Mariah Carey Records "Bye Bye" And "Migrate"

"Bye Bye"

"Migrate"

Too exciting! Here are our first listens to both Mariah's second single "Bye Bye" & her new song "Migrate" in the studio. The videos, while not wonderful quality, are similar to that of the previously posted "Love Story." Everything I've heard now from the studio that will be featured on E=MC² (April 15th!) is FIRE. I can't wait for Mariah to release "Bye Bye" to radio. I really feel like Mimi is doing her thing this time around & being true to herself, which always brings out her best music. Only 15 days!

Behind-The-Scenes: Leona Lewis "Bleeding Love"

Part 2 // Part 3

Check out the making of the US version of Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love" music video above. It's an interesting watch to see how the beautiful video came together. Who knew that in such a short time Leona would have the #1 single in the country! Her album Spirit comes out on April 8th in the US.

Mariah Carey "Billboard" Magazine Cover

Check out Mariah on the very interesting cover of Billboard's latest issue. Good thing they chose this issue to play with the angles, too, because the picture works well with it. Anyone who is interested in reading the article, in which MC talks about her new album E=MC², which is due April 15th, can click HERE.

Kelly Rowland Performs Destiny's Child Medley

Watch The Full Concert

Kelly Rowland, the UK's rising star (lol), performed recently as a part of the BBC 1Xtra Live festival. In the middle of her set, the former Destiny's Child member sang a few old DC hits. These medleys the girls do solo don't always sit quite right with me, as they need all the voices to pull the songs off, but it's cool to see Kelly nonetheless. Other songs Ms. Kelly performed, which you can click to view above, include "Like This," "Daylight," & "Work." In the US, Kelly's digital album Ms. Kelly: Diva Deluxe is available now.

Keyshia Cole Feeling The "Love" On Third LP

When recently featured on BET's Access Granted to premiere the fourth single "Heaven Sent" from her sophomore album Just Like You, Keyshia Cole revealed some details regarding her next album, which is to be titled The Love Album. She said:

The next thing expected of Keyshia Cole would be the next album, which is The Love Album. I want to do more of a sexy feel, opening up to my womanhood & showing the sexier side of me. ... I have never [written] any songs where I'm showing a more vulnerable side of myself, and I want to explore who I am and share that with the world also.

An interesting album title to say the least, as it is very similar to (yet different enough from) the song that got her signed, "Love." With The Way It Is & Just Like You, Keyshia's first two albums, being part of my five favorite albums ever, no new Keyshia news is bad news. It's hard to see how Keyshia thinks she's never really been vulnerable, but she definitely has the voice for it. Keyshia's musical decisions thus far have been on-point, so I'm sure she will bring the heat when her third record drops, supposedly by the end of the year.

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Weekend Flashback Performance: Mariah Carey At The 2005 World Music Awards

Probably my favorite performance of the Mimi era. Accompanied by the famous MIMI display, the expensive car, &, as Mariah would call it, the "festive" scenery, Mariah's performance here of "Shake It Off," in which she looks wonderful, is not only almost more than the eyes can handle, but much more than one might expect at an awards show. Mimi did it big last time around, so I can't wait to see if she tops it with the new record!

Will.I.Am ft. Cheryl Cole "Heartbreaker" Video Premiere

"Heartbreaker," featuring UK group Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole, is will.i.am's second single off his soon-to-be-re-released solo album Songs About Girls. Especially after the mess that was his first single ("I Got It From My Mama"), I was not checking for will.i.am as a solo artist, but this song/video had me reconsider. While it is by no means the hottest or most original track out right now, I rather liked the song. Also, the video, which couldn't have taken much money to make, is kinda interesting, with the whole flashlights/dancing routine.

Mariah Carey Records "Love Story"

Check out this behind-the-scenes footage of Mariah Carey recording her new song "Love Story," track seven off her upcoming album E=MC², which is set to be released on April 15th. The song is produced by Jermaine Dupri. This one really sounds like a winner. Just from what we can hear on the video, I am excited to listen to the whole thing. Can't wait for the album -- only 16 days!

*UPDATED* Michelle Williams' New Single Premieres Monday

Michelle Williams, whose first mainstream album Unexpected drops in August, is set to premiere her lead single off the project, "We Break The Dawn," Monday via People.com. Michelle's official site, which brought us this information, features photos of her new look in addition to the one to your left. I never realized Michelle could look so *fierce*! It does seem as if she is being modeled a bit like Rihanna, except hotter. As for the song, I'm excited to hear what she has to offer because I have high hopes for Michelle as a mainstream artist.

UPDATE: The song is now available for listening HERE. Hot!

Day26 Perform "Since You've Been Gone" On 106 And Park

Day26 recently performed their song "Since You've Been Gone" on BET's 106 & Park. While not one of my personal favorites on the album, seeing the boys get into it makes me more interested in the song. They sound pretty good live & I really think their voices blend well. If Bad Boy makes this the second single off Day26's self-titled debut album (out now), it should do well on the radio because it has that sound of R&B guy group songs that are often successful.

Trina ft. Keyshia Cole "I Got A Thang For You" Video Premiere

"I Got A Thang For You," featuring Keyshia Cole, is Trina's second single from her upcoming fourth album Still Da Baddest, due April 1st. The song is "Here We Go" Part 2 if I've ever heard one. Not because of the lyrics, but because Trina tried her hardest to re-create the hit musically that she had on her last album with Kelly Rowland. But, hey, I ain't mad at her. I love Keyshia & her parts are really cool. This must be her week, with "Heaven Sent" premiering a couple days ago. Though I do prefer the "Heaven Sent" video, I have to say that this is definitely an improvement, imo, from Trina's first single song-wise.

