Singer Lily Allen joins slew of big names up for VMAs

Wearing a woolly, waist-length gray sweater and a look of bemusement, Lily Allen stood in stark contrast to the bikini clad pinups splashing in the pool behind her.

Leaning against a bright red couch in the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa at the Palms as part of the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards nomination show Tuesday, during which Allen earned a nod for "Best New Artist," the British songstress got a taste of things to come: When in Vegas, even the most demure of performers can't avoid a gang of chicks in G-strings. "It's pretty cool," Allen said of her nomination. "I'm very happy. I think."

Allen joins a slew of big names up for VMAs this year, which takes place Sept. 9 at the Palms, including Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake, who earned seven nominations each, Kanye West and Rihanna, who scored five nods, and Amy Winehouse, who is up for three awards.

Vying for "Video of the Year," the night's biggest award, is Winehouse, Beyoncé, Timberlake, West, Rihanna and electronica duo Justice.

This year also sees the debut of a handful of new award categories, including "Most Earthshattering Collaboration," "Monster Single of the Year" and the "Quadruple Threat Award," which recognizes artists who have excelled at endeavors outside of music, such as fashion, film and dance.

The show will be broadcast from throughout the Palms, with Timbaland, the Foo Fighters, West and Fall Out Boy performing in various Palms Fantasy Suites.

Winehouse, Rihanna, Allen and Chris Brown also are part of the lineup.

The awards themselves will be handed out in The Pearl, the Palms' swank 2,500-seat concert hall.

In lieu of a traditional host, super producer Timbaland has been tapped as the show "maestro" and will be in charge of the music and other aspects of the VMAs.

"I oversee everything," Timbaland said during the nomination show from MTV's New York studios.

"I'm going to show TV land how to really do an awards show," he added later.

Now in its 24th year, this is the first time the VMAs will take place in Las Vegas.

Palms head George Maloof says that he gave MTV carte blanche to use the property as they saw fit, and the show promises to be a mammoth undertaking.

"They're doing a lot more than I thought, just in the sense of construction and things that they're doing in the casino," Maloof says. "We're taking out 500 slot machines, 12 table games."

No tickets will be sold to the VMAs, though there will be red carpet ceremonies the night of the show.

In addition to the awards show itself, events are planned for the entire weekend of the VMAs.

Several VMA performers and nominees have announced concerts around the awards show, including Allen at The Joint on Sept. 7, Common at the House of Blues on Sept. 9 and Akon, Rihanna, and T-Pain at the Orleans Arena on that same night. Show information and ticket prices are available at Ticketmaster.com and Orleansarena.com.

For her part, Allen seems happy to be a part of the festivities, noting her fondness for the city with a giggle.

"Las Vegas is a dangerous place for me to be," she said, appropriately enough.