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Jeff on
June 29, 2011 – 10:05 pm
Natasha Bedingfield returned to pop music in late 2010 with a brand new single, the racily titled “Strip Me,” which is also the name of the U.K.-based pop singer-songwriter’s third album, released last winter. Still, the title is no cheap come-on loaded with sexual innuendo a la the Britneys and Rihannas of the pop world. After her success in the Zeros, Bedingfield is all about stripping away the façade of celebrity and pop stardom, and keeping it real.
KOvideo catches up with the bubbly blonde, who was born in New Zealand before her family moved to London when she was still a child (her brother Daniel Bedingfield is also a chart topping artist), at the start of her first tour for “Strip Me.”
“Strip Me” marks a return to the public eye after a couple years break. After two successful albums, including her mega hit “Unwritten,” Bedingfield became disillusioned with her path. She took time away, attended songwriting camps, and became involved in social justice issues. Bedingfield has been active in anti-slavery and human trafficking campaigning. These days she splits time between London and Los Angeles, where she lives with her husband, Californian businessman Matthew Robinson, whom she married in 2009.
Though she waited till summer to tour, Bedingfield had one very auspicious gig over the winter. In February, she joined a slew of stars including Sheryl Crow, John Legend, Seal and Nick Jonas, to perform at the White House before an audience that included President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, and their daughters, in celebration Motown Records. The audience also included Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson before whom Bedingfield, joined by Jordin Sparks and Ledisi sang the Supremes’ “Stop in the Name of Love,” and then, solo, she sang Robinson’s “Tracks of My Tears.” That was certainly a moment.
Now it’s time to hit the road. Performing live is something she’s really looking forward to, she tells us a couple of days before the tour, dubbed the “Less is More Tour,” began in Northampton, Massachusetts, in June.
Kovideo: You took a couple of years off from music, has that left you more enthusiastic to play again?
Taking a break can’t help but enhance your live gigs. I love playing live best of all and I think this is going to be as good as it’s ever been before.
KOvideo: You produced “Strip Me” yourself; did you want to make a statement about being more hands-on as an artist and not just a pop singer?
I’m an odd egg. I don’t really fit into the pop world, or the rock world. I’m an immigrant; I was born in New Zealand and then raised in London, I’ve never really felt like I fit in anywhere. I found my way to pop, but I don’t listen to pop. I listen to Motown or rock music. So, I don’t think of myself as just a pop singer. I think this album and this tour reaches a new level for me because the songs really mean something. My approach is as a songwriter; the song is key. When I’m singing, I try not to get in the way of the song, adding riffs all over the place. I actually hold back a lot of the time.
Kovideo: Talking of holding back, this album is all about stepping back and reevaluating your life, isn’t it?
There’s so much that is so crazy in this world. I think everyone feels it and wants something simpler. I don’t think of myself as special, I don’t want to be special. I think we are all very special and that’s a reoccurring theme on the record. Everyone is special, regardless of where they are and who they are.
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Jeff on
June 28, 2011 – 8:10 pm
Rascal Flatts’ new video, “Easy,” will have its exclusive world premiere on CMT and CMT.com on Friday (July 1) at 10:45 a.m. ET. Both song and video feature special guest Natasha Bedingfield. The single comes from the group’s latest album, Nothing Like This. As part of the premiere, CMT will debut a 15-minute special, CMT Premieres: Rascal Flatts Featuring Natasha Bedingfield “Easy”, which includes interviews with the band and behind-the-scenes footage from the video shoot. “Easy” will premiere across CMT’s multiple properties including CMT, CMT.com, CMT Pure and the network’s new social media game, CMT Platinum Life: Country. As the network’s first video premiere in the social realm, gaming fans can earn virtual prizing when they stream the video in Platinum Life: Country. The video will also debut on Palladia, MTV Networks’ high-definition music channel, and air on VH1′s Top 20 Video Countdown on Saturday (July 2).
![[Gallery & Videos] 06/26/11 – Seattle, WA](http://www.natashafan.com/images/NatashaFan/%5BGallery+%26%23038%3B+Videos%5D+06%2F26%2F11+%26%238211%3B+Seattle%2C+WA.png "[Gallery & Videos] 06/26/11 – Seattle, WA")
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Jeff on
June 27, 2011 – 10:28 pm
Wild Horses
![[Photos] Less is More Tour](http://www.natashafan.com/images/NatashaFan/%5BPhotos%5D+Less+is+More+Tour.png "[Photos] Less is More Tour")
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Jeff on
June 23, 2011 – 7:46 pm
Hey guys, i just found this images of Natasha’s concert. Check it out:
![[Interview] Sfgate.com](http://www.natashafan.com/images/NatashaFan/%5BInterview%5D+Sfgate.com.png "[Interview] Sfgate.com")
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Jeff on
June 23, 2011 – 7:00 pm
Natasha Bedingfield gets down to basics on her latest album, “Strip Me.” So it makes sense that she’s supporting it with a low-key tour called “Less Is More,” which stops at Slim’s on Tuesday. The 29-year-old British singer is best known for her single “Unwritten,” which served as the theme song for the MTV reality series “The Hills” and earned her a Grammy nomination for best female pop vocal performance. Bedingfield also appears as a guest vocalist on rapper Nicki Minaj’s debut album, “Pink Friday,” as well as recent singles by country trio Rascal Flatts and Canadian pop-punk band Simple Plan. We spoke to her by phone from Detroit.