Idol Review: Top 10

This is a pattern you just might have to get used to. My favorite performance of the week? Who cares what the judges say. It's David Archuleta! As far as everyone else goes, Ramiele has got to go. Her talent can't even slightly compare to all the others. End of story. Jason is getting a little old, but I still like him.

Syesha was amazing; she is the most underrated person in the competition by a mile. How Simon Cowell can LOVE Leona Lewis & say crap about Syesha is beyond me. If you listen to the studio version of "If I Were Your Woman," you would agree: Syesha blows Leona out of the water.

Poor Chikezie. He did well, but you just knew the moment the judges didn't like it that he was gone. Brooke has turned out not to really be my cup of tea. I did not dig her, nor have I for a few weeks now. Was "Let It Be" really THAT great? Umm, no. Michael (& David Cook, for that matter) ... *rolls eyes*. Say what you will, but this is not Rock Idol, mk? Carly did great, as always ... I just hope she finds her 'song' soon & Kristy surprised me, but it's clear that she can't really stack up to the talent of some of the others. As far as that "Billie Jean" crapfest goes, David Cook should NOT be praised for "bravery" or "originality" for jacking some other dude's rendition. Again, end of story. Check out the Top 10 Ford Music Video below:

This one was actually really cool. Definitely the best one so far this year. Anyway, second season third place finalist Kimberley Locke performed her song "Fall" on this week's results show. She is a great singer & I like the song. Check it out:

Billboard Update

^This week's #1 album on the Billboard 200 chart
This week's #1 single on the Hot 100 chart^

See full charts HERE.

Well folks, here we see a rare week in which the pole position of both major charts ROCKS. Danity Kane sees their sophomore album Welcome To The Dollhouse top the Billboard 200, their second to do so, making them the only female group ever to have their first two albums top the chart (Rap-Up). Meanwhile, Leona Lewis has taken over the US as well, topping the Hot 100 with her 7-week #1 in her native UK, "Bleeding Love." She is the first female to have her debut single top the chart since Fergie with "London Bridge" in 2006 (Rap-Up) & the first British female solo artist to top the chart in over 20 years (Reuters). Wow, what a mouthful! I'm really happy for them, especially Leona because I didn't know if the US would embrace her, as we never give the good stuff from across the pond the time of day. Heck, she beat Usher! Of course, "Love In This Club" has already fallen from #1 without a video in sight...

(Photo Credit: Amazon)

Happy Anniversary, Mariah!

Happy (as she might put it) 26th anniversary of your 12th birthday, Mariah! Your lambs love & support everything you do, & are working hard to get you that 18th #1! We can't wait for the new album!

*UPDATED* Keyshia Cole "Heaven Sent" Video Premiere

"Heaven Sent" is the fourth single taken from Keyshia Cole's platinum sophomore album Just Like You. What a beautiful video! This song actually managed to stand out to me on the practically flawless Just Like You CD, so I'm glad it got the single treatment & did it ever! Shot in Hawaii, the gorgeous views & colors in the video do the song justice. The video's concept comes from the famous "Footprints" poem. It's cool to see Keyshia rocking the black hair, too. Also, even though Keyshia is currently preparing her third album Love, expect yet another single to be lifted from her second LP. Definitely good news (considering the album is full of choices).

UPDATE: Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is - A Family Affair, a reunion episode of Keyshia's popular reality show, recently aired on BET. If you missed it (like I did), never fear because it is available for viewing in full HERE.

Mariah Carey Performs "I'm That Chick": MTV.com Exclusive

The Voice returns! Mariah Carey exclusively performed her new song "I'm That Chick" for the first time for mtv.com. I don't know what the deal is with debuting all her new material live, but it sounds like this one was a home run! Mariah sounded great ... & my favorite part of it all was that she sounded like Mariah again. "I'm That Chick" has a bit of that throwback Mariah feel to it, which I just love. You are that chick I like! Be sure to pick up E=MC² when it drops April 15th.

New Mariah Carey Promo Pic + Tidbits

Here is a new promotional shot of Mariah Carey for her upcoming album E=MC², out April 15th. I think the shot is really interesting & Mariah looks amazing. It appears to be a time of joy for Mimi, as her single "Touch My Body" just hit #1 on iTunes! In related news, it appears that Mariah's track "Bye Bye" is set to be her second single. She recently announced on a radio interview that her next single, a ballad, is to be one she worked with Stargate & Johnta Austin on, criteria which fits the song. Also, I'm a bit late with this, but Mariah is set to appear in the new movie "Push," which is based on the novel of the same name. Lee Daniels, producer of Mariah's new film "Tennessee," is attached to the project as well. Mariah, Mariah everywhere!

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Mario On Dancing With The Stars: Week 2

Mario performed the quickstep in his second appearance on the ABC competition show Dancing With The Stars. He scored a 26/30, following a 24/30 last week, which was the best for the guys. Mario is doing so well on the show & is really displaying his skills as a dancer. Hopefully this will race his excellent new single being advertised all over the internet, "Music For Love," up the charts!

*UPDATED* New Music Tuesday

Check out Day26 performing their first single "Got Me Going" at the Making The Band 4 season finale above. This all-guy group formed last season on MTB4 by Diddy has turned out to be somewhat of an R&B gem. While I never watched the show, just hearing their music inspired me to go pick up their album because they just sounded so polished already. They have such a refreshing sound. After my first listen, highlights include tracks "In My Bed," "Come In (My Door's Open)," & "Don't Fight The Feeling." Day26's self-titled debut album is out now!

