CLARE, JEPSEN FEELING THE VIBE

Universal Republic U.K. tunesmith Alex Clare’s “Too Close” is the song heard on the soundtrack of the latest Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 TV ads, which is now a multi-format radio smash at Hot Adult and Top 40, including KITS and Sirius XM Hits 1, among many others. The video has more than 4 million views between VEVO and YouTube, with track sales now soaring over 230k. His debut album, The Lateness of the Hour, has been out digitally since March 26, with physical hitting retail May 8. Clare grew up listening to his dad’s jazz albums, drawn to the blues and soul of Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway, then to drum and bass and UK garage. After inking with Island U.K., his album was produced by Diplo and Switch. Before this, Clare was probably best known for dating the late Amy Winehouse for a year, meeting at the bar, the Hamden Arms in Camden, London, where he worked and performed. See the complete entry here.

604 Records/Schoolboy/Interscope Canadian pop singer Carly Rae Jepsen is the first signing to Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun’s new UMG label. Her first single, “Call Me Maybe,” is already a smash, Top 10 on the Hot 200, with Top 40 and Hot Adult falling into line. It has already topped the singles charts in Canada, U.K., Australia and Ireland. The YouTube video, featuring Bieber, Selena Gomez and Ashley Tisdale lip-synching the song has racked up more than 34 milion views, with the official vid adding another 30 million to that total. She has already appeared on Ellen, Good Morning America and The View, with an LP slated for the fall. The British Columbia native originally placed third on the 2007 Canadian Idol. She recently performed at the Universal City Walk. For the complete entry, go here.