It comes as no surprise that of the host of guest judges readers had to choose from in the most recent edition of IDOL LIVE's poll of the week, one was far and away the favorite to permanently replace Paula Abdul as a judge in time for Idol's ninth season.
That was, of course, Kelly Clarkson, who was previously announced as one of the many guest judges to fill Paula's seat during these current audition sessions. Kelly was able to rake in 40 votes, or 44% of all votes cast in the poll. It is interesting to note that most voters in this poll would opt for a career path that would limit the amount of time Kelly could spend touring, writing and recording music in order to fulfill the potential duties of a judge.
Following Kelly was a more likely choice to replace Paula, as Canadian country/pop artist Shania Twain took in 24 votes (26%). No other guest judges were real hits with readers, as the oddest choice for a judge, Neil Patrick Harris, placed third with nine votes (10%), while other more likely choices pulled in even less, like Mary J. Blige's six votes (6%).
In this week's edition of the poll of the week, readers are asked what Paula Abdul should do next in terms of furthering her career. You will have exactly one week to vote.
Victoria Beckham 4 (4%)
Shania Twain 24 (26%)
Mary J. Blige 6 (6%)
Joe Jonas 2 (2%)
Neil Patrick Harris 9 (10%)
Kelly Clarkson 40 (44%)
Katy Perry 5 (5%)
Total votes: 90
Showing posts with label katy perry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label katy perry. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Poll of the week: Kelly Clarkson is favorite guest judge
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
"No Boundaries" is worst coronation song ever
After tonight's disastrous final performances by Adam and Kris, it is fair to say that the Kara DioGuardi/Cathy Dennis-penned coronation song "No Boundaries" is the worst in this show's eight seasons. Forget what the studio version may end up sounding like, if the song cannot even be performed in tune live, why should we have to reserve our judgment for the studio recording?
In my opinion, any song that makes Adam go off-pitch as many times as he did tonight is really flawed, or at least a complete mismatch for him. Kris even had trouble with the song despite the common thought that it is better suited for his vocal style. But the arrangement is just one piece of the puzzle that reveals the reasons for the song's suckiness.
The lyrics are a whole 'nother dimension, as Adam and Kris had to sing about climbing mountains and weathering hurricanes, which made me long for the days of being inside one's heaven and looking for a magic rainbow. Although the bridge builds to what should be a sweeping final chorus, the ending is pretty lifeless in comparison with the winning singles of yesteryear. And yes, it's true that there have been some pretty big clunkers in the past (Katharine McPhee's "My Destiny" and Jordin Sparks' "This Is My Now" are standouts for the title), those songs were cheesy with class. This one is just a big ball of cheese. It's like comparing brie with cheese whiz...
Moving on from the cheese factor, many had high hopes for "No Boundaries" in terms of quality thanks to the credentials of its writers. Kara is an accomplished songwriter in her own right, and Dennis has a good selection of hits under her belt as well. But Kara is also responsible for gems like Paris Hilton's "Screwed" and Dennis wrote Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl," so the possibility that they'd come up with a dud should never have been ruled out.
To end this mild rant, I would like to point out that every season fans rank on the coronation song after the performance episode, and they usually warm up to it in the coming days. While this is a possibility at the moment as well, I'm willing to bet it will take longer for fans to move past this crap than usual, and Kara should be embarrassed about letting something like this make it to Adam and Kris as is.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Analysis: And so goes the Gokey
Well, that was hardly unexpected.
So Kris and Adam will square off in the finale next Tuesday. Not many would have predicted that back in February. It surely will be a fight, as Ryan stated only just over one million votes separated the top two vote-getters, which means there are a whole lot more Kris fans than anyone would have guessed.
Regarding Danny, he really went out with class. Not only did he sing the reprise of "You Are So Beautiful" with conviction and tenderness, but one could picture him singing to his wife, and he looked up to the ceiling as if he were looking up to heaven. No matter what you think of Danny (whom I think has got a really bad wrap this season from some), you have to admit he really wanted to be there and gave it his all each and every time.
The rest of the results show means little compared to the results, but we might as well take a look at what transpired tonight.
