| CMU Daily - on the inside Wednesday 18th January |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- China's digital music industry set to boom
- New survey predicts massive growth in mobile music
- IT expert reckons flawed SonyBMG software now on 850,000 networks
- Hayes treated for exhaustion
- UK classical stand expands
- Jacko being courted by Bahraini property firm
- Gary Glitter trial date looms
- New DVD provides beginners guide to industry
- Doherty loses money, causes flagrant waste
- 1Xtra announces Xtra bass week 2006
- U2 tickets cause a bit of chaos
- Dynamite racial abuse update
- Ashcroft instore, announces tour
- Sway announces UK dates
- Very long Morrissey tour confirmed
- Morning Runner tour and album
- Cuban Brothers live
- Mogwai to play Albert Hall
- Maximo Park instores
- IT bods welcome you to the world of tomorrow
- Frances Bean on perils of being Love's daughter
- Kaiser Chiefs book is not a biography, okay?
- Signed Stones guitar stolen
- Eminem's Gran has a go at Kim
- Will Young says X-Factor is unhealthy
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TOP BIT>>
So, not so much mention of Celeb Big Brother here in the Daily of late, which may or may not be related to the fact that it's all been just a little bit tedious so far. If this was the CPU Daily, we might comment that while George Galloway's cat impression was pretty horrendous to watch, accusations by his political enemies that his presence in the house has brought politics into disrepute are a bit unfair (surely launching a war on the back of dodgy evidence for the benefit of some rich Americans did significantly more to damage the reputation of politicians than anything George has done on the reality show?). But this is the College Music Update, so we won't go there. The music world's representatives in the house - Maggot GLC and Ordinary Boy Preston - have, as yet, escaped being put up for eviction, though former Dead Or Alive frontman Pete Burns is facing the public vote for a second time, and is currently bookies favourite to go. Preston and 'non-celeb' Chantelle are still favourites to win. There, told you it was a bit tedious.
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CHINA'S DIGITAL MUSIC INDUSTRY SET TO BOOM
If we had a CMU Wise Man Of The Week Award (which, just for the record, we don't), then this week it would go to the headmaster of the Brighton school who is insisting his pupils learn a little Mandarin on the basis that the Chinese economy is growing so fast, and China's population is so damn big, that kids of today really should have some knowledge of the country's language and culture. He's right you know. And especially, it would seem, if said kids want to work in music.
Because despite ongoing piracy issues, a new report by US research firm In-Stat reckons that China will be a major market for digital music by 2008, when the legitimate download sector could bring in over US$222 million in annual revenues. The report, 'Digital Music in China', says the arrival of more legitimate download platforms in the country in the last year, coupled with the proactive support of Chinese officials in stopping the illegal distribution of music online, should result in a significant boost in legitimate sales in the next two years.
Commenting on the report, In-Stat analyst Anty Zheng told reporters: "The end of 2007 will be the turning point for China's legitimate digital music market. By then, several mega online music stores will have opened; the user base of portable music devices will have surpassed 100 million; a major crackdown on music piracy will have been in effect for several years; third-generation (3G) mobile communication system access will be rolled out; and consumers will be adequately educated about legitimate digital music."
Telling us that China is going to an increasingly important market is perhaps stating the obvious, though the report does have some more useful information in it too - in particular advice that big players in the global music industry and download space should consider adopting different business models in China where average selling prices are lower, and where a different royalties culture exists.
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NEW SURVEY PREDICTS MASSIVE GROWTH IN MOBILE MUSIC
Possibly stating the obvious again here - though there has been much debate recently over exactly where the mobile network's music ambitions are heading. Either way, a new report from US analysts Frost & Sullivan reckons the mobile music market is going to be huge. They estimate that the European ringtone market alone will be worth 3 billion euros by 2011, while the wider mobile music market will be worth in excess of 7.85 billion euros.
The analysts identify several factors likely to transform the mobile music sector. Developments in handset technology and European 3G networks in particular, coupled with falling 'data-transfer' costs on most networks and the growing support of the music industry, who will like the fact that mobile music platforms offer more controls for content owners than the distribution of music in the wider internet space.
Also key to the growth is the development of mobile music products that appeal to older consumers. The ring tone market still relies on the youth market for a significant portion of its revenues, but Frost & Sullivan reckon that will change as the mobile music sector grows in the next few years.
