MTV Buzzworthy Blog › Ester Dean

It's Tuesday! Time for another round of 5 Must-Hear Pop Songs for the Week!

Got your passport handy this time around? Good, because we're doing a lil' hop-stop around the world. This week's wrap-up features not one, but two appearances by UK rap phenomenon Tinie Tempah, a generally amazing song by an American Disney pop princess, and a surefire club smash from one of Sweden's finest.

Music: It's a global village, y'all!

1.) Florence + The Machine, "Shake It Out"

The leaves are starting to brown and wither away, the temperature's dropping steadily and the wind's beginning to howl. You know what that means: It's the return of the delightfully witchy and whimsical Miss Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine!

While the sophomore slump is a dreaded pitfall for any blossoming musician, Mizz Florence has nimbly tiptoed across that treacherous ravine with "Shake It Out," yet another unbelievable offering from the fiery chanteuse. Crafted alongside acclaimed UK producer Paul Epworth, the song builds on the winning sound that first catapulted the UK songstress to stardom with her 2009 debut, Lungs. "It's always darkest before the dawn," Welch encourages before unleashing a series of her legendary howls above tambourines and crashing drums.

Sure, cutting out your own heart and dancing off devils from your back to revitalize yourself aren't exactly the lyrical stuff of your typical Katy Perry feel-good anthem, but hey... it totally works. + LISTEN TO FLORENCE + THE MACHINE, "SHAKE IT OUT."

2.) Demi Lovato, "Unbroken"

For her third studio outing, Disney pop princess Demi Lovato's sidestepped her usual pop-rock sound, choosing to venture into all sorts of previously uncharted territory, including swagga-riffic collabos with radio-friendly R&B acts such as Iyaz and Jason Derulo.

But in between all the Timbaland beats and heartbreaking balladry lies an almighty dance-pop gem that would send Disney BFFL Selena Gomez straight into a tizzy: "Unbroken," the title track of the record, which doubles as the album's strongest offering (apart from the devastating lead single, "Skyscraper.")

"I'm going to love you like I've never been broken/I'm going to say it like it's never been spoken!" Lovato yelps with all her angst-ridden might above the song's surging electro-pop pulsations, searing with all the intensity of The Veronicas covering Brit Brit's "Hold It Against Me."

If this one's ever released as a single (as it should be -- get on it, Lovatics!), could this be Demi's first major club hit? Let's see: All-or-nothing lovey lyricism, flawless vocals and a ridiculously sick beat. You do the math. + LISTEN TO DEMI LOVATO, "UNBROKEN."

+ Listen to more Must-Hear Pop Songs Of The Week after the jump!

Read more...

Related Content Lana Del Rey + More: 5 Must-Hear Pop Songs of the Week, Follow Buzzworthy On Twitter

Tags Agnes, Demi Lovato, Ester Dean, Florence and the Machine, Labrinth, Tinie Tempah

Credit: PictureGroup

Remember when we asked you if you could recall any of the ninth-place contestants on any season of "American Idol"? Well, now we're asking if you can recall any of the ninth-place contestants on any season of "Idol" who look as gorgeous as Pia Toscano does in her first-ever music video.

In her first single, "This Time," written and co-produced by Ester Dean (Rihanna's "Rude Boy," Katy Perry's "Firework"), "Idol" finalist Pia Toscano sings of an ex who screwed her over. I'm gonna pause here to examine one huge flaw in the song's concept: Would any real live male actually dare to screw over Pia? I mean, look at that fresh-out-of-the-ocean hair? You just don't eff over a woman with fresh-out-of-the-ocean hair.

Power-driving with the top down in her blue vintage convertible, Pia finds herself at a perfectly sunlit deserted beach. As she draws lines in the sand and wistfully frolics in the ocean, we see this music video novice command the lens and come into her own. As she throws her hands up, she declares she's "gonna go back to the girl I was on the night you found me." Actually, we think this new Pia is doing A-OK.

Next, Pia leaves the beach and heads to her very own private city block where she tackles the ever-effective and super classic "I'm triumphantly singing in the middle of the street with a microphone" scene. Hey, it's her first video -- she's gotta check off a few traditional moves before she can time travel and stuff.

+ Watch Pia Toscano's video, "This Time."

Related Content Follow Buzzworthy On Twitter

Tags American Idol, Ester Dean, Pia Toscano

The discourse surrounding beverages has always been a constant in hip-hop and R&B. 20 years ago, Snoop and Dre turned the 40-ounce bottle of malt liquor into a rap accessory.

