Nicki Minaj ft. Sean Garrett "Massive Attack" Video Premiere

"Massive Attack," featuring Sean Garrett, is the first single off Nicki Minaj's upcoming debut album. It's Barbie, snitches! If it's not already obvious with my obsession over "Up Out My Face" & "Lil' Freak," I LOVE Nicki Minaj. Therefore, I'm pleased to say that the video for this HOT song is BLAZING! Keep an eye out for her BFF Amber Rose in the Hype Williams-directed clip. We got tom-toms over here bigger than a monster!!

Janet Jackson "Nothing" Video Preview

Janet Jackson brought 106 & Park a first look at the final video for her new single "Nothing," the theme song from her new movie "Why Did I Get Married Too?," which hits theaters on Friday. Simple as it may be, it's all that's needed to allow the gorgeous song to shine, so I look forward to seeing the video in full.

Janelle Monae ft. Big Boi "Tightrope" Video Premiere

"Tightrope," featuring Big Boi, is the first single lifted from Janelle Monae's forthcoming debut album The ArchAndroid (May 18th). Shot in a real insane asylum, this video displays Janelle's unique style and talent very well. I'm excited for her album!

Sean Kingston ft. Justin Bieber "Eenie Meenie" Behind-The-Scenes

Here's Sean Kingston on the set of his video for "Eenie Meenie," the first single off his upcoming third album, with some fetus. It looks like it'll be exactly what you thought it was gonna be. I must admit, the song's a bit catchy, but I'm kinda over Sean's sound...

Rasheeda ft. Cherish "Don't Let Him Get Away" Video Premiere

"Don't Let Him Get Away," featuring Cherish, is the new single off Rasheeda's latest album Certified Hot Chick. Guess this clarifies those 'Fallon & Felisha' rumors: It IS just the two of them, but they're still calling themselves Cherish. They're in their element here, singing the hook... exactly where Ashanti should've stayed. As for Rasheeda, who else has a newfound appreciation for Nicki Minaj?

Christina Aguilera "Not Myself Tonight" Song Premiere

The time has come for Christina Aguilera to debut "Not Myself Tonight," the first single off her upcoming fourth studio album Bionic (June 8th). I like it! I don't know about you, Ester, but Polow, you did your thing on this one! I think things are about to get reeeal serious. :)

Usher ft. Will.I.Am "OMG" Video Premiere

"OMG," featuring will.i.am, is the first international single lifted from Usher's new album Raymond Vs. Raymond... but the video for the craptacular song sure isn't. Well, except that I couldn't believe he actually started the video as if it were "Yeah!" all over again. And then the ladies were GETTIN' IT, but without Usher... in his own video?! Once I got over all of that though, the video really wasn't that bad. I'd say this one keeps him in about the same mediocre place as all of the videos from this album so far.

"Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business" Sneak Peek

AH! Thanks to this extended sneak peek of the show, now I'm REALLY excited for the premiere of Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business on April 11th @ 9/8c on VH1! Aww, Brandy, don't cry! And, uh, Rodney, what's with that hair what are you doing working with Ray J? ... AH! I can't wait!!

Usher On GMA

"There Goes My Baby"



"Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)"



Interview (Pt. 1)



Interview (Pt. 2)
Usher performed on Good Morning America this morning, which followed up a sit-down interview on Monday's show, both in support of his new album Raymond Vs. Raymond. "There Goes My Baby" was the more enjoyable of the two performances, although I can't quite wrap my head around the fact that someone who is supposed to be such a good singer can't hit a couple of high notes.

Nicole Scherzinger On Dancing With The Stars: Week 2

My girl Nicole Scherzinger worked it OUT to the Jive in her second week on Dancing With The Stars, earning the season's first (pair of!) 10(s) ... already! Therefore, you KNOW she made it through the first elimination onto next week. (I actually voted!) And will you look at that: Melody was in the audience. What now?!

Usher Performs "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" On Letterman

Usher kicked off a no-holds-barred promo tour for his new album Raymond Vs. Raymond Monday night with a performance of "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" on the Late Show with David Letterman. I find this song repulsive, so there was only so much enjoyment I could've gotten out of the performance to begin with. That said, he did pull of a decent performance, even if the choreography was unfortunately watered-down. I just hope somebody put the babies to bed before 'daddy' came on TV!

