Corbin Bleu at the premiere of "Michael Jackson's This Is It" in Los Angeles on Tuesday
Photo: MTV News

There was hardly a celebrity in Hollywood who didn't show up at the Los Angeles premiere of "Michael Jackson's This Is It" on Tuesday night at the Nokia Theatre. Many of those celebrities were simply fans of the King of Pop. But there were also some in attendance who had worked with the film's director, Kenny Ortega. Corbin Bleu was one of those lucky people.

Bleu co-starred in Ortega's "High School Musical" films, and he couldn't help but feel that the director's latest opus was incredibly special. "[Everyone] needs to go see this film, 'cause you get a chance to see [Jackson's] process," Bleu said. "You get a chance to see what it's really about when it comes to work, 'cause the thing about Michael, he's a perfectionist."

Corbin noted that the movie shows Jackson pushing his dancers and musicians to work hard, focusing on making a flawless finished product. "He works and he doesn't care — when it comes to every single person in that room, he wants everybody to bring it and not a single person is going to be faulted," he said. "That's what really is amazing about him. There's so much love. Go see the film. It'll change you."

Earlier in the night, Bleu's "High School Musical" co-star Ashley Tisdale recalled how incredible it was to meet Jackson. "It was amazing. I can't even describe," she recalled. "I was just, like, in awe. You can't even speak. He was glowing. He's an icon. You're speechless."

Check out everything we've got on "Michael Jackson's This Is It."

• 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Premiere Special

• 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Premiere After Party
• 'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Premieres In Los Angeles
• "Michael Jackson's This Is It"

• Michael Jackson
• Corbin Bleu

Corbin Bleu
Photo: MTV News

He's known for his wild hair and starring in the wildly successful "High School Musical" movies, but now Corbin Bleu is ready to put that all behind him (well, at least the "High School Musical" part) and focus on his just-released album, Speed of Light.

"Anything I do, I always want a positive message, and obviously 'High School Musical' does tend to skew a little younger, but it's great for them," he told MTV News about who he's targeting with his new LP. "But it's more 20s, college years — sort of something in there for everybody."

Bleu hopes to show the world that he's growing up and also find his own sound and figure out just who he is as a performer and singer.

"Once the song 'Speed of Light' came along, that's really what defined the sound for the album," Bleu said. "That song itself is kind of haunting. It really just set the pace. ... That's why I titled [the album] Speed of Light as well. It was really just finding a personal sound for myself, and even the stories, everything involved in it is a lot more personal experiences."

To help find this more personal sound, he worked with Brian Kennedy (Rihanna's "Disturbia") and Erick Hudson (Kanye West's "Flashing Lights"). "Venturing off into this album started about a year ago. I wanted to develop more of a personal sound for myself, make it a little more mainstream," he said, adding that he sought inspiration for the album from Michael Jackson, Guns N' Roses and Luciano Pavarotti.

Although he'd like to one day work with Akon, he didn't think that "Speed of Light" was the appropriate project for a collaboration. "The idea of collaboration was sort of in talks, but it wasn't something we pursued," he said. "I know for myself I just wanted to find myself for this album, but if more opportunities came up in the future, I would love to be able to vibe off of people and just get creative."

With the release of Speed of Light, Bleu confirms that he won't be back for any more "HSM" movies. "I am not coming back ... We graduated in the last film. They are moving on with the new generation of underclassman."

• What's Next For Corbin Bleu?

• Corbin Bleu

Corbin Bleu, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Monique Coleman and Zac Efron
Photo: Theo Wargo/ WireImage

It should be an easy transition for the stars of "High School Musical" to go from singing and dancing on the big screen to pop stardom.

Since arriving on the scene a few years back, three of the castmembers have released their own albums and found middling success in the music industry. Although they play seniors in "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale and Corbin Bleu all have a case of sophomore-itis when it comes to their music careers.

Tisdale — who released her debut album, Headstrong, back in February — is hard at work on her next LP. "I'm actually recording my second album now," she told MTV News. "So I've just been recording and co-writing. The single should be coming out soon, but I feel it's pretty much 80 percent done. And, yeah, I'm excited about it. It's a lot more rock and edgier."

