A Perfect Circle

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A Perfect Circle's Billy Howerdel On New Music, Touring Again & More

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We go behind-the-scenes with the influential rock group's guitarist and lead composer, who shares what it's been like making music together again and hints that "Judith" could be heard live in the near future
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 15, 2018 - 12:06 pm

A Perfect Circle, led by Maynard James Keenan and Billy Howerdel, released their ground-breaking, genre-nonconforming debut album, Mer De Noms, in 2000 to much critical acclaim. The group followed up with two more albums, Thirteenth Step in 2003 and Emotive in 2004, but then took a long hiatus to work on other projects, including Keenan returning to his GRAMMY-winning band Tool. Despite the time apart, A Perfect Circle wasn't over, and much to fans' delight the group started actively working together again in 2017, embarking on a tour and working on new music. They released their fourth studio album, Eat The Elephant, on April 20, 2018, along with a stunning album-length companion film.

The group visited the GRAMMY Museum on Oct. 10 for an intimate conversation and performance at the Clive Davis Theater for 200 lucky fans. Before the event we caught up with Howerdel to ask what he's been listening to lately, how the group's creative approach has shifted, his favorite songs to play live, what he'd like to say to fans, and more.

Billy Howerdel On A Perfect Circle's Return & More

Howerdel, who composes the majority of the group's music, with Keenan writing the lyrics, shares that their creative process has indeed shifted, and in working on the new album they took extra time "breaking things down a bit more" on each song. The guitarist also reveals that "Delicious" is one of his favorite tracks to play from the new album, and he's looking forward to playing it live for the first time soon. He also hinted that he wants to play "Judith," a fan-favorite from Mer De Noms, with the group again soon, one they haven't performed together live in quite some time.

Exclusive Video Premiere: A Perfect Circle "Eat The Elephant"

A Perfect Circle

A Perfect Circle

Photo: Rebecca Sapp/WireImage/Getty Images

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Exclusive Video Premiere: A Perfect Circle "Eat The Elephant"

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The supergroup returned with a new album 'Eat The Elephant,' 14 years since their last. They filmed a special album-length video for the release, and today we premiere the video for the emotive title track
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 11, 2018 - 3:15 pm

A Perfect Circle released their fourth studio album, Eat The Elephant, on April 20, 2018, 14 years after they put out their last album, Emotive. Their latest video for the album's title track is an emotive opening to the new album, with lead singer and songwriter Maynard James Keenan's haunting vocals supported by flowing, piano-filled notes by Billy Howerdel, the group's lead composer and guitarist. The group shot an innovative album length film for their new release, for which we see the first segment of in the new video for "Eat The Elephant."  

Always ones to put exquisite attention detail in their art, the rock group didn't hold back on their return to making music as A Perfect Circle. They worked with innovative filmmaker Steven Sebring to create a 58 minute film for the full album. The film was shot with Sebring's high-tech 360 degree circular camera system, creating what they are calling the "world's first hologram album." The latest video for "Eat The Elephant," premiering here today exclusively on GRAMMY.com, is a piece from the storyline of the new film.

The video is strange and intriguing, fitting for Keenan's piercing vocals, which begin with him singing; "Looming, omnipresent/This task ahead/This task at hand/Ominous and daunting." In the video we see a young girl sitting on a rotating bed, looking into a handheld projector. It gives you taste of the content of the album's full film, albeit in 2D, which takes you on a journey through the eyes of the same young girl across all 12 songs of the album.

"It's not so much a music video, so much as a companion piece to the song. I mean it is a video, but it's not," Howerdel recently told the Recording Academy. "Steven [Sebring] has this amazing loft in New York City, he's got this 360 degree camera array in there. We shot the album cover photos of Maynard and I there, and then he did the other video content. It's just amazing…It was an interesting process to see of how that booth worked."

The hologram film can only be viewed in 3D through a special prism placed on top of a smartphone. Watching it through the small silver pyramid-shaped device, which is available with the deluxe box set of Eat The Elephant, is next level visuals, like a live message being transmitted from another dimension, or from someone otherworldly.

"Having Maynard and Billy’s trust to create this for A Perfect Circle was a true artist's dream," Sebring shared on his site. "Their 14-year break allowed technology to catch up with their groundbreaking music and gave me the chance to apply new ideas of dimensional capture to this stunning album."

"It's incredibly refreshing to meet someone as bananas as I am," Keenan told Revolver. "Steven Sebring is my kind of eccentric. Top notch, Mr. Sebring. Top notch."

Last night, at An Evening With A Perfect Circle at the GRAMMY Museum on Oct. 10 Keenan and Howerdel discussed their creative process on the new album, the new film and played some new material to an intimate group of fans. Keenan shared "it was just time" to make music together again.

The group continues their tour in support of the new album, with dates across the U.S. ending in Phoenix on Nov. 20, then crossing the pond over to Europe in December. More information on the tour as well as the special album box set can be found on the band's website.

