Jessie Reyez Releases “Body Count” Remix, Featuring Normani and Kehlani

Jessie Reyez is upping her Body Count

The 27-year-old Colombian singerhas unveiled a star-studded remix of “Body Count” featuring Normani and Kehlani.

Jessie Reyez

The strummy sing-along to self-love finds Reyez among the company of women in no need of the companionship of a mediocre man. Normani flexes a silky double-time flow as she demands “some f-cking respect” and Kehlani — who continues her months-long winning streak of featured verses — sings about finding her self-love in the company of another woman.

Produced by legendary R&B hitmaker Babyface and the Rascals, the remix will feature on her sophomore EP Being Human In Public, which has already spawned “Apple Juice” and “Sola.”

Earlier this month, Reyez gave a debut performance at the MTV VMAs and made a cameo on the Calvin HarrisSam Smith jam “Promises.”

Reyez will be a fixture at music festivals nationwide during the summer, including this weekend’s Afropunk Festival in Brooklyn and Jay-Z‘s Made in America Festival over Labor Day weekend.

Being Human in Public is due out sometime this fall on FMLY/Island.

Sofia Receives Vevo Lift Nomination

It’s a special is Lift off for Raquel Sofia

The Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, nominated for Best New Artist at this year’s Latin Grammys, has received a nomination in Vevo’s artist development program, Lift.

Raquel Sofia

Launched in 2011, the program lends promotional support to a handful of emerging artists per year, giving them a special landing page on Vevo with exclusive content including interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, video premieres and more to expose their music to a broader audience.

Jessie J, Sam Smith, Lorde, and Tori Kelly are among the famous artists who make up part of the Vevo Lift alumni.

In this current round, Sofia is up for the Vevo Lift slot with Canadian R&B singer/songwriter Alessia Cara and Swedish pop singer Zara Larsson.

Online fan voting determines the winner, but if Sofia — who herself has a love affair with jazz, blues, folk, rock and pop — does anywhere near as well as she’s done on Spotify (17 million total streams and counting), she stands a good chance.

And then there’s the fact that she’s learned from the best, having performed backing vocals for Shakira and Juanes, among others.

“They’re so professional and so talented and they’ve worked so hard, so you get to see why they are at the top,” she recently told Billboard of working with major artists. “So I guess more than advice I learned just from being around them, like osmosis, just absorbing everything that they did, watching them perform. It’s just incredible.”

“I just remember listening to a lot of Bob Marley, the Beatles, Juan Luis Guerra and Shakira. Wanting to do that, especially the songwriting part,” she told us when discussing her childhood in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico and the influences around her debut album, Te Quiero Los Domingos.

Fans can vote for Sofia here until October 19.

Jesse & Joy to Release Fourth Album “Un Besito Mas” on December 4

Jesse & Joy are ready to kiss and tell about their upcoming album…

The Mexican pop duo, comprised of siblings Jesse Huerta and Joy Huerta, will release their fourth album, Un Besito Más, on December 4 via Warner Music.

Jesse & Joy

For their latest album, Jesse & Joy expanded their production roster to include Fraser T. Smith (AdeleSam Smith), Grammy winner Martin Terefe (who handled production on their previous album, ¿Con Quién Se Queda el Perro?, which won them four Latin Grammy awards),and Dominican legend Juan Luis Guerra, alongside Jesse.

The first single, the hauntingly powerful ballad “Ecos de Amor,” positions Joy as a soulful songstress in her prime. The visuals to the official music video are equally stunning, thanks to Samuel Bayer who directed the single’s video.

It’s been 10 years since the pair’s Esta es mi Vida debut, and, as Jesse will humbly tell you, “we know there’s something we do that connects.”

So Jesse & Joy tried to staying true to their sound while exhibiting growth this time around.

“Coming from an album like ¿Con Quién Se Queda el Perro? the challenge was big. We got to that point because we did things we had never done before and I think this album is one of the most diverse we’ve done in terms of rhythms. It’s a bit riskier, even though the first single “Ecos de Amor” doesn’t necessarily show that riskier side. We chose that as the single because we wanted it to be that bridge between where we came from and where we are. We wrote most of the songs for this album during the ¿Con Quién Se Queda el Perro? tour, in between hotels and studios in different cities that we played in,” said Jesse in an interview with Billboard. “In fact, we wrote ‘Ecos de Amor’ three years ago and we’ve always sort of done it that way. We take our time. Right after a tour we take some time to depressurize and spend time with family. Then we go back and see what we have, what we love, what’s left to do, and then we finish an album.”

