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Aug 31, 2009

Jay-Z Hot Rhapsody Commercial



Dope how he redid his previous album covers.

Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys - Empire State Of Mind



That's so hot. I love it.

The-Dream - Up Out My Face (Mariah Carey Demo)



From the first listen I don't think it's as good as the others we heard so far.

Melanie Fiona's Album Pushed Back Again

She just twittered:

@melaniefiona: RT and SCREAM WITH ME....MY ALBUM HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK AGAIN!!!! AAHHHHHHHHHH!!! WTF!?!??


I have yet to find out to which date but this really saddens me. Her album "The Bridge" has been released in several countries already an she's doing some gigs here and there but they simply can't put that damn album out. She's so talented.

Aug 30, 2009

Beyoncé - Broken-Hearted Girl Live in Ukraine

Black Eyed Peas Remember DJ AM




May he rest in peace.

Nelly Furtado - Bajo Otra Luz ft. Julieta Venegas & La Mala Rodríguez


I'm sorry but this song sucks. Eww. What you say?

Preview Nelly Furtado's Album "Mi Plan"


Sounds good so far.

Ryan Tedder - Everything (Leona Lewis Demo)

Sugababes Interview + Performance on T4




OMG what happened to Amelle's hair? Plus, the performance was pretty short. Hmm...not soo great after all. The interview was nice to watch though.

Amerie Photoshoot For Giant Mag




I think she's so beautiful. She could have taken her sun glasses off though.

iWontSTFU Reviews Whitney Houston's "I Look To You"

Don’t we all remember the young, talented, beautiful lady who made millions of people happy with her music in the 80s and 90s? So let’s do a little flashback and appreciate “The Voice”.

I Will Always Love You

How Will I Know (the mirrors are a bit creepy huh?)

Exhale (Shoop Shoop)

My Love Is Your Love (one of my faves from her more recent works)

She has too many great outstanding songs to display here. I could go on for hours but it's not like you don't know them right?


And now Whitney Houston is back so check out my review for her 6th studio album “I Look To You”.

Million Dollar Bill

The song is written and produced by Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz and you can definitely hear that it is an A. Keys song. I personally love it. The chorus is catchy (If he make you feel like a million dollar bill say oh oh oh oh say oh oh oh oh) and makes you sing along.

Nothin’ But Love

This track’s instrumental starts with a rather electronic sound which gets less dominant during the course of the song but I’m not really feeling it. Danja produced this one btw.

Call You Tonight

…is a Stargate production and it is as always very contemporary and radio friendly. I like it.

I Look To You

The song that gave the album its title is simultaneously the first single. About the piano driven ballad Houston said: “The last several years spiritually, this song says all I wanted to say. There are times in life when we go through certain situations - some not so good.”
Personally I think the song is just average.

Like I Never Left

Akon definitely did a good job on this. In fact, he’s the only collaboration on “I Look To You”. Akon’s voice might be very annoying and I hate to death this “Konvict” tag because it simply doesn’t fit to the song and Whitney Houston. Besides that the song is nice.

A Song For You

Cover songs are always a tricky thing. Either you fail miserably and destroy a beautiful song or you make it as good as the original or even better. In my opinion Whitney did a fantastic job. Whereas the beginning is similar to Leon Russell’s version at about 1:30 the beat changes and the song gets up tempo. I love it.

I Didn’t Know My Own Strength

A highlight concerning the ballads. It’s just beautiful.

Worth It

I won’t lie. I can’t stand this song for some reasons. I guess it’s the cheesy lyrics.

For The Lovers

I like this one a lot. “Now throw your hands up / The next three minutes it’s about the lovers / Ladies tell your man you love him / Fellas tell your girl you love her”. Very catchy and the background vocals match nicely.

I Got You

Another “Konvict” song and it’s nice. Not one of my favorites though.

Salute

“Salute” is my favorite ballad on this album. The song is written by R. Kelly and I got to admit that the lyrics are pretty good. Whitney basically tells us she is a “soldier girl” and “made it through”. The often quote line “So don’t call me to come back / I did it for years” is debatable in my eyes. I mean let’s be real. Her last album “Just Whitney” came out in 2002.

“I Look To You” is definitely an album you enjoy listening to. It’s not the banger type of album but I think Whitney connected the old school sound with the modern one quite well and has something for everybody. I also like to notice her personal experiences she relates to in her songs. Her label hopes for first weeks sales of 300k-400k. That sounds a little too optimistic to me.

I haven’t talked about her vocals yet although that’s the thing many people wonder about. I think after all the circumstance we have to consider she sounds well. Of course she isn’t the young Whitney and her voice sounds mature now but that’s fine. It’d be interesting to hear her sing live which will for example happen when she does “Good Morning America”. Then we can really judge on her vocals.

Label has high hopes for Whitney Houston comeback

Early reviews are promising and Houston's Sony Corp-owned Arista Records label hopes it will become one of the biggest sellers of the year.

The music industry desperately needs a hit. Annual U.S. sales in 2009 are on track to slide for the eighth time in nine years, ravaged by the recession, piracy and competition from other forms of entertainment such as video games.

Houston could also do with a hit. Her previous album "Just Whitney" in 2002, also was billed as a comeback and was the worst-selling of her career. She got more attention in the ensuing years for her rocky personal life, including multiple stints in drug rehab and a bitter divorce from former R&B star Bobby Brown.

In fact, she half-jokingly said last month that she had been planning to retire to an island when her mentor, record-industry chieftain Clive Davis, phoned 3 1/2 years ago to lure her back to the studio.

Davis, who has closely overseen Houston's career since signing her at a New York nightclub in 1983, lined up such A-listers as R&B singers Alicia Keys and R. Kelly, and prolific tunesmith Diane Warren to write songs for Houston.

"IT'S A BEYONCE WORLD"

Keys wrote the single "Million Dollar Bill," which received a warm reception at radio stations earlier this month. But will that translate into big album sales, especially when there's a new crop of superstars in the spotlight?

"It's a Beyonce world," said Caryn Ganz, an editor at Rolling Stone magazine. "I don't think Whitney has a clear place anymore."

She predicted early sales would be strong, then taper off.

