I told you guys 2013 is the year R&B is making a comeback! Alicia Keys has hinted over the last few months that a tour was coming and she kept true to her word. The talented diva has enlisted Miguel to support her on her new tour “Set The World On Fire.” The will support her amazing album Girl On Fire. Check the tour dates below to see if she’s hitting your city up! Tickets go on sale January 18th at 10 am EST.
“Set the World On Fire” Tour Dates:
March 7 – Seattle, WA – WAMU Theatre
March 8 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
March 10 – Oakland, CA – Oracle Arena
March 12 – Los Angeles, CA – Staples Center
March 13 – San Diego, CA – Valley View Casino
March 15 – Las Vegas, NV – Mandalay Bay Center
March 17 – Dallas, TX – Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie
March 18 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
March 21 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Arena
March 23 – Miami, FL – American Airlines Arena
March 24 – Tampa, FL – Tampa Bay Time Forum
March 27 – Southaven, MS – Landers Center
March 29 – Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena
March 30 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum
April 2 – Toronto, ON – Air Canada Centre
April 3 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
April 5 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclay’s Center
April 6 – Mashantucket, MA – MGM Grand at Foxwoods
April 10 – Boston, MA – Agganis Arena
April 11 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
April 13 – Atlantic City, NJ – Mark G. Etess Arena
Last night on Leno, Miguel graced the crowd and TV viewers with a performance of his Grammy-nominated single "Adorn". I expect this one to take a couple trophies home, come next month. Watch the performance above in case you weren't tuned in.
I would be lying if I said I had high hops for R&B in 2012, but to my surprise I was proven wrong about all the doubts I had for the dying genre. R&B music made its much-needed mark in 2012. With releases from Miguel, Frank Ocean, Keyshia Cole, Brandy, and Alicia Keys all dropped albums that gave new hope to R&B fans all around the world like myself. Rather then jump ship like most R&B artist have done to try to stay relevant with Pop releases and subpar material, which most failed to chart. These artist stuck true to their roots and released quality material. It’s now 2013 and there are some very highly anticipated album dropping this year from both R&B and Hip-Hop acts. So which R&B acts are the ones to watch this year? Well, I'll gladly give you a run down.
Kicking off our list is none other than Tamar Braxton. For those unaware of who Tamar is she is the youngest sister of Toni Braxton if you didn’t put the connection together by their last names. On February 12, Braxton will be releasing her second studio album titled Love and War in over 10 years. Lead by lead single "Love and War," which debuted at number 57 on Billboard Hot 100. I expect this album to a very solid effort from her since she has a very strong roster of songwriters and producers behind her. Plus her husband is Vincent Herbert who manages Lady Gaga.
Chris Brown! Our boy Chris is now working on the follow-up to his album Fortune, which came and went on the charts. His new album is currently still titled Carpe Diem. As of right now its unclear who he is working with and who’s on it, but he has said that fans should expect to hear new music from him this year. Personally I think Brown needs to just take a nice break from the music scene. Dropping generic dance styled songs with auto-tune just isn’t cutting it anymore. Chris needs live life and allow himself to grow into the talented artist I know he can be. His album F.A.M.E. was a solid body of work and the right direction so I hope he continues to show growth from that album to this new one.
Yes, there is a God because Maxwell has confirmed his anticipated follow up to his last album Blacksummers’ night. Maxwell’s new album is titled SUMMERS’ and is set for a winter debut. Saying I'm excited about this album would be an understatement. Maxwell is a tremendously talented artist and one of the reasons why neo soul became so popular. Maxwell recently collaborated for the first time in his career with Alicia Keys on “Fire We Make” off her album Girl On Fire. With his runs, riffs, tone, and passionate singing (melts) I’m looking forward to this album.
This spring the legendary icon and vocal gymnast that is Mariah Carey will be releasing her 14th studio album. Yes, her 14th album, which is far more then most artist have today (unless your Rihanna who drops one every season of the year) and have album been certified diamond, platinum, and one gold. Last summer Mariah dropped her buzz single “Triumphant (Get‘ Em),” which featured Meek Mill and Rick Ross. In a recent interview with YouKnowIGotSoul, Bryan Michael Cox shared that along with Jermaine Dupri they have a total of 10 songs recorded with Mariah. I assume Mariah will release her 1st single once American Idol kicks off January 16th at 8pm on FOX. Get that free promo girl!
Let me just say you don’t book the Super Bowl halftime show and sign a 50 million dollar deal with Pepsi to contribute to your album budget and not have something under your sleeve. I’m convinced Beyonce has a massive 1st single on her hands because she is pulling out all the stops for her return. King Bey has enlisted Hit-Boy, Kanye West, Miguel, The-Dream, Pharrell, Ne-Yo and Ryan Tedder to contribute to her upcoming 5th studio album. Beyonce’s untitled documentary with HBO will reportedly feature footage of her recording the album, which will air February 16th. I’ll just say this now I believe Beyonce will just completely own the music scene this year. This women is about to breath life back into the game I tell you! Expect to see Beyonce’s album drop around the spring with a single set to debut before Super Bowl.