Hudgens is also embracing the edgier side of pop music. On her album, Identified, which she released this past summer, she hoped to spread her musical wings a bit. "I just released my second album, which was a lot of fun, 'cause I got to play with my sound," she said. "And it was just interesting to kind of grow up for the second album."

"I am also working on my second album in the studio," Bleu revealed. Although he shared little info about the project, he did say he was "writing, working with some good people like Eric Hudson and Brian Kennedy."

While three of the "HSM" stars are working on and releasing albums, Zac Efron has never pursued music outside of his songs in "HSM" — and with a bunch of movies on his plate, it's safe to say he might be too busy to hit up the studio anytime soon.

Monique Coleman also has no illusions of musical grandeur. "Oh no, I don't have any particular singing aspirations," she said. "It's exciting to be in this movie, because it has inspired so many kids to get out there and promote music."

And don't count out the new kids — one member of the new class, Justin Martin, is already planning his foray into the music industry. "I'm actually working on it right now," he said of his upcoming album. "So that'd be amazing to have someone like Lil Wayne on it. I'm also working with a couple of different record labels and a lot of different producers. My music is R&B, hip-hop, kind of pop-crossover."

Check out everything we've got on "High School Musical 3: Senior Year."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• MTV Rough Cut: 'High School Musical 3: Senior Year'

• Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, More At "High School Musical 3" Premiere
• "High School Musical 3: Senior Year"

• Ashley Tisdale
• Vanessa Hudgens
• Corbin Bleu

Ashley Tisdale and Corbin Bleu on the MTV Movie Awards red carpet on Sunday
Photo: MTV News

UNIVERSAL CITY, California — Between the Emmy wins, the top-selling 2006 soundtrack and the in-demand tickets for its concert tour, stage musical and ice show, it's safe to say that the people behind the "High School Musical" phenomenon are dancing for joy.

This past weekend, the stars of the musical-about-a-musical gave MTV News some exclusive new details about the highly anticipated sequels (see " 'High School Musical' Stars Have Sequel, Solo Projects In The Works"), as well as the ongoing adventures of Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay and the rest of the heel-kicking kids.

"A lot of our characters get to break out into different things," Corbin Bleu said of "High School Musical 2," which debuts on the Disney Channel in August. "[My character] Chad, you know, in the first movie he's completely surrounded with basketball, and that's it. And in this movie, he breaks away from that and starts to ..."

"... Have a girl on the side!" giggled Ashley Tisdale (see "Ashley Tisdale Ditches Messy For Dressy For Movie Awards Red Carpet"), looking to Monique Coleman after we tracked down the three co-stars at Sunday's MTV Movie Awards (see "MTV Movie Awards Get Dirty: Baron Cohen, Ferrell Mash; Rihanna Sizzles; Silverman Says 'Bleep!' ").

"That's me," mouthed Coleman, who plays scholastic decathlon captain Taylor McKessey in the series. Alluding to her character's new romance with Bleu, she added: "This movie is a little bit more emotional; it's a little deeper than the first one. The first movie really gave kids permission to feel like they could believe in their dreams and follow their heart. This go-around, it really takes it to that next step and asks you to accept responsibility for the choices that you make."

Die-hard fans of the series already know that the sequel will have Zac Efron's Troy taking a summer job at a country club, setting up many of his fellow East High Wildcats with gigs as his co-workers and dealing with Sharpay's evil plans to steal him away from Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens). What they might not expect, however, is a glimpse at the softer side of Tisdale's snotty Sharpay.

"She's still evil; I mean, she's still the mean girl," said the blond breakout star. "But there's a side that you do actually see that you haven't seen before of her ... and Sharpay's songs are definitely funny."

Speaking of the showstopping tunes, each of the three "Musical" stars coughed up some juicy tidbits on the songs they can't wait for their fans to hear.