Arista agrees with the first half of that assessment. Industry sources expect the album will sell between 300,000 and 400,000 copies across the United States during its first week, easily taking the No. 1 spot during a late-summer slump.

"This is a cultural event," said Scott Seviour, the label's senior VP of marketing and artist development. "The enthusiasm and the energy for this release is palpable."

Such a start would outpace first-week tallies for recent releases by Kelly Clarkson (255,000) and Madonna (280,000) but fall short of those for Mariah Carey (463,000), Beyonce (482,000) and Britney Spears (505,000).

"Just Whitney," the only album that Davis did not work on, debuted at No. 9 in 2002 with 205,000 copies and sold about 730,000, overall. Houston's worldwide sales of albums, singles and videos stand at 170 million units, according to Arista.

The label has left no marketing stone unturned, targeting Houston's core fan base of 30- to 55-year-old women, as well as the gay and lesbian community, Seviour said.

For her part, Houston has adopted a low profile. As with her 2002 album, she has consented to only one big TV interview, this time on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," which will air on September 14. Next Tuesday, she will tape a performance in New York's Central Park for ABC's breakfast show "Good Morning America."


Source


I don't think 400k are realistic. Of course her comeback album is highly anticipated and her album is solid (I will review "I Look To You" asap) but times have changed and she misses a massive hit yet. It's questionable too where or who her fanbase is nowadays. Let's wait and see. I wish her the best.

What do you predict?

Aug 29, 2009

Lady Gaga Interview & Performance in Japan

Drake working with Justin Timberlake, Andre 3000 & Sade

Collaborating with Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Eminem apparently is not enough for Drake as he is now hitting studio with Justin Timberlake. The Canadian rapper revealed the matter in a phone chat with DJ Drama on Hot 107.9 radio, adding that Timbaland is part of the collaboration.

In addition, Drake shared that his first studio album "Thank Me Later" will have contribution from Sade and OutKast's Andre Benjamin a.k.a Andre 3000. "I'm trying to make this song happen, man, It'd mean the world to me. I'm trying to make this happen for my album. It'd be me, Andre 3000 and Sade," he said.

"I know that I have to carry the majority of the weight by myself," Drake explained further as quoted by MTV. "The features have to be carefully picked. I could call on every favor that's owed to me or to everybody that's reached out and said they wanna work. But that may be a silly decision on my part. Because I don't wanna take away from myself carrying my first album. So that record [potentially with Andre 3000 and Sade] is something important to me."

"Obviously [I'm gonna work with] Wayne. I'm out here really trying to get something special with Justin. Hovito [Jay-Z], we might need to get him. The track on this album was a real catchy joint. But people wanna hear us rap together. That's one of my goals, to have that track with me and Jay. Maybe don't even have a hook, maybe. Have just like you haven't heard him in a minute, just going bars for bars. That might be something you'll hear on the album."

"Thank Me Later" is tentatively scheduled to be released near Valentine's Day in 2010.

A Sade collabo is so unexpected. Could be very interesting.

Pink Inc tour broke all records

AFTER more than three months criss-crossing Australia, American pop superstar Pink has wrapped her record-breaking tour, grossing more than $80 million.


The inspirational singer played to a packed house at Sydney's Acer Arena last night. It was the 58th and final performance of her phenomenal Funhouse national tour.

In total, Pink performed before more than 660,000 concert-goers - 150,000 of those in Sydney alone - over the past three months.

"It is a huge commitment on her part but she loves being here,'' said tour promoter Michael Coppel.

"She didn't do it unwillingly. When we were doing (planning) the tour, we only had a month commitment and then all of a sudden the demand was there so we kept adding shows and ended up with three months. It was really meant to be a maximum of 30 days.

"She has graciously made the time available and I think she's had a great time doing it as well.''

Pink - whose real name is Alecia Moore - played her first show of the tour in Perth on May 22, then travelled the country tirelessly, performing sell-out shows.

She played 17 concerts in Melbourne, six in Adelaide, four in Newcastle, two in Wollongong and Canberra, 11 in Brisbane and four in Perth.

Combining ticket sales and merchandise, it is estimated the Funhouse tour would have grossed more than $80 million.
How much of Pink's multi-million dollar earnings will remain in Australia would depend on the type of contract she signed prior to arriving in the country, said University of Queensland taxation expert Stephen Marsden.

"There are special provisions in the Taxation Act for entertainers and sports people but it's not a flat rate,'' Mr Marsden said.

"If the contract was signed overseas, very little (of her earnings from ticket sales) may be subject to tax.''

Pink's high-energy, two-hour show covered all her biggest songs from her five albums, including Just Like A Pill, U + Ur Hand, Trouble, So What!! and Get The Party Started.

Reinforcing her reputation as one of the world's best live performers, her spectacular stage show included risque costumes, breathtaking aerial acrobatics and fabulous visual effects.

But it's not just Pink's concert tickets that have been selling.
She has sold more than 4.8 million albums and singles in Australia since releasing her debut offering, Can't Take Me Home, in 2000.

Her single So What!! has been in the ARIA Charts for the past year. Also over the past 12 months, all five of her albums made it into the top 30 at the same time.

Pink's Funhouse album has never left the top 10 in the 42 weeks since it was released last October, spending nine weeks at number one, which is a record for any female artist on the ARIA Charts.

It's not surprising Pink has often spoken of her desire to one day live in Australia.

"The Pink Australian success story has been extraordinary, it just doesn't get any bigger,'' said Sony Music chief Denis Handlin.

"Australians have affectionately embraced her as their own as she has done with us.''
Pink is scheduled to return tothe US today, where she will be reunited with her husband Carey Hart.

Hart spent some of the past few months in Australia, performing at moto-cross events in cities where Pink was playing.

Pink will celebrate her 30th birthday on September 8 before kicking off her first ever headline American tour.
She's has 12 American shows planned, starting in Seattle on September 15.


Source

Wow. Australia loves Pink. But she's a great artist so congrats!

LeToya Performing "Regret" & "Not Anymore" + Interview







Love how she promotes her album cause her management don't. Good performance.

Colbie Caillat - "Fallin' For You" on Conan



Nice performance.

Wale feat. Jazmine Sullivan - World Tour


I like it. You?

Video: Mary J. Blige - The One feat. Drake


This video is hot!

