Pop phenom Lady GaGa took the stage on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ recently. The singer performed the track ‘Speechless’ from her second studio album ‘The Fame Monster’. The track, which was produced by GaGa herself, was first performed at this year’s American Music Awards in a medley with ‘Bad Romance’ (now at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100). ‘The Fame Monster’ was released earlier this week on November 23rd.
Once again, GaGa delivered a solid performance. All the gimmicks aside, this girl really has a lot of talent and continues to prove why she is a real ‘monster’ on the charts. With showings like this, I sense that 2010 will be another great year for her career.
Sidebar: She has great shoulder pads and she can sing! That is such a rare combination in today’s music industry…
ABC aired an hour long presentation of the making of Beyonce’s ‘I Am…Yours’ tour last evening. The special depicted the process that the singer endured with the selection of her all girl band, the production of the show and the conception of many of her popular songs. Furthermore, Beyonce gave a narrated time line of her career from her youth to her current status as one of the most demanded artists in entertainment. The full DVD of Beyonce’s ‘I Am… Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas’ was released on November 23rd.
Having just watched the show myself, I was a bit perplexed. Judging by the advertisements that ABC had been airing for the last two weeks, I assumed the network would be showing performances from the DVD in the same manner that BET did with the ‘Beyonce Experience’. Instead, this was more similar to an episode of MTV’s ‘Making The Video’ than anything else. Either way, it was a brilliant marketing strategy because people (like me) would be even more interested in purchasing the DVD. Interesting.
The video for Cheryl Cole‘s new single, the will.i.am assisted ‘3 Words’, premiered a few moments ago. Shot by high fashion photographer Vincent Haycock, the clip manages to be a great visual even if the song is…rubbish.
I still marvel at how Ms. Cole is receiving the A-list treatment when her talent is several rungs lower. In any case, someone seems to believe in her, and the public are buying into her (debut LP has already gone Platinum), so more power to her I guess…
Do you know which song spent the most weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100? Do you know which song was the first to debut at the top spot? That Grape Juice has you covered! ‘Back In The Beat’ is our brand new feature, which each Friday takes a look back at the songs that topped the Billboard Hot 100 at this exact point in time in years of past.
Covered by me, Trent, it provides the opportunity to not only take a ‘trip down memory lane’, but remember some of the monumental songs that molded the present day sound of the music industry. So get out your pen and paper because class is officially in session!
The Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul, Mary J. Blige, earned her first #1 single, ‘Family Affair’, on November 3rd 2001. Produced by the equally legendary Dr. Dre, the song, which served as the first release from Bige’s ‘No More Drama’ album, spent 6 weeks at at the peak of the Billboard Hot 100. Furthermore, the record also snagged the top spot of the Hip-Hop /R&B charts from Ginuwine’s ‘Differences’ where it remained at the chart’s summit for 2 weeks. The track also entered the top 10 in several countries, hitting #1 on the French Single Chart and #8 in the UK. In addition, ‘Family Affair’ earned Blige a Grammy Award nomination for ‘Best Female R&B Vocal Performance‘. In 2008, the track was ranked as the 79th most successful track in the history of the Billboard Hot 100.
Classic! Although Blige was already a massive success with R&B audiences, this song made her a household name and permanently cemented her title in the history of popular music. She hadn’t garnered a lot of cross-over success until this track was dropped and it placed in a whole new league in the industry. I would go further and say that this was the song that officially made Mary J. Blige into a diva! From the car to club to the crib, this song sits comfortably amongst many of the classics of Contemporary R&B’s biggest hits. Now this is what I call ‘feel good music’!
As a result of the lackluster reception of ‘Memoirs of An Imperfect Angel’, and Mariah Carey‘s indignation with the handling of the record, sources close to That Grape Juice have informed us that the songbird may just be ready to take flight to a new label. There is reliable word that Carey has been at logger-heads with label-head LA Reid for several months now.
The 39-year old diva has been signed tothe Island Def Jam Music Group since 2002. The terms of the singer’s deal entail a minimum of 3 albums for the grand total of 22.5 million dollars, with her being named a joint partner with the Universal Music Group. Carey’s first LP released under the agreement was 2002’s ‘Charmbracelet’ which was followed by the 6x platinum ‘The Emancipation of Mimi’,‘E=MC²’ and ‘Memoirs…‘, which was released on September 29th 2009.
If Carey decides to leave IDJ, I will not be shocked. The promotional efforts behind ‘Memoirs…’ reflect less than half of the energy that the label placed into the ‘Emancipation’ project. Has anyone else noticed that she has barely taken any new promotional pictures for this record with the exception of her single covers and the album booklet? Add that to Carey’s criticism’s of ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’ being chosen as a single in place of ‘H.A.T.E.U.’, and it’s easy to understand why she might be preparing to ditch the label.
It is no secret that several labels have been itching to sign Carey since she left Virgin Records in 2001. Clive Davis (Whitney Houston, Leona Lewis, Jennifer Hudson) at J Records, for instance, tried to get her to join his team. The real question is: should Carey leave IDJ, where would she fit in? I personally think that her best move would be to go back to Sony, where she would be able to get the attention and funding she deserves; a plausible option now that ex-husband Tommy Mottola is no longer with the company. Either way, with a rare talent like hers, she would be an invaluable addition to any label’s lineup.
