MTV Buzzworthy Blog › MTV Featured Artist

MTV Artists To Watch 2011: Graffiti6

Posted 12/27/10 9:30 am EST by in Celebrity, MTV Featured Artist, Music, PUSH, Videos

Mixing and matching music genres is pretty much how it's done in today's pop game. The radio sounds like an iPod Shuffle, and the songs on the radio are made with an "everything-and-the-kitchen-sink" kind of flair. Whether you're talking about Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Cee Lo or Ke$ha, today's chart-toppers are fearless when it comes to never committing to just one style or sound.

The same goes for the new Brit duo Graffiti6, made up of singer Jamie Scott and producer/DJ Tommy D. On their debut album, Colours, the band mixes together your typical Brit arena rock (think Snow Patrol, Coldplay) with slick, funky rhythms.

The band members have described themselves as "psychedelic Northern Soul," but on Colours you hear flourishes of gospel ("Annie You Save Me") and hushed singer/songwriter balladry ("Over You"). On the single "Stare Into The Sun," you'll hear rump-shaking funk-rock. And Scott's expressive, dexterous vocals bring it all together.

Watch Graffiti6's video for "Stare Into The Sun," below. Colours is out now.

+  Discover all of MTV's Artists To Watch in 2011

Related Content Meet MTV's Artists To Watch In 2011, Wiz Khalifa, A Day To Remember, Miguel, Middle Class Rut, New Politics, Warpaint, Graffiti6

Tags , , , , ,

MTV Artist To Watch In 2011: Tinie Tempah

Posted 12/27/10 9:08 am EST by in Celebrity, Interviews, MTV Featured Artist, Music, PUSH, Videos

(Credit: Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

No British MC in recent memory, not since Dizzee Rascal, at least, has seemed so primed for U.S. success as Nigerian-born rapper Tinie Tempah.

The reason? It has to do with his mixture of the skitter, scattershot rhythms of UK Grime and Dubstep, with the more traditional sounds of American hip-hop and R&B.

After breaking out with the 2006 hit "Wifey," Tinie Tempah has been building a reputation as a microphone master, dropping singles left and right and electrifying European club audiences.

But it's with his newish single "Pass Out" that Tinie may have hit the big time with a thunderous beat that touches slightly upon J-Kwon's classic single "Tipsy" and some squiggling, bewildering keyboards on top (for that Grime appeal). It'll keep dancers moving in clubs from Atlanta to London and all points in between.

Check out Tinie Tempah's video for "Pass Out" and get to know the man in his own words with an exclusive Buzzworthy interview, both below.

+ Discover All Of MTV's Artist To Watch in 2011.

Related Content MTV's Artists To Watch In 2011, Meet MTV's Artists To Watch In 2011, Wiz Khalifa, A Day To Remember, Miguel, Middle Class Rut, New Politics, Warpaint, Tinie Tempah

Tags , , , , , ,

MTV Artist To Watch In 2011: Warpaint

Posted 12/22/10 9:57 am EST by in Celebrity, MTV Featured Artist, Music, PUSH, Videos

(Credit: Mira Kirby/Rough Trade)

For the last couple of years, the members of Warpaint have been enchanting listeners with their new spin on '50s Girl Group romanticism, which comes doused in '80s-style, noise-pop atmosphere.

Formed in 2004, the Los Angeles-based band is made up of Emily Kokal (vocals/guitar), Theresa Wayman (vocals/guitar), Jenny Lee Lindberg (bassist/vocals), and Stella Mozgawa (drums/keyboards). Other members have drifted in and out as well, including indie-darling actress Shannyn Sossamon (who left to pursue acting). Yet the lineup recently solidified with the addition of drummer Stella Mozgawa.

On Warpaint's 2010 debut album, The Fool, the band drapes their minimal rock sound in ambient noise, creating a beguiling soundscape. It's a sound that's caught the ear of both rock critics and fellow artists. The Red Hot Chilli Peppers' John Frusciante is an avowed fan and even helped master some early recordings of the band.

