Katy B announces "Still" as next single

Katy B has announced via Facebook that her new single is "Still". "Still" is taken from her number 1 album "Little Red" and follows the singles "5AM" and the brilliant "Crying For No Reason". The music video will be released at midnight tonight!

Will you be staying up to watch the "Still" music video? Comment below to share your thoughts

Artist of the Month April 2014: KELIS

It's that time already! Last month saw Shakira take the title of Artist of the Month but now it's time for a new artist to fill in that position!

April 2014 goes to the brilliant Kelis. You might know her by her track "Milkshake" or "Caught Out There". Kelis is this months Artist of the Month as her new album "Food" is being released 18th April. You can listen to the tracks "Jerk Ribs" and "Rumble" via the links at the bottom of the page. I can't wait to see what Kelis has in store for us this month!

Listen to "Jerk Ribs" here
Listen to "Rumble" here

Are you excited for new Kelis material? Comment below to share your thoughts

Why Shakira was a great Artist of the Month

Well it's Shakira's final day as Artist of the Month as tomorrow a new artist will be coming to take over for April 2014!

Here are some reasons why Shakira was a great Artist of the Month

• Shakira has donated over $45,000,000 to charity 
• She hasn't aged since 2001
• She's incredibly kind and loyal to her fans
• She works incredibly hard ensuring she has maximum input on the production of her albums 
• She doesn't need gimmicks during performances, she just stands and sings
• She can speak fluent Spanish, English and Portuguese
• She thoroughly studies the history and culture of every place she visit

It sure has been fun having Shakira as Artist of the Month but someone new will have to take her place. Who do you think will be Artist of the Month April 2014? Comment below to share your thoughts 

5 Great LGBT Musicians

Gay marriage is now legal wooo! To me this is something that, yes should have happened ages ago, but that is progress towards a fully equal world. To celebrate here are 5 of my favourite LGBT musicians!

5. Troye Sivan
Known more for his YouTube vlogs, Troye Sivan came out as gay last year in an emotional vlog. Since then he's been carrying on the way he's always been but a bit more open which is great. He also writes songs which he regularly posts online.

4. Jake Shears
Frontman of the Scissor Sisters. Jake Shears works regularly with Kylie Minogue writing her material such as "I Believe In You" and "Too Much". Shears says gay celebrities "have the responsibility to come out". Shears has been with his partner Chris Moukarbel since 2004.

3. Ricky Wilson (The B-52s not Kaiser Chiefs)
Ricky Wilson was an American musician and a member of The B-52s famous for their hits "Rock Lobster" and "Love Shack". He died in 1985 at the age of 32 due to AIDS and kept his illness a secret from the band. His sister Cindy Wilson is still a member of The B-52s.

2. Sia Furler
Sia Furler is bisexual. She is probably best known for her vocals on David Guetta's "Titanium". Sia has written songs for several great musicians such as Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears and Artist of the Month Shakira. Listen to her new song "Chandeliar" here.

1. Fergie
Fergie is also bisexual and a member of The Black Eyed Peas alongside will.i.am. She came out in 2009 in an interview with The Sun. She is also known for her solo album "The Dutchess".

Which LGBT musicians do you look up to? Comment below to share your thoughts.

Dare (La La La) to be next Shakira single

Cover by Ryan Colburn

This week Shakira released her self-titled 10th album along with the music video for "Empire" the second single in Latin and American countries. However the second single worldwide comes in the form of "Dare (La La La)" the opening track on "Shakira".
The song is an uptempo dance track produced by Dr Lu

Cover by @FeimM on Twitter

ke and Cirkut and was originally going to be the lead single from the album which should have been released around 2012 but due to Shakira's pregnancy it was postponed.
The track is also being used for the official Brazil Fifa World Cup and an exclusive version featuring Carlinhos Brown with different lyrics is being released!
Can't wait to see how this single does in comparison to "Can't Remember To Forget You".



