Thursday, July 30, 2009

Kelly Clarkson On Stripped



"Already Gone"



"I Do Not Hook Up"



"My Life Would Suck Without You"



"Walking After Midnight" (Patsy Cline Cover)



"Behind These Hazel Eyes"



"Walk Away"



Interview

I love these! Kelly Clarkson practically performed a concert for Stripped of songs from her latest CD All I Ever Wanted, previous hits, & even a cover. Positives: The trumpets on "Walk Away" & "Walking After Midnight" (I used to play!), & her vocals on "Already Gone" & "Behind These Hazel Eyes." Negative: Kelly's attempt to rock out on "I Do Not Hook Up," & her vocals on "My Life Would Suck Without You" & "Walk Away." Now, I realize she may not particularly care for the pop-ier sound of her singles that the label chooses, but does she have to completely give up on them & save it all for her more acoustic performances? That aside, I'll bet her upcoming tour would be amazing!

Billboard Update

^#1 Album #1 Single^

Demi Lovato (this is pathetic, people) lands the top spot on this week's Billboard 200 album chart with Here We Go Again, but Michael Jackson's Number Ones is the week's best-selling album for the fourth non-consecutive time with 154,000 (-21%) copies sold. Jordin Sparks manages her highest ranking yet on the chart this week, as her sophomore album Battlefield debuts at #7 after selling 48,000 copies. On the Hot 100 singles chart, as The Black-Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" holds the peak position for a fifth week, they break the record for "longest successive No. 1 chart run by a duo or group" in history, besting a double dose of 16-week runs by Boyz II Men. Also on the chart, Jordin Sparks reaches the top 10 with "Battlefield" after it gained 47,000 downloads last week ... an interestingly close figure to that of her (phenomenal!) album of the same name. Mary J. Blige debuts at #63 on the Hot 100 with her Drake-featured single "The One" & Beyonce's "Sweet Dreams" starts off at #97. Beyonce also notches her 17th top 40 hit this week (a record for female artists this decade), as "Ego" moves 46-40. Lastly, Whitney Houston has begun her chart destruction with "I Look To You," which debuts at #27 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart & #23 on Adult R&B. Phew!

"Obsessed" Watch
TW: #17 - LW: #20 - Peak: #11 - Week: #3

See full charts HERE.

(Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

RichGirl Performs "24" On 2009 WNBA All-Star Game

RichGirl took to the court at the 2009 WNBA All-Star Game to perform their buzz single "24." ABC needs to get their ish together cause the audio on this should've been much better, but you can still tell that the girls put it down. RichGirl really brings back memories of those great girl groups where each member could sing her booty off! Be sure to look out for RichGirl's self-titled debut album later this year.

Amerie "What Cha Know About Amerie" Mixtape

Before Amerie releases her new album In Love & War on September 29th, she has teamed up with DJ Ruckus to reintroduce herself with the new mixtape What Cha Know About Amerie. The 15 tracks consist of 12 songs from her first two albums (five from All I Have, seven from Touch), her new single "Why R U" (cover to the left), &, if my calculations are correct, two either previously unreleased or new tracks: "Disrespectful To Blind" & "Touch 'Em Right." Take a look at the tracklisting for yourself & visit the blog's Twitter to get it if you're interested:

1. Talkin' About
2. Come With Me
3. All I Need
4. Talkin' To Me
5. Need You Tonight
6. Got To Be There
7. Like It Used To Be
8. Rolling Down My Face
9. Can’t Let Go
10. Why Don’t We Fall In Love
11. Why R U
12. 1 Thing
13. Disrespectful To Build
14. Touch
15. Touch 'Em Right

Backstreet Boys "This Is Us" Update

On October 6th, the Backstreet Boys will return with their new album This Is Us. The guys worked with RedOne on the lead single "Straight Through My Heart" (single cover to the left, stream HERE), but he wasn't the only one who contributed to the album. BSB also worked with pop genius Max Martin, T-Pain, Soulshock & Karlin, Jim Jonsin, & Claude Kelly, & did some writing & producing themselves as well. Among the 11 tracks set to be included are the leaked "Bigger," "Bye Bye Love," & "She's A Dream." The only one of those three songs I like is "Bigger," but the first single has me feeling optimistic that they can pull through with the new radio-friendly sound. I mean, hey, any pop album that involves Max Martin production can't be too bad!

