It has been announced that Lady Gaga will be taking the stage at this year’s American Music Awards on November 22. The pop singer joins other performing acts such as Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry and Adam Lambert. I hope that she performs ‘Bad Romance’. I am really loving that song! With the addition of Lady Gaga’s performance, it is bound to be quite the entertaining show this year. She always has the ability to steal the show with her one of a kind performances and crazy outfits. Plus, you can bet that she’s going to nab several awards.
There’s a new, albeit rumored, self-titled album cover for American Idol Season 8 winner Kris Allen out on the internet. The singer’s current single is ‘Live Like We’re Dying’ and the album is scheduled to be released on November 17th. A couple of days ago, Kris was asked how close he was to wrapping things up on the record and he told EW, “We’re still writing some more songs for the album, and just putting some finishing touches on other tracks, going back to do some minor vocal takes, and that’s kind of it. We have a lot of songs that are almost done, and with a little bit of work we’ll have them completely done.”
Carrie Underwood has recently released the music video for her latest single ‘Cowboy Casanova’. It’s the first single off of the country singer’s upcoming third album ‘Play On’ which comes out on November 3. The 26-year old American Idol champ co-wrote this song with Mike Elizondo and Brett James. It’s a great song and it’s shaping up to be a hit. In other Carrie news, she and fellow country crooner Brad Paisley will be co-hosting the 2009 CMA Awards which will be held on November 11. How do you think Carrie’s going to fare as an awards show host? Do you think she has what it takes?
Ellen DeGeneres will replace Paula Abdul over the summer on American Idol.
The Fox series announced a deal that would make the wildly popular talk show host the new fourth judge on America’s top-rated show, The Wrap reports.
She would replace Abdul over the summer, while other fill-ins such as Victoria Beckham have been temporary guests on the show.
DeGeneres stated: “I’m thrilled to be the new judge on American Idol. I’ve watched since the beginning.”
Source: Splash News
Remember American Idol’s Danny Gokey? The singer placed third in the last season of the hit show. The Idol curse hasn’t run its course on him yet though as Danny has recently signed a record deal with 19 Recordings/RCA Nashville. The label he got signed to isn’t that much of a surprise as he sang three country songs on the show. Danny’s album is expected to drop in March of next year but fans can expect a single to hit the radio airwaves in the late fall. While I don’t believe that Danny will have the same amount of success as Kris Allen or Adam Lambert, I’m glad to see that he hasn’t disappeared into obscurity like other Idol alums – yet.
Joe Jonas will be serving as a guest judge for this week’s set of American Idol auditions. It also seems that we’ll be seeing more guest judges as the season goes by. An insider recently told Pop Tarts that “At this stage it doesn’t look like Paula [Abdul] will be replaced by one person. The celebrity judges are working really well for now.” Other celebrities who will be joining Season 9 regular judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi include the likes of Shania Twain and Jennifer Lopez. Victoria Beckham and Mary J Blige have already finished their run as guest judges. Also, the original American Idol, Kelly Clarkson, is said to be in negotiations to be a guest judge.
American Idol alum Chris Daughtry is getting ready to hit the road with his band, Daughtry, for a tour this fall in support of the group’s number 1 album ‘Leave This Town’. The tour will kick off on October 19th in Topeka, Kansas and will wrap up in Evansville, Indiana on December 20th and the band plans to fill arenas all across the country. That sounds like a big risk to me. Although they have managed to get four number 1 singles with ‘Leave This Town’, I’m not sure if they have the star power to fill such large venues.
Are you ready for the next round of American Idol roulette? Despite all the rumors that have gone back and forth, Kara DioGuardi is reportedly staying for the ninth season of the reality TV talent show. A source said “Her deal is done. There are no ifs, ands or buts. Done. She will be back.” However, she will obviously be getting a much smaller pay check than Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Ryan Seacrest. There’s still no word as to the fate of Paula Abdul and filmed auditions for the next season begins today! I expect that she will be returning too. Maybe it’s all just to hype up the first couple of episodes of the show.
David Cook recently scored his third Top 10 Single on Adult Radio. The 26-year old American Idol champ’s introductory single ‘Time of My Life’ reached number 7, its follow up ‘Light On’ peaked at number 4 and his latest single ‘Come Back to Me’ moved into the number 10 spot last week. The singer has announced that he also has plans to extend his first ever solo tour, ‘The Declaration Tour – 2009’ through October 2009. It’s good to see that his career is flourishing. More power to him and congratulations on scoring that third top 10. I wonder when he’ll score a number 1.
By now, everyone knows that the Adam Lambert song that leaked last week is actually a couple of years old. It turns out that the American Idol runner up was looking for quick money back then and lent his voice to some songs to pay the bills. The singer said “Back in 2005 when I was a struggling artist, I was hired as a studio singer to lend my vocals to tracks written by someone else. I was broke at the time and this was my chance to make a few bucks, so I jumped at the opportunity to record for my first time in a professional studio. The work I did back then in no way reflects the music I am currently in the studio working on. I’m thrilled to be working with some of today’s hottest songwriters and producers and can’t wait for people to hear what my music really sounds like.”