Aug 28, 2009

Christina Aguilera Breaks Down In Interview


Aww. I'm glad she's happy to have her little family. She looked kinda different to me tho. What you think?

Aug 27, 2009

LeToya Performing "Regret" At Good Morning NY


She done good. Not sure about the twins tho, lol.

Mariah Carey - I Want To Know What Love Is

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN


I LOVE IT. That sounds like Mariah, and not Mimi!

Amazon Reviews "Memoirs"

Imperfections are in the eye of the beholder. You can see them as flaws, or as the very qualities that make us human -- and that make us strive to be better people in search of a perfection that we know we can never fully achieve. In the thirteen songs on her spellbinding new album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, Mariah Carey explores those aspects of our shared humanity with a rare depth, honesty and open-heartedness. It's one of the strongest statements in her long, distinguished career.

The subject of Memoirs is love at all its stages in our lives. Experiencing it for the first time. Losing it. Remembering its most painful moments, and also its times of greatest innocence and joy. Yearning for it. Learning from it. Growing as a result of its profound power. Finding it again and being grateful for so great a gift. And, finally, being humbled, filled with wonder and elevated by love's mysterious ways. In that sense and more, Memoirs is a full, immensely satisfying journey.

"Each song is like an intimate conversation or entry in a private diary," Carey says about the album. "A lot of the songs reflect specific, different times in my life. Others were inspired by movies, actual events that happened to me, or the stories of friends who told me about experiences that they've gone through." With just one exception, Carey wrote and produced the entire album in collaboration with The-Dream and Tricky Stewart. The trio clearly shared an inspired sense of what Memoirs should be. Sinuous grooves and instantly memorable melodies flow from track to track, while the wit and intimacy of the lyrics create the feel of one friend talking to another. As well-defined as each song is, Memoirs plays with the beauty and consistency of a classic, start-to-finish album.

"My main goal was to work with people I could collaborate with without it seeming redundant or stale," Carey says. "In my opinion Tricky is one of the most underrated major producers out there right now. I really enjoyed collaborating with him. And I especially liked writing with The-Dream, basically because we both love having fun with lyrics and melodies, and we're also capable of getting more serious on deeper songs. There is a particular sense of freedom I feel when we write together -- even though I make him stay in the studio all night until he is ready to kill me! LOL!"

Memoirs' first single is the hard-hitting "Obsessed," which is accompanied by a video directed by Brett Ratner (the Rush Hour trilogy) in which Carey plays both the glamorous star and her stalker fan. Like the video, the song's lyrics combine devastating putdowns ("Last man on the Earth still couldn't get this") with humor ("See right through you like you're bathin' in Windex"). The no-nonsense "Up Out My Face" captures a similar caustic mood, dismissing a former lover with the send-off, "When I break, I break, boy." "It's a Wrap" delivers a similar message about the end of an affair: "When it's gone, it's gone." "Standing O," with its irresistible chorus, sardonically applauds a faithless ex for his signature achievement: "You played the one that loved you the most." "Betcha Gon' Know" foresees karmic revenge for a wayward lover, but, once again, the clever lyrics ("Oprah Winfrey whole segment for real, for real / 20/20 Barbara Walters for real, for real") encourage a smile amid the pain.

The ballad "H.A.T.E.U.," meanwhile, finds the singer seeing life in the wake of a breakup and longing for the moment when loss and regret transform into a cleansing anger. But the title of the song doesn't necessarily stand for what you think it might. "H.A.T.E.U. is the first song I wrote for the album," Carey says, "and it stands for Having A Typical Emotional Upset."

Always a brilliant technical singer with an extraordinary vocal range, Carey rises to new heights on that track. "I sing a recurring melody in the upper register of my voice; it's not an ad-lib, but an integral part of the song's hook," she says. "That's not something I've done before, and when listening back to it, it reminded me of how Minnie Riperton used her upper register on her hit song `Lovin' You.' I thought how ironic that her song was called `Lovin' You' and my song is called, `H.A.T.E.U.' - and both use that upper `whistle register' as a major part of the melody. So it's sort of an homage to Minnie Riperton, a tribute to her since she has been so influential in my singing style."

On a tender note, the wistful "Candy Bling" beautifully evokes the blissful realm of young love ("Anklets, name plates that you gave to me/Sweet tarts, ring pops had that candy bling/And you were my world"), while "Inseparable" aches for a love that went wrong for reasons that seem impossible to comprehend. "More Than Just Friends" floats off into a fantasy of what a casual relationship might become ("Permanently paint me in your picture like Picasso/Love me down till I hit the top of my soprano!"). "Ribbon" and "The Impossible" swoon with happiness and thankfulness over redemptive love that has returned to make life rich again. "You did the impossible," Carey sings. "You rescued my love."

Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel ends with a spectacularly powerful gospel rendition of Foreigner's gorgeous ballad, "I Want to Know What Love Is." Carey's voice soars into the heavens as a soul-stirring choir makes it clear that the search for love is the closest that any human being ever gets to the divine.

Which brings us back to the angel of the album's title. "I had written a song called `Imperfect,'" Carey says, "but it didn't make it onto the album. The lyrics of that song address the fact that the world puts so much pressure on us -- especially on women -- to be perfect and look a certain way, and that is impossible because nobody is perfect. Only God is perfect. I know I've tried to be a good person, but I am definitely no angel!"

"But after I put this album together and decided to name it Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel," she concludes, "I remembered that the Minnie Riperton album that contained `Lovin' You' was called Perfect Angel. So I felt in so many ways that it was meant to be."


Well, obviously Amazon wants to sell their goods so they would be dumb to say the album sucks. Nevertheless the article provides new information and it sounds really good.

Kristinia DeBarge Performs "Obsessed" In The Street


She didn't even know the words...

Timbaland Working With The Jonas Brothers For "Shock Value 2"

Timbaland was on Ustream yesterday where he previewed some beats of Shock Value 2 and talked about some of the people he’s been working with for Shock Value 2 including The Neptunes. Sweet, another Big White Spaceship ~ Vurneable collabo. Here is the complete list with the people Timbaland is working with for Shock Value 2.