[Source]

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Melanie Fiona Performs On NRJ Live Session

Monday Morning

Give It To Me Right

Heartless

Melanie Fiona performed a set of tunes as part of an NRJ Live Session while promoting her to-be-released-here debut album The Bridge (September 22nd) in Europe. Melanie is so talented! I quite like "Monday Morning" both fast & slow, so it's nice that the former will be available on her album (along with "Give It To Me Right"), while the latter is already out on her mixtape (along with "Heartless").

Kris Allen: Behind-The-Scenes

Here's the second behind-the-scenes video with Kris Allen that comes with his iTunes Pass, which is not available for purchase momentarily/anymore. This one's kind of a bore, as he doesn't sing.

The Caffeine Patch: Toy Story 3D Double Feature Trailer + More

Check out the trailer promoting the 3D double feature of "Toy Story" 1 & 2, which hits theaters for two weeks on October 2nd. It's similar to the "Toy Story 3" teaser, but I'm fine with that because I'm way too excited about this whole situation to begin with! I was sad though because I wanted to see this trailer in 3D as it is meant to be seen, so I went to see "G-Force," which it's supposed to be attached to, but it wasn't shown (simply because my theater is dumb, I'm sure). In related news, the poster for this double feature is popping up in theaters around the country, but an HQ pic of it has yet to hit the net. As a consolation, HERE is a photo of the poster. Ooo!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Teairra Mari, Others Pose With NFL Players

Teairra Mari, Melanie Fiona, & LeToya are featured in a new Vibe magazine spread involving NFL players. I couldn't really tell you why, nor would I be able to tell you who these guys are... but I guess it gives them some publicity!

[Source]

Ciara Covers "American Boy"

While bored in LA, Ciara took to her Twitter & posted this video just for the fans that features a cover of Estelle's "American Boy" ... with about half the right lyrics. (It's all good though because she got them from Google.) CiCi did sing it well! Support Super C & grab a copy of Fantasy Ride today.

Download Whitney Houston's "I Look To You" For FREE! + More



Whitney Houston's official site is offering a FREE download of the first single & title track off her upcoming album I Look To You. In related news, the release of I Look To You has been pushed UP a day to August 31st (to make the Grammy deadline). Very cool!

Fabolous ft. Keri Hilson "Everything, Everyday, Everywhere" Video Premiere

"Everything, Everyday, Everywhere," featuring Keri Hilson, is the latest single taken off Fabolous' new album Loso's Way. Back in April, I posted a video of these two working on this track with producer Ryan Leslie, who appears in the video along with Amerie, Rick Ross, Trey Songz, & Adrienne Bailon. Obviously I'm posting this for Keri, who looks & sounds alright. Where'd that "Knock You Down" video look go, Keri?

Monday, July 27, 2009

Britney Spears "Kill The Lights" Video Premiere

"Kill The Lights" is the fifth single lifted from Britney Spears' latest album Circus. (It may just be a promo, rather than full-fledged, single, but it does have a video...) I guess I should clarify: Before you get too excited, this IS animated. Personally, I'm not too keen on the idea of these animated Britney videos because it just gives me the feeling that Britney didn't wanna shoot a video & they used this as an alternative (which was probably more the case with "Break The Ice" than this one). However, it is kinda cool.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Kelly Clarkson "Already Gone" Video Premiere

"Already Gone" is the third single off Kelly Clarkson's awesome new album All I Ever Wanted. Kelly looks gorgeous in the Joseph Kahn-directed clip. I've also really gotten back into the song in the last couple of days, though due to the recent controversy over the single release, I don't see why they couldn't have just released the beautiful "Cry" instead.

Mary J. Blige Album Update

Mary J. Blige's next album will be titled Stronger & is set for release on November 24th. The title track, which has leaked, will serve as the follow-up single to her first, the Drake-featured "The One." "Stronger" will also be featured on the soundtrack (due out September 22nd) to "More Than A Game," LeBron James' documentary that opens on October 2nd. I'm gonna go out on a limb here & say that unless a video surfaces awfully soon, "The One" is simply gonna be a buzz single. I hope that isn't the case though because it's one hot song! Either way, I'm excited with what MJB has to offer this time around.