Kimberley Locke Premieres New Single "Strobelight"

American Idol's third-place finisher from season two Kimberley Locke is back & ready to take over the clubs with her new dance single "Strobelight." The song, which was produced by Idol's own Randy Jackson as well as Cutfather (who has remixed for the likes of Christina Aguilera & Brandy), will be released on iTunes April 6th. Take a listen:

It's alright; it definitely fits her, as she's had 3 #1's on the dance charts already. I know it only seems natural, but I haven't actually read anything about this being the first single off an upcoming album, so I'll keep you posted. These days, you really gotta embrace anything & everything any of the talented former Idols are offering up because it appears that the mill has stopped producing them! It even looks like Randy Jackson agrees.

[Source, Source]

New Music Tuesday: Usher "Raymond Vs. Raymond"

As you're about to be very aware, Usher's sixth studio album Raymond Vs. Raymond hits stores today. The CD includes such tracks as first single "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)," buzz single "Papers," the will.i.am-featuring "OMG," & the Nicki Minaj-assisted "Lil' Freak." If you're interested in purchasing a physical or digital copy, you can click HERE or on the album's cover in the widget on your right. There are some decent cuts! (♫ if you're *messin'* with me... ♫)

Fantasia Performs "America The Beautiful" On WrestleMania

This year, Fantasia performed "America The Beautiful" at WrestleMania 26. You show 'em how an American Idol is supposed to sound! Now, what's going on with that album of yours? If they were serious about "Even Angels," we would've had a video by now, so they need to start pushing "Move On Me" already! ;)

Listen To Usher's "Raymond Vs. Raymond"

Usher's sixth studio album Raymond Vs. Raymond won't be released until tomorrow, but that doesn't have to stop you from streaming the album in its entirety HERE. Give it a shot; you might like some of the songs. I'll have a review up soon.

Ciara Album Update

After staying mum during the recording of her fourth studio album, Ciara is just about ready to unleash her latest effort onto the world. It has been revealed that the album's first single is a The-Dream & Tricky Stewart production titled "Ride" & features Ludacris. Look for the song to premiere in the next few weeks. I, for one, can't wait! I do have something to point out though: The original lead single off Fantasy Ride (note the title similarities) was a Ludacris-featured The-Dream & Tricky Stewart production. Hmm... of course, I love "High Price" (& Fantasy Ride for what it's worth), so take that as you may.

[Source, Source]

New Christina Aguilera Promo Pic

Check out this slick new promotional photo of Christina Aguilera from her Bionic (June 8th) cover shoot. Tomorrow's the big day, guys! The premiere of Christina's new single "Not Myself Tonight!!"

[Source]

Kelis "Acapella" Video Premiere

"Acapella" is the first single off Kelis' upcoming album Flesh Tone, which is due this summer. Kelis unleashes more of her unique style with this one & I dig it. In all honesty, I hadn't really even listened to "Acapella" since it leaked, but she had me liking it more than I thought I did. I could use me some Kelis right about now!

Album Review: Monica "Still Standing"

It's been quite a ride for Monica since she was last on top with After The Storm (which I suppose is ironic) seven years ago. In 2006, she released her last album The Makings Of Me, which, after being misguided by her label, flopped. Then, after taking some time off to give birth to her second son, Monica began her comeback with the BET reality show Monica: Still Standing. Fans were able to see a different side of Monica & fall in love with her all over again, which led to the fan-chosen first single "Everything To Me" off the singer's fifth studio album Still Standing topping the Billboard R&B & Hip-Hop Songs chart. Monica has had quite a ride on her way to the appropriately titled Still Standing, but is the success justified by the quality of the music?

The Ludacris-assisted title track "Still Standing" kicks off the album. It's hard to describe exactly how I feel about the song now that it's been out forever & played during the opening credits of Monica's reality show every week for a three-month period, but I do know that when it leaked, I loved "Still Standing," so we'll leave it at that. Next up is "One In A Lifetime," which is nice & has some lovely sections in it. While the album doesn't have any bad tracks, this one is probably the weakest, so it baffles me as to why in the world the label wanted to release it as the lead single. Moving on, we have "Stay Or Go," a gorgeous slow jam. Then, of course, there's "Everything To Me," which is absolutely incredible vocally & enjoyable to listen to regardless.

