Christian songstress Mandisa already has a hit album and a few successful singles under her belt, but that does not mean she can't keep them coming. The fifth season of 'Idol''s ninth-place finalist gives audiences "My Deliverer," an upbeat song of praise that will be the lead-off single from her upcoming album ‘Freedom’ (March 24).
In “My Deliverer,” Mandisa tells the story of how she was saved when she needed help. The instrumentation is definitely more rock-oriented, which is a bit of a change for Mandisa, but her vocals go astoundingly well. The song could easily succeed on the charts as it sounds current. Regarding her vocals, she does not overreach anywhere and sounds very comfortable.
Although it will be tough to match the success of her previous single "Only the World" and album 'True Beauty,' Mandisa seems poised to make things work with the material she is pursuing. "My Deliverer" will be more than just a blip on the chart.
Purchase on iTunes & Amazon MP3
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Track review: Mandisa's "My Deliverer"
Friday, January 30, 2009
Access Hollywood goes behind the scenes with Kelly
Access Hollywood has released behind the scenes footage of Kelly Clarkson while filming her music video for "My Life Would Suck Without You." Watch the featurette below:
The behind the scenes montage also shows a good amount of director Wayne Isham, Kelly running around with dogs and just being her signature goofy self.
'Idol' odds 'n ends: Brooke signs with Sanctuary
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>It was yesterday announced by EW.com that Brooke White has signed with Sanctuary Records. And she has Randy Jackson to thank for that, because he introduced her to the label's CEO, Carl Stubner.
>A commercial for the forthcoming "Crush night" on Nickelodeon's hit show iCarly, which features Miranda Cosgrove, has begun airing on the network, in which David Archuleta is featured. The episode airs Sat., Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. ET.
>Jordin Sparks has been down in Tampa this week to take part in the second annual Jordin Sparks Super Bowl Experience, which is sponsored by Sparks Charities. The two-day event began Tues., Jan. 27 and featured performances by Chris Richardson and Jordin herself, as well as celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi.
>It was revealed this week by Melinda Doolittle in an interview with BuddyTV that she might perform on Idol this season. Melinda's debut album is set for release this coming Tuesday.
>It was announced on Monday that David Cook will be at the grand opening of the Walt Disney World's brand new "The 'American Idol' Experience" attraction on Thurs., Feb. 12, where he will perform live on ABC's Good Morning America. He begins his "Declaration" college tour the following day at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Top 36 leaks (*Spoilers*)
The entire Top 36 has leaked courtesy of JoesPlace. Here ya go:
Kris Allen
Arianna Ayesha Afsar
Michael (Bartul?)
Kendall Beard
Ann Marie Boskovich
Ricky Braddy
Matt Breitzke
Casey Carlson
Megan Corkrey
Tatiana Del Toro
Anoop Desai
Stephen Fowler
Matt Giraud
Danny Gokey
Alexis Grace
Mishavonna Henson
Allison Iraheta
Junot Joyner
Kai Kalama
Brent Keith
Adam Lambert
Jessica Langseth
Scott MacIntyre
Nate McGee
Kristen McNamara
Jasmine Murray
Jorge Nunez
Joanna Pacitti
Lil Rounds
Von Smith
Jackie Tohn
Taylor Vaifanua
Jeanine Vailes
Alexander Wagner-Trugman
Nick Western
Stevie Wright
Surprisingly, Felicia Barton, Angela Martin and Deanna Brown are missing among other people that were originally expected to make it. Very solid list, but still some major snubs.
Kelly's music video for "My Life Would Suck Without You"
You've probably already seen it, but just in case you haven't, watch Kelly Clarksons music video for "My Life Would Suck Without You" below:
The video premiered on AT&T's Mobility service and on ATT.net for 24 hours. It has also been added to playlists on VH1, Fuse and MTV.
IDOL LIVE Blog - Auditions, Pt. 7 (1/29/09)
Join us tonight as we blog during the seventh and final auditions round of the season, as we hear from the people of New York City and San Juan, Puerto Rico (all 300 that showed up to the latter). It will be interesting to see what kind of camera shots are used in San Juan to mimic the packed houses seen in all the other audition stops. The blogcast will run an hour despite the fact that two cities will be covered.
Tonight's blogcast will feature music from Elliott Yamin, Kelly Clarkson, Melinda Doolittle, Phil Stacey and Syesha Mercado.
Phil Stacey signs with Reunion
After parting ways with previous record label Lyric Street last November, Phil Stacey has announced via his official music MySpace blog that he has signed with Christian label Reunion Records, a sub-label of the Sony BMG umbrella. Per his blog entry, Phil said:
I am working on the record with producer Brown Bannister. He is amazing at what he does and we have some phenomenal material to work with.Phil also stated he is hoping for a summer release but there is nothing set in stone.
Phil's debut album sold roughly 36k copies before he left his former label. This is the second Idol re-signing in three days, coming on the heels of news that Katharine McPhee has signed with Verve Forecast.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Poll of the week: Kara a hit (so far)
Kara DioGuardi has only been on the job for a few weeks but she has apparently already won over most of the Idol audience. The show's freshest face garnered a strong 59% of the total votes in last week's poll of the week. She took 40 of the 67 total votes, with Simon Cowell's 20 votes (29%) good for second place.
Neither of the remaining two judges generated much fanfare, as Paula received five votes (7%) and Randy took two votes (2%).
In this week's installment of the poll of the week series, readers are asked which music video of Kelly Clarkson's is their favorite. You will have exactly one week to vote.
Paula Abdul 5 (7%)
Simon Cowell 20 (29%)
Kara DioGuardi 40 (59%)
Randy Jackson 2 (2%)
Total votes: 67
'Idol' Hot 100: "My Life Would Suck Without You" #1 (2/7/09)
It was an historic day for the Billboard Hot 100 chart, as Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You" rocketed to the #1 spot after debuting last week at #97. The jump breaks the record previously set by Britney Spears' "Womanizer" last year, when the single advanced #96-1.
This is Kelly's first #1 on the chart since "A Moment Like This" hit the top spot in its second week back in 2002 after it debuted at #52. This is also the first non-coronation Idol-related track to hit #1 on the Hot 100.