Timbaland – Shock Value 2 (2009)
Producers & Guests: Estelle, Danjahandz, Keri Hilson, The Jonas Brothers, Daughtry, Hollywood Undead, Jim Beanz, Amar, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Usher, Chris Brown, Missy Elliott, Drake, The Neptunes, Sebastian…



Source

Eh.

David Guetta feat. Akon - Sexy Bitch Video



As expected the video is nothing special. You like it?

Aug 26, 2009

LeToya To Sell Only 25k

According to Hits Daily Double Colbie Caillat will debut at the #1 spot with 95-105k.

R&B singstress LeToya Luckett sells 25-30k.


Hmm...Not a good look. It's a shame since "Lady Love" is obviously the better album in comparison to "LeToya". Colbie could have done better too.

Official Madonna "Celebration" Tracklisting

CD 1:
01) Hung Up
02) Music
03) Vogue
04) 4 Minutes
05) Holiday
06) Everybody
07) Like A Virgin
08 ) Into The Groove
09) Like A Prayer
10) Ray Of Light
11) Sorry
12) Express Yourself
13) Open Your Heart
14) Borderline
15) Secret
16) Erotica
17) Justify My Love
18 ) Revolver

CD 2:
01) Dress You Up
02) Material Girl
03) La Isla Bonita
04) Papa Don't Preach
05) Lucky Star
06) Burning Up
07) Crazy For You
08 ) Who's That Girl
09) Frozen
10) Miles Away
11) Take A Bow
12) Live To Tell
13) Beautiful Stranger
14) Hollywood
15) Die Another Day
16) Don’t Tell Me
17) Cherish
18 ) Celebration

Madonna Celebration DVD Track Listing:

1) Burning Up
2) Lucky Star
3) Borderline
4) Like A Virgin
5) Material Girl
6) Crazy For You
7) Into The Groove
8) Live To Tell
9) Paper Don’t Preach
10) True Blue
11) Open Your Heart
12) La Isla Bonita
13) Who’s That Girl
14) Like A Prayer
15) Express Yourself
16) Cherish
17) Vogue
18 ) Justify My Love
19) Erotica
20) Deeper and Deeper
21) Rain
22) I’ll Remember
23) Secret
24) Take A Bow
25) Bedtime Story
26) Human Nature
27) I Want You
28 ) You’ll See
29) Frozen
30) Ray Of Light
31) The Power Of Good-Bye
32) Beautiful Stranger
33) American Pie
34) Music
35) Don’t Tell Me
36) What It Feels Like For A Girl
37) Die Another Day
38 ) Hollywood
39) Love Profusion
40) Hung Up
41) Sorry
42) Get Together
43) Jump
44) 4 Minutes
45) Give It 2 Me
46) Miles Away
47) Celebration

Source


Wow that's pretty hot.

Shakira Loses Hula Hoop Contest



LMAO I can't believe she lost, did she do it on purpose? lol

Colbie Caillat Performs "Don't Cha" & "Fallin For You" at Pepsi Smash





Wow. I didn't expect her to cover the Pussycat Dolls' song so well but I really loved it. Great job.

I know why she chose to sing this song because she recently said she'd like to work with some hip hop artists like Pharrell.

Aug 25, 2009

Official Police Report Of The Chris Brown/Rihanna Incident

TMZ released the police report:

Rihanna told the officer she got into an argument with Chris Brown over something that had occurred at an event they were at earlier in the evening.

"The victim said she became enraged and slammed both of her fists against the dashboard on the passenger side of the car they were in. She reported that the defendant then pulled the vehicle over and reached over her with his right hand. He opened the car door and tried to force the victim out."

According to the report, Brown was unable to shove Rihanna out of the car because she was wearing a seatbelt.

The report continues, "When he could not force her to exit, he took his right hand and shoved her head against the passenger window of the car. "

"The victim then faced the defendant and he punched her in the left eye with his right hand. He then continued driving."

"As he drove, he continued to punch the victim in the face with his right hand while steering the vehicle with his left hand."

Rihanna told cops the "assault caused her mouth to fill with blood and blood to splatter over her clothing and the inside of the car."

Rihanna told cops after Brown "stopped his first assault .. she looked in the mirror and saw her eye beginning to swell.

[Brown] looked at [Rihanna] and said 'I'm going to beat the shit out of you when we get home! You wait and see!'"

Rihanna told police she tried to call her personal assistant, but she didn't pick up -- but Rihanna says she "pretended to talk, saying, 'I'm on my way home. Make sure the cops are there when I get there.'"

Rihanna says she pulled the act "because she did not want to get beat anymore."

But after Rihanna's fake phone conversation, she claims Brown "looked at [Rihanna] and said, "You just did the stupidest thing ever! Now I'm really going to kill you!"

Rihanna told cops that Brown unleashed a second wave of punches, "during which time [Rihanna] interlocked her fingers behind her head and brought her elbows forward to protect her face." He continued to punch her on her left arm, which caused a contusion on her left tricep.

At that point Rihanna tried texting her assistant. Brown threw the phone out of the car, stopped the vehicle and Rihanna then tried opening her door to get out, but Brown sped off and the door shut with Rihanna inside.

Brown placed Rihanna in a headlock while he drove, then bit her on her left ear. The car eventually stopped and Rihanna took the keys out of the ignition, and Brown began to punch her again in the face and arms. He placed her in a headlock and started applying pressure to her carotid artery. She couldn't breathe and began to lose consciousness. She tried freeing herself, and Brown bit her left ring and middle fingers and then released her.

Rihanna took off her shoe and tried breaking the passenger window, and he continued to punch her.

Eventually, Brown got out of the car. Rihanna opened the door and continued screaming. Brown began punching her again. He got back in the car and screamed "Where are my f***ing keys?" He got out, looked for the keys in vain, and when he could not find them removed several CDs and walked away.

Officers were called and observed numerous contusions and abrasions to Rihanna's face and forehead, as well as bruising on her left arm. There were other injuries as well.

Investigators determined Brown was wearing a large ring on his right hand which caused several of Rihanna's injuries.

Colbie Caillat Performing "Fallin For You" on Today Show



I don't think she can do much wrong while performing.

Beyoncé Musical Chairs




Trident comes up with good marketing stuff. I love it. Congrats to the winnders.