^Click to purchase^

UPDATE: Also out this week is the digital-only re-release of Kelly Rowland's sophomore album Ms. Kelly: Diva Deluxe. Despite initially feeling a sense of bland- & repetitiveness while listening to clips of the new songs, Miss Kelly's talent shines in the nice, albeit short, set, even if the label did substitute remixes for all-new uptempos. Kelly really needs all the support she can get over here in the US, though, so it's definitely worth consideration. Infact, you can listen to the entire album for free HERE this week (in addition to Day26's CD). Photo credit: Wikipedia

India.Arie Launches Own Record Label

India.Arie has launched SoulBird Music, her new record label in association with Universal Republic Records. Anthony David, a longtime musical colleague of hers, will release his major label debut album Acey Deucey June 17th via SoulBird. The lead single off the project, "Words," will be a duet between India.Arie & David and will go to R&B radio April 15th. While it will be great to hear her on the radio again, featured on her very own artist's track, I hope she takes advantage of this opportunity to release a new album of her own.

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Britney Spears On How I Met Your Mother

Check out Britney Spears' scenes from Monday's episode of CBS' comedy How I Met Your Mother. Her appearance gave the show it's best ratings ever! Britney was quite funny in the parts she was featured in. It surprised me a little because I didn't expect her to pull something off like this when Jive can't even get her to film a music video anymore. Anyway, I'd never really watched HIMYM, but it seems like a really funny show! To watch the entire hilarious episode (the two-minute date. HA!), click HERE.

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Ciara Works With Nelly

In addition to her work on an upcoming third album, Ciara has taken time out to appear on Nelly's next album Brass Knuckles, due June 24th. She will be featured on the track "Stepped On My J'z," which is produced by Jermaine Dupri & is a tribute to Nike Air Jordans. Nelly had the following to say about the song:

“I love Jordans. I’ve been wearing Jordans since I can remember. Ciara loves Jordans and I thought it was a crazy fit. Ciara, JD, and I are all from the Jordan era. The song is bananas! I can’t wait for people to hear it ’cause CiCi got busy.”

Interesting. I'm a big fan of CiCi, so I can't wait to hear it!

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Danity Kane Perform "Damaged" At Making The Band 4 Season Finale

Check out Danity Kane performing their first single "Damaged" off what will become their 2nd #1 album Welcome To The Dollhouse on the season finale of Making The Band 4. I'm just jumping on the DK bandwagon, but they impressed me. It wasn't flawless, but they sing live & dance better than I ever would have given them credit for before this new album, which is the hotness.

Leona Lewis Performs "Bleeding Love" On Leno

Last night, Leona Lewis made her American late night debut, performing her single "Bleeding Love" on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno. The single is taken from her debut album Spirit, due April 8th in the US. She did well & it looks like the promotion is working, with "Bleeding Love" sitting pretty in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 & at #1 on iTunes. In related news, you can now preview the 2 new songs ("Misses Glass" & "Forgive Me") from the US version of her album by clicking HERE.

Mariah Carey Performs At The Hills Premiere Party

Mariah Carey performed both "Touch My Body" & "We Belong Together" at last night's premiere party for MTV's The Hills. I love her to death, but this isn't her best. I feel she just needs to cough or something & she'll be fine. Still, I'm crossing my fingers for that 18th #1 with "Touch My Body!" In related news, if you pre-order Mariah's new album E=MC² (out April 15th) on iTunes, you can receive the exclusive bonus track "4real4real," which features Da Brat! How exciting. 3 weeks until 15 new Mariah joints!

While I Was Away...

• Watch Making The Video: Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" (Pt. 1 // Pt. 2)
• Estelle Tops UK Singles Chart With "American Boy" (Who knew she was so big? How exciting.)
• Kelly Rowland Performs "Daylight/Dilemma" Medley (At least she is performing it somewhere, so that's good to see. I wish I had been there though ... I would have been screaming out those lyrics!)
• Michelle Williams Album Update (Her third album, & first mainstream CD, Unexpected is due in August. "We Break The Dawn" is to be the first single & will be out in April. The popular "Stop This Car" will be released as the second single. Stargate and SoulShock & Karlin, among others, are producers on the project. Check out the tracklisting by clicking the link. I look forward to this album.)
• Estelle Performs "American Boy" (This song is really growing on me!)
• Idol Review: Top 11 (David Archuleta was my favorite performance of the week, but Syesha was amazing as well. Carly was great ... basically everyone else was either alright or bad, keeping everyone right where they were last week in my eyes. Amanda leaving, though, was a shocker for me. Click the link to watch this week's Ford music video.)
• Watch Mariah Carey's New Macy's Commercials HERE & HERE
• Jennifer Lopez "People" Magazine Cover (What a beautiful cover! I'm so happy for Jennifer. Her babies are adorable.)
• Mariah Carey "E=MC²" Tracklisting (A lot of hot producers & more songs than initially expected, so all-around good news here. Danja on "Migrate" makes me even more pumped to hear the song!)
• Rick Ross, Usher Top Billboard 200, Hot 100, Respectively [See Below]
• Mariah To Appear On Letterman, GMA, Regis & Kelly And Cover Essence
• New Christina Milian Promo Pic (She's looking great as always. I just wonder what it's for...)
• Teyana Taylor "Google Me" Video Premiere (A fun video for a new artist ... *sigh*)
• See Mariah Carey's "Parade" Magazine Covers HERE & HERE (She looks nice.)
• Christina Milian In New Movie, Single Due This Summer (She will appear in the new Matthew McConaughey film "The Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past," out next year. Also, Christina confirmed that she will drop a new single this summer to lead her next album, due later this year via Interscope/MySpace Records. I'm definitely interested in hearing what Christina has to offer us musically this time around.)
• Ashanti "The Way That I Love You" Behind-The-Scenes (Cool.)
• Chilli "Sister 2 Sister" Magazine Cover (Where is she anymore? I hope she releases that solo album soon.)
• Ciara Album Update (Her third album is due in August/early September & she is working with the likes of Danja, The Clutch, Polow Da Don, & T-Pain. I loved The Evolution & Ciara seems to be bringin' it hard this next time around!)
• Mya "Chicago" Promo Pic (Lookin' good ... now put out an album.)

