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Joss Stone’s Target and iTunes-exclusive “Colour Me Free” is the Billboard 200’s second-highest debut this week, arriving at No. 10 with 27,000 copies.

The Billboard 200’s top ten (week ending October 25, chart position):

1. The Twilight Saga: New Moon Motion Picture Soundtrack
2. Tim McGraw Southern Voice
3. Michael Buble Crazy Love
4. Jay-Z The Blueprint 3
5. Miley Cyrus The Time of Our Lives
6. Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D
7. Taylor Swift Fearless
8. Owl City Ocean Eyes
9. Barbara Streisand Love is the Answer
10. Joss Stone Colour Me Free

PHILOSOPHICAL Joss Stone blames her “atrocious personality” for the backlash she suffered in the British media.

The Devonshire diva was ridiculed for adopting a dodgy Trans atlantic accent and accused of losing touch with her fans three years ago.

But now she’s ditched the ropey hair dye and is back home in Blighty with a stunning new album.

Joss told me: “I think I suffered a backlash not because of my music but because of me – my atrocious personality probably.

“I don’t give away too much about my private life so the media just make it up. It doesn’t matter what I do or don’t say.

“I can just chill alone for months and still be labelled the biggest bitch in the world.

“But my hair has changed, it’s my real colour now. And I’ve made a simple album that I love.”

In fact the 22-year-old believes new record Colour Me Free is a true refl ection of her real personality.

She explained: “I finally got the chance to make music without people sitting over my shoulder and telling me what to think or play.”

Incredibly, the hot new music took just 10 days to write and record.

Joss, who performs live at Pinktober at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Nov- ember 1, said: “It captures the first musical moment.

“When I did my last album I was obsessed with getting it right.

“Now I’m just like: ‘F*** it, let’s go make some noise.’” Joss has fought with her record company to control her career.

She added: “The labels have lost their soul.” Colour Me Free is out on Nov- ember 3

By VICTORIA AHEARN
The Canadian Press

TORONTO — When Joss Stone has a musical itch, she has to scratch, even if it means getting into trouble with her label.

The powerhouse British soul singer says her new album, “Colour Me Free,” is coming out Tuesday after months of delays because her U.S. label, EMI, was upset that she had recorded the tracks on a whim without telling them.

“Oh God, that wasn’t very good,” Stone said in a recent phone interview. “They didn’t love that too much.”
It was about two years ago, after the release of her self-titled third album, that the 22-year-old Grammy and Brit Award winner got the urge to hit the studio and jam again.

“I just woke up and was like: ’Man, I really want to make an album,”’ said Stone, who has performed on stage with scores of legends including James Brown and Donna Summer.

“It was just a really nice day and I was feeling really energized and it was just cool and my (musician) friends were down, because we were writing.
“I thought: ’Hey, you guys are here, let’s do it. Let’s make the music.”’

And so they did, using a Wellington, England night club that was owned by her mother at the time as their studio, where they recorded live off the floor in about a week.

Problem was, EMI didn’t know about it and when Stone told them, “The initial reaction was: ’Hang on a minute, you’re supposed to ask us for approval on every single section of everything that you do, are you crazy?”’ she recalled.

“So I said: ’Oh, whoops, so sorry, my bad,’ and it really was. I didn’t ask for approval, I didn’t tell them I was making the album.

“I didn’t do any of those things so it really was essentially my fault.”

The idea of someone trying to control her art was a “horrible feeling and makes you not want to do it at all,” admitted Stone, whose vocals often draw comparisons to Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin.

“But then from a business side of things, I kind of get it …” she said. “They feel like that’s their property and they want to control how the property looks and how it works.”

In the end, the two sides worked things out and the tunes weren’t changed.

Stone even hit the studio again to do a few more tracks for the album with artists including Nas, Sheila E and Jeff Beck. The result is a rich, organic blend of soul, funk, R&B, disco, gospel hip-hop and even reggae that Stone co-produced.

“Now everybody’s on the same page,” she said.

With the label woes behind her, Stone has a positive outlook on the situation, saying she likes to “scare” herself into getting things done.
“It actually helps me,” she said. “I’ve got this weird kind of obsession with the way that I do things — I feel the need to do it with a massive amount of pressure and unless I have that pressure, I don’t bother.”

Such was the case with CBC’s “The Tudors,” the widely adored series about King Henry VIII, played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Stone signed on to the current season to play Anne of Cleves, the king’s fourth wife, without ever having acted on TV before (she has acted on film, though, first in 2006’s “Eragon” and then “Snappers” in 2008).