[Source]

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Beyonce "Ego (Fan Exclusive)" Video Premiere

So, I was watching my "Above & Beyonce" DVD & the "Ego" remix video had just ended, so I was expecting the solo version that we've all seen to come up next. Instead, this third version, which has the take of Beyonce in a chair that is seen briefly at the end of the normal video (she's dancing & laughing...), appeared. I hadn't seen anybody notice this before, so I thought I'd share it with you all, especially because Beyonce screwed up & they didn't edit it out lol! Check it out & Beyonce's latest album I Am... Sasha Fierce is available now.

*UPDATED* Avril Lavigne Album Update

Avril Lavigne is set to release her fourth album on November 17th. She has been working with her husband Deryck Whibley, who produced eight of the nine recorded songs thus far. With tracks like "Everybody Hurts" & "Darlin'," Lavigne will return "to the emo-heavy strengths of her first two albums." Avril has also revealed the interesting tidbit that some of the songs she has been recording, including "Darlin'," were written even before she became famous:

"I always had material, but some people that I worked with didn't really care because they wanted to write the stuff," she says when asked why the tunes haven't surfaced before. "Some people were just like, 'Ah, whatever. You're a little girl. What do you know?' I know how this works. It's my fourth record. It's not rocket science. I think people doubted me before and I'm finally just like, 'I'm doing this.'"

I'm really excited that Avril has reverted back to her strengths because Under My Skin is a great album. It'll definitely be interesting to hear teen Avril's lyrics though!

UPDATE: Billboard added a few details to this story. After kicking off recording the album with the (previously posted) jingle for her fragrance "Black Star," Avril decided to turn it into a full song, so we can look forward to hearing that. Also, although she did much of the writing herself, Avril did hook up with Butch Walker & her former bandmate Evan Taubenfield for the album.

[Source]

Toni Braxton Album Update

In a recent interview, Toni Braxton gave a few eye-catching details regarding her sixth studio album, due in November. As opposed to the ballad-heavy effort we've been hearing about, Toni revealed that she has recently done some work with Sean Paul & Shaggy. I suppose we'll see what makes the album soon enough, as a single is set to drop in September. I'm all set for some new Toni & while the Jamaican style is a little different than what I was expecting, I ain't knockin' it by a long shot.

[Source, Source]

Jordin Sparks Performs "Battlefield" On Wendy Williams

Jordin Sparks gave another excellent performance of "Battlefield," the title track off her new album, despite the crap sound system on The Wendy Williams Show & rounded her appearance out with a short interview. What do you mean, Jordin? We haven't been talking...

Friday, July 24, 2009

Whitney Houston "I Look To You" Song Premiere + More

Let's try this again: Whitney Houston's first single off her upcoming album I Look To You (September 1st) is the title track. The R. Kelly-penned "I Look To You" is gorgeous & features that wonderful voice we all love. In related news, check out Whitney's interview with MTV News below. Listening to her talk about the project makes it all the more real & has me even more excited about the return of REAL music. Note: There are three parts to the interview, so when it's over, click the link to see the rest.

Rihanna, Kanye West Collaborate With Jay-Z

Following the (apparently slow) death of autotune, Jay-Z has rounded up Rihanna & Kanye West for the second single off his upcoming album The Blueprint 3 (September 11th). The song is called "Run This Town" & can be heard HERE. The track is pretty good, but I'm not hearing the hotness that some people are. I actually liked RiRi's collabo with T.I. better. Also, am I the only one that thinks Jay gets dangerously close to sampling the same song that The Black-Eyed Peas did on "Rock That Body?" Just a thought.

Mary J. Blige's AT&T Commercial

Mary J. Blige sure has been on her endorsement grind lately, but if there's anyone who can turn a simple commercial into a borderline-music video, it's MJB! Check her out in this fly new commercial for AT&T. Boy, don't cha know she's the one!

Busta Rhymes ft. Estelle "World Go Round" Video Premiere

"World Go Round," featuring Estelle, is the latest single taken from Busta Rhymes' new album Back On My B.S. We finally have this video! I like it, though we have seen it before (see: The-Dream's "Rockin' That Thang (Remix)" video HERE). Gotta point out: Those teeth are lookin' nice, Estelle!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Brandon Rogers "Joy" Video Premiere


"Joy" is the second single taken from Brandon Rogers' debut album Automatic. As compared to the first single's video, which came out about 10 months ago, this one has a much better look to it. The song is decent, though I'm afraid it may not have much relevance.

