The morning after the MTV Video Music Awards, Ester Dean sounds like she's been punched in the neck. "Excuse my voice," says the singer-songwriter over the phone from L.A. "I woke up and was like, 'Oh, I must have been screaming.'" Dean, whose normal speaking voice sounds like a pack-a-day seductress, and in song form turns to smoky sex on ice, spent last night in the Staples Center audience cheering on performers Nicki Minaj and Rihanna -- two of the many pop stars Dean has penned hit songs for. But Dean, who's gearing up to release her solo debut in 2013, plans to have a different role at next year's show. "I see me coming out, and there's rock star lights, and I'm singing the first verse of 'How You Love It' [her album's infectious first single, a collaboration with Missy Elliott], and I'm wearing black leather overalls and the flyest fuckin' shoes."
Believe it. The Oklahoma native burst onto the scene in 2005, when legendary producer Tricky Stewart discovered Dean singing backstage at a Gap Band concert. In 2008, Dean weathered a false start as a solo artist after filming the video for her bombastic "Drop It Low" (featuring Chris Brown). "The people I was working with were calling me ugly and fat, saying, 'We're gonna hide your face so nobody can see you,'" she recalls. Dean ditched her team, signed with Interscope and Roc Nation, and continued writing hits like Rihanna's "Rude Boy," and co-writing Katy Perry's "Firework" which are among the five number-one songs Dean's credit is on (she's also scored five Grammy nominations).
This month, even before her single drops, she'll conquer the big screen; as an a capella-singing coed in Pitch Perfect, a hilarious send-up of competitive singing. Dean plays a gambling-addicted lesbian member of the Bellas, a ragtag bunch who belt out prudish renditions of old standards and are in need of a little "swag"--which Dean delivers in spades. She is, after all, the lady responsible for the Rihanna lyric, "C'mon, rude boy, can you get it up?... Is you big enough?" "I've always just been nasty," Dean says, laughing. "Rihanna's my favorite to write for, because she just says, 'Ester: Do you, bitch.'"
Pitch Perfect is out now.
São Paulo-based Adriano Cintra and London-based Marina Vello formed Madrid last year after already having had successful music careers as part of two of Brazil's best-loved baile funk bands (that would be 
2. A James Bond-themed auction at Christie's celebrating the 50th anniversary of Dr. No brought in $2.6 million through sales of items like Daniel Craig's "powder blue La Perla bathing suit, which he sported in Casino Royale" (sold for $71,876) and his Aston Martin from Quantum of Solace, which fetched $390,101, which -- and we can't believe we're saying this -- actually seems a little low. You'll be happy to know that all proceeds went to charity. [via 
3. One of the imprisoned members of Pussy Riot, Yekaterina Samutsevich, was freed on appeal today after her lawyers argued that she was not at the church while the protest took place, having been prevented from entering and led away sometime prior. Her two fellow PR members are still serving their prison sentences. [via 
4. Dee Dee Ramone is getting a posthumous gallery show at Shepard Fairey's Subliminal Projects Gallery in L.A. The exhibit will feature "19 canvases, five paintings on wood, and one mixed media on card stock" and will run between October 26 and November 17. [via 
8. Tomorrow is 10/11/12! Holla!
*See all the photos from the party 
Margaret Kilgallen, Natadora
Stephen Powers (ESPO), Baby I'm Counting On You, 2003
Banksy, Stop and Search
Duster
Anthony Lister, In Transit #5, 2005 
Invader, Alias LA-060
TKid, Bronx Legend!!! 
Date Farmers, Untitled (Homeboy Took Off His Shirt, Then Took Out His Knife
Neckface, Untitled (Your Problem)
ASVP, BALACLAVA 
Cope2, Bubble Throw Up, 2011 
Sexy Big Bird is likely to be this year's most popular Halloween costume. [via 
Who wants to make us a Sexy Yip Yip costume?
Scarlett Johansson, Psycho. [via 
The sad, dark reality of Pepperidge Farm "Milano Melts." [via 
Nicolas Cage not looking.... his best in this picture taken recently on a plane. [via 
Related: 
Christie Brinkley will play Jerry's wife on Parks and Recreation. [via 
Prince Harry's Las Vegas escapades were apparently good publicity for the city, and made LV $23 million in revenue. [via 
Horse guy. [via 
Carine Roitfeld has been named the new Global Fashion Director of Harper's Bazaar. [via 
Amy Adams starred in this cute little polaroid campaign by Boy by Band of Outsiders. [via 
Beauty products made from snail slime are a thing now, apparently. [via 
Rodarte has partnered with Starbucks on a limited-edition line of products including this pixelated travel cup, all of which will hit stores on November 13. Will the collab restore the Starbucks cup to the "must-have accessory"-status it enjoyed back in the mid-aughts when Mary-Kate Olsen never left home without one? [via 
Want these Acne hiking boots the next time we're feeling 'outdoorsy.' [via 
Rihanna decided to lay it all out on the cover of her new album, Unapologetic. [via 
Though this isn't fashion per se, we can't help but call your attention to these deeply weird photos of Paul Ryan 
Ladies and gentlemen, this conversation below could happen to you!