Being on the show was “scary,” she said, but she “loved it” as she got to learn a lot in a short period of time — just as she likes it.

“It helps me to just say, ’Look, I have to do this, there’s no choice in this,”’ said Stone, whose character becomes prominent in the Nov. 4 episode.
“It’s not like, ’Let me figure it out.’ No, no, no: ’You have to just do it!’ So I like that process but at the same time it gives me a very stressful life but it’s a very fun life.”

Devon soul singer Joss Stone has travelled to Uganda to open a community education and training centre for disadvantaged teenagers.

Joss, 22, is in Uganda in October 2009 to officially open the centre as part of her work for Barnstaple-based charity, Amigos.

And The Uffculme-based star won’t have much time to put her feet up when she gets back.

Her new album, Colour Me Free, is set for release on 2 November.

Speaking to Richard Green on BBC Radio Devon’s Afternoon Show shortly before flying out, Joss said the charity work was important to her.
“I went to Uganda two or three years ago with Amigos.

“It’s a local charity, very small, but they do so much lovely stuff for the guys over in Uganda.

“They have made this farm and it’s going to create jobs for the community. I’m going over there to open the farm because when I was there, they were just building it.

“We worked in some of the schools there and made a DVD for schools in England, to teach young children about Africa and how they can help Amigos and help other people across the world.”

Joss has spent a lot of time travelling in recent years, but loves to come back home to Devon.

She has played at her mother’s venue, Mama Stone’s, in Exeter, which showcases local bands – and she’s got an idea to put to her mum, Wendy.

“I would love to do two or three nights in a row at Mama Stone’s,” she said. “That would be pretty cool.”

Joss’s fourth album, Colour Me Free, was recorded at studios in Wellington, Somerset – and it features guest appearances from Jeff Beck and Sheila E.

“I just woke up one day and decided to make music,” said Joss.

“And that’s exactly what happened. The album has a very live feel – some of the tracks we did in three or four takes.”

The cover of the album – showing Joss in a cage – has caused some controversy, but Joss said: “Really, I’m not offending anyone am I?”

You can listen to the full 15 minute interview by clicking here.

Interview published one day before Colour Me Free release  in U.S.A by Valerie Nom. Check it out:

Single Joss Stone has her eye on Prison Break’s Wentworth Miller.

“I think he’s cute,” the Grammy winner, 22, tells me in an interview from her Devon, England, home. “He’s really hot. He’s gorgeous. What a babe. It’s the eyes. It’s the eyes that do me in. I just can’t deal with it.”

Whew, it’s a good thing he’s 6’1” because the 5’10” singer has trouble with short men when it comes to relationships.

Her rule? They must be taller.

“He’d have to be polite, a bit funny, a little bit naughty and probably just a little bit taller than me. I don’t need a lot, but just a little bit. I’m actually attracted to a lot of guys who are shorter than me, but when it actually comes down to it, it’s not good because I have to bend down, and I’m not into that. And then I can’t wear heels, and that’s really s***.”

What else is on her lust list?

“He’d have to be hot. He’d have to put up with me disappearing whenever I wanted and being a free spirit.”

She continues, “The problem with guys is that there’s something about them that us women love. We love for a man to be protective over us, we love for a man to want and have a little tiny bit of jealousy – not a lot. So you go for those guys, but when you want to be the free spirit that you are and just disappear or go on a road trip for two days or to go on tour or whatever that is, then you run into problems because you’ve chosen a man that’s a little bit protective and possessive and jealous. It’s a difficult one.”

For now, Joss doesn’t mind being single.

“I like the freedom to be me,” she tells me. “I can do whatever I want, whenever I want.”

Her pets including dogs Missy Elliott and Dusty Springfield, plus cats Queero, Sly Stone, Mr. Choo, Christian Louboutin and Vivienne Westwood, keep her company.

“They’re my friends, I guess,” she tells me. “I really like them. They’re lovely. They’re happy. I like being around them because it’s like being around people who are totally content. They’re totally cool to lie out all day or to go play in the grass or something. They’re very cuddly and lovely. There’s something peaceful about that, isn’t there? Most people go through life stressing, but cats don’t do that and neither do dogs. Dogs certainly don’t. They’re just having a good time.”

The kind-hearted singer recently rescued her three of her kittens.

“I named them after shoes because I love shoes,” she says. “We were driving along in my van and I almost ran over a few. Danny was driving, and he almost ran over this little tiny black-and-white kitten on the road – in the middle of the road. I told him to stop, and I went out and picked him up. Then I saw all these other kittens running around, so it looked like somebody had dumped a bag of kittens in the hedges. I picked up three – I couldn’t find anymore or grab anymore. They had all run into the hedges. Now I have five.”