A Perfect Circle Announce More U.S. Tour Dates In Support Of New Album

Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa

Photo: Luc Coiffait | Design: F Inomata

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Dua Lipa On Calvin Harris, Other Dream Collabs, "New Rules," & More

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We go behind-the-scenes to hear what it was like for the pop star to work with Harris on his throwback-inspired "One Kiss," her gratitude for "New Rules" giving her "so many opportunities," and more
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 5, 2018 - 6:15 pm

Dua Lipa has been on fire lately and she's ready for more. Following the viral success of her catchy girl-power anthem "New Rules," released last summer from her debut self-titled album, she's brought more hits in the form of big-time collabs. In April, dance music powerhouse Calvin Harris dropped the summer-ready jam "One Kiss" featuring Lipa, and in September Silk City, the new Diplo and Mark Ronson production duo, gave us another dance-floor gem from the pop star with "Electricity."

Dua Lipa Talks Calvin Harris, "New Rules," & More

She visited the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles on Sept. 28 to give fans an intimate conversation and performance, and we caught up with her beforehand to learn more about what it was like working with Harris, who else she would love to collab with (Frank Ocean is on her list), what song she currently has on repeat, the success of "New Rules," and more.

The star is humble about her success and grateful for the positive reception she has gotten so far. She reflects on her breakout hit single "New Rules" with gratitude for what it's allowed her to do since then.

"It was something that I wanted, but never something that I expected. It really took me by surprise," Lipa shares. "I feel like it definitely took ten steps bigger and it just gave me so many opportunities."

Shawn Mendes On Being Authentic And Connecting With Fans

Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa

Photo: Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images | Design: F Inomata

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Dua Lipa Reflects On Her Journey To Pop Stardom: "Absolutely Mental"

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The rising star spoke to a lucky group of 200 fans at the GRAMMY Museum about how she got to where she is today, her musical influences and more
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 11, 2018 - 6:14 pm

Burgeoning popstar Dua Lipa visited the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles on Sept. 28 to share the story behind her music and her rise to fame and to treat fans with an intimate performance of a few of the songs that helped her get there, including "New Rules." During the conversation with Sam Lansky, the West Coast Editor of TIME Magazine, she spoke about her gratitude for where she is today, how she got there, the music she grew up listening to, and her biggest inspirations.

Dua Lipa On Success, Influences & More

Thanks to the viral success of the breakout single "New Rules," from her debut album, Dua Lipa, the young singer/songwriter is making a name for herself as she helps shift the pop landscape towards a safer, more celebratory place for empowered, confident women. She is grateful for where she is today, as well as for everything the success of the single has allowed her to do since then.

She explains that many of the connections she has made over the years have been through social media, mainly Twitter, and have allowed her to link up with others in the music industry, as well as her fans. She appreciates how her fans are her biggest advocates and their support has allowed her to keep doing what she loves.

"I'm so grateful for all the experiences I've been given. And all these amazing places that I visited. And all the crowds that I've experienced to do really what I love," Lipa shares. "I'm really just so thankful to the fans and all the listeners that have really reacted and resonated with the music."

When Lansky asks her about her biggest inspirations, she shares how much she loved—and still loves—listening to Pink and Nelly Furtado growing up, and learned all the words to their songs. She shares how listening to their albums when she was younger, and feeling like she really got to know the two popstars, inspired her to make music that would allow her fans to get to know her.

"I feel like I really got to know those two artists so well just by listening to their music. And that was something I aspired to do with my first album," Lipa explains. "It was all about allowing people to get to know me, for me."

Dua Lipa On Calvin Harris, Other Dream Collabs, "New Rules," & More

Jermaine Dupri

Jermaine Dupri

Photo: Rebecca Sapp/WireImage/Getty Images | Design: F Inomata

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Jermaine Dupri On The Real Story Behind Turning Kris Kross Into Stars

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In an exclusive conversation at the GRAMMY Museum, the So So Def founder shares the two-year journey from meeting the teens "with swag" at the mall to developing them into breakout rap stars
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Sep 26, 2018 - 5:27 pm

Jermaine Dupri, along with a stellar crew of friends and label-mates, visited the GRAMMY Museum on Sept. 20 for an exclusive conversation looking back on and celebrating the impact of 25 years of his record label, So So Def Recordings. We learned a lot about how Dupri's vision and focus allowed him to turn so many different artists into stars over the years, and in the case of Kris Kross, how he saw the rap stars in them before they ever did.

Jermaine Dupri on Turning Kris Kross Into Stars

Dupri clearly has an eye for talent and how to best showcase it. While most people have likely heard some version of the story that he discovered young teens Kris Kross at the mall and turned them into rap stars with their hit debut single "Jump," the details of how all of it happened and what it took to get there are often left out.

In conversation with the museum's Artistic Director Scott Goldman, Dupri shares how much more in-depth the story really is, and that the young boys weren't trying to be rappers when they first met, so he really had to get to know them to shape them into the stars he knew they were. This personalized process became  how he worked with all future So So Def artists, and  played a huge part in the label's – and each artist's – success. Kris Kross was So So Def's first artist and first success story, and they paved the way for Dupri's continued excellence.

"You gotta understand people out there, Kris Kross weren't rappers. They weren't kids walking around with demos. They weren't trying to be rappers. They weren't trying to be singers. When I met them I said, 'What do y'all do?'" Dupri explains. "'We just cool.' I was like, 'Damn. Get these guys a record fast.'"

The conversation with Jermaine Dupri and Friends kicked off of the opening of the GRAMMY Museum's newest exhibit, Jermaine Dupri & So So Def: 25 Years of Elevating Culture, which will be on view until Jan. 2019.

Jermaine Dupri On The Most Game-Changing Song He's Worked On & More