The only other Idol-related track to make it onto the chart was David Cook's "Light On," which fell #23-29. David Archuleta's "Crush" fell below the Top 50 threshold, marking its departure from the chart.
Full chart positions courtesy of bks over on Pulse are posted below:
Hot 100
01 97 Kelly Clarkson, "My Life Would Suck Without You"
29 23 David Cook, "Light On"
IDOL LIVE Blog - Auditions, Pt. 6 (1/28/09)
Join us tonight as we blog during the Salt Lake City auditions. Blogcast begins at 8 p.m. ET. Tonight's episode is special because a clip of Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You" music video will be aired during a commercial break.
Tonight's blogcast will feature music from Amanda Overmyer, Brooke White, David Archuleta, Elliott Yamin and Garrett Haley.
Track review: Taylor's "What's Right Is Right"
Following a short stint at Arista, Taylor Hicks sounds like he is in his comfort zone on new single “What’s Right Is Right,” the lead single off of his latest release ’The Distance’ (March 10).
“What’s Right Is Right” features laid back jazz elements that can easily coexist with Hicks’ soulful vocals and create a subdued mood. The single is a horse of a different color in that it retains a catchy chorus despite the fact that it is defined by its bluesy cartilage. The lyrics are simple yet comforting coming (“When you cry I’m cryin’ / when you laugh I’m laughin’”) from Hicks, as he provides a steady structure to lean on through difficult times.
If Hicks had been given the chance to pursue this direction at the outset, he might be in a much different place than he is now, but he must still be satisfied with how things turned out. The independent scene seems to fit Taylor Hicks just right.
Digital sales roundup: "My Life Would Suck Without You" #1 (1/23/09)
In what will be a record-breaking week for the original Idol, Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart has revealed that not only is Kelly Clarkson's new single "My Life Would Suck Without You" sitting atop the sales chart, but it will undoubtedly be #1 on the Hot 100 chart later on today.
The single itself sold a massive 280k downloads in its first week, which is also the highest digital sales week for a single track for Kelly, as "Never Again" debuted to 107k back in May 2007.
This 96-spot jump (#97-1) on the Hot 100 is thanks to the fact that MLWSWY is already within the Top 20 at Top 40 radio and so it will be the biggest week-to-week jump for a song on the chart, beating the record set last year by Britney Spears' "Womanizer," which rocketed #95-1 in its second week on the chart.
Kelly's numbers sort of make the other Idol-realted entries on the chart seem like an afterthought, but they still performed well. David Cook's "Light On" dipped eight spots to #25 with a 27% decrease to 49.5k, for a total of 641.8k. David Archuleta's "Crush" continued to steadily decline, this time by 17% down #37-46. It sold 33.3k downloads for a grand total of 1.482 million.
Full numbers and chart positions courtesy of bks on Pulse as follows:
01 -- Kelly Clarkson, "My Life Would Suck Without You" 279,605 999% 0 279,605
25 17 David Cook, "Light On" 49,488 -27% 67,995 641,844
46 37 David Archuleta, "Crush" 33,258 -17% 39,909 1,482,347
Total sales are in bold.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Diana DeGarmo's "I'm Gone" live at 3rd & Lindsley
Diana DeGarmo performed with a live band for the first time at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville Sunday night. Listen to the performance below:
Diana co-wrote the song with Jason "Slim" Gambill and it was so new that the band had only rehearsed it a few hours before. The band consisted of two members of Lady Antebellum (including Slim).
IDOL LIVE Blog: Auditions, Pt. 5 (1/27/09)
Join us tonight as we blog during the Jacksonville auditions (almost there!). Blogcast begins at 8 p.m. ET. As always, feel free to send in your thoughts.
Tonight's blogcast will feature music from Chikezie, Diana DeGarmo, Katharine McPhee, Ruben Studdard and Syesha Mercado.
Katharine McPhee: "I Need Your Help!"
Katharine McPhee took to her official music MySpace today to ask fans for input on her forthcoming Web site. In signature Kat form, she explained that technology and computers are not her forte:
In the coming weeks and months, you’re going to be seeing a lot of new stuff and a new website. Now you know that I am not the best with computers and technology. I try to do my best but I need a lot of help and support. Well that got me thinking. I would love to get your help! I want to know what you want to see in a new website. What ideas do you have? What do you like to see in your favorite websites?This blog comes on the heels of the confirmation by Billboard that Kat has indeed signed with Verve Forecast, a sub-label of Universal Music Group, as rumors started swirling yesterday.
Billboard says that an album should be out by the end of the year. Katharine is now the first Idol alum to be signed to a major label following the departure of another major label.
HITS estimates: Cook 23k, Arch 9.3k
The two Davids fared very well on HITS Daily Double's Top 50 estimates this week even though the fanfare surrounding the new season of Idol has subsided.
David Cook's newly-certified platinum album pulled in 23k copies for a 3-spot drop to #13, down 24% from the previous week. David Archuleta's debut, however, continued to see a slight increase (3%) and sold 9.3k copies for a #50-49 improvement.
Finalized figures from Billboard should be out by tomorrow night.
Listen to Mandisa's new single "My Deliverer"
Mandisa shows off her rock side on her new single "My Deliverer." As previously reported, it was released at digital retailers today. Listen to the single below:
It sounds like Mandisa has a hit on her hands, as this will surely heat up the Contemporary and Adult Christian airwaves. Her sophomore album, Freedom, is set to drop on March 24.
Katharine possibly signed to Verve Records
After what has been a yearlong journey, it looks like Katharine McPhee is finally able to call a record label other than RCA home. According to promotional firm JazzzDog, Kat will be having new music released in 2009 via its services:
Coming in 2009: Chick Corea and Hiromi, Bill Frisell, Randy Bachman, Diana Krall, Chris Botti, Jamie Cullum, Melody Gardot, Allen Toussaint, Katherine McPhee, Brad Mehldau and a ton more!Also, at a recent showcase she did at Chicago's House of Blues, it was stated by a source that wishes to remain anonymous that Kat is now on Verve Records, one of the many sub-labels of the Universal Music Group umbrella. Verve specializes in modern jazz and includes artists such as Diana Krall and Melody Gardot on its roster.
