Artist of the Week: will.i.am

The
long
wait for
will.i.am 's
new
solo
album
will be
worth
it when
fans
get to
hear
his
collaborations
with so
many
A-list stars in the record. After pushed
back from its initial release schedule of
2011, "#willpower " will finally hit the
stores on April 23, poised to top albums
chart following the success of the second
single "Scream & Shout" featuring Britney
Spears.
Originally eyeing a December 2012
release, the fourth studio installment
from the Black Eyed Peas member was
once again delayed after some materials
of the album were leaked following his car
theft. "I'm trying to finish #willpower...&
now because of all the leaks I have push
the album back to make new songs," he
tweeted back in September 2012.
Fans' high anticipation of his new music
became clear as his single "Scream &
Shout"peaked at No. 3 on Billboard's Hot
100 following its debut in November last
year. It has also topped songs charts in
several other countries, including Canada
and the U.K.
The album's lead single "This Is Love",
which features Eva Simons, also became a
hit internationally, although it only
managed to reach No. 110 in the U.S.
Backed up by today's young popular star
Justin Bieber, the third single
"#thatPOWER" climbed higher than "This
Is Love" in the U.S. songs chart (No. 42).
Amidst all the excitement to launch his
new album, will.i.am was hit with
problem as his Chris Brown-assisted track
"Let's Go" was embroiled in a copyright
infringement allegation. Producers Arty
and Mat Zo claim will.i.am ripped off their
dance track "Rebound" and failed to ask
permission.
He, however, didn't let the issue stop
him from promoting "#willpower". Just
days leading to the album release, the
John Wraith of "X-Men Origins:
Wolverine" debuted an official music
video for "#thatPOWER" which cost a lot
of his time for the making.
"This video is probably the most time-
consuming video that I've ever been a
part of because I had to rehearse
choreography, and I've always been
against choreography for me," he
admitted. "We have this real, next-level,
futuristic type of choreography. It's not
dance, it's like synchronized movement."
While busy preparing his own record,
will.i.am was still able to spare his time
to assist Ke$ha in her new song "Crazy
Kids". The 38-year-old record producer/
songwriter is featured in the third single
off the "Die Young" songstress' latest
album "Warrior".