Posts Tagged ‘American Idol’

If you missed this week’s most talked about music moments, we’ve got ya covered right here in our music wrap up!

It’s the moment we’ve been waiting for since she gave a sneak peak of the song on New Year’s Eve in Vegas.

Kim Kardashian’s first single, “Jam (Turn It Up),” was released Wednesday. Officially, Kimmy K has made the music plunge.

The celebutante has The-Dream, to hate thank for producing the single, and allegedly, KK only agreed to record the song after several of her friends urged her to do it. Kim says the proceeds of the single will be donated to the positively awesome cause of cancer research.

(Lil’) Romeo never quite achieved the No Limit musical acclaim as did his record mogul pops, Master P, and being besties with Demar DeRozan wasn’t enough to secure him a spot on an NBA roster.

So what do you do when your rap, acting, and basketball careers fail to take off? You join the cast of “Dancing With the Stars!”

Romeo hopes to rekindle fame’s flame with fox trots and mambos on season 12 of DWTS. If his dance moves look as good as his body, the competition should be a breeze for him.

Regardless of whether you love her or hate her, you can’t stop talking about her. And Gaga’s latest trick – a 7 minute long video for “Born this Way” that graphically depicts the birth of an alien race – has everyone buzzing.

The catchy single helped spawn 10 year old, Maria Aragon, into an overnight, singing sensation after her Youtube version of “Born this Way” got millions of hits. Gaga invited the lucky little lady to sing a duet of the song with her on stage in Toronto earlier this week.

Tis the season for everyone ever having anything to do with American Idol to take center stage - Weight Watchers spokeswoman, J Hud, has been dazzling all the red carpets, Kimberly Caldwell has a new single AND video (yes, you read correctly… Kim Caldwell has a new song), and AI judge, J Lo, is back on the music scene with Pitbull collabo, “On The Floor.”

Released in late January, ”On The Floor” has peaked at 9 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and 15 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Songs. If Jenny’s new song wasn’t on your radar before, then the sexy new video will certainly get your attention. It will be interesting to see if any of the current Idols’ music ends up competing against JLo’s new music on the charts. A Billboard Battle Between Judge and Contestants…I kind of like the way that sounds.

A birthday is an annual event in which our friends and family find ways to celebrate with us the passing of another year…of us becoming older and (hopefully) wiser. For singer Adam Lambert, his 29th birthday will be a special one for another reason: the 2009 American Idol runner-up and Grammy-nominated artist is asking all of his fans to donate to charity: water in lieu of gifts.

Charity: water is a non-profit organization based in New York City that has set quite an aggressive goal: provide clean water for 100 million people in the next ten years by helping to dig wells, provide rainwater collection services and more. The organization’s founder, Scott Harrison, began charity: water after a career running New York City nightclubs and restaurants left him wanting more in life than to waste away under the flashing lights.

“In 2004, I left the streets of New York City for the shores of West Africa. I’d made my living for years in the big Apple promoting top nightclubs and fashion events, for the most part living selfishly and arrogantly. Desperately unhappy, I needed to change,” Harrison said.

Charity: water was born out of that trip to Africa, which Scott undertook as a volunteer photojournalist with Mercy Ships, a humanitarian organization which offers free medical care in the world’s poorest nations. “Over the next eight months, I met patients who taught me the meaning of courage. Many of them had been slowly suffocating to death for years and yet pressing on. Praying, hoping, surviving. It was an honor to photograph them. It was an honor to know them,” he said.

Upon returning to the United States, Scott decided that the best way in which he could help the people that had touched his life would be to use his connections in high society to raise funds and organize clean water projects and began charity: water to fulfill his vision.

The company has started extremely strong since it’s inception in 2006, and has been able to provide water for over 1 million people, has raised over $20 million and has funded over 3,000 water projects in countries from Honduras to Bangladesh to Kenya. With an estimated 1 in every 6 people in the world lacking access to clean water, there is definitely a need for all that charity: water does.

Lambert initially sought for $29,000 to be donated to charity: water, but his fans surpassed that goal within 5 hours of tweeting out the request!

Due to the overwhelmingly positive support from all around the world, Lambert has increased his target goal ten-fold, and is hoping to be able to give upwards of $290,000 to charity: water for their clean water projects.