Commenting on the report, Frost & Sullivan's ICT Markets Industry Manager Pranab Mookken told reporters: "Improved cellular networks that allow the delivery of over the air full-track music, as well as better quality master ringtones / real tones, are creating a paradigm shift in the way customers experience music. The active involvement of key participants in the music industry is a direct result of the recognition of mobile networks as secure and interactive delivery channels for multiple music applications."
However, the report adds that the growth in this sector won't happen overnight, concluding: "While mobile operators are confident of driving sales efficiently and more effectively than retails giants such as Tesco and Apple, this will take some convincing and is likely to happen over a period of time".
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IT EXPERT RECKONS FLAWED SONYBMG SOFTWARE NOW ON 850,000 NETWORKS
An IT professional in the US says he reckons over three quarters of a million computer networks have now been infected by the XCP copy protection software that was installed on CDs released by SonyBMG in the US. Dan Kaminsky previously estimated that half a million networks were affected, but he has increased that estimate to 850,000, and added that both government and military networks are likely to be affected.
As previously reported at length, the XCP, or 'rootkit', software was designed to stop consumers from ripping tracks off CDs onto their PCs or portable music devices, and was included on 52 SonyBMG releases. However the major had to recall the CDs after IT experts subsequently said that the software, which automatically installs onto a music fan's machine when the CD is played, makes the user's PC more susceptible to virus attack. SonyBMG is currently in the process of compensating those consumers affected.
Kaminsky has been tracking the number of computers and networks infected with the software, and reports that 12,000 networks are infected in Florida, 8000 in Massachusetts and 6300 in New Jersey, adding: "It is unquestionable that Sony's code has gotten into military and government networks, and not necessarily just US military and government networks". That last point references the fact that, although CDs carrying the software were only officially sold in North America, XCP has been found on computer networks in 135 countries around the world, probably distributed through import sales and the distribution of illegal bootleg recordings.
Whether these statistics have any bearing on SonyBMG, who are already running a proactive campaign to compensate affected consumers, and to help them remove the software off their PCs, remains to be seen. What it possibly does mean is that if the software is shown to have any other damaging side effects, or viruses start to utilize its weaknesses, the scale of additional fallout could be substantial.
Meanwhile, don't forget the first MusicTank Think Tank event of 2006 takes place in London tonight, and DRM and copy protection is the topic up for debate. Details about the event are at http://www.musictank.co.uk. Our round up on the topic, as well as an interview with !K7's Horst Weidenmüller on his anti-copy protection 'Respect The Music' campaign is online here: http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/interviews
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HAYES TREATED FOR EXHAUSTION
Isaac Hayes is being treated for exhaustion in a Memphis hospital. Hayes, of course, is probably equally famous these days for his chart topping 'Theme From Shaft' and his voicing of Chef in South Park. Longtime songwriting partner David Porter confirmed that Hayes was in hospital, but stressed it was nothing serious, telling reporters: "He's just overworked and had been in Atlantic City performing, the DC area performing and in Tunica a couple of nights ago. He was just overworked. He's doing much better".
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UK CLASSICAL STAND EXPANDS
Twenty six delegates from fifteen separate independent classical and jazz labels will take part in the much expanded BPI Classical And Jazz Stand at Midem next week. The expansion is part of the BPI's mission to improve the services it offers independent labels, and the stand will be part of the previously mentioned government supported 'British village' being staged by the BPI and British Music Rights.
Confirming the high number of delegates taking part in the stand, Linn Records' Caroline Dooley, who is organising it, told CMU: "British classical music has been well-represented by independent music in the past few years which has led to the creation of a number of new labels, and now British jazz artists are beginning to receive global recognition they deserve thanks to the international opportunities Midem provides. The BPI's move to expand the stand not only enables more labels to attend more cost effectively, but achieves a united profile for classical and jazz independent labels at the same time."
