The Living Legend, The Sensual Seductress, The Enchanting Mistress Miss Britney Spears opened up to V Magazine for their 2012 Music Issue to discuss 2011′s Femme Fatale Tour, including her pre-show rituals (she prays!), backstage goodies (hummus and pita bread!) and her thoughts on the tour as a whole.

Plus, check out the brand new photo above of Spears and a part of her Femme Fatale Tour team…looking GORGEOUS! I think? Maybe? It’s kind of insanely Photoshopped in the strangest way. Err…Cutoutney?

An excerpt from V Magazine (courtesy of BreatheHeavy):

What is the most fun part of touring?
Britney: Meeting different kinds of fans from all over the world. They are so different in every country. I just did a few shows in Russia and all of the fans had big heart signs in the audience and had hearts painted on their hands. It was really cool. Also having the people I am closest to with me all of the time and staying in the same hotels every night. We have been together for many years now so we have become one big happy family.

Is there someone not pictured who is integral to making your show happen?
Britney: Yes a ton of people: my entire crew who builds my show, runs my show and moves my show from city to city. They work SO hard and I am so thankful for them. My band Shock and Awe made up of my longtime musical directors. Simon Ellis and Marc, my wardrobe girls who help me dress every night and keep my costumes together, my dad who keeps me on track, and of course my boyfriend, Jason, and my boys who keep me smiling every single day.

Do you have any lucky charms?
Britney: I believe I make my own luck.

As we already knew from “Criminal,” she’s speaking the truth: She’s his lucky charm, after all! (Oh, and she chooses her own destiny too, thank you.)

For the full interview, check out BreatheHeavy.

By the way, Happy One Year Anniversary today to “Hold It Against Me”–otherwise known as MuuMuse’s Single of 2011!

Go on and revisit the original review from January 10, 2011 (can you believe it’s been a year?!). Here’s to Britney, Dr. Luke, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, Billboard and Myah Marie for making the song possible!

Yes! At least, that’s according to KIIS FM program director Julie Pilmar.

After an Aguilera stan badgered Pilmar to send a happy birthday tweet to Lady Xtina earlier today, Pilmar began to spill a few minor details about the upcoming release, tweeting back: “her new song is amazing!”

Xtina fans soon swooped in with more questions: Yes, she believes the new song is radio friendly (“very much”). No, she can’t reveal the song title, but it’s been “stuck in my head ever since.” No, she has no idea when RCA is releasing the song. And as for the song’s producer? Pop titan Max Martin.

Makes sense too, given that Martin’s frequent collaborator Dr. Luke now only exclusively produces for Aguilera’s label, RCA Records.

Lessers? Kindly check your wigs at the door:
Legendtina returns in 2012.

In September of 2010, the world (well, the UK) watched as a jittery Worcestershire-born girl named Cher Lloyd strolled across the stage–suited in a a fitted black jacket and shredded white jeans–to audition for the X Factor. After a brief grilling by the judges regarding her name and age (“You look more!” Louis Walsh exclaimed after learning she was only 16 years old), Lloyd announced she’d be performing (Keri Hilson‘s cover of) Soulja Boy‘s “Turn My Swag On.”

And then she opened her mouth to sing.

Read more…

Kelly Clarkson‘s come a long way in just under a decade.

After becoming the first (and let’s be real, still easily the best) winner of American Idol in 2002, the singer first made her official mark with 2003′s Thankful, a debut collection complete with safe-yet-amazing post-Idol balladry (“Anytime”), soulful R&B-pop offerings (“Just Missed The Train”) and slightly rambunctious, attitude heavy pop-rock anthems, including “Miss Independent” and “Low.”

The runaway success of the latter two singles quickly helped to sculpt the sound of what would become Clarkson’s grand opus in 2004: Breakaway, one of the most defining pop records of the ’00′s–a pristine collection of electrifying pop-rock anthems produced by Max Martin, Dr. Luke and Ben Moody including “Behind These Hazel Eyes” and “Since U Been Gone” that officially shed the singer’s Idol image and quickly made Clarkson’s name synonymous to any and all things angst-pop.

Following the record-breaking success of Breakaway came My December in 2007. Generally dubbed as Clarkson’s “rebel moment,” Kelly opted to breakaway (pun!) from the familiar pop mold of her past and go a slightly less radio-friendly route, penning tougher, darker, and more revealing rock tracks than ever before. The album’s development led to a very heated, very public head-to-head power struggle between Clarkson and Sony BMG label head Clive Davis, who very openly professed his lack of faith in Clarkson’s upcoming release. And while My December–which spawned “Never Again” and the devastating power ballad “Sober”–was by no means a failure (in fact, it was generally received more favorably by critics than Breakaway), its performance was ultimately underwhelming.