*UPDATED* Mariah Carey ft. Gucci Mane "Obsessed (Remix)" Video Premiere


Mariah Carey is joined by Gucci Mane in the remix video for "Obsessed," the lead single off her forthcoming album Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel (September 15th). I thought the added scene was cool, as it's nice enough to have a remix video altogether. Then again, Mariah always does it big!

UPDATE: Here is Mariah's accompanying interview from 106 & Park--

Billboard Update

^#1 Album #1 Single^

Daughtry returns to the top of the Billboard 200 album chart this week with the release of their sophomore album Leave This Town, which sold 269,000 copies to become the biggest-selling album of the week. Meanwhile, The Black-Eyed Peas put in a fourth week atop the Hot 100 singles chart with "I Gotta Feeling," making them only the third act in history to spend 16 consecutive weeks on top of the chart. Fans have really shown their support for Mariah Carey in the past week. Interestingly enough, her new video for "Obsessed" debuts at #1 on Billboard's Yahoo Video chart!

See full charts HERE.

Mary J. Blige "I Can Do Bad All By Myself" Trailer & Poster


Here's an update for ya on Tyler Perry's latest flick "I Can Do Bad All By Myself," which stars Mary J. Blige alongside Taraji P. Henson & others, & hits theaters on September 11th. The theatrical trailer has surfaced & it features MJB in character. Check out Madea on the final poster:

[Source]

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Kelis Gives Birth To Baby Boy

Kelis gave birth earlier today to a son, Knight. The baby boy is her first child with estranged husband Nas. The couple are amidst a nasty divorce, but I hope for the child's sake that Nas will come through monetarily at the very least. (How sad is that?) Congratulations to mother & baby though!

[Source, Source]

Whitney Houston "I Look To You" Song Preview

Following a first listen of Whitney Houston's comeback album I Look To You (September 1st) for press last night in New York City, Good Morning America played a snippet of the disc's title track this morning. Whitney is sounding pretty good! Still need that single, but I Look To You sounds promising.

Jordin Sparks Performs "Battlefield" On Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

Jordin Sparks made another stop Tuesday at Late Night With Jimmy Fallon to perform "Battlefield," the title track off her newly released second album. I like how they extended the song this time!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Jordin Sparks Performs "Battlefield" On Regis & Kelly

On the release day of her sophomore album Battlefield, Jordin Sparks performed the title track on Live With Regis & Kelly. You hit them notes, girl! You already know I got my copy. ;)

Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis Set For VH1 Divas

After a 4-year hiatus, VH1 Divas is on the verge of a comeback. Kelly Clarkson & Leona Lewis will be joined on the big stage by Adele & She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named when the special airs on Thursday, September 17th @ 9/8c. More performers should be announced in the coming weeks. Err, well, they got it half right... I mean, they weren't gonna get the real 'divas' anymore anyway.

[Source, Source]

Imogen Heap "Canvas" Video Premiere

"Canvas" is a promo single from Imogen Heap's upcoming album Ellipse (August 25th). This is just a taste of what Immi has in store for us with Ellipse & I honestly can't wait for more! Note: For those interested in a FREE download of this video, check out the blog's Twitter for more info.

New Music Tuesday: Jordin Sparks "Battlefield"

^Click To Purchase^
Jordin Sparks' phenomenal sophomore album Battlefield finally hits stores today. The set, which has gotten rave reviews from many, including myself, includes the first single "Battlefield." Support your girl & buy a copy of Battlefield!

*UPDATED* Keri Hilson Performs On Yahoo! Music

Keri Hilson has covered the Gnarls Barkley hit "Crazy" for Yahoo! Music (sponsored by Pepsi). Miss Keri did her thang! I loved it. Girl's got swag for days. Keri's debut album In A Perfect World... is out now.

UPDATE: Check out Miss Keri Baby performing her smash "Knock You Down" below. Another hot one--

Monday, July 20, 2009

Jordin Sparks Performs "Battlefield" On GMA

Jordin Sparks kicked off the whirlwind promotional tour for her sophomore album Battlefield, which drops tomorrow, this morning with a short interview & performance of "Battlefield" on Good Morning America. Wow! Who sings like that so early?

