Beyonce was among the many artists in the house last night at husband Jay-Z’s ‘Answer The Call’ 9/11 charity concert in New York. The 28 year old superstar surprised viewers with a performance of ‘Diva’. Put simply, Ms. Knowles-Carter did the damn thing; she actually killed it. Watching this kinda had me a little irritated at the fact she hasn’t performed this live anywhere other than on tour. As not the biggest fan of the song, Bouncy, as usual in such cases, manages to sell it like her life depended on it, with her stellar live performances. Hate it or love it, she really is the ‘baddest chick in the game’…
Jay-Z’s much-hyped ‘Answer The Call’ 9/11 charity concert took place in New York’s Madison Square Garden last night (and aired on FUSE). A host of fellow artists joined the rapper, whose Blueprint 3 LP aptly dropped this week, including Rihanna, Kanye West, Kid Kudi and John Mayer. Check out the performances below:
Run This Town / Can’t Tell Me Nothing (w/ Rihanna & Kanye)
Already Home, Heart of the City, D.O.A (w/ Kid Kudi & John Mayer)
I really enjoyed all the performances, though I must say Ms. Fenty did remind me why she doesn’t get my support with her live performing (no stage presence+annoying yoodling+no believe’ablity=not hot).
The rumours are apparently true; according to US Magazine, Christina Milian and The-Dream are OFFICIALLY married – and expecting their first child:
Christina Milian is pregnant with her first child, Usmagazine.com has confirmed.
The singer, 27, wed music producer The-Dream, 27, on Sept. 4 at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. Us first reported their engagement two months ago.
“The pregnancy was a surprise, but they were getting married regardless,” a source tells Us.
Milian has already been talking about children.
“Of course, I would love to have kids,” she told Us earlier this summer at the premiere of Bring It On: Fight to the Finish in NYC. “I think that’s some of the reasons why I do movies like this.”
Even The-Dream (real name: Terius Hagert Youngdell Nash) — who proposed to Milian with a six-carat sparkler from Ivanka Trump’s jewelry line — has been talking about a family.
“I love kids, and [Christina] loves kids probably more than I do,” he told Us in July. “She’ll make that time [to have a baby]. In the next couple of years, there’ll be something around.”
Wow. Not sure what to think of this. Errr….congratulations?
Randomness: The-Dream already has 3 kids with R&B singer Nivea – his ex-wife.
As Kelly Rowland continues to work hard away at her 3rd solo LP, we can exclusively reveal that hitmaker Jermaine Dupri can be added to list of producers working on the as-yet-untitled project. Dupri joins Jim Jonsin (‘Sweet Dreams’), Adonis (‘My Boo’, ‘I Stay In Love’, ‘Too Grown For That’), David Guetta, Brian Kennedy (‘Disturbia’) and The Stereotypes (‘Damaged’) as a fellow contributor on the record. Late 2009, early 2010 is the reported release window for the album. You know where to get your Kelly fix!
Kelly really is spreading her wings and I’m loving it! JD is quite versatile as a producer, so I’m eager to see what he serves up for Kelly. With her desire for this record to be a Dance-meets-R&B uptempo affair, I’m hoping we get something in the vein of Janet’s ‘So Excited’ or more plausibly ‘Rock With U’ from the pair’s creative union. Exciting stuff.
As we reported EXCLUSIVELY last week, Whitney Houston’s video for new single ‘I Look To You’ premiered as planned today. Said to be directed by Melina, the simple, concept-based clip really captures the essence of the message at the heart of the song. I would be lying, however, if I said I wasn’t just a tad bored…as ol’ Nippy is…erm…pretty much doing the same thing throughout the video.
That said, I guess no harm is done. With her comeback campaign off to a great start (album debuting at #1 with sales in excess of 300, 000), I can see this, along with the forthcoming ‘Million Dollar Bill’ video (16th September) and her much hyped Oprah interview, only adding to what is looking to be one of the most spectacular comebacks in recent music history. Go Nippy!
The video for Keri Hilson’s latest single ‘Slow Dance’ premiered today. Directed by Chris Robinson, the clip features many a recognisable face, including Chris Brown, Monica, Melody from the Pussycat Dolls, and producer Polow Da Don.
I must say I’m really liking this one; the vid has a very 90’s throwback feel to it (an era I view as R&B’s golden-age), which the song is very befitting to. No, nothing spectacular, yet something that should hopefully allow the success this talented singer-songwriter is currently having to continue.