Kat has yet to confirm this, but it looks like this is close to a done deal. It's anyone's guess as to what this means for the musical direction Kat will be taking her music in.
Bonnie Hunt's 'Idol' audition as "Kim" airs Wednesday
With the charm of her southern accent, big blonde wig and audition number (#374) scribbled hastily on a sheet of orange paper, "Kim" does her best to warm up in anticipation of her big audition. Watch the following exclusive clip from the upcoming episode of The Bonnie Hunt Show:
The rest of "Kim's" audition can be seen on the show slated to air Wed., Jan. 28. For more information on Bonnie's show, including how to check your local listings, see BonnieHunt.com.
Out today: Taylor Hicks' "What's Right Is Right"
On a relatively quiet release week, Taylor Hicks' new single "What's Right Is Right" hits the download circuit in anticipation of his forthcoming studio album The Distance on his very own Modern Whomp Records.
Fellow Season 5 alum Mandisa also drops a single today, as "My Deliverer" is released to iTunes. It is the first single off her upcoming album, Freedom. Links to purchase all of the aforementioned can be found below:
Singles
Taylor Hicks, "What's Right Is Right"
Amazon MP3 - ($0.89) - Buy
iTunes - ($0.99) - Buy
Mandisa, "My Deliverer"
iTunes - ($0.99) - Buy
Taylor's album is due for a March 10 release. Mandisa's album will follow on March 27.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Arch's solo tour to kickoff Feb. 24 in Virginia Beach
Just days after David Cook's college tour dates were announced, the full schedule of David Archuleta's first solo tour was released today on Archuleta Fan Scene. It kicks off in Virginia Beach, Va., on Feb. 24 and ends in Boise, Idaho, on March 21. See the full list of dates below:
02/24 - Virginia Beach, VA - Sandler PAC (seated)
02/25 - Richmond, VA - The National (GA)
02/26 - Sayerville, NJ - Starland Ballroom (GA)
02/28 - Lancaster, PA - The Chameleon (GA)
03/01- Allentown, PA - Crocodile Rock (GA)
03/02 - Northampton, MA - Pearl Street (GA)
03/03 - Clarence, NY - Infinity (GA)
03/05 - Columbus, OH - Newport (GA)
03/06 - Madison, WI - Barrymore Theater (seated)
03/07 - Duluth, MN - DECC (GA)
03/08 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues (GA)
03/10 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom (GA)
03/11 - Beaumont, TX - Scout Bar (GA)
03/12 - San Antonio, TX - Scout Bar (GA)
03/14 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theatre (GA)
03/16 - Phoenix, AZ - The Marquee (GA)
03/17 - Pomona, CA - Glasshouse (GA)
03/18 - Reno, NV - Grand Sierra Theatre (GA)
03/20 - Idaho Falls, ID - Civic Auditorium (GA)
03/21 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory (GA)
Tickets are $25 for most venues. According to Archuleta Fan Scene, the tour dates are subject to change but all of the above dates "have been confirmed."
Meanwhile, Arch and his team at Jive are looking for fans to participate in an online game of sorts. The game involves:
Hey everyone! David is about to launch an awesome online game but needs your help - it doesn't have a name yet! The game will basically be a board game and by finding codes on websites and other places you'll be able to move through the board. Along the way you'll get to hear from David himself and if you make it to the end you'll be eligible to win a grand prize. What should it be called?Not sure what Arch & crew are up to, but it never hurts to have a shout out on his official Web site.
Email davidarchuletagame@gmail.com with the subject "Game Title Submission". If we pick your suggestion you'll get a major shout-out on davidarchuleta.com. Deadline for all title entries is Friday, February 6th.
"My Life Would Suck Without You" video clip to premiere on 'Idol'
FOX is now airing a TV spot with a tease saying a clip of Kelly Clarkson's music video for "My Life Would Suck Without You" will premiere on Wednesday's Idol episode. Watch a cap of the TV spot below:
The video was filmed back in December 2008. "My Life Would Suck Without You" is currently #1 on iTunes and is looking for a 96-spot jump to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on Wednesday.
Ayla Brown sings U.S. & Canadian Anthems at AHL All-Star Classic
Season 5 Top 16 semifinalist Ayla Brown sang both "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "O Canada" tonight at the 2009 American Hockey League All-Star Classic between the American and Canadian league all-star teams. Watch the performances below:
The game was held at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass., and broadcast live on NESN in the U.S. and TSN in Canada.
Ace Young to host 'American Idol Extra'
Season 5's Ace Young was announced as the new host of FOX Reality Channel's American Idol Extra. Joining him with hosting duties will be Good Morning LA co-host and FOX NFL Sunday weather girl Jillian Reynolds.
Now in its fourth season, AI Extra will premiere on Thurs., March 26. There is no word on why Ace replaced former host J.D. Roberto, but many would consider this a upgrade.
Keeping up with Amanda Avila
Back in 2005, many pegged Amanda Avila as a dark horse during the semifinals of the fourth season of Idol. Despite the high hopes, it was not her time, as Amanda finished in the Top 16 with an underwhelming take on Gloria Estefan's "Turn the Beat Around."
The former Vegas showgirl did manage to find some extra screen time on FOX Reality Channel's Reality Remix, which basically was a half hour version of The Soup's "Reality Show Clip Time" segment and was hosted by former MTV veejay Lisa Kennedy Montgomery. On the show, Amanda served as a correspondent until it ended in May 2008.
Amanda found herself being hounded by the paparazzi (actually just a paparazzo) when she was out with Blake Lewis and friends back in October 2007. Watch the cameraman's proud work below:
In addition to her experimentation in TV, Amanda has cut a few tracks of her own, which can be listened to on her official music MySpace page. She seems to be pursuing a career in dance music, as her trance cover of 38 Special's "Second Chance" is definitely something that could be heard in a New York City club. She has also recorded two original songs called "Dirty Love" and "Alright Tonight" that are also in the bland club banging category.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Jennifer Hudson performs at Patti LaBelle tribute
Jennifer Hudson participated in a tribute to Patti LaBelle for UNCF's "An Evening of Stars" that aired last night on many affiliates across the nation. Watch her performance of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" below:
Although one might think Jennifer was holding out until the Super Bowl to make a public appearance following her family tragedy last October, this special was actually filmed on Sept. 13, 2008. Fantasia also performed.