Listen to the Brazil Fifa World Cup version here

Watch the "Empire" video here

STYLE ICON: Miguel

Welcome to a new part of Magia Media! "Magia Moda" is the fashion element of my blog, every Tuesday I'll be picking a well-dressed singer (Style Icon) and showing you how to get their look.

The first "Style Icon" is Miguel. Miguel is an R&B singer who has collaborated with the likes of Janelle Monae and Mariah Carey. On top of his amazing vocals he has an amazing sense of style! Here's how to get his look:

Topman £90

Topman £120

1. Jacket
With Miguel you have two options, gangster biker jacket or a smart suit jacket. The suit jacket should be mainly dark colours such as bottle green or navy blue or even burgundy. You can get these items from Topman however they can be really pricey, but you'll get the best quality and a long lasting purchase.

H&M £3.99

H&M £19.99

2. Shirt
Simplicity is key. Miguel goes for simplicity but adds to the simplicity with accessories. If you're going for the biker jacket look pick a plain t-shirt, you can get great plain tees from H&M at great prices. You can experiment with the colours but white tends to look best.
For the suit jacket look, a plain white shirt will do best. You can add patterns but make sure it's patterns on a white shirt. Again you can buy this from H&M.

Topman £20

3. Trousers
Whatever Miguel look you're going for, the same trousers work well. Black slim fit jeans (not skinny) are the best. Also roll them up at the ends to show off your amazing footwear! Topman have the best selection of jeans and trousers to fit anyone.

Prada studded creepers

Underground £78 

4. Shoes
Miguel has amazing shoe sense. He often wears Prada studded black creepers. Miguel likes to combine smart and quirky and he really does this through his choice in footwear. Be prepared to make brave bold purchases. Stuff like Doc Martens will also do well.

H&M £6.99

River Island £6

4. Accessories
To top off your outfit load up on accessories. Miguel wears lots of rings and in particular collar tips and chains. Topman sells the widest range of jewellery on the high street and you're almost guaranteed to pick up some great sale items for £1. Also retro black sunglasses are essential to complete your Miguel outfit.

5. Hair
To get the Miguel hair you should probably get it shaved at the sides either grade 2 or if you're brave enough 1. Leave the top relatively long and quiff it up! If you have thin hair load up with mousse and dry it in then add volume boosting powder. Then to hold it in place spray it. This is my method I use daily to do my hair.

The Miguel look is great if you want to look smart and casual at the same time. It can be relatively expensive in terms of jackets and shoes but you can find all the other items cheap. Don't be afraid to customise to create your own unique look!

SINGLE OF THE WEEK: Jhamasa Corinthian- Just Chillin'

If you thought Azealia Banks was a trip back to the 90s think again! These guys do it in style! Jhamasa Corinthian are a 90s rapping duo and have just released their first mixtape "Retro Love Arcade" which you can download for free here. Their single "Just Chillin'" is really nostalgic and you can check that out here! The music video is really authentic and looks just like a 90s vid! Can't wait to see even more from them!

What do you think of this single? Comment below to share your thoughts

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MUSIC VIDEO REVIEW: Lady Gaga- G.U.Y.

She's done it again! Lady Gaga has raised the bar with her new music video/short film for "G.U.Y." the latest single from her painfully underrated third album "ARTPOP". Remember the speculation that there was going to be a music video for every track? Well this is almost coming true as shown in the "G.U.Y." motion picture masterpiece. There are mini videos within the film for the tracks "ARTPOP" and "Venus" (still no sign of "Do What U Want" though- I was shaking waiting for that to pop up). Once again Lady Gaga has incorporated some amazing visuals in her video and I think this is more the focal point on the video. Unlike the "Telephone" music video this one doesn't have a clear plot which leaves the fans to interpret what's happening, which knowing Lady Gaga is her intent.
Anyway enough rambling and freaking out here is my review/interpretation of the video!