Mariah Carey "E=MC²" Cover

Check out the cover of Mariah Carey's new album E=MC², due April 15th, above. Some people are kind of being cruel to Mariah this time around & I don't know why. "Touch My Body" is a hot song &, seeing as how her second single will be a ballad (just as with Mimi), I can't figure out why people are dissing the cool track & it's equally great video. As far as SNL is concerned, it was wonderful of Mariah to even do the gig & I thought she did a good job. So, the cover is a killer shot & I think displaying only her first name is a great move, seeing as she is the hottest force out there.

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Going Out Of Town + Bonus

Check out Mario dancing the cha-cha on last night's Dancing With The Stars above. He did a nice job. Anyway, I apologize for the inconvenience, but I will be going out of town until Monday. There is a slight possibility that I might post while I'm away, but have no worries because I will get you all caught up in a flash when I get back & continue to bring you the best coverage of urban & pop music as soon as I return!

New Music Tuesday

Check out this music video featuring Mary J. Blige's "Come To Me (Peace)" (from her Growing Pains album) for "Tyler Perry's Meet The Browns," which hits theaters this Friday, March 21st. The soundtrack to the movie hits stores today & features "Dig This" by Brandy, "Love Again" by Kelly Rowland, & new music by Estelle, Wynter Gordon, & more. That is one hot line-up, so it's definitely worth consideration. Also, of course, Danity Kane's hot sophomore effort Welcome To The Dollhouse comes out today.

Buy Meet The Browns Soundtrack
Buy Welcome To The Dollhouse

Day26 "Got Me Going" Video Premiere

"Got Me Going" is the first single off the self-titled debut album from the Making The Band 4 winners, Day26. The CD, which you can listen to now on MTV's The Leak, will be released next Tuesday, March 25th. I really quite like Day26 & this song, so I hope for the best for them. At first, I thought this was just another cheap video, but I see now why they did what they did & that there's just enough special effects for a new group's video.

Jordin Sparks To Be Featured On New Idol DVD

Jordin Sparks, as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol, will be primarily featured in the new DVD release "American Idol - Season 6 Finale Performance Show: The Top 2." The 2-disc set will feature all the finale performances by both Jordin Sparks & Blake Lewis, as well as a special performance by Chris Daughtry, special Jordin & Blake highlight features on the second disc, & more. It is set to be released on May 13th. As Jordin is my favorite Idol winner thus far, I will definitely be picking this up.

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Leona Lewis On Oprah

Earlier today, Leona Lewis, more or less, made her American debut on Oprah. She performed "Bleeding Love" & gave a short interview afterward. Leona must've realized that this was a big deal because she did really well on the song. Her debut album Spirit, featuring 2 new tracks, is set to be released April 8th here in America.

Britney Spears On HIMYM: Sneak Peek

Check out this peek of Britney guest-starring on the March 24th episode of CBS' How I Met Your Mother. Looks funny...

Ashlee Simpson On New Album + Appearances

Ashlee Simpson, whose third album Bittersweet World drops April 22nd, recently revealed some details about the project. She says of it:

"A lot of the record is a bit cheeky. Sometimes I'm writing about something serious, but it was fun for me to kind of goof around as well."

To promote Bittersweet World, Ash will be appearing at Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards on March 29th, Today on April 18th & Dancing With the Stars on April 22nd, the release date. She is also planning a summer tour. I like Ashlee's serious records, but she is sounding good on the new material as well. Also, DWTS, from a record-selling perspective, should be a good look.

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Alicia Keys To Star In MTV's Fresh Takes

Here's a preview for the new MTV micro-series that Alicia Keys will star in called Fresh Takes. It follows the lives of three roommates in their mid-twenties living in New York City & will begin airing weekly on March 24th during The Hills. This seems cool, so I might check it out (but I won't be watching The Hills).

Kelly Clarkson Working With Ryan Tedder On New Album

As confirmed in a recent interview with the OneRepublic frontman, Ryan Tedder has been working on new material with Kelly Clarkson. Tedder said that Clarkson's new songs will feature "big choruses" and "heavy drum programming." He also revealed some of the influences for the project, ranging from Garbage to Mozart. I listened to My December again recently & I believe it is underrated & has songs on it that we need on the radio right now. Nevertheless, I'm excited that she is working on new material because she is so talented & creative, so it will be great no matter what it is.

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Britney Spears "TV Guide" Magazine Cover

Check out the one & only Britney Spears on the latest cover of TV Guide to promote her upcoming appearance on How I Met Your Mother. Dare I say ... I think she looks good! I won't get my hopes up, but I do hope this is a sign of things to come. ... HIMYM with Britney airs March 24th on CBS.

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Mariah Carey "Sunday Telegraph" Magazine Cover

Mariah Carey is featured on the cover of the Sunday Telegraph magazine. She's getting the promo train a-movin' for E=MC², which drops April 15th. Check out more pictures & the interview from the issue HERE.

The Caffeine Patch: Toy Story Mania! Sneak Peek

Here's a sneak preview of a new attraction coming to Disney's California Adventure & Disney's Hollywood Studios (in Orlando) theme parks this summer called Toy Story Mania! Being that "Toy Story" is kind of my favoritest movie, this makes me giddy. Also, check out the official site for the ride HERE.