In 2009, Clarkson returned once more with her fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted. It was another strong release (as with every Clarkson album) and a smash hit, although marked with a certain by-the-numbers familiarity, including safe, radio-friendly anthems (“My Life Would Suck Without You”) and Katy Perry album rejects (“I Do Not Hook Up”). The album’s own cover painted the album’s narrative perfectly, featuring an uncomfortable Clarkson forced to half-smile against a schlocky, candy-coated Photoshop background. It was, in effect, a quiet acknowledgement that Davis had won this round.

Two more years have passed since then, leading to Clarkson’s fifth studio release: Stronger–the most perfect representation of harmony achieved.

Combining the power-pop anthems and radio friendly accessibility of Breakaway with the darker confessional appeal of My December, Stronger plays like the perfect marriage between artistic intent and label demand. It’s an effortless combination–counterbalancing the threat of overindulgence by an artist gone unchecked and the “sell-out” sound of a label with too many hands in the cookie jar–resulting in one of the strongest, most triumphant and wholly satisfying records of the year.

Read more…

For those who might not have loved the wailing, bananas o’clock frenzy of 17-year-old songstress Cher Lloyd‘s noisy UK debut, “Swagger Jagger,” here’s your breath of fresh air: “With Ur Love,” featuring Mike Posner.

The Almighty Lloyd’s easy breezy mid-tempo finds the young singer catching feelings and getting all swoon-y on top of a “What’s My Name?”/”Rude Boy”-reminiscent groove crafted by legendary pop producer, Max Martin. That’s not to say that Martin’s straight up lifting from RiRi’s ceaselessly amazing 2010 singles (or swagger jagging, if you will), but the similarities are certainly apparent in the song’s bossy drum beats.

“I’m fighting / I don’t want to like it, but you know I like it,” the former X Factor UK finalist sings.

The vocal effect used throughout is, well, interesting–it sounds as though Lloyd’s been stuffed into a fishbowl in space–yet her signature swagga-rific flow remains intact, pausing only for a brief hormone-raging verse by Posner (which gets a little uncomfortable, given that the girl he’s singing with is, like, 12 years old.) “3rd date, you’re looking at me funny / You got a hard shell, but the middle’s so yummy,” he sweetly croons. Erm.

Despite some severe criticism, the young singer’s love-it-or-hate-it debut single managed to skyrocket straight to #1 upon its release in late July. With this super duper radio-friendly groove serving as the official follow-up, Miss Lloyd’s re-ascent to the top of the UK Singles Chart seems all but imminent.

“With Ur Love (feat. Mike Posner)” will be released on October 30. (iTunes UK)

Fact: The Swedes are a superhuman race sent from the future to make amazing pop music.

Due to this undeniable truth, Swedish pop stars you’ve never heard of snatch wigs from your favorite pop stars for fun — just because they can. In my ongoing series, Amazing Things I’m Listening to From Sweden, I review the best Swedish exports that are currently blowing up the charts (i.e., getting blasted at ear-splitting volume in my apartment).

Le Kid – America

Pop outfit Le Kid first appeared on the scene in 2009 with “Mercy Mercy,” a thoroughly enjoyable pop gem that sounds a bit like a less sultry redux of Girls Aloud‘s single “Can’t Speak French.” But Le Kid’s ensuing singles, like the ebullient “We Should Go Home Together,” were a little too schlagerific for my taste — as evidenced by their particularly high-octane Melodifestivalen entry, “Oh My God.” Their less giddy efforts, including their striking cover of The Killers‘ perennial favorite “Mr. Brightside,” pointed in a direction of greater subtlety — and that’s exactly the stride they’ve hit with their newest single, “America.” It belongs to the same category of nostalgic midtempo dance-pop that Xenomania have mastered with Girls Aloud and Mini Viva (see “Call the Shots” and “I Wish” for more) without collapsing into schlager hysterics — and that’s something worth celebrating.