Q: “Strip Me” isn’t as provocative as the title might suggest. What was the idea behind the album?
A: Basically, what I wanted to say is if you strip away all the layers – all the things that make us unique – we’re all very similar as well. We have a similar makeup as human beings, similar needs and desires.
Q: The concerts are more basic, too – smaller rooms, few frills.
A: It’s still a fun show. But it’s more about the music than a light display. Sometimes there’s so much clutter and so many gimmicks you miss the essence of why we like music.
Q: So only three costume changes instead of the usual 20?
A: It depends on how I feel.
Q: Did you retire the dress that turned transparent in front of the camera flashes on the red carpet in Vienna?
A: I hid my boobs away for seven years, but they finally made an appearance. It was funny because the event I was at was the Life Ball in Vienna, where most of the women were wearing pasties on their breasts and men were wearing hot pants. I thought I was the most covered-up person there, but I guess the girls wanted out.
Q: It must have been Nicki Minaj’s influence. How did you end up working with her?
A: She called me up and said, “I’m about to finish my album and would love to have you sing on the final track.” I was on tour, and I had like two days to do it. I happened to be passing through Detroit, so I got in Eminem’s studio and instead of sleeping I just did the song.
Q: You also worked with Simple Plan and Rascal Flatts. Had you heard of either of them before they approached you?
A: Yes. I’ve always mingled with a very diverse group of people. My music taste reflects that, too.
Q: Did you watch “The Hills” religiously?
A: No. They asked if they could use my song and we already had a cool relationship, me and MTV. I didn’t know it would become one of their most-watched shows. Before that, it was the graduation song because it’s very much about new beginnings and how anything can happen. I guess that’s the feeling you get from a reality show. {sbox}
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Jeff on
June 23, 2011 – 6:58 pm
Busy British-bred singer Natasha Bedingfield will be touting her new album, “Strip Me,” in town on her “Less Is More” tour. She also has tracked duets with Nicki Minaj, Rascal Flatts and alt-punkers Simple Plan. In the past two years, the Grammy nominee penned dozens of new numbers, some co-written by Wyclef Jean and John Legend. “Unwritten,” Bedingfield’s breakthrough, continues to be heard everywhere.
You and your longtime beau, filmmaker Matt Robinson, finally got married. But the paparazzi made it a strange ceremony, right?
That was two years ago now — can you believe it? It feels like I’m still a newlywed. We tried to get married in the most private place possible, and we didn’t tell any of our friends where it was until the day before. So we were at this private house in Malibu, outside, and somehow the paparazzi found out where it was. So we got married to the sound of four helicopters circling above us in the wind.
Then you covered the royal wedding as an “Access Hollywood” correspondent, right?
It was amazing. The whole of London was alive with celebration. So when they asked me to be a roving reporter, of course I took them shopping! Um, as one must.
Hadn’t you met the royal couple before? I sang at this amazing event for Prince William, and I met him and Prince Harry there. And Kate Middleton. They weren’t together at the time, but I could see that there was a chemistry between them. I thought, “Man! He’s not going to let her get away. She’s a keeper!”
Source: sfexaminer.com
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Jeff on
June 21, 2011 – 9:00 pm
A video about The Dirty Tees’ first trip to the UK in May / June of 2011. This short features new material and an exclusive showcase of an upcoming release with songstress Natasha Bedingfield.
For more information about The Dirty Tees & FREE downloads:
Facebook: facebook.com/TheDirtyTees
Twitter: twitter.com/thedirtytees
SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/thedirtytees
Official Website: thedirtyteesmusic.com/
Thanks: Nattaphan Boonlert
1 Comment Written by
Christy on
June 21, 2011 – 8:47 pm
Hey everyone! It’s Christy! I hope everyone is doing well. I’m just making a quick post to talk about Natasha’s concert in Minneapolis, Minnesota this past weekend! Yes – I was in attendance and all I can say is: I was blown away. You can see some highlights below…
There were two openers to start the show. Kevin Hammond was on first, and he was absolutely fantastic! I really enjoyed his music. The second opener was Kate Vogele, and she was great as well.