Read the complete interview here.

Pentatonix Among 50 Acts to Be Honored at the 2015 YouTube Music Awards

There’s no doubt Kirstie Maldonado is YouTube sensation… After all, the video for PentatonixGrammy-winningDaft Punk” single has garnered more than 122-million views alone.

And now the 22-year-old half-Mexican/part-Spanish singer and her Pentatonix band mates are being recognized for their online success.

Pentatonix

Pentatonix, which had the best-selling album by a group last year, is one of 50 acts that will be feted during this year’s YouTube Music Awards.

The platform noted that the winners were “chosen by the fans” as they “showed the biggest growth in views, subscribers and engagement over the last six months on YouTube.”

Collectively, the winners – which include Fifth Harmony, Beyonce, Ariana Grande, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Sam Smith, Sia, Pharrell Williams, Brad Paisley, Tori Kelly and Katy Perry — have over 146 million subscribers and 44 billion lifetime views.

To celebrate the winners, the ceremony on March 23 will comprise of premiering a slew of new Vice-produced music videos by Charli XCX, Ed Sheeran, Martin Garrix, Cahoots, Max Schneider, Migos, Megan Nicole, Nicky Jam and Shamir, among others.

The move follows the platform’s first-ever YouTube Music Awards in 2013, which streamed live from New York City’s Pier 36. Jason Schwartzman and comedian Reggie Watts co-hosted, while Spike Jonze oversaw the creative direction of the ceremony, which also featured the production of live music videos by Lindsay Sterling, Avicii and Arcade Fire.

Aguilera Shines in All-Star A Cappella Cover of Queen’s “We Are The Champions”

Christina Aguilera is the champion, my friends

The 34-year-old half-Ecuadorian American singer joins an all-star roster of musicians to perform an a cappella version of Queen’s rock classic We Are The Champions.”

We Are The Champions with Christina Aguilera

Late night talk show host Jimmy Fallon revealed the highly entertaining video featuring Aguilera, Carrie Underwood, Sam Smith, Ariana Grande, One Direction and others during a special post-Super Bowl episode of NBC’s The Tonight Show.

With the screen divided into a nine-square grid, similar to the iconic The Brady Bunch opening credits, Fallon sang the opening lines of the song while the Roots constructed a tight rhythm section using only their own mouths. Then Underwood chimes in to carry the song for a few lyrics, followed by Smith and Grande sharing a duet on the triumphant chorus.

Usher, Blake Shelton, Meghan Trainor and One Direction also contribute to the “We Are The Champions” bit, but in an a cappella performance that features big time voices like Underwood and Grande, it’s Aguilera who steals the song with a skyscraping final chorus during the grand finale.

Maldonado’s Pentatonix’s Holiday Album Registers 1 Million in Total Sales

Kirstie Maldonado has one million to celebrate…

The 22-year-old half-Mexican/part-Spanish singer and her Pentatonix band mates’ holiday album That’s Christmas To Me has surpassed 1 million in total sales in the week ending December 21.

Pentatonix

With another 203,000 sold, its cumulative total now stands at 1.02 million, landing Pentatonix in special company.

That’s Christmas To Me, released through RCA Records, is only the fourth album to sell a million copies in the U.S. in 2014, following the Frozen soundtrack (3.46 million), Taylor Swift’s 1989 (3.34 million) and Sam Smith’s In the Lonely Hour (1.13 million).

That’s Christmas To Me continues to be the a cappella group’s best selling studio effort, well ahead of PTXmas, which has moved 356,000.

Additionally, That’s Christmas To Me is the first holiday album to sell a million copies in a calendar year since 2011, when both Michael Buble’s Christmas and Justin Bieber’s Under the Mistletoe managed the feat (with 2.45 million and 1.25 million, respectively).

Lopez & Iggy Azalea to Perform “Booty” at the American Music Awards

It’ll be a bootylicious weekend for Jennifer Lopez

The 45-year-old Puerto Rican singer/actress and American Idol judge will bring her high-octane single “Booty” to the American Music Awards stage on Sunday alongside Iggy Azalea.

Jennifer Lopez & Iggy Azalea

But Lopez and Azalea promise their performance will be completely network television-appropriate. This is the first time the duo will perform the sexy track together on television.

After TMZ reported Thursday they “have created excruciating stress” on the network censors and executives due to the risqué nature of the song and its music video, the awards top-nominated artist Azalea responded promising neither nipples nor vaginas will be exposed.

