andPOP » Sara Harowitz

Interview: Back Flips With We Are Scientists

Sara Harowitz — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 19:14:49 +0000

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We Are Scientists’ publicist turns to lead singer Keith Murray and says, “Okay Keith, why don’t you sit down with Sara?”

Murray shakes his head. “Nope,” he says. “I don’t want to.”

At first my heart sinks (what’s wrong with me?!) but I quickly realize that Murray is kidding. It’s the first of many jokes that he will crack over the next 20 minutes.

We take seats at the bar at the Horseshoe Tavern. Nerdy without being awkward and youthful without being childish, Murray has a friendly spirit that makes me feel like I am talking to an old pal. He pushes his hair away from his forehead and orders a pint of Stella from the bartender.

“It’s definitely largely effortless,” Murray says of the comedy that he and bandmate Chris Cain bring to every aspect of their career. “There’s no plot to being funny. I think that’s sort of our default setting for better or worse.

“I think it would be much more taxing for us to feel like we had to be very, very cool,” he continues. “That would be much more emotionally strenuous I think.”

The Brooklyn-based duo formed back in 2000 when The Killers and Franz Ferdinand were ruling the airwaves. And while they never got that commercially successful in North America, We Are Scientists are incredibly popular in the United Kingdom.

“We live in a world where we kind of have this weird commercial station in Europe, whereas in North America we still operate like an indie band, which I think is good for us,” Murray says. “I think we sort of are happy with both worlds without feeling the desperation that kind of comes with this side.”

While in the UK the band would be playing large theatres, here in Toronto they play the modest Horseshoe Tavern – and are more than okay with it.

“We definitely like doing shows like this, and shows we’ve been doing here [in North America] have been stupidly fun in a way that playing theatres is sometimes really hard,” he says. “There are few things as disappointing to me as going into a room and realizing there’s going to be a barrier set up between the stage and the audience. That definitely makes me sad. I like when people are kind of right up at the stage.”

We Are Scientists have just a released a new album called Barbara. And while it is their fourth, it is their first one recording with a permanent drummer. Andy Burrows is his name, and despite Murray and Cain’s tight relationship, he fits right in with We Are Scientists.

“[Chris] and I have known each other for so long and have a unique and sometimes annoying personal dynamic,” Murray says. “But I do feel like when Andy is around we behave more as a three piece.”

And they work wonderfully as a three piece. The new album is fun, light and up-beat – which is exactly what the band aims for.

“We are mainly just interested in doing things that are fun and are non-taxing for everyone involved,” Murray says with a smile. “Going back to the excruciating coolness of people, I do like that kind of thing. I think Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are amazing. It does make me tired after a while, to think about how difficult it must be to act that cool, but it is cool and I like it. But I think our take on things is very different.

“I think if Black Rebel Motorcycle Club played a show and everybody was being cool in the audience [the band] would be like, ‘Oh, well I guess that worked out,’” he continues. “And if we played a show and everybody was like, ‘Yeah, that was cool,’ even if the reaction was positive but people were like, ‘Very cool, very cool,’ I think we’d be sad and feel like that was a really boring day for us. So I think we are a good source of entertainment. I think we are just fun, that’s all we really care about.”

Curious about what his ideal reaction would be from a crowd, I ask him. A childish smile appears on his face.

“It’s never happened, but I’d like for someone who’s capable of doing standing back flips to be at a show and just be doing standing back flips,” Murray says. “That’s the ideal reaction.”

I suggest that it may take some prep work because you would have to put some mats down (safety first!) but he hesitates.

“I would like for the person capable of doing back flips to be so come [with the music] that they wouldn’t care whether or not they landed the back flip,” he says.

Fair enough. I switch topics and ask him how he would describe his music. Again, he smiles.

“When people ask me that question, the first thing that pops into my mind are my parents’ friends, and thinking about how my parents’ friends would describe [the music],” says Murray.

I ask how his parents’ friends would describe his music. Better yet, I ask how his parents would describe it.

“I think my parents would say that it is rock music and it probably sounds like Matchbox Twenty,” he says as I burst into laughter (shout out to Rob Thomas!). “That’s what my parents would say. They’d be wildly incorrect.”