Beyonce Named Billboard Woman Of The Year

Billboard announced today (Aug. 25) that Beyoncé will be accepting its Woman Of The Year Award at the 2009 Billboard Women In Music Event, taking place on Oct. 2 in New York City.

The honor, given to a female recording artist that has inspired the music business with her success, leadership and new ideas, will be awarded to the singer for her accomplishments over the past 12 months.

In the last year, Beyoncé kicked off her world tour "I Am..." in support of her third solo album "I Am...Sasha Fierce," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in November and features the hit singles "If I Were A Boy," "Single Ladies," "Halo," "Ego" and "Sweet Dreams."

The tour also showcased Beyoncé's philanthropic side as she gave 2,500 tickets to families affected by the auto industry crisis in Detroit and joined forces with General Mills Hamburger Helper and Feeding America to deliver 3.5 million meals to local food banks.

"Beyoncé is multi-platinum artist and a multi-talented woman who clearly embodies the qualities of excellence and achievement that the Billboard Woman Of The Year Award was created to honor," said Bill Werde, Billboard's Editorial Director, about Beyoncé, who is the only performer in the 51-year history of the Billboard Hot 100 to top the chart for 10 weeks or more with a group and as a solo artist. "She has not only influenced pop culture with her hit songs and signature dance moves, but has inspired women everywhere with her unique style, business savvy and dedication to charitable causes."

The Billboard Women in Music Event celebrates the most powerful and talented women in the music business and is also held in conjunction with the Women In Music Power Players List issue, which recognizes the top female music executives who are leading the industry with their artistic and business vision.


Source

Congrats! Well-deserved.

Alexandra Burke feat. Flo Rida - Bad Boys



I actually thought Alexandra was also like Leona Lewis more like the ballad type of singer but it's good the obviously can be versatile. The song is nice.

Aug 24, 2009

David Guetta ft. Kelly Rowland Performing "WLTO" @ Miss Universe



Kelly sounded awful. I can't believe she ain't caring for her vocals at all.

Jay-Z feat. Drake - Off



Hot track. I love it.

Leona Lewis Names Album "Echo"

X-Factor winner Leona Lewis has finally given her sophomore album a name: Echo.

I hope she'll have some nice songs on that album too.

Aug 22, 2009

JoJo's Blog Entry About Sueing Her Label

When I sat down to write this blog I turned on one of my favorite albums, Jill Scott's "Who is Jill Scott?", thinking it might mellow me out, calm me down, and give me the focus to articulate all that I want to say. After all, for me, music has the power to change my mood and help me through every time in my life. Music can/will/has/does make me happy/sad/mad/passionate/energetic/etc. Music is my life. The thought of not being able to express myself through music is devastating to me!
Recently I had to make one of the toughest decisions in my career thus far. It's a long drawn out story, but I wont bore you with all the gory details... lol.
For the past year and a half I've been diligently cooperating with my record label(s) so I can have the opportunity to continue with my career and do what I love the most; create music and sing. I've been a patient team player and have done everything that was asked and/or expected of me. As you may already know, my record company has been going through a major transition and unfortunately all of the artists on the label have been forced to sit on the sidelines and wait. I exhausted every option and exercised much patience before reaching my final decision to file a formal complaint with the court.
My situation is a bit a-typical. It is not a case where the artist loves the material they are making, is set in his or her ways, will not take direction or advice, and will not cooperate with the label. This is NOT the case at all. I've been blessed to receive great feedback from the record company in response to the music I've been delivering. But unfortunately I have become a victim of industry politics that honestly have nothing to do with me personally or professionally. Because of this, I am willing to fight for what I love and ultimately for the chance to regain control of my livelihood and my life.
I cant wait for the day when I can share the music that me and the album's contributors have created. I am so anxious to get back to what really matters. I didn't get into this industry for anything else other than my absolute passion for and love of MUSIC. At 12 years old when my mom and I signed the contracts, I could never have imagined that there would be so many other, far less attractive aspects to this business. However, at the end of the day I hold no animosity towards my record company(s). I learned from an early age that this is a business and it is NOT personal.
I love and appreciate every single person who has stuck by me and supported me through these trying times, particularly my fans. I love you guys so much and I couldn't get through this without you. As I've mentioned in previous blogs, I really look forward to speaking more candidly about this time in my life and most importantly, delivering the music that has taken such a long time to come out. I will not rest until my goals are actualized.

Thanks again for your encouragement and your patience!
xoooxoooo
-Jo


Source

LeToya Luckett performing "She Ain't Got" live on KTLA



It was not a flawless performance but it was good.

Karina Pasian Covers "Ave Maria" by Beyoncé



Amazingly good. Karina is so talented.

Aug 21, 2009

BET Reviews Mariah Carey's Album

L.A. Reid Unveils Mariah's Memoirs Album
Earlier this week, L.A. Reid held an exclusive album listening event with various members of the press for Mariah Carey's upcoming Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel album, due out on Island Records in late September. The room listened attentively to the tracks that were previewed in L.A.'s candle-lit corner office.

After the album's prelude, Memoirs leads off with MC's first single "Obsessed," which has already reached #1 on BET's "106 & Park" countdown show. But the song is followed by a powerful blend of uptempo dance tracks, mid-tempo R&B jams and heartfelt ballads.

L.A. Reid confirmed that Mariah's second single will be the remake of Foreigner's classic "I Wanna Know What Love Is," where Mariah exercises her vocal range. On other songs, Carey continues to show off her unique talents, singing her heart out on "Angels Cry" and "Ribbon."

Written and produced entirely by Mariah, Tricky and The-Dream, the album's strongest selling point is its musical consistency. The tracks seem to flow into each other nicely, and as usual, Mariah has more than enough potential singles. The writing on songs like "Standing O" will keep all-time Mariah fans happy, while a younger audience will appreciate the down-to-earth rawness of songs like "Up Out My Face" and "It's A Wrap."

For most of the album, Mariah is belting out notes that only she can hit, and by the end of the session, the entire room was applauding her efforts. L.A. thanked the attendees for their time, before insisting that the album was what he believed to be a "classic" ("and I don't say that too often," he said).


Source

I seriously can't wait for "Standing O". The reviews about this song are so good that you can only be disapppointed when hearing it for the first time.

