The public outrage over X Factor judge Cheryl Cole‘s dumbfounding contestant picks looks set to only intensify. For, ousted contestant Anastasia Baker has (likely for a sum of money) gone to the press with her story of unfair treatment and favouritism.

Baker made it to the Judges Houses stage of the show, only to be rejected (again) by Cole – along with the wildly popular Gamu Nhengu – in favour of Katie Waissel and Cher Llyod (both of whom botched their auditions). The mother of one has sensationally lifted the lid on how:

* The show seems fixed, with Cheryl having already earmaked who she wanted to put through

* Cher Lloyd faked illness during her final audition, after partying with two guys the night before.

* Katie Waissel was already friends with key members of the X-Factor team

* and much more…

Check out her video interview (via The Sun) and my Two Pence, after the jump…

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*Pinned: Normal Posts Resume Below*

That Grape Juice caught up with Hip-Pop heavyweight Nelly last week. Currently readying his 5^th studio album, ‘Nelly 5.0’, for release this November, the rapper was eager to let us know what we can expect on highly anticipated record.

As usual we asked the questions that you really want answers about. Nelly addressed that status of his relationship with Ashanti, the under-performance of his last LP ‘Brass Knuckles’, his new  collaboration with Kelly Rowland, his views about women in Hip-Hop and much more. Check out all the action below. Enjoy!

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Interviewer: Trent //  Edited by: Sam

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Nelly Shouts Out That Grape Juice

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Though Katy Perry‘s sophomore set ‘Teenage Dream’ topped the charts with respectable sales of 192,000 this week, many were left wondering why the 25 year old never sold more. With industry estimates predicting sales of more than double such a figure, Billboard ask whether Perry’s case will have ramifications for the industry at large.

Check out their interesting article, which sees many a label exec weigh in, below…

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Business certainly appears to be picking up with Ciara‘s ‘Basic Instinct’ project. The singer’s label today issued a detailed album press release , revealing a number of new song titles, as well as their concepts. An interesting read, which has us anticipating the record that much more…

The goodies after the jump…(pun intended)…

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Pop singer Kelly Rowland stopped by the Today Show yesterday. The 29 year old stunner was there to  promote Soul Train’s 40th Anniversary DVD (random, I know) as well as her forthcoming new album. Ms. Kelly looked unbelievably beautiful.

While there Rowland reaffirmed the fact that she is still recording her LP, which sources revealed had a working title of ‘One Woman Show’ – yet is apparently now not called that.

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Granted we’re glad to see Kelly being meticulous with the album (recently hitting the studio with Tricky Stewart & The-Dream), this title situation is being stretched a bit much now. For, even her label-mate Nicki Minaj, whose LP is dropping after Kelly’s (November 23rd), has  revealed the name of her album.

Yet our dear Ms. Rowland appears to be clinging to the fact that she’s still recording as the reason for the hold-up. However, with the theme of the album being trumpeted for the longest by Kelly herself (“being free, independent, in charge, in command”), there kinda isn’t any excuse any more. I mean, music and video hold-ups are understandable, yet from a business standpoint, knowing the name of the product is essential in ensuring widespread awareness of it BEFORE it’s released. With a November release window being cited, time really is not of the essence.

Also, we’re hearing murmurings that Kelly’s latest recording sessions have been more Urban-geared, kinda calling into question the actual direction of the album – which until now had been touted as a Dance record. There has been some talk of there being two versions of the LP, yet not much in the way of clarity on the matter.

It’s pretty much a given that we love us some Kelly here at That Grape Juice, however it’s important to keep it real. As the case of Keri Hilson showed (see: numerous delays, a million singles, etc), it’s all still to play for. However, things need to start moving…and fast.

Your thoughts?

With Christina Aguilera‘s latest LP ‘Bionic’ currently no where to be seen on the charts, new reports are suggesting that her long-time label RCA are concerned with the singer’s ‘headstrong’ attitude.

Aguilera, 29, is said to have bumped heads with the label many a time over the direction of the album…an album which went on to become, not only a commercial catastrophe, but the lowest selling of the star’s career.