Still, Murray manages to describe the intention of his music.

“Well I guess going back, if someone couldn’t do back flips, we like sing-a-longs, and we like dancing or leaping,” he says. “Unfortunately when my parents are at our shows they do sing along. I try to shut that down fast.”

I suggest that maybe the greatest audience reaction would be if his parents were the ones doing the back flips.

Murray flashes one more smile.

“If my dad were at our shows doing back flips,” he says, “I think that would be the height of success.”

Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) To Release Album

Sara Harowitz — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:54:34 +0000

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This should be…interesting.

Tom Felton, known for his sassy portrayal of Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter movie franchise, is going to start a music career, reports CHARTattack.com.

The FeltBeats website recently announced that the 22-year-old blonde beauty has signed a record deal with independent label Six Strings.

The label confirmed the rumours on Twitter, tweeting on Thursday (July 15): “Tom Felton has signed and the album is very much on its way.”

Felton has already put out a few EPs and YouTube videos of his performances, so this record label will not actually be the first time we hear him musically. Still, he has admitted that he originally started making music as a joke.

Sandra Bullock Gets Restraining Order Against Stalker

Sara Harowitz — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:27:55 +0000

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Academy Award winning actress Sandra Bullock has a temporary restraining order against a man who has been accused of stalking her, reports Perez Hilton.

This is not the first time that 41-year-old Thomas James Weldon has been accused of stalking the actress. Bullock first obtained a restraining order against Weldon back in 2003 but it expired in 2009. He entered a Tennessee mental institution voluntarily, and Bullock sued the state to require them to let her know when he was released from the institution.

Last month Weldon showed up in a Wyoming emergency room saying he suffered from anxiety and he told the hospital staff that he drove all the way from Tennessee hoping to meet Bullock in her Jackson Hole home.

While it is not known exactly when Weldon was released from the mental institution in Tennessee, an August 6 hearing has been scheduled for a three-year order against him.

Snooki No Longer On Strike

Sara Harowitz — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:57:11 +0000

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It’s coming to an end, but we’re still kind of shocked that it even happened.

The Jersey Shore strike is quickly ending as the show’s stars are getting their demands met. Snooki has reached a deal with producers, reports TMZ, that has her earning “substantially more money than before.”

A TMZ source involved in the negotiations told the site that a deal was reached late last night (July 19) and that Snooki is incredibly happy with the results. A dollar amount has not been revealed, but it is apparently “definitely great compensation.”

Snooki is due to start shooting the show again in a day or two.

Oh phew!

Ice-T Arrested While Taking Dog to Vet

Sara Harowitz — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:50:05 +0000

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Poor pooch!

Hip-hop star Ice-T was arrested in New York City while taking his dog to the vet with his wife, Coco, reports Perez Hilton.

Ice-T was allegedly driving on a suspended license and was pulled over for driving while not wearing a seat belt. He was taken into custody in Chelsea but has apparently already been released.

We just hope the dog got to the vet ok!

Diddy 4th Of July Party Gets Shut Down…Before Diddy Gets There

Sara Harowitz — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:48:00 +0000

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You know you’re powerful when you can shut down a party without even having to show up at it.

Diddy scheduled a crazy 4th of July party at the Harrah’s Casino in Atlantic City, but it had to be shut down before the star even had the chance to get there, reports Perez Hilton.

According to Hilton’s sources, police were called in to close down the club after over 500 uninvited party-goers tried to get inside the shindig. The casino called the party shut down a “proactive decision” to keep the 1,800 or so actually invited guests safe.

“I just shut down Atlantic City!” Diddy said on his Twitter. “The party was so crazy I couldn’t even get in! 10 thousand people showed up. …I was ready to party!”

Tough luck, Diddy. Tough luck.

Jon Gosselin Is Writing A Book

Sara Harowitz — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:06:30 +0000

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Ah, yes. Get a reality show, destory your marriage, write a book. It’s the natural progression.

Jon Gosselin of Jon and Kate Plus 8 fame is writing a book, Perez Hilton reports. Written with the help of his life coach, Sylvia Lafair, the book is to be titled A Slice Of Life: Jon Gosselin’s Story.