Ciara's New Rocawear Ads

Ciara has been the face of Jay-Z's Rocawear clothing line for a while now, but she is now being featured in a new ad campaign for the line. You can check out more shots by clicking the photo above.

Mariah Performs "Migrate" And "Touch My Body" On SNL

Migrate (ft. T-Pain)

Touch My Body

For the first time anywhere, Mariah Carey performed her first single "Touch My Body" on Saturday Night Live. Then, for the general public to hear for the first time, Mariah performed the new track "Migrate" with T-Pain. They were cool performances. From what I can tell, "Migrate" is a hot song! Mariah was gettin' her gangsta on a little bit. E=MC² drops April 15th!

Leona Lewis "Cosmopolitan" Magazine Cover

Leona Lewis covers the latest issue of Cosmopolitan magazine. As I said earlier today, Leona is always flawless. Her debut album Spirit arrives in the US on April 8th.

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Keri Hilson Promo Video

Check out this new promotional video for Keri Hilson's upcoming debut album In A Perfect World... (due this May) featuring her behind-the-scenes at a photo shoot. It almost doubles as a music video for one of her really cool songs! She looks amazing in all the photos, too. She is the whole package & I am definitely anticipating this project!

Leona Lewis Performs At Sport Relief

Better In Time

Footprints In The Sand

Leona Lewis once again performed her 2 new singles, "Better In Time" & "Footprints In The Sand," at the benefit for the organization they are supporting. She looks & sounds great, like always, but I am curious about one thing. Why do they make the background singers lip-sync the background parts that Leona recorded? They aren't fooling anyone ... it just looks silly.

The Caffeine Patch: Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs Poster

Check out the all-new official poster for "Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs," the third film in the franchise, which is set to hit theaters July 1st, 2009. It may be a day or two away, but these movies are very entertaining & this one looks to be no exception. The hilarious teaser trailer, featuring Scrat, can be seen now attached to "Horton Hears A Who!" & I will post it when it hits the net!

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Weekend Flashback Performance: Keyshia Cole At The 2005 Vibe Awards

2005 was the year Keyshia Cole broke out onto the scene with her debut album The Way It Is, which remains my favorite album of all time to this day. The 2005 Vibe Awards were a big deal for her because not only did she win her very first award, the Next Award, but she gave a stunning performance of her first hit single "I Should Have Cheated." As much as I love the album version, I could listen to this one all day. Here, she proves that she doesn't need that autotone in the studio to sound absolutely amazing. Many industry people, including Mary J. Blige & Benny Medina, can be seen enjoying the performance as well. Keyshia proved that night why she deserves to be a star.

*UPDATED* Katharine McPhee Performs On American Idol + Idol Top 12 Review

Season 5 runner-up Katharine McPhee returned to American Idol this week to perform the song "Something" with David Foster on the piano. She just got up there & showed the new top 12 how it's done. It's not to say that some of them aren't better singers (& some worse), but she is so professional at this point & so confident. She looked and sang beautifully. Kat also said that she was recording new material, so hopefully, with a new label, she can have that sophomore album out to us in no time.

I must say, there isn't alot to talk about when it comes to the top 12 this week on Idol...

+ Syesha did well & did not deserve the bottom 3; Chikezie was, of course, surprisingly good; Amanda, for me, was really good this week (she is inconsistent overall, though); Jason & Carly were good ... again; & David A. didn't have his best week, but he is still amazing.

- I still don't like David C. or Michael; Brooke did nothing for me; I'm glad David H. is out of our hair; Kristy, of course, disappointed (I'm hoping she can show us what she's really made of in what is probably her last shot this coming week); & Ramiele was horrible, further causing me to question her placement in the competition.

I was not a fan of this Lennon/McCartney songbook & I'm not happy that they can come up with nothing better to do than the same thing again next week. No performance particularly stood out to me, but I would like to suggest purchasing David Archuleta's studio version of "We Can Work It Out" on iTunes. That kid is InCrEdIbLe in the studio. Ready already.

UPDATE: Here's the Top 12 Ford Music Video. I think I'll post these every week...

*UPDATED* In Theaters Now...

Grade: A

UPDATE: #1 with $45 million!

Mariah Carey SNL Promos

These are two spots featuring Mariah Carey to promote her appearance on SNL this Saturday. She actually speaks in the first one! They are...

*UPDATED* Ashlee Simpson "Bittersweet World" Cover

UPDATE: Check out the NEW cover for Ashlee Simpson's forthcoming CD Bittersweet World above. Although, at the time of posting, the previous official cover is still posted on Amazon, this is the new official one, as (currently) confirmed by her official site. Much improved! You can check out what they changed it from & the rest of the original post below.

Check out [to the left] the cover for Ashlee Simpson's upcoming third album Bittersweet World, dropping April 22nd. The project is set to feature both singles "Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)" & "Little Miss Obsessive." I am interested in the direction Ash is taking. However, though I don't hate it by any means, the cover looks fake (which it's not) & cheap (which it very well might be). Still, I'm a supporter of the younger Simpson & am anticipating this album.

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The Caffeine Patch: First Look At Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

This is a preview of the new Dreamworks Animation sequel "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa," which is set to hit theaters November 7th. While not the official teaser, this trailer features scenes from the new movie, as well as Ben Stiller (voice of Alex the lion) talking about it, & is featured on the recent DVD release of their film "Bee Movie." It should be noted that the movie was, in fact, originally set to be called "Madagascar: The Crate Escape," but very recently went through a title change. Penguins, lemurs, giraffes ... oh my!