Full story below…

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An unstoppable force when alive, the legend of  the King of Pop Michael Jackson is living up to its billing, even after the singer’s untimely death. It has today been announced that Jackson’s estate have signed a record-breaking  deal with Sony Music Entertainment, worth $250 Million – a figure which earns the lucrative deal the title of the the biggest record deal in music history!

The terms of the partnership, according to The Wall Street Journal, will see up to 10 Jackson album’s released over a 7 year period. Included will be re-packaged versions of Jackson’s material in compilation form, a DVD of his entire video catalogue, as well as LP’s of entirely new and unreleased material – the first of which is set to be released in November. The ‘This Is It’ CD, which accompanied the theatrical release last year, is included in the deal.

Speaking on the deal, Sony Music chairman Rob Stringer: “We’re dedicated to protecting this icon’s legacy and we’re thrilled that we can continue to bring his music to the world for the foreseeable future”.

For much of his storied career, Jackson’s label home was Sony; a relationship which, despite a few bumps, was a largely fruitful one. It is believed that at the time of his passing, Jackson was prepping the release of his new material via the label (in potential conjunction with tour sponsor AEG).

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Awesome news! It really serves as a testament to level of impact his star had and will continue to have for generations to come.

I’m particularly hopeful that the new material is given the treatment it deserves i.e. great promotion, creative videos, and is aligned with great brands (e.g. movies, commercials etc). What better way to keep his legacy alive. Long live the King!

Your thoughts?

After conquering her home turf, Pop sensation Alexandra Burke is promoting her hit LP ‘Overcome’ in Europe, most recently performing on Poland’s ’20 Years Of RMF FM Radio’ show. Peep her performance of ‘Bad Boys’ above…

Granted we’ve seen her perform this song a million times here in the UK, I never tire of seeing Ms. Burke on stage. Considering how demanding the routine is, it really reinforces how talented she is, considering she remained on-key as well as belted through out. It’s also great to see that her rocking a new and improved weave (thank goodness!!! LOL).

Tidbit: Burke, 21, will be hitting the promo rounds soon in support of her new single ‘The Silence’, the video for which she’s filming as I type. The 21 year old Londoner took a break from re-recording her album in the US with hitmaker Red One (for her Stateside debut within the coming months), to film the video, as well as to embark on a very brief European promo tour.

What do you think of the performance?

She is everywhere you turn – on every television channel, radio frequency and on the cover of every magazine. Lady GaGa is the definition of a Pop star. Musically diverse and vocally gifted, she has established herself as one of the driving forces in entertainment, breaking every record in her path to the top of the charts. Indeed, over the last 18 months, GaGa taken the world by storm, breathing new life into the struggling music industry.

Similar to a young Madonna, GaGa has used innovative music videos to her stunning stage shows to separate herself from her contemporaries, capturing public interest in a way that no other act has managed in years. Her first 5 singles released on US radio managed to reach the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, all of which have gone platinum. Furthermore, she is also the first act since Christina Aguilera to have her first 2 songs hit #1 on that chart.

One has to look no further than the Billboard 200 this week to observe her impact. Both of her studio albums currently occupy the top 10 of that chart. In fact, her debut album, ‘The Fame’, was released since August 2008 and sits comfortably in the top 5, selling over 8 million copies worldwide to date. With sales figures and quotations like these, it is no wonder that many critics boast that GaGa has helped to revive consumers’ interest in purchasing records.

However, is her rampant success a result of properly executed marketing strategies and tacky gimmicks? Yes and no. There is no doubt that her shocking costumes and statements have played a key role in her appeal. I myself once thought of her as nothing more than passing fad. Nevertheless, unlike her far less talented contemporaries including Rihanna and Cassie, GaGa is musical prodigy. She is a woman fully involved in the development of her craft and in  complete command of her career. GaGa is not a puppet on a string.

It will be interesting to see what GaGa does next. As as artist who clearly dedicates 100% of herself to her music, I sense that GaGa is once again prepared to dominate the charts in 2010. Whether or not she will survive the changing tides of Pop music remains to be seen. However, even if she retires today, GaGa has left her mark on game, rejuvenating an industry that was desperate for new life.

