Justin Bieber's Grammy Performance Will Be 'A Crossover,' Usher Says

The 'O.M.G.' singer looks forward to sharing the stage with his protégé on Sunday night.
By James Montgomery


Usher
Photo: Amanda Edwards/ Getty Images

HOLLYWOOD — At Sunday's 53rd Grammy Awards, Usher will be pulling double duty as both a nominee and a performer. Of course, given the massive year he just completed — with the success of his smash single "O.M.G." and as a mentor to rising phenom Justin Bieber — Ush's Grammy plans seem rather fitting.

Especially since he'll be performing with Bieber (and Bieber's pal Jaden Smith), a move that's just as much about celebrating Usher's successes as it is the successes of his young protégé.

"Having been through [the Grammys] so many times, you couldn't want for anything more than for your young protégé to have the opportunity to have one, so, in support of him having his moment, I wanted to be here," Usher told MTV News on Thursday, hours before his performance at the (Belvedere) RED launch party in Hollywood. "And also to be there to perform, to kind of tell the story of how we came together. This music business has definitely been good to both of us, and this year we have a lot to be happy for."

And just how will the dynamic duo tell that story? Well, Usher wasn't about to reveal all the details, but he did say that he's hoping their performance will show another side of Bieber ... a side most tend to overlook.

"The performance will be fun," Usher explained. "We want to get up there and just do what we do. Be comfortable, and have a great time. ... This is kind of a crossover for Justin. Having performed on so many different stages, this is the way that I wanted him to be seen and an opportunity to show the industry — a lot of the industry, that didn't believe [in him] — some of his other talents. He's going to play acoustically, and also, we'll get down a little bit."

And though Ush is up for a pair of Grammy awards on Sunday — Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best Contemporary R&B Album for Raymond v. Raymond — he's most looking forward to sharing the stage with Bieber and giving fans a look at where the young artist will be heading next.

"I'm very proud, man. I definitely saw it from the beginning, but thanks to the team that we have around us, it was made to happen. And that story has only just begun," Usher said. "The story of Justin Bieber doesn't stop with screaming girls; we need screaming fans all around the world ... a cultural experience that's much more than just fanfare. And that's what this is. That's what the Grammys will be; that's what my next phase for Justin is. This is the way I found him: I found him with a guitar in his hand, so I want him to be seen that way."

Don't miss "Snooki & Sway: Live From the Grammys," a red-carpet live stream kicking off Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And stick with us all Grammy night for coverage of the red carpet, the show, the afterparties and beyond!

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Beyonce Shares Her Love For Frank Ocean, Kanye West

B shares how Jay-Z and his collaborators influenced her chart-topping 4.
By Jocelyn Vena


Beyoncé in <i>Complex</i> magazine
Photo: Thierry Le Gou&#232;s/ Complex

Beyoncé has said that she was "inspired by every type of genre" of music while making 4. But in a recent interview, she spoke in detail about how husband Jay-Z and other hip-hop artists became sonic touchstones while she recorded her fourth solo album.

"Jay had a CD playing in the car one Sunday when we were driving to Brooklyn," she tells Complex about hearing Odd Future's Frank Ocean, who co-wrote the 4 track "I Miss You." "I noticed his tone, his arrangements, and his storytelling. I immediately reached out to him — literally the next morning. I asked him to fly to New York and work on my record."

She also chose to work with Kanye West (who eventually produced "Party") after she heard "Runaway," which she admits, made her cry. "The fact that he's belting out his pain, his confusion, and his anger, with no pre-written lyrics, was so moving," she explained of her husband's frequent collaborator. "He's singing his heart out for five minutes. He is so vulnerable. I love when an artist can be so honest."

Of course, B acknowledged the direct influence of Jay's own work too. "Jay's music is more than music. His lyrics have fathered generations," she told the magazine. "All that he has overcome gives millions so much hope. There are moments when I see his lips moving, and I can see lyrics floating above his head, and I think, 'Wow! How did I get so lucky to be able to witness this level of genius so closely?' "

Beyoncé released her album in a season dominated by strong female voices, but she doesn't want any part in conversations that pit her against other divas.

"There is room on this earth for many queens," she said. "I have an authentic, God-given talent, drive and longevity that will always separate me from everyone else. I've been fortunate to accomplish things that the younger generation of queens dream of accomplishing. I have no desire for anyone else's throne. I am very comfortable in the throne I've been building for the past 15 years.

"I just want my legacy to be great music," she later added. "Someone who was a risk taker and someone who had songs that struck conversation and emotion."