How do the dogs and cats get along?

“Oh, they’re fine. They’re totally fine. They all cuddle up to Missy, and it’s great. I’m glad.”

Barely into her 20s, the British soul singer has already got a Grammy, an enviable recording career (10 million album sales and counting), a brand-new release winning critical acclaim, and now she’s acting on a popular television series.

No wonder she’s so cheerful, indeed giggly. Fresh from an appearance on Live With Regis and Kelly, Stone is determined to tell me that although her turn as Anne of Cleves on The Tudors is her first major acting gig, and although she was considered good enough to be asked back for the TV show’s fourth and final season, she is not really an actor. She’s a singer who sometimes acts.
Modesty aside, whatever Stone lacks in experience, she more than makes up for with sheer gumption. Her portrayal of Anne of Cleves is both funny and touching. Her Anne is a fragile creature, a woman overwhelmed by her new life as Queen of England; a life comprised of complex responsibilities and mortal dangers. Stone’s face, usually a bright, open visage, registers layers of deep distrust and uncertainty.

Then again, perhaps the cinematographer simply captured Stone’s real-life feelings – to go from almost zero acting experience to feature character, surrounded by classically trained actors, well, that would throw even the most seasoned soul singer.

For now, however, Joss Stone seems happy to enjoy the ride. She has nothing to lose.

I asked The Tudors director Jeremy Podeswa this same question two years ago –

Oh, Jeremy is so sweet! He helped me to no end, man. I just didn’t know what I was doing and he, like, taught me how to act, in, like two seconds! I love him! No, seriously, I was so nervous, I was just, like, “Jeremy, you gotta help me out, man,” and he said, “No worries, honey, you’ll be fine.”

Then perhaps you can answer the question he balked at: Why isn’t Henry VIII fat on The Tudors? With you, wife No. 4, he really should be starting to bulk up.

I think because it’s Showtime. Ha! To be really honest, I think that the show is a sauced-up version of Henry VIII’s time. You know, it’s got a little spice. They’ve kind of gone the opposite way from how it was done before, and it’s a fun interpretation of it. There’s been so many versions of Henry VIII that have been made that were imperfect to the history, so why not spice it up a little bit? Ain’t no reason why not.

When you first said “sauced-up” I thought you said “soft-core.”

Ah! Same thing!

I loved how Anne of Cleves is introduced to the show – via a series of sight gags, wherein we never see her face. It was very Benny Hill.

Yeah, it was silly, wasn’t it? I loved it! I mean, I didn’t write the script, obviously, but I did my best with it. But I started with this show by auditioning for a different role, the year before, and they gave it to me, but then I couldn’t take it, because I had a tour, so the scheduling was all wrong. It was such a shame, I was just gutted. So I said to the lady from Showtime, I’m sorry but I can’t cancel my tour, it’s already gone on sale, but, I know you’re going to do more seasons, so if ever you need me, for any other role, I just want to be part of The Tudors . So she said fine, do you want to play the next queen? I said sure! No problem honey! But I didn’t really realize it was Anne of Cleves, I just said yes, and then I looked her up and I was like, “Oh my God, she’s German, I have to do a German accent, she’s the ugliest of all of them, she’s a crier and shy – this is a character role for me, I gotta get right into it.” So, I did.

You have been on the Maxim Hot 100 list –

Have I?

If I know that, you must know that. Yet, Anne of Cleves was regarded as unattractive, and the script describes you as unattractive. But, of course, you’re not.

I don’t think I looked my best, to be honest. No, I wasn’t shining. There was a definite lack of makeup – they wouldn’t give me anything! I would, like, beg for mascara and they just wouldn’t do it. But I think it [Anne's alleged unattractiveness] was more about her clothes and style, which was amazing, but very different from the English style, which was all kind of busty, with thin waists, and Anne’s style had a different vibe – massive hats and sleeves. It all made me look a bit weird. But there are different opinions about her – some say Anne was the most attractive, but those people are probably on crack. I just did what I could with her look, so be it. I don’t really care. Make me ugly or pretty, as long as I play the role right.

I visited some of The Tudors fan sites –

Oh, oh!

And the fans were about 50/50 on you –

Oh, no, did I do a bad job?

No, no, I think that just proves you did a good job. But I’m wondering what it’s like to be a performer who has been famous throughout the Internet age, and has always lived in a culture where whatever you do is instantly assessed?