MTV's This Is How I Made It series continues with Wiz Khalifa and Miguel sharing their childhood and come-up stories. Wiz is above, where he talks about his start in music and in Pittsburgh, why his Warner deal didn't go well and why he subsequently signed to Atlantic.
Below, Miguel talks about his childhood and the hurdles he's overcome to become one of the hottest R&B artists in the game today. Both are sure to be entertaining viewings for big fans of one or both.
Both of these are pretty solid. A collective 4-star *Tibs Fav. as these two tracks are demos from 06/07. Not near his album cuts, but still nice ones for the collection.
It's Grammy time everybody! Artists in the urban hip hop/R&B spectrum that are leading the nominations include some usual names like Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Nas — and some newcomers, most notably Frank Ocean & Miguel. Scroll down for many of the categories relevant to Gowhere, and then beyond that for the full list, and my predictions.
Album Of The Year:
“El Camino” — The Black Keys
“Some Nights” — FUN.
“Babel” — Mumford & Sons
“Channel Orange” — Frank Ocean
“Blunderbuss” — Jack White
Record Of The Year:
“Lonely Boy” — The Black Keys
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Kelly Clarkson
“We Are Young” — FUN. Featuring Janelle Monáe
“Somebody That I Used To Know” — Gotye Featuring Kimbra
“Thinkin Bout You” — Frank Ocean
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” — Taylor Swift
Best New Artist:
Alabama Shakes
FUN.
Hunter Hayes
The Lumineers
Frank Ocean
Song Of The Year:
“The A Team” — Ed Sheeran, songwriter (Ed Sheeran)
“Adorn” — Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)
“Call Me Maybe” — Tavish Crowe, Carly Rae Jepsen & Josh Ramsay, songwriters (Carly Rae Jepsen)
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Jörgen Elofsson, David Gamson, Greg Kurstin & Ali Tamposi, songwriters (Kelly Clarkson)
“We Are Young” — Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess, songwriters (FUN. Featuring
Janelle Monáe)
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:
“Wild Ones” — Flo Rida Featuring Sia
“No Church In The Wild” — Jay–Z & Kanye West Featuring Frank Ocean & The–Dream
“Tonight (Best You Ever Had)” — John Legend Featuring Ludacris
“Cherry Wine” — Nas Featuring Amy Winehouse
“Talk That Talk” — Rihanna Feautring Jay–Z
Best Rap Performance:
“HYFR (Hell Ya F***ing Right)” — Drake Featuring Lil Wayne
“N****s In Paris” — Jay–Z & Kanye West
“Daughters” — Nas
“Mercy” — Kanye West Featuring Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz
“I Do” — Young Jeezy Featuring Jay–Z & André 3000
Best Rap Album:
“Take Care” — Drake
“Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. 1″ — Lupe Fiasco
“Life Is Good” — Nas
“Undun” — The Roots
“God Forgives, I Don’t” — Rick Ross
“Based On A T.R.U. Story” — 2 Chainz
Best Rap Song:
“Daughers” — Nas
“Lotus Flower Bomb” — Wale featuring Miguel
“Mercy” — Kanye West Featuring Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz
“The Motto” — Drake Featuring Lil Wayne
“N****s in Paris” — Jay-Z & Kanye West
“Young, Wild & Free” — Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa Featuring Bruno Mars
Best R&B Performance:
“Thank You” — Estelle
“Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.)” — Robert Glasper Experiment Featuring Ledisi
“I Want You” — Luke James
“Adorn” — Miguel
“Climax” — Usher
Best Urban Contemporary Album:
“Fortune” — Chris Brown
“Kaleidoscope Dream” — Miguel
“Channel Orange” — Frank Ocean
Best R&B Album:
“Black Radio” — Robert Glasper Experiment
“Back To Love” — Anthony Hamilton
“Write Me Back” — R. Kelly
“Beautiful Surprise” — Tamia
“Open Invitation” — Tyrese
Best R&B Song:
“Adorn” — Miguel
“Beautiful Surprise” — Tamia
“Heart Attack” — Trey Songz
“Pray for Me” — Anthony Hamilton
“Refill” — Elle Varner
Best Pop Solo Performance:
“Set Fire To The Rain (Live)” — Adele
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Kelly Clarkson
“Call Me Maybe” — Carly Rae Jepsen
“Wide Awake” — Katy Perry
“Where Have You Been” — Rihanna
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Shake It Out” — Florence & The Machine
“We Are Young” — FUN. Featuring Janelle Monáe
“Somebody That I Used To Know” — Gotye Featuring Kimbra
- Frank Ocean wins one of the 3 coveted awards of the evening: Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year, or Best New Artist. I wouldn't bat an eyebrow if he won all 3 - he's got the music and the compelling story behind him, but I also don't really listen to his competition so I can't sit here and compare it all. Ocean is well-deserving though and he'll take home one of those big awards.
