The X-Factor is back and bigger than ever. Unsurprisingly, with this being the audition phase, the talented and talent-challenged came out in equal measure for a crack at progressing to the next stage. Judging the hopefuls are new additions Kelly Rowland, Tulisa Costastavlos, Gary Barlow and original panelist Louis Walsh.
{For those unfamiliar with The X Factor, the show is the UK’s version of American Idol – with a twist in that groups and over 25’s are eligible to enter. Now in it’s eighth season, the show is responsible for birthing the careers of Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke, Cher Lloyd and JLS. Its US incarnation is set to launch next week}.
Sometimes it’s hard to believe that chart-Queen Lady GaGa‘s big break only occured in 2008. Indeed, that time to now has seen the Pop force create a lane of her own and become a pioneer – doing in three years what many of her peers have tried their whole careers to achieve. So speedy has her musical and physical evolution been that it genuinely feels like she’s been here forever. As such, her ‘Just Dance’ days now seem many moons old.
This week’s From The Vault takes aim with GaGa of yesteryear and her ‘LoveGame’ – the third single (or fourth depending on your region) to be lifted from her first opus, ‘The Fame’.
The RedOne helmed tune is a gritty number exploring themes such as love, sex and of course fame. While it possesses all the ingredients to a Pop-record, what’s interesting about the cut is how seamlessly it fuses those sensibilities with a particular Urban edge. That Hip-Hop/R&B undercurrent which was ever present throughout the ‘The Fame’ era; an undercurrent which seems to be long gone judging from the ‘Judas’ singer most recent material. Rather unfortunate, we must say.
The accompanying visual is a high-energy dance video and showcases Stefani and her dancers going all out in a subway station and was really the first of many dance-oriented videos she would go on deliver. While GaGa has always cited Michael and Janet Jackson as some of her influences, the LoveGame video demonstrates just how much, for it has a strong air of “Jackson” to it.
With the “Born This Way” singer experiencing critical acclaim and commercial success with her latest Electro-Pop output, we won’t hold our breath waiting for an “Urban-GaGa” resurgence anytime soon.
No matter the kind of music she’s churning out, let’s hope GaGa can continue to raise the bar for artists the world pver and inspire them to push the enveloppe musically and visually… that is of course if her rapid rise to fame doesn’t result in an even quicker fall, because you know what they say: “the brightest stars burn out the fastest”.
Responsible for such classics as ‘Unbreak My Heart‘ and ‘Breathe Again‘ to name just two,Toni Braxton remains one of the music industry’s more highly respected performers.
So last night in honor of a career that now spans more than two decades, Ms. Braxton was honored at the Georgia Music Hall Of Fame, where she enjoyed the company of Usher and Justin Bieber as well as some of the city’s most esteemed politicians.
Britney Spears‘ career may be ‘Criminal‘ these days, but that hasn’t stopped the entertainer from trying to push her latest album ‘Femme Fatale‘ back into a favorable chart position both home and away.
Snapped shooting the video for the single ‘Criminal‘ in London town just hours ago, the mother of two seemed both upbeat and joyous, perhaps due to the fact that her long time lover Jason Trawick joins her in the video which is set to hit the small screen in coming weeks.
Ahead of the airing of its first episode on FOX on 21st September 2011, the X Factor USA‘s judging panel sat down for a lengthy Q&A session some nights ago.
Serving to both promote and explain the show to any who may still be unfamiliar with it, the session saw the cast take questions from both the audience and Twitter users as well as exhibit some of the competitive rivalry FOX will be hoping they bring to the series.
Some days ago, images of Pop staple Rihanna arriving in Sao Paulo, Brazil were published here ,ahead of her long awaited ‘Loud‘ Tour showing in the country.
Now get familiar with parts of last night’s show below, just days after it was confirmed the entertainer would be releasing a new LP this fall…
‘Grind, grind, grind’. This seems to be an MO R&B singer Kelly Rowland is well-versed in. For, in between her X Factor UK duties, touring with Chris Brown, and shooting videos of her own, the 30 year old found time to film the visual for ‘Boo Thang’ – a Verse Simmons track she guests on.
Watch Ms. Kelly in action at the Miami shoot below…
Peep Pop veteran Usher and close friend Justin Bieber striking a number of lighthearted poses at the 33rd Annual Georgia Music Hall Of Fame Awards at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Enjoying each other’s company as well as that of the event’s other attendees, their appearance at awards ceremony comes just days after they were spotted at Fashion’s Night Out in New York City.
More images of the creator and his most prized creation below…
JLS are famed for riding…their way to the top of the charts, and will no doubt be hoping to do so with their latest single ‘Take A Chance On Me’ – the cover for which was revealed this weekend.
The shot, which features the guys perched atop of of four colourful bikes, veers into comical territory when members Aston and Oritse are viewed insolation. Indeed, erase JB and Marvin (front), and you’ve got the cover of something altogether quite different.
Still, I doubt the boys are hung up on such particulars; the song sounds like their tried-and-tested hit formula. As such should nab a solid position on the Official UK Singles Chart – deserved or not.
Check out a casually dressed Ciara snapped leaving The Cheescake Factory just hours ago.
Seemingly by herself and armed with her trademark physique, the ‘Hotline‘ performer was recently spotted at the US Open supporting close friend Serena Williams.
Get familiar with more images below, courtesy of I’mNotObsessed…