BPI International Manager Matt Glover added: "Having the majority of the UK classical and jazz delegation all on one stand makes life easier for international delegates, but crucially it's enabled us to deliver a better service, for more independents, and at no increased cost. Some of the companies now exhibiting on the stand would have been unable to attend Midem this year were not for this additional support
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JACKO BEING COURTED BY BAHRAINI PROPERTY FIRM
Michael Jackson is apparently being courted by a Bahrain-based company to consult on entertainment issues. This story hasn't been confirmed by Jacko's people, we should add, but the owner of property development firm AAJ Holdings has said he wants Jackson to work for this company advising on how best to set up an entertainment business. In a statement, the company reportedly says: "Stagnant architectural structures need content in the form of entertainment to revive them and that's where Michael Jackson will play an integral role". As previously reported, Jacko has been residing in Bahrain for much of the time since his acquittal on those child abuse charges last year.
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GARY GLITTER TRIAL DATE LOOMS
Ta Quoc Viet, the head of the criminal court in the Ba Ria Vung Tai province of Vietnam has confirmed that Gary Glitter is to go on trial in the latter half of February, saying "We expect to put him on trial in the second half of next month."
As previously reported, Glitter, real name Paul Gadd, is to be tried for committing obscene acts with young girls and could face up to seven years in prison if he is convicted of the offence. An initial charge of child rape, which would carry the death sentence, was dropped, but, says Ta Quoc Viet, that charge could be reconsidered if new evidence is uncovered during the course of the trial. He added that the court will make a decision as to whether the trial will be public or held behind closed doors.
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NEW DVD PROVIDES BEGINNERS GUIDE TO INDUSTRY
A new DVD will be released next month providing a guide to the music industry. It's narrated by Radio 1's Ras Kwame, and involves over 70 industry types including Ms Dynamite, Kano, Wiley and Ricky Bleu, boss of independent music TV station Channel U. It will be called 'The Industry' and is released by Jambelle Productions on 13 Feb. Press info from Toast Press ([email protected]).
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DOHERTY LOSES MONEY, CAUSES FLAGRANT WASTE
According to the Daily Mirror, when Pete Doherty got himself arrested again at the weekend, he missed out on £50,000 because he failed to make that gig in Austria. The Babyshambles man was due to join his band in a performance for FM4, a radio station in Graz, but was held up due to the arrest which, as previously reported, occurred when Doherty thought police were pulling him over (as it turned out, they were pulling over the car behind him).
In addition to costing himself 50k, of course, Doherty cost FM4 a shitload more money, because of the 20k they had laid out to get him a private jet, and the 100k of ticket refunds they had to shell out due to the no-show. The tabloid's source said: "Pete's bandmates, Drew McConnell and Adam Ficek, flew to Graz without Pete on Saturday afternoon because they thought he'd be released in time to join them for the gig. The promoters organised the jet for 6pm. It was held for five hours... until it became clear Pete wasn't going to make it."
Let's hope he can get to Liverpool without getting arrested / side tracked / abducted by aliens. Babyshambles have just confirmed a last minute date at the Carling Academy Liverpool for this Sunday, 21 Jan.
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1XTRA ANNOUNCES XTRA BASS WEEK 2006
1Xtra have announced details of its fourth annual Xtra Bass Week, which is basically a week of live drum & bass broadcasts from 13 to 18 Mar, coming from cities around the UK. Live broadcasts will included late and overnight live sets from various clubs around the country, plus daytime broadcasts from the Xtra Bass tour bus as it moves from one city to another. The Friday line up will also air on Radio 1.
Dates, cities and line ups as follows.
13 Mar - Amber Rooms, Exeter: L Double presents Xtra Bass with Scratch Perverts, Jungle Drummer and MC Trip, Mr Nice and Mr Wisely; Room 2 - Blakey, First Aid and Devon Cream.
14 Mar - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham: Bailey presents Xtra Bass with Goldie, Heist, Transit Mafia and MC Rage.
15 Mar - Ignite & Lava, Norwich: Flight presents Xtra Bass with Marcus Intalex, Craggz & Parallel Forces live, Pendulum & Fabio, LSB and Scheme plus MC Stamina, Eksman and Dynamite MC; Room 2 - Rodney P & Skitz, Heartless Crew, D Muli and Deftex.
16 Mar - Sankey's Soap, Manchester: Sappo presents Xtra Bass with Kenny Ken and Crissy Criss, MC Tonn Piper plus Skinnymand and Scratch Perverts.
17 Mar - Edinburgh University Students' Union: 1Xtra and Radio 1 presents Xtra Bass with Sappo, Bailey, Fabio and Grooverider, Prophecy, Eno and Skye, MC Tonn Piper, MC Verse and BZ.