- This lyrical hip hop head scoffs at the sight of Rick Ross & 2 Chainz in the Rap Album of the Year category, but I can't deny the big years they've had. That said, Take Care has gotta take this one right?
- Hard to pick one from the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category. I see it going to either "No Church In The Wild" or "Cherry Wine" and NOT "Wild Ones".
- Miguel's "Adorn" probably won't take Song Of The Year (isn't it funny to see that preceding "Call Me Maybe"?), but it will take best R&B Song and/or Best R&B Performance. It's funny to me because I don't vibe with "Adorn" like I do with much of the rest of Kaleidoscope Dream. But needless to say, I'm glad a nice song like that is getting recognized. Overall, my two best (and favorite) R&B albums that dropped this year, in KD and Channel Orange, are getting that premiere Grammy shine!
What do you think of the nominees? And what are your predictions??
A few years ago, I stood in line for hours in the grueling summer sun, fought not to get trampled by the hundreds if not thousands of other people nearby, prayed I wouldn’t get squashed by the police officers who decided it was cool to ride around on their horses in the midst of all this madness, all in order to get only somewhat decent seats for a free Trey Songz concert at the Taste of Chicago. But it was all worth it. I so quickly fell in love with Mr. Neverson and vowed to go to as many of his concerts as I could thereafter. Saturday night, four concerts later, and more in love than ever, I stood inside the packed Arie Crown Theater to see not only Tremaine, but two more artists whose music I too have recently fallen in love with, Elle Varner and Miguel.
Saturday night was a night I will never forget. My best friends and I had some pretty good floor seats and were geeked to say the least when Elle hit the stage. For me, Elle Varner epitomizes a beautiful woman, inside and out, and seeing her live only further solidified my previous notions of the songstress. She sang her heart out, sounding just as amazing live as she does on every one of her tracks from her “Conversational Lush” mixtape and debut album “Perfectly Imperfect.” I had gotten the opportunity to interview her a few months back, and she seemed like such a fun corky, spirit and onstage she was no different. The girls throughout the theater sang along with her on tracks like, “So Fly,” and “Not Tonight,” as we connected to her every word. The men stood and watched in awe of her beauty. The girl was spectacular and I’m super excited to see where she will be in a few years. With so much talent, at such a young age (she’s only 23) I think that she will make a huge mark on the genre of R&B music.
Miguel is also an artist I have grown to have a huge appreciation for. His voice is angelic to me. I was sold when I first heard his track, “The Girl With the Tattoo,” off of his debut album, “All I Want is You.” His sophomore album, “Kaleidoscope Dream,” has only further made me a believer. I recently read that when asked about his collaboration with Miguel on the “Adorn” remix, Wiz Khalifa described Miguel’s voice as golden. To me, that’s exactly what he is as an artist, golden. After seeing him live, I understand this even more. He brings something so different to the game. Not only does he create a unique and beautiful sound, but it’s matched with eccentric lyricism and a stage presence like no other I’ve ever seen. The 26-year-old, mixed dances from the likes of Elvis and James Brown with his own special twist. Overall, it was definitely an experience like no other.
When it came down to the main act, my friends and I lost our minds like pretty much every other woman in the audience. This excitement was only elevated when a passerby handed my friend two tickets to the pit area, right in front of the stage. The only problem was there were three of us. In a frenzied attempt, we created a plan to work it out, and sure enough, 10 minutes later, the three of us found ourselves less than 5 feet away from the man of nearly every girl’s dreams. Being up close and personal made the experience even more overwhelmingly amazing. We enjoyed as Trey sang tracks from his newest album, “Chapter V,” along with other classics like “Neighbors Know My Name,” and cover songs of a few club bangers like the 2 Chainz and Kanye West hit, “Birthday Song.” The energy was live, everyone seemed to be having a good time, especially Trey, and even this girl who at one point thought it was okay to just hop on the stage before quickly being escorted off. After 5 albums, and my 4th concert, the only words I can think of to describe Trey as an artist and performer, would be those of one of his “Chapter V” singles. Trey is “Simply Amazing.”
As a proud lover of music, I have become somewhat of a concert fiend. Going to concerts is by far one of my favorite things to do. I’ve been to quite a few, and the one I went to this weekend is pretty high on my list as one of the best I’ve attended thus far. It would probably only fall slightly under Watch the Throne, and believe me, that’s saying a lot.