Tidbit: While Keri looked hot, I couldn’t help but crack up at her playing with the tail of that (how do I put it nicely) ‘interesting’ weave. LMAO.
The official promotional poster for Michael Jackson’s ‘This Is It’ movie surfaced today, as has new information about the much anticipated docu-film. Speaking on the project, the reliable source, who is close to the project, said:
1) Trailers are mostly done, and we’re waiting partly on the footage from the funeral which is being added in now. Expect to see the first ad premiere next weekend. I tried to press him on more info regarding the VMA’s but couldn’t get a confirmation.
2) The movie is not a 2 hour concert like many fans thought. In fact the movie is simply a documentary based around the This Is It tour, it shows Jackson in his final days and includes his death, aftermath, and reaction. Clips from the memorial and funeral will be used.
3) There will be some footage of MJ performing, much longer then the 3-4 minute snippet released at the end of June by AEG. You will see MJ in his dressing room, mingling and directing, plus one scene where he talks to the camera. Basically, it will show Jackson in his final months alive.
4) The movie is between 100 and 130 minutes in length.
5) The plan for the DVD is to have it out in late November by Thanksgiving or early December at the latest, although my source revealed this maybe a long shot if they extend the 2 week showing to 3 or 4 weeks (which is possible).
6) The DVD will contain the theatrical version in its whole plus over 2 hours of Jackson performing, warming up his vocals, singing, and in full costume. The most spectacular footage is by far from the Staples Center in LA which I’m told will “blow fans away”. This extra footage will be a special feature on the DVD along with many other treats that fans will love.
7) Finally, the CD soundtrack I’m told will be released after the movie, most likely sometime in November to coincide with the DVD launch and WILL include a new song Jackson recorded in his last 2 years alive. Apparently the song is “off the hook” and is currently being worked on by producers who are putting the finishing touches on it and is being considered to be issued as a single all around the world.
While this all sounds awesome, I can’t help but feel a little torn about the monetising of the project. The business-savvy side of me understands that it is in the best interest of Michael’s estate, and pardon my bluntness, to ‘milk’ the movie for as much as it possibly can. However, the fan and generally more objective side of me wonders why the DVD – at this point – is looking more enticing than the actual movie-going experience. It’s as if the ‘really’ good stuff is looking to be on the DVD. That said, this hasn’t deterred me from going to see it come October 28th; just an observation…
Famous choreographer Wade Robson posted the following message on his MySpace bulletin yesterday, which read:
WADE ROBSON, MIA MICHAELS, BRIAN FRIEDMAN, CRIS JUDD, TRAVIS PAYNE, TINA LANDON, DAVE SCOTT, TYCE DIORIO, JERRY SLAUGHTER, LAURIE ANN GIBSON & GIL DULDULAO ARE PERFORMING WITH JANET JACKSON ON THE MTV VMA AWARDS ON SEPTEMBER 13TH IN TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL JACKSON. {Source}
To say I’m excited would be the biggest of understatements! Finally a real reason to tune in to the show, other than watching for watching sake. The sheer amount of talent in the list above lets me know this is gonna be unmissable.
While I appreciate BET only had a short amount of time to re-work their show (which still turned out to be a dud), my gut tells me MTV is the grander, more fitting stage to give a proper tribute to the King of Pop. Roll on Sunday…
Tidbit: Janet stans – ain’t it interesting to see Tina Landon – her former collaborator – on the list?
It really seems as if The Oprah Winfrey Show is set for one hell of a season. As well as the much hyped Whitney Houston interview, it has today been confirmed that the talk-show queen will dedicate an entire show to the late, great King of Pop Michael Jackson on September 16th. Mariah Carey will also be taping an episode of the show this month (September 18th). {Source 1}{Source 2}
I’m definitely itching to see the MJ episode, according to her site the show will feature never before seen outtakes from her famed interview with him in 1993. What’s more -despite Michael’s standing as one of the most prominent and influential African Americans to have lived – Ms. Winfrey has yet to publically acknowledge his death. Hence, her slant on the whole situation should be very interesting to see.
As for Mariah, I’m guessing it will be light-hearted chitter-chatter and album promo, which I’m sure means performances and all that good stuff we just love to talk about here at your favourite site and mine – That Grape Juice lol.
