Does a cover count as a cover if you wrote the song? Either way, Jessie J does a pretty damn good job of singing Party In The USA, which of course she wrote for teen-superstar Miley Cyrus back in the day when no-one had heard who 'Jessie J' was. Now, I'm a massive Miley Cyrus fan and love the original, but Jessie's version really stands up on its own - she adds some luvverly cockney charm to it, mixes the lyrics up a bit and tells a funny story about her knickers ripping too. Amazing!
Amazing popstar and all round awesome person Miley Cyrus has been speaking to American news agency The AP about plans for her new world tour. The chain of gigs in support of her Can't Be Tamed album kicks off in Ecuador at the end of April and includes 13 South American dates before she moves on to 7 dates in Australia in July.
Miley explained she had no immediate plans to tour her home country of the US though, saying: "I just think right now America has gotten to a place where I don't know if they want me to tour or not. Right now I just want to go to the places where I am getting the most love and Australia and South America have done that for me."
Well, can I be the first to say to you Miley, here in the UK we absolutely love you! Miley's 2009 Wonder Word Tour was incredible, and going to see it at one of the five dates she did at London's O2 arena, I can testify that it was one of the best gigs I've ever seen at the venue. Can't Be Tamed was amongst my Top Five favourite albums of last year and to see all the new tracks performed live is a must. Her GAY performance gave a taste of what we might expect and the thought of that transposed up to an arena scale is all very exciting. So yes, Miley, please come and tour in the UK again!
Plus, how fantastic is it that Miley is now back on Twitter? @mileycyrus
If any of the tracks on Jessie J's debut album Who You Are stand out the most, it is this one. I love the chilled 90s R&B vibe to the whole thing. It's classy, well produced and shows Jessie's vocals and songwriting talent at its best. Remembering that Jessie co-wrote Miley Cyrus's Party in the USA, it is Abracadabra that sounds most similar out of her solo material, the chorus in particular sharing that vibe of sun-kissed bliss and youthful energy. It's a big feel-good anthem and would make a great future single.
Something getting a lot of rotation on my iPod this week is Rye Rye's fantastic new mixtape, rather awesome-ly titled 'RYEot powRR'. She's signed to M.I.A.'s N.E.E.T. Recordings label. Rye Rye is quirky, fun and feisty - for those hooked on Nicki Minaj at the moment, Rye Rye is a perfect second-course to move on to. The mixtape is full of energetic reworkings of contemporary hits like Whip My Hair and Party In The USA. Expect choppy beats and big, crunchy basslines. I'm feeling a bit of a Gorillaz vibe at times too.
