Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Super Catchy Tune: Justin Bieber's 'All Around the World' Featuring Ludacris


Justin Bieber's upcoming album, Believe (due out June 19), is bound to hit the number one spot on the Billboard 200 by the sheer force of his ardent Twitter following alone, but the savvy management team behind the Canadian pop phenom is doing everything it can to ensure total album sales domination. On Tuesday, Bieber released the second song off his upcoming release, the house-heavy club banger "All Around the World," which features guest verses from Ludacris (Shawty Mane has yet to rear his bespectacled, rhyme-spitting head).

The song is a tight, coherent take on the synth-laden pop that's currently ubiquitous on American radio, the sort of track being pumped out by everyone from Jennifer Lopez to Nicki Minaj. Yes, it's ridiculously catchy: As evidenced by his willingness to lift up his shirt on command, the Biebs is all about giving his fans what they want.

The fan reaction to the song has been overwhelmingly positive. The song quickly shot to the No. 2 spot on the iTunes singles charts, prompting Bieber to joke, "#AllAroundTheWorld is #2 on ITUNES!!! @carlyraejepsen can i have that #1 spot...maybe? haha. had to do it. Push for #1!"

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Hot Property: Justin Bieber pays $6.5 million for Calabasas home

The price that first-time homeowner Justin Bieber paid for his new digs in Calabasas has wended its way into the public record: $6.5 million.

Set on 1.3 acres in a gated community, the 10,000-square-foot main house is described as "transitional French" in style. Features include a high-ceiling foyer, library, a movie theater with stadium seating, a wet bar and a wine cellar - just what every 18-year-old pop singer needs. Including a guesthouse, there are seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms. A swimming pool and expansive lawns are among outdoor amenities.

The recent high school graduate, who catapulted to stardom through YouTube videos, has recorded the albums "My World 2.0," "Under the Mistletoe" and "Believe," and sold more than 15 million copies. At the middle of last month Bieber had more than 20 million Twitter followers.

His North America "Believe" tour will stop at Staples Center in October. He performed his single "Boyfriend" on "The Voice" this month.

The house, which was built in 2005, had been listed at $8.75 million. Among the previous owners was Eddie Murphy's former wife Nicole Murphy, who sold the property last year for $5.515 million.

BRITNEY SPEARS MOVES ON FROM STUDIO CITY

After several years of on-again, off-again marketing and repeated price drops - during which its owner's personal turmoil was widely publicized and her affairs placed into the hands of a conservator - the Studio City house of Britney Spears has been sold for $4.253 million.

The pop star's house had been priced as a high of $7.9 million in 2008 and was most recently listed at $4.466 million. Spears paid $6.75 million five years ago for the Italian Renaissance-inspired villa.

The home, built in 2001 in a gated neighborhood, has five bedrooms and six bathrooms in about 7,453 square feet. Features include marble, hardwood and mosaic tile floors, carved millwork, maid's quarters and a three-car garage. The master bedroom has a fireplace, a loggia and dual bathrooms. The landscaped grounds of more than a third of an acre include a swimming pool and a gated motor court.

Spears, 30, released her first album, "Baby One More Time," in 1999 and rose to become one of the bestselling artists in the country. She released her seventh studio album, "Femme Fatale," last year and joins "The X Factor" as a judge this year.

SCREENWRITER SEEKS A CLOSING ON WESTSIDE

"Chinatown" writer Robert Towne has listed his estate on the Westside at $12.995 million.

Built in 1926 and designed for grand entertaining, the restored English country-style mansion and guesthouse have seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms and 10,000 square feet of living space. The nearly three-quarter-acre property is wooded and includes a swimming pool, a rose garden and a spice garden.

Towne, 77, won an Oscar for original screenplay in 1975 for the film starring Jack Nicholson about land and water rights disputes. He wrote the screenplays for "Days of Thunder" (1990), "Mission Impossible" (1996) and "Mission Impossible: II" (2000).

Public records show he bought the property in the 1980s for $2.495 million. Towne is selling because he is ready to downsize. He plans to stay in the Los Angeles area.

TUNING UP IN A NEW SPOT THESE DAYS

Los Lobos guitarist and singer Cesar Rosas has sold his house in Walnut for $1.425 million.

