When Leona Lewis debuted a decade ago, immediate comparisons were drawn between the songbird and legendary diva Mariah Carey.

Beyond their big voices, Lewis’ early material seemed to echo Carey’s earlier offerings.

In the years since, the Londoner’s narrative has taken on a different path and steered away from the big ballads that defined her astronomical ascend.

Now, it’s looking as though Lewis may be returning to said sound. Because she’s currently logging in studio time with the mighty Walter Afanasieff.

The composer is renown for his work with Mimi, crafting classics such ‘Hero’ and ‘Butterfly.’ He’s also proven so popular amongst’s Carey’s Lamb-base that they’ve been campaigning for a reunion between the two.

For now though, he’s working with Ms. Lewis, who confirmed the news recently on Twitter:

Singing with Walter A is like a dream come true, the most incredible pianist/composer/writer/ human ! ? pic.twitter.com/94trzo9v6Q

— Leona Lewis (@leonalewis) July 4, 2017

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It’s not the first time Lewis and Afanasieff have collaborated (see: ‘Here I Am’). However, the timing of this run is rather noteworthy.

Leona, having not fared as well with the underrated ‘I Am,’ is now tasked with staging a “comeback.” And teaming with a talent as respected as Afanasieff is a smart place to start.

Do you see it for Leona? Let us know below…

Your thoughts?

Omarion has journeyed to Japan for his latest musical adventure, which he chronicles in the video for new single ‘Word 4 Word.’

Jointly directed by the singer and Deji LaRay, the slick visual is the latest to be lifted from ‘Reasons’ – the crooner’s fifth solo offering.

Though initially set for release almost a month ago (June 16th), its arrival date is now somewhat of a mystery.

Still, O aims to tide folk over with this high-octane clip.

Check it out below…

Easily one of O’s better offerings of late. Sure, his style of choreo feels a touch dated, but kudos to him for pressing on. The song is sonically on par with what’s hot and the visual fits the bill too.

Solid.

Your thoughts?

Social media is becoming like the WWE Royal Rumble these days. Case in point the ‘Love & Hip-Hop: Instagram’ exchange between Joseline Hernandez and K. Michelle.

As reported, the reality stars and former friends have been trading insults over an issue that ironically wasn’t with one another. [Hernandez has beef with TV exec Mona Scott Young.]

However, that hasn’t stopped the pair from going “there” and beyond. From children to drug use, the draggings have left no stone unturned. And it’s still going on.

Picking up where K left off, Hernandez hit back with…

You do the math hoe!!!! Tour now!! Cause your future ain’t promise ????????????? #boribori #joselinehernandez #griseldablanco #spanishrocksta #puertoricanprincess IM GOING TO MAKE YOU HOES EAT AND CHOKE IN YOUR OWN WORDS

A post shared by Management:JoselineHernandez (@joseline) on Jul 8, 2017 at 3:39pm PDT

As well as…

????

A post shared by Management:JoselineHernandez (@joseline) on Jul 8, 2017 at 8:30am PDT

K responded with…

A post shared by ??MyRealTalkRadio (@myrealtalkradio) on Jul 9, 2017 at 1:05am PDT

A post shared by ??MyRealTalkRadio (@myrealtalkradio) on Jul 9, 2017 at 1:10am PDT

Sigh.

Your thoughts?

FOX is reportedly mulling a major merger for its flagship music dramas this Fall.

According to TV Line, the network plans a unique crossover between ‘Empire’ and ‘Star’ – two productions spearheaded by Lee Daniels.

The pairing would be a one-off premiere event on September 27th – which is when both titles return for their fourth and second seasons respectively.

Beyond being plausible from a storyline perspective, it’ll also be a smart synchronization for the shows which will be airing alongside each other on Wednesday nights.

FOX are remaining mum on the matter, but word on the curb is that folk can definitely expect to see mixing, meshing, and messing between Cookie, Carlotta, and co.

*********

This sounds like a cool concept.

For us, ‘Empire’ has yet to recapture the magic of its first season and in many ways has become a victim of its own enormity. At least from a quality standpoint.  While ‘Star’ is still finding its footing.

As such, this has the potential to shake things up in a mutually beneficial way.

Would you watch?

Your thoughts?

In sad news, it’s been announced that actor Nelsan Ellis has died aged just 39.