Said Lambert, winner of both the Young Hollywood Award for Artist of the Year and the Teen Choice Award for Reality/Variety Star in 2009, “I am so excited to be a part of charity: water and able to give back to those in need.”

All of us here at Positively Celebrity are proud of Adam for his selflessness on his golden birthday, and wish him and charity: water much success in their fundraising efforts! To learn more about this great cause please visit http://www.charitywater.org

The direct site for Adam Lambert’s donation page is:

http://mycharitywater.org/adamlambert

Be sure to check back for more great inspirational celebrity stories from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity!  Thank you to everyone for your support!!

Britney’s back…again.

And in her latest single, the Pop Princess abandons her signature bubblegum sound, opting instead for an electro-pop-heavy track called “Hold It Against Me.”

From performing practically nude (except for hundreds of strategically placed rhinestones) at the 2000 VMAs to accessorizing a live snake as a necklace and making it seem uber sexy, Ms. Spears has never needed to follow the trend.

She is the trend.

However, with her recent single, it’s Britney this time keeping up with the trend as she emulates the Europop, electro-house sound  – a sound Europe has embraced for years. A sound weaving its way onto numerous American, mainstream artists’ albums.

Kelly Rowland found international chart success collaborating with world-renown DJ-producer, David Guetta, on “When Love Takes Over” and “Commander.”

Usher’s hit, “DJ Got Us Falling In Love,” co-written by Swedish, super-producer, Max Martin,  boasts a sound completely different from songs like, “Love In This Club” or “Confessions.”

Mr. You Got It Bad’s decision to put his R&B skills on the back burner to hone in on his electro side has resulted in one of Usher’s most successful releases ever.

Even Idols are hip to house. Adam Lambert’s “If I Had You” (also another Max Martin creation) peaked at #16 on Billboard’s Mainstream 40 and has twice gone platinum in Australia.

Cheers, Mate.

Of all the music movements currently happening, it’s the electro-house-Europop sound that’s making the hottest of the hot sizzle even more.

And since Britney knows nothing but sizzle, it’s only fitting that ”Hold It Against Me” blaze its own trail of success.

What are your thoughts on Brit’s new single?

Whether it’s due to declining record sales or to major, life changing catastrophes, some of our favorite singing divas have gone from being chart toppers to having close brushes with becoming “has beens”. A few, though, are holding on to their A-List credibility, and making musical come backs could revive their careers.

Below is my short list of who I would love, love, LOVE to see make come backs next year!

MARIAH CAREY

Stick thin and with an unruly – but sexy – head full of curly hair, Mariah Carey sang her way onto our tape decks with classics like “Vision of Love” and “Emotions.”  Every little girl aspired to be as chic as Carey during her leotard, high-waisted jeans wearing days of “Someday.”

And “Hero” must have set the world record for most overused song at talent shows and at pageants.

The charts, though, were not as kind to Mimi in the latter part of last decade as they had previously been. E=MC² was a huge success in the States and in Canada but failed to reach platinum status Internationally as had her other albums.  Her 2009 release, Memoirs of An Imperfect Angel, was too hip hop and R&B heavy, making the album sound like a balladeer’s failed attempt to be cool.

Next for Mariah: Her second Christmas album, Merry Christmas II You, was released this week! Time for a Carey Christmas!

Why I would like to see a Mariah Carey come back: Somewhere underneath that diva-tude and those layers of maternity clothes lies a talented songstress with unparalleled song writing capabilities!

KELLY CLARKSON

Competing in and winning American Idol in 2002 propelled Kelly Clarkson to instant stardom.  With the help of the Idol machine, Clarkson’s girl-next-door-makes-it-big fairytale appealed to dreamers all over America and set the foundation for the success of her debut album. “Miss Independent” wowed us with songs like “Since You’ve Been Gone,” and hits like “Breakaway” became radio mainstays.

Though all four of Clarkson’s  albums have sold relatively well, her undeniable star power that defined her early success has faded just a bit. Currently, Clarkson is working on her 5th studio album which is due for an early 2011 release.

Why I would like to see Kelly come back: Her voice is one of the strongest female voices in the industry today, and I admire her quest to maintain her individuality in a “conform now” industry.