I think it’s helpful, because you can figure it out as you go along. I’m not an actress, I don’t really know what I’m doing and I need to learn. The more people comment on what I’m doing, the more help I get, really. I like to see whether people enjoy what I’m doing or not. And, I don’t really have to wait all that long! But you can’t care too much about it, only when it’s helpful. Sometimes it’s hurtful, sometimes it’s flattering – but at least it’s something.

source: theglobeandmail.com

Finally, the new Joss Stone’s official site is released after a long time

A nice stuff is the section “Ask Joss”,  where you can send questions to her and it can be selected to be answered.

Another cool stuff is the photo gallery. It’s more complete than other versions. There are exclusive pictures from gigs, backstages and photoshoots. Take a look below to an example:

Despite winning the Formula One world championship on Sunday, Jenson Button turned up to Bluewater in Kent to pose for pictures alongside Joss Stone and Jodie Kidd.

Jenson was mobbed as he turned up to the shopping centre, where he graciously chatted to fans and signed hundreds of autographs.

The superstar was back in the UK for a pre-arranged event to promote Virgin Media’s new broadband.

Joss Stone has said she was scared by how fast Jenson Button drove a new Mercedes during a launch event.

The Fell In Love With A Boy singer and model Jodie Kidd joined he new world Formula One champion on high-speed drives in a Mercedes E63 AMG, capable of 0-60mph in four and a half seconds.

Speaking at the Virgin Media event, she said: “It was really frightening. He goes round the road so fast. It was mad but very, very good. I’d do it again.”

source: mirror.co.uk

Joss Stone’s fourth album almost wouldn’t have been released at all, but after negotiations, the album will finally be in stores. She had to really fight for it with her label, who wanted to push her the other way, and didn’t want her to do what she wanted. And she still gets a little angry about that.

She starts the interview with a hug, drinks a cup of tea, wears no shoes and sometimes eats something from the fruit bowl that is in front of her. Joss Stone still seems to be the same happy, neo-hippie soul star we met 6 years ago, with her stunning voice, but from the inside, she is very frustrated. Her fourth album, which will be in stores this weekend, is called Colour Me Free with a reason. “It is an expression of total liberty when it comes to music, of my freedom. And yes, I really had to fight for that.”
Her opponent was her record label EMI, who postponed the release of her album for months, after she secretly recorded the whole album on her own. “The contract said I had to ask for permission, but I kinda forgot”, Stone explains. And that was because of the different musical styles she and her label have. “The raw, old school soul that I wanted to create, wasn’t ‘radio friendly’ to them anymore. My first record was full of it, but I was only 15 years old and apparently some sort of funny freak show. Now it’s not the trend anymore, but I couldn’t care less! I want to make the music that I love, not to make lots of money. I don’t need a golden toilet, or anything.”
When we asked her where her label wanted to go when it comes to musical style, Stone gets visually angry: “They shown me what they wanted me to do. Well, I didn’t know laugh or cry about it! Real instruments were replaced by computers, they wanted sound effects for people who can’t sing and all sorts of strange sound effects with the drums. Not my thing at all – there was no soul to it, no emotion. But oh well, I don’t have to be angry about it, because I didn’t do it. I made my own record. We’ve negotiated about it a lot, and most of the time I thought I’d never release another album, but now it’s there and we haven’t changed a thing.”
And that puts the smile back on her face. Stone can’t say anything about how things are going with her and her label, because of “legal reasons”. But she knows what to do and how to do it, at the young age of 22. As one of the very few pop artist, Stone has been working without a manager for a couple of years now. “I don’t get why I should give away 10 percent of my life to someone who says “yes” or “no” in my place”, she explains. “It’s a waste of the money, I can do it on my own. People often think “oh no, she’s an artist, be careful or she’ll break down’, but that is crap. I want to arrange the people I sing with, and control where my money goes. I’ve had my share of managers, but they’re all gone, with my money. So now, I’ll do it on my own, whether it’s wrong or right. If I make mistakes, I can undo them on my own.”
Mistakes or not, they never really come across to the audience. For someone who became quite famous at such an early age, Stone keeps away from the tabloids – contrary to the other singers of her age. No news about wasted parties, famous friends and wrong dates, let alone the crazy behavior of Britney, Amy or Lily Allen. To explain, she has developed her own theory: “I think the focus is at music, really, and I want to put my heart and soul into it, and if you do so, you don’t have time for other things. And you don’t care about it either. You don’t go to clubs you know the paparazzi is at. Being addicted to fame is the same as being addicted to drugs: it’s bad for you and your body. Being addicted to music, is more like herbal tea, it’s good for you. If you really love music, you won’t do anything that will put that in danger, will you?”

source:hirespdf.spitsnieuws.nl