Whitney Houston "I Look To You" Tracklisting

September 1st marks the return of Whitney Houston with her new album I Look To You. Details are slowly emerging about the exciting day & we now have the tracklisting for the album:

1. Million Dollar Bill
2. Nothin' But Love
3. Call You Tonight
4. I Look To You
5. Like I Never Left (ft. Akon)
6. A Song For You
7. I Didn't Know My Own Strength
8. Worth It
9. For The Lovers
10. I Got You
11. Salute

Now, I'm not saying Whitney isn't enough by herself, but I don't know how I feel about the sole featured artist here being Akon. I haven't exactly been blown away by the leaks so far, but hopefully hearing an uptempo can change that.

[Source]

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Pink "We've Got Scurvy" Video Premiere

For the 10th anniversary of Spongebob Squarepants, Pink has recorded a tune called "We've Got Scurvy," the video for which can be viewed above. It's a cute clip & a neat gesture, though the song really could've been better lol. For Pink's real music, Funhouse is available now!

Album Review: Jordin Sparks "Battlefield (Deluxe Edition)"

After gaining fame as the extremely talented & likable American Idol winner, my personal favorite in fact, Jordin Sparks released her platinum self-titled debut album, which spawned a few pretty successful hits. However, Jordin was rushed while putting that project together, so fans weren't given the opportunity to fully see who she was as a recording artist. That's all changed now though, as Jordin prepares to release her anxiously awaited sophomore album Battlefield, which gets its name from the powerful lead single of the same name. Jordin shows us more of herself, both musically & lyrically, this time around & to say the very least, it works!

Battlefield starts off rather brilliantly with "Walking On Snow," a fun & catchy opener with an interesting message. The title track "Battlefield" then leads us into her cover of Fefe Dobson's "Don't Let It Go To Your Head." Now, this is one of my favorite songs lyrically of all time, so I was ecstatic when I realized that one of today's best powerhouses was gonna take a shot at it. Jordin's version takes a fittingly more dramatic turn & her vocals soar on the track. Brightening things up a bit is the album's second single "S.O.S. (Let The Music Play)," a cool uptempo that's sure to take the clubs by storm.

Jordin can sing anything, but I am truly in love with the middle portion of Battlefield because, I've realized, her voice is simply amazing on midtempos. You'll most definitely find yourself nodding, both to the beat & in agreement, to "It Takes More" & grooving to the melody of "Watch You Go." Jordin takes us back to her "I (Who Have Nothing)" days of emotion-filled vocals on the irresistible "No Parade." Then, on "Let It Rain," she shows off those big notes we all know & love.

You can't blame Jordin, before she gets into those gorgeous ballads that you know are coming, for reminding us of her youth with the current uptempo "Emergency (911)," which is placed perfectly to keep things going. Jordin is quick to apply her magical ability of making the listener feel her pain (in a good way) once again on "Was I The Only One," a song she actually co-wrote, as is the case with the non-cheesy & inspirational (a rare combination!) ballad "Faith." Then, just when you think her bag of tricks is empty, Jordin sings her heart out on "The Cure," a flawless closer.

At the end of the CD portion of Battlefield's deluxe edition are a pair of bonus tracks: the acoustic "Papercut" as well as "Postcard," which is good except for its 'postcard' theme. As a huge Jordin fan, I like them well enough, though they don't really justify the extra cost in themselves. I'll be buying the deluxe, rather, because of the included DVD. Back in the late '90s, these are the kind of things you would have to get separately for an inflated price, so I am grateful for the opportunity these present to us.

Battlefield is a model sophomore effort for any talented artists out there looking to make their mark. Jordin puts that killer voice to excellent use to a soundtrack that is, honestly, much better than her debut. She took some time to find what works best for her & really hit the nail on the head. Incredible talent & quality material like this shouldn't be passed up.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Saturday, July 18, 2009

New Ciara Promo Pics

That's right, folks. Ciara has chopped it off. She debuts her new hairstyle in these promotional photos & while I don't hate it, I liked it better before she cut the longer side of it off (pictures of which I posted on Twitter). Additionally, I've really liked her long hair lately with the blonde streaks, so it's a little hard to swallow, but it was fairly easy to tell she was exiting that phase. It's the music that matters anyway & CiCi's latest album Fantasy Ride is out now!