Check out Warpaint's "Undertow" video, below. The Fool is out now.

+ Discover All Of MTV's Artist To Watch in 2011.

Tags , , , , , ,

MTV Artist To Watch In 2011: New Politics

Posted 12/22/10 9:18 am EST by in Celebrity, MTV Featured Artist, Music, PUSH, Videos

Originally from Denmark, New Politics, a trio made up of David Boyd, Poul Amaliel and Søren H, formed in the latter part of the 2000s. The group then took their talents to the teeming and vibrant musical epicenter that is Brooklyn, N.Y.

On the surface, a band that features a vocalist, guitarist and drummer might sound like a primal scream waiting to happen, and with Scandinavian rock roots (think The Hives, Refused), New Politics certainly has some garage punk pedigree.

However, on their debut, self-titled album, New Politics gets downright expansive, recalling the crunch of Nirvana, the atmospheric strangeness of The Pixies and a bit of the glam excitement of latter-day My Chemical Romance.

Their debut runs the gamut between lovesick pop songs ("Give Me Hope") and flammable, unhinged rock anthems ("Burn It Down"). How do three guys make such a racket, live? Well you should definitely take the time to find out. New Politics has a reputation of making stages uninhabitable for other bands once they're done.

Check out New Politics' video for "Yeah Yeah Yeah," as well as a live performance of their track "Diginity," both below. New Politics is out now.

+ Discover All Of MTV's Artist To Watch in 2011.

Tags , , , , ,

MTV Artist To Watch In 2011: Middle Class Rut

Posted 12/21/10 9:30 am EST by in Celebrity, MTV Featured Artist, Music, PUSH, Videos

(Credit: Steve Bullick/Bright Antenna Entertainment)

Middle Class Rut are a Sacramento, Calif., duo who make an almighty racket, calling to mind the glory days of Rage Against The Machine, Deftones and At The Drive-In--propulsive, hard-hitting rock that's thoughtful and comes packed full of surprises. They're one of MTV's Artists To Watch In 2011, and here's why.

Made up of guitarist/vocalist Zack Lopez and vocalist/drummer Sean Stockham, Middle Class Rut have been plugging away since 2006, accruing a dedicated fan base through their explosive and energetic live show. In October 2010, the band released its debut album, No Name No Color, an accomplished full-length full of Led Zeppelin-like dirges ("I Guess You Could Say") and sociopolitically charged anthems ("USA").

The highlight of Middle Class Rut's album is, undoubtedly, the single "New Low," a taut and tense slab of atmospheric rock that comes with an incredibly inventive video, to boot.

Watch Middle Class Rut's video for "New Low," below. No Name No Color is out now.

+ Discover All Of MTV's Artist To Watch in 2011.

Related Content MTV's Artists To Watch In 2011, Wiz Khalifa, A Day To Remember, Miguel

Tags , , , , , , , , , ,

MTV Artist To Watch In 2011: Miguel

Posted 12/21/10 9:01 am EST by in Celebrity, Interviews, MTV Featured Artist, Music, PUSH, Videos

(Credit: Rene Cervantes/MTV)

Miguel's already landed on MTV's Artists To Watch In 2011 list, and he very could very well dominate R&B in 2011. The Los Angeles singer combines the best elements of neo-soul (think artists like D'Angelo, Maxwell and Musiq) and radio-friendly R&B club jams (think Usher's more restrained moments).

Miguel's hit single, "All I Want Is You" features one of the most memorable bass lines in recent memory and has become a calling card song for the young performer. His debut album has been a long time in the making, but if it's anywhere near as carefully constructed and lovingly arranged as "All I Want...," then we're looking at a real powerhouse who's set to rise to the top and stay there.

Below, you'll get a video introduction to Miguel. We start with a fun Q&A, where he talks about his album, his love life, the making of "All I Want Is You," and the influence of Queen and Freddie Mercury on his music.

