Soulful songbird Marsha Ambrosius will see her long-awaited new album ‘Friends & Lovers’ hatch into stores on July 15th.
Hotly anticipated, the set serves as the former Floetry singer’s second solo effort and is already being tipped for big things by Urban critics.
To celebrate its release, That Grape Juice are giving TWO lucky readers the chance to win a VIP Meet & Greet Experience with Marsha. What does this include? Well, it provides the opportunity for the winners to spend extended time with the Grammy nominee prior to her in-store signing event at F.Y.E in Torrance, California tomorrow (Monday July 14th) at 6pm.
See additional details on the signing below…
To be in with a chance of winning, simply click the button below and let TGJ know on Twitter why you must win. Be sure to include your full name, age, and location.
Conditions: All entries must be received by 12pm EST on Monday 14th July 2014 and all entrants must be following@thatgrapejuiceand@MarshaAmbrosiusfor entry to be valid.
Like the antics on the pitch, the musical aspect of the Brazilian World Cup has been action-packed.
Indeed, though Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez, and Claudia Leitte‘s ‘We Are One’ was christened the soccer competition’s “official anthem”, most preferred the unofficial offering by Pop superstar Shakira.
So much so was the magnetic pull to her song ‘La La La’ that organisers FIFA seemingly had no choice but to draft her in to perform at today’s Closing Ceremony.
So, after all the ado, how did she fare? Find out below…
Welcome to another edition of ‘The Stream Scene‘, the ‘That Grape Juice’ original feature shining a light on digital feats made by Pop & R&B’s biggest movers and shakers!
Launched in response to the inclusion of streaming points in many a chart across the globe, each edition will see us breakdown the facts and figures behind by each member of ‘The Scene’s release!
So, which four acts made it into ‘The Click Clique’ this time?
Less than a month after giving birth to first child Royal Reign, Lil Kim is back on the scene.
The Hip-Hop star, who turned 40 years old on Friday, capped off a week of celebration by attending the New Jersey stop on Beyonce and Jay Z‘s ‘On The Run Tour’.
‘Lighters Up’ rapper Kim was invited to attend the show by the power couple, much to her delight.
Writing on Instagram yesterday before the show, she gushed:
Just got my birthday gift from @beyonce @s_c_ and Lenny @kodaklens backstage passes to the On the Run tour tonight!!! I’m on my way with my boo @kimbellasworld !!! Can’t wait to see this amazing show and catch up with my friends!!! #OTR #ontherun #tour #beyonce #jayz #lilkim
Sweet.
As many know, Kim has known Jigga since the onset of her career and is “said” to have even been close to signing with Roc Nation at a point in recent times.
For many, Brandy‘s talent is ‘Magic’. It’s fitting, then, that The Vocal Bible has released a cover of Coldplay‘s song of the same name.
Unwrapped without much fanfare on Twitter this weekend, the cut has quickly gained traction and is even being hailed as better than the original – which served as the lead single from the group’s latest album ‘Ghost Stories’.
With B-Rocka currently working on the follow-up to 2012’s ‘Two Eleven’, we’re almost certain this was rolled out to gage what the masses are thirsty for from her with this hotly anticipated project.
Take a listen and, as ever, let us know what you think below…
Ever keen to broaden our musical scope, recent months have seen That Grape Juice venture into a number of new musical landscapes including, most recently, gospel.
Tuck in below for the latest news on Katy Perry, Lecrae, Kim Burrell, Jason Nelson, Vashawn Mitchell, Tasha Page Lockhart, Yolanda Adams, 3WB (3 Winans Brothers), and more:
As the reigning King of Pop, Michael Jackson has hits of the major, moderate, and minor persuasions. The common theme? He has H-I-T-S!
This week’s From The Vault pick pays homage to one of the late singer’s more muted chart successes – 1991’s ‘In The Closet’.
