The mysterious Skylar Grey steps into the limelight fire in her latest music video for “Invisible.” Though the lyrics are quite depressing (I take these pills to make me thin/I dye my hair, and color my skin/I tried everything, to make them see me/But all they see, is someone that’s not me), the Jay Martin-directed clip is memorizing as you follow the Alex Da Kid-protégé risking her life walking up and down a high-rise. And yes, at one point she does set herself on (CGI) fire. Dig the music video above and anticipate her debut album Invinsible, now expected to drop in January.
The followup to Skylar Grey’s buzz single “Dance Without You” is her official single “Invisible” and it’s out there for you to hear today. The 25-year-old singer/songwriter debuted the track this morning on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show and she explained the song like this: “[Invisible] is where I started out when I moved up to the woods and I was trying to find out who I was in the world because I felt very lost. Then I came out of that whole experience with this new found strength and I made me feel invincible, the whole theme of the album tells that story.” Grey’s debut album Invinsible is expected to drop this fall. Dig the single below.
By now you should know who Skylar Grey is. After helping Diddy-Dirty Money, Dr. Dre, Lupe Fiasco, and T.I. make hit songs, the mysterious Grey is ready to shine all on her own. Prior to dropping her official single later this month, she has released a standalone track for her fans called “Dance Without You.” She told AOL Music: “I wanted to release “Dance Without You” as a free download because everyone has been so patient waiting for my solo material. It is just a little teaser before my official single comes out later this month, and a taste of what’s on my album.”
Get your taste of the Alex Da Kid production below; preview it in the audio player, download it at the link. Anticipate the debut single “Invisible” coming this month. The album Invinsible is expected to drop this fall.
Dre’s latest music video plays out more like short film, really. The seven-and-a-half-minute video for “I Need a Doctor,” directed by filmmaker Allen Hughes, takes us on a journey through Dre’s career using inserted pictures and video from his past. In the present Dre remains alive on life support as Eminem thanks him for his support over the years. Em raps, “You picked me up, breathed new life in me, I owe my life to you.” A ghostly Skylar Grey sings the hook. Notice all the HP product placement? How could you not. The recently announced Pre 3 and TouchPad make Touch-to-Share magic at the 4:20 mark (how ironic for the man who produced The Chronic).
“Love The Way You Lie” is a Grammy-nominated song performed by all-star rapper Eminem and Barbados native Rihanna. Great song, isn’t it? Wouldn’t you like to know the the true artist who originally invented it? Her name is Skylar Grey and if you haven’t heard of her yet that’s because she’s just now stepping out of her songwriter role and into the artist spotlight. But you’ve certainly heard her. In addition to writing RiRi’s smash hit, the 24-year-old talent has been credited with penning T.I.’s “Castle Walls”, Diddy-Dirty Money’s “Coming Home” and most recently she’s showing off her vocal chops in the hooks for Dr. Dre’s “I Need a Doctor” and Lupe Fiasco’s “Words I Never Said.” After living a life under her birth name Holly Hafferman experimenting with music since 2003 (she’s the one featured in Fort Minor’s “Where’d You Go”), Skylar Grey admits today that “I’m not primarily a songwriter for other people. I really am an artist.” And she’s proving that on the Dre and Lupe cuts for sure.
Let’s back track to “Love the Way You Life” for a minute. Contrary to what you might have thought, the track that’s currently featured on Rihanna album Loud actually started out as a demo track written and performed by Grey. “I wrote the demo initially for myself because I thought, ‘Oh, I have this big song, and now I have a little bit of a launching pad to put out my own stuff,'” she says. “As soon as Rihanna and her team heard my demo, they were like, ‘Oh, we want it for Rihanna’s album,’ so I had to make the decision if I was going to let them have it or not. But I did and so it was on Rihanna’s album, too.” “I still felt like it would be cool to let people hear my version of it, too,” she says and so there it is embedded above for you to hear. She’s damn good, isn’t she?
She’s on her way to stardom. Mega-producer Alex Da Kid recently signed her to his record label Wonderland Music and she’s going to the Grammys expecting to scoop up to five awards for “Love the Way You Lie.” Masterful pianist, singer/songwriter in the making–watch out for Skylar Grey. Sneak a better look at her after the break.
The second single off Lupe Fiasco’s much anticipated album Lasers is here. Lupe calls the politically-charged track “a big, controversial record.” Skylar Grey’s vocal talents are delegated to the chorus which goes like this: “It’s so loud inside my head with words that I should have said/ As I drown in my regrets, I can’t take back the words I never said.” There’s some powerful messages and themes living inside this track, and it don’t hurt that the Alex Da Kid-produced beat is wicked. Listen above, get ready for Lasers coming March 5.
It’s happening, it’s really happening. Dr. Dre’s Detox is for real and it’s coming out this year. Need proof? Two singles off the record are out now. We’ve had “Kush” since November, and today we got “I Need a Doctor.” The new track is dominated by Eminem, with up-and-coming artist Skylar Grey belting the hook and Dre closing things out with a single verse at the end. Producer Alex Da Kid had mentioned When it [the track] comes out, it will probably be the biggest song in the last 10 years.” Though the song is definitely growing on me, I don’t know if I’d go that far. When the song released earlier today it instantly skyrocketed to the #1 spot on the iTunes top ten chart, so what do I know? People are diggin’ it, so give it a preview at Dre’s new website and download it at iTunes. Detox is expected to drop this April, God-willing.