The only song on the album that could even remotely be labeled an uptempo is (the annoyingly retitled) "If You Were My Man." This Missy Elliott production is terrific & still hasn't gotten old after having been leaked for quite some time. "Mirror" is another excellent track, while "Here I Am" is definitely a highlight. It sounds like, despite their differences, that Polow Da Don & Monica have great musical chemistry! I also quite like "Superman," which serves as a solid bridge connecting "Here I Am" to another big vocal display on "Love All Over Me." Girl, you need to work more with Jermaine Dupri cause this song is gooood! Speaking of which, & I almost can't believe I'm saying these words together, but the Stargate-produced closer "Believing In Me" is another highlight. Monica is powerful on the song, which recently took on a whole new meaning, with her passionate lyrical delivery. I love it!

Hopefully it's evident that I really like Still Standing. Monica is so talented & really has amazing chemistry with pretty much every producer she works with. In fact, most of the problems I could point out about the album (Hello! 10-song cap!) are not her fault, but her label's... not to mention that she completely pulled through despite their restrictions! If there is anything I could say that I think will help Monica continue to excel in the future, it would be to work more with Missy Elliott. I know she knows that, but people are obviously digging the vibe of "Everything To Me" & I LOVE "Let Me Know," a very early leak, which probably led to its non-inclusion. The two of them had incredible chemistry back in the day with "So Gone," but its only gotten better with time. None of that takes away, however, from the fact that Still Standing is, from beginning to end, an outstanding album & one of the best R&B efforts in recent memory.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Angels & Airwaves "Hallucinations" Video Premiere

"Hallucinations" is the first single off Angels & Airwaves' third album Love, which is available to download for FREE on their official site. This video is really cool & gives a very nice visual representation of the sound of the song. If you like what you hear, get their album (no strings attached!) because, I promise you, it'll be worth it!

Jennifer Lopez Does Marie Claire Ukraine Magazine

Jennifer Lopez's latest cover spread comes from the new issue of Ukraine's Marie Claire. J.Lo went for a little more of an edgy look in some of these shots, including the cover, & I like it! I look forward to seeing her in "The Back-Up Plan" on April 23rd & finally hearing Love? this summer.

[Source]

The 2010 Kids' Choice Awards Recap

Rihanna performed a medley of "Hard," "Rude Boy," & "Don't Stop The Music" at last night's 2010 Kids' Choice Awards. She tried 'hard' to put on a fun performance with the (return of those) robots & the outfit, but it just turned into a mess when she sang a badly edited version of her current #1 single. What can I say though: I wasn't even bothered enough to remember the show came on last night. Some of the winners include The Black-Eyed Peas for Favorite Music Group & American Idol for Favorite Reality Show; click HERE to see the rest (Alviiiiin!).

In Theaters Now...

Grade: A+

Seriously, this is REALLY good! I was even surprised myself. Rather than the corn-fest it's advertised as being, this movie is actually visually stunning with a great story & lots of heart. Definitely check it out if you get a chance. One of Dreamworks' best!

Melinda Doolittle Performs In Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Check out some highlights of Melinda Doolittle currently starring as the narrator of "Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" in Pigeon Forge, TN. Melinda is so talented ..enough to be worthy of more than this, I almost hate to say. However, ironically enough, I visited there last year. How lucky of me...

Celine Dion "Taking Chances World Tour: The Concert" Cover

Alongside the DVD release of her documentary "Celine: Through The Eyes Of The World," Celine Dion will release her "Taking Chances World Tour: The Concert" in its entirety on May 11th. The DVD/CD release, cover art for which is featured above, will include the 80-minute show as filmed in Boston. Most of the songs from the concert will be included on the CD, but you can click HERE to see the exact tracklisting. Celine's really trying to empty my pockets come mid-May, but her talent more than justifies purchasing both of these exciting releases! (Especially since I still haven't seen "Celine: Through The Eyes Of The World" because, once again, they didn't bring it to where I live. SMH)

[Source]

Amerie & 4minute Perform "Heard 'Em All" On Music Bank

Amerie performed her single "Heard 'Em All" with Korean girl group 4minute on the show Music Bank in Korea. Umm... it was interesting to see! Amerie's (all-English) latest album In Love & War is out now, here at least.

