The Adele promotional train pulled into the Jimmy Kimmel Live studio last night; where the Brit Soul singer served up rousing renditions of ‘Rolling In The Deep’ and ‘Someone Like You’. Both are lifted from the 21 year old’s aptly titled sophomore effort ’21’.
Wonder what the hype is about? Find out after the jump…
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards just concluded in Los Angeles at Staples Center. Check out the full list of winners below:
The full 2010 Billboard Year End charts have been released and no other artist shined brighter than Ke$ha. In an era dominated by Pop music, the auto-tune champion reigned in a stunning 7 categories.
Ke$ha claimed the title of Top New Artist, Top Hot 100 Song with ‘Tik Tok’, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Digital Songs Artist, Top Digital Song with ‘Tik Tok’, Top Canadian Hot 100 Artist and Top Pop Songs Artist.
However, as previously reported, Lady GaGa has been crowned the Top Artist of 2010 despite Ke$ha’s many accolades. Peep some of the lineups below:
The 2011 Grammy Awards were announced just moments ago. The 53rd annual ceremoney, which will air live via CBS on February 13th, features Eminem leading the pack with an incredible 10 nominations, Bruno Mars with 7, and Jay-Z, Lady Antebellum and Lady Gaga with each earn 6 nods each. Check out the full lineup below:
The 2010 American Music Awards nominees were announced earlier today and Hip-Hop titan Eminem leads the pack with an impressive 5 nominations. The ceremony, which airs live on November 21st, will be celebrating its 38th anniversary with performances from Usher and P!nk as well as other acts who have yet to be named.
Other artists scoring multiple nods include Lady GaGa, Ke$ha, Katy Perry and Justin Bieber, who will all compete with Eminem in the Artist of the Year category. Check out the full list of nominees below and vote for your favourite artists here:
This week’s Best You Never Heard feature returns this week with little known gems by Whitney Houston & Deborah Cox, Jill Scott, The-Dream and Cherish.
———————————-
For a collaboration of such magnitude, it’s surprising to note that so little has been made of Whitney Houston and Deborah Cox’s 2000 duet ‘Same Script, Different Cast’. Lifted from Houston’s multi-Platinum ‘Greatest Hits’ LP, the stirring ballad sees the divas soar to new vocal heights, over a soulful reinterpretation of Beethoven’s ‘Für Elise’
In an age where the beauty of great lyrics is almost entirely confined to the past, this is a potent reminder that an engaging story can skilfully be conveyed via song. Indeed, the track features Houston playing the former lover of Cox’s current boyfriend, warning Cox of his hurtful ways. Yet Cox refuses to acknowledge it, accusing Houston being jealous. A divas clash of epic proportions!
If ‘The Boy Is Mine’ had a sassier, older sister, this would be she! Awesome track. (SAM)
———————————-
Serving as the title track from her 2007 release, ‘The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3’, Jill Scott’s ‘The Real Thing’ demonstrates her versatility as both a songwriter and vocalist. The powerhouse singer gives the listener the opportunity to hear the restrained yet gritty side of her renowned voice while unleashing a wave of lyrical fire over the live instrumental.
Scott spits rhymes in the second verse with the precision of the most talented MCs; combining her Neo-Soul roots with her poetic skill. When it comes to being a true artist, Scott is definitely ‘the real thing’. (TRENT)
———————————-
Mr. Nash sores effortlessly through his illustrious falsetto, demonstrating the full capabilities of his upper registers. This is one of the few records on which Mr. Nash’s voice comes close to matching the heights of his enormous ego. Well, almost. (TRENT)
Though now no longer together, sister-group Cherish served up many an underrated gem in their short stint on the music scene – cue ‘Chevy’. Taken from their 2006 debut ‘Unappreciated’, the track is best characterised as R&B bliss.
The Old School inspired car-bumper manages to not only be racy (with clever use of metaphors), it also remained age-appropriate for the ladies – who at the time were mostly in their teens. How or why this wasn’t a single, I have no idea! (SAM)
———————————-
That Grape Juice was in the house at London’s swanky ‘Hospital’ venue last night (July 8th) for Ne-Yo’s exclusive ‘Libra Scale’ listening session.