At 16, Wendy James began a musical odyssey that brought her international stardom as the lead singer of Transvision Vamp, a pop-punk band that went on to record several top-10 hits in England in the late '80s. Sexually charged, rebellious and hot, James became the poster child for the group that included her boyfriend, guitarist Nick Sayer. The band made it onto the music charts with their albums Pop Art and Velveteen in 1988 and 1989, respectively. And, as these things usually go, all went well until it didn't. The touring, countless appearances and lack of a personal life getting the best of James and her band mates, Transvision Vamp broke up in 1992.
Ellie Goulding
Skrillex
Andrew W.K.
Rory Culkin
Neon Hitch
Pandora Boxx, Jiggly Caliente and Phi Phi O'Hara from RuPaul's All-Stars Drag Race
Alex Karpovsky
Citizens Band
Melanie Fiona
1. The Citizens Band, who introduced Michael Musto at our Nightlife Awards last night, will be performing at NYC's Abrons Arts Center October 24-27 in support of their latest album, Grab A Root And Growl. What's more, they'll be joined by Julia Stiles, Joe Sumner, Alia Shawkat and Ren. Sounds fun! [via press release]
2. A ten-year old ban on public murals and street art has been lifted in L.A. Hanksy, your move.
3. Tom Hanks is headed to Broadway! The actor will star in Nora Ephron's play, Lucky Guy, about columnist Mike McAlary whose career included both the loss of a libel suit and a Pulitzer Prize. [via 
4. Some ingenious folks created a map of 35 places in New York where you can find great doughnuts and we will be buying one for ourselves and all of our friends. [via 
5. NY Mag's Sex Diaries might be turned into a TV Show. But, after hearing that it's being developed for ABC -- and after religiously reading those diaries each week for years -- we don't know how they'll manage to make it PG. [via 
6. Like Fiona Apple, Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg and Armie Hammer before him, Nelly was stopped while driving through Sierra Blanca, TX and detained along with six other busmates after sheriffs found weed, heroin (heroin!?) and a loaded gun. The rapper was let off, however, after a friend confessed to ownership of all of the illicit items. [via 
7. Holy crap! A woman in France received a telephone bill for 12 quadrillion euros. The company told her she could pay in installments. Read more over at 
6% Doki Doki
Cope2
Hime + you
Indie 184
Joyrich
Julie West
Luke Chueh
Martin Hsu
Onch Movement
Shojono Tomo
Good ol' Pappy Joe. [
The only, only thing the Ryans have in common with Kurt and Courtney.. [
Paul Biden v. Joe Ryan. [
Pringles are releasing these three flavors for the holidays. So their gift to you this year is barf? [
Michael Bolton is going to star in a new ABC comedy series titled Michael Bolton's Daughter Is Destroying My Life. It's about a young female writer who is hired to handle Bolton's social media presence. We are absolutely 100% making none of this up. Holy shit. [
This dog is just going through a phase. He's going to be fine. You know how dogs can be -- you were one once! [
For the ladies... Sly Stalone eating soup, wearing your mother's favorite sweater from Pennys circa 1985. [
Jessica Biel, FTW. [
Rapper Fat Joe has a new song out called "Instagram That Ho." This song, however, is more our jam. [
Cheers, Future Biebs! [
Frito's Mini-Monsters we'd like to hang out with, in order or preference. 
Stay Puft. [
Shh, it's a 
Here's lookin' at you, weekend. [
New Yorkers have enjoyed their fair share of meatballs in the past couple years (see: The Meatball Shop, Terroir, the late Kenmare, etc.). Similarly, they've tasted a considerable variety of bánh mì, from the Vietnamese classic at Baoguette to its much-hyped Cambodian counterpart at Num Pang, and New York Magazine even ran an article in April 2009 suggesting that these South Asian delicacies were quickly becoming 
"You can appreciate my style without having to appreciate my weight.
It's not actually mutually inclusive. I just get frustrated because,
just because I exist in this shape, doesn't mean that I'm like
advocating it and being like, 'I look great,'" Alexa Chung told 
And, speaking of Alexa Chung, Anderson Cooper has a monogrammed Chanel hula hoop bag and gave one to her! (Although actually was it just a 'homemade version of the designer bag?) [via 
Check out Lanvin's new 'Pandora' jewlery collection. Love that the lion choker looks like a cool old door knocker. We could definitely see Mr. Mickey in some of these. [via 
We now have more info on those awesomely cheesy 
Ooh, Papermag's favorite 1-2 style punch and twin sister designs Coco & Breezy are hosting a Q&A session today at their pop-up shop at Live Astro in Williamsburg. [via Press Release]
Best bridal shoot ever. [via 