Mario Performs "Crying Out For Me" On Pepsi Smash

Check out this on location performance Mario did for Pepsi Smash on Yahoo! of his current hit single "Crying Out For Me." This song has actually been out forever, but it's so cool. I really think Mario did his thing with this song & his incredible album Go way before Usher came back on the scene. I thought the vocals were good on this & it's just an interesting video to watch.

Kat DeLuna ft. Busta Rhymes "Run The Show" Video Premiere

"Run The Show," featuring Busta Rhymes, is Kat DeLuna's second single from her debut album released last year, 9 Lives. I'm not particularly a fan of her's, but I thought I'd share this video because I must admit that the song is pretty hot. I did like her first single "Whine Up," but didn't like her album, which I didn't give much of a shot in the first place to be honest. I'll have to read around to see if her album is worth checking out. There is word of a re-release, but nothing is set in stone. Busta is cool, so I guess he's a decent addition to the song.

Nicole Scherzinger Performs "Just Say Yes" On Girlicious

Granted, they don't show much of the performance. Still, Nicole Scherzinger performed a never-before-heard song from her debut solo album Her Name Is Nicole entitled "Just Say Yes" recently on the CW show The Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious. For a Nicole fan like myself, it's cool to hear some new material, as there is still no release date for her album. The song sounds really good &, like "Power's Out," I'd love to hear the whole thing.

Billboard Update

^This week's #1 album on the Billboard 200 chart

This week's #1 single on the Hot 100 chart^

See full chart HERE.

So, there's a Jackson at #1 again this week on the Billboard 200 chart ... but it's the wrong one. Janet's Discipline does, however, land at a respectable #3 this week. As far as the Hot 100 goes, it's no surprise that Usher still reigns. This week's Airplay Gainer title goes to Jordin Sparks, who stays at #6 with "No Air," her duet with Chris Brown. This week's Sales Gainer title goes to Leona Lewis, who advances 20 spots to land at #21 with her European #1 hit "Bleeding Love." It's also worth nothing that Ashanti had the Hot Shot Debut this week, with "The Way That I Love You" entering at #88.

"Touch My Body" Watch

TW: #16 - LW: #24 - Peak: #16 - Week: #4

(Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

Britney Spears To Guest Star On How I Met Your Mother

For anyone wishing to see Britney in person following the animated new video for her single "Break The Ice," look no further. On Monday, March 24th, set those DVRs because Britney Spears will be guest-starring on an episode of CBS' comedy How I Met Your Mother. She is set to play a receptionist named Abby. This follows up a guest spot she took a few years ago on NBC's Will & Grace. If she gets the job done, I know it will be entertaining & I'm looking forward to seeing how it ends up.

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Lil' Mama "VYP: Voice Of The Young People" Cover

Check out the, if nothing else, very appropriate cover for Lil' Mama's long-awaited debut album VYP: Voice Of The Young People, which is due on April 29th. It's interesting the path Lil' Mama has followed thus far, but she actually may have convinced me to pick this up, as she is very talented at what she does & has been able to put out some pretty appealing joints. I do like the shot, too.

Britney Spears "Break The Ice" Video Premiere

"Break The Ice" is the third single taken from Britney Spears' recent album Blackout. The video is actually an animated one featuring the character of the villain from Britney's previous video for "Toxic." While the song is really cool, the video is a bit odd, but cool at the same time. I guess the label was forced to get creative! I wonder if this animation business is gonna continue...

Mariah Carey To Perform On SNL

Mariah Carey will be the musical guest this week on NBC's Saturday Night Live, which will be hosted by "Superbad" star Jonah Hill. Mariah will be filling in for her labelmate Janet Jackson who, after a recent hospital stay, was forced to cancel. The most exciting news is that (to the general public anyway) Mariah will be debuting her song "Migrate" from her upcoming album. Of course, she will also perform her current single "Touch My Body." I feel bad for Janet, but, of course, I love Mariah insanely & I can't wait to hear "Migrate" for the first time!

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Christina Aguilera's New Jewelry Ads

New mommy Christina Aguilera is looking absolutely stunning in a new ad campaign for jeweler Stephen Webster.

*UPDATED* Missy Elliott Album Update

Missy Elliott recently previewed selected songs from her upcoming to-be-titled-by-the-fans seventh album, which is due in late May. The album will include production by Timbaland & Danjahandz, among others. In addition to her currently released tunes "Ching-A-Ling" & "Shake Your Pom Pom" (featured on the "Step Up 2" soundtrack), the disc will include the first single "Best, Best." Other confirmed tracks include "Hip Hop Don't Die," "Milk & Cookies," & "Like When You Play The Music," which is set to feature Jazmine Sullivan. The finished set should include 10 or 11 tracks.

I am anxious to hear what the fans came up with for Missy's album title. She is always so creative & original, so hopefully some of her listeners are just like her. Missy working with longtime partner Timbaland, as well as the hottest producer out there currently Danja, definitely increases my anticipation level for the project, especially if the previously released tracks (the latter a Timbaland production) are any indication of what to expect. I had to note that Missy will be working with Jazmine Sullivan because that girl is an amazing up-&-coming artist that has some material floating around that is definitely worth checking out. As for the number of songs to expect, it's a little disappointing, but I won't judge until I hear the tunes.

UPDATE: Rap-Up recently previewed Missy's new album as well. They revealed 4 new song titles: "Act A Fool," "All For You," "Love" (produced by Timbaland), & "Please Don't Go," which is another title given for the song formerly known as "Milk & Cookies." They also reveal that Timbaland is behind Missy's song with Jazmine Sullivan, "Like When You Play The Music," while Danjahandz produced first single "Best, Best."