Chapter One: ARTPOP 

REVIEW
Possibly the most beautiful part of the video. A wounded Gaga caught up in someone else's fight struggling to make it to safety. The wardrobe and visuals are amazing here and the use of the track as a dramatic score is really clever. I have to say out of all her music videos this one has the most cinematic atmosphere.

INTERPRETATION
The whole idea of Gaga being caught up in someone else's fight immediately makes me think of the never-ending war between her fan-base (Little Monsters) and Katy Perry/Madonna's fan-bases. Lady Gaga doesn't like conflict, it goes against everything she stands for and some of the fights that goes on between the fan-bases are particularly upsetting to see for both her and other fans. The arrow stuck in Lady Gaga's heart could represent the pain and the hurt that these fan wars have caused her.
Another interpretation is  that the fighting businessmen are managers and paps constantly hassling her to come up with amazing songs and videos but not to represent anything, merely to generate some income for the record studios. (Not as heart-warming as the first interpretation but just as likely)


Chapter Two: VENUS

REVIEWThis part of the video carries on from the ARTPOP opener. Lady Gaga is helped to safety and worshipped. I love the marching of the men carrying Gaga to safety as it matches the beat of the track. This was my favourite track from the album so I'm particularly glad Gaga included this. The religion-like visuals are really nice as are the costumes and props. To top off this part of the video it stars the ladies from "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" which adds to the humour and picks up the tone a bit.

INTERPRETATION
Carrying on from the whole fan-base war idea, this part of the video could represent the way Lady Gaga enjoys being looked up to. The fans that admire and help her through dark times save her from the arguing business men and the violent stans.


Chapter Three: G.U.Y.
REVIEW
The part we'll all see on TV, this focuses less on the story and premise and more on visuals and dancing to make an eye-catching and rememberable video. There's more religious imagery of Gaga being pampered and dancing with a bow and arrow as well as her looking up to an Andy Cohen in the sky like a god. There's also scenes of her in a high-tech government-like room which every good movie needs. The video ends with Gaga looking at the camera in the arms of a muscular man. I think this will do great on TV, it's eye-catching and people seem to like that at the moment. But it acts as a great ending to the film.

INTERPRETATIONThis is more of a collage than anything, to make the video suitable for TV however it does continue all the ideas expressed above but I think this part definitely supports my idea about the businessmen as Gaga is seen shooting money at men in suits. It's all very badass!

After you've watched all that there's a 4 minute long credit sequence to the track "MANiCURE".

I love this video, I think it's great and full of ideas. Lady Gaga never disappoints when it comes to videos and visuals. The choice of "G.U.Y." as a single initially worried me however I think it might do ok with sufficient promotion, it is after all really catchy. Great work Gaga! Can't wait to see what else the ARTPOP era has to offer!

Watch the video here

What is your interpretation of this video? Comment below to share your thoughts.

SHAKIRA- Album Review

The album of the month is finally here! And it’s certainly a cracker! Once again Shakira has delivered and produced something amazing, here is Magia Media’s track by track review of SHAKIRA!

1.    Dare (La La La)

A great album opener! Dare (La La La) is an up-tempo dance track sure to get you out of your seat and dancing! It has a great spoken verse by Shakira which makes the song even cooler as well as a catchy as hell chorus.

2.    Can’t Remember To Forget You

The fantastic lead single featuring Rihanna. The song combines reggae and rock like some of the other tracks on the album. It’s like an amazing mix of “Don’t Bother” (from Oral Fixation vol.2) and Mon Amour (from She Wolf)

3.    Empire

The second single to be released from the album. This Skyfall-like track shows a clear return to Shakira’s rock-chick roots. It’s a really powerful ballad and very moving with some amazing lyrics. Can’t wait to see how this does as a single!

4.    You Don’t Care About Me
A dramatic break up song. The song sounds like something Gotye would produce but better! It sounds very heated and almost angry but it’s reallllyyyyy good!