The show kicked off with a lame attempt at humor and shameless self promotion, as Ben Stiller and friends from the cast of Night At the Museum: Battle For the Smithsonian opened the show with a pre-taped video joking about the judges' table being honored at the Smithsonian. Hah, very funny guys.
After that speed bump we were treated to a performance by a little boy named Noah who came all the way from Rwanda to sing as part of a presentation done by Alicia Keys for the "Keep a Child Alive" foundation, which she is the ambassador of. It was an extension of last night's "Idol Gives Back" segment featuring Carrie Underwood. Noah sang well considering he learned the lyrics in English in only one week.
The other two performers were more experienced (well, one of them, anyway), and sang more recognizable tunes (well, one of them, anyway). Jordin Sparks was first with the debut of her new single "Battlefield," complete with an accompaniment by Ryan Tedder on the piano and a herd of shrieking backup singers. They literally ruined the stunning vocals Jordin was able to belt out. She looked a good 5 years older than she did when she one, and even lost a few pounds. Don't take that the wrong way, though, as she looked very beautiful and took command of the stage with the upbeat track.
Katy Perry, the night's other featured performer, was not as fortunate. She may not have had to deal with the atrocious backup singers, but she had her own share of showgirls and stuff helping her distract the audience from her awful singing (including Adam's name on on her cape...wooohoo...). As bad as she and her bug eyes were, though, I give her credit for singing live. That's more than what Paula can say...
As for the hometown visits, nothing really stuck out. Kris' emotional hug with his father was sort of an indicator that he was going to make the finale. When Ryan mentioned it as a "prideful moment," it became pretty obvious that he was going to advance. Danny's trip back to Milwaukee was sweet, but it seemed like him reuniting with friend and fellow Hollywood contestant Jamar Rodgers was not as sentimental as Kris' return home. Adam's hometown visit was probably the least eventful, aside from the whole girl-in-bra-rushing-the-stage incident, which sounded a lot more exciting than it looked on camera.
And that Ford video looked like it was done in Windows Moviemaker in about a half an hour. I understand the budget has shrunk compared to years past, and people aren't really concerned with the videos at this point, but c'mon, at least make it look like some effort was put into it.
As for my predictions, I was wrong once again with my pick for Kris to go in my pre-show predictions, and I was also wrong with my original prediction of Adam finishing in third. Oh well.
At the end of the day, tonight's events were pretty much inevitable following Kris' performance of "Heartless" last night and adding in Simon's nonstop pimpage of Adam, and the stage is set for a competitive finale. Or is it? The producers would like to make you think so, but I really think the whole "less than a million votes separated Adam and Kris" thing is them stretching reality in order to create a false sense of competitiveness. But we shall see.
In the words of Simon, it looks like we're gonna have a big ding dong next week.
IDOL LIVE Blog: Top 3 Results (5/13/09)
With the stakes higher than ever, be sure to join us tonight as we blog during the Top 3 finalists' results show. Not only will we find out which two fan bases will have to work their fingers to the bone next Tuesday, but we will get to hear the premiere of Jordin Sparks' new single "Battlefield" and Katy Perry will let us laugh at her while she does "Waking Up in Vegas." The blogcast will begin at 9 p.m. ET and will last one hour.
Tonight's blogcast will feature music from Kelly Clarkson, David Cook, Daughtry, Allison Iraheta and Jordin Sparks.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Album review: Kelly's 'All I Ever Wanted'
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After hitting a few speed bumps on the road to consistent success, dependable pop/rock maven Kelly Clarkson bombards fans with her much-anticipated fourth studio album, ‘All I Ever Wanted.’ Clarkson calls on big named songwriters and proven producers including Howard Benson to assist her in convincing audiences the album is worth listening to, trading in artistic experiments for guaranteed pop hits.
Leading off the disc is the super sugary and ultra radio-friendly #1 hit single “My Life Would Suck Without You.” The same team that was responsible for her most memorable hit, “Since U Been Gone,” Max Martin and Dr. Luke, offers up its talents with the highest-quality dance/pop production possible on the track. Although it is a great way to begin ‘Wanted,’ it’s not nearly its strongest track.