Sarah McLachlan & Emmylou Harris Perform "Angel" On Jimmy Kimmel

Sarah McLachlan sang her hit song "Angel" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! as a duet (just like at the '08 AMAs), but instead of being joined by Pink this time, she was assisted by Emmylou Harris. I've heard the name--don't know who she is though--but she was horrible! At least Sarah sounded brilliant. Sarah's highly anticipated new album The Laws Of Illusion arrives June 15th.

Mya "North Shore Animal League America" PSA

Mya shows her soft spot for animals in this new public service announcement for North Shore Animal League America. Aww! How cute! Alright, now where's that new album?

Idol Review: Top 11

There was nothing to take away from the final 11 contestants performing during what might as well have been Disney week. Well, I take that back: We did get to see Simon telling it like it is (terrible!) for one of the last times. Lee Dewyze (who looks to have taken over Danny Gokey's slot as Old Yeller) was awful & Tim Urban continued being unaware of his status as this season's joke. Ryan Seacrest had me heated at his comparison of Aaron Kelly, who is one of many mediocre singers this season that have absolutely no place in this competition, to David Archuleta, while Crystal Bowersox screeched a song that Pink often covers brilliantly & Simon had the nerve to compare her version to Crystal's! The mediocre Michael Lynche was dull & unimpressive; Andrew Garcia was a mess as usual. Katie Stevens is just another boring young'n with a decent voice not nearly worthy of this show & Casey James' mumbling into a microphone is getting really annoying. Didi Benami may have a decent recording voice, but she cannot seem to pull off a good performance, while Siohban Magnus simply cannot sing! I suppose it's a shame the only contestant that showed any promise, Paige Miles, went home this week, yet, after her pathetic performance this week, I'm pretty much convinced she just doesn't have it. (She did have the misfortune of being sick for the majority of her time on the show, so I guess we'll never know for sure, but still.) Anyway, check out this week's episode of The BabyV Show cause it's one of the best so far:

Janet Jackson "Nothing" Behind-The-Scenes

Jermaine Dupri takes us behind-the-scenes at the video shoot for "Nothing," the single he produced for Janet Jackson that will be featured during the end credits of her new movie "Why Did I Get Married Too?," which opens next Friday. The video looks simple, which is fine, but... was Janet not the most adorable thing in that?! Gotta love her! "Nothing" is actually available already on iTunes, so feel free to click HERE & get it.

Christina Aguilera's Big News (Parts 2 & 3)

So, day three kicked day two's butt. I wasn't able to do a separate post for the second day of Christina Aguilera's 'big news,' but it was lame anyway: The "Not Myself Tonight" lyrics. We did learn, however, that the lead single was produced by Polow Da Don & written by Ester Dean. This is good news because 1) that's the team behind Usher's "Lil' Freak," which you already know I adore, & 2) it indicates that the song might have an urban flare to it! We'll find out when "Not Myself Tonight" premieres this Tuesday. (The singles arrives at iTunes on April 13th.) Now, drumroll please... check out the album cover above for Bionic, which hits stores on June 8th! Isn't it amazing?! I love it & I can't wait--it's all about to begin!!

[Source]

We Are The Fallen "Bury Me Alive" Video Premiere

"Bury Me Alive" is the first single lifted from We Are The Fallen's upcoming debut album Tear The World Down (May 11th). So, the song's called "Bury Me Alive" & what do they do in the video but bury.. someone... alive...! Heh. I must admit though that by the end, they had me. Carly is killin' those vocals! Be aware, however, that the video is not nearly as ..frightening.. as that screenshot lol.

Billboard Update

^#1 Album #1 Single^

Lady Antebellum's Need You Now returns to the top of the Billboard 200 album chart this week, while Rihanna maintains the top spot on the Hot 100 singles chart as well as the Airplay Gainer title with "Rude Boy." Also, Lady Gaga & Beyonce's "Telephone" jumps 9-3, & Usher debuts at #76 with "More." Finally, Monica's "Everything To Me" has reached the #1 spot on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart!

See full charts HERE

Amerie Performs "Heard 'Em All" On M Countdown

Amerie, who's half Korean herself, visited the country's show M Countdown to perform her single "Heard 'Em All" off In Love & War. We've seen this performance a million times, but maybe they haven't. Here's to some overseas success for Amerie!