5.    Cut Me Deep

This track features Canadian reggae-pop band MAGIC! The track is another reggae-rock anthem. Throughout the track it proves to be very reggae and authentic but at the end it erupts into a total rock-out. It sounds like something from No Doubt and it’s brilliant. Remix featuring Gwen Stifani would be highly appreciated!

6.    Spotlight
2001 rock-out alert! Spotlight sounds like something I would have grown up with, which I love! This track could definitely be a teen-hit as well as sounding really grown up. Definite banger!

7.    Broken Record
Broken Record is a very acoustic and quiet track and sounds really summery and young like Spotlight. Shakira’s vocals are also amazing as per usual!

8.    Medicine
This country-rock track features Blake Shelton, fellow coach on The Voice. It’s a catchy and emotional track and displays a really grown up version of Shakira. Definite single potential! M-m-m-medicine!

9.    23
Another quiet and acoustic track. This is definitely the most personal track on the album as it’s about her husband Gerard Pique. Definitely a song for romantics! (And you can hear her son Milan’s giggle at the end!)

10.  The One Thing
Another rocky as hell track from Shakira! It also has that really young and in love sound we’ve been hearing throughout the album. The beat also sounds really modern and cool. It’s also really catchy!

11.   Nunca Me Acuerdo De Olvidarte
Spanish counterpart of “Can’t Remember To Forget You”.

12.    Loca Por Ti
Big rocky-latin ballad! It sounds like something from her earlier albums “Pies Descalzos” and “Donde Estan Los Ladrones?” Shakira’s vocals are really strong in this track!

13.    La La La
Spanish Counterpart of Dare (La La La).

14.    Chasing Shadows

An 80s-like track! It’s a good mix of pop and rock, almost like something Eurythmics would produce! It was written by Sia and it’s really evident through the style of the track. Brilliant song! 

15.   That Way

A big piano ballad. It’s a really nice and pure track showing off the best of Shakira’s amazing voice. A great quiet and emotional way to close the album!

Basically if you thought the album was going to be full of “Can’t Remember To Forget You” and “She Wolf” like tracks you were wrong! This album is emotional, rocky and powerful. I can see why the album is self-titled because every song seems so personal and so alike to the woman Shakira is today. Having being a huge Shakira follower for 12 years I didn’t think Shakira could surprise me anymore but she most certainly has! It definitely ranks as one of her best albums. You might come for the hip shaking and but you’ll stay for the woman that’s for sure!

SHAKIRA is released on Monday in the UK. 

INTERVIEW with Von Valley

Von Valley are a brand new Swedish pop group, whose debut single "Shadows" is out now. The band consists of Max Sjödin (vocals, bass), Viktor Broberg (guitar, synth), Albin Sjödin (percussion) and Simon Seidal (guitar, synth). Earlier this week I sent them some questions about their new single "Shadows", opinions on twerking and their EP due for release later this year, check out the interview below!

• For those of us who don’t know much about Von Valley, describe yourself in 5 words.
   Swedish
  Low-key
  Friends
  Sincere
  Melancholic
  

• Your debut single “Shadows” is out now. What can you tell us about it?
  We recorded 'Shadows' in the studio of Mats Björke (Mando Diao), who also produced the song. Max wrote the song in his and Albin's summer home located in the northern parts of Sweden. Shadows is a dark song about nights when you start thinking about things you regret. It was released on March 15 by Pass This On.
  

• The music video for “Shadows” has some lovely visuals. What inspired those visuals?
  
  We tried to capture the mood of the song throughout the video, with a glimpse of hope at the end. The landscapes and surroundings of our hometown Halmstad were a big inspiration, and are also where the video was recorded.
  