Next for the Texas-born cutie: A duet performance with Jason Aldean at next week’s CMAs. Looking forward to her live performance!

It’s BRITNEY!

There have been several alleged comebacks, but Britney at her best – the 12 % body fat, never missing a beat, dancing machine Britney from “Slave 4 U” days - has been eluding the industry for some time now. Indeed, there was the reasonably successfully, critically acclaimed Circus Tour.

But this Britney

pales in comparison to THIS Britney.

I’ll pass on having a piece of this version of the starlet…

…and opt instead for the “Toxic” version.

At-her-finest Britney is the one we want. THE Britney Spears is what the people really need.

Why I want to see a Spears come back: It could be monumental! Imagine how ridiculous record and concert sales will be if we get back the Brit of yesteryear!

Next for the Pop Princess: Slowly working her way back into our lives with an awesome Glee cameo, the sexy songstress is in the studio working on her next album.

Who would you like to see make a come back in 2011?  Comment below, and keep checking back for more of the latest music news from Erica Renee Davis right here on Positively Celebrity.

Seemingly every day, news breaks that a high profile celebrity has turned to plastic surgery, unregulated pills or an insane crash diet to help shed pounds.

With all of these options having inherently dangerous risks, these celebrities are putting lives at risk; not only their own, but also the lives of those who look to emulate their favorite singer or starlet. Positively Celebrity is proud to see Academy Award winning actress and mother Jennifer Hudson has shunned the quick-fix attempts at weight loss!

Through hard work in the gym and a healthier diet, the sassy singing starlet is down 80 pounds, dropping from a size 16 to a size 6!

The singer and actress had put on over 20 pounds prior to the shooting of her breakout role in the movie Dreamgirls, which netted her multiple awards (including the Oscar) and tremendous critical appeal; however, Hudson said the birth of her son, David, was her driving motivation to reshape her body.

The singer, who Simon Cowell famously compared to “a wrapped turkey” during season three of American Idol, has teamed up with Weight Watchers to both become the company’s new spokesmodel, as well as to help promote the “Lose for Good” campaign, which focuses on teaching healthy eating practices to families.

“I am enjoying the weight loss because I’m doing it the right way – I feel empowered with what I’ve learned, everything from portion control to what foods will keep my satisfied. It’s a lifestyle change, not a diet,” Hudson said. “It’s a life changing process, you must exercise to maintain it and stay in that way.”

All of us here at Positively Celebrity are proud of Ms. Hudson’s transformation, and even more proud of the great example she has shown in achieving her amazing results the right way!

So you couldn’t sneak enough web surfing time at work to stay connected to the fabulous world of music? Here’s what you missed!

Katy Perry debuts new video for single, “Teenage Dream” Just when you thought she was finished releasing hot, summer singles, Katy Perry does it again with “Teenage Dream.” In this sensual video, a group of friends have the time of their lives speeding on winding roads and jumping into the ocean wearing their underwear. A parent’s nightmare but definitely a teenager’s dream.

On Thursday, it became official that Ellen DeGeneres would not be returning to American Idol to judge for another season.  Ellen has long been known as one of the nicest people in comedy, so this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone.  More surprising perhaps, is that she took the job in the first place.  Crushing people’s dreams just isn’t in her skill set.

As one of the most successful working comedians of the last decade, Ellen has made her way to the top without being vulgar or putting people down.  She has lived a life most comedians dream of.  Her list of credits includes The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, an HBO special, her own sitcom, host of both The Emmys and The Academy Awards, host of Saturday Night Live, the voice of a Disney character and now host of her Emmy Award-winning talk show Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Ellen began doing stand up in the early 80s, at a time when very few women braved the stage alone.  Her material has always been gender-neutral, and it wasn’t until several years into her career that she would officially announce that she was gay, which she did so in a sketch that mocked the very idea of having a grand coming-out-of-the-closet broadcast.  Producers weren’t at all happy with the idea of having an openly gay woman as the star of a sitcom, and after her announcement on the show Ellen in 1997, ratings dropped and the show was canceled shortly thereafter.