“The book is about having eight kids all at once when he was under the age of 30,” Lafair said. “It includes some of the lessons that Jon has been learning with helpful hints on how he is working to re-frame his relationship with his family including his two brothers and his mother … It also explores how the death of his father affected him.”

Lafair, who reportedly works with Jon for$10,000 (U.S.) per session, said Gosselin is working towards his rebirth.

“Jon called because his life was not working,” she said. ”I think sometimes people have to get to their worst place to find out what they need in order to climb out of it. This past year has been like that for Jon.”

“Watching him is like a vaccination that’s taking effect,” Lafair continued. “I hear it in his voice … He has a more thoughtful way of stopping and asking questions … He wants to be the most effective father. He wants to find a way to speak for his generation in terms of getting married, divorced and raising kids and finding a better way to live his life.”

Um…riiiiiiiiiight.

New ‘James Bond’ Cancelled

Sara Harowitz — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:03:08 +0000

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Cancelled. James Cancelled.

The newest James Bond movie, James Bond 23, has officially been cancelled, Perez Hilton reports.

MGM Studios is going bankrupt and cannot afford to make the movie. It was to be directed by Sam Mendes and once again star Daniel Craig as the badass title role.

MGM is apparently looking for a new buyer to finance the film, but until then they will be canceling scheduled productions, or at the very least postponing them indefinitely. The Hobbit still appears to be on the go-ahead, though.

Bilbo sure dodged that bullet!

Interivew: Orianthi On Life After Michael Jackson

Sara Harowitz — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 15:22:31 +0000

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I walk into the dressing room at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre in Toronto to meet with pop singer and guitar sensation Orianthi. With her blonde hair tied in pigtail braids under a hat, she stands up to greet me. Orianthi reaches out one hand to shake mine, and in the other hand she holds a stuffed animal chicken. Apparently I am the only one in the room who finds this peculiar.

“I grew up with chickens and I want to have a chicken out on the road with me but I can’t,” she says, staring at the stuffed toy that now sits on the coffee table in front of her. “Everyone keeps giving me chickens, stuffed ones, so hopefully I’ll get a real rooster. That would be awesome. I’ve had chickens as pets since I was really young.”

At this point everyone in the room is giggling, including Orianthi and I. She flashes a gorgeous smile that lets me know she does not take herself too seriously. And for someone who became instantly famous for being Michael Jackson’s main guitarist in This Is It, that is no easy feat.

“A lot of people say that,” Orianthi says of the fact that even though she now has an established singing career of her own, she is still widely known as the girl who played guitar for Michael Jackson. “I don’t want to break away from that because I got to work with him for three months. … It was such an awesome time and I wish he was still around.”

For Orianthi, now 24, music goes back as far as she can remember. She started playing piano at the age of three and switched to guitar at the age of six.

“I can’t remember not playing [the guitar],” the Australian native says. “I wrote my first song when I was six. It was kind of terrible but I thought it was awesome. I played it to everyone in the school and I performed it at assemblies and had back-up dancers.”

Starting so young definitely paid off, because at the age of 18 Orianthi had the amazing opportunity to play on stage with one of her idols: Carlos Santana.

“It took me a while actually, afterwards, for it to sink in that I had actually got up there and jammed with him because he’s my idol and he’s the reason why I picked up the electric guitar,” she says modestly, almost as if she still does not quite believe it actually happened.

Not only an established guitarist, Orianthi is a songwriter and also has the vocal talent to back it up. Her first album, Believe (featuring the hit song “According To You”), is already out and is gaining momentum for its bright outlook and high energy.

“When I’m going in to write a song, I want it to be fun to play live,” she says. “I don’t want it to be a drag, so you look down the set list and you kind of get excited by it. That was sort of my frame of mind going into the record.”

And while staying true to pop music, Orianthi does not leave behind the instrument that made her into the person she is today, making room for various guitar solos amongst her pop melodies.

“[It was about] bringing in the guitar solos and also the guitar parts sort of throughout the songs, but not too much,” says Orianthi. “It’s finding the right balance so that people who are not guitar players are not turned off by it.”