Will Makar in Boston for Berklee
Season 5's Top 16 semifinalist Will Makar is now enrolled in Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass. He began classes earlier this month and is slated to graduate in 2012.
Will is not the first Idol alum to attend the prestigious school, as Season 3 finalists Leah LaBelle (12th place) and John Stevens (6th place) also called Berklee home (John is still attending).
Will currently has a self-titled EP out and is signed to Double Deal Brand Records, the same record label as fellow Season 5 Top 16 semifinalist Ayla Brown.
Chris Sligh writes Rascal Flatts' "Here Comes Goodbye"
Chris Sligh is expanding his credentials by writing for artists other than himself. The sixth season's 10th-place finalist had a hand in writing the Rascal Flatts' current single "Here Comes Goodbye," which went for adds at country radio on Jan. 20. Listen to the single below:
Chris talked with Alison Bonaguro of CMT.com earlier this week about the single, showing surprise and excitement upon hearing the news that it was a go:
"After [co-writer Clint Lagerberg] and I turned that song in last April, our publisher called the next day and was squealing 'You got a Rascal Flatts hold.' I didn't even know what that meant," Sligh said. "But then when Dann called in November, I was just freaking out.""Here Comes Goodbye" is the lead single off of the group's upcoming release Unstoppable, which will be out Tues., April 7.
Friday, January 23, 2009
'Idol' odds and ends: 'Idol' really beat 'Lost'
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>Despite all the hoopla for the return of ABC's hit Lost, it only managed to average 11.4 million viewers over its two-hour premiere, compared with Idol's 25.4 million viewers for its Louisville auditions. Not bad for such an "aging" series.
>David Cook's "Declaration" college tour had its complete schedule released today. Some of the universities he will be visiting from Feb. 13 to April 25 include Valparaiso University in Indiana, Bloomington University in Pennsylvania and Colby Sawyer College in New Hampshire. For a full schedule, see this entry on PopEater.
>More news is swirling about a possible record deal for Katharine McPhee. She recently performed at the House of Blues in Chicago, with an anonymous source reporting the following about the Universal-sponsored showcase event:
She sang a Paula Cole cover first..not sure which song. She then sang one off her last album...and a new one she was in the midst of writing...and then At Last.>It was announced by radio station B97 that David Archuleta and Jesse McCartney will be performing a free show at the Clearview Mall in Metairie, La. at noon on Feb. 15 as part of the station's Mardi Gras celebration.
I would say it sounded pop with some r&b influences. Regardless, she did a wonderful job.
>Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks will be two of the artists making an appearance on Katie Couric's pre-Grammy special, which will air on CBS on Wed., Feb. 4. Other artists slated to appear include T-Pain, Katy Perry and Justin Timberlake.
Analysis: Joanna Pacitti a "failed pop star"?
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Well, it looks like Yahoo! is no fan of 23-year-old Season 8 hopeful Joanna Pacitti. The headline "Failed pop star pollutes 'Idol'" today appeared on the famed web portal, followed by an incredible hack job on Joanna by "Reality Rocks" blogger Lyndsey Parker, in which she was compared to Season 7's sixth-place finalist, Carly Smithson. Read an excerpt of Parker's blog below:
Anyway, I honestly can NOT believe the AmIdol producers are up to their old sneaky tricks in season 8. You'd think after all that Carly hullaballoo, they would steer clear of such blatant favoritism and the inclusion of what are known in the Idol blogosphere as "plants." But...no. Along with an actual (Archuleta-associated!) Osmond and Jason Castro's little brother, this season features a particularly poisonous plant: Joanna Pacitti.Parker continued to "expose" Joanna's past by unearthing music videos, an album and other projects that she has worked on in the past.
Joanna, who auditioned on Wednesday night's Louisville episode, is basically Carly 2.0.
Now, I believe the situation we have here is extremely different from last season's fiasco. Did Parker not watch the Louisville auditions Wednesday night? Did the producers not blatantly make it known to us viewers that Joanna had a past with A&M Records et al? The situation with Carly was extremely different because the producers tried to keep her past failures in the music biz under wraps (which they have now learned can never happen because someone is going to dig it up).
So although I am very critical of Joanna being included for her past, as I myself have never liked the whole plant aspect that has developed on the show over the past few seasons, I am willing to let her prove herself before crying fowl. I give the producers credit for at least putting everything out in the open.
But "polluting 'Idol'"? C'mon Parker, that's harsh.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Mikalah Gordon celebrates her 21st b-day in LA
Mikalah Gordon recently celebrated her 21st birthday bash in Los Angeles, Calif. Read a full press release below courtesy of 11-16 Entertainment:
AMERICAN IDOL FAVORITE AND GONE COUNTRY STAR MIKALAH GORDON CELEBRATES 5 YEARS IN THE SPOTLIGHT AND HER 21ST BIRTHDAY
Los Angeles, CA (January 20, 2009) - Singer/TV Personality MIKALAH GORDON from American Idol and CMT's Gone Country, celebrated her 21st birthday Hollywood style with an official red carpet bash at Mood Nightclub in Los Angeles, presented by top event and promotions company Red Carpet Events and management company 11-16 Entertainment on Saturday January 17, 2009.
Fellow Idols and celebrity friends came out to celebrate this special night with MIKALAH, including special guest host Antonella Barba (Idol Season 6), last season's Chikezie (Idol Season 7), AJ Tabaldo, (Idol Season 6), TV Personalities Ryan Boone (The Denise Richards Show), Jarrett del Bene (The Hills), Lamorne Morris (BET), and many other industry guests. Adding to the excitement leading up to the event was last week’s two-hour premiere for the new season of American Idol, which also featured a look back at memorable Idol moments including audition footage of then contestant MIKALAH GORDON at 16 years old.