[Source]

Imogen Heap "Ellipse (Deluxe Edition)" Details

Before I begin, I would like to direct your attention to the left. Here, you will see the slightly altered official cover (see: her head) for (both editions of) Imogen Heap's upcoming album Ellipse (August 25th). Anyway, plans have been announced for the release of a deluxe edition of Ellipse. Originally, Immi simply wanted to put the album out in a hardback book-like case (My guess? Similar to Michael Jackson's Thriller 25 deluxe packaging HERE Sorry--best I could find online.) instead of a standard jewel case, but when the label told her it would up the cost of the album quite a bit, she decided to release the standard, single-disc version of Ellipse in addition to a 2-disc set in the fancy packaging that will include a disc of the instrumentals currently available on the digital deluxe edition of Ellipse. Of course, there's good & bad: Good that the instrumentals will be available physically, bad that you don't get the nice packaging with the standard version... oh well.

[Source]

Friday, July 17, 2009

Beyonce's House Of Dereon Fall Commercial

For fall, Beyonce has released a new commercial for her clothing line "House Of Dereon." I guess the dresses look nice... I'm no fashion expert lol. Her latest album I Am... Sasha Fierce is available now.

Kelly Rowland, Others Collaborate With David Guetta

Kelly Rowland may already be featured on David Guetta's #1 hit "When Love Takes Over," but she will accompany him again, along with many other interesting guests, when his new album One Love comes out on August 25th. Kelly is also featured on "It's The Way You Love Me," while Estelle joins David on the title track "One Love." Also, The Black-Eyed Peas are featured on "Memory" & Wynter Gordon on "Toy Friend." I've hadn't really known of Mr. Guetta until recently, but he sure is bringing it with this upcoming project!

[Source]

Thursday, July 16, 2009

New Mario Promo Pics

The promotional photos continue to roll out for Mario's upcoming fourth album And Then There Was Me (September 22nd). I like that the visual style of the album is relatively simple, paving the way for his masterful vocals to shine through.

The Black-Eyed Peas Perform "I Gotta Feeling" On So You Think You Can Dance


The Black-Eyed Peas performed what is arguably the song of the summer, "I Gotta Feeling," off their new album The END earlier tonight on So You Think You Can Dance. Well, at least it's not those fingernails again.

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.

Maxwell lands the top spot on the Billboard 200 album chart this week with BLACKsummers'night. The Black-Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" continues its own streak atop the Hot 100 singles chart this week, while Mariah Carey debuts big @ #11 with "Obsessed," which makes her just the eighth female artist in history to have at least 40 entries on the chart! It's also worth mentioning that Britney Spears' "Radar" has debuted at #35 on the Mainstream Top 40 chart this week, giving her her 21st entry on the chart, the most on any artist since 2000. Also, Michael Jackson continues to reign the other Billboard charts & has outdone himself yet again. Michael sold 1.1 million albums this week, a jump of 37% even over last week, apparently because of his memorial coverage. His Number Ones album is the top-seller for the third week in a row with 349,000 copies sold (a 3% increase) & leads the way for a Jackson-related top 12 on this week's Top Pop Catalog Albums chart. The King of Pop cannot be stopped!

(Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

Sean Kingston "Tomorrow" Cover

Sean Kingston has revealed the album art for his upcoming sophomore effort Tomorrow (September 22nd). I like it! The success of "Fire Burning" has me excited for Sean, but I hope people still care in two months...