Other current sounding songs with similar Katy Perry dance elements include the Ryan Tedder-produced and co-penned “If I Can’t Have You,” which could be confused with a Miley Cyrus song thanks to juvenile lyrics if it weren’t for Clarkson’s distinct vocals, while another Tedder track, “Impossible,” is stylized and produced to soda pop perfection complete with synths and a big classic Clarkson bridge.
The comparisons to Perry’s work found on ‘Wanted’ are made easier by the inclusion of two former demos recorded by radio’s newest sensation, which she helped pen with the likes of Glen Ballard and ‘Idol’ judge Kara DioGuardi among others. Clarksons’s takes on the two tracks, “I Do Not Hook Up” and “Long Shot” are certified earworms. “Hook Up,“ the album’s second single, has an anthemic vibe that carries positive connotations, while the stronger “Long Shot” features a crazy, catchy chorus and staccato verses that add intensity to the album.
One thing that can’t be denied about ‘Wanted’ is the idea that it’s a combination of elements from Clarkson’s three previous albums, which makes it her most diverse one stylistically speaking by a large margin. The album that seems to be drawn on the most here is ‘Breakaway’ for obvious reasons, as songs like the hit-in-waiting “Don’t Let Me Stop You” beckons back to “Behind These Hazel Eyes” and “Save You” sounds like it would fit right in on her most commercial album to date.
Just as there are oodles of dance-pop hits on the album, there are just as many rock tracks a la ‘My December.’ Title track “All I Ever Wanted” (Sam Watters, Louis Biancaniello, Dameon Aranda) is among the catchiest offerings while maintaining instrumentation with heavy bass, guitar chords and earthy vocals per Clarkson. The grungy “Whyyawannabringmedown,” also written by Aranda, is the most intense song on ‘Wanted’ and helps show off Clarkson’s personality. Other ‘My December’-esque tracks are the bluesy “Ready” and the dreamy, throwback-sounding “I Want You,” both of which Clarkson had a hand in writing.
The strongest track on ‘Wanted’ is without a doubt the power ballad “Cry,” which is where Clarkson is able to show off her range and fuse it with a beautiful arrangement. Clarkson herself described the song as being “the most personal song on the album,” and a few country elements included in the instrumentation give it a raw and gritty feeling at the same time. “Already Gone,” the album’s second-strongest offering, sounds like an updated “Nothing Compares 2 U” complete with haunting, echoing vocals. Although it is often compared to another Tedder-produced track (Beyoncé’s “Halo”), the song is original enough to stand on its own as a musical and lyrical achievement.
Clarkson chooses to finish off ‘Wanted’ with the Keri Noble cover of “If No One Will Listen,” which is the most ‘Thankful’-like option. Although it is a nice ballad in its own right, it feels a bit out of place here, especially as a closing track.
Among the three bonus tracks available on the deluxe edition are yet another Tedder/Clarkson collaboration, “Tip of My Tongue,” which sounds like something that could be heard as part of a high school dance club‘s act, and “The Day We Fell Apart,” a more ratcheted and rocked up “I Do Not Hook Up.” Either track could have easily been swapped with two tracks on the original album and they would have fit relatively well.
Even though ‘All I Ever Wanted’ is far from measuring up to Clarkson’s most artistic album (’My December’), it is on par with ‘Breakaway’ in terms of balancing commercial appeal with personal influence from Clarkson herself. Whether or not the album measures up to the success of the aforementioned disc, Kelly Clarkson is surely back in the game and is ready to redeem her throne atop the pop music kingdom.
Buy on iTunes and Amazon.
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.
Monday, January 19, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Carrie, Jordin win at People's Choice Awards
It may not be the Grammys (or even the American Music Awards), but Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks both took home awards at the 35th annual People's Choice Awards tonight on CBS.
Carrie Underwood won her first award, Favorite Star 35 & Under, before she performed a stunning rendition of "I Know You Won't." Watch the performance below:
Carrie also took home Favorite Female Singer and Favorite Country Song for "Last Name," the former of which she received during the telecast.