Wearing a silver strapless minidress with black trim from cutting edge designer VOOM by Joy Han and distinctive jewelry pieces from Andrea Lucille Designs, MIKALAH arrived with a large group of friends and hit the red carpet showing off her colorful tattoos and edgy, rock ‘n roll style. Chikezie serenaded MIKALAH with “Happy Birthday” as she partied the night away, sharing bottles of Belvedere with her guests. Cameras followed MIKALAH throughout the evening taping for a yet to be revealed reality television project. The event was sponsored by trendy chic Jenny B Clothing www.jennybclothing.com and hot new Caramba Tequila www.carambatequila.com.
Mikalah will next appear at Tabu Ultra Lounge in Las Vegas on Sat., Feb. 7.
'All I Ever Wanted' release date moved up to March 10
For whatever reason, Kelly Clarkson's fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted, has had its release date bumped forward a week to March 10. The news broke via Kelly's official Web site earlier today.
Perhaps Kelly is getting her own theme week on Idol and will coincide with the release of her album in an effort to maximize first week sales? We'll know soon enough.
In addition to that good news, Kelly yesterday began making the rounds at radio station morning shows in an effort to promote the releases of the single and album. Listen to her interview with Kidd Kraddick below:
Kelly also was interviewed on KDWB and Kiss 95.1 among other stations. And Kelly posted a vlog on her official Bebo page, which can be watched below:
Now how's that for a marathon Kelly Clarkson update?
Kat is AskMen's 64th Top Woman of 2009
AskMen.com revealed its annual Top 99 Women countdown for its 2009 edition, and Katharine McPhee made the list for the second year in a row, this time coming in at #64 (last year she was #43). Below is the blurb that goes along with Kat's head shot, which is pictured to the right:
Tall and voluptuous with girl-down-the-block beauty, Katharine McPhee can raise our blood pressure without uttering a single note. Yet when she does sing, she soars, leading us to wonder whether she has normal vocal chords like the rest of us or if she has a booming pipe organ inside.So she's signed to a record label finally, eh AskMen? While that probably needs to be double checked, it's good to see Kat still getting recognized for her beauty despite the fact that she is now "off the market" courtesy of Nick Cokas.
Before the year was out, Katharine McPhee was signed to David Foster’s 143 Records label, meaning that her sophomore album may reach stores in the spring of 2009.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Poll of the week: Because of Kelly...
It was a Kelly Clarkson kind of week, if you know what I mean. With all the excitement of the release of her latest single, it was only fitting that IDOL LIVE's poll of the week be asking the pressing question of what readers' favorite single by the original Idol is.
Even though three singles were tied with 10 minutes to go, it was "Because of You" that finally emerged as the victor with 13 votes (18%) compared to "Never Again"'s and "My Life Would Suck Without You"'s 12 votes (16%). "Behind These Hazel Eyes" was right on the three aforementioned singles' heels, finishing with 10 votes (13%).
There were actually two singles that failed to receive a single vote, "Low" and "The Trouble With Love Is," which were both from Kelly's first album, Thankful.
In this week's installment of the poll of the week series, readers are asked which Idol judge they prefer at this early stage of the season. You will have exactly one week to vote.
A Moment Like This 6 (8%)
Miss Independent 2 (2%)
Low 0 (0%)
The Trouble With Love Is 0 (0%)
Breakaway 7 (9%)
Since U Been Gone 5 (6%)
Behind These Hazel Eyes 10 (13%)
Because of You 13 (18%)
Walk Away 2 (2%)
Never Again 12 (16%)
Sober 3 (4%)
My Life Would Suck Without You 12 (16%)
Total votes: 72
'Idol' Hot 100: "Light On" #23 (1/31/09)
Although it was David Cook's single that led all Idol-related tracks on Billboard's Hot 100 for the chart week of Jan. 31, it was the debut of Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You" that really spiced the chart up.
Kelly's single is setting the stage for a record-breaking 96-spot jump to #1 on next week's chart following the singles debut at #97, which would best the current record held by Britney Spears' "Womanizer," which advanced #96-1 late last year.
Aside from Kelly, Cook's "Light On" went up 16 spots to #23 for the week, while David Archuleta's "Crush rose #47-39.
Full chart positions courtesy of bks over on Pulse are posted below:
Hot 100
23 39 David Cook, "Light On"
39 47 David Archuleta, "Crush"
97 -- Kelly Clarkson, "My Life Would Suck Without You"
IDOL LIVE Blog: Auditions, Pt. 4 (1/21/09)
Join us tonight as we blog during the Louisville round of auditions. Brace yourself for the impending onslaught of unfunny Kentucky Derby jokes and major pimpage of Joanna Pacitti.
Digital sales roundup: "Light On" #17 (1/16/09)
David Cook's singles received the biggest bump from last week's premiere of Idol as evidenced by Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart for the week.
Cook's "Light On" led the pack with a #43-17 jump thanks to an 80% sales increase, as the song sold 68k downloads for a total of 592.4k. His former single, "The Time of My Life," also saw a nice boost of 53% for a chart appearance at #131. It sold 13.8k downloads for a total of 1.085 million.
David Archuleta was the only other Idol alum to have a song on the chart, as "Crush" rose 9% to 39.9k for a total of 1.449 million. It jumped 10 spots to #37.
Full numbers and chart positions courtesy of bks on Pulse as follows:
017 043 David Cook, "Light On" 67,995 80% 37,714 592,356
037 047 David Archuleta, "Crush" 39,909 9% 36,472 1,449,089
131 --- David Cook, "The Time of My Life" 13,827 53% 9,065 1,085,587
Total sales are in bold.
"My Life Would Suck Without You" hits #1 on iTunes
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At approximately 2 a.m. ET this morning, Kelly Clarkson's highlight anticipated single "My Life Would Suck Without You" (or "My Life Would S**k Without You" according to iTunes) landed at the #1 spot atop the Top 100 songs chart on the digital retailer. It made the trip in roughly 26 hours, putting an end to The All-American Rejects' short stint in the pole position with "Gives You Hell."
It looks like the song will easily be #1 on next week's Billboard Digital Songs chart, but the Hot 100 is another story. If airplay continues to grow as rapidly as it has over the past week, though, we may have a top-spot debut (barring the single does not debut this week on airplay alone).