JoJo Sues Own Record Company

That JoJo singer chick is finally old enough to file a lawsuit -- 18 -- and guess what?! She's already picking a legal war with her record company!

In a lawsuit just filed in NYC courts, JoJo claims her record company shoved her into a musical "limbo" because they wont let her out of her contract -- and they won't let her record a new album either!

JoJo, real name Joanna Levesque, now wants a judge to force Da Family Entertainment to cut her loose -- plus she wants at least $500,000 for her troubles.


Source

We don't know what's going on behind the scenes but the fact that she can't release her album is a mess because that girl is talented. I hope everything turns out well for her.

Beyoncé To Perform At VMAs

Beyoncé's dance captain just confirmed it on her twitter:

@ashleycmeverett: VOTE BEYONCE FOR VMAS!!!! & look for a great performance! ;)


YES. Can't wait. I knew this was coming though since she made room for it by cancelling some Aussie shows.

Papa Knowles To Be A Teacher!

Media mogul Mathew Knowles will be teaching a course on the campus of Texas Southern University this fall.

Knowles, the president and CEO of Music World Entertainment, is best known as the father of Beyoncé and Solange.

Knowles will teach an undergraduate level course this fall entitled "The Entertainment Industry" through the TSU School of Communication.

Knowles has garnered many awards for his achievements in business and the music industry and was named the "2007 International Executive of the Year" by the Greater Houston Partnership. He received an Honorary Doctorate from his alma mater, Fisk University, and is on the Board of Governors for the Recording Academy of Texas.

Knowles graduated from Fisk University in 1974 with dual degrees—a BA in Economics and a BS in Business Administration.

He once taught a course at Fisk.

"Students who take Mr. Knowles’ class will truly benefit from the many relationships forged with the School of Communication," said Dr. James Ward, dean, TSU School of Communication. "Our goal is to provide these students with such a well-rounded experience that they will graduate on the cutting edge of the entertainment and recording industry."

MWE is the brainchild of Knowles and the management behind the success of Grammy Award-winners Beyoncé and global phenomenon Destiny's Child, the most successful "girl group" in the history of pop music.

Under the leadership of Mathew Knowles the members of Destiny’s Child; Beyoncé, Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland launched solo careers that marked international success stories.


Source

DEAD. That sounds like an april fools joke. ROFL.

Review on Colbie Caillat's Album "Breakthrough"

Colbie Caillat is back with her sophomore album "Breakthrough" including her first single "Fallin' For You".

The album starts with a song called "I Won't" in which she basically tells that she won't do certain things he wants her to do. The song is not outstanding though.

The second song named "Begin Again" has a chorus that simply rocks (not really rocks because it's not the type of music but you know what I mean lol) and this is what the track makes special.

"You Got Me" follows up. It's a very cute song.

At spot #4 you'll find "Fallin' For You". I absolutely love this song and I love singing along.

"Rainbow" is an okay song. Nothing special.

"Droplets" features Jason Reeves and I think their voices match great. Nice collabo.

The next song, "I Never Told You", is not very special, so it's an ok song.

Now when "Fearless" began I thought of "I Look To You" by Whitney Houston, yeah kinda weird lol. I like the instrumental of it and her vocals are nice too.

"Running To You" is aight. Nothing more.

Like the album title the folowing song is called "Breakthrough". It's definitely one of the best songs off the album and I can see it being a single.

"It Stops Today" is another highlight of the album. Love the chorus.

"Breakin' At The Cracks" is one of the really slow songs on the album. It's nice but reminds me.

If you liked "Coco" you probably will enjoy this album too. Unfortunately I haven't heard the tracks off the Deluxe Edt. yet.
The album is typically Colbie. From the first listen all songs sound the same but the more you listen to it the more you get to know what's special about them. I might add that sometimes you get the feeling like you heard some notes already on her previous album. Anyways, I will keep on listening to the album as I know some songs are growers. And you should do the same.

Video: Mary J. Blige - Stronger

Will.i.Am On Making Hot 100 History



In the video above, Will.i.am spoke to Billboard at his California home yesterday about the "crazy" past two years, cruising clubs and the making of the two chart history-making hits. He didn't think 12-week No. 1 "Boom Boom Pow" was going to be a radio song. If he had, he said, "I would have made it different... There's no such thing as a radio song now." And eight week No. 1 "I Gotta Feeling" had an even more interesting start. A friend invited him to party called, "F*** Me, I'm Famous," where he ended up rapping in the DJ's booth. The DJ -- "Feeling's" producer David Guetta -- later lent him some beats and pretty soon he realized it would be "dope to put 'Mazel Tov!' right in the middle of the song! We ain't even Jewish, man!" he laughs.

Source

Aug 20, 2009

VH1 Divas Official Poster




The poster is as bad as the line-up. Shit. Remember when VH1 Divas actually featured divas? The good old times.

Review on David Guetta's Album "One Love"

David Guetta, a French producer who took over the world with his smash "When Love Takes Over" featuring ex-Destiny's Child singer Kelly Rowland.

Guetta's album also takes off with this song but falls down as fast as it went up. "WLTO" is a catchy song and it was definitely a good move to release that song although I'm so sick of hearing it everywhere..."When love takes over yeahhh yeeeeaaah yeaaaah". Blah STFU.

The second track is "Gettin Over" feat. Chris Willis. When the song starts you think "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas is going to be played. Not too surprising since "I Gotta Feeling" is produced by David Guetta. After that you'd might be reminded of "Love Is Gone". Yep, that ish sounds recycled. And it can go back to the bin in a sec. Bye.

"Sexy Bitch" is definitely a highlight on the album. Although the lyrics pretty much suck (I'm trynna find the words to describe this girl without being disrespectul / damn girl/ damn you's a sexy bitch) this song is catchy as hell. Good stuff.

The next song is called "Memories" features Kid Cudi and it's decent. The instrumental is actually kinda nice. It might be a grower.

Half of the Black Eyed Peas (Will.I.Am & Apl.De.Ap) are featured on "On The Dancefloor" and I tell ya this beat is so freaking annoying. That's not a good look since I love BEP and can't get into this mess.