Growing up in the guitar world, Orianthi often faced the double standard of being a talented woman in a predominantly male-oriented world. Still, it did not stop her from succeeding, and now it just fuels her to inspire other young women to pick up the guitar.

“My main goal is to inspire more kids, more girls to pick up the guitar and keep at it,” she says. “When people, when young kids come to my show, I want them to go home and want to pick up a guitar or paint a picture or be creative.”

“It’s pretty hard being a female guitar player,” Orianthi continues. “And some guys say, ‘You’re just getting attention because you’re a girl,’ so you’ve got to work twice as hard. You’ve got to play twice as hard just to get the respect. And for a guy to say, ‘Oh, you know, you’re just ok,’ I think there’s sort of a double standard with that, which hopefully will change.”

For Orianthi, gender is not an issue; the only thing that matters is the heart of the player.

“And it doesn’t matter if you’re a guy or a girl, it’s the way that you play,” she says thoughtfully. “[If it’s] with conviction and you put a lot of passion into it and you love it, I think it shows.”

Martin Scorcese Wants To Work With Rupert Grint

Sara Harowitz — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:19:48 +0000

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We’re not sure we see this one, but hey, Martin Scorsese knows a heck of a lot better than we do.

The legendary film director has said that he believes Rupert Grint, known more commonly as Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter movies, could be the next big thing in male acting, reports PerezHilton.

“I thought [Grint] was a great actor in the Harry Potter movies,” Scorsese reportedly told sources. “In a lot of scenes, the boy stole the show.”

Scorsese explains the importance of branching out into different roles to avoid risk of being typecast as Ron Weasley forever.

“He will always have respect for the movies that gave him such a huge break, but at his age it’s important he doesn’t become a typecast,” the director said. “He has to do something really out of his comfort zone in the next few years – play a gangster, play a dirty cop, play a kid with learning difficulties. I would be interested in working with him.”

“I would have no issues casting him as a gangster, he is a very talented young man,” he continued. “When Leo [DiCaprio] was in Titanic and Romeo and Juliet, nobody saw him becoming a bad ass in movies like The Departed. But he has become one of the greatest actors of all time. The very same could be true for Rupert.”

Strong words from an important man! Pressure’s on, Rupert!

T.I. Coming Out With Own Brand Of Cognac

Sara Harowitz — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:52:48 +0000

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We hope he tastes as good as he looks!

Following in the footsteps of other hip hop artists like Ludacris and Diddy, rapper T.I. is reportedly going to make his own signature alcohol.

According to PerezHilton, T.I. is teaming up with Remy Martin to launch a T.I. blend of cognac. To add to the mix, Dr. Dre (who? Sorry, we “forgot about Dre”) is also set to release his own blends of cognac and sparkling vodka.

Celebrities are slowly taking over every aspect of the commercial world. What’s next, Lady Gaga lampshades?

Enrique Iglesias and The Situation Collabo?

Sara Harowitz — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:56:31 +0000

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Enrique Iglesias could very well end up being the next self-proclaimed guido on Jersey Shore if he isn’t careful.

The Latin singer, who recently featured the Jersey Shore cast in his music video for the song “I Like It,” is apparently a fan of the MTV reality show, reports E! Online. He is even entertaining the idea of collaborating on a song with Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino.

“I wouldn’t mind it,” Iglesias told E! Online of the idea of collaborating on a song “The Situation,” who recently released is own single, titled, fittingly, “The Situation.”

“I mean, a lot of it comes down to the song, but it would be fun,” Iglesias continued. He added that despite their onscreen behaviour, the Jersey Shore crew was quite professional on the set of his music video.

“They were very easy to work with,” Iglesias said. “You watch the show and you see all this drama and all these fights and you’re like, ‘Oh my God, all of this is going to be going on during the video!’ It wasn’t like that at all. Once I got to hang ut with them, the guys were so nice and I’m actually a big fan now.”

Iglesias’ first bilingual album, Euphoria, is available July 6 exclusively at Target.