She added on Twitter, “with that being said, we aren’t performing in turtleneck sweaters either…. hahahahaha ;)”

Lopez and Azalea join a list of performers that includes 5 Seconds of Summer, Mary J. Blige, Garth Brooks, Charli XCX, Fergie, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Imagine Dragons, Jessie J, Lil Wayne, Lorde, Magic!, Nicki Minaj, One Direction and Sam Smith.

Pitbull will serves as the night’s host.

The 2014 AMAs will broadcast at 8:00 pm ET on November 23 on ABC, courtesy of Dick Clark Productions.

Blacc to Serve as a Presenter at This Year’s American Music Awards

Aloe Blacc is set to make a statement at this year’s American Music Awards.

The 35-year-old Panamanian American singer has been added to the list of presenters set to take the stage at the upcoming AMAs.

Aloe Blacc

Blacc joins Orange Is the New Black stars Taylor Schilling and Uzo Aduba, along with reality siblings Kendall and Kylie Jenner, as the latest additions.

Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Foxx, Julianne Hough, Jessie J, Heidi Klum, Olivia Munn and Emmy Rossum also are set to present at the fan-voted awards show, which will air live on ABC starting at 8:00 pm ET on Sunday, November 23, from the Nokia Theater L.A. Live. 

As previously announced, the show will feature performances by 5 Seconds of Summer, Iggy Azalea, Mary J. Blige, Garth Brooks, Charli XCX, Fergie, Selena Gomez, Imagine Dragons, Lorde, One Direction, Sam Smith, Taylor Swift and Pitbull.

Pitbull will also serve as the event’s host. Voting is currently ongoing.

 

Fergie to Perform at This Year’s American Music Awards

Fergie is heading back to the stage as a solo artist…

The 39-year-old part-Mexican American singer and Black Eyed Peas member has been added to the lineup of performers at this year’s American Music Awards.

Fergie

Dick Clark Productions has confirmed that Fergie, as well as One Direction and Lorde, will perform at the fan-voted awards show, set to air live from 8:00 – 11:00 pm ET on November 23 on ABC.

Fergie will make her worldwide television debut performing her first single since 2006, “L.A. LOVE (la la),” the debut track from her upcoming sophomore album.

As previously announced, other musical artists scheduled to appear on the show include 5 Seconds of Summer, Charli XCX, Mary J. Blige, Sam Smith and Pitbull, who will also host the event at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live.

Fifth Harmony Named MTV Artist to Watch at the MTV Video Music Awards

Ally Brooke Hernandez, Camila Cabello and Lauren Jauregui have officially hung the moon(man).

The Latina singers and their fellow Fifth Harmony members, who performed their single “BO$$” during the MTV Video Music Awards pre-show, won their first-ever Moonman during Sunday night’s awards show.

Fifth Harmony

The all-girl group, created by Simon Cowell on Fox’s singing competition The X Factor, took home the MTV Artist to Watch award for their debut single “Miss Movin On.”

“OMG! This is SO incredible! Cannot believe we just won 2014 #ArtistToWatch!! Thank you so much Harmonizers!” the band tweeted.

They later added, “We are still so overwhelmed! Harmonizers you guys are seriously the BEST!!”

Fifth Harmony beat out Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me,”
5 Seconds of Summer’s”She Looks So Perfect,”Charli XCX’s “Boom Clap” and
Schoolboy Q’s “Man of the Year” for the coveted newcomer award.

Fifth Harmony’s debut album Reflection is slated for a November release.

Here’s a complete look at the night’s winners:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Miley Cyrus – “Wrecking Ball”

BEST LYRIC
5 Seconds of Summer – “Don’t Stop”

MTV ARTIST TO WATCH
Fifth Harmony – “Miss Movin On”

BEST ROCK
Lorde – “Royals”

BEST HIP HOP
Drake ft. Majid Jordan – “Hold On (We’re Going Home)”

BEST POP
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”

BEST MALE
Ed Sheeran ft. Pharrell – “Sing”

BEST FEMALE
Katy Perry ft. Juicy J – “Dark Horse”

BEST COLLABORATION
Beyonce ft. Jay Z – “Drunk in Love”

MTV CLUBLAND AWARD
Zedd ft. Hayley Williams – “Stay the Night”

BEST VIDEO WITH A SOCIAL MESSAGE

Beyonce – “Pretty Hurts”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Beyonce – “Pretty Hurts”

BEST EDITING
Eminem – “Rap God”

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Sia – “Chandelier”

BEST DIRECTION
DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down for What”

BEST ART DIRECTION

Arcade Fire – “Reflektor”

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

OK Go – “The Writing’s On the Wall”