Produced by Teddy Riley, the sensually-charged track served as the third single to be lifted from MJ’s mega-selling ‘Dangerous’ album. Beyond boasting an edgy title, the said LP houses some of Jackson’s most progressive and provocative material – with ‘Closet’ standing as one of the most prominent examples.
Previous releases such as ‘Thriller’, ‘Smooth Criminal’, and ‘Bad’ saw Michael become renown for his left-field approach to songwriting; an approach which saw him largely deviate from the well-treaded music narratives of “love” and “sex” in favour of more wholesome/all-encompassing themes. However, with ‘In The Closet’ the King through a curveball and drew on those exact topics. Put simply, he embraced the racy.
And while modern times have seen artists push the envelope with adult themes, MJ’s move – at the time – was seen as relatively revolutionary. Indeed, here stood the world’s biggest and most mass appealing act belting the lyrics “there’s something about you baby that makes me want to give it to you”. It excited many, yet unnerved others. A polarizing response that was amplified once its accompanying video debuted.
Unlike the elaborate mini-movies that have come to define much of Jackson’s career, the visual for ‘Closet’ was a fairly simple affair. Aptly set in the Salton Sea desert in California, the clip wasn’t without titillation and served up heat aplenty. A then-rising Naomi Campbell was tapped to star opposite MJ – with the supermodel assuming the role of his love interest. By no means a timid affair, the pair danced up a storm and sent temperatures into fever-pitch with the intimate nature of their choreography.
A triangulation of the song, its video, and the hype both generated helped the single peak at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and #1 on the Billboard R&B Chart). The track was also a global success, achieving top ten status in the UK, France, Australia, and many other countries. Still, in following the two super smashes that preceded it (‘Black Or White’ and ‘Remember The Time’), ‘Closet’ is often treated as a “lesser hit” and is routinely forgotten in retrospectives on MJ’s iconic discography.
Yet, like the impact of Jackson himself, we here at That Grape Juice will never forget. Ever.
Fun Fact: Did you know that ‘In The Closet’ was initially conceived as a collaboration between Michael and…Madonna?! The legendary pair began working on concepts for the song, however MJ vetoed the idea after feeling like Madge’s vision for the track was too provocative. We can only imagine.
A decade after her passing in Bouches-du-Rhône, France, the daughter of singer Nina Simone has penned an unflattering tell-all piece on the pianist, revealing that she was often attacked and neglected by the entertainer.
Fierce quintet Fifth Harmony continued their ascension on ‘The Today Show’ this week, where they rocked the house with their latest single ‘Bo$$’.
The blazing cut, which – in paying homage to the likes of Michelle Obama and Oprah – serves as a modern spin on the much treaded on “girl power” narrative, has ignited iTunes following its release last week.
Hoping to give the hard-hitter an added push, the X Factor US birthed belles delivered quite the live performance.
As earlier reported, Beyonce and Jay Z‘s blockbuster ‘On The Run Tour’ is heading to HBO this September.
Currently thrilling stadiums Stateside before heading over to Paris for an exclusive European run, the show’s cable debut was met with a mixed response as it more than likely means the addition of no further days.
Hoping to appease the power couple’s legion of fans, HBO have unwrapped a titillating teaser for the concert’s TV premiere.
The above marks the spot for ‘America’s Next Top Model‘s 21st cycle this year, set to rock the date with its return to ‘The CW.’
Standing as the second season to welcome male contestants to the catwalk, the series welcomes the return of runway coach Ms.J, who replaces former judge Rob Evans who cut ties with the show last year!
At the strike of 12am tomorrow, Nicole Scherzinger‘s new single ‘Your Love’ arrives on iTunes UK.
In a bid to give The-Dream penned production a potent push, the former Pussycat Doll has mounted an aggressive TV campaign.
The latest stop was ITV1’s ‘Loose Women’, where Scherzinger and her band rocked out to the song – which is her first for new label Sony Music. {As reported, the diva is now signed with Sony subsidiary RCA in the UK and is said to be heading to Epic Stateside}.