"My favorite song is a song that Vanessa sings. It's called 'Gotta Go My Own Way' and it's a solo," Coleman revealed. "I love it, because I think it's kind of a girl-power song about really being an individual — realizing that sometimes in life, you have to choose yourself over choosing a relationship. It's a really sweet song, and she sings it beautifully."

"There's this really awesome song called 'I Don't Dance' that takes place on a baseball field," Bleu said of his favorite ditty. "It's a mixture, like a 'West Side Story' kind of thing, because it's got the whole Sharks and Jets battle thing going on. And I just love the fact that it mixes the sport of baseball with the actual dancing."

In fact, the "Dance" number is just one of many that harkens back to a bygone time when musicals ruled pop culture. "The songs are a lot more radio-friendly, and some are a throwback to the old — like way, way, way-back musicals," Coleman grinned. "Like 'Bye Bye Birdie' or 'The Sound of Music' kind of musicals."

As for Tisdale, she said her preferred tune is the first one "Musical" fans will get to see in the sequel. "My favorite song is 'What Time Is It?' just because it's at the beginning of the movie, and it's just fun. We shot it at [the Albuquerque, New Mexico, school setting] East High, which is, like, really memorable. It shows off all the characters, and you know what they're excited about for the summer."

Before they headed inside to grab their seats at the Movie Awards, the three "Musical" stars also coughed up a bit of info regarding "Haunted High School Musical," the big-screen spinoff that will bring the series to theaters for the first time. "It's amazing, to be able to have something that was a phenomenon that was just a movie on the Disney Channel ... and to make it a feature film, that says a lot," Tisdale said of the rare small-screen-to-big-screen move. "It completely makes us grateful for all our fans."

None of the three, however, were willing to confirm their involvement in the third movie. "All we know is that they're going to be making the movie, and it's going to be a feature," Bleu said diplomatically. "Nobody is really signed on to it yet, and nobody knows what the plot is. It's really just one of those things. ... All I know is they're going to do it."

The 18-year-old Bleu, who recently enjoyed some solo success with the Disney Channel flick "Jump In!," cautiously added that he wouldn't do the film unless the script was as good as the first two. "[Taking 'Musical' to the big screen] puts a lot more pressure on us," he said. "It's definitely something that we need to make sure that if — when — that third movie is created, that it's something that is wonderful, stays true to the fans, stays true to the story and really continues the whole magic that 'High School Musical' has created."

The credits have rolled, but there's more coverage still pouring in! Satisfy your inner movie geek with even more 2007 MTV Movie Awards goodness, including backstage interviews, wrap-up reports, performer diaries, red-carpet coverage, "Transformers" and Sarah Silverman exclusives, photos, highlights from years past and much more, at MovieAwards.mtv.com.

Check out everything we've got on "High School Musical 2" and "Haunted High School Musical."

Visit Movies on MTV.com for more from Hollywood, including news, reviews, interviews and more.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Want trailers? Visit the Trailer Park for the newest, scariest and funniest coming attractions anywhere.

• "High School Musical"

• Ashley Tisdale
• Corbin Bleu

Ne-Yo's <i>Because of You</i>
Photo: Def Jam

If you happen to be an anarchist, you probably observe May Day, which commemorates a number of historical revolts worldwide and is also known as International Workers' Day.

These days, the SoundScan charts sure could use a revolt — the music industry is lucky if it sees the best-selling album of the week push six-figure sales (as both Avril Lavigne and Nine Inch Nails did last week — all the more power to 'em).

It's wicked unlikely, but this week could see another revolution of sorts. Canadian songstress Leslie Feist, who cracked open her solo career in 1999 but really impacted with 2004's Let It Die, is facing off against Ne-Yo, the hugely popular R&B songwriter who is doing the sophomore-effort thing with Because of You.

If you're looking to prove that Ne-Yo's already got this contest in the bag, just look at the numbers he put up the last time around: His 2006 debut, In My Own Words, has sold almost 3 million copies worldwide and opened on the Billboard albums chart at #1.