Interview: Phildel Had to Run Away From Home to Stay Alive

Sara Harowitz — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:45:20 +0000

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Her story isn’t a fairytale, but it sure reads like one.

Phildel lived a happy life in London, England, until she was eight years old. She used to play concerts for her mother on her little toy piano. Then her parents divorced and her mother remarried to a strict and abusive man. Phildel’s step-father banned music from their household, claiming it to be an unholy waste of time.

“It was probably the worst 10 years of my life,” Phildel (yes, it is her real name; it is a compound name of her Chinese father, Philip, and Irish mother, Della) told andPOP about growing up without music. “It was absolutely awful.”

She grew up depressed and isolated, unable to practise and listen to the one thing that kept her happy. Forced to play music in secret, Phildel would spend her spare time at school in the music room, playing on the school piano. It was there that her talent for the art took shape.

When she was seventeen, living in that home became too much for her and she ran away. All Phildel left behind was a note.

“It was really hard because I was leaving my sister and mother behind and I didn’t know whether we were going to be able to keep any kind of relationship going,” Phildel, now 26, said (it should be noted that she does now have a relationship with her mother again). “But at the end of the day I was really suicidal and I just got to the point where if I didn’t leave I wouldn’t be able to go on anymore.”

She ran away to friends’ houses, keeping a low profile until she turned 18 and was legally allowed to live on her own. Finally free to express herself through music, Phildel recorded a demo in a small bedroom apartment, and it quickly gained momentum. Last year she was signed to Warner Chappell Music Publishing, and now her music is ready to be shared with the world.

“What I’m really happy about is that I have total control over everything that I do even now and will continue to in the future,” she said of signing with the label. “I’m creating something that I believe is, more than anything, sincere.”

Phildel’s music is not only sincere; it is breathtaking. Her high, angelic voice ripples over her piano melodies, creating a haunting and eerie expression of pain and beauty.

“My imagination is the biggest inspiration for my work,” Phildel said. “In my imagination, I guess because of my past, there’s a lot of dark imagery and sinister feelings.

“I just hated my stepfather so much at times I felt I could kill him,” she continued. “I really considered how could I murder this man and get away with it. The haunting [quality of my music] comes from the feeling of isolation, having been through all those emotions, and other people not really understanding what it’s like.”

Phildel is aware that many view her present-day life as the fairytale ending to her wicked step-father story. But she is quick to explain that while she is much happier now, the damage that was done when she was young has not gone away, and probably never will.

“You actually develop a kind of brain damage in that your brain gets used to feeling incredibly afraid all the time,” she said of living in an abusive home. “It’s like the battle never really ends, and I look back on that whole childhood and I definitely feel angry because it’s left me with a lot of long-term issues.”

Still, if anything can help her work through the pain, it is music.

“I cry every single time I write any of my songs, whether it’s from being really touched or overwhelmed or upset. I suppose I just feel like an open wound generally when I’m writing, and when I finish each song it heals a little bit more,” Phildel said. “It’s completely become my reason to live.”

Jay-Z Designs Headphones

Sara Harowitz — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:10:06 +0000

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Can’t get enough of the Hova? Well then it’s your lucky day, because you can now wear headphones designed by the rapper himself.

Jay-Z has joined the latest celebrity-designed headphone trend, reports PerezHilton, following such other artists as Dr. Dre and Lady Gaga.

Jay-Z’s company, Roc Nation, partnered with Skullcandy to create the snazzy-looking headphones that come in black, brown and white.

“Our passion is creating amazing music,” Jay-Z said. “We’re dedicated to delivering the best in live performances and now with the Roc Nation / Skullcandy partnership, we’re offering the best way for people to experience the soundtrack of their lives.”

These headphones are going for $149.95 (US). Apparently listening to the soundtrack of your life costs quite a pretty penny.

‘Bachelor’ Couple Jake and Vienna Split Up

Sara Harowitz — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:12:23 +0000

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Wait, you mean…reality TV shows don’t really lead to love?

Jake Pavelka and Vienna Girardi, who found each other on the completely legitimate love show The Bachelor just a few months ago, have ended their engagement, reports E! News. That brings the total number of failed Bachelor pairs to 13.