Jordin was the other Idol to take home an award, as she accepted her award for Favorite Combined Forces for "No Air" while Chris Brown said a few words in a taped segment via satellite. Watch her acceptance speech below:
"No Air" did lose out to Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl," though, for the Favorite Pop Song category. Carrie also introduced the Rascal Flatts, who performed a medley of "What Hurts the Most" and "Life Is a Highway."
One noticeable loss went to American Idol, which was beat out by ABC's Dancing with the Stars in the Favorite Competition / Reality Show category.
Monday, January 5, 2009
David Cook special music survey on RateTheMusic.com
The radio industry's premier music testing site, RateTheMusic.com, is now hosting a special music survey for David Cook. The songs included on the survey that are being testing for possible release as a single are "Lie," "Come Back to Me" and "Declaration." It looks like RCA is contemplating one of those (and if so, IDOL LIVE is encouraging people to rate "Declaration" as the best!) The special music survey appears under the Top 40 section and will end on Sun., Jan. 11.
Cook's single "Light On" is also now being included in the Top 40 music survey that includes various pop hits like T.I. and Rihanna's "Live Your Life" and Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold" among other songs. RateTheMusic.com is billed as "the internet's first music rating website" and is powered by Mediabase.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Can you picture Kelly singing this?
As reported earlier, Kelly Clarkson is rumored to have recorded "Hook Up," a song that was cut from Katy Perry's One of the Boys. If this is true, do you think this is the direction Kelly should be taking? Listen to Katy's version of the song below:
It's definitely more Breakaway than it is Thankful or My December, but is it necessarily smart that Kelly is taking on Katy Perry rejects? Before rushing to judge Kelly, though, it's important to remember the situation she is now in.
After basically getting her way on My December despite turning down a $10 million offer from Clive Davis to include a few more "commercially friendly" tracks that included Kelly's turning down of a Lindsay Lohan song, she is basically a slave to Davis and must record material that he sees fit for her image.
Whether or not this is true, it appears we'll know in a few short weeks when the track list for Kelly's album is made public.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Kelly's "My Life Would Suck Without You" video filming
The release of Kelly Clarkson's latest single "My Life Would Suck Without You" is still a month away (Jan. 13), but she's already filming its music video.
The video will be directed by Wayne Isham (David Cook's "Light On," 'N Sync's "It's Gonna Be Me," "Bye Bye Bye") and filming will take place Dec. 20-21 in Los Angeles. The synopsis?
Cute tale of romance from childhood into adulthoodBelow are the parts that had to be auditioned for today:
Role"My Life Would Suck Without You" was written by Max Martin and Dr. Luke. Other songs rumored to be on the album include "Save You," which she co-wrote with Ryan Tedder and "Hook Up," a Katy Perry reject that was cut from her One of the Boys album (ouch at the latter).
LEAD GUY / Non-Union / Lead / Male / Caucasian / 24-29
Rugged, Cool, Edgy, All American Good Lookin Guy. Not a bulky jock or a skinny rocker guy. Also must be able to act and be comfortable kissing Kelly Clarkson.
Rate: $1000 Negotiable
Role Added 12/15/2008 3:04:00 PM
Other Current Roles
LITTLE LEAD GUY / Non-Union / Featured / Male / Caucasian / 6-8
I need a talented lead guy to play our tbd lead male on the play ground. Must be a strong actor and have up to date paperwork
Rate: $200
Role Added 12/15/2008 3:08:00 PM
LITTLE KELLY / Non-Union / Featured / Female / Caucasian / 6-8
I need an extremely talented little actress to play Kelly Clarkson on a playground meeting her future true love. Please make sure all paperwork is up to date and research Kelly's current look. Thank you
Rate: $200 Negotiable
Her fourth studio album is tentatively scheduled to be out March 17, 2009.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Carrie, Jordin receive People's Choice noms
American Idol and its offspring are heavy contenders at the 35th annual People's Choice Awards, as Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks are each up for two awards. While Idol will most likely walk home with a win for Favorite Competition / Reality Show after taking the category in 2004, 2005 and 2006, Carrie has stiff competition in both categories she's nominated in (Favorite Female Singer and Favorite Country Song for "Last Name"). Carrie is also one of 32 celebrities up for Favorite Star 35 & Under.
