a direct lift from Swedish DJ Avicii‘s club track “Penguin” (later known as “Fade Into Darkness”)–a decision Camp Avicii claims they never made.

While Leona took to Twitter two weeks ago to explain that the song’s producer was well aware of its use for “Collide,” Avicii’s manager insists they were falsely told Leona’s song would merely sample “Penguin” (which contains a sample within itself)–not copy the “Penguin” formula entirely: “We never allowed [Syco] to replay our version of the track…the original sample rights belong to Simon Jeffes [Penguin Cafe Orchestra] and approval for using that composition is not in our control,” Avicii’s manager said in a statement according to the BBC.

Since then, it’s gotten downright nasty: “Thanks for accusing me of lying and speaking on my behalf,” Avicii wrote in response to a tweet from Leona on July 20.

But while that whole mess sorts itself out, one detail still holds true: “Collide” is a very, very good-to-great club-pop hit.

With its bright staccato piano riffs and surging synthesizers (courtesy of Avicii–or rather, Penguin Cafe Orchestra), oddly monotone speak-sung verses, and that utterly massive, arms-aloft chorus that rivals Kelly Rowland‘s summer smash collaboration with David Guetta (“When Love Takes Over”), “Collide” is a (slightly left-of-center) club smash in the making–a wise way to steer clear of the all-too-familiar sound of Leona’s–dare I say it–boring Ryan Tedder plodders.

According to a new press release, “Collide” will be released in the US on September 6, along with a bunch of amazing remixes from the likes of Cahill and Nay Ray. (All of which you can hear now, courtesy of RCA.)

Best of the bunch may be the Afrojack remix, which takes the song’s already massive chorus to utterly rave-happy new heights. Trust me, ye neon children of the night: You won’t need be needing that E once the beat drop hits. Euphoria!

Collide [Afrojack Remix] – Leona Lewis by RCA Music Group

“Collide” will be released on September 6. (iTunes)

Pia Toscano – “This Time” (Radio Premiere)

As a contestant on Season 10 of American Idol, Pia Toscano was prematurely ousted after a series of technically flawless vocal performances.

Her advocates were flabbergasted by the upset, while her detractors were unsurprised. In her brief time on the show, Pia had always been even-keeled and likable, with the kind of jaw-droppingly perfect vocals that made a star out of Leona Lewis. All of this is great, but none of it makes for particularly compelling television.

With the release of her first single, “This Time,” Pia doesn’t stray from her formula: It’s a highly listenable midtempo ballad about overcoming the odds and “getting back to the real me,” with modern production that takes its cues from the country-inflected R&B of Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable.” Penned by hitmaker du jour Ester Dean, who has demonstrated her songwriting prowess on smashes like Rihanna’s “S&M” and Katy Perry’s “Firework,” the lyrics have a certain bland potency — “This Time” may not Ester’s finest work, but it’s certainly a worthy feather in her cap.

There’s something about the song that feels oddly, and appealingly, nostalgic; “This Time” is a big belter of a track, one that demands an artist like Pia to lay down some diva-caliber vocals; there’s no David Guetta-aping house production or phoned-in rent-a-rapper on the bridge; and, in an era of obstinate insistence on artist “authenticity,” it’s refreshing that we’ve yet to see anything about Pia Toscano’s tortured relationship history or songwriting process or any nonsense of the kind. It’s straightforward, and uncomplicated, even if it is a little boring. And I can’t stop playing it.

After all, there’s a very good reason that Pia developed such an unusually strong following on Idol: Homegirl can sang. And that’s exactly what she does on “This Time,” a strong, if undifferentiated, debut from an artist who has more than enough talent to forge a real career.

Genre: Pop, R&B
For fans of: Leona Lewis, Sugababes, Jordin Sparks

Ladies and ladyboys, meet singer-songwriter Carrie Mac.

Having just come off tour opening for X Factor winner Alexandra Burke, the multi-talented UK songstress (she plays violin, guitar and piano…plus the ocarina to boot!) is now gearing up to begin her official debut.

On April 18, Miss Mac will take a crack (too fun, too fun) at tearing up the charts with her debut single, “Till I See You Again.”

The song, a piano ‘n’ strings pop number, is chock full of radio-friendly appeal, playing somewhere in between the ranks of a modern R&B-tinged mid-tempo (Keri Hilson‘s “Energy”) and the power pop balladry of yesteryear (I’m hearing a touch of Celine Dion‘s “Power of Love” in the chorus).

Given her track record thus far, it certainly seems as though Mac could make a dent in the UK Singles Chart: Last year Mac released a gorgeous ballad called “Hello” for digital sale in Scotland (now available worldwide–watch her perform the song live) that managed to crack the Top 40 without any promotion.

“A few years ago I wasn’t ready for this. But now I feel I can deal with whatever is thrown at me now. It’s time for me to show people I can sing live, write my own songs and play my own instruments. This is a long overdue, here I am,” Mac says of her forthcoming debut.

With any luck, it’ll be worth the wait!

“Till I See You Again” will be released on April 18. (iTunes)

Oh, look: Queen of Trash Ke$ha‘s gone and vommed out yet another completely obvious, frivolous glitter-drenched video about unicorn-headed men (Gaga‘s pissed) and epic rainbow laser gun battles with James Van Der Douche Beek.

Honestly…haven’t we seen this rehashed enough by Susan Boyle and Sarah McLachlan? BE. ORIGINAL. KEYSHIA.

LOLOL OMFG I’M J/K…It’s UH-MAZING!

The video for “Blow” is like a tour of the hazy dreamworld that K$ drifts into whenever she passes out on the Get $leazy Tour bus toilet, and it’s exactly the reason I first fell in love with this silly, smelly betch: She’s lookin’ all shades of garbage-chic, the plot and dialogue are genuinely hilarious…and let’s not forget, the song that its supporting utterly slays!

Hang onto your trash bag thongs, y’all…

This place about to BLO-OO-OW!

“Blow” was released to radio on February 8. (iTunes)

Today is October 30, which means it’s time for the ghoulish Halloween X Factor spook-tacular! And oh, how terrifying it was: Damning choir chants from Hell, epilepsy-inducing flashes of lights, Louis Walsh’s general existence—wait, how’s this any different from any other week of the X Factor? Oh right, heavier eyeliner.

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The thing is I don’t know when to shut my mouth. That’ the problem.

Sky Ferreira is an ‘it’ girl.

Immortalized by the industry’s top photographers (Rankin, for instance, took the snapshot above), suited and styled by the most desirable modern couturiers, and produced by arguably the biggest names in the music industry, the 18-year-old Los Angeles native has certainly made a name for herself far before ever…well, making a name for herself. Yet.

After sending out a MySpace message to Swedish power pop producers Bloodshy & Avant back in 2006 begging for a collaboration and armed with nothing but a few raw demos, the singer was stunned when she received an answer back inviting her to come record with the duo. Suddenly she was off to Stockholm, and so began her formal endeavor into the industry.

With her first single already making waves in the UK–the infectious, stuttering electro-pop smash, “One”–as well as an upcoming Ryan Tedder-produced single due out in the US later this summer (“Obsession”), Ferreira is now heading full steam toward her long-awaited debut record, currently slated for release in January. (Click here to hear a 30-second sample of the song now!)

I got the chance to speak to the rising starlet last week during her promotional spin around Londontown. Barring an impromptu (albeit hilarious) cameo by PopJustice and more than a few Britney related questions on my end, Ferreira had lots to say about her music, the industry, and the culture of leaks (of the musical variety). Oh yes, and I asked how she gets her hair so nice.

Click “Read More…” to read the full interview.

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