Usher ft. Nicki Minaj "Lil' Freak" Video Premiere

"Lil' Freak," featuring Nicki Minaj, is the second official single domestically off Usher's sixth studio album Raymond Vs. Raymond (March 30th)... & should've been the first one outta the gate! I like the TAJ-directed video. I'm not jumping out of my seat, but it's better than I thought it would be initially. Loving that Ciara cameo though!

Janet Jackson "Not Working On An Album"

Janet Jackson must hate me. After being teased with the news that she was working with the likes of Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins & Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis again on a new album, we are now learning that Janet Jackson is actually not working on a new album at all. Here's what she has to say for herself:

"There was a time where I was actually in the studio & I was recording, but I'm not working on an album. There have been a lot of record labels that have asked me to sit down & talk with them, but I don't know if I want to do something completely independent, or go with a major."

So, you're saying you're not signed then, Janet? I don't know if I really buy that or not. If she didn't sign with Interscope/A&M, then, what, did they just release the Number Ones album & pay for the "Make Me" video out of the goodness of their hearts? Ya, no way. Anyway, as for more reasoning behind why she's not currently working on an album, Janet says she hasn't "decided on exactly where [she] want[s] to go or what [she] want[s] to do." Well, alright; that's acceptable enough reasoning. I mean, do we really want another 20 Y.O. on our hands? Speaking of which, I guess if Janet was only working with Jermaine Dupri on "Nothing"--not to mention the favor she did for Darkchild (see below)--then the rumor mill got the best of me & I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up for a new album anyway. One thing about releasing an album independently though: I 100% do NOT support it UNLESS she can get the same collaborators & create the same quality music as she can on a major label. Major labels may be crap (see: J Records--Monica, Mario, etc.), but I would rather deal with the stress of them than receive crappy material (see: Mya...sorry!). Anyway, at least Ms. Jackson has the movie "Why Did I Get Married Too?" coming out on April 2nd!

Heartbeat Love (ft. Pitbull, Machel Montano, & Rock City)

[Source]

Kelis "Acapella" Video Preview

Kelis has offered up a sneak peek of her video for "Acapella," the first single off her upcoming album Flesh Tone, which drops this summer. Yes! Do you, Kelis!! I may not adore the song, but I still can't wait to see the full video on Monday.

Nicole Scherzinger "Cosmopolitan Russia" Magazine Cover

The beautiful Nicole Scherzinger is the cover girl for Russia's latest issue of Cosmopolitan. A little tall for the cover there, Nicole? Whatever... she's still hot as a stove!

[Source]

Shontelle "Impossible" Video Premiere

"Impossible" is the first US single lifted from Shontelle's forthcoming sophomore album No Gravity. The video, which was directed by TAJ (Anthony Mandler's protege), is pretty good, but what I REALLY like is that song! As for the end of the video though, don't you get the feeling sometimes that they just shoot too much footage & overestimate the length of the song... ya know lol? Nah, I'm looking forward to Shontelle's new album!

Monica On 106 & Park

"Everything To Me"



Medley



Interview
Monica co-hosted & performed on 106 & Park Monday & Tuesday in what is apparently the only promo idiotic J Records bothered to schedule for her this week of her Still Standing album release. She really took advantage of the opportunity though, taking her fans to church with her first single &, the day before, back to the early days with "Don't Take It Personal (Just One Of Dem Days)," "So Gone," & "Before You Walk Out Of My Life." Monica is so awesome! "So Gone" is my jam too!

Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson To Star In Tyler Perry Film

Tyler Perry has announced the cast of his next film, which will be a big screen adaptation of the play "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf." Multi-talented superstars Mariah Carey & Janet Jackson are among the impressive cast of women, which also includes Whoopi Goldberg, Phylicia Rashad, Kimberly Elise, Jurnee Smollett, Kerry Washington, Macy Gray, & Loretta Devine. The movie will shoot in June, aiming for release late this year or early next year. I'm all for the power trio of Tyler, Mariah, & Janet, but if you'll recall, India.Arie was set to star in a Broadway revival of this a couple years ago (the producer of which happened to be Whoopi Goldberg) before it was cancelled. As a result, I'm a bit saddened that she won't be appearing in this film. I suppose you never know what goes on behind-the-scenes though...

