Travis Garland has already carved out a major following as a recording artist — first as a breakout star in the boyband NLT and later as a solo singer in his own right, working with The Stereotypes on smooth pop-R&B with a little more grit than his contemporaries. (He also has performed on American Idol and has collaborated with our beloved JoJo, which is pretty dope.)

And while we’re on the subject of JoJo: Just as she transformed from a teen-pop queen into a serious artist making some of the most sneakily dynamic genre-free music in the game, Garland seems to have undergone a similar transformation, as evidenced by the video for his lead single “Where to Land,” taken from his upcoming EP Fashionably Late: Vol II, which drops March 4. 

The clip is simple and elegant — mostly close shots of Garland against a glittering cityscape — but it’s the song that really grabs your attention, a slinky minimalist R&B cut with dreamy falsetto vocals and an irresistible hook, with assistance from rapper III. It’s a strong offering that evokes The Weeknd or even Prince more than the slick pop of his past.

Watch up top.

What else but awards season could get us through the dead of winter? Keeping us warm right now are all the stunning pictures from the 2013 BRIT Awards, which took over London’s O2 Arena on Wednesday night (February 20). Before we can hear the acceptance speeches, see the stellar performances (including Mr. 20/20 Experience Justin Timberlake) and watch Taylor Swift, once again, enjoy her very own sing-along — we first get to relish in the pageantry of the red carpet. Check out the handsome fellas of One Direction, JT in his suit and tie, Jessie J‘s daring dress and Tay rocking a sexy Elie Saab gown (after all, Harry Styles needs to see what he’s been missing.)

Which pop star was dressed the best at this year’s BRIT Awards? Tell us below! 

Bleary guitar warbler Ed Sheeran might be doing a little less bleary guitar warbling on his next record (well, the guitars will probably stick around). Though he rose to fame on the merits of some pretty sad songs, he revealed in a recent interview with MTV News that his next album may not have quite the same tone.

“I’ve had a different inspiration on this record — obviously, I haven’t had the same experiences, it will be different, but only from the senses it won’t be tackling such dark matters,” Sheeran said. “Maybe it will, maybe something really bad will happen within the next nine months and I’ll write about that. It’s a bit of a happier album, I think. Some of the songs are happy.” Happy songs? Say it ain’t so!

As for when to expect that album, even though it’s at this point “pretty much finished,” he isn’t planning to release it any time soon: “Yeah, pretty much finished it, to be honest,” Sheeran said. “I think it’s always healthy to have time.”

This makes us nervous: The longer he waits, the likelier it is that something bad will happen to him. Then again, that might just make the album better. Also, what could possibly go wrong while on tour with Taylor Swift?

[via MTV News]

M.I.A. is taking on the system, as she is wont to do, in her Stealing Log 2013. The first entry calls out the Grammys, as the singer claims the stage set-up for the awards show’s Bob Marley tribute was a rip-off of her rig from a concert the previous month in Australia.

The Marley tribute, which featured Bruno Mars, Rihanna and Sting, among others, certainly used neon lights in squares and other sharp geometric angles like M.I.A.’s stage. But, I dunno. What are the odds the Grammy set designers saw an M.I.A. show in Oz, then decided to rip it off in a month’s time? It seems more likely that this is a case of M.I.A. being her usual paranoid self.

[via Pitchfork]

Do you think the Grammys copied M.I.A.? Let us know in the comments below, or on Twitter and Facebook.

After offering up three video teasers featuring a brand new song over the past week, details of Michael Bublé‘s upcoming new music have been revealed — including the title of said tune, “It’s A Beautiful Day,” which will serve as the first single from Bublé’s new studio album To Be Loved (out April 23).

The Bob Rock-produced LP will consist of standards as well as four original song all co-written by the singer, including “After All,” a co-write with iconic ’80s and ’90s balladeer (and fellow Canadian) Bryan Adams, who also performs on the song. Another, perhaps more surprising, duet: a cover of Frank and Nancy Sinatra‘s “Somethin’ Stupid,” featuring Reese Witherspoon!

Of course, Michael is hardly the first singer to pair up with an actress with covering the Sinatras’ charming 1967 hit; Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman‘s own take shot to the top of the UK chart back in 2001.

Other covers included on Bublé’s upcoming LP include the following:

“To Love Somebody” (Bee Gees)
“Nevertheless (I’m In Love With You”) (Dean Martin)
“Who’s Loving You” (Jackson 5)
“To Be Loved” (Jackie Wilson)
“Have I Told You Lately” (Elvis Presley)

Are you looking forward to Michael Bublé’s new album? Let us know your thoughts below, or by hitting us up on Facebook and Twitter