With Britney Spears‘ new album set for a May 2010 release, the Pop starlet and her team have enlisted hitmaker Rodney ‘Darkchild’ Jerkins (‘Feedback’, ‘When I Grow Up’) to produce for the project. Confirming the news of his Twitter page today, Jerkins said:
In the studio creating a smash for Britney right now!!! Got the call this morning!!! January we start!!!
I’m somewhat cynical about Ms Spears’ dropping a new album, when all signs point to her being nowhere near capable of performing at world-class standard…hell, not even a local talent show (I’m not being a cow…I’m just being honest). That said, news of her working with Darkchild and apparently reverting back to the more Urban-influenced/darker sound of her ‘Blackout’ LP (her best IMO), has me quite eager to hear her new studio offerings. I’m just hoping she remembers how to dance come time of album release, as I doubt many will be cutting her any slack for sloppy performances this go-round.
Tidbit: Other producers/writers said to be working on the project include Danja, Fernando Garibay, and Sean Garrett.
After much speculation, it has been confirmed today that Janet Jackson will be taking to the X-Factor stage next Sunday (December 6th). In addition Lady GaGa will give her first UK live rendition of new single ‘Bad Romance’ on the show the same night! {Source}
WOW! What a combo! As a Janet supporter, I’m eager for her to show the UK masses (who haven’t seen much of her in a while) why she is one the best that ever stepped on a stage. While, Ms. GaGa is definitely the icing on the cake! Roll on next Sunday!!! Roll on.,.
Tidbit: Does anyone else feel that though X-Factor has been killing it in terms of star-guests, they would have been better off on last years show? I say this as the contestants are so awful this year that the star guests make them seem even crapper. Imagine the final this year…who on earth would be able to hold their own with a Beyonce, for example, like Alexandra did last year? Anyway, let me stop rambling…Janet and GaGa are performing!
Check out episode 5 of Monica‘s BET reality show ‘Still Standing’ (below), which aired last night. We’re really loving the positivity that is this show…plus Monica’s new music is sounding HOT! Roll on January for the new album…
R&B star Fantasia features in the latest issue of Upscale magazine. As well as serving up a fierce photoshoot (courtesy of noted photographer Derek Blanks), the immensely talented vocalist talks in the feature about her new VH1 reality show (which begins in January), her relationships with her daughter, her mother, her ex rapper Young Dro and her father (who controversially filed a lawsuit against her). Check out more pics below {Spotted at The YBF!}
Uber Diva Mariah Carey‘s performance of ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’ on UK show This Morning aired today. The performance, which was filmed last week, was a little hit and miss. There is no question about it, Ms. Carey-Cannon lip-synched several parts of this performance, yet she sounded pretty decent on the live sections too (aside from a few doo-doo notes).
It’s a shame she has to lip-synch when her voice is her most renown talent. Hence why I kinda give Whitney Houston props over ol’ Mimi. Ms. Houston could be sounding a hot mess (as evidenced in some of her performances pre-comeback), yet as I type I’m struggling to remember an instance when Whitney has ever mimed in recent times (Superbowl doesn’t count). Any way enough of my waffle…
This week’s edition of Best You Never Heard features little known gems by Jennifer Hudson, The-Dream, Stevie Wonder and Brandy.
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Jennifer Hudson – Invisible
As seemingly one of the few who didn’t wholesomely enjoy Jennifer Hudson‘s 2008 self-titled debut, for me ‘Invisible’ – alongside lead single ‘Spotlight’ – stood far and above the rest of the album’s material. Produced by The Underdogs, the anthem-esque mid-tempo ballad is delivered with such conviction, rawness, emotion that one can’t help but ‘feel’ what Ms. Hudson is singing – the testament IMO to a great song and a an even better singer. Awesome track.
Listen:
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The-Dream – She Needs My Love
2007 saw the emergence of songwriter The-Dream into the limelight with his smashing debut LP ‘Love/Hate’. Full to the brim with box-fresh hits, the album is best described as one of those where almost every track could have viably been a single – especially the steamy ‘She Needs My Love’. Put simply, the song is audio-fire! From the catchy hooks, to Dream’s trademark layered vocal arrangements, to the production (sparse cowbell driven verses which launch into a rousing chorus), this still goes hard today.
Listen:
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Stevie Wonder – So What The Fuss
The legendary Stevie Wonder served up more of his classic brilliance, this time with a modern twist, with 2005’s ‘So What The Fuss’ (lifted from his ‘A Time To Love’ LP). Featuring Prince on bass and EnVogue on background vocals, this raw slice of funk re-positioned Stevie as a legend whose new music can stand effortlessly beside today’s chart-topping hits, whilst preserving the high quality we’ve come to expect from him.
Listen:
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Brandy – Camouflage
R&B vocalist Brandy served up one of, if not ‘the’, best album of her career in 2008 with the release of the criminally underrated ‘Human’ record. Despite its lack of commercial success, the album will be best remembered IMO as serving up track after track of sheer brilliance – especially ‘Camouflage’. Produced by Rodney ‘Darkchild’ Jerkins and penned by Claude Kelly, Ms. Norwood entered new territory with this markedly Pop, organic guitar-heavy cut. Yet she manages to ride the track flawlessly, really capturing the essence of what the song is about – a celebration of human fragility and imperfectness. Great track.
