EXCLUSIVE: Jessica Jarrell Reveals 'My World' Tour Backstage Shenanigans

Sure, they may be a group of talented and popular artists who comprise the lineup of one of the hottest tickets this summer. But don’t think for one second that the performers on Justin Bieber’s “My World” tour aren’t having the time of their lives.

“We do a lot of fun things before the show, like today we’re thinking about playing ‘Hide and Seek’ around the venue,” said 15 year-old Jessica Jarrell in an interview Wednesday on “The Ralphie Radio Show.” Jarrell met Bieber about a year and a half ago, and now calls him a tour mate in addition to a friend. “(We have) like water fights and stuff, it’s been awesome.”

Bieber and Jarrell aren’t the only ones in on the shenanigans – fellow artists Sean Kingston and Iyaz also partake in the fun.

“We got them in the water fight just a few weeks ago,” Jarrell excitedly revealed. “Me and Justin teamed up and attacked Sean and Iyaz and all of them. We won!”
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Jessica's single "Up and Running" featuring Travie McCoy was the night's Daily Download.
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Of course, touring with one of the biggest pop acts in the world at a young age can have its downside, but Jarrell seems to be acclimating herself just fine.

“Me and Justin went to Mall of America and we started running – and hid in the Macy’s beds and then they ran right past us,” the singer recalled, as her and Bieber avoided a group of fans who spotted the two at the biggest mall in the country. “It was so funny, it was so cool. We just started cracking up.”

Jarrell is unaware if she’ll continue on the second leg of the “My World” tour this fall, but said it’s “highly possible.” Her duet with Bieber, “Overboard”, appears on My World 2.0 and will also land on Jarrell’s debut LP. The lead singer from her album, “Up and Running”, features Gym Class Heroes front man and “Billionaire” emcee Travie McCoy.

EXCLUSIVE: Iyaz Confirms 'Hannah Montana' Appearance

In an interview which aired Thursday on “The Ralphie Radio Show”, singer Iyaz confirmed another collaboration with Miley Cyrus, and this time it’ll be a project that you can not only hear, but see as well.

“I’m actually on an episode of ‘Hannah Montana’ that’s coming out in August,” the Island-pop star revealed. “I’ve been watching the show for the past two, three years and I’m definitely happy that I can be a part of it.”

The singer first linked up with Cyrus behind the microphone, telling me last March that he worked on a song with Miley for the new “Hannah Montana” soundtrack, which will coincide with the final season. The series launches in to its last run of episodes on July 11. Iyaz will now also appear alongside Cyrus.
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The British Virgin Islands-born star is keeping busy these days, and is no stranger to teaming up with the youngin’s. Iyaz partnered with Charice for the song “Pyramid,” which he also performed with the singer live on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” This summer, he joins up with fellow T.I.M.E. artist Sean Kingston on Jusitn Bieber’s “My World” tour.

“I think so, I think I am going to be on the second (leg of the tour),” said Iyaz of the prospects of traveling with Bieber through the winter, when the tour hits larger U.S. arenas. “We’re trying to get everything finalized so hopefully I am.”

DAILY DOWNLOAD: Iyaz - 'So Big'

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Iyaz talked about the story behind his new single, "So Big", on "The Ralphie Radio Show."

DAILY DOWNLOAD: Auburn - 'La La La'

Sure, her label may bill her that way. Yes, you may even think it after listening to "La La La." But do not call Auburn the "female Jason Derulo."

Matter of fact, don't call her the female version of anything.

The MySpace sensation scored a record deal with J.R. Rotem's Beluga Heights well before Derulo or Iyaz burst on to the scene. Now it's her turn at stardom with her first single pushed to radio, the catchy "La La La", which features her labelmate Iyaz.

Auburn checked in to "The Ralphie Radio Show" to shed some light on the track and the path she took to reach the current point of her career.

Part 1: "La La La"

Part 2: MySpace

EXCLUSIVE: Duke Grad Mike Posner Recorded 'Cooler Than Me' On A Dell Laptop

Turns out new artists Mike Posner and Iyaz have a couple things in common. Both attended four-year schools here in the States. And both used Dell laptops to record vocals and launch their respective careers.

“But it sounds crispy, doesn’t it?” Posner asked on Tuesday, referring to the track “Cooler Than Me.’ Oh yeah, both artists have also joined “The Ralphie Radio Show” as a guest. And yes, “crispy, “clean”, “clear”, you could insert a number of adjectives to describe how good it sounds all considering. Posner wrote and recorded the track in his Duke University dorm room, inspired by the women he encountered at the school.

“I can’t tell you like after the song came out like how many girls from my past came out of the woodwork and were like ‘I know this song is about me,’” recalled the emcee. “It’s like, ‘Ugh, you’re so vain. It’s not about you. But, now that you’re saying that, it kinda is.’”