“Jake and Vienna have split and appreciate the respect for their privacy at this time,” Pavelka’s rep said in a statement.

It’s okay, one of them is bound to end up on another season of The Bachelor and fine “true love” for real this time.

Charice To Join the Cast of ‘Glee’

Sara Harowitz — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:39:32 +0000

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Charcie During a recent andPOP Interview

Because we can bet you’re already counting down to the next season of Glee, here’s a little update for you.

While not much information has been released as of yet, PerezHilton has confirmed that singer Charice will be joining the cast of the hit Fox TV show.

Apparently Charice will play a foreign exchange student with an amazing voice that makes Rachel jealous. Cat fight!

Gaga Gets Thrown Out of NY Yankees Clubhouse

Sara Harowitz — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:22:56 +0000

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It seems that Lady Gaga’s p-p-p-poker face didn’t keep her from getting the boot.

The pop singer was reportedly thrown out of the New York Yankees’ clubhouse after a recent game, reports NME.com. Apparently Gaga was drunk and started hitting on some of the players despite the fact that their wives and families were standing nearby.

Photographs of the superstar show her wearing an unbuttoned Yankees shirt revealing a black bra. Scandalous, Gaga! What would all your little monsters say?

Michael Jackson Video Game Coming

Sara Harowitz — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:06:47 +0000

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It seems that the Moon Walk is the new black as more and more Michael Jackson merchandise is in the works.

According to TMZ, the King of Pop is set to star in a new video game that will essentially be a “dance karaoke.” Unlike many other ventures surrounding the deceased Jackson, apparently the pop singer’s estate is totally on board for this plan. Basically, gamers will see Jackson dancing on screen and then will be challenged to imitate his movements.

The game, currently untitled, will be available on multiple gaming platforms including Wii and Xbox 360. The Xbox version will include Microsoft’s new Kinect motion capture technology which will allow players to participate in the game without holding a controller.

Also in the Xbox version, the player will be judged based on full body moves; the game will process the player’s movements and display them on screen, dancing alongside Jackson.

If that wasn’t spectacular enough for aspiring Princes of Pop everywhere, the game also includes a karaoke feature which will allow players to sing along to Jackson songs and even funk up their voices with an autotune feature.

The game is being developed by Ubisoft (the same company behind Assassin’s Creed and Ghost Recon) and they have apparently secured permission from Jackson’s estate, so this is sure to go ahead. The game is scheduled to be released sometime before Christmas.

Kristen Stewart Calls Miley’s ‘The Climb’ Her Theme Song

Sara Harowitz — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:39:34 +0000

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Kristen Stewart listens to pop music? She embraces something about popular culture? Well, this is news to us!

In an interview with MTV, the Twilight star talked about what kind of music she listened to on the set of New Moon to get her into the Bella Swan character, but went on to say that during the filming of Eclipse she’d just listen to her regular favourite tunes, reports MuchMusic .com.

Apparently, that regular music consists largely of Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus.

“‘The Climb’ is my theme song, and I’m sticking to it,” Stewart said.

Stewart sang on The Runaways, so we think it would be pretty ridiculous (awesome) if she joined forces with Cyrus for a duet. Just sayin’.

Coldplay Gives ‘Glee’ Rights to Catalog

Sara Harowitz — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:35:30 +0000

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We vote that Jane Lynch’s character sings “Viva La Vida.”

While when Glee first hit televisions across the continent in mid-2009 it was nothing more than an odd-ball Fox series trying to take flight, today it is one of the most popular shows on the tube.

Before the show reached its current level of popularity, creators contacted artists whose songs they thought would fit the show. Two such artists turned the offer down: Bryan Adams and Coldplay, MuchMusic.com reports.

“At the beginning a lot of people didn’t know what we were and asked to see pages [in advance], but I refused because I didn’t want to set precedent of them having any involvement,” said Glee creator Ryan Murphy. “My favourite rejection was Bryan Adams. Coldplay and Bryan Adams were really the only rejections. But Coldplay called a week ago and said, ‘We’re sorry,you can have our catalog.’”

A “The Scientist” duet between Rachel and Finn? Brilliant.