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
IDOL LIVE Blog: Auditions, Pt. 3 (1/20/09)
Tonight we blog during the third installment of auditions for the eighth season of American Idol beginning at 8 p.m. ET, when Kara & Krew take a trip to the west coast to listen to hopefuls from the city of San Francisco. Only one hour tonight (phew).
HITS estimates: Cook 30.3k, Arch 9k
The two Idol-related albums that appeared on HITS Daily Double's Top 50 estimates experienced very healthy increases for the week thanks to Idol's big premiere.
David Cook's self-titled major label debut actually jumped 58% to 30.3k copies for the week, up #19-10. David Archuleta's debut also got a positive response from the premiere, as it was propelled back onto HITS' estimates with 9k copies for the week. It landed at #50 on the chart.
Finalized figures from Billboard should be out by tomorrow night.
Out today: "My Life Would S**k Without You"
Today is a very busy day for new releases in the Idol world. Kelly Clarkson's much anticipated new single, "My Life Would Suck Without You," (or as iTunes calls it, "My Life Would "S**k Without You") is now out at digital retailers everywhere. As for a bit of a surprise, Michael Johns unleashes a soundtrack to go along with pro snowboarder Shaun White's documentary, titled Don't Look Down - The Height of Competition.
On the EP circuit, however, it is Sanjaya Malakar's release of Dancing to the Music In My Head that will be making waves via Amazon, as it is available exclusively at the online giant in both physical and digital form. This release comes in conjunction with the release of Sanjaya's memoir, which goes by the same title. Links to purchase the all of the aforementioned can be found below:
Singles
Kelly Clarkson, "My Life Would Suck Without You"
Amazon MP3 - ($0.99) - Buy
iTunes - ($0.99) - Buy
Soundtracks
Michael Johns, Don't Look Down - The Height of Competition
Amazon MP3 - ($8.99) - Buy
iTunes - ($9.99) - Buy
EPs
Sanjaya Malakar, Dancing to the Music In My Head
Amazon - ($8.99) - Buy
Amazon MP3 - ($3.96) - Buy
Books
Sanjaya Malakar, Dancing to the Music In My Head: Memoirs of the People's Idol
Amazon - ($13.59) - Buy
Amazon Kindle - ($9.99) - Buy
Barnes & Noble - ($15.99) - Buy
Borders - ($19.99) - Buy
Sears - ($12.99) - Buy
Target - ($13.59) - Buy
Walmart - ($13.05) - Buy
IDOL LIVE is willing to bet Kelly has this competition in the bag. No offense to Michael and Sanjaya, of course. Kelly's album, All I Ever Wanted, will be out March 17.
Monday, January 19, 2009
"Big surprises" ahead for the Top 12
Apparently the fun has just begun. Mike Darnell, FOX's president of alternative entertainment, revealed in an interview with TV Week that the Top 12 will feature one of the biggest surprises of all. Per Reality TV Magazine:
In an interview with TV Week, Mike Darnell said, “There’s a big surprise coming when we get to the top 12, but I can’t reveal it right now.” He said even the contestants will be surprised!Darnell went on to say the surprise will "not affect the core of the show," which makes it seem like not a huge deal.
The alleged surprise is not the fact that the Top 12 will be living together in a mansion (as they did in previous seasons) nor is it the fact that this will play a heavy role in the content of the show that makes it to TV time. Some are predicting perhaps there will be a Top 13/14 or the tour will include the entire Top 12, but these have been common predictions over the past few seasons every time there comes a rumor pertaining to the Top 12.
IDOL LIVE is willing to bet the judges will get to use an immunity each week to save someone they think is in danger of being cast off, but each contestant is only allowed one immunity and they would have to make the decision prior to the bottom 3 being announced, so that the contestant the judges give immunity to may in fact be very safe.
Just a guess, but it can't hurt when there are already a ton of nonsensical ones floating around.
Carrie, Jennifer to perform at the Grammys
It was today announced that Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Hudson will be featured performers at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. RealityTvWorld reports the following on Jennifer's busy month after keeping such a low profile for a long period of time:
Hudson's Grammy performance will be the latest in a string of upcoming appearances for the singer, who had secluded herself from the public in the wake of the murders of her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew in October. In addition to performing at the MusiCares Person of the Year Gala on February 6, the singer will also perform the national anthem to kick off Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, FL on Sunday, February 1 on NBC.Other artists slated to perform at the venerable music awards show include Coldplay, the Jonas Brothers and Katy Perry.
Keeping up with Elliott Yamin
Elliott Yamin had a banner year in 2007 with the success of his self-titled debut, which went gold and has sold approximately 518k copies to date. Now, the soulful fifth season second runner-up is going for a repeat in 2009.
Newly signed to the Croshal Entertainment Group (CEG), Elliott just finished working on his sophomore album, which is slated for a May 5 release after being delayed two months from its original March 2009 due date. On the album, he worked with such industry icons as Diane Warren and Jermaine Dupri to assist with songwriting and production. It was reported that Midi Mafia also collaborated with Elliott. Listen to "Be Apart" below, a demo that is likely to appear on his yet-to-be titled album:
The yet-to-be determined first single is scheduled for a February release, which makes it seem like he will be vying for a performance slot on an Idol episode this season. Another demo that recently leaked is "The Bridge Is Burning," which also stands a good chance at making the final cut of the album.
Analysis: Judging the new judge
There has been a lot of talk of Idol's freshest face, judge Kara DioGuardi, over the course of the past few weeks. Although there were many that speculated the addition of Kara would cause more headaches than it would create solution's to the franchise's tiring formula.
Fortunately for both fans and casual viewers of the show, Kara was viewed as being a generally positive aspect of the auditions (thus far, at least). Kara's critiques have been more meaningful than those Paula usually doles out and have been less pointlessly scathing than those Simon is used to granting auctioneers with. The fact that she is a singer-songwriter also gives credence to her advice, because she genuinely knows what those auditioning are going through most of the time.
