Mary J. Blige Dishes On Her 'Crazy' Led Zeppelin Covers

'I've listened to their music since I was a child,' says the R&B diva, who recorded 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Whole Lotta Love.'
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Larry Carroll

Mary J. Blige
Photo: MTV News

You wouldn't peg Mary J Blige as the black-light-and-tapestry sort, but, as has become readily apparent in recent weeks, she absolutely loves Led Zeppelin.

In early February, reports began circulating that Blige had re-recorded Zeppelin's classic "Stairway to Heaven," working with Travis Barker, "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson and guitarist Steve Vai on the track, which is slated to appear on the international reissue of her Stronger With Each Tear album, due Monday.

But after she had recorded "Stairway," Blige continued to get the Led out, covering another Zeppelin classic — the thunderous "Whole Lotta Love" — for the album too. And when MTV News caught up with her on the Essence Black Women in Hollywood red carpet, she told us all about channeling her inner Robert Plant for the tracks, a process that came much easier than you'd probably imagine.

"I did Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Whole Lotta Love' — it's crazy," she said. "I am a Led Zeppelin fan. I'm not going to say I've been to their concerts, but I've listened to their music since I was a child, and it's always moved me, especially 'Stairway to Heaven,' and 'Whole Lotta Love' is just fun."

Blige also said she recorded another new song — a "club record" called "I Can't Wait" — for the re-release. And while it's only slated to hit shelves outside the U.S., she hopes her fans will get a chance to hear all the new songs pretty soon.

"I want y'all to hear it," she laughed.

Related Artists

• Mary J. Blige
• Led Zeppelin
• Travis Barker

Reverse Telephone Lookup Wireless Phone Deals Patricia Velásquez Connie Nielsen

Lady Gaga Reaches 1 Billion YouTube Views

Singer dubs her little monsters the 'kings and queens of YouTube.'
By Gil Kaufman

Lady Gaga
Photo: Andy Sheppard/ Redferns/ Getty Images

Justin Bieber put up a valiant fight, but Lady Gaga has officially taken the crown as the first artist to reach one billion views on YouTube. Gaga celebrated the landmark on Sunday by tweeting out her thanks to her little monsters for helping her reach the improbable milestone.

"We reached 1 Billion views on youtube little monsters!" she wrote. "If we stick together we can do anything. I dub u kings and queens of youtube! Unite!"

Though Gaga notched the record first, Bieber is close behind with more than 962 million views, and he's expected to join her in that rarified air by November 1.

Gaga averaged almost 1.8 million views per day in September, while Bieber averaged around 3.7 million views per day in September. Both easily outpace the next closest artist, late pop icon Michael Jackson, who has around 600 million views on YouTube. Though Gaga hit the billion plateau first, Bieber has actually been lapping her in YouTube views for most of this year. From July 1 to September 28, TubeMogul reported that the teen pop star averaged 3.98 million daily views to Lady G's 2.04 million. He's been at that torrid pace since February 28, averaging 3.83 million daily views while Gaga has averaged 2.53 million.

It helps that both artists have a number of YouTube's all-time most-viewed music clips, with Gaga's "Bad Romance" piling up 297 million views, "Just Dance" further back at 124 million views, "Alejandro" with 94 million and "Telephone" with 88 million. As for Bieber, his smash "Baby" is the most-watched video ever on YouTube with 366 million views, while his "Never Let You Go" has 96 million and "Never Say Never" 97 million.

Gaga actually passed the one billion mark in total online views (both on and outside of YouTube) in March, thanks to landing three clips in the 100 million-plus club.