[Source]

Kid Sister "Ultraviolet" Tracklisting

As you may have gathered by the title of this post, Kid Sister has named her forthcoming debut album Ultraviolet & it will drop October 6th. The album will be preceded by first single "Right Hand Hi," which can be heard via the blog's Twitter. Check out the tracklisting for Ultraviolet below:

1. Right Hand Hi
2. Life On TV
3. Big & Bad
4. Step (ft. Estelle)
5. Let Me Bang 2009
6. Pro Nails (ft. Kanye West)
7. Daydreaming (ft. Cee-Lo)
8. Switch Board (ft. DJ Gant-Man)
9. 54321
10. Get Fresh
11. You Ain't Really Down
12. Control

I look forward to hearing Ultraviolet, but I hope her single does well cause the initial buzz has worn off & I'm a little worried about her potential for success. Then again, with originality like that, potential isn't something Kid Sister needs to worry about.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

The Black-Eyed Peas Perform On 2009 TMF Awards

The Black-Eyed Peas performed "Pump It" & "Boom Boom Pow" overseas at the 2009 TMF Awards recently. Honestly, their "next level vi-su-alll" is getting a bit old. The BEPs' new album The END is out now.

Listen To Jordin Sparks' "Battlefield"

Jordin Sparks' upcoming sophomore album Battlefield doesn't drop till next week, but you can stream it in full HERE. Personally, I can't stop listening to it. Just check out my songs of the moment list...

Whitney Houston "I Look To You" Cover + More

The appropriately elegant cover art for Whitney Houston's comeback album I Look To You (September 1st) has arrived. It was revealed at a recent listening session for the album, where several track titles & credits were also given out. Check them out below:

1. “Million Dollar Bill” (Swizz Beatz/Alicia Keys)
2. “Nuthin’ But Love” (Danja)
3. “Call You Tonight” (Stargate/Johnta Austin)
4. “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength” (David Foster/Diane Warren)
5. “Like I Never Left” (Akon/Claude Kelly)
6. “For The Lovers” (Danja/Claude Kelly)
7. “I Look To You” (Harvey Mason/Tricky Stewart/R. Kelly)
8. “Worth It” (Eric Hudson/Johnta Austin)
9. “A Song For You” (Stargate/Leon Russell)

Mostly news to us, the impressive list contains many heavy hitters. I look forward to hearing all the songs we haven't yet, though I'm not too excited about "Like I Never Left" being included on the album because sub-par material like that isn't gonna get Whitney where she needs to go. Still, I have faith that she'll bring it.

[Source]

Dondria In The Studio + More

Dondria has posted some new footage of herself in the studio recording her forthcoming (if even) debut album Dondria Vs. Phatfffat. It's been far too long since we've heard anything from her regarding the professional side of things, so now that she's back in the booth, I thought I'd look into how far she's come. Check out more footage of Dondria in the studio: "Can You Help Me" (the album's supposed lead single) "Crazy 'Bout Your Love," "I Want You," "Kissed By The Sun," "Shawty What's Up" (a duet with Johnta Austin), & "Still Be With Me." Also, if you visit the blog's Twitter (link to your right), you can download a collection of Dondria songs including "Boy Stop" with Bow Wow, "Like This" with Bow Wow & Johnta Austin (previously posted), "Sweet Girl" with the Teriyaki Boyz, "Tomorrow" with Q Da Kid, & "Weight Of My Tears" as well as seven pre-Def Jam originals & 40 covers. Whatcha waitin' for? (That goes for you too, JD. Get this woman's album out!)

In Theaters Now...

Grade: A

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Mariah Carey "Obsessed" Video Premiere


"Obsessed" is the first single off Mariah Carey's upcoming album Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel (August 25th). With the Brett Ratner-directed clip, Mariah has pulled out another showstopper! The cross-dressing MC is great & I love the sense of humor Mariah & Brett tend to incorporate into their videos together (see: "Heartbreaker," "Touch My Body"). The video was also very "Mean Girls" (one of Mariah's favorite movies), if you know what I'm sayin'. I already loved the song too, but now I'm truly 'obsessed' with it!

Kelly Clarkson Performs "Already Gone" On Letterman

Kelly Clarkson visited the Late Show With David Letterman to perform her third single "Already Gone" off All I Ever Wanted. This is one of those rare performances that are gorgeous & catch you off guard. I enjoyed the way she performed the song acoustically as well after having gotten used to the album version. Definitely a must-see.

Exclusive: Imogen Heap "Ellipse" Update

Imogen Heap's upcoming album Ellipse (August 25th) is now available to pre-order on iTunes & if you do, you'll receive her first single "First Train Home" (see below) immediately (HERE's a link). Should you purchase the deluxe edition of Ellipse, you will receive (upon the album's release) an instrumental of each & every song on the album. Also, a bonus video is all yours, should you pre-order Ellipse. Now, for an exclusive tidbit: Despite iTunes' tagging of the video as 'behind-the-scenes,' the clip is in fact a track-by-track breakdown of Ellipse by Immi, I was personally told via Twitter by the artist herself(!).