While Ne-Yo was joined by Ghostface Killah and Peedi Peedi on that LP, this time around he has Jay-Z propping him up on "Crazy" and Jennifer Hudson aiding him on the duet "Leaving Tonight."

But even with those guests, could Ne-Yo's confidence be shaken? After all, he's changed the album title a handful of times — first it was Outta This World, then Because of You, then Know Me, then Because of You all over again. Plus, the album's first single — the title track — hasn't fared especially well on the charts so far.

That could open up the playing field a little for Feist's The Reminder, which The New York Times has declared as "the album that should transform her from the darling of the indie-rock circuit to a full-fledged star, and do it with no compromises."

The whole thing's up on her MySpace page already — and it's been in stores overseas for a week — but that hasn't quelled the buzz. Her stylish new "1234" — directed by Patrick Daughters (Death Cab for Cutie, Yeah Yeah Yeahs) — has our interest piqued, and even Best Buy is hyping the album as, ahem, "A strong sophomore effort from an acclaimed Canadian indie-rocker." There we go.

Swinging into the competition is Spider-Man and the heroic accompanying soundtrack to his new flick. The Killers, Snow Patrol, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wolfmother, the Flaming Lips and other well-known cool kids step onto the "Spidey 3" CD, crafting fresh songs to sling to.

If those bands are too mature for your tastes, look no further than Another Side, the debut disc by "High School Musical" and "Jump In!" star Corbin Bleu. Early birds get an extra treat — initial copies come with a DVD featuring performances from "High School Musical: The Concert," as well as an interview and more.

World-music goddess Angelique Kidjo has also catered to the kids' crowd in the past — believe it or not, her song "Ife" appeared way back when on the soundtrack to "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls." Kidjo's lauded catalog includes seven albums, but she's spiced up her latest, Djin Djin, by bringing guests Alicia Keys, Joss Stone, Carlos Santana, Peter Gabriel and Josh Groban into the fold.

Rush have more than twice as many studio albums to their name than Kidjo, but they've also enlisted some new blood — specifically, producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Velvet Revolver) — for Snakes & Arrows. The first 25,000 copies of the band's first studio LP since 2002's Vapor Trails — which peaked at #6 on the Billboard albums chart — will be released in Warner Music's Music Video Interactive format and feature 5.1. surround sound, hi-res audio, a video documentary, special booklet and deluxe packaging.

Tori Amos is also giving her new one the special-edition treatment, bolstering select copies of American Doll Posse with an added DVD chock-full of bonus material. Infamous Amos takes a bite out of the Bush administration this time around, mutating into a series of Greek goddesses along the way. Among the 23 stark song titles are "To George," "Mr. Bad Man" and "Fat Slut."

Fellow '90s stalwarts Dinosaur Jr. are also hoping to climb into the pack this week with Beyond, their first effort in a decade and first in almost two decades with arguably their best lineup: J Mascis, Murph and Lou Barlow. Some songs are classic Mascis — "Been There All the Time," "I Got Lost" — while two were written by Barlow ("Back to Your Heart," "Lightning Bulb").

Speaking of songwriting, Brooklyn, New York's Ari Hest turned to Gary Louris (Golden Smog, Jayhawks) to co-write "Bird Never Flies," a song featured on Hest's latest opus The Break-In. Mostly recorded in Santa Monica, California, with producer Mitchell Froom (Elvis Costello, Crowded House), the set includes "Bird Never Flies," "Big Ben" and "When and If."

One gang that might not make the cut this week are Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. While the critics love 'em, the loud garage-psych rockers' last effort — 2005's Howl — peaked lower than its 2003 predecessor, Take Them on, on Your Own. And despite a recent U.K. tour with the Killers, there hasn't been much build behind their new Baby 81, which marks drummer Nick Jago's studio comeback. The band does have something to say this time around, though — the album title refers to Abhilasha Jeyarajah, the 81st victim taken to Kalmunai hospital in Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami. Nine couples claimed the 4-month-old baby was theirs, and controversy ensued until DNA tests finally confirmed who the real parents were. In about a week, BRMC will know if they have a home — on the charts, that is.

