20 years on from Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince picking up the first Hip Hop Grammy for Parents Don’t Understand, hip hop has taken ownership of the charts and the mainstream. With nearly half a million digital downloads (in the first week) of his first single, Low, followed swiftly with over 600,000 (also in the first week of release) of his second single, Right Round, it seems fitting that global mega star Flo Rida should sit down with Eleanor, in this episode of Eleanor Conway Presents: Flo Rida.
Tag Archives: Estelle
March 18th, 2009
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February 2nd, 2009
2008 has been a crazy year and has seen the conclusion of two world defying political campaigns. First we had Obama vying for the best seat in the world, and second we had Eleanor Conway on her campaign to become Virgin’s global reporter in 2009. While Barack started his campaign by going door to door through the United States of America, Eleanor took to the streets and fields of the UK to tout for your votes. Features Justice, Sam Sparro, The Presets, Glasvegas, Elbow.
music.virgin.com/author/eleanorconway.
November 7th, 2008
Once dubbed ‘The Badboy of the Dance Scene’ Armand Van Helden is no stranger to controversy. Renowned for having an ego the size of Mount Everest a much calmer version sat down with Eleanor Conway of music.virgin.com to discuss his gay guy in the closet tendencies, why Estelle is so right, and his obvious similarities with Johnny Rotten.
Featuring videos from New York: A Mix Odyssey Part Two compilation. Released on Southern Fried Records — www.southernfriedrecords.com —
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November 7th, 2008
Britney Spears won the Act of 2008 and the the Album Of The Year awards at last night’s MTV Europe Awards at the Echo Arena in Liverpool - proudly sponsored by none other than Virgin Trains. Those world conquering MTV types took the train to Liverpool this year as the city celebrates being European Capital Of Culture 2008. And which most famous Scouser took home the Ultimate Legend Award? Why Sir Paul of McCartney of course. How fitting. And God-like person Bono was even on hand to present the award. With such royalty in attendance it seemed a shame that princess of pop Ms Spears wasn’t on hand to receive her two awards - maybe she was a bit busy with other stuff in the US - you know, family commitments and all that…
Luckily the lovely Pink (or is that P!nk?) made an effort to show up, pick up an award for most addictive track (So What?), start a pillow fight with a bunch of audience members and then shower everyone in feathers. Presumably she heeded the good advice to leave the barrel of tar at home.
30 Seconds To Mars also picked up 2 awards (Rock Out and Video Star), Kanye West was crowned Ultimate Urban and Lil Wayne was the Artists Choice. The Killers also treated us to a performance of their very Giorgio Moroder-sounding single - Human, Kid Rock managed to squeeze two numbers in for the price of one with a mash up of new So Hot and old All Summer Long and bootylicious Beyonce belted out her newie If I Were A Boy. Jared Leto had the crowd standing to attention for a certain Barack Obama while Kanye and Estelle performed American Boy to the President-Elect’s giant mugshot on a big screen. Watch Kanye & Estelle’s performance.
Okay, okay, enough already. We know you Americans are now once again officially the greatest people on the planet ever after 8 years of shame - never more delightfully represented by spoon-wielding Katy Perry in a sequined Barack Obama tshirt - and we really, really love you but what about the rest of us!? Yes okay thank you for the nod in the direction of McCartney, but what about some of our slightly more, uh… hip acts? Come on the European voters - spread the love around a bit…
The Ting Tings and Duffy kept it up for the Brits by performing That’s Not My Name and Mercy, Marks & Spencers’ man band Take That debuted their new single Greatest Day while Liverpool locals The Wombats did a brilliant cover of our Olympic Games representative and MTV award loser Leona Lewis’ Bleeding Love. That’s more like it.
So did we win any awards? Err, well - yes. And which esteemed Brit act took the honour of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with McCartney to showcase the best of what this country has to offer right now? Who did legions of ‘the kids’ vote for as Best Act Ever? Rick Astley. Rick bloody-rolling-Astley. I ask you. Did this have something to do with the democratic but slightly cheeky power of the world wide interweb? Unfortunately Rick wasn’t around to collect his gong but MTV pulled a cracker and got the lovely and gorgeous Perez Hilton - star of Virgin Radio 999 in Toronto - to take it in hand and keep warm for him.
MTV Europe Awards - you have been Rick Rolled. It could only happen here. Oh thank heavens for a slice of Perez and Virgin Train back home to the Old Smoke.
October 30th, 2008
Estelle premiering her latest video for the song “Come Over” which features Sean Paul. This video is directed by renowned director Lil X, he’s worked on videos for a long laundry list of artists, such as: Usher, Ghostface Killah, Common, Jay-Z, Aaliyah and Kanye West to name drop a few.