Perhaps her brightest spot in the first two audition cities was how she handled obsessive fan Lea Marie Golde. The 16-year-old girl that gave Kara a binder full of original songs she wrote was in denial following her nasal take on Cascada's "Every Time We Touch," but Kara was able to tell off Simon for mocking the girl. She then firmly stated that the reality was Lea was not good enough, but gave her props for having the guts to perform. Even though it made for an extremely awkward few minutes, it goes to show that Kara can be both honest and gentle at the same time.
This segment was extremely eerie because of the suicide of Paula's obsessive fan Paula Goodspeed late last year, which happened after this audition took place. It was a little shocking that the producers went ahead and kept the segment in light of the tragedy, but that just makes Kara's handling of the situation that much more admirable.
Despite showing much promise, there was one episode where the inner cat came out in Kara, as she and Paula ganged up on bikini girl Katrina Darrell. Even though she was not the greatest, Katrina showed she could sing, but Kara's jealousy over the girl's attire clouded her judgment and even brought her to show the girl "how to really sing" her audition song, "Vision of Love." Granted, the girl had the attitude of a six year-old pageant queen from Alabama, but Kara's approach was less professional than it could have been.
Another thing the producers are probably counting on is that there will be an inevitable cat fight between the two female judges, but so far Kara has been just as cautious as Paula despite the fact that this scenario is still very much a possibility. Paula has actually been making more constructive comments than usually, which is probably a direct result of the addition of Kara. All in all, a good thing for the show.
Luckily for Kara, millions of viewers seem to be on her side and the balance and credibility she brings to the judging panel is worth the extra chair and Coke cup that will be needed each week.
Jordin sings National Anthem at NFC Championship
Just two days before serenading the president at the Commander-in-Chief Inaugural Ball, Jordin Sparks tested the waters with her rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at yesterday's NFC Championship face-off between her hometown Arizona Cardinals and the Philadelphia Eagles. Watch the performance below:
Unlike her deliverance of the Anthem at Super Bowl XLII, this performance was actually live and not lip-synched. The Cardinals went on to defeat the Eagles 32-25 and will face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII on Sun., Feb. 1.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Free download - Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You"
It may only be for a short time, but you can actually download Kelly Clarkson's new single, "My Life Would Suck Without You," for free on VH1.com. From VH1's blog:
Rest assured that this song is going to do some damage on the charts, because it wisely works the same ultra-catchy formula that helped make Clarkson a superstar.If you aren't planning on doling out the $0.99 when the song hits iTunes and other digital retailers on Tuesday, it might be worth checking out.
We’re offering a free download of the song right here.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
David Cook on 'Jimmy Kimmel'
It was such a busy week Idol-wise that you might have missed David Cook perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live Tuesday night. Well if you did, watch it below:
Cook was a good sport and "appeared in" the infamous video of little David Archuleta fans that threw a tantrum after the latter lost Idol. They superimposed video of Cook into the video, pretending that he was just as upset as the girls were that Arch lost. Funny stuff.
Jordin to perform at Commander-in-Chief's Inaugural Ball
Jordin Sparks has a busy next three days ahead of her. Not only will she be singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at tomorrow's NFC Championship game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Philadelphia Eagles in Glendale, Ariz., but she will make an appearance at one of President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural balls on Tuesday.
Jordin's mom confirmed that she will in face be performing at the Commander-in-Chief Inaugural Ball, hosted by the president-elect, on Tuesday. The ball, which was conceived by President George W. Bush in 2005, will be broadcast live to American forces around the globe. George Lopez and Miss America Kirsten Haglund will also appear.
Jordin will not be the only Idol alum in attendance at one of the many inaugural bashes. It was announced late last year that Daughtry would be headlining the Congressional Youth Leadership Council's ball.
Nikki McKibbin's "Here to There" now on iTunes
Celebrity Rehab star Nikki McKibbin's new single, "Here to There," was recently added to iTunes. She wrote the song while starring on the reality series. Take a listen to the song below:
Nikki can be seen on VH1's new series Sober House, on which she is profiled during her recuperation from a life of drug use following her time with Dr. Drew Pinsky on the show's predecessor, Celebrity Rehab. The show airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. on the network.
Friday, January 16, 2009
'New in Town' TV spots use music by Kelly, Arch
Lionsgate must really like them some Idol tunes. The studio has been featuring music by Kelly Clarkson and David Archuleta in its TV spots for New in Town. The romantic comedy, which stars Renee Zellweger and Harry Connick, Jr., includes a clip of Kelly's "Breakaway" in some spots while other spots play Arch's "Crush" in the background. Watch the spot featuring "Breakaway" below:
Watch the spot featuring "Crush" below:
New in Town opens in theatres nationwide on Fri., Jan. 30.
'Idol' odds 'n ends: Ratings improve for second episode
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>Although there was much ado about Season 8's premiere's ratings, which were the lowest since 2004 when the third season's special Monday premiere drew 30 million viewers even. Tuesday's premiere garnered 30.1 million, but Wednesday's follow-up episode was able to take in 30.2 million, up ever so slightly. The episode is the single-highest rated episode of any show on any network for the current TV season.
>Jennifer Hudson may not be singing the National Anthem at the Inauguration as some had speculated, but she will be fulfilling the duty at the Super Bowl on Sun., Feb. 1, in Tampa, Fla. She follows in Jordin Sparks' footsteps as the second Idol alum to receive the honor.
>Playbill.com yesterday announced that Diana DeGarmo will be starring as Dorothy in the Texas tour of the new show Oz the Musical. It will run from Feb. 5-28 and will be directed by veteran producer Todrick D. Hall, who also directed Oprah's The Color Purple on Broadway.
>Taylor Hicks appeared on Chicago's WGN News today to promote the release of his upcoming single and album in addition to his current national tour with Grease. Watch him perform "Gonna Move" below:
He also played the Grand Prize Game, for which he donated $500 to Chicago's Boys and Girls club for every ball he made in during the game.
>Mikalah Gordon is celebrating her 21st birthday Idol style. The Gone Country star will party at Mood in Hollywood tomorrow night beginning at 10 p.m., with Antonella Barba fulfilling hosting duties and Chikezie providing entertainment for the affair. It is open to the public.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
'Idol' BB 200: 'David Cook' #18 (1/17/09)
There was zero positive movement in terms of actual sales among albums by Idol alums on the Billboard Top 200 for the week of Jan. 17.
