Morgan Page's In The Air Aims 'Square At Dance Floor'

Fifth album, released Tuesday, features Tegan and Sara on 'Body Work.'
By Akshay Bhansali


Morgan Page
Photo: Rukes.com

With two Grammy nominations under his belt and having sold out 35 of the 45 shows on his last tour, American DJ/producer Morgan Page went into the recent Miami Music Week on a high.

The title track of his fifth album, "In the Air" featuring Angela McCluskey (a co-production with BT, Sultan and Ned Shepard), went to #1 on Billboard's Hot Dance Airplay Chart and spent 25 weeks in the top 10 last year. "Body Work," featuring MTV family indie darlings Tegan and Sara, followed as the album's second single, with an '80s-inspired video set in an auto shop that premiered on MTV's Buzzworthy in February.

This year, Miami proved fruitful. While he didn't come away with any International Dance Music Awards (he was nominated for "Best American DJ" and "Best Progressive Track"), MMW provided a fan-galvanizing series of gigs, underscored by his own "Morgan Page Presents" night at Mokai. He showcased his latest remixes and coveted gems from In the Air, which was released Tuesday via Nettwerk Records.

According to Page, the fans in Miami clearly had their favorite songs. "The singles 'In the Air' with Angela McCluskey and 'Body Work' with Tegan and Sara are doing well," Page told MTV News. "Right now, 'In the Air' is the biggest track. It gets the biggest response when I play it. It was a really cool collaboration."

"Body Work" occupies its own unique place in Page's heart. What began as a White Label remix endeavor in 2005 culminated in Page creating three songs with Tegan and Sara, of which "Video" and "Body Work" made it onto ITA.

"They are the coolest," Page said of the pair. "They are the most professional, put together duo I've ever worked with. They just know what they want, and they don't mess around. ['Body Work'] is very '80s and has this very '80s throwback synth vibe that I love. I wanted a track to be out there that was different. It wasn't a dubstep track or a progressive house track."

Page says Air is a project for the masses — an effort that, with the help of additional vocalists Nadia Ali, Greg Laswell, Shelley Harland and Richard Walters (to name a few), is aimed to hit the nightclubs hard.

"The last album, Believe, was more melancholy and chill," Page explained. "And this is aiming a little more square at the dance floor. The next single is right around the corner, called 'Where Did You Go.' Jonathan Mendelsohn's on that. He's done a lot of cool stuff with Dash Berlin and Laidback Luke. It's a little more aggressive. It's something I can play in the middle of my set, peak time, guns blazing. Jonathan is just an amazing, dynamic singer."

For his next album, Page revealed he's planning to continue keeping the spirits high.

"I think the next one is going to be even more big-room," Page shared. "A little more triumph, a little more energy, more peak time. That's kind of what the crowds want."

Share your review of Morgan Page's new album in the comments below!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1682619/morgan-page-in-the-air.jhtml

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Jessica Alba Has Her Hands Full with Honor & Haven

She's always got her hands full, and today (April 6) a car seat-toting Jessica Alba was spotted out in Santa Monica with both her adorable daughters close by her side.

Making it look so easy, the preppy chic mom of two carried sleepy baby Haven around as she picked up older sis Honor from her midday dance class.

Earlier in the week Jessica had fans a-flutter as her short sleeve t-shirt gave view of what looked to be a massive new ink job on her left arm.

While it's no doubt Miss Alba could pull off just about anything, a rep for the star explained the rose-filled tat is really just washable form of body art she had penciled on for her new movie role in "A.C.O.D."

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Josh Hutcherson: NewNewNext Awards Hunk

He?s been a busy boy as of late, and Josh Hutcherson's latest appearance was at the 2012 NewNowNext Awards in Hollywood last night (April 5).

The ?Hunger Games? stud looked handsome in a denim jacket, khaki trousers, and a striped top as he posed for the press at the W Hotels Backstage Winner?s Circle.

In related news, Josh recently added his name to the cause of urging young straight men to support the gay and lesbian community.