18 Mar - Ashton Court Mansion, Bristol: 1Xtra presents Xtra Bass the Finale with Roni Size, DJ Clipz, L Double and Bailey plus Dynamite MC and MCs Jakes and Sweetpea; Room 2 - Aaron Ross and Benji B plus local DJs.
Confirming the line up, 1Xtra Programmes Editor Willber Willberforce told CMU: "Xtra Bass Week is one of 1Xtra's biggest priorities. The response we get from listeners is phenomenal, no other station represents for this genre like 1Xtra does. Featuring some of the hottest talent around, Xtra Bass Week promises listeners an even better event than before. It is a highlight in the calendar for our listeners and allows us to pay homage to a genre born on these shores, a genre that continues to produce some of the best new music."
More info at the URL below, press info from Radio 1 press office:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/events/details_xtrabass.shtml
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U2 TICKETS CAUSE A BIT OF CHAOS
There was a wee bit of chaos in Brazil recently when tickets for U2's 20 Feb gig in Sao Paulo went on sale. The tickets were only available through a handful of outlets of a supermarket chain, and things got problematic because only one cashier was handling sales (presumably in each of the outlets) and ticket machines subsequently stopped working. A spokesman for the supermarket said: "There were 73,000 tickets. The demand was much, much more. We estimate about 100,000 people wanted tickets and all were buying the 10 ticket limit". Gig organisers apologised, and promised that an extra show would be added.
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DYNAMITE RACIAL ABUSE UPDATE
It's only a little update, though. You may remember that when Ms Dynamite, real name Niomi McClean-Daley appeared in court to plead guilty to those assault charges last week, her lawyer, Anthony Burton, mentioned an incidence of 'racial abuse' that preceded the events leading up to the singer's arrest on 6 Jan.
More comments from Burton have now been reported regarding the abuse. He says: "that evening she and her younger sister, aged 18, had been the subject of racial abuse, and as far as my client is concerned - and this will have to be looked into - her younger sister was assaulted."
McClean Daley is back in court on Thursday for sentencing, and was not in court yesterday, as was previously reported.
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ASHCROFT INSTORE, ANNOUNCES TOUR
Richard Ashcroft is to do an instore at HMV on Oxford Street at 6pm on 23 Jan. He'll be signing copies of new solo album 'Key To The World'. Ashcroft is currently part way through a short, sold out tour, but has just announced another series of gigs for this summer. Tickets for the new dates go on sale from this Friday at 9am, dates are as follows:
8 May: Glasgow Carling Academy
9 May: Blackpool Empress Ballroom
10 May: Derby Assembly Rooms
12 May: Newcastle Carling Academy
13 May: Doncaster Dome
15 May: Birmingham Carling Academy
16 May: Exeter University
17 May: Portsmouth Guildhall
19 May: London Brixton Carling Academy
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SWAY ANNOUNCES UK DATES
Gosh. More tour news. There's a lot of it about at the moment. Buzzing, nay, precocious MOBO-winning rapper Sway has announced a series of live dates, as follows:
10 Feb: Swindon Brunel Rooms
16 Feb: Cambridge Rawganics @ The Junction
17 Feb: Hereford Lock Up
18 Feb: Oxford Covern II
19 Feb: Colchester Level 2 @ University of Essex
23 Feb: Liverpool No Fakin' @ Academy 2
25 Feb: Leicester Haymarket Theatre
27 Feb: Derby Assembly Rooms
28 Feb: Nottingham Theatre Royal Centre
2 Mar: Bedford The Pad
10 Mar: London Islington Academy
17 Mar: Nottingham Camouflage @ Rescue Rooms
18 Mar: Manchester Academy 3
23 Mar: Bristol Shoestring @ Fez Club
24 Mar: Bournemouth Consortium
29 Mar: York Fibbers
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VERY LONG MORRISSEY TOUR CONFIRMED
Well, those Morrissey tour dates we reported on yesterday were only the tip of the iceberg, apparently. The former Smiths frontman has confirmed a massive UK tour to follow the release of new album 'Ringleader Of The Tormentors' on 3 Apr. Tickets go on sale 9am Friday, and dates are as follows:
