Alicia Keys was spotted in Tokyo today making the rounds during her international promotional tour for her ‘The Element of Freedom’ album. The singer kicks off her ‘Element’ tour in support of the LP in Montreal, Canada on February 28th. Peep more pics below:

What do you think of the pics?

It looks like people took Omarion’s advice and decided not to buy his new album. HitsDailyDouble reports that  his ‘Ollusion’ LP will debut on the charts with a dismal tally of 18-22k next week. This places him over 70k  units behind Susan Boyle’s ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ which on track to sell another 95-100k copies. ‘Ollusion’ was released on January 14th.

Raise your hand if you didn’t see this coming. Backed by generally weak material and awkward live performances, I doubt that anyone was expecting this album to generate higher numbers. Omarion has a lot of potential to be a major player on the charts but lacked direction on this album, capitalising on all of the most overused trends in music, especially auto-tune. On the hand, he continues to show determination and I sense that it is only a matter of time before he finally finds his niche.

Thoughts?

Mariah Carey’s ‘Angels Advocate‘ remix album has been unsurprisingly pushed back. The news comes via MariahDaily.com, who have confirmed that the LP will hit stores on March 9th, 2 weeks later than the originally scheduled February 23rd release date. Carey’s ‘Angels Cry (Remix)’ which features Ne-Yo is also going for adds at Top 40/Mainstream on February 16 (was January 19) and Top 40/Rhythmic (just added) on January 26 instead of January 4th.

Having delayed the premiere of her remixed singles on radio, it is not sshocking that this album is being pushed back. The buzz surrounding this project is decreasing everyday, especially after people realised that most of the songs are almost exactly the same as the originals with cut and paste vocals from new guest stars. Only the Jermaine Dupri remix of ‘H.A.T.E.U.’ bears any dramatic change from the previous version. Carey’s team is going to have to ‘pull a rabbit out of the hat’ for this one because this album is already shaping up for a very slow start.

Sidebar: Maybe Dupri was right when he retweeted fan statements about him being the only one capable of creating hits with Carey…

Thoughts?

In an act of selflessness, Omarion has encouraged his followers on Twitter to ignore his new album and use their funds to help Haiti instead. The singer’s ‘Ollusion’ LP was released on January 12th, the same day that a catastrophic hit the nation. Check out his tweets below (courtesy of Rap-Up.com):

Although I high doubt that many people were planning to spend their money on Omarion’s album in the first place, he deserves some recognition for this move. I am certain that some would argue that he will simply use this plight to warrant his projected poor sales next week, but that does not detract from the fact that his words could help the cause. Omarion joins a long list of celebrities who are using their power to help Haiti through one of the worst disasters it has experienced in recent times.

As Trinidadian who regularly observes the powerful effects of nature on the other developing countries of the West Indies, including hurricanes, earthquakes and tropical storms, I urge you all to please help in any way you can. If you would like to send funds and resources to those afflicted by this disaster, visit CARE to place your donations. Furthermore, don’t let a catastrophe of this magnitude be the only time that you consider the developing states around the globe. With millions living below the poverty line, we need to do our best everyday to help save lives.

Thoughts?

In a recent interview with Vlad-TV, R&B crooner Ray J elaborated on the decline of his sister Brandy’s singing career. Ray noted that his sister is currently waiting on the right deal from a label that will grant her freedom in her career for the right payment. The singer went further to divulge that he is collaborating with Brandy to develop two new shows through their new production company, R&B Productions.

It goes without saying that Brandy is one of the most talent and technically skilled singer sin the game right now. Her rare vocals are easily distinguishable amongst the filth that has been clogging the airwaves in recent years. However, although I understand that she is trying to ‘get hers’ by waiting on the right cheque, the current industry has become increasingly competitive with little room for complacency. Regardless of how big her career used to be, the fact remains that her last album was commercially unsuccessful and many labels will be uncertain about how to handle her.

Hopefully she is able to work something out soon because after listening to her amazing vocals on the ‘Human‘ LP, (especially ‘ A Capella/Something’s Missing’) I felt insulted the next time I heard a certain singer chant “eh eh eh” on the radio.

Thoughts?