Hosted by the man himself, 6 tracks from the album (his fourth) were showcased to the audience of select UK media outlets.
Check out our take on what the singer-songwriter is serving up this go round…
It has been announced that Making The Band stars Dawn Richard and Que Mosley will be starring in their own MTV reality show this summer. The confirmation came via Mosley and his new management team Soul World Entertainment during the former Day 26 star’s recent interview with WKYS radio. Check out the interview below, as well as my 2pence…
That Grape Juice were one of a few select media outlets invited to the New York listening session for Lady GaGa’s hotly anticipated sophomore effort ‘The Fame Monster’, which took place last night. While I, Sam, am stationed in here in London, That Grape Juice is international baby, therefore our new New York correspondent Cherry was on hand to get all the juicy info. So without further ado, check out our preview of ‘The Fame Monster’ below (previously heard singles ‘Bad Romance’ and ‘Telephone are omitted for obvious reasons’):
There’s no question Pop phenomenon Lady Gaga has had an incredible year with the success of her debut album, ‘The Fame’, as well as the amazing, jaw-dropping, performances on various award and TV shows. Hence, it’s little surprise that Gaga serves up the hotness with her sophomore LP, ‘The Fame: Monster’.
The eight tracks range from mid-to-up-tempo beats, which are sure to find to comfort at any club, in the car or at a social outing. Key producers on the ‘The Fame: Monster’ are RedOne, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, Teddy Riley, Space Cowboy and her Interscope head Ron Fair. Lady Gaga wrote or co-wrote the entire album.
As mentioned in past interviews this album addresses the monsters that the 23 year old has encountered for the past 2 years as she’s travelled the world. These monsters (sex, love, loneliness, alcohol, death) are evident in the deliverance and execution of the lyrics on each song.
‘Alejandro’, which was written by RedOne and Lady Gaga and produced by RedOne, delivers a Spanish-tinged vibe over an Electro-Pop beat. The production and the flow of the song possess a distinct aura of 80s Madonna during her “Who’s That Girl” era. This track will definitely appeal to an audience internationally. Some lyrics taken from the booklet: You know that I love you boy * Hot like Mexico * Rejoice * At this point I’ve gotta choose * Nothing to lose* Don’t call my name * Don’t call my name * Alejandro.
‘Monster’, which was written by RedOne, Lady Gaga and Space Cowboy (produced by RedOne), unanimously received rave reviews. This song is a chart-topper, no ifs-buts-or-maybes! The beat is sick! It’s probably one of the hottest tracks I’ve heard in a long time. It kind of reminded me of a 80s, throwback Pop cut that will sure as anything be most requested at the clubs! The group loved it so much it had to play it more than once! Lyrics include: I just wanna dance* But he took me home instead* Uh-Oh there was a monster in my bed * We frenched kissed on a subway train * He tore my clothes right off * He ate my heart then he ate my brain.
The alternative Rock-meets-Bluesy track ‘Speechless’ showcases Lady Gaga’s vocal range. If you weren’t sure if she could actually sing this song proves she can! The guitar and piano mix is hot-fire and you can feel the passion in her vocal delivery. This song is more of a mid-tempo, yet it’s boasts a healthy balance from the other fast paced, dance-orientated tracks on the album. Lyrics include: I’ll never talk again* oh boy you’ve left me speechless * you’ve left me speechless* and I’ll never love again.
Another real favourite of mine was ‘So Happy I Could Die’. Instantly ascertainable here is that she’s addressing her alcohol ‘monster’. The song was written and produced by Lady Gaga, RedOne and Space Cowboy. The production is very ‘GaGa’, in that it too is a dark, up-tempo which when released will be making a bee-line for the dance-floor. Lyrics include: Open up your heart and your mind to me * Just know when that glass is empty* that the world is gonna bend* Happy in the club with a bottle of red wine* Stars in our eyes cuz we’re having a good time* eh-eh* so happy I could die.