Jordin, whose hit duet "No Air" with Chris Brown will also have to stave off Rihanna's "Disturbia" and Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" in the Favorite Pop Song category, while Madonna and Justin Timberlake's "4 Minutes" and Natasha Bedingfield and Sean Kingston's "Love Like This" will both try to prevail in the Favorite Combined Forces category. Below are all Idol-related categories:
FAVORITE COMPETITION / REALITY SHOW
American Idol
Dancing with the Stars
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
FAVORITE FEMALE SINGER
Alicia Keys
Rihanna
Carrie Underwood
FAVORITE POP SONG
"Disturbia" by Rihanna
"I Kissed A Girl" by Katy Perry
"No Air" by Jordin Sparks featuring Chris Brown
FAVORITE COUNTRY SONG
"Last Name" by Carrie Underwood
"Love Story" by Taylor Swift
"Take Me There" by Rascal Flatts
FAVORITE COMBINED FORCES
"4 Minutes" by Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake
"Love Like This" by Natasha Bedingfield featuring Sean Kingston
"No Air" by Jordin Sparks featuring Chris Brown
Fans can now vote in all categories by visiting PCAVote.com. The show will air on CBS on Wed., Jan. 7 at 9 p.m. ET. It will be hosted by Queen Latifah.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
VMA update: Video of the Year now open
Since neither Paula Abdul nor Katharine McPhee made the final nomination roster for the Best Dancing in a Video category, it was Jordin Sparks who was the sole Idol alum to receive a nomination for a category last week. Jordin was nominated for Best New Artist for her video for "No Air." In that category, Jordin must deal with Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry among others.
But the most important category for all - Video of the Year - is now up for voting on narrowing down the nominees. On the list are Jordin ("No Air," "One Step At a Time"), Paula ("Dance Like There's No Tomorrow"), Katharine ("Love Story"), Blake Lewis ("Break Anotha"), Carrie Underwood ("Last Name"), Daughtry ("Feels Like Tonight," "Over You"), Elliott Yamin ("One Word") and Jennifer Hudson ("Spotlight"). Strangely enough, none of Daughtry's videos are nominated for Best Rock Video, which is also now open voting.
Voting for the category ends on Wed., Aug. 13, with the final nominees being revealed on Fri., Aug. 15. The VMAs will air live on Sept. 7, 2008, at 9 p.m. on MTV.
Friday, July 25, 2008
VMA update: Pop Video category now open
The doors have closed on voting for the Best Male and Female Video categories, but have opened on voting for the Best Pop Video category for the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. The only Idol-related video that made it to the final ballot in the two former categories was Jordin Sparks' "No Air," which is competing against "Piece of Me" (Britney Spears), "I Kissed a Girl" (Katy Perry), "Touch My Body" (Mariah Carey) and "Take a Bow" (Rihanna) for Best Female Video.
As for Best Pop Video, the only Idol-related video open for voting that actually has a shot at notching a nomination is also "No Air," which looks like a lock for a final nomination due to the fact that it has the most views of all videos up for voting. Other videos from Idol alums up for consideration in the saturated category are Katharine McPhee's "Love Story," Paula Abdul's "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow," Carrie Underwood's "Last Name," Jordin's "One Step At a Time," Blake Lewis' "Break Anotha," Jennifer Hudson's "Spotlight" and Elliott Yamin's "One Word."
Voting for the category ends on Wed., July 30, with the final nominees being revealed on Fri., Aug. 1. The VMAs will air live on Sept. 7, 2008, at 9 p.m. on MTV.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Daughtry's "What About Now" video launches
The guys from Daughtry unveiled the video for their latest single, "What About Now," on FNMTV on Friday. The band shared the episode with Katy Perry and LL Cool J. Watch the video below:
The video is a very touching dose of reality for all people who are fortunate to have roofs over their heads and food on their plates. But Nickelback tried something similar with its video for "If Everyone Cared" more than a year ago, so the idea seems rehashed. Still, props to the guys for their effort.
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