Check out Buzzworthy's interview with Miguel, then enjoy his video for "All I Want Is You." And while you're on this Miguel kick, be sure to check out his exclusive MTV photo gallery. Miguel's debut album, All I Want Is You, is due out next year.

+ Discover All Of MTV's Artist To Watch in 2011.

Related Content MTV's Artists To Watch In 2011, Wiz Khalifa, A Day To Remember

Tags , , ,

MTV Artist To Watch 2011: A Day To Remember

Posted 12/20/10 10:00 am EST by in Celebrity, MTV Featured Artist, Music, PUSH, Videos

(Credit: Phill M)

Florida's A Day To Remember are good at lots of things: making us laugh (see their funny music videos), making us want to mosh (perhaps even break out the old "picking up change"/floor punch), making us scream along to the loud parts and feel all warm and tender with the soft ones. In the punk-screamo-Warped Tour scene, nobody switches gears and mixes it up like this.

The group's latest release, What Separates Me From You, shows off their growth as songwriters, with songs like "All I Want" and "All Signs Point To Lauderdale" sounding particularly ready for the radio. Despite the shiny new tunes, A Day To Remember, powered by Jeremy McKinnon's dexterous vocals, still knows how to crack a joke and turn up the volume.

Be sure to look out for A Day To Remember on the road in 2011; the band will no doubt be touring incessantly and coming to a town near you.

Check out A Day To Remember's hilarious "I'm Made Of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?" video below and watch them perform an acoustic version of "Have Faith In Me," live at MTV.

+ Discover All Of MTV's Artist To Watch in 2011.

Tags , , , , ,

MTV Artist To Watch 2011: Wiz Khalifa

Posted 12/20/10 9:30 am EST by in Celebrity, Interviews, MTV Featured Artist, Music, PUSH, Videos

(Credit: Sean Berry/ Atlantic Records)

Wiz Khalifa's "Black And Yellow" is the surprise hit of 2010. The infectious, unforgettable Pittsburgh anthem pays tribute to Wiz's hometown, using the Pittsburgh Steelers' colors as inspiration for his once-you-hear-it-you'll-never-forget-it chorus.

The success of "Black And Yellow" (which recently got the all-star remix treatment with Snoop Dogg, T-Pain and Three 6 Mafia's Juicy J.) might be the first time many folks have heard the creaky, charismatic musings of Wiz Khalifa, but to underground hip-hop fans it's just the latest in a long line of rap anthems.

With countless solo mixtapes (particularly Kush & Orange Juice) and albums (Flight School) under his belt and a popular collaborative mixtape between himself and Curren$y (How Fly), Wiz Khalifa has been turning heads for a couple of years now.

With a style that splits the difference between skater and hip-hop kid and a flow that adds East Coast lyricism to Snoop Dogg's masterful murmurs, you can see and hear why MTV News named Wiz Khalifa the Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010. And with his major label debut due out next year, it looks like 2011 will be the Pittsburgh-repping MC's biggest year yet.

See why 2011 will be the year of Wiz Khalifa in the exclusive Buzzworthy interview below. Plus, watch his "Black And Yellow" video and check out MTV.com's Wiz Khalifa photo gallery.

+ Discover All Of MTV's Artist To Watch in 2011.

Tags , , , , , , , ,

MTV's Artists To Watch In 2011

Posted 12/20/10 9:02 am EST by in Celebrity, MTV Featured Artist, Music, PUSH

It's almost officially time to call 2010 a wrap, which means it's officially time to look ahead to all of the great new music, artists and bands we'll be hearing lots of in 2011. With the clock ticking down the last days of the year, we've assembled a can't-miss list of artists to watch in 2011. Some of these artists you may know, others you may not, but all of them are sure to be big names in the music scene in the new year. Here goes.

+ Wiz Khalifa: Pittsburgh's pride broke out this year with his Steelers-themed hip-hop anthem, "Black And Yellow." With his major label debut due out next year, look for big things from this skate-rap phenom.

+ A Day To Remember: These screamo funnymen from Florida know how to throw down and make us laugh. Watch their inventive and hilarious video "I'm Made Of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?," and you'll see exactly why.