Since "When Love Takes Over" was such a huge hit Guetta felt like adding some more Kelly Rowland on his album so here we go: "It's The Way You Love Me".
I can't stand it.

The 7th song called "Missing You" features Novel who already worked with Alicia Keys, Leona Lewis and Sugababes. This song goes into the category: It's aiight. Nothing more.

Afterwards we get to hear "Choose". An interesting song since Ne-Yo and Kelly Rowland are on it. You get to hear a Ne-Yo in a way you hear him rarely. Like I said this song is interesting.

"How Soon Is Love" follows up then. This time Julie McKnight is allowed to put her vocals on it. Meh.

The 1oth song is the remix for "I Gotta Feeling". You know the song and you don't need to listen to this cause the original is amazing.

Estelle sings on "One Love" and I feel like I have heard this song already.

"I Wanna Go Crazy" feats Will.I.Am sounds actually pretty hot. That kinda song that makes you "Go Crazy" dancing on the dancefloor. Me likey.

Chris Willis is also on "Sound Of Letting Go" and I won't comment further on that because I'm about to get a head ache listening to this.

The next song is a song I was anticipating the most: Toyfriend featuring Wynter Gordon. Wynter is an artist who doesn't seem to get the chance to shine in the spotlight although she's mad talented as you also can hear on this piece. Love it.

Track 15 and the last song is called "If We Ever". Makeba Riddick is the artist who is delivering the vocals to this track and I gotta say she sounds good. I like that song.


After getting through the album I just put some ol' Whitney on. Need some quality "MUSIC", you know. I actually refuse to call this electronic "music" music.
I don't wanna sound like I hate dance music which is not the case, I just don't accept everything especially if it sounds recycled and all the same like it happened to David Guetta's album who will probably be mad successful with this album because everybody is so into dance and all the crap. Can't wait till this is outdated.

To sum it up, I prefer having Timbaland "collecting" artists to get them on an album than David Guetta trying to do the same.



Alicia Keys On Whitney Houston


Aww. "My Love Is Your Love" is one of my faves too.

Madonna "Celebration" Commercial


She's killing it with these trailers. Love it.

Video: Jamie Foxx - Digital Girl (Remix) feat. The-Dream, Drake & Kanye West


I don't like it. It lacks creativity and I don't think Drake brings anything to the song which was amazing in its normal version already.

Video: Jay-Z ft. Rihanna & Kanye West


I think it's hot.

Aug 19, 2009

3rd Sneak Peek of "Run This Town"



The video is gonna be hotter than the song.

Melanie Fiona Interview with Heineken

Mariah Carey - 100% Snippet



Sounds hot!

Beyoncé & Jay-Z Fighting With Paparazzi UPDATED

UPDATE with longer version:



Lady GaGa: I was bullied at school

Lady GaGa has revealed that she was bullied during her school days in a top New York private school.

The 'Poker Face' singer, who attended the same educational institution as Paris Hilton in the Upper East Side, admitted that she was the subject of taunts because of her individual style.

"I always gravitated to different things, I was eccentric. I went to a school full of spoilt kids," she told Virgin Media.

"[They made fun of] the way I dressed and talked. Even when I went to art school I was a bit of a sore thumb, but that's because I wasn't interested in being put through the sausage machine."

She added: "I could be insecure - all that 'who's saying what behind your back' stuff, but I hid in my work."

The 23-year-old previously claimed that she feels like an "outsider" in the world of showbiz.


Source

Video: LMFAO - La La La



Funny and creative. Me likey.

Behinde The Scenes: Beyoncé - Sweet Dreams



Interesting stuff.

Aug 18, 2009

Mariah's Tracklist Revealed

Foreigner's Mick Jones can start ordering caviar and Champagne again: Mariah Carey is releasing her own gospel-tinged version of his masterwork song, "I Want to Know What Love Is."

It's the first "real" single from her new album following the summer release of the witty "Obsessed," which is also included on "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel." The album and the single hit the world on Sept. 29th.

I heard the Foreigner song yesterday along with all of "Memoirs" and let me tell you: Mariah's got a hit on her hands along the lines of "Emancipation of Mimi "The hour-long CD is ballad-centric. Written and produced with The Dream and Tricky (I know, but these are their stage names), "Memoirs" boasts a lot of singles. Starting with the Foreigner song is a canny move in these uncertain times. By the time its run is over, a new generation will think "I Want to Know What Love Is" is a Mariah Carey song.

Mick Jones, who wrote it, should start picking out some nice new cars thanks to Carey. The money should come rolling in quickly.

The other songs on the album – these are the titles, although the running order is still being finalized: "Betcha," "Obsessed," "H.A.T.E.U.," "Candy Bling," "Ribbon," "Standing O's.," "Impossible," "It's a Wrap," "Inseparable," "Up Out My Face," "More than Just Friends," and "Angels Cry."

Several of these are radio ready. "Angels Cry" is an honest-to-god ballad a la "Vision of Love," and should be a gigantic success. "Standing O's" also has potential, as do "H.A.T.E.U." – which stands for "having a typical emotional upset" – and "Inseparable."

Def Jam's L.A. Reid – who previewed the CD for the first time yesterday with a clutch of staffers – is playing with the order, to get it right. But he really can't go wrong. Carey's album, is, as they used to say, "what the kids want." Plus, it's got stuff for the slightly older crowd. I loved the doo-woppy "It's a Wrap." And the Foreigner track is so powerful, it's going to be everywhere.

Good news, too: no more songs about Eminem. One was plenty.

So, by the end of September we'll have new CDs from Whitney and from Mariah. They're each top notch and different from each other enough that their fans should want them both. Maybe we'll see a return to record stores (we have but a few in Manhattan now) and diva duels on radio if programmers are smart.


Source

Finally some positive news about the album.

Celine Dion Is Pregnant!

According to reports superstar Celine Dion is expecting her second child.
Dion has recently spoken about the wish to expand her family.

The 41-year-old's husband Rene Angelil (67) fought cancer which lowered the chances of getting pregnant again. That's why the couple looked for help by hiring a team of fertility doctors in New York.

Celine Dion hasn't confirmed the pregnancy yet.

Congratulation to them. Hopefully this pregnancy will run without complications.

Trey Songz Covers "Obsessed"

Go to DefPen to check this out.

