Justin Bieber: Animals Can Make U Smile

Pop Sensation, Justin Bieber urges millions of fans to always adopt pets from an animal shelter in a new campaign: ‘Animals Can Make U Smile’

Justin Bieber’s recent hit single “U Smile” not only has his legions of fans smiling but also has homeless dogs wagging their tails and homeless cats purring.

That’s because the pop music phenomenon – who has just been nominated in the Best International Newcomer category at this year’s BRIT Awards – recently appeared in a public service announcement for PETA and its affiliates promoting adoptions from animal shelters. The ad was shot by renowned celebrity photographer Cliff Watts.

“It’s really important that people adopt”, said Bieber. “I really encourage going out to an animal shelter or a place where you can get a dog who has been abandoned or doesn’t have a home.”

Every year, thousands of homeless dogs in the UK are picked up by council authorities and euthanised for lack of adoptive homes. Buying an animal from a breeder robs a homeless animal of his or her chance at finding a good home. The less fortunate never even make it to a safe haven; they are left to fend for themselves on the streets, where they are often subjected to abuse by cruel people or succumb to starvation, disease or injuries.

Bieber will be singing to sold-out stadiums in March when he kicks off the UK leg of his world tour in Birmingham. He joins a growing list of celebrities – including Sir Paul McCartney, Pamela Anderson, Kelly Osbourne, Simon Cowell and Ricky Gervais – who have teamed up with PETA to help animals.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.

Jil is Lucky

French alt folk band Jil is Lucky are gearing up to release their self titled debut album on February 21st, but they have a slice of good fortune by having the current single The Wanderer, taken from the album, used as the soundtrack to the latest TV advert in the UK for Kenzo perfume.

It is a great introduction to the band who have already achieved success across the rest of Europe and is the brainchild of 24 year old Jil who is a persistent wanderer himself, but currently resides in Paris.

Having attached himself to various forms of music during his travels, the album is an effort to sit down and make some sense of it all in the recordings that make up the album.

Drawing his own influences from a wide range of music to start with, Herman Dune, Jonathan Richman, Bob Dylan, Sebadoh, dEUS and even the Violent Femmes, Jil has amalgamated the various forms of music he has picked up on his travels to carve out a rather ingenious first album of songs.

The result is an album that is both melodic and quirky, a mixture of traditional folk and pop music, sincere, humorous and clever that begs to be heard.

It will take more than one listen to adjust yourself to the album, Jil does much of his thinking outside of the box and is not afraid to break any rules in his search for a sound that he can truly call his own.

The Wanderer is a slice of near pop perfection and you can hear it being used on the TV commercial for Kenzo perfume. Jil says; “We were thrilled to hear that the track would be used on the new Kenzo ad. It’s very tastefully used and exudes sophistication when you hear it alongside the ad’s graphics. When we think about how much has happened to the band over the last year, we’re extremely happy to know that so many people will get to hear The Wanderer through this advert over Christmas. We think people will really love the album when they hear it too.”

Watch the Kenzo ad here:

Paolo Nutini’s 2007 hit single, New Shoes, has been used for the new Puma sports shoe advert and shows the scottish singer playing with his band while dancers fly all over the place, parading the new trainer from Puma.