Ke$ha hit the stage on ‘Jimmy Fallon Live’ last evening and performed her #1 single ‘Tik Tok’. The singer shocked everyone (including me) by not only snagging the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 from chart mainstay Susan Boyle but also holding strong at #1 on the Hot 100  for a 2nd week with ‘Tik Tok’. Ke$ha also proved that she is not a one hit wonder when her second single ‘Blah Blah Blah’ debuted at #7 on the Hot 100 this week. Her debut album, ‘Animal’, is in stores now.

Whilst the performance was exactly the same as her last few showings (minus the monster wig), I am sure that Ke$ha has found new meaning in that song. I am yet to get the hype surrounding her but there is no denying her tremendous success on the charts. It looks like that Susan Boyle reign finally let up. Congrats to Ke$ha!

Thoughts?

R&B vocalist Brandy was spotted in California recently. The ‘Long Distance’ singer guested at the Microdine product launch & web concert at SIR Studios in Hollywood. Brandy has been working on the followup to her ‘Human’ LP for quite some time but is yet to indicate when the new record will hit stores. Check out a 2nd pic below:

What do you think of the pics?

Beyonce was spotted hard at work on the set of a new Nintendo commercial recently. The singer will contribute download-ready designs from her ‘House of Dereon’ clothing line to Nintendo’s ‘Style Savvy’ DS. Check out more pics below:

What do you think of the pics?

For years there have been rumours circulating about a several high-profile names in the music industry belonging to a “satanic cult” called ‘the Illumnati‘ – and rapper Jay-Z cited most as being a prominent member.

After a lengthy spell of silence on the matter, the 40 year old mogul has addressed the rumours for the first time. Speaking to Ed Lover on Power 105 radio today, he said:

“I think I need to remind people I’m from Marcy Projects. You can’t get into those prestigious clubs. I can’t even get into the golf club in Palm Springs.”

“This rap music and the competitive by nature, nothing really surprises me anymore but I’ll honestly say, that was one that was like a shocker. When you from a certain place, cut from a certain cloth, there’s certain things that’s just off limits. When you cross that line, it puts you in a different box.” I think people are running out of ideas and it’s all marketing at this point. {Source}

I’m glad he finally addressed the nonsense, as his silence seemed, for some, to imply some kind of guilt.

For as much as it’s importance to exercise caution in terms of what one listens to; such assertions have never actually being substantiated, and intensified mainly due to an increase in particular religious DVD’s and websites slamming it ($Ka-Ching$). Come to think of it, surely if these things existed (which, who knows, they could), wouldn’t it be more hidden, as opposed to ‘out there’ for these ‘experts’ to nitpick and dissect? Just a thought…

Your thoughts?

Singing sensation Alexandra Burke has revealed that she is once again recording in the studio with hitmaker RedOne. The pair originally collaborated last year on the UK version of Alex’s debut LP ‘Overcome’, teaming up this go round to work on new material for the US version of the album, which is due for release in the coming months via Epic Records/Sony. {Source}

To say I’m glad Alex is re-working the album for the US would be an understatement. For, though not an atrocity, the LP should have been leaps and bounds better than it ended up being (especially considering a) its £1 million budget and b) her undeniable talent). In any case, here’s hoping RedOne serves up that ‘good good’ for Alex this time, as his outing on the last album was a hit (‘The Silence’) and miss (‘Broken Heels’) affair. I’m quite optimistic, though. I mean I would bet good money on the US market not lapping up the ‘Bad Boys’-esque tracks, hence something more in the vein of RedOne’s GaGa tracks (‘Bad Romance’, ‘Just Dance’, ‘Monster’) for Alex is both entirely plausible and actually quite exciting as a prospect.

Your thoughts?

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?

Your favourite Bajan model and mine, Rihanna, is interviewed in the latest issue of W Magazine. The 21 year old’s feature is accompanied by this seriously sizzling photo-shoot.

There’s no doubt she looks amazing, with this perhaps being her best shoot yet. I mean, without question, she is working it out! However, I urge folks to ask themselves this; if all or (most) of your praise for Ms. Fenty centres on how she looks – particularly as she’s supposedly a ‘singer’, what does that mean?

It’s a shame really, because had her voice and stage-presence given me a fraction of the character her poses in the shoot do, she’d be a lot more engaging than she is. Anyway, enough of my rambling, check out the rest of the shoot below:

Your thoughts?