Focus Music Notes. "Out of the Blues". Popular music through the decades

Fresh from a show stopping performance and fourth award win at the recent MOBOS, urban pop super-group N-Dubz triumphantly return with their new single ‘ Girls ’, released via their new musical home, All Around The World & Island Records on 13th December 2010. ‘Girls’ is the second single from their highly anticipated new album ‘ Love, Live, Life ’ (released November 29th) quickly following their recent Top 10 smash ‘Best Behaviour’. Written by the band and Jim Jonson (Beyonce, Usher. Lil Wayne), ‘Girls’ is a slick celebration of the female form, showcasing edgy beats and tough lyrics reminiscent of early N-Dubz hits. Representing a universal love for women, ‘ Girls ’ features a contagious hook that flows over the band’s trademark electronic synths and gritty urban beats. The N-Dubz furore continues this winter with the release of their third album, ‘Love, Live, Life’. In May 2010, N-Dubz signed a five-album deal with Island Def Jam records in the U.S. Recorded in LA and Miami an

Jonathan Jeremiah, whose timeless songs and soulful voice have marked him out as a songwriter with a rare talent, previews his highly anticipated 2011 debut album “Solitary Man” with the release on December 13th of his new single “See”. In addition Jonathan was one of the guests, alongside Kings of Leon, M.I.A. and Eric Clapton, on this week’s Later With Jools, which transmitted on BBC2 at 11.50 on Friday November 5th. (performance available on BBC iPlayer). The public will have a chance to hear Jonathan perform this beautiful string-drenched song and other tracks from the new album during his forthcoming residency at London's Borderline. The shows kicked off on October 27th, with further appearances on November 10th, 23rd and December 6th. Jeremiah recently guested with Rumer at her sell-out Bloomsbury Theatre show. Jeremiah was born and raised in London to an Anglo-Indian father and a Tipperary born Irish Catholic mother. From an early age he listened to songs from his parent’s

As the third and final album in Robyn’s unique trilogy for 2010 approaches, the exquisite song Indestructible will round off her single releases for the year. Further album details to follow. The acoustic version on Body Talk PT2 was orchestrated by a surging string section and displays Robyn’s ebullient lyrics about the power of love. Once again we witness her innate ability to project utter strength in her lyrics while also wearing her heart proudly on her sleeve. This pulsating full power version takes every ounce of that emotion and wraps it up in another exceptional disco-pop record worthy of any dance-floor or passion-laden sing-a-long. “ I wanna love you like I’ve never been hurt before, I wanna love you like I’m indestructible ” Robyn recently performed Dancing On My Own at the MTV VMA’s in LA with Deadmau5 following her tour of the U.S with Kelis. Currently on tour in Europe, she returned to the UK on October 18th to play her biggest shows to date. And Robyn has just announced

Nicki Minaj, the first lady of Young Money/Cash Money Records and one of the hottest artists on the planet right now, has her new single “Right Thru Me” released on November 22nd. The track is taken from the 25 year old rap phenomenon’s feverishly anticipated debut album which is also released on November 22nd.  Nicki Minaj’s star has been on the rise since she released her first mixtape, Playtime Is Over, in 2007. The mixtape featured Lil Wayne and the cover showed Nicki posing as a Barbie Doll. A second mixtape “Sucka Free” released a year later, increased the heat around Minaj and was followed in 2009 by mixtape number three “Beam Me Up Scotty”. Shortly thereafter Nicki, aka Harajuku Barbie, aka Nicki Lewinsky, aka Roman Zolanski, aka Ms Step Your Cookies Up, signed to Lil Wayne’s new label Young Money Entertainment and featured heavily on Young Money’s debut album “We Are Young Money” which spawned the massive hit single “Bedrock”. Minaj has also made her name from her many feature

Earlier this week Take That announced their latest stadium tour – Progress Live 2011. Tickets go on sale Friday 29 October 2010 at 09:00 at Click here to visit Ticketmaster official site UK tour dates . Sunderland Stadium of Light Monday 30 May 2011 City of Manchester Stadium Friday 3 June 2011 | Saturday 4 June 2011 | Sunday 5 June 2011 | Tuesday 7 June 2011 Cardiff Millennium Stadium Tuesday 14 June 2011 Glasgow Hampden Park Wednesday 22 June 2011 | Thursday 23 June 2011 Birmingham Villa Park Monday 27 June 2011 Wembley Stadium Friday 1 July 2011 | Saturday 2 July 2011 | Sunday 3 July 2011 | Tuesday 5 July 2011 FIND TICKETS

To round off yet another exceptional year, Florence will be releasing the mighty single ‘Heavy In Your Arms’ single alongside ‘Between Two Lungs’ – a two disc special edition version of her 4 x platinum selling Brit Award winning debut album ‘Lungs’. ‘Between Two Lungs’ features new cover art, sleeve notes by Florence and exclusive images. Plus a 10 track second disc which as aswell as Heavy In Your Arms, also includes among others, a live recording of brand new song ‘Strangeness & Charm’. The massive collaboration with Dizzee Rascal ‘You Got The Dirtee Love’ and a previously unreleased Yeasayer remix of ‘Dog Days Are Over’ and will also be available on November 15. Florence recently wowed worldwide audiences with her live performance (and victory) at this year’s MTV VMA Awards which saw her album explode in the U.S. Firing up to #2 in the I tunes chart and breaking the top #15 in the Billboard album chart. Back home Florence has just won two Q Awards for Best Female and Best Trac

CocknBullKid has made a couple of important transitions recently. First, she's changed her name, dropping the pronoun (she's CocknBullKid, not thecocknbullkid). And secondly, she has emerged from a creative cocoon with a suite of bright, breezy and ultra-colourful pop songs that exist at least five giant leaps away from the savvy, autobiographical electro tunes like 'On My Own' that got her a slot on Jools Holland even before she signed to Island/Moshi Records. " The music I made at first was cool, but it was work in progress. There was only so far I could take it. I knew I was capable of more. I wanted to make music that reached people further than E9, or whatever the cool postcode is now ." It's been worth the wait. The 25 year old Hackney resident, aka Anita Blay, is in possession of the most interesting, credible pop record of the year. But you’ll just have to take our word for it until spring 2011 when the full album, ‘Adulthood’ will be released. An