Now, you may be asking yourself, "Instrumentals, eh? Why, that sounds awfully nifty! But I'm really more of a fan of physically owning my music..." Well, never fear! Come December, Imogen is set to release a making of Ellipse DVD & with that will come the instrumentals. She mentioned coming up with a giftset that should include a vinyl of Ellipse, pictures, etc. in addition to the aforementioned material, but (Exclusive Alert!) yours truly was ensured that the DVD would be available to purchase by itself.

So, there you have it! Do you like reading exclusives? Then make sure you follow Bring Da Beat Back on Twitter HERE. :)

Kelly Rowland Performs On Studio 2M

When Love Takes Over

Work (Freemasons Remix)

Stole

Kelly Rowland has performed a few of her songs on Studio 2M, which, from what I gather, is in Morocco (who knew?) I can't quite figure out why Kelly lipsynched her two solo performances when she obviously didn't have to & because she was just so awful at it (LOL). Note: Kelly does duet with some contestant or another during the "Stole" clip.

Monday, July 13, 2009

T.I. ft. Mary J. Blige "Remember Me" Video Premiere

Mary J. Blige is featured on "Remember Me," T.I.'s first single to be taken from his upcoming re-release Paper Trail: Case Closed (August 18th). Mary sounds great & all, but I just can't get into this song because T.I. is such a joke. Going to jail because you committed a crime isn't honorable. Don't act like going to jail isn't your fault--you did it to yourself!

Sean Kingston Performs "Fire Burning" On It's On With Alexa Chung

Sean Kingston performed the hit single "Fire Burning" from his forthcoming sophomore album Tomorrow (September 22nd) on It's On With Alexa Chung on MTV. Who knew Sean Kingston was a duo? o_O

Nickelback "Burn It To The Ground" Video Premiere

"Burn It To The Ground" is the fourth single off Nickelback's most recent album Dark Horse. Unfortunately, this is the kind of Nickelback music that I don't care for. The video is live, which isn't a plus either, though they do go all out with the explosions & everything.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Melanie Fiona Meets The Illadelphonics "A Live Remix Jam Session Of 'The Bridge'" Mixtape

Everything you'll need to know about Melanie Fiona's new mixtape is below & you can visit the blog's Twitter (link to your right) to get it. Melanie's debut album The Bridge comes out on September 22nd.

New Leona Lewis Perfume Ads

Leona Lewis has teamed with a German company to bring us her self-titled fragrance. Check her out looking beautiful in these new ads for the perfume. I can't wait for Leona to release new music!

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Mariah Carey To Release Two Versions Of "Obsessed" Video

Mariah Carey will release both original & remix versions of her video for "Obsessed," the first single off her upcoming album Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel (August 25th). The remix video was shot at the same time as the original & will feature rapper Gucci Mane. The "Obsessed" video is sure to be a stone groove smash hit wonder when it premieres in primetime on America's Got Talent this Wednesday.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Lily Allen "22" Video Premiere

"22" is the fourth single off Lily Allen's sophomore album It's Not Me, It's You. I like the single choice & the video. It's not much, but it is stylish & a good fit.

Katharine McPhee Album Update

Some news has finally emerged regarding Katharine McPhee's forthcoming sophomore album. The album will be called Long Way From Home & is set for release on October 6th. In addition, a deluxe edition including a DVD with as-yet-unknown features will be available along with the standard edition. Alright! Now we just need a single.

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Backstreet Boys Album Update

At the end of this month, the Backstreet Boys should be debuting the first single from their upcoming album This Is Us. The song was produced by RedOne & is titled "Soldier Down." BSB seems to be headed in a more urban direction this time around & while I was hesitant about it at first (judging by the leaks), I think they may finally find themselves with a relevant sound again.

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Friday, July 10, 2009

Fergie Does Marie Claire Magazine

Fergie has landed the cover of & a spread in the August issue of Marie Claire. I quite like how the Black-Eyed Pea is looking in this shoot. Speaking of, The Black-Eyed Peas' The END is out now.