Related Photos

• YouTube Domination: Top 10 All-Time Artists

Related Artists

• Lady Gaga

Cell Phone Accessories Search Engines Optimization Prepaid Cell Phones Megan Ewing

Ke$ha Talks VMA Garbage Bag Ensemble, Lady Gaga's Meat Suit

'It was amazing. I got to wear a garbage bag on national TV,' singer says.
By Kyle Anderson, with reporting by Kara Warner

Ke$ha
Photo: Jason LaVeris/ FilmMagic

Even if they didn't walk away with Moonmen, just about everybody who attended the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards exited the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles a winner. Taylor Swift started some buzz with new music, and Paramore's Hayley Williams finally got to do a live tag-team with B.o.B. Another winner in spirit? Ke$ha, whose first visit to the VMAs was a positive one.

"It was amazing. I got to wear a garbage bag on national TV," Ke$ha gushed on the red carpet at the premiere of the second season for the HBO show "Eastbound and Down." "It was fun. It was good. And I got nominated for four, and it was a dream come true just to be there."

The 23-year-old singer, who did indeed wear a dress made from garbage bags, was impressed with the level of fashion experimentation at this year's show. "It was fun. I think everybody was having fun with it," she said. However, she is not entirely sure she would be able to take the steps that Lady Gaga did with her head-turning meat-based ensemble. "I don't know if I could actually put raw meat on me," she admitted.

With the VMAs behind her, Ke$ha is working on a new album, but was mostly excited to get out and support her favorite show on television. "I don't watch TV, but this show I connect with on a really deep level," she said. "I kind of feel like I'm the female version of Danny McBride: Kind of white trash, just ready to party."

The Moonmen have all been handed out and the stars have gone home, but there's plenty of 2010 MTV Video Music Awards news, interviews, behind-the-scenes scoop, party reports and more still to come, so keep it locked on MTVNews.com.

Related Photos

• VMA 2010: Lady Gaga Lookbook

Related Artists

• Ke$ha
• Lady Gaga

Best Cell Phone Syntel Ehrinn Cummings Verizon Cell Phone Reviews

Interview with Rick Broadbent

MotoGPBlog was lucky enough to catch up with Rick Broadbent, Times journalist and author of Ring of Fire. You can also read our review of his book, and while you’re there, pick up your copy though our Amazon store - see links at the end of the articles.

Nikki Reed Jules Asner Angelina Jolie Rebecca Mader

Jo Tatchell Goes 'Behind The Scenes In Abu Dhabi'

In her new book, A Diamond in the Desert, Tatchell looks at the economic explosion of the desert city. The British author moved to the city when she was a little girl; a lot has changed in the 35 years since.

Reverse Phone Lookup Canada Erika Christensen Miranda Kerr Siemens

iMainGo X portable speaker doubles as a case, looks like a cassette

It's hard to say what exactly Portable Sound Laboratories is going for with its latest iMainGo speaker, but for those who are still shedding tears over Sony's decision to axe the Walkman cassette player, it's probably a sight for sore eyes. The iMainGo X portable speaker doubles as a PMP enclosure, with a clear back that still allows for access to on-unit controls. It also packs a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, an internal speaker, a 3.5 millimeter auxiliary input and the ability to daisy-chain with other X devices. At $69.95, it's not exactly an impulse buy, but at least they're tossing in a travel bag, wrist strap and carrying case, right?

Continue reading iMainGo X portable speaker doubles as a case, looks like a cassette

iMainGo X portable speaker doubles as a case, looks like a cassette originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Gadling  |  iMainGo  | Email this | Comments

Reverse Lookup Phone Number Reverse Search Phone Number Kristin Kreuk Jobs Search Uk

UFC 121: Cain Velasquez TKOs Brock Lesnar

by Michael David SmithThe UFC has a new heavyweight champion, as Cain Velasquez brutalized Brock Lesnar to win a first-round technical knockout Saturday at UFC 121.

The fight wasn't close, as Velasquez showed vastly superior technique and unloaded on Lesnar on the ground until Lesnar's face was a bloody mess and referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight.

"I trained for a five-round fight and that's what I was hoping for," Velasquez said afterward. "I wasn't expecting this. You can't expect a first-round stoppage."

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Job Search Calgary Shakara Ledard Carrie Underwood Lorri Bagley