Critics may be quick to blame the show’s cancellation on Ellen, but doing so is just too easy and, quite honestly, false.  After the success of her talk show, you can hardly say that she can’t relate to audiences.  Ellen: The Ellen Degeneres Show premiered in 2003 and has been going strong ever since, earning several Emmy nominations and wins.  She even confronted Republican Presidential nominee John McCain on her show about his hard stance against gay marriage.  Always polite and respectful, Ellen calmly argued her point and ended the interview with warmth and laughter.  Now, 30 years into her career, she continues to be brave and family-friendly while remaining brilliantly funny.

There is an indescribable something about a perfect summer song. It’s the song that reminds you of your first teenage love or the summer you traveled abroad.  The song to which you and your friends laughed and partied.  Or maybe it’s the song that made you cry.  Whether you’re 15 or 50, you know “that song.”  A nostalgic anthem marking a milestone in your life.  This season, a handful of hits are filling the big shoes of Will Smith’s “Summertime” or of M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes.”  Add these songs to your play list if you haven’t already because these songs SIZZLE.

“Your Love” by Nicki Minaj -   Annie Lennox’s “No More I Love You’s” is the sample the sassy rapper used for this track. Minaj’s version does this love song justice. Oh, you’re not in love? You will be after jamming out to this one.

“Billionaire” by Travie McCoy ft Bruno Mars -  You recite every lyric because you, too, aspire to attain billionaire status. Period.

“Hey, Soul Sister” by Train – Perfect blend of quirky lyrics and upbeat tempos.  Also, it’s on that Samsung washer/dryer commercial, so it’s pretty much stuck in your head ALL DAY.

“Teach Me How To Dougie”  by Cali Swag District -  You have no idea what this means, but it sure sounds like a good time.

“Everlasting Light” by The Black Keys -   Part rock, part soul.  Totally perfect.

“California Gurls” by Katy Perry -  An absolutely annoying song but so catchy.  Caution:  it’s a fungus, and it has grown on you, too.

“Bulletproof” by La Roux -  Empowerment song of summer 2010! The “I’m not going to be taken advantage of anymore,” breaking up with you NOW, anthem.

“If I Had You” by Adam Lambert -  Androgyny + techno = summer club hit.

“Misery by Maroon 5″ – Every Maroon 5 hit sizzles year ‘round.  Misery is no exception.

“It’s In The Morning” by Robin Thicke ft Snoop Dogg -  Once you figure out what “it” is, you’ll have this one on repeat. Added bonus: the video is ULTRA sexy.

I resigned my American Idol watching duties after country music sweetheart, Carrie Underwood, was crowned.  No longer could I justify spending meaningless hours watching the predictability that has become American Idol – the made for television rags to riches stories and the horrific auditions from our nation’s most untalented spectacles.  A victim of circumstance I became when the 2010 Idols invaded the stage on one of my favorite morning shows, Good Morning America.

One word:  mediocre.  Okay, no. Three words:  less than mediocre. Ouch.

Aside from Lee DeWyze’s solid solo performance, everything else sounded like a Saddle Ranch karaoke extravaganza. The Idols just could not find balance in their 3 part harmony. I’m sure that blending 10 different voices with varying vocal ranges and of different music styles has gotta be a task to boot.  At least for them it was.

Even more fascinating was the awkwardness of each Idol not knowing whether to clap, sway, or fist pump along with the music. Many resorted to the “shake-your-leg-like-Elvis-to-keep-the-beat” option. I felt like I was watching a 5 minute “Glee” blooper reel.

I attribute the decline of AI’s audience to the decrease in the show’s caliber of talent. Instead of having the “it” factor like Kelly Clarkson or Jennifer Hudson, most recent Idol contestants have the “has been” factor and are easily forgotten before the next season’s auditions roll around.

American Idol has become a money machine with little interest in fully cultivating the individual talents of its artists. AI garners its ratings, cashes in, and then throws these relatively “green” singers on stage for a 44 city, nationwide tour. While I do applaud each Idol for pursuing their music careers, potential contestants should heed the warning that, after the curtain closes, American Idol glitter does not always guarantee gold.

In an apparent move to tap into Paula Abdul’s popularity (and controversial departure from its competitor), ABC producers are vying for Abdul to participate on this season’s Dancing with the Stars.

Stephen McPherson, the network’s programming chief, called Abdul following her departure from FOX’s American Idol. Noting Abdul was “an old friend,” McPherson gave no indication whether Abdul has reached a decision to join DWTS.