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Miley World
The biggest bit of news in that list is probably the loss of a Grammy nomination for Best Song Written for a Soundtrack. It turns out that before M.C. recorded “The Climb” and stuck it on the soundtrack for “Hanna Montana: The Movie,” songwriter Jessi Alexander offered it to one or two other people. To their credit, it was Miley’s label, Walt Disney Records that brought that niggling fact to the attention of Recording Academy officials.
While the disqualification is bad news for Cyrus and her fans, it’s great news for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs‘ Karen O, who now has another reason to pick out a suitably outlandish outfit to wear to the 52nd annual Grammy Awards ceremony on Jan. 31.
With Miley out of the running, O’s “All Is Love” from the “Where the Wild Things Are” soundtrack moves up the list of eligible songs, and joins the YYYs’ It’s Blitz! (for Best Alternative Music Album) as the singer’s second Grammy nod this year.
I would say that M.C.’s meeting with H.R.H. Queen Elizabeth II was next on the list if it weren’t for two things. Well, three actually.
First, Miss Miley was apparently way more jazzed about meeting Lady Gaga than she was the ruler of the British empire. Popeater.com reports that the singer didn’t even mention Prince William’s Nana on her blog, but – in true teenager style – wrote “I met Lady Gaga!!!” more than 50 times. (I guess that’s the 21st century equivalent of a Trapper Keeper.)
For her part, Gaga apparently wasn’t very impressed by her brush with the “Hanna Montana” star, choosing instead to focus on “whiskey” and “fish + chips” in a tweet about her U.K. adventures.
Second (and third), did anyone get a look at the dress Cyrus chose to wear when meeting Queen Elizabeth? After her performance in hot pants and motorcycle boots? The low-cut orange gown the singer was adorned in prompted humorous headlines across the blogosphere, like FunnyCrave.com’s “Miley Cyrus’ Cleavage Meets The Queen.” (Miley, sweetie, it was an audience with the Queen of England, not a visit to the set of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Please put those things away.)
Anyone as surprised as I was to see Cyrus’ name on the track listing for Timbaland’s latest album will probably find this next bit of information a little jarring. The superstar producer, who has worked with powerhouse female vocalists like Missy Elliot, Lil Kim, Alicia Keys, Nelly Furtado and Björk, told MTV News the singer is the “female Justin Timberlake.”
Say what?
“The reason why I say that is her work ethics are incredible,” Timbaland explained. “That girl can sing so good that I was very impressed. I couldn’t believe it. I’m like ‘This is Miley Cyrus? She’s singing the song?’”
Um, okay. I guess we’ll reserve judgement on that one for later.
Timbaland’s sentiments will probably be echoed by Poison fans soon, when Miley’s cover of “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” sees the light of day.
According to People magazine, Cyrus recorded the song, which her mother Tish said is one of her favorites, with help from Poison frontman Bret Michaels.
And finally, if all of this Miley-centric news has your head spinning, you could be in for a break very soon.
The singer told British chat show “GMTV” that it’s time for her to take a break from the biz and re-evaluate the direction of her career.
“I want to do my last pop record,” Cyrus explained. “I’m working on a record right now. I kind of want this to be my last record for a little while and be able to take a break and just get all types of music that I really love … you know, my favorite styles, because in a few years, as I grow up, so will my fans, and I won’t have to focus on that as much, and I’ll be able to have more of the sound of music that I’m into.”
Good for you Miley. That’s a very mature outlook and I’m all for it. As long as you stay far, far away from the music of Tom Waits. And Leonard Cohen.