18 Apr: Salford Lowry
19 Apr: Llandudno NW Theatre
20 Apr: Leeds Town Hall
22 Apr: Aberdeen Music Hall
23 Apr: Stirling Albert Halls
25 Apr: Dundee Caird Hall
26 Apr: Greenock Town Hall
27 Apr: Glasgow Academy
29 Apr: Whitehaven Civic
30 Apr: Gateshead Sage
3 May: Sheffield City Hall
4 May: Grimsby Auditorium
6 May: Manchester Apollo
7 May: Manchester Opera House
8 May: Manchester Bridgewater
10 May: Halifax Victoria Hall
11 May: Blackburn King Georges
12 May: Liverpool Philharmonic
14 May: London Palladium
15 May: Cardiff St Davids
17 May: Reading Hexagon
19 May: Portsmouth Guildhall
20 May: Birmingham Symphony Hall
21 May: London Palladium
23 May: Truro Hall For Cornwall
24 May: Cheltenham Town Hall
25 May: Oxford New Theatre
27 May: Kings Lynn Corn Exchange
28 May: London Palladium
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MORNING RUNNER TOUR AND ALBUM
And on to another massive tour, and this time it's Morning Runner, who release their much anticipated debut 'Wilderness Is Paradise Now' on 6 Mar, preceded by a single release 'Burning Benches' on 20 Feb. The live dates are as follows:
1 Feb: London Dublin Castle
3 Feb: Nottingham Social
4 Feb: Bristol Louisiana
7 Feb: Stoke Sugarmill
8 Feb: Leicester Charlotte
10 Feb: Northampton Soundhaus
11 Feb: Peterborough Met Lounge
12 Feb: Wolverhampton Little Civic
14 Feb: Oxford Zodiac
15 Feb: Exeter Cavern
16 Feb: London Brixton Academy
19 Feb: Brighton Komedia
20 Feb: Southend Chinnerys
21 Feb: Southampton Joiners
22 Feb: Reading Fez
24 Feb: Sheffield Leadmill bar
25 Feb: Wrexham Central Station
27 Feb: Newcastle Cluny
28 Feb: Aberdeen Tunnel
1 Mar: Glasgow King Tuts
3 Mar: York Fibbers
4 Mar: Leeds Cockpit
6 Mar: Manchester Night and Day
7 Mar: Cardiff Barfly
8 Mar: London ULU
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CUBAN BROTHERS LIVE
The wonderful Cuban Brothers will be performing live at 93 Feet East on 2 Feb, ahead of the 6 Mar release of their A-Z compilation on Sunday Best (which I really ought to get round to reviewing). Rob da Bank, Max Sedgley, Lewis (from Kitty David & Lewis) and the Sunday Best Allstars will also be there. Kicks off at 8pm, runs till 2am.
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MOGWAI TO PLAY ALBERT HALL
Well, we love Mogwai here at CMU, though I never realised they were big enough to play the Royal Albert Hall. But well done them because, hot on the heels of that completely sold-out five night residency at the ICA last week, an Albert Hall date has been announced for September. If you can't wait that long, there'll be ten other dates in March/April too, to follow up the 6 Mar release of their much anticipated new album 'Mr Beast'. Dates and gubbins as follows:
29 Mar: Bristol, Academy
30 Mar: Southampton, Uni
31 Mar: Wolverhampton, Wulfrun Hall
1 Apr: Oxford, Brookes Uni
2 Apr: Cardiff, Coal Exchange
4 Apr: Cambridge, Junction
5 Apr: Liverpool, Carling Acdemy
6 Apr: Newcastle, Northumbria Uni
7 Apr: Sheffield, The Plug
27 Apr: Edinburgh, Queens Hall (Triptych Festival)
22 Sep: London September, Royal Albert Hall
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MAXIMO PARK INSTORES
Maximo Park are to make four instore appearances at HMV outlets in the next few weeks, with signings taking place in Glasgow on 27 Jan at 5pm, in Newcastle on 29 Jan at 4pm, Liverpool on 2 Feb at 5pm and Manchester on 4 Feb at 5pm. The appearance in Newcastle will also include an acoustic set.
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IT BODS WELCOME YOU TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW
Computer scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology claim they've developed a computer program that can accurately predict where a song will appear in the charts. The new Echo Nest software was developed by a team including one Brian Whitman, who says: "The computer can go out on the internet and read a bunch of weblogs and record reviews and get a grasp on trends and buzz and hype and that sort of thing. At the same time, it also can listen to the music - do some signal processing to figure out stuff like dominant key and pitch and rhythm and structure."
