NEW ALBUM & DELUXE EDITION ARTWORK : miley cyrus - bangerz

I was not expecting this at all - from the imagery she was unveiling during the 'We Can't Stop' release, the last thing I thought an album called 'Bangerz' would include was a peach colour tone, neon bulbs and palm trees. It's 'Miami Vice'-ness and I love it! 

And the deluxe edition is serving up more 80s, tumblr yumness!

NEW SINGLE ARTWORK : azealia banks - yung rapunxel

British visual artist Jam Sutton revealed Ms. Banks' new single artwork for single 'Yung Rapunxel' - from upcoming debut album. It's loud, lairy and feels like a throwback to a vintage Missy Elliott/Hype Williams video... I love it!

NEW PROMO PICS & BACK COVER ARTWORK : keyshia cole - woman to woman

Today saw Keyshia revealing the promo images for her latest release 'Woman To Woman' - which all hold a really interesting twist... Ms. Cole appears to be giving a nod to her four previous albums' artworks, with famed photographer Derek Blanks having her pose alongside herself styled to look like each era. Check them out below!

Here she is rocking the original hood girl look that we all fell in love with - from her debut album 'The Way It Is':

The short black 'do from third album 'A Different Me'...

Key redid her heart-shaped lipstick to capture the look from underrated fourth album 'Calling All Hearts'...

And the short, blonde and curly look from sophomore (and personal favourite) release 'Just Like You' gets pride of place as the album's back cover artwork!

Loving this concept! Originally I had thought the album's title referred to a conversation between two women (especially since the title track from the release features Ashanti) - but these concept photographs make me think she is going for the idea of a woman growing into an even wiser woman. Anyone who has listened to a Keyshia Cole album knows she pours a helluva lot of emotion into it, from her debut to present day, but she is honest about the fact she is always growing and learning.

Really proud of Keyshia for stepping up her concepts, ideas and visuals this era (see: artworks and music videos), as a fan you can really see her artistic growth and it is great to witness her projects matching the quality she holds in her musical talent and ability! Bring on 'Woman To Woman'...

(Seen over at thatgrapejuice.com)

NEW SINGLE & LOGO ARTWORK : girls aloud - something new

After unleashing the flawlesssssss artwork for their tenth anniversary compilation 'Ten', the girls just keep it coming with the divine cover for single 'Something New'. Those colours, the poses, the styling! Yum.

p.s. Check out the delicious new logo as well:

! updated ! NEW ALBUM & DELUXE EDITION ARTWORK : keyshia cole - woman to woman (standard & deluxe)

Yesterday I posted about Keyshia's hint at her new album artwork - I knew it wouldn't be the finished product, as it included no type on it and I don't feel Key is brave enough to put that as her cover (even though the image is strong enough to). It now turns out that she was hinting at the deluxe version of the album, as she has revealed the fully completed artworks.

Here is the standard edition of the album...I see chicks are still trying to make blue lipstick happen (IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!)...

And here is the (better of the two) deluxe edition version:

As I said previously, kudos to Cole for being brave with her imagery this go around (not just in artwork, but also music videos) - her talent can surely carry it! She just needs to make sure she doesn't go too "out there" (like a certain Ms. Minaj) and have it destroy all her hard work.

NEW LIMITED EDITION ARTWORK : lana del rey - born to die : the paradise edition (deluxe boxset)

Yum, yum, yum, yummmmm! The other week I showed you the artwork for Lana's 'Born To Die' re-release (check it here) and now it has been announced that 'The Paradise Edition' will also come in a deluxe box set version (Cue fangirl squealing from simonsez...)! The set will include:

- A specially designed digipak version of the album

- An exclusive remix album

- A DVD featuring all the singles' music videos

- A 7" vinyl of 'Blue Velvet, including artwork from her H&M shoot

- 4 card prints (which from the press shots looks like the singles' artwork)

Phew! That's what I'm talkin' 'bout :) Universal have released two press shots of the set (see above and below) and it looks like the remix CD and the DVD will come in their own slipcases. As more images arise, be sure that simonsez will be posting!

NEW MIXTAPE & BACK COVER ARTWORK : iggy azalea - trapgold

Iggs has unveiled the artwork for her up coming mixtape 'Trapgold' - designed completely by herself! Me likey :)

NEW SINGLE & LOGO ARTWORK : rihanna - diamonds

"That Rihanna reign just won't let up."

Onto the next album it is then! Riri has unveiled the artwork for new single 'Diamonds' and I love it!! It's like someone took one of her Instagram photos of her smoking a fat blunt and scrawled across it. It's ghetto fab and your fave could never.

p.s. Seriously being serious, I actually do love it - hoping the album artwork has such strong visuals throughout it all. But, I'm hoping the black 'n' white isn't done to death, this needs to feel different from 'Talk That Talk's artwork.

Check out a HQ version of that new take on the "R" logo - love that she's keeping that on as a moniker <3

NEW ALBUM & SINGLE ARTWORK : agnes - veritas & all i want is you

Whoever is putting together Agnes' artwork for this era deserves a medal and I doth my cap to them. Check out the album and new single cover below to see what I mean - and also the defining artwork for 'One Last Time' - each one feels like a major step forward for Agnes and gets me so excited for the accompanying sounds :)

NEW MIXTAPE ARTWORK : tinashe - reverie

Can I just say one thing - though it may become two or three things, so sit tight - how is it that an unsigned* act like Ms. Tinashe can create solid visuals (i.e. any music video she has starred in) and beautiful artwork (such as below, her latest mixtape cover) completely funded by herself, with no major label backing....while some can have nowhere near as much of an eye for design or talent for creativity, but still be funded to design products that look...like...this...