[Source]

New Music Tuesday: Monica "Still Standing"

After four years, Monica is back & Still Standing with her new album. The soulful disc includes stellar first single "Everything To Me." To purchase the CD or digital download, click HERE or on the cover on the widget to your right. I got my copy today (the last one at the store!) & I'm working on getting a review up by week's end. Rest assured, however, that the album is hot!

Nicole Scherzinger On Dancing With The Stars: Week 1

Nicole Scherzinger made her Dancing With The Stars debut with the Viennese Waltz & blew the competition away! She also showed off her charming personality. It should be quite a run for Nicole & I can't wait!

Christina Aguilera's Big News (Part 1)

I tweeted the link to Christina Aguilera's official site the other day so you could check out the countdown clock, but now, time has run out on it & her 'big news' has been revealed in the form of the single cover for "Not Myself Tonight," the first single off her upcoming album Bionic. It's great to know that she's finally getting things rolling & that the rumor about her album not coming for a while is false. Not surprisingly, she also looks as amazing as ever! Want more good news? We can expect MORE 'big news' from Christina tomorrow! In the mean time, check out this very cool piece of art currently displayed next to the countdown clock:

Dondria "You're The One" Video Premiere

"You're The One" is the lead single off Dondria's forthcoming debut album Dondria Vs. Phatfffat, which arrives this spring. It's so cool to see things like this happening for Dondria! Pay attention, now, because this girl can SANG. The video is nice, if not perfect, but I'm just so excited, so I'll leave it at that.

Melanie Fiona Performs On Ellen

It Kills Me



Ay Yo
Melanie Fiona belted her signature hit "It Kills Me" off The Bridge on The Ellen DeGeneres Show after dedicating her new single "Ay Yo" to the host backstage. I only wish for bigger & better things to come for Melanie.

Kid Sister ft. Cee-Lo "Daydreaming" Video Premiere

"Daydreaming," featuring Cee-Lo, is the second single lifted from Kid Sister's debut album Ultraviolet. I like this song(!) & even though Cee-Lo didn't bother to show up in another chick's video (see: Estelle's "Pretty Please (Love Me)"), I like him on the track as well. I haven't listened to Ultraviolet since it leaked cause I kinda found it monotonous, but I think I shall give it another listen!

Usher ft. Nicki Minaj "Lil' Freak" Video Preview

Check out this 30-second clip of the video for Usher & Nicki Minaj's "Lil' Freak," easily the best song on his upcoming album Raymond Vs. Raymond (March 30th) & one that I STILL can't stop playing. Unfortunately, after I've been so loyal to this song ever since it leaked a zillion years ago, it appears that the best they have to offer is another "Love In This Club." *Sigh*

Mariah Carey's "Angels Advocate" Shelved

Sad news: The release of Mariah Carey's Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel remix album Angels Advocate has been cancelled. This doesn't particularly come as a surprise, as the scheduled Target+iTunes release date of March 30th was fast approaching without either a cover or tracklisting being unveiled, not to mention the complete lack of promotion. Instead, assuring lambs that the remixed material "won't go to waste," Mariah's management is eyeing single releases for a few of the songs. Mimi's focus is now set on a new studio or Christmas album (don't hold your breath), one of which may be included in "some new surprises" she is working on. (May I suggest that HBO special based on Merry Christmas?!) Am I pleased that Def Jam didn't take advantage of "Up Out My Face'"s Hot 100 debut with a Mariah/Nicki performance somewhere (anywhere...)? Not in the least. Am I completely & utterly heartbroken? Nah. The majority of the leaks from the project have been less than impressive, to say the least (see below). I mean, what good can REALLY come of touching the perfection that is Memoirs?! Regardless, I'm still holding out for the release/leak of "It's A Wrap" with MJB as well as "Imperfect" & the final version of "Skydiving," not that the latter two were ever confirmed for the remix album anyway. I'll leave you now with a taste of what would have been:

Ribbon (Remix ft. The-Dream & Ludacris)

[Source]

Listen To Monica's "Still Standing"

Before heading out to a store near you to pick up Monica's fifth studio album Still Standing tomorrow, listen to the entire CD HERE. You're in for a treat! Note: The sequencing of the album snippets ended up being the final tracklisting for the album. I like the old sequence better, but whatever floats your boat.

The Black-Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." Tour Coming To Theaters

For one night only on Tuesday, March 30th, The Black-Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." tour is coming to movie theaters across the country. The two-hour concert will be shown live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles & be preceded by 30 minutes of exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the tour. To find a theater near you, click HERE.