David Cook kicked things off with his self-titled album falling #16-18 with an additional 19.4k copies sold. It was down 37% from the previous week and his sold a total of 861.7k since its release. David Archuleta's David Archuleta finished many spots behind at #62, down from #51, or 41% from the previous week, Its 8.3k copies for the week puts its total at 588.6k.
Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride was next with 7.4k copies sold, down 25% from the previous week. Its six-spot rise to #68 means it now stands at 2.601 million. David Foster's Hit Man CD/DVD combo followed, posting a 15-spot jump to #81 with 6.6k copies for a total of 125.9k. It declined 15% in weekly sales.
Jennifer Hudson by Jennifer Hudson dipped #89-92 thanks to a decrease in sales of 33%, as its 5.6k copies puts its total at 560.8k. Daughtry's Daughtry rose #110-104 thanks to another 4.8k copies sold for the week, putting its total at 4.358 million copies sold. It dropped 26% from the previous week.
Kellie Pickler rounded out Idol representation on the Billboard 200, as her sophomore effort mustered 2.4k copies for the week, down 33%, for a total of 159.5k. It slipped one spot to #200.
Full numbers and chart positions courtesy of Powerpuff Girls on Pulse as follows:
018 016 David Cook - David Cook 19,394 -37% 30,595 861,656
062 051 David Archuleta - David Archuleta 8,349 -41% 14,157 588,559
068 074 Carrie Underwood - Carnival Ride 7,381 -25% 9,782 2,601,301
081 096 David Foster - Hit Man... 6,554 -15% 7,690 125,896
092 089 Jennifer Hudson - Jennifer Hudson 5,601 -33% 8,372 560,768
104 110 Daughtry - Daughtry 4,801 -26% 6,487 4,357,640
200 199 Kellie Pickler - Kellie Pickler 2,410 -33% 3,593 159,538
Total sales are in bold.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
'Idol' Hot 100: "Light On" #39 (1/24/09)
David Cook and David Archuleta continued to see their current singles slip on Billboard's Hot 100 for the chart week of Jan. 24.
Cook's "Light On" dropped #37-39, which is not a big deal, but it does raise questions on how much further the song can go before falling off completely. Arch's "Crush" is spending what looks to be its final week in the Top 50, though, as it fell a whopping 12 spots for the week.
Full chart positions courtesy of bks over on Pulse are posted below:
Hot 100
39 37 David Cook, "Light On"
47 35 David Archuleta, "Crush"
Poll of the week: Kelly is "All I Ever Wanted" for 2009
Readers of IDOL LIVE are wanting their lives to not suck this year and voiced their opinions in the latest poll of the week when they voted Kelly Clarkson's Masquerade (back then we didn't know it was going to be called All I Ever Wanted - thanks Wall Street Journal) as their most anticipated Idol album of 2009.
50 votes came in for the album, which is due for a March 17 release, good for 66% of the total vote. No one else was all too excited with the other choices, with Daughtry's yet-to-be-titled album due out this summer garnering 18 votes (24%), good for a second place finish.
In this week's installment of the poll of the week series, readers are asked what their favorite Kelly single of all time is. You will have exactly one week to vote.
Kelly Clarkson - 'Masquerade' (tentative title) 50 (66%)
Daughtry - 'Untitled' 18 (24%)
Melinda Doolittle - 'Coming Back to You' 0 (0%)
Taylor Hicks - 'The Distance' 4 (5%)
LaKisha Jones - 'So Glad I'm Me' 1 (1%)
Mandisa - 'Freedom' 2 (2%)
Total votes: 75
IDOL LIVE Blog: Auditions, Pt. 2 (1/14/09)
Tonight we blog during the second installment of auditions for the eighth season of American Idol beginning at 8 p.m. ET, when the four judges and Ryan hear the worst (and best) Kansas City has to offer. Kansas City is the hometown of last season's champ, David Cook.
Digital songs roundup: "Light On" # 43 (1/9/09)
Songs continued their steady declines on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart as the industry attempts to stabilize post-holiday season. Although the two Idol-related tracks that remain on the chart posted similar takes for the week, it was David Cook's "Light On" that came out ahead.
"Light On" fell 35% to 37.7k for the week, slipping #39-43 with a total take of 524.4k. David Archuleta's "Crush" took a greater hit for the week as it fell #29-47 and is in danger of falling off the chart next week. It totaled 36.5k downloads for the week, which was 46% less than the previous week, and has sold 1.409 million total to date.
Full numbers and chart positions courtesy of bks on Pulse as follows:
43 39 David Cook, "Light On" 37,714 -35% 57,735 524,361
47 29 David Archuleta, "Crush" 36,472 -46% 68,043 1,409,180
Total sales are in bold.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Track review: Kelly's "My Life Would Suck Without You"
Kelly Clarkson is back in her photoshopped form with the Dr. Luke/Max Martin instant hit “My Life Would Suck Without You,” out Fri., Jan. 16. Although she has temporarily left her ‘December’ style behind, Clarkson still knows exactly how to make a pop gem.
“Suck” does not present listeners with anything truly groundbreaking, lyrically (“either way I found out / I’m nothing without you“) or musically, but it does feature Clarkson’s signature toned vocals. Her vocals, though dressed up thanks to autotuning, blend well with the techno-rock composition of the song. The “Since U Been Gone”-like opening guitar chord and the “So What”-like chorus call originality into question but the catchiness of “Suck” cancels out those claims.
Where Clarkson really makes “Suck” her own is in the final chorus when she hits a few astronomically high notes. This is the artist that fans know and love and her return to the music scene after a few rough years is just what radio needed.
Kelly Clarkson may be traveling the commercially-friendly route right now, especially with the techno thing in style, but her spunk, tenacity and unparalleled vocals set her leaps and bounds ahead of the Katy Perrys and the Lady Gagas of the world. She will always be a role model for artists, and “My Life Would Suck Without You” is something special for that reason.
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