#TeamTinashe :P

*Well actually, a recently signed act - but all her creative deeds were done before she put her name on the dotted line.

RANDOM : so 2chainz has some pretty delicious artwork...

Kanye West's "G.O.O.D. Music" signee 2chainz is everywhere, if you don't know who he is - I bet you'll have heard him lay a few bars on your fave's latest smash (or at least the remix version...). I had kind of put him into the category of 'yes, a talented rapper, but I'm not going to go out of my way to listen to him/buy his music' etc. etc. But , I had to rethink that when I saw his album artwork. Check it out below (titled 'Based On A T.R.U. Story'):

Now, I hope you can see why I find this piece enjoyable: it feels considered (inverting the parental advisory sticker so it fits with the palette), well executed (the photography is invitingly clear where you don't want to look away) and - most importantly - it is simple (which in the rap genre is rare, with artwork often very garish and o.t.t.). Look at it alongside the 'Deluxe Edition' cover of the album as well and the cover feels like even more of a solid piece:

BOOM - Yes and yes! This artwork actually makes me want to know more about the artist, giving the impression that with a well orchestrated visual comes a bit more of a considered approach to the music as well. This artwork is no accident, it is a creation from Yeezy's DONDA design company (a collection of creatives, who Kanye employs to help him create graphic design, visuals and "galvanise amazing thinking" - read more about it  here). For me, I completely see the considered approach given to this visual and I applaud it. Also check out single artwork for 2chainz's latest 'Birthday Song (Ft. Kanye)':

Yum.

NEW PROMO PIC & LOGO ARTWORK : mutya keisha siobhan

AWWWMAAAGAWWWD! An exciting day in the world of pop, that is for sure! So the original Sugababes members (Origibabes as the internet has come to christen them...) have finally announced their reunion and I couldn't be more ecstatic! So here is what we know already:

The girls (who obviously can't use the Sugababes name) have decided to keep it simple and elegant and name themselves... Mutya Keisha Siobhan. Keeping their elements of individuality, but definitely standing together excited for the future!

The girls have released two promo images (shot by fashion photographer Paul Scala) - see them at the top and bottom of this post. They look fun, together and effing stunning!

They have a new logo and I frigging love it:

(Interestingly...it looks like a slightly simpler version of the type used in the last Sugababes logo. Also, loving the use of dashes - elegant yumness galore.)

So, to conclude. I'm excited. You should be as well. I'll update when that all important single and album artwork arises...

p.s. I have loved Sugababes and ALL their members, from Day One. You'll find no hate for any of them hear, just excitement and support :)

NEW SINGLE ARTWORK : kat deluna - sobredosis (ft. el cata)

You can't fault Kat's grind, churning out those hits at a rate of knots! Getting some serious Jenny-lo vibes from this artwork - I dig it...in spadefuls! (The type of "Sobredosis" is nasty though.. the serifs make me feel queasy :/)

NEW SINGLE ARTWORK : pink - blow me (one last kiss)

LOVELOVELOVETHIS! Pink has slayed us again with some awesome design for her new single cover. Getting a vintagey, 60s illustration poster vibe from it and it is giving me life. Excited for the new album artwork :D

p.s. Do we think the "Coca Cola"-esque logo is her new logotype?

NEW SINGLE ARTWORK : professor green - remedy (HQ)

don't know why it's taken so long for the HQ to surface, after i posted the low quality version a while back...here it is:

also in well-chosen marketing news - the prof has decided to release a beer called 'remedy', to align with the release of the single. he says "p .diddy has his ciroc vodka - because i'm british i've got my beer". i love love love when acts do this, something a little different, a little novelty :) and of course the bottle needs a label! take a look below for the victorian-esque look it's been given...

p.s. anyone else hoping for a deluxe edition of the album that includes a bottle :D

fancy trying the tipple - just click here!

NEW EP ARTWORK : azealia banks - 1991

oooooooo, gurl, i'm feeling this! channeling some pure grace jones (as quite a few others have done before her), banks pulls out a striking yellow 'n black piece for her debut EP. and it's got me even more excited for it!

p.s. i don't know what pose she be pulling, but i'm adopting it for all future photos of myself...

DISCOVERED : zowie - love demolition & my calculator

so i absoLUTEly love it when an amazing artwork introduces me to a new artist - instead of seeing their video first or an interview or badly-written blog post. if the artwork is done reaaallly well, then not only do you get a feast for the eyes but also so much information about what they're about to give you musically. and that is what happened to me with my new pop crush: zowie - a new zealand singer songwriter who is about to make it big. the first image of her i came in contact with was the cover of single 'my calculator'. i saw wet-look leggings, i saw faboose shoes, i saw ladies legs spread a-kimbo, i saw a shade of purple that justin bieber hasn't shat all over...i felt love at first sight. check that out below:

i know right. UH-MAY-ZANG! simple, edgy, camp...you're hooked! so obviously i checked out what else she had to offer visually and discovered the video for 'my calculator':

i know right. also UH-MAY-ZANG! geometric shapes, just enough colour, everything dripping in glossy, matte black. yum! then i thought, i need an album cover. i need an album cover that is gunna seal this deal. and seal that deal it did. the album is 'love demolition' and here is that artwork:

AHHHHH!?@?!12?!? yes! getcho life, yes! i'm getting grace jones. i'm getting robyn. hell i'm even getting some kelly osbourne 'one word' and i like it! i'm hooked, i'm signed for, sealed and delivered. artwork heaven with awesome pop to match. done.