Kelly Rowland Performs National Anthem On Soccer

Kelly Rowland sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the inaugural New York Red Bulls soccer game at Red Bull Arena on Saturday. Considering the video isn't the best to begin with, I'd say Kelly did a good job. She'll more than deliver though with her upcoming third album, I'm sure!

Chipmunk ft. Esmee Denters "Until You Were Gone" Video Premiere

"Until You Were Gone," featuring Esmee Denters, is the latest single from British rapper Chipmunk. Heh. I can't take British rap seriously (not that he was looking to be taken seriously with a name like Chipmunk anyway lol). Esmee sounds nice though. When are you gonna release your album over here, girl?

Rihanna Does Sunday Magazine

Rihanna has done a cover spread for Australia's Sunday magazine. Call me crazy, but I kinda like this look on her. Not that she's always flawless, but RiRi's tendency to rock all her looks with confidence certainly doesn't hurt. Her fourth album Rated R is out now & let's hope this talk of there being no more singles from it turns out to be false. Team "Fire Bomb!"

Craig David On 360 Sessions

Part 1



Part 2



Part 3



Part 4

Craig David has participated in a UK 4Music program titled 360 Sessions in support of his forthcoming album Signed Sealed Delivered, which arrives there March 29th. During the show, Craig reminisced while performing a few tracks off his new album (& one classic). Part 1 features "One More Lie (Standing In The Shadows)" & ... I'm sooo jealous of those students he visited! Did you SEE what they get to work with?! Part 2 features "Mercy Mercy Me," which sees Craig give the best vocal of the bunch. Part 3 features "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay" &, uh, I love the way he says "later on." Heh. Part 4 then closes out the special with "Fill Me In." It may not be an ideal situation, but after watching this, the new album he's 'delivering' might just include some pretty amazing vocals..!

Katharine McPhee On Community

Here are Katharine McPhee's scenes from the episode of Community that she guest-starred on last week. I know I'm late with this, but I wanted to watch the episode before posting to be able to review it properly & I finally did. Kat was a very, very bad, bad girl! The show was bad too, but not in the same way... on the music side of things, Katharine's latest album Unbroken is available now.

We Are The Fallen "Tear The World Down" Update

As the release of We Are The Fallen's debut album Tear The World Down on May 11th slowly approaches, a few details about the album have emerged. The 12-track effort will include rock-out songs like "Burn" & "Through Hell" as well as the ballads "Sleep Well, My Angel" & "I Am Only One." There will also be a title track, which is being described as "epic." I really look forward to hearing Carly in her element, showing these pathetic ninth season Idols how it's done.

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Alicia Keys & Guests Perform At Madison Square Garden

Put It In A Love Song (ft. Beyonce)



Empire State Of Mind (ft. Jay-Z)



Love Is Blind
At the hometown stop of her 'Freedom' tour in NYC, Alicia Keys brought both Mr. & Mrs. Carter out onto the Madison Square Garden stage, & courtesy of Billboard, we have HQ (if not full-length) footage of the performances. Alicia & Beyonce shared the stage for the first time to sing their duet "Put It In A Love Song." Later, after starting "Empire State Of Mind" off solo, Alicia brought out her man Swizz Beatz, who spit a few bars of his collabo with Jay-Z, "On To The Next One," before Jay came out himself to join Alicia on their #1 hit. Alicia's fourth album The Element Of Freedom is out now.

Jennifer Lopez Officially Signs With Def Jam

Not-so-secret meetings with LA Reid may have sparked rumors that Jennifer Lopez would sign with his label following her split with Epic, but now it's been confirmed: J.Lo is Def Jam's latest signee. Since Love?, which is not finished, will probably be relaunched now, there's no telling when we'll get it, but it's definitely coming! In the meantime, we have Jennifer's new movie "The Back-Up Plan" coming out on April 23rd & its accompanying theme song "What Is Love?" to look forward to.

