The video for Leona’s 3rd UK single ‘Forgive Me’ premiered today. I must say, the clip for this Akon produced track is pleasantly surprising. Sans the gowns and big ballads Leona manages to serve up her best video yet IMO. Bright, colourful and visually engaging, this one is definitely a winner. The International star actually appeared to have been choreographed for the first time too. Good stuff.

What do you think of the video?

In a recent interview with the UK’s Daily Mail newspaper, Rihanna spoke about her finances, being in the spotlight as well as shedding light on the direction of her new album. Check out extracts from the piece below:

On Her Finances

“You can’t get away from the business side. It takes over. The minute you get into the business side, it becomes you. I get business reports all the time because it’s my money. And I stay on top by living it, breathing it, thinking about it every day and every night.”

On The Paparazzi Following Her Home

“Barbados should be off-limits. It should be a getaway for me. My family lives there. It’s sacred. But these people follow me all the way to my home, all the way to the beach. It sucks. I spend most of my life in the public eye, but I don’t want to do that all the time. I don’t always want to be in front of a camera or looking my best. Sometimes, I just want to be me. But that’s hard when people wait outside my house and chase me. They follow me, they yell at me, and I can’t stop them.

On Being Overworked

I don’t want to work like a horse any more. When I first started, I didn’t know what to expect and I went with the flow. I got burned out, but I thought that’s how it was supposed to be. Even Jay looked at my schedule and thought it was crazy. I don’t ever want to hate what I do. I don’t ever want to say, ‘Ugh! Another day of this!’ I just want a gentler pace that allows me to recuperate and still love and enjoy it.”

On Relationships

It’s tough to have a relationship and be famous. And even if I’m not in a relationship, people want to match me up, or be in my private life all the time. It makes things difficult.”

“I want happiness. I want to have someone who is willing to grow with me, respect me, and I will give that back. They need to be a good person to me. That’s all.”

On Her New Album (Due Early Next Year)

I’m not going to give anything away but it’s going to be very edgy. Good Girl Gone Bad definitely spoke to a year in my life, a year of attitude. It stood for who I am – the attitude, the edge. My next album will take it up a notch. I want to keep growing. I don’t want to get stuck. I want to change.” {Source}

I’m sure the finances part was to combat the rumors of her being broke – which is all well and good. I maintain, however, that the girl still requires a little more media training as the ‘live and breathing the money’ part is easy to misinterpret as Ms. Fenty doing it all for the money – though I’m sure that’s not what she meant. Anywhoo….hurray…another Rihanna album…

Your thoughts?

As many of you know, That Grape Juice has teamed up with Live Nation UK to offer you the chance to attend the sold-out Def Comedy Jam UK tour, which will be making stops in Manchester, Birmingham and London. Click here to enter, if you’ve yet to already. Competition ends tomorrow (Sunday 14th September).

The more footage I see of the tour, the more I’m hoping for a European leg/or set of dates. Word has it, Ms. Jackson may be hitting this side of the pond (Europe basically lol) early 2009. Watch this space…

Any thoughts?

Continuing along the promo trail for her sophomore effort ‘Sol-Angel & The Hadley Street Dreams’, Solange stopped by the Jimmy Kimmel Live show yesterday. She was interviewed and spoke on the Beyonce comparisons, ‘that’ Fox News interview and more. Peep her performance of ‘I Decided’ below:

Both the Knowles ladies definitely know how to work a stage, as Solange shows here. Great performance.

Your thoughts?

Diva Mariah Carey took to the stage on Canadian Idol last night. Check out her performances of ‘I’m That Chick’ as well as ‘We Belong Together’ below:

It’s such a shame that in this day and age, such closed minded notions of what beauty/good looks mean are still prevalent. SMH…

Your thoughts?

That Grape Juice was on hand at the MOBO Awards 2008 Nominations Launch at the swanky Beach Blanket Babylon restaurant here in London yesterday. As I’m sure many of you know, the annual show celebrates the undeniable presence of Music of Black Origin in the contemporary music scene. The event, which was largely populated by press outlets, saw the nominations announced, as well as the show’s hosts – Mel B aka ‘Scary Spice’ and Rev Run.

BEST UK MALE

Dizzee Rascal
Jay Sean
Sway
Taio Cruz
Wiley

BEST UK FEMALE

Adele
Duffy
Estelle
Leona Lewis
M.I.A

BEST UK NEWCOMER

Bryn Christopher
Chipmunk
DJ Ironik
Skepta
T2

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT

Akon
Alicia Keys
Chris Brown
Jay Z
Kanye West
Mariah Carey
Mary J Blige
Ne-Yo
Rihanna
Usher

BEST REGGAE

Beenie Man
Busy Signal
Etana
Mavado
Tarrus Riley

BEST JAZZ

Courtney Pine
Guy Barker
Lizz Wright
Tony Kofi
Yolanda Brown

BEST GOSPEL

Ekklesia
GreenJade
Jahaziel
Kirk Franklin
Tye Tribbett

BEST AFRICAN ACT

9ice
Asa
D’Banj Mo Hits Allstars
Faze
Hip Hop Pantsula
Jozi
Jua Cali
Magic System
P-Square
Wahu

BEST SONG

American Boy – Estelle
Dance Wiv Me – Dizzee Rascal
Lollipop – Lil’ Wayne
Low -Flo Rida
Wearing My Rolex – Wiley

BEST R&B / SOUL

Chris Brown
Estelle
Jay Sean
Ne-Yo
Usher

BEST HIP HOP

Dizzee Rascal
Jay Z
Lil’ Wayne
Lupe Fiasco
Wiley

BEST VIDEO

Bashy – Kidulthood to Adulthood
Estelle – American Boy
Leona Lewis – Bleeding Love
Tinchy Stryder – Stryderman
Will.i.am – Heartbreaker

BEST ALBUM

Alicia Keys – As I Am
Estelle – Shine
Leona Lewis – Spirit
Lil’ Wayne – The Carter III
Usher – Here I Stand

The 2008 MOBO Awards take place at Wembley Arena, London on October 15th; and will air live on BBC Three at 9pm.

Your thoughts on the nominations?

Pop superstar Janet Jackson kicked off her eagerly awaited ‘Rock Witchu Tour’ (her first in 7 years) in style yesterday at Vancouver’s GM Place.

Vancouver Sun

Janet Jackson’s latest choreographed concert spectacle is an aggressive reminder to the world that she is a woman who has risen above fads and scandal (who can forget the famous Superbowl wardrobe malfunction?). It is a reminder that she is a trend-setter in her own right, a true diva, and a marvelous performer. {Click to read more}

The Province

She has raised her own standards, downplaying the sexual angle for a more athletic show that didn’t have a musician in sight. The emphasis was on action and dance, and seemed more natural to her. Any show following Janet Jackson into GM Place will find it difficult to match her. {Click here to read more}

The Globe & Mail

“It was satisfying: a fun, glitzy choreographed experience worthy of a woman who’s been in show business longer than most of the people in the audience have been alive. Bravo.” {Click here to read more}