Dr Whitman, who claims in previous unpublished research to have accurately predicted the Billboard top ten for several weeks, continues: "Hit prediction is possible. What you do is make a global recommendation - instead of recommending something to a person, you recommend it to a very large community and see how well it will react," but adds, "it's not really an interest of ours."
He goes on to stress that this software is not like the collaborative filtering systems used by online stores such as Amazon - that thing where it tells you what you should buy based on your choices and what other people have been buying - saying: "That's a way of saying 10 people have bought this CD and these other people bought this other CD so you should like this other CD, and it works purely on sales. The way we're trying to do things is more organic, from the ground up, looking at communities of people."
Whitman's long term plan is to develop ways of organising people's individual music collections. As their library of digital tracks grows ever larger, says Whitman, listeners will need intelligent automated help in quickly choosing the songs they listen to: "You can talk to [the software]: play me something romantic and quiet, for example. Or you're going jogging and you want something to stay the same rhythm and mix into each other. I want to help people find music, and I want artists and labels to find people".
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FRANCES BEAN ON PERILS OF BEING LOVE'S DAUGHTER
Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love's daughter Frances Bean, now 13, has spoken to US magazine I-D about what life is like with her famous mother. She said: "Sometimes I wish I wasn't so much at home alone and that it wasn't about nannies and chauffeurs and all that stuff."
She continued: "I get to meet everyone I want and I get quite a lot of attention because of it, you know? But of course it hurts when you see a lot of lies about her in tabloids and then you think, 'Well, it's not that cool to have a cool mom.' I don't like seeing my mom upset. No one does, right?"
Love lost custody of Frances Bean for a short period last year when the singer was in and out of court on various drugs and assault charges.
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KAISER CHIEFS BOOK IS NOT A BIOGRAPHY, OKAY?
Kaiser Chiefs are putting together a book charting their rise to fame. It's apparently loosely based on a scrap book containing personal stuff that band members have collected over the last year or so, but is not, repeat, not, a biography. A statement from the band says: "Just to make it crystal clear, this book isn't any kind of biography of Kaiser Chiefs, in fact it will contain nothing historical dating before the last 18 months, its way too early for all of that biographical stuff, we've only just begun. This is just about capturing the last year and a half from our perspectives."
The band are also asking fans to send in comments via their website forum for the book, which will be called 'A Record Of Employment'. So there you go.
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SIGNED STONES GUITAR STOLEN
A signed Rolling Stones guitar has been stolen from the offices of The Challenge Children's Cancer Support Network's office in Melbourne. The guitar had recently been sold at auction for $17,000, and had yet to be handed over to the buyer. Charity boss Dave Rogers said: "The gentleman who bought it has been away on holidays and is still away on holidays. We haven't been able to contact him, but we have left messages for him. A refund is something that we will discuss with him, obviously we don't want to make him feel uncomfortable."
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EMINEM'S GRAN HAS A GO AT KIM
Eminem's grandmother Betty Kresin has spoken out against the rap star's old/new wife Kim following their remarriage in Detroit at the weekend. The relationship between the old/new Mrs Mathers and Eminem's family has apparently always been difficult, ultimately resulting in their absence from the marriage ceremony on Saturday.
Kresin accused Kim of marrying the rap star for his money: "Kim will take everything. She'll go through all his money. She wouldn't want to get married so quick if he'd got a pre-nup," and added: "Kim is very controlling. She's turned him against his family."
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WILL YOUNG SAYS X-FACTOR IS UNHEALTHY
Will Young has said that he thinks The X-Factor is unhealthy because it gives contestants unrealistic hopes of what they can achieve. The former Pop Idol winner said: "The new thing, which wasn't in Pop Idol four years ago, is the emphasis on 'This show will change your life and you'll be a better person.' A lot of people on these shows are really nice but there's the message that fame and money will make them better people - and that's so unhealthy. When I did Pop Idol it was about seeing who could sing."
He also dismissed the idea that X-Factor winner Shayne Ward is 'the new Will Young', telling Metro: "I haven't heard anyone say that. That's what happens though. Any new male solo singer gets compared with others who are around already. I'm not worried."