  
• From the “Shadows” music video, it’s evident you guys have quite a cool sense of style. Where do you like to shop for clothes and stuff?
  Thank you. That would be Max (the guy in the video).
  Sweden has a good fashion industry with cool brands which we all like. We usually shop from local stores, and everything from second hand to designer clothes.
  
  
• Your musical style is quite relaxed and folky. What artists would you say have influenced your music style?
  All four of us have been listening to many types of music while growing up, but some bands whom have definitely been an influence to us are The National, Loney Dear (from Sweden), Justin Vernon, Sigur Ros, Coldplay and Frida Sundemo (also from Sweden).
  
  
• So you guys are working on an EP due to be released later this year. What can you tell us about that?
  Yes, we have been recording a few songs for the EP, which will be out some time this summer. It will contain songs which can be recognized from some of our live session videos, and a few new songs as well. We're very excited to get it out there, and we'll be keeping everyone updated through Instagram and Facebook during the coming month.
  
  
• Will you be touring soon? If so, where?   
   
  We will be playing a few shows in Sweden during the next couple of months, and we've been planning to do a tour to follow the release of our upcoming EP. We don't have any details for you at this stage, but it will most likely be in and around Europe.
  
  
• As we all know Sweden has some pretty great musicians under it’s belt such as ABBA, Robyn and Miss Li who are all Magia Media favourites. Which Swedish artists would you like to be as successful as?
  We haven't really thought about that. We do look up to all the artists mentioned above, and hope to just like them be able to reach out to as many people as we can with our music.
  
  
• Who would you like to collaborate with in the future?
  That's a hard one. If we could pick anyone, we'd be honored to get the opportunity to work with Paul Simon. Or Norah Jones.
  
  
• Have you or would you ever record any songs in Swedish? 
  We haven't. Perhaps some time in the future, but right now we feel it easier to write in English. It goes along more nicely with our music, and almost anyone can understand the words which means a lot to us.
  
  
•  Who out of the 4 of you would you say is the most in charge?
  
  Each one of us has naturally ended up taking care of different things in the band.
  
  
  Max is often the one who writes the lyrics and the foundation for a song, and then we all contribute with our own ideas to complete the song together. We do most of the non-music stuff surrounding the band by ourselves, like media/administrative work, so we all have to be pretty much in charge to make it work.
  

• Do any of you have any weird or terrible fears? E.g. spiders, clowns 
  Max is creeped out by touching live fish, and swimming in deep dark water. And when we're watching horror movies together, Simon is usually hiding behind a pillow.
  
  
• What is your opinion on twerking and scantily clad women in music videos?
  It's a strange phenomenon that we can't really relate to. It's quite inappropriate, really
  
  
• Lastly is there anything you’d like to say to your fans?
  
  We're very thankful for the people who have taken time to listen to our music, and we appreciate all the kind words and support - it means a lot to us.
  
  
  And thank you, Magia Media, for having us!
  
  END
  
  No, thank you Von Valley for taking part! Von Valley are a really cool group so check out their single "Shadows" here! 

Also check out their website, Facebook and a live session of their track Pour It Into The Sea!

And best of luck to Von Valley, it's been a thrill having you on the blog! 

NEWS: Preview all the tracks from Shakira's new album

Earlier this week Shakira's upcoming 10th studio album "Shakira" leaked online just under a week from it's release. However Shakira has now officially released the previews for every track from the album. You can listen to a short snippet from each track and on top of that Shakira has posted a video online explaining each track!
If you just can't wait any longer for the album check out the video on Facebook here!
The album is available for pre-order on iTunes now! Be sure to get your copy! Also you can buy the singles "Can't Remember To Forget You (feat. Rihanna)", "Nunca Me Acuerdo De Olvidarte" and US fans can buy the single "Empire"!

QUIZ: Guess The Music Video

How well do you know your music videos? Pretty well? Well put that knowledge to the test and name the music videos in the scrambled pictures below!

CLUE: Two versions of this video were filmed as one version was not suitable for TV! 