An insider told press, "When Josh was very young, the lives of two of his uncles were cut short by AIDS. At the time, he was too young to be aware of their tragic deaths. But as he got older he felt that he had to embrace his family history, and was desperate to help in some way."


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Is 'American Idol' Judges' Advice Sabotaging The Finalists?

'She seems to lose confidence by the week,' said 'Idol' blogger MJ Santilli about Hollie Cavanagh.
By Gil Kaufman


DeAndre Brackensick and judges Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez on "American Idol" on Thursday
Photo: Fox

In years past, booted contestants offered bland platitudes about the helpful judges and their "amazing journey" on "American Idol" and how they've grown and learned so much from the show.

But this season the gloves appear to have come off, with some singers flat out accusing Randy, Steven and Jennifer of messing with their heads by offering head-spinning advice that sends them sprinting in one direction one week only to turn around and jet the other way the next.

"They are hurting the contestants with confusing advice," said MJ Santilli, founder of the popular "Idol' blog MJsbigblog. "What makes it worse are the 'battles' between the panel and mentor Jimmy Iovine. The finalists are often hearing one thing in the studio with Jimmy and his guest mentors, and something entirely different from the judges."

Aside from the seemingly horrible sartorial advice they're also getting from fashion mentor Tommy Hilfiger, MJ said the mixed career messages are impacting the singers in widely different ways. They don't appear to be messing with the head of self-assured growly rocker Phil Phillips, who she said may actually be hurting his own chances by arrogantly ignoring every note he gets from the show's experts. But they've definitely made for some up-and-down weeks for the likes of potential R&B star rocker Elise Testone, country belter Skylar Laine and they are clearly hurting the teenage girl contestants.

"Hollie Cavanagh is obviously not growing from her 'Idol' experience," Santilli said of the 18-year-old who has a powerful voice, but a shaky stage presence that appears to be on increasingly rockier ground after weeks of confusing notes. "She seems to lose confidence by the week. And [just eliminated contestant] DeAndre Brackensick
 had potential, but the advice he was getting wasn't focused enough to really help him."

The contestants themselves have even said it.

"I felt confused every week, I'll be honest," Erika Van Pelt told MTV News after she was booted two weeks ago. "I felt there was a lot of contradiction, and as an artist and someone who takes their singing very seriously, it's hard for me to take critique of my work, period, and then when you feel like you sorta have people telling you one thing and then telling you something completely different the week after, it's hard."

EVP had plenty of experience singing in front of audiences, but her frustration with the mixed messages from the trio behind the judge's table, not to mention often contradictory words of wisdom from mentor Jimmy Iovine, was unabashed.

"Because constructive criticism to me is something I can go home, work on, fix and come back and say, 'Here, I fixed it,'" she said. "I feel what happened to me in this competition was I would take all the advice, I'd work on things, I'd bring something different to the table, and they'd tell me the complete opposite. It's been really hard for me, I can admit that."

Brackensick appeared to have solved that problem by taking Phillips' path and ignoring all the competing voices. "I'm just following what I want to do, not listening to what someone's telling me to do," he told MTV News after his elimination about his up-and-down ride on the show.

Hollywood Reporter music editor Shirley Halperin said she's definitely noticed some mixed signals from the judges, but she doesn't necessarily put the blame on them. "In a way, the judges are not as connected with developing an artist as Jimmy Iovine is," she said of the legendary Interscope label head who has helped guide the careers of Eminem, Lady Gaga and 50 Cent and whose opinion she often finds herself agreeing with. "Maybe they [the judges] can't be that critical because they've never been in that position of developing an artist. That's what Jimmy does for a living."

The judges, she said, have to face the camera (and the in-studio audience), while Iovine doesn't, which is why his rougher criticism rings more true. She pointed to Iovine's harsh predictions about Brackensick's fate on Thursday's elimination show as an example of how Jimmy can smell the career potential and talent of an artist in a way Steven, Jennifer and Randy can't, and then pull no punches in evaluating their chances.