+ Warpaint: Ethereal, ghostly and utterly unforgettable. This is the new girl-group pop made by a quartet of enigmatic of Los Angelenos.

+ Miguel: This angel-voiced Los Angeles R&B singer has been seducing listeners for the latter part of 2010 with his ballad "All I Want Is You." Referencing the work of D'Angelo, R. Kelly and Prince, he just opens his mouth, and he's a lady-killer. Ask your girlfriend.

+ Graffiti6: The London duo--U.K. producer TommyD and singer/songwriter Jamie Scott--embellish their pop-rock with shades of soul and psychedelia. Their songs have appeared on "Grey's Anatomy" and "CSI: New York."

+ New Politics: Unhinged Danish garage rockers lean toward The Hives. One of the most sensational live acts to come down the pike in quite some time.

+ Middle Class Rut: Forget 2011. Sacramento's Middle Class Rut take us back to the glory days of '90s alt-rock, sounding like an angrier Weezer or a kinder, gentler Rage Against The Machine.

+ Tinie Tempah: Born in Nigeria and raised in London, this Brit MC mixes up U.K. Grime sound with hip-hop and R&B.

+ The Vaccines: Calling to mind some British rock's most-valued exports (My Bloody Valentine, The Smiths, James), this band has made a name for themselves with their gauzy, propulsive indie rock.

Tags , , , , , , , , , ,

MTV PUSH Artist Of The Week: The Downtown Fiction

Posted 12/13/10 6:00 am EST by in Celebrity, Interviews, MTV Featured Artist, Music, PUSH, Videos

(Credit: Michael Greenberg/MTV)

This week's MTV PUSH Artist of the Week is the Virginia power trio The Downtown Fiction. Led by singer/guitarist Cameron Leahy, this young band combines the pop-punk now sound (think a less-tongue-in-cheek All-American Rejects) with some tightly wound classic-rock moves of yesteryear (think The Rolling Stones).

The Downtown Fiction got their start where so many bands do these days: online. In 2008, Leahy and drummer Eric Jones posted some demos to MySpace, corralled friend David Pavluk to join them on bass and soon found themselves a part of the roster on Photo Finish Records.

Since then, the band has released two EPs, one self-titled and one called The Best I Never Had -- both of which are being reissued, together, as The Double EP, which throws in some demos for good measure.

In the videos below, you'll get to know the young men behind the music. First up is an exclusive Buzzworthy Q&A in which the band members talk about touring Japan, give some details on its "no budget" video for "I Just Wanna Run" and explain the weird feeling of hearing the music on shows such as "The Hills" and "Keeping Up With The Kardashians."

In the following piece, the band talks about its sound in relation to playing live and recording in a studio. In the final clip, Eric Jones talks about balancing school and his music career. After the jump you'll see video interviews where the band members talk about how girls love David, why Eric loves espresso and their uniting affection for high voices.

Also also after the jump, see live videos of the band performing "I Just Wanna Run," "Best I Never Had" and "You Were Wrong."

Check out video interviews and live performances by MTV PUSH Artist of the Week, The Downtown Fiction, and check out an exclusive MTV Downtown Fiction photo gallery.

Tags , , , , ,

6789101112131415

About Us

Consummate MTV music fans obsessively covering pop music, pop videos, pop stars, and pop culture from MTV headquarters in New York. Plus, trends, LOLs and stuff we love.

Read more about MTV Buzzworthy.

Email us:
buzzworthy@mtv.com

Follow us on Twitter:
@MTVBuzzworthy

Managing Editor
Tamar Anitai

Associate Editor
Rachel Brodsky

Contributors
Michael Depland
Byron Flitsch
David Greenwald
Amber Katz
Althea Legaspi
T. Kyle MacMahon
Charlie Norwood
Luke O'Neil
Jenna Hally Rubenstein
Annie Schoening
Brad Stern

SPONSORS
AD:
©2013 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. MTV and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.