CLUE: Comes from a very classical album by one of the worlds most powerful voices 

CLUE: Lead single from her second studio album in 2000

CLUE: This track features Jay-Z

CLUE: Lead single from her upcoming 10th studio album 

CLUE: A music video parodying other music videos 

CLUE: I live for the....

CLUE: New Zealand newcomer 

CLUE: Song named after a mood

CLUE: Very controversial video from the most controversial artist of 2013 

Answers: 

1. Robin Thicke- Blurred Lines

2. Christina Aguilera- Candyman

3. Britney Spears- Oops!.. I Did It Again

4. Beyonce- Crazy In Love

5. Shakira- Can't Remember To Forget You

6. Lily Allen- Hard Out Here

7. Lady Gaga- Applause

8. Lorde- Royals

9. Pharrell Williams- Happy

10. Miley Cyrus- Wrecking Ball 

If you got 10/10 well done! Comment below and share your score! 

Top 5 Necki Menij Characters

We all love a good YouTube series and The Nekci Menij Show is really one to watch! For those of you who don’t know about it, The Nekci Menij Show is an animated series that parodies pop queens. It usually involves them frequently bitching and shading each other and getting up to all sorts of mischief in order to stay on top. So far there have been 26 episodes and a wide range of characters have appeared. But who are the best characters? Here’s Magia Media’s top 5 Necki Menij characters.

5. Killy Manoge (Kylie Minogue)

She’s only been in the series for 2 episodes but already she is proving to be an amazing character. We all know the real Kylie Minogue is a lovely, charming and friendly woman, “the nicest girl in pop”. Not in The Nekci Menij Show! She’s absolutely demented! She also comes up with some cracker lines such as “fucking lying bitch, I’ll timebomb your whole family”. Can’t wait to see more of her as the series progresses! 

4. Brinty Spreas (Britney Spears)

Introduced in the very first episode and is an iconic character. Brinty never seems to care about what’s going on around her and doesn’t listen to characters. She’s a very care free character, even her own albums are pretty much done for her. Some of her best quotes include “hey I know this isn’t an appropriate time but fuck it I’m Brinty Spreas”, “if you shaved your head it might be easier for NASA to land a probe there. One day they might explore it all” “this party is shitter than the remix”

3. Merier Care (Mariah Carey)

The evil villain of the series. Merier in previous episodes has tried to resurrect Lol Kem, steal ARTPOP and most recently hold Rhenna, Ke@$h£r and Shrekora prisoner. Merier prides herself on being a hero and being perceived as a great and heroic person. She also runs her own hospital which has been used in several episodes. Some of her best lines include “that was probably me in my clever science coat”, “behold she will return from the groove”, “I did not disrespect you honey I just served some truth tea” , “Nekci do you wanna be on my nerves or what?”

2. Share (Cher)

The oldest character on the show. Share is another really puzzled character and very ignorant. She repeatedly discriminates against Medoner for her age even though she is older than her. Share has been seen hosting the FMAs (VMAs), causing trouble at Brinty’s Halloween party and doing a terrible performance of her single Woman’s World on The Voice. Some of her best lines include “hey Medoner maybe you should wait until the end of the party before wiping the floor with your tits” and “hey I’m only here because my film with Xtine put me in debt”

1.     Medoner (Madonna)

Medoner is without a doubt the rudest and most vulgar character on the show. She is constantly trying to stay young and ahead of Ladey Gags. On the show she has done various wild things like fixing the FMA awards, attempted to steal ARTPOP and create a time machine. 

Some of her best lines include “excuse me for breathing, Medoner’s too old, Medoner can’t be sexy, Medoner can’t blow up children”, “It’s called MDNE which is a short way of saying my name. Cuz yolo”, “oh fuck me backwards that’s an issue”

Watch the latest episode of The Nekci Menij Show here

Who are your favourite characters from The Nekci Menij Show? Comment below to share your thoughts