Famed for playing Lafayette Reynolds on HBO’s ‘True Blood,’ the star’s his cause of death was complications related to heart failure.

In a statement, his manager Emily Saines wrote:

“Nelsan has passed away after complications with heart failure. He was a great talent, and his words and presence will be forever missed.”

Popular with fans and producers, his take on the character was actually adapted for a permanent run as he was originally killed-off early in the book series.

Speaking on Ellis’ passing, HBO said:

“We were extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Nelsan Ellis. [He] was a long-time member of the HBO family whose groundbreaking portrayal of Lafayette will be remembered fondly within the overall legacy of True Blood. Nelsan will be dearly missed by his fans and all of us at HBO.”

‘True Blood’ creator Alan Ball added:

“Nelsan was a singular talent whose creativity never ceased to amaze me. Working with him was a privilege.”

Ellis, who attended Oxford University and graduated from Juilliard, also appeared in ‘Elementary’ and James Brown biopic ‘Get On Up.’

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. May he rest in peace.

Your thoughts?

The wins continue to roll in for JAY-Z.

Jigga released his 13th studio album ‘4:44’ last week and not only garnered mass attention but a Platinum plaque too – thanks to a smart partnership with Sprint (who themselves purchased 1 million copies of the LP which they gave away to subscribers).

Now, with the album available on all services sans Spotify, its commercial performance can be measured more traditionally. And the early reads have Jay as a shoo-in for the #1 spot.

According to Hits Daily Double, here’s what the numbers are looking like:

250,000-275,000
[Sales Plus Streaming]
—-
150,000-175,000
[Pure Sales]

Fascinatingly, though it’s “technically” ‘4:44’s second week in the marketplace, it’s actually heading into its first charting week.

This is because TIDAL – where it was streamed exclusively for a week – deliberately didn’t report numbers, thus making the set ineligible to chart during its debut window.

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If there’s any take-away from this it’s that Jay clearly has very smart think-tanks behind him. These wins have been engineered with almost scary precision – and we’re here for it.

TIDAL got a rub, Jay got a plaque, and now he’s set for a Billboard #1…all on his terms.

Now that’s ‘Shining’ for sure!

Your thoughts?

Welcome to another edition of Retro Rewind, the TGJ original feature carved out to take you on a journey into entertainment’s past.

Today, seventeen years after it went down live, we revisit the moment in which a then 19-year-old Beyonce clashes with the then radio host Wendy Williams during an unforgettable interview.

Facing daggers, knives and drama following LeToya and LaTavia and Farrah’s involuntary departure from Destiny‘s Child, Beyonce and her group members made their way to radio with hopes of pushing their latest material and putting their fans’ minds at ease.

What happened next will shock you.

Listen below…

Your thoughts?

Tennis legend Venus Williams has scored a major win in the legal battle against the family of Jerome Barson.

The elderly man lost his life on June 9th after a collision of cars set off a ripple effect, something his relatives are blaming on Williams in their civil lawsuit.

However, police are now saying the 37-year-old drove lawfully. ESPN reports:

Williams legally entered an intersection but was cut off by another car, setting off a chain of events that seconds later resulted in a fatal crash with a third car, police say a video released Friday shows.

The video, taken by a security camera, shows Williams heading north as she stops her 2010 Toyota Sequoia SUV at a stoplight behind a white car as she exits her Palm Beach Gardens neighborhood shortly after 1 p.m. on June 9.

When the light turns green, the white car turns left onto a six-lane, heavily traveled boulevard, but Williams heads straight. A dark-colored sedan traveling south turns left in front of her, causing her to stop.

Palm Beach Gardens police said in a statement Friday that Barson’s light had turned green just before Williams moved in front of her. Barson’s 78-year-old husband, Jerome Barson, died June 22 from injuries suffered in the crash.

Williams, who was not hurt, has not been cited or charged. Police spokesman Maj. Paul Rogers said Friday the video has caused investigators to re-evaluate their original conclusion that Williams was at fault.

Though the investigation is on-going, it’s a significant development in favor of Williams, who broke down in tears over the situation at a Wimbledon press conference this week.

Breaking her silence on the matter just days before, Williams said:

Your thoughts?

The Pop prince Justin Bieber has learned that British police have thwarted plans put in place to murder his fans at one of his concerts.