Song Title of the Week:

"Un Jour Parfait Pour Poisson de Banane" from Les Sans Culottes' Le Weekender

Other Notables:

Paul Duncan' Above the Trees
Ari Hest isn't the only voice piping up from Brooklyn this week — neighbor Duncan also has something to say as he dishes up his third release. While Duncan tinkers with everything from pedal steel to banjo to glockenspiel, he's joined by a small army of co-conspirators, including members of Grizzly Bear, Tortoise, Cursive and more. Issued on the hep label Hometapes, the LP features "Memory Curves," "Parasail" and "Red Eagle."

Patrick Wolf's The Magic Position
Like Duncan, this London singer/songwriter also likes playing around with a wide variety of instruments — autoharp, theremin and ukulele among them. For his own third outing, the 6-foot-4-inch performer gets together with the legendary Marianne Faithfull for "Magpie," and keeps his pop deliberately off-kilter on songs like "Secret Garden," "Get Lost" and "Accident & Emergency."

The Flesh's Firetower
Also pushing the damaged-pop envelope are these arty dudes, who assembled in NYC in 2002 but now call Brooklyn and Philadelphia home. R&B, dub, goth and punk sounds also seep into the release, which is the band's most layered one yet — it relied heavily on overdubs and multi-tracking, and also ushered in classical musicians to add strings and horns to a few songs. Slap the Flesh some skin when they're on tour with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists next month.

New Releases:

· 65 Days of Static - The Destruction of Small Ideas (Monotreme)
· Acute - Arms Around a Stranger (Help)
· ALO - Roses & Clover (Brushfire) [Buy]
· Tori Amos - American Doll Posse (special edition comes with DVD; Epic) [Buy]
Read: "Tori Amos Forms Anti-Bush Posse By Mutating Into Greek Goddesses"
· Joan Armatrading - Into the Blues (429) [Buy]
· Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Baby 81 (Red Ink) [Buy]
· Corbin Bleu - Another Side (initial copies come with bonus DVD; Hollywood)
· Bockman - Chasing Dragons (Co-Opt)
· Doyle Bramhall - Foodland (Yep Roc) [Buy]
· Michael Bublé - Call Me Irresponsible (Reprise)
· Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond (Fat Possum) [Buy]
· The Dreadful Yawns - Rest (Exit Stencil) [Buy]
· Paul Duncan - Above the Trees (Hometapes)
· The Fall of Troy - Manipulator (Equal Vision) [Buy]
· Feist - The Reminder (CherryTree/Interscope)
· The Flesh - Firetower (Gern Blandsten) [Buy]
· Fort Knox Five - Reminted (Fort Knox) [Buy]
· Frog Eyes - Tears of the Valedictorian (Absolutely Kosher) [Buy]
· Robbie Fulks - Revenge (Yep Roc)
· Girl in a Coma - Both Before I'm Gone (enhanced; Blackheart) [Buy]
· Ari Hest - The Break-In (Red Ink) [Buy]
· Kalli - While the City Sleeps (One Little Indian) [Buy]
· Angelique Kidjo - Djin Djin (Razor & Tie) [Buy]
· Chantal Kreviazuk - Ghost Stories (Nettwerk) [Buy]
· Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (Epic) [Buy]
· Les Sans Culottes - Le Weekender (Vibratone)
· Kimberley Locke - Based on a True Story (Curb) [Buy]
· Jon McLaughlin - Indiana (with bonus CD; Island)
· Ne-Yo - Because of You (Def Jam) [Buy]
Read: "Ne-Yo Getting To Know Jennifer Hudson While He Waits For Britney"
· Protest Hill - The City Echoes Our Hearts (Latest Flame)
· The Puppini Sisters - Betcha Bottom Dollar (Verve Forecast)
· Rush - Snakes & Arrows (limited edition feature MVI format; Atlantic) [Buy]
· Blake Shelton - Pure BS (Warner Bros.)
· Skull Time - Skull Time (Latest Flame) [Buy]
· Through the Sparks - Lazarus Beach (Skybucket) [Buy]
· Ben Weaver - Paper Sky (Fugawee Bird) [Buy]
· Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position (enhanced; Universal) [Buy]
· Various artists - New Arrivals: Volume Two (MPress)
· Various artists - "Spider-Man 3" soundtrack (Record Collection)
Read: " 'Spider-Man 3' Soundtrack Features Killers, Snow Patrol"