The advisory disconnect is clearest for those who might also be tuning in to NBC's rival show, "The Voice." Instead of bland platitudes, Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton are busy giving their charges good, constructive, specific advice on how to be better, more effective singers. And you see it in their performances from week-to-week, as the singers take the building blocks and incorporate them into their routines.

"Idol" has gotten plenty of flack this season for the everyone-gets-a-trophy comments from the judges and the B-list talent in the finals. But considering that so many of its contestants are less seasoned that those on shows such as "The Voice" and "X Factor," if "Idol" wants to keep pace with the competition nipping at its heels it needs to up the mentoring and spend more time shaping its charges instead of spinning them around like a prime-time game of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1682638/american-idol-judges.jhtml

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Dianna Agron: Floral Dress Darling

Passing time with one of her favorite activities, Dianna Agron ventured out on a trip to The Grove shopping center in West Hollywood on Thursday afternoon (April 5).

The Quinn Fabray cutie looked springtime stylish in a pretty floral dress with a light sweater as she did a little window shopping at the local retail mecca.

The outing comes as Dianna and the rest of her ?Glee? cohorts are returning with a new episode titled ?Big Brother" airing on Tuesday (April 10) at 8/7 c on Fox.

Check out the promotional commercial below, as the gang begins their countdown towards high school graduation!

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Jennifer Lopez Votes To Save DeAndre Brackensick On 'Idol'

But other judges opt to boot springy-haired singer, who was joined by Hollie Cavanagh and Elise Testone in the bottom three.
By Adam Graham


DeAndre Brackensick on "American Idol"
Photo: Fox

DeAndre Brackensick sang "I Like It" on Wednesday's '80s-themed episode of "American Idol," but America didn't like it and sent the springy-haired singer packing on Thursday's (April 5) elimination episode.

The 17-year-old from San Jose, California, came the closest so far this season to being a recipient of a judges' save, after performing Stevie Wonder's "Master Blaster" following the news he received the lowest number of America's votes.

"This boy right here, we've been watching him for two years. You're an amazing performer, and I stand by that," Jennifer Lopez told him. "I think you have an amazing voice, and you're gonna share a lot with the world, I really do believe that. [But] I only get one vote. I'm sorry, we're not saving you tonight. I'm sorry, baby."

Host Ryan Seacrest asked Lopez if that meant she voted to save him and the other two judges didn't. "Yes, that's what I'm saying," she said.

Brackensick wound up in the doghouse despite receiving positive remarks from the judges Wednesday. Lopez called his performance "natural" and Steven Tyler called it "amazing," while Randy Jackson told him, "It was one of my best performances from you."

Idol mentor Jimmy Iovine, however, had a different take. "DeAndre was not great!" he barked. "DeAndre needs to come out and grow at a much faster pace. If you look at the boys, Joshua [Ledet] is growing in leaps and bounds, and DeAndre is growing marginally." Iovine called him the "weakest of the boys" on Wednesday.

Iovine had harsh words for several of the contestants Thursday; he said Hollie Cavanagh "is approaching this like a high school performer, and last night wasn't even a great high school performance," while he said Elise Testone delivered "an old-fashioned choke." (It goes without saying that Iovine has become by far the most interesting, honest judge on the show, even though he's technically not even a judge. Can someone go ahead and change that, please?)

It was Cavanagh and Testone, in fact, who joined Brackensick in the week's bottom three. Brackensick was the first contestant sent to those lonely chairs, followed by Cavanagh and then Testone. Cavanagh was sent back to safety first, leaving Brackensick and Testone to sweat it out.

Also on the show, the Wanted performed their hit "Glad You Came" and Kellie Pickler ran through her new single "Where's Tammy Wynette," while Jennifer Lopez debuted her "Dance Again" video.

What did you think of Brackensick's elimination? Let us know in the comments!

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1682620/american-idol-deandre-brackensick-elimination.jhtml

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