Despite his disdain for some of the women on campus, Posner credits the Blue Devil student body’s support in launching his career to its current point. And although he wouldn’t divulge on the existence of any form of hazing, the artist even admits that his fraternity, Sigma Nu, also played a big role.
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Mike Posner is poised to explode on to the scene with his mixtape anthem, "Cooler Than Me" - an ode to the types of women he typically encountered on the campus of Duke University. The Duke graduate also spoke on the school's basketball championship and his forthcoming appearance on this year's Vans Warped Tour.

Download Posner's mixtapes for free at mikeposner.com.
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“I told my brothers to help me spread (my music),” he said. “Within’ a matter of months, the people in my fraternity had helped me create a nationwide fan base and now, I’m living my dreams because of them.”

Matter of fact, Posner is so busy that he can’t even find the time to collaborate with the likes of Flo-Rida and T.I. for the rappers’ respective forthcoming albums. The Michigan-born artist is currently working on his debut LP. He wouldn’t release the title to “The RRS” but did reveal that he's looking at a September release and that there would be no features with other artists.

“All Posner, all hits!” he joked. “I don’t need to trick people in to liking my stuff.”

Certainly a unique perspective, but then again – how many emcees do you know entering the game with a degree from Duke?

RRS EXCLUSIVE: Iyaz Reveals Miley Cyrus-Collab, Doesn't Know Who Leaked 'Solo'

In an interview on “The Ralphie Radio Show,” Iyaz revealed that he recently collaborated with Miley Cyrus in-studio.

“No, that was for her’s,” replied the singer, real name Keidran Jones, when asked if the track would be featured on his forthcoming album. Reprise Records’ Tommy Page confirmed that Iyaz’s debut LP, My Life, will hit stores April 27. The first single, “Replay” – not only topped the charts, but scored the Virgin Islands pop star some free product from Apple.

“They gave me some small little Shuffles that said, ‘Stuck On Replay’ on the back,” Iyaz divulged. On the hook of “Replay”, the crooner likens his unwavering love for a girl to his iPod being stuck on replay. “‘Replay’… all of my songs, if not most of ‘em, are based on true stories.”
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This also holds true with Iyaz’s latest single, “Solo,” – yes, he’s an eligible bachelor. The song samples Janet Jackson’s 1993 smash, “Again.” In a prior interview on “The RRS”, producer J.R. Rotem remarked that he breathed a sigh of relief when the sample cleared, as the song leaked on to YouTube before clearance. Although Iyaz eventually sent the link out to his followers on Twitter, he denies actually posting the track.

“I was in Vegas… I went on my Twitter, and somebody posted, “Man, I just heard ‘Solo’ on the radio,” recalled Iyaz. “So, you know me. I went straight to YouTube, and there it is. I was like, ‘Wow!’ And I didn’t have it (yet).”

The singer said that a similar situation occurred with “Replay.” Surely Iyaz hopes the entire situation will rewind and playback – producing yet another number one hit for the twenty-one year old artist.

EXCLUSIVE: J.R. Rotem, Part 3 - Janet Jackson Sample Clears, The Verve Doesn't

J.R. Rotem breathed a sign of relief when he found out that Janet Jackson cleared the use of a sample from her 1993 number one hit, “Again” for the latest single from Iyaz, “Solo.”

“Unfortunately that song leaked before we ever solidified anything,” said Rotem. “In a way it was amazing; people really seemed to be loving the record, but yunno on another way, it’s not like we officially had mixed it or mastered it or gone for sample clearance or anything like that.”

Although it may be unclear as to who actually posted the track on YouTube, this much is known: Iyaz himself, as well as Sean Kingston, “tweeted” out the link to their followers, thus beginning the buzz on the song. Jackson did not speak with Rotem directly, but did offer a compliment on the final piece, in addition to clearing the sample.
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Sample clearance is not a given – and like “Solo” – sometimes a track is produced but not commercially distributed before the okay is handed down. Case in point: a track off of Jason Derulo’s self-titled debut, due out March 2, called “Ridin’ Solo.” The version on YouTube contains portions of The Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony.” Rotem did not receive sample clearance from the band to use the track. Although disappointed, the song will still appear on the LP, with a different beat. It is not the first time the producer ran in to such an issue, and probably will not be the last.

“When you get creative, and you sample stuff, you don’t first get clearance,” explained Rotem. “There are certain cases, where people just aren’t interested… I actually can respect when they don’t want people to sample it... I can’t go in to it expecting that they are going to give me something that’s theirs.”

Rotem named Prince and The Rolling Stones in a list of different artists who are known not to offer sample clearance.

EXCLUSIVE: J.R. Rotem, Part 1 - The "J.R." Stutter-Signature

It’s a cool sound effect – and J.R. Rotem created it, and places it on some of the songs he produces, simply as a way to promote himself.