But as the years have gone on and on, hip-hop and R&B have turned their backs on the bargain basement beverages and moved into more refined tastes, espousing the joys of Pino Grigio and rose wine. Which brings us to two of hip-hop and R&B's biggest names blowing up the cocktail of choice for aristocrats suffering from chest colds. Yup, it's Usher, Jay-Z and Ester Dean's "Hot Toddy," from Usher's forthcoming EP, Versus. New Usher EP? Yup, after the success of "OMG" and "Hey Daddy," he's striking while the proverbial iron is still proverbially hot. And with "Hot Toddy," he comes out of the gate strong.

Despite being named after a cocktail of whiskey, hot water and lemon, this track is pretty slick. With a slithering beat courtesy of Polow da Don, Usher spits game at a girl, while Jay-Z spits game to the mirror, mirror on the wall, all while Ester Dean wails in the background.

Check the song out below, along with Usher's "Hey Daddy" video. Drink it up, folks.

+ Listen to Usher, Jay-Z And Ester Dean's "Hot Toddy," here.

Tags Dr. Dre, Ester Dean, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Song You Need To Know, Usher, video

Yesterday, Christina Aguilera released the full version of "Not Myself Tonight," the first single from her long-awaited new album, Bionic.

The track was co-written with Ester Dean (of "Drop It Low" fame) and Polow Da Don, whose patented "1-2-3-4" chant is reminiscent of another jam he produced -- Chris Brown's "Forever."

However, this is no bubblegum love song: "Not Myself Tonight" is full of dark-techno voodoo and some real come-hither vocals. Xtina whispers lines like "I'm out of character ... I'm doing things that I normally don't do," drops the F-bomb and talks about kissing boys and girls. Motherhood has clearly not blunted her edge -- and we couldn't be more excited.

Check out the track below (Warning: NSFW language). Bionic is out June 8.

Tags Chris Brown, Christina Aguilera, Ester Dean, Polow-da-Don, Song You Need To Know

Word around the campfire is that Usher's still-delayed new album, Raymond vs. Raymond, is going to be the musical equivalent of a tell-all book, with Usher pulling back the veil on his failed marriage with Tameka Foster.

This is, commercially and artistically, a good look for Usher, seeing as how last time he took a look in the mirror, musically speaking, it produced 2004's Confessions. That album, which was allegedly about the infidelities that crippled his relationship with T.L.C. singer Chilli, catapulted Usher to the top of the pop heap, producing songs like "Yeah" and "Throwback."

After the light flirtations of "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)," Usher will surely get tongues wagging with "Guilty." Produced by the talented Ester Dean ("Drop It Low"), "Guilty" starts out with TMI and never retracts, with Usher singing, "I guess I'm guilty for wanting to be up in the club, I guess I'm guilty cause girls always want to show me love, I guess I'm guilty for leaving and having a little fun."

T.I. joins in on the action, claiming, "she ain't caught me on no Tiger Woods s--t, knew what I expected when she met me."

One listen and it's clear that heartbreak and 808s are the magic formula for more artists than just Kanye West. This is probably the best Usher track since his mid-decade glory days. Raymond vs. Raymond is due out March 26.

+ Listen to Usher, featuring T.I., "Guilty," here.

Tags Ester Dean, Kanye West, Song You Need To Know, T.I., TLC, Usher

Someone holler at Thom Yorke: This is how you get down in a supermarket. You don't mope your way up the aisle singing about green plastic watering cans; you drop it low.

Ester Dean's new video, "Drop It Low" (not to be confused with "Dip It Low") -- the second single from the soundtrack to the Lebron James movie, More Than A Game -- starts with Nelly (yes, "Hot In Herre"/ Band-Aid Nelly) instructing Ester to keep watch over his bodega (so that's where he's been hiding himself).

No sooner can you say, "clean up in aisle three," then Dean has her ladies getting crunk in the store. The party then moves into the world's most inviting walk-in freezer, which doubles as a night club).

When things could not get any more off the meat rack, lo, Chris Brown makes an appearance, uttering unintentionally awkward lyrics about putting hands on a girl's body (um, yikes).

What any of this has to do with Lebron James and the bonds he forged with high school basketball teammates is anyone's guess. But between the frozen produce dance scenes and the egregious use of color, we're intrigued.

Related Content Chris Brown Premieres His New Song With Lil Wayne Leaks

Tags Chris Brown, Ester Dean, Lebron James, video