“There are two arguments going on in your head,” Estelle answers when asked about her getting up close and personal with Paul on the video. “I can’t be fake, but how can I do this without feeling like a slut?”
“Come Over” is the fifth U.K. single and the second U.S. single from Estelle’s second studio album Shine.
September 16th, 2008
One of the tightest Mercury Music Prize run ups in many years where Elbow won with their fourth studio album, The Seldom Seen Kid.Watch the video ‘Eleanor Conway presents…. The Run To The Mercurys’ as she reports direct from the Mercury Music Awards 2008. Slap bang on the red carpet she raps at Estelle, gets Elbow signed up to the ultimate Mercury inspired deathmatch, causes Jools Holland to forget his lines, and gets personal with Neon Neon and Artic Monkeys front man, Alex Turner.
August 27th, 2008
“Girls Aloud are like the radio crack cocaine of the pop world” Eleanor Conway
So if you are one of the many V Festival goers that were more interested in the surreal goings on in the midst of the white stilleto clad Essex countryside than the walk through the variants of traditional British music, then look no further. Here’s my memo:
ELEANOR’S MEMO: Battle of the Girls bands - The Girls V The Babes
Quiz:
Question: Who would win in a gangsta’ street fight between Girls Aloud or The Sugababes?
Answer: No contest. Harding could remove your left ear lobe with one chop of her Topshop card.
Right, with more changes than a teenager in a Primark changing room let’s discuss the Sugababes.
Sugababes discernibly have the edgier pop repertoire and the writing credits. Fact. However, they looked somewhat lost on the JJB stage last weekend at V Festival Chelmsford, even the three dancers on the back stage, subconsciously placed to beef up the area were lacking. The Babes’ set included ‘Round Round’, ‘Hole in the Head’, and ‘Freak Like Me’. The latter two, showcased newcomer Amelle as the star she could be, before she’s barely had time to learn her lyrics (they’re written on the back of her hand should anyone ask).
Girls Aloud played the main stage on the blistering Sunday afternoon, and their set included ‘Sexy no, no, no’, ‘Call the shots’, ‘Jump’ and ‘Love Machine’ of which Harding could well have been mistaken for a blond, white Grace Jones. The rest of the motley crew were bouncing between sharps, flats and notes that didn’t make my grade nine piano test, but that didn’t dampen V’s spirits. And to be honest, watching the spread of middle aged dads gravitating towards the stage, seeing Girls Aloud live is not really about vocal prowess, as any disciple of the Stock, Aitken and Waterman clan would attest to. Although Girls Aloud procured mixed reviews from V Festival goers, they somehow always look more cohesive on stage. Whether if it’s the carefully crafted superhero identities or the skin tight leather, I’ll leave that up for you to decide. All that can be said aloud is that the girls have come a long way, since their appearances on Popstars, a time when Nicola Roberts looked positively brunette.
While the Babes have the qualitative, meaty sound, Girls Aloud are like the radio crack cocaine of the pop world. One quick hit, you’re left mouthing the name, on the hunt for another. The Sugababes always profess of their writing involvement, while Girls Aloud are unashamedly written for by pop pimp writing team, ‘Xenomania’, (a cross between a photocopier and a Peter Andre single.) However one can’t help wonder whether Girls Aloud have got it right with the magic number of five, or if the Sugababes would do better to put an ad down the Hendon job centre and hope that Mutya isn’t doing ought.
If you found this post vaguely amusing/offensive/bland/rubbish (delete as appropriate) please vote………
Your humble servant. Love, Elle xxx
Disclaimer: I have neither taken or passed my Grade nine piano exam.
August 15th, 2008
Following Sam Sparro’s cancellation and one less chart sensation making their way from Hylands to Weston arises the age-old dilemma: 1) settle for the safe bet and bolt it for Alphabeat or Estelle or 2) take a risk further down the bill. Who’s to say whether Tokyo Police Club will reach the same stratosphere as the Strokes following ‘Is This It’ or whether they’ll go the way of The Ordinary Boys, Electric Six and countless others that sunk without trace. Nitpicking through this year’s line up, its quite probably the strongest bill yet regarding fresh-faced talent that’ll keep both hipsters and Noel Gallagher quiet. From the euphoric glam-hop of Iglu & Hartly to Miss Laura Marling’s best pals and governors of twee Noah and the Whale via disco ball-wrecking Essex quarted Magistrates, expect to hear of “I was there” moments all across the site come 2009.
check out Christoph!’s Flickr photostream for more Tokyo Police Club photos