Word has it Oprah’s much hyped interview with Whitney Houston is one of the talk-show host’s best yet. Watching this and seeing Oprah herself filled with tears at one point really drives this home. I know where I’ll be come September 14th and 15th. You?
Tidbit:Sources including Billboard and Hits Daily Double are reporting that ‘I Look To You’ is set to debut at #1 with sales in the region of 275, ooo – 300, 000 in its first week. A massive achievement for an album with no accompanying music videos or many promo spots. With Oprah the week after next and the Melina directed videos for singles ‘Million Dollar Bill’ and ‘I Look To You’ set to premiere any day now, it looks as if maybe Arista may just have an a proper strategy in place to ensure the album has legs.
The big moment finally arrived for Whitney Houston’s masses of fans around the world today, as her big comeback performance as part of Good Morning America’s Summer Concert Series aired today in the US on ABC. Prior to reading our take on what went down, peep the performances below of new single ‘Million Dollar Bill’, ‘My Love Is Your Love’, ‘I Look To You’ and the classic ‘I’M Every Woman’:
Regular readers of That Grape Juice will know just how genuinely excited we are about Whitney’s comeback. However in staying true to our stance on not sugarcoating ish, this was not Whitney’s best performance…not by a long shot. Clearly hoarse and exhausted, her vocals did little to alleviate the murmurings about her voice being at worst ‘shot’ and at best ‘only good in the studio’. Though she sounded better on the first two songs ‘Bill’ and ‘My Love Is Your Love’, I’d be inclined to agree with the latter, which – believe it or not – I feel is ok for Whitney considering all she has been through.
In so much as saying that then, the off-the-charts energy the stunning looking Whitney exuded (along with crowd) really drove home the message about this being about much more than a debate about whether or not her vocals are still as great as they once were, it’s about the emancipation of Whitney, the human being. Something, which after watching this and seeing how happy and radiant she looked, I feel should be celebrated. At this junction, and in Whitney’s best interest, I’d be more than glad to have more in the way of new albums, music videos and the occasional ‘big performances’, over touring and quite frankly any avenues for embarrassment. As hard a fact it is for some to digest, Whitney’s voice isn’t as it once was, so should be rested and honed to be the best it can possibly be.
A few additional points:
* With the concert being pre-recorded, the editors over at Good Morning America did a great job of editing the audio on ‘Million Dollar Bill’ and ‘I Look To You’ LOL (this I know having taken a look see at the fan recordings from yesterday). Shhh don’t tell anyone though!
* I spat out my tea (yes, how English lol) at ‘I got my baby, me and Bobby’s baby’. Loved it!
* Whitney broke down in tears while starting to sing ‘I Look To You’ to her mother, Cissy Houston, God and her fans. Very emotional moment.
* After performing the song, she actually apologised for the roughness of her vocals, revealing that she had filmed her much hyped Oprah interview the day before. She added that she spoke to the chat show legend for more than 3 hours.
In being fair, Ms Mariah didn’t get cut much slack for her ‘I was too emotional’ excuse at the Michael Jackson memorial, so unfortunately neither does/should/will Whitney. Whoever handles her scheduling needs to fix up, for as much as I wanted to steer away from saying this, 2009 Whitney is not Beyonce. Now before the stans tear me to shreds, I mean this in that Beyonce next to never falters on the vocal tip, despite performing like a machine day in and day out – due largely, I’m sure, in part to her age and the fact she hasn’t been through what Whitney has. Whitney on the other hand, and this is no secret, needs to rest her voice – especially considering the ‘changed’ nature of it at this point.
* With the Oprah interview interview being so long (unplanned), the interview will now air over 2 days – 14th and 15 September – both of which being full hour episodes! According to insiders, Whitney talked everything from her drug addiction to Bobby Brown and just about everything else we’ve been curious to hear her speak on. Commercials running for the interview, make it look like it’ll be a tear-jerker. Can’t wait.
Check out this pic and below a video of X Factor winner Alexandra Burke on the set of the Anthony Mandler directed video for ‘Bad Boys’ – the lead single from her debut LP (due November). Judging by this clip of the vid, which was shot in LA last week, I can tell I’m gonna like this one – despite not being sold on the song yet:
If that’s my girl in the middle in that clip, she was really getting it with that choreography. Good stuff.