Natasha came on at around 8:00pm, and I was right in front (I suggest you get there early if you are going to see a show of hers, or any concert for that matter. It’s going to be packed!) Luckily, my friend and I got right in front so we were close. She opened the show with Neon Lights which is one of my most favorite songs off the album! She sung about 15-20 songs, and the she really interacted with the crowd! She talked a lot to us, and told stories. Did I mention she pointed at me? Once I heard Run Run Run I got so excited since that is my favorite song, that she saw me in the crowd and pointed and winked at me! Highlight of my night! 
She also performed a lot of cover songs that night. Ranging from Smooth Operator to Nelly’s It’s Gettin’ Hot In Here. She covered Prince’s Purple Rain as well, and she expressed that she was very excited to be in the exact venue that it was filmed in. A couple days after the concert, she tweeted this:
2 weeks into the Freschetta Less is More Tour. The twin cities show on saturday was incredible. The venue was where purple rain was filmed!
You could tell she was having a lot of fun with her band! They were laughing and joking during the show, which seems like they must really be enjoying this tour!
Unfortunately, I did not meet Natasha after the show, but getting a wink and a point from her during the concert was enough for me! She looked gorgeous in a tan and red dress (which she has worn to previous shows) but she rocked it! After seeing her live you will realize she definitely CAN sing. She has vocals out of this world! I didn’t get the best pictures from the concert either, but if you were in attendance, please send us some! (Also send us photos from any Natasha concert you have attended on the Less is More Tour to natashafan@natashafan.com)
You can view the complete setlist from the Minneapolis show here!
You can watch Natasha perform a cover of The Police’s ‘SOS (Message In A Bottle)’ at the Minneapolis show, below!
SOS -Natasha Bedingfield (The Police cover) from Christy B on Vimeo.
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Jeff on
June 18, 2011 – 1:11 pm
Natasha Bedingfield, in the first of a series of video blogs, takes you behind the scenes for a private performance in Hyanis Port, MA.
She looks great, AND she’s funny!! What could be better than that?
Source: Official Website
BTW, Natasha’s official website has a new look. Check it out. It’s amazing!
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Jeff on
June 18, 2011 – 1:06 pm
By David Burger
It’s no surprise that Natasha Bedingfield’s June 23 show at the 300-seat State Room is sold out.
The intimate club doesn’t offer nearly enough room for a singer-songwriter who had a Top 5 pop album and single as recently as 2008 with “Pocketful of Sunshine.” She earned a following thanks to her 2005 single “Unwritten,” a massively popular radio hit that also served as the theme song for the hit MTV show “The Hills.”
Bedingfield, 29, has the kind of name-brand star power perfectly sized for arenas. But that’s not the point of what she’s calling her “Less Is More Tour.”
“In pop music, sometimes we think more is more, and blowing people’s heads off,” said the blond British daughter of New Zealand natives in a phone interview. “I’ve been sick of the way pop music has been going. It’s more about packaging and less about music.”
That’s why the Grammy-nominated Bedingfield released “Strip Me” last year, in a conscious decision to create more intimate songs. She co-wrote all 13 tracks, providing a glimpse of who the singer is behind all of that pop star glitter, showcasing the talent that prompts Utah native David Archuleta to name Bedingfield as one of his chief influences.
“The theme of the album was less is more,” Bedingfield said. “As humans, we are so diverse, but when you strip everything away, we’re all the same and have the same desires and fears.”
Salt Lake City audiences will see a back-to-basics, largely acoustic show that’s not just a marketing gimmick. “When I started out, I wanted to be more like Alicia Keys,” she said.
It explains why Bedingfield’s two biggest hits, “These Words” and “Unwritten,” are essentially about writer’s block. And why Bedingfield, an undeniably attractive woman, hasn’t fallen to the sexpot-driven scrutiny that fellow pop stars such as Christian Aguilera and Britney Spears have willingly submitted to. “I’m a little bit shyer,” said Bedingfield, adding that she admires the understated presence of Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
Bedingfield will be accompanied by opening acts Andy Grammer and Kate Voegele. Voegele, 24, is another female songwriter who has resisted the impulse to sell herself as a sexualized flavor of the moment.
She shared the stage with Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, James McMurtry and Wilco at 2005’s Farm Aid, and considers folk and gospel musician Patty Griffin — whom she has toured with — as her guiding light.
She named Grace Potter, whom she has opened shows for, as another artist she looks up to. Recently, the two were on the same bill in a Cleveland venue when the power went out. Potter used the opportunity to create a “campfire vibe” that Voegele described as “the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Besides appearing as a character on “One Tree Hill,” the Ohio native continues to write personal, introspective songs. Her album “Gravity Happens” was released in May. Many of the songs were written during a tough year when Voegele saw her aunt battle cancer, as well as seeing a friend become paralyzed in an accident — and then his wife left him.
“Life throws you curve balls,” she said. “It likes to throw you for a loop.” The key is learning how to take on challenges and not let them bring you down.
Source: Sltrib.com