Swedish House Mafia – Save the World [feat. John Martin]

Swedish House Mafia have certainly demonstrated a track record for epic club jams, and “Save the World” is no exception. Instrumentally, it’s ground well traveled, but the dizzying euphoric heights the song builds to work just as well as they ever have. “Save the World” is further redeemed by excellent vocals from John Martin, whose voice — like a combination of Miike Snow‘s Andrew Wyatt and Coldplay‘s Chris Martin — strikes just the right balance between strength and longing. A surefire summer smash.

Therese – Drop It Like It’s Hot

This dance anthem has been kicking around online for awhile, but it’s just crossing my radar now — and I must admit that 2010 would have been a much more enjoyable year if it had included a little Therese. What starts out as by-the-numbers house music turns into a massive singalong smash by the unforgettable chorus. Lyrics are as follows: “Dance, dance, why don’t you dance like a freak/This ghetto place is so much better when you dance with me.” Now featuring a glittery remix package from house kings Wideboys, Therese deserves to join the ranks of September and Velvet among Sweden’s most prized dance divas.

Killabite – Follow Me Home

It’s ironic, yet not altogether surprising, that Los Angeles-based duo Killabite are only releasing music in Sweden, given that their brand of glitchy, gleaming dance-pop is decidedly Scandinavian in its sensibilities. I’d love to see the duo gain some domestic traction, but until then, I can still get some serious mileage out of “Follow Me Home,” a thunderous slice of futuristic pop co-written by famed DJ Axwell. Killabite’s storied pedigree doesn’t hurt, either: female vocalist Chau Phan performed backup vocals for the Holy Spearit herself on “I Wanna Go” and “Criminal.”

Those Dancing Days – I’ll Be Yours

Hipster girl group Those Dancing Days got some blog buzz back in 2008 with the release of their candy-sweet single, “Hitten,” but I would have expected them to garner more hype with the release of their sophomore album, Daydreams & Nightmares. After all, the record was produced by such luminaries as Max Martin & Shellback, as well as Patrik Berger, who has helmed tracks for fellow Swedes Robyn, Erik Hassle, and Icona Pop. Those Dancing Days exist in the same luscious retro space as The Pipettes and, to a lesser extent, Lykke Li — and “I’ll Be Yours” is as wistfully charming as anything they’ve done yet.

Release notes: “Save the World,” “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” and “I’ll Be Yours” are all available on US iTunes — “America” and “Follow Me Home” are still awaiting US release, but can both be found on Swedish iTunes and 7digital SE.

Bonnie McKee just tweeted that she’s in New York shopping for record deals. Here’s why you should care:

At the age of 16, the self-described wild child’s big voice and startlingly self-assured songwriting chops ignited a fierce bidding war between Interscope and Warner Brothers. After eventually signing with Warner, Bonnie’s debut LP, Trouble, was released in 2004. It was a radio-friendly collection of provocative yet polished pop-rock, but — mismanaged and mismarketed to an oversaturated public — the album failed to make a commercial splash.

It wasn’t until Bonnie was dropped by Warner that her songwriting career really kicked into gear, after her friendship with Katy Perry (who Bonnie met in a Los Angeles thrift store) led Bonnie to begin collaborating with hitmaker Dr. Luke.

With Luke and a handful of other famous friends, Bonnie co-wrote “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” and upcoming single “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” for Katy’s sophomore effort — as well as “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz and “Hold It Against Me,” “Inside Out,” and “How I Roll” for Britney’s Femme Fatale. (Reportedly, she’s also penned tracks for Kelly Clarkson’s upcoming fifth album.)

Between the confessional intimacy of her early work (especially “Somebody” and “Sensitive Subject Matter” from Trouble) and the infectious giddiness of her recent tracks with Luke, Max Martin, and Bloodshy & Avant, it’s obvious that Bonnie’s a force to be reckoned with as a writer. But she’s also a powerful vocalist entitled to far more than the limited exposure she’s received so far as a recording artist.

The most gifted songwriters can stumble on their way to the spotlight — Ester Dean’s anticlimactic solo career comes to mind — but Bonnie’s one artist whose comeback will be fully earned. As far as I’m concerned, anyone responsible for writing the hook on “Teenage Dream” deserves my full attention.

To review a new Britney Spears record, for me, is a bit like asking a crazed pageant mother if she believes her daughter is a star.

Sure, she might have spilled apple juice (or Cheetos, more fittingly) all over her glitz costume, forgotten the steps to her baton routine halfway through the performance and fallen asleep onstage, but in the end, she’s still Miss Grand Supreme in my eyes.

This is what journalists often refer to as “full disclosure.” With all that being said…let’s do this.

If I said my heart was beating loud…