Still reeling from the tragedy which was the Ariana Grande terrorist attack, the entertainer has been informed that a terrorist- who cannot be named- was planning to strike a Bieber concert in Cardiff after obtaining several weapons, a 6 inch sheath knife and a hammer.

He now faces two charges under the terrorism act.

One of these accusing him of illicitly preparing to commit acts of terrorism between May 29 and July 1 after conducting intense research into religiously-fuelled terrorist attacks.

Your thoughts?

It’s been an uphill battle for Iggy Azalea in her quest for a comeback hit.

Indeed, despite a smudge of buzz, nothing has “stuck” – a fact fans have been blaming on her team.

Wherever the issue lay, it’s led many to believe her sophomore album ‘Digital Distortion’ will be dead on arrival.

And, according to the rapper herself, that’s exactly what’ll be happening as she confirmed that her label will be releasing no further songs from the project.

The revelation came on Twitter in a series of responses to concerned supporters:

So, in essence, the LP is coming but without any more singles pre-or-post release.

Put simply, it sounds like a literal case of fulfilling a contractual obligation.

In a way we feel for Iggy because the music – love her or loathe her – has not been bad. Indeed, in the case of ‘Switch’ especially, she’s actually been bringing the hotness.

What’s more, the promotion – though seemingly plentiful – rarely felt strategized. Like, why has she been performing songs with no lyric or music video? It’s all rather…odd.

Still, the reality is that the music business is exactly that – a business.

Hence, if the label are not making a return on their investment and don’t foresee that ever happening, then it’s logical why they’d throw the album out without much fanfare.

The lesson for Iggy to chew and swallow is that, as an artist, she has to create her own buzz and likability by any means necessary. Because in today’s climate that’s almost as – if not more – important than the material she’s churning out.

Your thoughts?

These days beef is cooked and served on social media.

Such was the case for the sudden feud between former ‘Love & Hip-Hop Atlanta’ cast-mates K. Michelle and Joseline Hernandez.

Despite being pally on the hit VH1 show, the pair have fallen out – over producer Mona Scott-Young.

This week on IG, K shared a lengthy message of appreciation for the TV maestra – who was with her at the time – for helping turn her life around.

The camaraderie spilled over to IG Live, where K and reality star Shekinah playfully confirmed that Mona does indeed pay up. A jab Joseline interpreted as being about her issue with the exec over money.

Say what you want I love @monascottyoung and @kmichellemusic ?????? come support @kmichellemusic @puffandpetalslounge she has the best food ever!!!!!!!!!

A post shared by Shekinah Anderson (@thatshekinah) on Jul 6, 2017 at 5:58pm PDT

A jarred Joseline responded with the following…

Never one to hold back, K hit back with:

The self professed “Baddest Puta” clapped back moments, referring to K’s family dynamic:

A post shared by CoreVizionTv (@coreviziontv) on Jul 8, 2017 at 6:36am PDT

Juicy as that was, we have no idea why the ladies are duelling on social media.

They’d be better off doing it on TV. Like, if you’re gonna beef – at least beef for coin. Then again, isn’t that Joseline’s whole gripe to begin with?

Sigh.

Your thoughts?

[Photo credit: Prince Williams / ATLPics.net]

Given the booming buzz surrounding TLC‘s Kickstarter campaign for their final album, its arrival – two years later – was noticeably mute.

Indeed, despite select specs of promotion in the weeks preceding, the group haven’t had much visibility in the media scape and instead appear to be focussing on their upcoming tour.

The approach, plus a multitude of other factors (including so-so reviews and the lack of pre-release hit) has had an undeniable effect commercially.

Because, with the final figures counted, it’s apparent that folk did not rush out to buy the self-titled set.

Per Hits Daily Double, the ‘TLC’ looks poised to premiere at #41 after shifting the following:

11,177
(Sales Plus Streaming)
—
9,442
(Pure Sales)

In a testament to changing times, even though the pure sales figure is shocking, had streaming not been factored in the ladies would have been looking at a #16 debut. However, with streaming now being the predominant means of consumption, that fact pushed the duo… ‘Way Back.’

Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. Although, the album was not the business. 

TLC are factually legends and have a hit catalogue that is undeniable and will have them always able to earn a living on the live circuit.

Your thoughts?