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The Caffeine Patch: New WALL-E Trailer

Check out the final trailer for Disney/Pixar's next film "WALL-E," due in theaters on June 27th. This movie looks to be more impressive than I originally gave it credit! I've always been a huge Pixar buff, so I can't wait for this one. You have to admit that the little guy is cute (& funny, too)!

India.Arie Headed To Broadway

India.Arie is all set to star in Broadway's first revival of the play "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When The Rainbow Is Enuf," which Whoopi Goldberg will produce. The play is set to open in early August. After recently being nominated for a Grammy without even releasing an album, she isn't doing too shabby. However, though I think this is a good opportunity for her & that she will do well, I was really looking forward to that second volume of Testimony, which was actually supposed to drop last year. India.Arie is a very special artist & I can't wait for new material from her.

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Danity Kane "Damaged" Video Premiere

"Damaged" is the first single taken from Danity Kane's sophomore album Welcome To The Dollhouse, which will be released next week on March 18th. This video is a bit strange, though alright, until the slow part of the song, when the random part with the guy comes into play. That, along with that slow section of the song, doesn't flow with the rest of the vibe, but whatever. I am really feeling DK this time (for the first time); from "Showstopper" to this: what a long way. They really have come into their own, & I have to say that I think my fav member is Dawn for those amazing ad-libs! I am excited to hear the rest of their new material (some of which is better), which you may also do this week courtesy of The Leak over at mtv.com.

Beyonce As Etta James: First Look

Check out this photo that has been circulating the internet featuring Beyonce on the set of her new movie "Cadillac Records" all decked out as the woman she is portraying in the film, Etta James. Interesting.

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Janet Jackson "Black Book" Magazine Cover + Photo

Janet Jackson is looking, to quote Tyra Banks, *fierce* on the cover of the latest issue of Black Book. For such a shy woman, she sure can pull of a frightening, yet insanely hot, photo. Take this shot from inside for example...

... ya.

The Caffeine Patch: Updates On Ice Age 3, Madagascar 2, And More!

To the left, you can peep a recently spotted standee to promote the newly titled "Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs," which doesn't hit theaters until July 2009. When it does, though, the 3rd Ice Age film will be released in 3D ... and, in the coming months & years, it won't be alone. In addition to Disney/Pixar's 3D re-releases of the first two Toy Story films leading up to the third movie in 3D, their major release of 2009, "Up," will also be released in 3D.

Soon, Dreamworks Animation will release all of their films in 3D. One of their biggest releases of this year (&, quite honestly, probably my most anticipated release of the year) is the sequel to their hit film "Madagascar." It seems as if, though, that they will be switching the name up for the second film from "Madagascar: The Crate Escape" to "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa." The first picture from the movie is featured to the right.

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Mariah's "Touch My Body": A Whole New Perspective

Here's a fun video I just spotted on Mariah Daily. Some talented individual has posted a piano instrumental to Mariah's new single "Touch My Body" on YouTube & I absolutely love it, so I thought I'd share it with you all. It really brings out how beautiful the song actually is (which I did not realize!).

Leona Lewis Performs "Better In Time" And "Footprints In The Sand" On Dancing On Ice

Better In Time

Footprints In The Sand

Leona Lewis, whose debut album Spirit will finally be released on April 8th here in the US, performed her new double A-side singles "Better In Time" & "Footprints In The Sand" from the album on the popular UK show Dancing On Ice. They were interesting performances to watch, considering the venue, & she did a wonderful job. I hope she does gigs like this in the US soon because I am so loving her right now!

Weekend Flashback Performance: Christina Aguilera At The 2006 MTV Movie Awards

In preparation for the release of her throwback third album Back To Basics, Christina Aguilera lined up a performance on the MTV Movie Awards to debut her first single off the project, "Ain't No Other Man." She set the mood, giving fans an idea of what to expect, in this visually stunning performance that night of what would become a very successful hit for her. Having just given birth to her first child, I'm not expecting new Christina too soon, but knowing that she has the ball rolling is quite exciting!

Kelly Rowland "Ms. Kelly: Diva Deluxe" Cover

Check out the cover for Kelly Rowland's new digital mini-album (doubling as the re-release for last year's Ms. Kelly) entitled Ms. Kelly: Diva Deluxe, which is set to drop March 25th. I recently posted additional details, including the tracklisting. I'm not loving the shot, as it definitely has that digital album look, but she is beautiful as always. Side note: Yay for 150 posts!

My Very First Idol Review!

Top Guy Performance: David Archuleta



Top Girl Performance: Syesha Mercado

The Rest:

Good--Jason, Chikezie, Asia'h, Amanda, Carly, Brooke
OK--Kady, Kristy
Bad--Luke, Danny, David H., Michael, David C., Ramiele

David A. is my favorite guy & Syesha is my favorite girl--you should know that going in. They both did great this week, so keep an eye out for them on here in the coming weeks, especially David A. Jason is my 2nd favorite guy & he did well, though not perfectly, this week; Chikezie impressed me, though, as I did not expect such Luther Vandross-esque vocals from him. Asia'h surprised me, so I am sad she is gone, while Amanda proved she had the ability I knew she was capable of all along. Carly is such an amazing vocalist & though she sort of needs to come into her own in the competition, she completely deserves to be in it (in reference to that debut album of her's ... the clips on Amazon make her sound like some awful Britney wannabe & do her no justice whatsoever); Brooke is growing on me week by week, as I never realized how intriguing her voice is until this week. Anyway, let's get this straight: I personally do not like David C. or Michael, so they will not receive praise on my part. However, not only do I not like her, but Ramiele is not a strong singer whatsoever & does not deserve to still be in the competition. I realize that "Against All Odds" is not originally Mariah's, but she sang it & compared to that version (sorry Rami, but not really--you did it to yourself), Ramiele sounded horrible. It's also worth noting that David H. made a huge mistake, imo, taking on a song Celine sang. I don't care how gay you are, you can't pull Celine off. (No offense, but it was bad.) Next week: Top 12!

