New Music: Zoo Kid

A 16-year old East Londoner with a massive voice and massive ginger hair. Mindblowingly cool. Check out here.

Live: Morning Parade at Monto Water Rats London

This is probably the most amazingly awesome gig I think I’ve been to since Robyn back in October last year. There’s nothing more exciting than going to see a band you hardly know much about and being blown away by just how powerful they are. Morning Parade are a rough mix between Delphic and Friendly Fires (in my view), but at the same time there’s some serious soul behind the beats. And they’re all hot in their own ways. They’re playing again in the much bigger Scala in June- I seriously recommend you go see them. Seriously.

Robyn wins bigtime at the Swedish Grammis!

The Grammis are the major Swedish music awards. Sweden makes a lot of good music so this is probably one of the more important music award shows. Is it any surprise Robyn won 4 gongs, seeing as she is just about the biggest export from Sweden right now (bar IKEA)? Full list of winners is:
Best album: Robyn – Body Talk
Best artist: Robyn
Best song: Robyn – Dancing On my Own
Best group: Johnossi – Mavericks
Best folk/visa: Blandade Artister – Sonja Åkesson Tolkad Av
Best hardrock/metal: Watain – Lawless Darkness
Best jazz: Dan Berglunds Tonbruket – Tonbruket
Best songwriter: Klas Åhlund & Robyn – Body Talk
Best female artist: Robyn – Body Talk
Best male artist: Håkan Hellström – 2 Steg Från Paradise
Best newcomer Oskar Linnros – Vilja Bli
Best producer: Red One
Best international success: Red One
Best lyrics: Håkan Hellström – 2 Steg Från Paradise
Best urban/dance: Familjen – Mänskligheten
Best Innovator: Iamamiwhoami

New Music: Itaal Shur

This is the dude who wrote the Grammy-winning “Smooth,” which has sold over 30 million copies worldwide and is the 2nd most successful song of all time on the Billboard Charts. “After years of success in servicing the needs of the pop music market, it was time to create a record that expresses the deeper essence of who I am right now.” Check out a couple of tracks below (Darkside is gorgeous) and go to his Myspace!

MP3: Itaal Shur – Darkside

MP3: Itaal Shur – 2 B Loved

New Music: TINA

Ringo Starr’s called TINA (I don’t know why it’s all in capitals…)  “THE TablaGirl!”. I think she’s pretty good. I’ve only heard one song from this poppy, urban, dance, bollywood, R&B siren but so far but I’m impressed. Check out her super sexy, polished song featuring Fat Joe below and go to the website!

MP3: TINA feat Fat Joe – So Good

Brit Awards 2011 nominations announced

The Brit Awards are the UK’s biggest music awards. Below are awards and their nominations. My picks are in red- these won’t all win but in an Alfie world they would! And about bloody time they changed that Brits logo, although I’m not sure this one is any better…

British Male Solo Artist
Mark Ronson
Paul Weller
Plan B
Robert Plant
Tinie Tempah

British Female Solo Artist
Cheryl Cole
Ellie Goulding
Laura Marling
Paloma Faith
Rumer

British Breakthrough Act
Ellie Goulding
Mumford & Sons
Rumer
Tinie Tempah
The xx

British Group
Biffy Clyro
Gorillaz
Mumford & Sons
Take That
The xx

British Single
Alexandra Burke ft. Pitbull: ‘All Night Long’
Cheryl Cole: ‘Parachute’
Florence & The Machine: ‘You’ve Got The Love’
Matt Cardle: ‘When We Collide’
Olly Murs: ‘Please Don’t Let Me Go’
Plan B: ‘She Said’
Scouting For Girls: ‘This Ain’t A Love Song’
Taio Cruz: ‘Dynamite’
Tinie Tempah: ‘Pass Out’
The Wanted: ‘All Time Low’

Mastercard British Album Of The Year
Mumford & Sons: Sigh No More
Plan B: The Defamation Of Strickland Banks
Take That: Progress
Tinie Tempah: Disc-Overy
The xx: xx

International Male Solo Artist
Bruce Springsteen
Cee Lo Green
David Guetta
Eminem
Kanye West

International Female Solo Artist
Alicia Keys
Katy Perry
Kylie Minogue
Rihanna
Robyn

International Group
Arcade Fire
Black Eyed Peas
Kings of Leon
The Script
Vampire Weekend

International Album
Arcade Fire: The Suburbs
Cee Lo Green: The Lady Killer
Eminem: Recovery
Katy Perry: Teenage Dream
Kings of Leon: Come Around Sundown

Critics’ Choice
Jessie J

British Producer
Ethan Johns
John Leckie
Markus Dravs
Mike Pela
Stuart Price

New Music: The Boxettes

These are The Boxettes. Breaking from the norm, this is a a group of young ladies who do all sorts of things with their mouths that end up being amazing a’cappella tracks. I don’t see them as breaking the charts with their talent, but seeing just how prolific other young British a’cappella bands are doing out there (The Magnets) are becoming, they could be ones to watch! Check out here.

The 2010 Popjustice Readers’ Poll results!

My favourite blog of all time, Popjustice, has just published it’s 2010 Popjustice Readers’ Poll. Interesting and hilarious at the same time, highlights include:

Worst Single: Black Eyed Peas – The Time (Dirty Bit)

Best Album: Robyn – Body Talk

Most Ridiculous Recording Artiste on Planet Earth: Jedward

Most Pathetic Song to reference ‘The Club’: JLS – The Club Is Alive

Utter Bellend of the Year: Justin Bieber

Check out the full list here, it’s dead good.