Tune in Tonight! MTV Logo NewNowNext Awards

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Tonight is the night!

Tonight, MTV Logo will be airing the annual NewNowNext Awards. If MTV Logo is missing from your cable package or if you live overseas, you can catch the entire show plus loads of bonus footage on NewNowNextAwards.com. All the action kicks off online at 8 p.m. ET with a pre-show program. The show starts at 9 p.m. ET.

Also, tonight the winner of the 2008 MTV Logo NewNowNext ArjanWrites.com Brink of Fame Song Award will finally be announced. Thousands and thousands of you have voted and a clear winner has emerged. Watch the show to find out from me personally who has won this award.

Just to refresh, these are artists are the nominees of the 2008 MTV Logo NewNowNext ArjanWrites.com Brink of Fame Song Award:

Chester French "She Loves Everybody"

Semi-Precious Weapons "Magnetic Baby

LadyGaga "Just Dance"

Hercules & Love Affair "Blind"

Heloise & Le Savoir Faire "Illusions"

Janelle Monae "Many Moons"

Thanks for voting folks. This was your award. Keeping it sweet & crunchy. Always.


Listen to "Just D.A.N.C.E." (LadyGaga vs Justice Mash Up)

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MK has posted a fantastic mash up of new queer queen LadyGaga and French electro maestros Justice courtesy of DJ Paul V. The mixmeister even included a little bit of Bowie for rebel's sake. Make sure to catch LadyGaga this weekend at MTV Logo NewNowNext Awards on MTV Logo and online at NewNowNextAwards.com. The madness kicks off at 9pm ET and will be followed by a post-show.

Listen to "Just D.A.N.C.E." (LadyGaga vs Justice Mash Up)


A Few Little Bits About Justin Tranter

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Justin Tranter is a rock god in the making.

The deliciously "kunty" frontman of New York glam-rock band Semi-Precious Weapons has been stirring up a sensation in clubs around the country and in the U.K. in anticipation of their debut LP "We Love You." The album will be out on Razor & Tie Records later this year.

I briefly ran into Justin and the band (at an escalator of all places) right before the taping of the MTV Logo NewNowNext Awards on Times Square last week. The group made a quick photo appearance before heading over to play a show at Irving Plaza.

If you're new to Semi-Precious Weapons, I pulled together a few little factoids about Semi-Precious Weapons and Justin Tranter to give you a bit more insight into this phenomenon on the rise.

Tranter likes to hang out at fancy hotel bars, because their managers often "get a little upset when men in full makeup dance around in 6-inch heels in front of all the nice people staying there for the week."

Three albums that had the most influence on Tranter are Patty Larkin's "Perishable Fruit," The Little Mermaid soundtrack and Patty Griffin's "Thousand Kisses""

The singer considers the the entire Mandy Moore catalog his guilty pleasure songs.

If he wasn't a performer, Tranter admits he would be "collecting cans and cashing them in at Key Food, because I actually did that for awhile and I was pretty into it."

Not only did Tranter release his very successful Fetty jewelry line , but he also entered into a partnership with Donna Karen to release his own brand of sneakers.

The first concert Tranter ever saw was a Paula Cole concert: "It was fucking stunning. She wore masks, growled, screamed, and sang her ass off. Actually it was kinda rock ’n roll."

Designing jewelry should come as no surprise as his mother is a designer of engagement rings. "She only does like ten to fifteen rings a year, but when they’re massive diamonds it ends up being a good time."

Head over to the Semi-Precious Weapons web site to stock up on Tranter merchandise, including "fucking gorgeous gloss" and a "genderless hoodie"

Great Britain's Princess Beatrice is a closeted Tranter fan and treated herself to $3000 Fetty ring at Barney's last week.

(Semi Precious Weapons is nominated for the MTV Logo ArjanWrites Brink Of Fame Award. Vote here.)


Listen to New Hercules & Love Affair Remixes

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Check out some excellent new remixes of Hercules & Love Affair's new single "Blind" that features vocals by the amazing Antony. House legend Frankie Knuckles, London DJ Serge Santiago and Hercules himself created some pumping new renditions of the high-energy, disco-driven original track, which is already a killer tune by itself. 

After almost 30 years in the business, Knuckels demonstrates that he is still a master at churning out high-grade house productions. He took the original to a whole new level and created two glowing renditions of the song that feature a sleek and sexy bass line. Very chic. (It would have made a fitting addition to this.)

Running for almost 11 minutes, Santiago's mix is much more geared towards the underground dance floor with its massive big room soundboard stylings that contrast nicely with Antony's emotive vocals. (Hercules & Love Affair are nominated for the MTV Logo ArjanWrites.com Brink of Fame Award. Vote here.)

Listen to H&LA "Blind" (Hercules Club Mix)
Listen to H&LA "Blind" (Frankie Knuckles Mix)
Listen to H&LA "Blind" (Frankie Knuckles Dub)
Listen to H&LA "Blind" (Serge Santiago Remix)


Special Report from MTV Logo's NewNowNext Awards (Part 2)

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More updates from Monday night's taping of the MTV Logo NewNowNext Awards in New York City. Read Part 1 of my notes here.

One of my favorite performers of the night were Dangerous Muse who made their television debut together with an additional keyboard player and drummer. It is a top-notch performance you won't quickly forget. In fact, there is a little microphone action going on that will surely go viral on YouTube as soon as it airs on June 7.

The group's sound has evolved quite a bit and is a lot richer and rockier than their electro-based songs they released previously. I nearly wet my panties when the duo's Tom Napack told me about some of the people that worked on their forthcoming debut album. It will blow your mind and make you want to hear this record. Unfortunately, I promised Tom and Mike not to publish it (sorry that I have to be such a tease).

LadyGaga is Little Miss Hotness. Super photogenic, super sexy and super talented. She performed the show's finale, which was an elaborate production with no less than 15 dancers.

I did some backstage interviews with MTV Logo vlogger and blogger John Polly and some of the ArjanWrites.com Brink of Fame Awards nominees that will air during the television show on June 7. Great shout outs from Chester French and Heloise's Luke. Thanks for that.

Turntable icon Junior Vasquez spun at the afterparty and did a cool mash up of some of my nominees' songs.

Heloise & The Savoire Faire surely has the tallest drummer in the music business. Luke stands 6'7 tall and even trumped me (and I'm 6'3).

The Cliks performed at the show and rocked it. These chicks are tight.

Project Runway's Christin Siriano is so cute in person. As fierce and super-fabulous as on TV.

And finally, don’t forget to vote for the MTV Logo ArjanWrites.com NewNowNext Award. Only a selection of awards were announced during the show. The ArjanWrites.com Brink Of Fame Award will be announced during the show.

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