Two songs which didn’t rouse me as much were ‘Dance in the Dark’, written by Lady Gaga and Fernando Garibay (who produced the track as well) and ‘Teeth’ (produced by Teddy Riley). Much like the bulk of the album, Dance in the Dark, is unsurprisingly an up-tempo dance number, yet one which falls a little short in comparison to the LP’s stronger cuts. ‘Teeth’ had a soulful, bluesy vibe to it which kind of gave a nod to the swinging 20s era. Refreshing for GaGa, yet it’s questionable as to how much it actually works.
Important to stress here is that ‘The Fame Monster’ is a NEW album not a re-release of the ‘The Fame’ LP with additional tracks – as initially suggested by her team. It will be packaged in 3 different ways: an 8-track single disc ($7.99), Deluxe Edition to include tracks from The Fame ($18) and a Super Deluxe Edition which will include a lock of her hair weave ($95). ‘The Fame: Monster’ will be in stores November 23rd and regardless which edition you purchase, you will not be disappointed!
In a revealing new interview in the latest issue of Marie Claire magazine, Alexandra Burke opens up about her troubled family life, as well as the downsides of fame:
X Factor winner Alexandra Burke has confessed that her new-found fame has had a devastating effect on her family.
The 21-year-old singer admitted that her success on the show has led to clashes with her mother and indirectly to her brother Aaron’s attempted suicide.Burke said her mother Melissa, who sang with 80s group Soul II Soul, finds it hard to cope with her daughter’s fame since she won the show.
In a revealing interview accompanied by a stunning photoshoot for Marie Claire Alexandra said: ‘She had Soul II Soul but it didn’t last as long as she wanted it to last.
‘Then I get this big new show, I win it, and it’s weird for her to see this.
‘Although she’s proud, it’s like she wants to rewind time to when she was younger, when she didn’t have kids.
‘I’ve never talked about this by the way. We’re not a perfect family. Things p*** me off.’
That includes being kicked out of the house at the age of 16 – she admits for the next two-and-a-half years she barely talked to her family.
The singer and her mother made up and were further reconciled during the X Factor auditions, which Alex needed persuading to attend.
She ended up winning the whole thing, starring in a duet with Beyonce in the grand final, but still the family came under strain as jealous neighbours subjected them to a campaign of harrassment in Islington, north London.
Thugs threw stones at her car and smashed a window in their block of flats and even used the name of her No.1 hit – which sold a record 105,000 copies in one day – as they abused her.
She said: ‘Every time I come out it’s abusive names. They start singing Hallelujah and shouting “Alexandra the Bitch’. It upsets me.’
The attacks became so bad that brother Aaron, now 16, attempted to take his own life in July this year, and Alex said she still fears for his well being.
She added: ‘He wanted to die. He’s going off the rails. He needs a father figure.’
Alex has now moved to Barnet and is a regular visitor to mentor Cheryl Cole’s home in Surrey.
She said: ‘I am very open with her and she is with me. I tell her lots of things I wouldn’t even tell my sister.’
Despite all the problems, however, Burke is determined to carry on with her pop career and has a new single, Bad Boys, coming out in stores on October 12 (October 11 online). {Source}
While I’m not sure Simon Cowell and co will be pleased with the whole ‘X-Factor blew my family apart’ undercurrent the interview has (and the media are already wrongly having a field day with), I applaud Alex’s realness about the situation. For all those looking to break into the industry, interviews like this really reinforce the fact that it’s really not all glitz and glamour. Not in the slightest.
As many of you know, the BET Awards 2009 took place last night at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Long time readers will know that with the big award shows, That Grape Juice are at the forefront with live coverage and performance videos. However, with Michael’s passing really hitting me (and millions) to the core, the show kinda took a backseat in my mind, only regaining my interest when it began to be advertised as a Michael Jackson Tribute Show following The King of Pop’s sudden death. Check out the night’s performances below:
Home | About TGJ | The Splash | The Word | Advertise | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | DMCA
© 2024 ThatGrapeJuice.net. All Rights Reserved. A Member Of Townsquare Music
WEBSITE BY EDWR