“These days, as you know, people are buying physical CDs less,” said Rotem in the first of an exclusive four-part interview on “The Ralphie Radio Show.” They buy iTunes stuff; they listen to things on YouTube. The days of people looking at liner notes on albums is kind of a thing of the past.”

So the stuttering “J.R.” sound effect was born. Although it graces some of his work, Rotem doesn’t use it on everything – citing Leona Lewis’s “Better In Time” as one track he felt it didn’t fit with. Radio stations also feel this way about some of his songs, creating custom edits for use on-air without the signature. But Rotem is just fine with that.
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“I don’t look at it as like a prerequisite, like you have to put that in there,” explained Rotem. “In the cases where they edit it out, that’s definitely something I understand and am cool with.”

Program directors of stations across the country have had many tracks gracing their desks and desktops with the “J.R.” audio signature – from Sean Kingston to Jason Derulo to Iyaz. As of late, Rotem and his Beluga Heights label have seen a great amount of success with the later two artists – as each have spawned a number one hit with “Whatcha Say” and “Replay” respecitively.

EXCLUSIVE: Janet Jackson Signs Off On Iyaz's "Solo"

At around 9 p.m. on Tuesday - Warner Brothers/Reprise Records received the green light from Janet Jackson to move forward on the release of the next Iyaz single, a sure-to-be-hit ballad entitled, "Solo."

The song samples Jackson's 1993 number 1 smash, "Again." According to a source at WB Records, Jackson gave her blessing to the track, and even complimented Iyaz on it, noting that she is a fan of the song.

The single is Iyaz's follow-up to his own number 1 hit, "Replay", in which he crooned about being stuck on a girl by using the metaphor that his iPod was stuck on, you guessed it, replay.

EXCLUSIVE: Sean Kingston Talks New LP, I-Yaz, Jason Derulo

Don’t expect a new single from Sean Kingston’s sophomore LP tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after.

Checking in to The Ralphie Radio Show via telephone, Kingston told me that Tomorrow is yesterday, as he is already in production on his third album.

“We’re gonna go to a brand new album, with some crazy joints,” revealed Kingston. “I’ve been so inspired that I’ve been in the studio… and I’ve been coming up with a lot of smashes.”
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The “Fire Burnin’” singer did confirm that J.R. Rotem is contributing to the new effort. Rotem produced the number one hit, “Whatcha Say” – a song performed by Jason Derulo but originally intended for Kingston’s album. Perhaps it’s that song, along with “Replay” – which is by Kingston’s artist I-Yaz, that inspired the new material.

Kingston closes out the year with the “Tomorrow Tour” and radio promo dates, and then will continue production on his next LP.

EXCLUSIVE: Catching Up With Jason Derulo

J.R. Rotem believed “Whatcha Say” needed to be someone’s first single. Sean Kingston already had that lead hit in “Fire Burning.” I-Yaz wrote and sang on the beat – but even the artist himself knew it just didn’t work. Then Jason Derulo sang on it, with the sped-up sample of Imogen Heap’s “Lost and Found.” While others within Rotem’s camp may have known of the forthcoming success, Derulo did not.

“We all liked the song, but I mean, we never knew that it’d be my first single or that people would have received it so well,” revealed Derulo, who stopped by The Ralphie Radio Show before performing at The Woodlands for 97 BHT listeners.

“We’ll make six songs in a day. I mean, “Whatcha Say” is definitely special, and we definitely got spine chills from it, but it’s amazing that people are being so receptive to it, and I couldn’t be more pleased.”
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Part 1: "Whatcha Say", Forthcoming LP

Part 2: Performance at The Woodlands, A.J. In The Afternoon

Check out Jason's performance here.
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However, for Derulo, there is one drawback to the song’s success – some radio stations play an edit sans the trademark “J-R” stutter and “Jason Derulo” shout out over the beginning. The Miami-born singer feels that he can work around such an edit on the next single.

“Next time, I’m gonna actually put it inside the song, where it’s like, ‘Mhhmm Whatcha Sa-Jason Derulo!’” he joked. “Try taking that out.”

We’ll see if Derulo follows through on the follow-up single. While Derulo hasn’t named a second track for radio release – he has played “Ridin’ Solo” at radio performances. The song samples The Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony” – and describes a bitter sweet breakup in an uplifting tone.

Derulo will open up for Lady GaGa on The Monster Ball tour this winter, and release his self-titled, debut LP in early 2010.

EXCLUSIVE: I-Yaz Checks In After The VMA'S

The up-and-coming singer chats about living with Sean Kingston, working with J.R. Rotem, and attending the VMAs in NYC, after the jump.

Part 1: The VMA's, "Replay"

Part 2: New LP, Tour