The 3,906-square-foot home sits on nearly an acre in the hills. Built in 2008, it features a panoramic view of the San Gabriel Valley, four bedrooms and four bathrooms.

Public records show Rosas bought the house the year it was built for $1.405 million.

The Grammy-winning East L.A. band played at the Greek Theatre this month during the inaugural Los Lobos Cinco de Mayo Festival.

Rosas sold because he bought another home in the area. The 57-year-old also plays with Los Super Seven.

BEL-AIR HOME RETAINS STAR QUALITY

A 1928 Tudor once owned by Broadway star Mary Martin is on the market in Bel-Air at $10.5 million.

Nicknamed the Peter Pan House for the role the former resident played, the two-story-plus-basement house sits on about an acre with a guesthouse and swimming pool. Features include leaded-glass windows, half-timbered details and a gabled roof. The house has a library-study, a breakfast room, seven bedrooms and five bathrooms.

Martin, who died in 1990 at 76, also was known for stage roles in "South Pacific" and "The Sound of Music." The singer and actress was the mother of actor Larry Hagman.

WRITING HIMSELF INTO THE SCENE

Action film screenwriter Skip Woods has put himself where the action is in L.A. - the bustling Hollywood Hills West area - with the purchase of a hillside house for $2.004 million.

The sleek contemporary, built in 1951 and extensively updated, features a dramatic two-story entry with a skylight and chandelier, high ceilings, walls of glass, a bar, a fireplace, four bedrooms and three bathrooms. A deck off the master suite has city views. A glass-walled deck over the driveway creates a carport. The swimming pool cabana includes a bar, flat-screen TV and a kitchen.

Woods, 41, is working on the next "Die Hard" movie. His credits include "Hitman" (2007), "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (2009) and "The A-Team" (2010).

Justin Bieber, K-pop Stars In MTV Concert In Malaysia

Justin Bieber, KARA, Jay Park and Mizz Nina
MANILA, Philippines - Pop superstar Justin Bieber, K-pop stars Jay Park and KARA, and Malaysian singer Mizz Nina will headline the MTV World Stage Live in Malaysia 2012, which will be held on July 14.

The spectacular event will be held at Surf Beach at Sunway Lagoon theme park in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

"It's official!!!! back to Malaysia July 14!!! Justin Bieber, Kara!" tweeted Jay Park, who is currently in California for his APAHM (Asian Pacific American Heritage Month) concert tour and meet-and-greet.

"The fans and artists will undoubtedly take the social media chatter to an all-time high, bringing MTV World Stage Live in Malaysia come to life for not only 15,000 fans at Surf Beach, but also for millions of viewers, followers and friends of MTV, Justin Bieber, Jay Park, Kara and Mizz Nina," said Indra Suharjono, Viacom International Media Networks’ executive vice-president and managing director of Asia, in a post on the MTV World Stage Live website.

About 15,000 fans are expected to watch the concert, which will be aired as a two-hour show on the MTV Southeast Asia channel on July 28. Another version will be shown on the MTV global network in 150 territories worldwide.

"With worldwide album sales in excess of 15 million units, over 43 million Facebook followers and more than 22 million Twitter followers, Justin Bieber is a global phenomenon in today's pop culture and the social media scene," according to the MTV World Stage Live website.

It describes Jay Park as the next breakout singer in the US.

"With his boyish good looks, explosive dance moves and ability to both sing and rap, Jay Park has been highly touted as the next breakout star in the U.S. market," it said.

"Kara, which means 'sweet melody' in Greek, is made up of female members Park Gyu Ri, Han Seung Yeon, Goo Ha Ra, Nicole Jung and Kang Ji Young. Combining Euro dance pop, electronic dance and alternative rock, Kara made their debut in March 2007 with the release of their first album 'The First Blooming,'" the website said.

On the other hand, Mizz Nina is a singer-songwriter in Malaysia.

"In October 2012, Mizz Nina was presented the Flava Award (Hip hop/R&B) at the Shout! Awards. After her win, she opened for Usher, Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber in Kuala Lumpur and went on to represent Malaysia at the New Skool Rules hip hop convention in Rotterdam in April 2011," according to the website.