Mario's Dancing With The Stars Promo Pic

Wow! Mario will be a contestant on the latest season of Dancing With The Stars on ABC. The show premieres March 17th. I can only hope this increases his record sales.

Estelle "Shine" Cover

What a gorgeous, unique album cover! Estelle is set to release her album Shine, which features the singles "Wait A Minute (Just A Touch)" & "American Boy" with Kanye West, on May 6th. I think the cover (& title for that matter) represents the shining star that Estelle is. She is such a fresh artist in the industry today.

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Janet Jackson To Tour, Release Book

Janet Jackson is setting her sights high this year, planning a tour in support of Discipline & releasing a book. Janet wishes to launch the tour in mid-September in America, followed by a trip around the world. She says of the tour (which will incorporate elements from the tour that never was in support of her last album 20 Y.O.):

"I'll probably tweak things from the last stage and stuff I had prepared for everyone," Jackson says. "It'll be an uptempo, upbeat show."

Janet, the ultimate performer, mixed with the uptempo jams from Discipline = magic. What an amazing show I'm sure it will be. Also, Janet will release the book she has been writing about her weight issues with her nutritionist before the year is out.

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New Mariah Carey Promo Pic

Mariah is looking amazing in this new promotional photo from her upcoming project E=MC², due April 15th. I don't care what they do to the shots, Mariah always looks stunning (in person or not). This picture is no exception & its nice that the label is filling the gap between now & the album's release with little goodies like this.

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Beyonce Lines Up Another Movie Role

In addition to her recently announced role as Etta James in "Cadillac Records," Beyonce will be starring in a new thriller called "Obsessed" for Screen Gems. The film also stars Idris Elba & Ali Larter, and will be executive produced by both Beyonce & her father, Mathew Knowles. "Obsessed" goes into production this summer. Well, on the plus side, Beyonce might actually stretch her acting muscles a bit in this non-music role & we'll get to see her somewhere, but I wish she would just do one of the movies so that we can have that new album by the end of the year. Who knows though--maybe she'll surprise us & get it all out!...

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Janet Interview On Jimmy Kimmel Live

Part 1

Part 2

Janet Jackson visited Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier this week to further promote & discuss her new album Discipline. If anyone watches Jimmy Kimmel, then the joke Janet makes is quite funny. Anyway, its a short & worthwhile watch.

Fantasia To Star In "The Color Purple" Movie

Fantasia is set to star in a movie based on the musical "The Color Purple" in which she has starred for quite a while ... but not just yet. 'Tasia plans to focus on her music career for the time being before returning to her role as Celie. She was quoted as saying:

“We haven’t started yet because I’m going to work on my album. I think it’s fair that I committed myself, and promised that after I finish going on a tour, I’ll be ready to come back and commit myself to Miss Celie again,” Fantasia explained. “I miss my music.”

I think it would be great for her to do the movie-musical adaptation, as I was never able to see her doing her thing live, but at the same time, I'm also glad she is returning to music, as well as touring, first because I love Fantasia's music. She is so unique, so I can't wait to see what she'll prepare for us this time, as her last album (2006's Fantasia) was, & still is, off the chain! Anyway, Oprah is actually behind the "Purple" project & is willing to wait until Fantasia is ready to make it happen. Good for her!

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Billboard Update

^This week's #1 album on the Billboard 200 chart
This week's #1 single on the Hot 100 chart^

See full chart HERE.

FINALLY! Not only are there changes, but they are totally for the better! Janet Jackson scores her first #1 album since 2001's All For You, and rightfully so, with Discipline, which sold 181,000 copies week one. Sure, these aren't great numbers for her, necessarily, but, when you consider 1) the staying power of her album The Velvet Rope, which sold a barely better 202,000 copies in its first week and 2) the jump from #53 to #19 (as well as the Sales Gainer title) for first single "Feedback" on this week's Hot 100 chart, things are looking up for Ms. Jackson! On the singles side, who knew people were checking for Usher like this! "Love In This Club," which features Young Jeezy, rocketed from #51 up 50 slots to #1 this week, after selling 198,000 digital copies in its first week of release, as well as gaining this week's Airplay Gainer title. While I'm happy for Usher & I can't wait for his new album Here I Stand to drop in June, "Club" is, imo, the weakest slow jam that has leaked from him at this point, but that just means his album will be fire & he will have more opportunities for more #1 singles! More good singles news this week comes for Jordin Sparks, whose duet with Chris Brown, "No Air," has jumped into the top 10 at #6, giving Jordin her highest chart position yet, and Leona Lewis, who is thisclose to cracking the top 40, with "Bleeding Love" jumping into the top 50 at #41. What a good week for urban music!

"Touch My Body" Watch
TW: #24 - LW: #34 - Peak: #24 - Week: #3

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(Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

*UPDATED* Mariah Carey's Promo Schedule

In anticipation of her new album E=MC², due April 15th, Mariah Carey will be making a number of high-profile appearances. In addition to her previously announced April 9th appearance on American Idol's special event "Idol Gives Back," Mariah will mentor the contestants on April 15th (the day of the album's release) & perform on Idol's results show the next night (April 16th). Also, Mariah will appear on Oprah April 14th. Wow. Mariah is definitely going to own 2008. Sooo exciting!

UPDATE: As confirmed by her official site, Mariah's BET Special, in which she performs new songs from E=MC² & some of her biggest hits, will air on April 16th, the day following the album's release & apparently the same day as her Idol appearance. What a Mariah-ful day it will be (literally)!

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