Lana Del Rey’s “Born To Die” Debuts at No. 2

Singer/songwriter Lana Del Rey debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with “Born To Die,” selling 77,000 copies according to Nielsen SoundScan. It’s the highest entry for a female artist’s full-length major label debut since Jackie Evancho’s “Dream With Me” bowed at No. 2 on July 2, 2011.

Meanwhile, Adele’s “21″ sits tight at No. 1 for a 19th nonconsecutive week (122,000; up 5%). Next week it could yield the top slot to the new Van Halen album “A Different Kind of Truth,” which was released yesterday (Feb. 7).

Nicki Minaj, Foo Fighters Confirmed to Perform at Grammys

Rapper Nicki Minaj will make her debut Grammy performance next month, joining Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars and country singer Jason Aldean on the list of artists who will take to the stage on the recording industry’s biggest night.

Grammy organizers said on Thursday that Minaj, who has four Grammy nominations, will perform at the February 12 awards show, as well as country sensation Taylor Swift, and Kelly Clarkson.

Rapper Kanye West, who leads this year’s Grammys with seven nominations, is also yet to be confirmed as a performer at the live awards show in Los Angeles.

Organizers said additional performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.

Katy Perry Snags B.o.B. for Remix

Katy Perry has teamed up with B.o.B for a remix of her song “The One That Got Away” from her album Teenage Dream.

Perry’s label, Capitol, has submitted the track to radio, and it should be available for fans to buy by next week. Perry has achieved a record five #1 singles off the album to date. Michael Jackson is the only other artist to have done the same, with his Bad album. However, if “The One” goes to #1, Katy will become the first artist with six #1 Hot 100 singles off of one album.

This is not the first time Katy has remixed one of her singles. Earlier this year, she worked with Kanye West on “E.T.” (the duo won a VMA for Best Collaboration for the video) and later, Missy Elliott got onboard a remix of Perry’s single “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.).”

Taio Cruz Says Usher’s New Album is “Soulful” and “Catchy”

Usher is currently working on his next album, and is set to work with Taio Cruz, whom he already collaborated with on the David Guetta anthem “Without You.”

Taio Cruz said, “I saw Usher a few times, but I spoke to him at length at David [Guetta]‘s house when we were in Ibiza [Spain]. He has very specific ideas of where he wants to go musically and sound-wise.”

Cruz continues, “He always wants there to be the soul in there. I’m kind of, not the opposite, but I’m always like, ‘Let’s get straight to the point and be really clear with the message and be simple.’ So we try to match those two worlds together: being soulful and, at the same time, catchy.”

Cruz can’t yet discuss what they’re working on: Besides “Without You,” he said, “Everything else is secret.”