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Mary J. Blige Reworks "Stronger With Each Tear" For International Release

For its international release, Mary J. Blige's latest album Stronger With Each Tear has received an overhaul, new cover (see above) & all. In place of "Said & Done," "Hood Love," & "Kitchen" are six additional songs, one of them being the original title track "Stronger" -_- , which I've previously posted. Kicking the album off is the Led Zeppelin cover "Whole Lotta Love":

Not exactly what you expected, eh? Well, let me just say: Mary killed it! She did an awesome job with it & makes a great rock star. I must admit that Adam Lambert's version is stuck in the back of my mind & he's certainly an excellent fit for the song, but MJB did her thing as well. A few tracks later is the will.i.am-assisted "I Can't Wait":

No doubt included for maximum appeal, as I'm sure most of the additions are, Mary works one of his rather stale beats very nicely. Now, MJB has been turning her song "Each Tear" into a collaboration with different artists to launch the album internationally. Previously posted was the duet between herself & Italian Tiziano Ferro. For the UK release, she sings alongside Jay Sean on the track:

I prefer this version to the one for Italy, but definitely neither to the original. Another new song is "City On Fire":

Very cool. Arguably the most high-profile new track is her remake of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven," which features accompaniment from Travis Barker, Randy Jackson, Steve Vai, & Orianthi:

Granted, I've nothing to compare it to personally, but I still think she did an awesome job! I know I keep using the word 'awesome' to describe soulful renditions of rock songs, but it just seems to fit so perfectly. Here's the last perk of the international version of Stronger With Each Tear, which is the Dave Aude remix of "I Am":

I quite like that one! I must say, I'm pretty excited about listening to the album with this new sequencing. I have a feeling that since this version seems to cut out some of the more lackluster tracks on the US edition that it will sound more like I had initially hoped it would.

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Brandy Sings "At Last" In The Bathroom

Back for another musical session in the bathroom is Brandy & this time, she's belting "At Last." Did she JUST do that? Oh yes, she did! It *just so happens* that she just launched her new official site 4everBrandy.com, so head on over & check it out.

Janet Jackson "Nothing" Song Premiere

Janet Jackson has recorded the song "Nothing" for the soundtrack to her upcoming film "Why Did I Get Married Too?" The ballad, produced by Jermaine Dupri & Bryan-Michael Cox, can be streamed below:



Beautiful! The structure of the song is interesting, which is a good thing, as is how refreshing hearing this kind of track again is. I'm also excited to see the movie when it hits theaters on April 2nd.

Robin Thicke ft. Estelle "Rollacoasta" Video Premiere

"Rollacoasta," featuring Estelle, is Robin Thicke's latest single off Sex Therapy. Despite Robin's silly talk-singing throughout, I actually quite like this song & its vibe.

Gwen Stefani Does InStyle Magazine

Queen of magazine spreads Gwen Stefani is at it again with the April issue of InStyle. She may be a fan of the hand-on-your-hip pose, but I love the darker shots. We need some new music from ya, Gwen!

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Idol Review: Top 12

This week, the remaining 12 contestants took to the big stage & the competition heate... zzzzzzzzzz--oh, sorry. Michael Lynche was up first & sucked as always. Didi Benami was her typically dull self & Casey James talked his way through a song yet again. Then there was Andrew Garcia, Katie Stevens, Tim Urban... blah blah blah (*unpleasant flashback to the results show*). I've really got to bring the world back to reality though re: Siobhan Magnus. She's like an overgrown child who loves the sound of her own voice, yet can't tell the difference between singing & screaming. How in the WORLD is she even ON this show?! She's absolutely terrible & she's most likely going to make the finale... like, for real?!? On a related note, Lee Dewyze was awful again. Now, Paige Miles: I've included her performance above. I'm not saying she was nearly as good as divas past at all, but she actually showed her voice off for once--on the week that she was sick, no less--& gave me a teeny, tiny something to look forward to. Then, that silly little Aaron Kelly went up there & tortured me. In the pimp spot, naturally, was Crystal Bowersox. Without really saying anything negative, the judges tried to de-pimp her a little bit anyway in an effort to avoid the Archuleta/Lambert backlash. But, she's horrible. She, along with just about every single one of these people, belongs in her nearest hometown bar--one that I'd be sure to avoid! This show's ability to find talent officially began with Kelly Clarkson & ended with Adam Lambert. Oh, Lacey Brown. I wasn't really a fan; I might've kept her around a couple weeks longer than a few of these people, but I'm fine with her leaving. Time for something to make you smile! Below is the birthday special of The BabyV Show. Everybody wish Vonzell & Boonq a happy birthday!