Me likey.

"I Look To You" Pushed Back In The UK

Amazon states that Whitney Houston's comeback album will be released in the United Kingdom on October 19.

This is due to the fact that "Million Dollar Bill" faces an UK iTunes release on August 24.

Video: R. Kelly feat. Keri Hilson - Number 1


I actually like the video. Not sure about the wardrobe used but oh well.

Sean Paul feat. Keri Hilson - Hold My Hand



I liked the song until Keri started singing. She sounds a mess on this.

Aug 17, 2009

2nd Preview of "Run This Town" Video



Looks epic. Can't wait to see it.

Beyoncé Taking Secretly Ballet Classes?

Singer Beyonce Knowles is brushing up her dancing skills by secretly enrolling for ballet tutorials in New York.

Beyonce used Manhattan’s Ailey School to rehearse for her last tour and now she has checked in for an open ballet class, reported contactmusic.com.

She came in like a regular student. No entourage and no attitude, said a source.



Source

Doubt that it's true but who knows.

America's Best Dance Crew Beyoncé Challenge

Last night at America's Best Dance Crew the groups were challenged to create choreos to Beyoncé songs who actually sent screen messaages to tell the task. Check them out. They are pretty good and I want some of the remixes.

Singel Ladies


Sweet Dreams


Work It Out & Crazy In Love


Jumpin Jumpin


Diva


Beautiful Liar


Deja Vu

Aug 16, 2009

Beyoncé #2 on the UK Album Charts

"I Am...Sasha Fierce" is back at its peak position in the British album charts. And if Michael Jackson wasn't allowed to chart again she would be at the top after charting 39 (!) weeks.

Looks like "Sweet Dreams" is a smash.

Source

New Review on "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel"

Our friends from The Prophet Blog published a new review on Mariah's album sampler.
Read it below.

1 - Candy Bling. By far my favourite. It took me back to the days of Underneath the Stars. Except that this time it is obviously UTS on her terms. So we have more airy notes and no belting - a theme throughout Memoirs. Everyone was loving this track. A lot of heads were nodding round the room.

2 - Obsessed. 'Nuff said. Like the idea that it was just something festive for summer. No matter what I thought this was hot. Really think it's edgy ALTHOUGH if you gave it to Cassie or whoever else it would sound normal. Only because it's Mariah does it sound edgy.

3 - H.A.T.E. U. I feel JD might have wanted to progress or whatever so she picks up with the other producer out there who can give her some mid-tempo summer jamz - The Dream. Didn't like the demo, wasn't a fan of this.

4 - Standing O. Was good. I think it was at this point that I realised something. No matter how hard she tries, like Kylie, she will never be cool. OK, Butterfly era was kinda cool, but really that was it. Let it go. Stop chasing rainbows! But back to the track. I liked this one, it was nice but again very mid-tempo. But very soulful which is something the head of Island Records said about the record.

5 - Impossible. About Nick. Slow jam. Blah.

6 - I Want To Know What Love Is. I liked it and it got a great reception. However there is a really uncomfortable key change mid way where it suddenly goes apeshit and you think the CD is skipping. She should have drawn the single out with another bridge or extra chorus to allow the run up to seem more natural. I guess it's hard when the song is someone else's. But you know she's had big success with rock ballads so there is definitely a formula for her.



For some reason it surprises me that "Candy Bling" gets associated with "Underneath the Stars" because "Candy Bling" sounds so like Hip Hop to me.

Bored? Watch Kelly Rowland Perform!

Have you recently watched a Kelly Rowland performance? Probably yes, since she's like performing everywhere just because of "When Love Takes Over".

Anyways, you probably learned that I am not a fan of non-singers. Kelly Rowland used to be a part of Destiny's Child and consequently you should expect her to be able to sing AND move a little on the stage without losing breath (I'm not even talking about dancing...). Well, it is not the case. She just needs to turn around and loses it...

Some may love the "interaction with the crowd" but she let's them sing like the whole song...but watch below.






She makes me always rolling on the floor. "Sing it loud and clear!", "Pump yo fist!" aaaand my very favorite: "I'd like to make sure I sound fantastic for you guys!"

DEAD.

Now you think I'm a Kelly hater. I'm really not. She's a cute girl and always nice in interviews. She just sucks on stage. I know Beyoncé sits in front of her MacBook giggling. Kelly learned nothing from her. She calls herself a singer but barely sings?! She needs some vocal practising because her tone is actually beautiful. But apparently she doesn't care.

And that is what makes me mad at her. She has potential but she doesn't use it at all. Heck, even LeToya sounds better than her now. Actually LeToya sounds effin amazing lately. You can tell she worked on her vocals but Kelly...hmm...

Melanie Fiona - It Kills Me Single Cover




I'm definitely feeling the cover but I would rather have her release another song off her album like "Monday Morning" or "Johnny".

"Obsessed" Was NOT MC's First Single

Mariah Carey—despite idiotic postings elsewhere—is gearing up for her big new CD release.
Mariah feels so strongly about “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel” that she’s even re-hired the PR powerhouse that made her second-stage career such a success. She’s back with Cindi Berger of PMK HBH. It was Berger who made her “Emancipation of Mimi” the biggest hit of Mariah’s career. Smart move.
Of course, that means both Mariah and Whitney Houston are now being repped by the same PR company. PMK’s Kristen Foster is handling Whitney with my old pal, Jill Fritzo.
“Memoirs” was scheduled for an August 25th release, then moved to September 15th. Now it’s set for September 29th. If the regular Grammy deadline had been in place—September 30th—Mariah would have made it. But the unfortunate early deadline of August 31st cut her off. So she has some slack time to get “Memoirs” just right.
The first single from Mariah’s CD will not be “Obsessed”—that was just a summer trifle, and it was a lot of fun. The real first official single is said to be a powerhouse ballad along the lines of “Vision of Love.”
Source

umm...okay. So "Obsessed" didn't do like Mariah and her crew expected it.
Nevertheless, it sounds good that she went back to Berger because if we get another "TEOM" nobody would be really mad. Plus, a ballad like "Vision of Love"? *faints*
That song is still one of Mariah's best one. Let's hope they ain't fooling us with those reports.