Notable Reissues and Archival Material: · Paul Carrack - One Good Reason (American Beat) [Buy]
· Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Armed Forces; Blood & Chocolate; Get Happy!!; Goodbye Cruel World; Imperial Bedroom; King of America; My Aim Is True; Punch the Clock; The Best of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years; This Year's Model; Trust (Hip-O) [Buy]
· John Eddie - John Eddie (American Beat) [Buy]
· Ian Gillan - Gillan's Inn - Deluxe Tour Edition (two CDs; Immergent) [Buy]
· Marcia Griffiths - Reggae Anthology: Melody Life (two CDs; VP) [Buy]
· David Johansen - In Style (American Beat) [Buy]
· Mr. Big - Live at the Hard Rock (American Beat)
· Billy Squier - The Tale of the Tape (American Beat) [Buy]
· Peter Wolf - Long Line (American Beat)
· Warren Zevon - Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings (two CDs; New West) [Buy]
· Various artists - Body & Soul: Hip Hop Love (Time Life)
· Various artists - Dirty Dancing - Twentieth Anniversary Edition (with DVD; Time Life)

Music DVDs: · Barbara Mandrell - "Best of Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters Show" (two DVDs; Time Life) [Buy]
· Charlotte Martin - "Something Like a DVD" (Dinosaur Fight) [Buy]
· Rush - "A Show of Hands," "Exit Stage Left" and "Grace Under Pressure - 1984" (Island/Mercury) [Buy]
· Santana - "Hymns for Peace: Live at Montreux 2004" (Eagle Vision) [Buy]
· The Soft Machine - Volume Two (Water) [Buy]
· Frank Zappa - "Classic Albums: Apostrophe/Over-Nite Sensation (Eagle Vision) [Buy]

Coming Attractions:

May 8: · Björk - Volta (Atlantic) [Preorder]
Read: "Tsunami, Timbaland Help Shape Bjork's Forthcoming Volta"
· Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - Strength and Loyalty (Full Surface/ Interscope) [Preorder]
Read: "Bone Thugs Dropping Two New LPs; Second Disc To Feature Dre, Kanye, Mariah"
· Elliott Smith - New Moon (two CDs; Kill Rock Stars)
· Bobby Valentino - Special Occasion (Def Jam) [Preorder]
Read: "Bobby Valentino Looks Out For The Ladies With New Album, Jean Line"

May 15: · Megadeth - United Abominations (Roadrunner) [Preorder]
· Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight (Warner Bros.) [Preorder]
Read: "Linkin Park Finish Apocalyptic Album, Revive Projekt Revolution Tour"
· Wilco - Sky Blue Sky (enhanced; Nonesuch) [Preorder]

May 22: · Tim Armstrong - A Poet's Life (with bonus DVD; Hellcat) [Preorder]
· The Bravery - The Sun and the Moon (Island) [Preorder]
· KRS-One and Marley Marl - Hip Hop Lives (Koch)
· Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long (Octone) [Preorder]
Read: "Maroon 5 Back With 'Harder' Album After Adam Levine Gets Sick Of Partying"
· Ozzy Osbourne - Black Rain (Epic) [Preorder]

• Ne-Yo
• Feist
• Tori Amos
• Corbin Bleu
• Dinosaur Jr.

Backstage With Jonas, Miley And More At The Kids' Choice Awards

• Jonas Brothers
• Miley Cyrus
• Miranda Cosgrove
• Vanessa Hudgens
• David Archuleta

The Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Cosgrove, More Arrive At 2009 Kids' Choice Awards

• Jonas Brothers
• Miley Cyrus
• Miranda Cosgrove
• Vanessa Hudgens
• Ashley Tisdale