Do you agree that Lady GaGa has helped to revive the

music industry?

Comeback queen Whitney Houston kicked off her world tour today in Moscow, Russia. The singer, 46, voice was in tip-top shape (for 2009 Whitney) as she revisited her classic hits as well as new cuts from her Platinum selling LP ‘I Look To You’. She has really come leaps and bounds with the vocals, which in time I’m sure will only get even better. You can watch the performance of ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ above, and the rest below (video quality isn’t great, but oh well). Go Nippy!

I Will Always Love You

My Love Is Your Love

Man In The Mirror (Michael Jackson Tribute)

Saving All My Love For You

Bobbi Kristina Tribute

I Look To You

Million Dollar Bill

What do you think of the performances?

As reported earlier today, the legendary Whitney Houston has been unceremoniously shut-out from the nominations for the 52nd annual Grammy Awards. The news comes as a shock to many, as the singer’s critically acclaimed, Platinum-selling comeback LP ‘I Look To You’ has long been touted as a Grammy favourite, with its US release date even brought forward to make it eligible for nomination.

While many will debate as to why Houston, 46, was snubbed (a prominent reason cited being her supposed diva antics towards the committee – comprised of writers, producers, industry folk –  at her peak), it’ll be interesting to see what happens with her comeback campaign moving forward. With the Grammy’s supposed have been the crowning moment of her rise from the ashes, so to speak, her team will have to find alternate ways to further enrich the campaign – the answer not being solely to tour.

That Grape Juice exclusively reported months back that there’d be no further singles from the album this year. However, upon the start of the new year, Ms. Houston’s best bet IMO would essentially be to put her best foot forward. By that I mean, releasing some of the record’s A* cuts (‘For The Lovers’, ‘Worth It’, ‘Calling You Tonight’, ‘Nothin’ But Love’, for example) – no playing around. In being frank, neither ‘Million Dollar Bill’ or ‘I Look To You’ were first or second single worthy IMO – something which proved not that big a deal when looking at the album’s success to-date, yet will do with the selection of future singles.

It’d also definitely benefit Whitney being more visible, not necessarily in the way of just performances, but talk-show interviews, TV specials, and maybe even a return to movies. As much as Whitney may have become accustomed to her ‘new life’, any hopes of making a significant dent on the music industry once again will require diligence and concentrated saturation of the market (see Mariah‘s hustle and flow approach during the ‘Emancipation’ era…my girl was everywhere!). Speaking of Mariah, does anyone else see Whitney’s Grammy shut-out as a more extreme version how they did Mariah at the 2006 show? Not the business. That said, I guess this whole episode further lends support to the age old saying that “nothing is a certainty”. Here’s hoping things move onwards and upwards for Whitney…

Your thoughts?

Diddy and Dirty Money stopped by BET’s 106 & Park to promote their new ‘Last Train To Paris’ project. As well as that, Diddy addresses his move from Atlantic over to Interscope, as well as the future of his acts over at Bad Boy/Atlantic.

I don’t know if it was just me, but even after Diddy’s ‘explanation’ as to what’s happening with his artists, I was still very confused by what exactly he was trying to say. To be honest, I don’t even think he know’s where he was going with that one. I mean all previous reports indicated that he was starting a new label over at Interscope, with Bad Boy remaining at Atlantic; yet now (correct me if wrong) he seems to be saying his launching Bad Boy over at Interscope with some, but not all of the previous roster. Ugh…confused.com.

Kinda going a tad off-topic, I can’t help but feel Diddy even still having a rap career is nothing more than an ego-stroke. When everyone and their mother thinks you suck as an artist (and have forever), and you struggle to sell despite throwing MILLIONS at your last project (see: ‘Press Play’), why is he bothering? It sounds a bit harsh, but for a multi-million dollar mogul, you’d think he’d be a bit more business savvy than that. When has anyone ever rated Puffy as an artist? It’s 2009, it’s pretty much a joke thinking that in the world of Kanye’s and Jay-Z’s, that a Diddy rap record is gonna excite folks (see: the chart performance of ‘Last Train”s lead single ‘Angels’).

Your thoughts?