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Stephanie Pratt Wears A Katie May Jeanie Dress: Celebrity Style

Gabrielle Giffords Returns To The House Of Representatives, Inspires Bill's Passage

Gabrielle Giffords

Last night, something unexpected happened as the House of Representatives voted on the debt-ceiling compromise. (If you haven't been following, here is the very short story: Democrats and Republicans have been in a deadlock for months over how to handle our debt load, and the government's ability to borrow money expires at midnight tonight.) With two minutes left to go in the House's vote, a side door of the chamber opened and a woman walked in. It was Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, who has been missing from the proceedings since January, when she was shot in the head at point-blank range. While Giffords was a touch unsteady on her feet and didn't speak much, she had a big smile on her face as she waved to the members of the House. She was greeted with a standing ovation and a flurry of hugs. Her presence appeared to have a palpable effect. While the vote in favor of the compromise bill had been stalled at 200, after Giffords entered her 'yes' vote, it shot up to 216 in favor. In the end, the bill passed with 269 votes—sending it to the Senate this morning.

"The Capitol looks beautiful tonight and I am honored to be at work," Giffords Tweeted.

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Heidi Klum Shows Off Amazing Bikini Body and Kisses With Seal in Ibiza

Heidi Klum lounged on the deck of a yacht off the coast of Ibiza, Spain with her family yesterday. Heidi and Seal stole a few kisses in the sun, and she was also on the receiving end of a very public and romantic kiss from him during his performance in the city on Friday. Seal planted one on Heidi in the middle of his show, which was also attended by celebrity friend and fan Ryan Seacrest. Seal entertained the intimate crowd and Ryan evidently had a good time too, tweeting that the happy couple are "way too much fun!" After spending the start of the Summer in NYC, Heidi and their kids escaped the scorching temperatures on the East Coast and jetted to Europe to join Seal on tour. The overseas trip is also a relaxing family vacation and Heidi's supermodel figure is ready for a beachy trip since she's been keeping fit with regular jogs over the Brooklyn Bridge as part of her Summer of Run series. Heidi's been joined by exercise enthusiasts Miranda Kerr and Kim Kardashian and both of her friends also happen to have a connection to Project Runway. Kim dropped in as a guest judge for the ninth season and Miranda's reportedly in talks to appear on Project Runway All-Stars. Heidi has a new success to celebrate as the getaway continued through the weekend - season nine of Project Runway kicked off last week to even higher ratings than last year's premiere.

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Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Grabs Lunch In NYC

‘Transformers 3‘ star Rosie Huntington-Whiteley grabbed some lunch with a friend in NYC this afternoon.  LOVE her easy-breezy look here! It looks like Rosie is taking her time with lining up her next project.  It must be stressful to make … Continue reading

Source: http://www.imnotobsessed.com/2011/08/01/rosie-huntington-whiteley-grabs-lunch-in-nyc/

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Lady Gaga And Bette Midler: A Real Mermaid Weighs In!

MTV News goes straight to the source to discuss recent pop-culture mermaid trends and beefs.
By Jocelyn Vena


Lady Gaga
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Beyoncé declared her love for mermaids during her MTV special "The Year of 4," while Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Bette Midler have all dressed up like the mythical sea creatures onstage or in videos. Madonna has surrounded herself with mermen during a past tour, and mermaids also show up in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" and in several new novels, including a forthcoming book by "Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer.

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Florida is famous for its mermaid shows, so MTV News decided to go right to the source and get a real-deal mermaid on the phone. It's no surprise that "mermaid" Carli Goodworth told us it's officially the Year of the Mermaid.

"It used to be really popular, like, 60 years ago and everybody was all about mermaids, and now today, it's coming back again," Goodworth told MTV News. "The stars are starting to use it, and the people from outside are loving it, and hopefully it'll draw more people to our attraction as well."

So why are pop stars taking on mermaid alter egos? Goodworth said the public persona of mermaids has shifted from the cute and cuddly Disney version to the more accurate version of mermaids who are mysterious, dangerous and sexy.

And the mermaid trend hasn't been free from controversy: There has already been beef between fans of Katy Perry and Lady Gaga, accusing the pop stars of lifting the idea, and then between Lady Gaga and Bette Midler, who did the mermaid-in-a-wheelchair routine decades before Gaga did.

"It's becoming so popular," Goodworth laughed about the mermaid beefs. "I think it's awesome. We're used to the few people around here, because we are known as the mermaid country, and it's neat to see all these other people battling it out to be the only mermaid. It's just different."

Being that Goodworth has performed as a mermaid for quite some time now, she's happy to see other people getting excited about it. "We love mermaids, so it's fun to see other people doing stuff with mermaids besides us," she said, adding her advice: "Be creative, do your own thing, really do your research."

What do you think about the pop-culture mermaid trend? Let us know in the comments!

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