The latest winner of American Idol seems to have his work cut out for him now that he’s braved the competition under Simon Cowell’s critic eye and came out a winner. It seems Kris Allen will be singing the national anthem at the NBA finals this year. Apparently, this is some sort of tradition as almost all of the American Idol winners of the past have done this. It seems that the industry is still working. I’m sure next year we’ll get weekly reports on Kris Allen’s record sales during the American Idol competition. But what of his rival, Adam Lambert, what spoils come to him I wonder.
After Adam Lambert’s performance with the rock legends Queen on the American Idol finale last week, Queen guitarist Brian May told Rolling Stone magazine that the band is toying around with the idea of the runner up becoming the band’s permanent front man. May said “”…[Drummer Roger Taylor] and I are definitely hoping to have a meaningful conversation with [Lambert] at some point. It’s not like we, as Queen, would rush into coalescing with another singer just like that. It isn’t that easy. But I’d certainly like to work with Adam. That is one amazing instrument he has there.” It just goes to show that losing American Idol isn’t the end of the world.
Simon Cowell has ordered his personal bodyguards to protect ex-girlfriend Terri Seymour following her attack after the American Idol finale.
Cowell asked his security team to watch out for her while she recovers from being choked by the 200lb woman, allegedly mad at the judge for his treatment of co-host Paula Abdul.
Seymour, a correspondent for U.S. entertainment show Extra, called the assault ‘horrific’ as she appeared on the show for the first time.
Seymour had just finished reporting on the final performance show when she was attacked.
She said: “The next thing I know this woman has me in a headlock and was trying to choke me.”
Seymour said she had never seen the woman before. “She said, ‘You’re that girl on TV right?’ That was it.”
The drama ended when the woman eventually released her grip and tried to run away.
“The police were fantastic,” said Seymour. “They were close by and managed to catch her.”
According to a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department, officers on hand for crowd control witnessed the incident, which took place around 7pm.
As Seymour was leaving the venue, she was approached by 33-year-old Janice Thibodeaux, who asked if Seymour was Cowell’s ex-girlfriend.
After Seymour answered in the affirmative, police say Thibodeaux attacked Seymour.
Thibodeaux, who is being held on $52,703 bail, spoke to a U.S. website from behind bars to explain her actions.
She said: “I wasn’t cool with Simon Cowell choking Paula Abdul on the show last week and with her crying out ‘help’ as he did so.”
Former American Idol finalist, MICHAEL JOHNS will be performing his new single “Heart on My Sleeve” on The Ellen DeGeneres Show next Monday, May 25th. The Aussie vocalist will be releasing his first post-Idol solo album, Hold Back My Heart on June 23rd. Encouraged by his mentor David Foster, who invited Johns to appear on his star-studded David Foster And Friends PBS special in December 2008, Johns chose the road less traveled, and for the first time in his adult life, went to work on an album with no deal in place. “Foster always said that the secret of his success is to look at whatever lane is open in the music industry and take it,” Johns recalls. “And the way my record combines old and new, I could open for Alicia Keys one night and John Mayer the next, it’s right in the middle.” Songwriter Diane Warren, who penned the knee-buckling ballad “Heart Is Weak,” was another key endorsement. “There’s nothing more validating than having these heavyweights behind you,” says Johns. “It’s like screw winning American Idol when people like David Foster and Diane Warren are saying you have the real thing here.”
With an album completed and ready to turn in, Johns had the rare freedom to shop it around, and when Downtown Records, home to Gnarls Barkley, Cold War Kids and Santigold, showed interest in a licensing deal, he jumped at the opportunity to finally control his own fate. “I think we’re in the most exciting period of music ever, because there’s so many ways to do it,” he says. And like most of his plans thus far, Johns is thinking big for his future. “The live show is going to be great,” he says excitedly. “I might even take it old school with different bands in different towns — almost like what Chuck Berry and all those guys used to do.”
Tune in to see Michael Johns on The Ellen DeGeneres Show next Monday, May 25th. Check your local listings for times.
“HEART ON MY SLEEVE” audio embed code:
While most are calling Kris Allen’s win over Adam Lambert an American Idol upset and some are thinking that Kris was the right choice when it comes to the marketability, some are also saying that Adam was done a big favor by not being named the winner. Adam won’t be stuck singing the song ‘No Boundaries’ for the next six months to a year. Considering that it was co-written by Kara DioGuardi,. It’s pretty much a given that Adam is going to get a record deal. The challenge now is for him to make a great album that not only has his stamp but is also marketable.
Despite putting on one of the biggest productions compared to previous seasons, American Idol season 8’s finale was down in viewership by 12% compared to last year’s finale show. That’s too bad because whoever chose to not watch missed an amazing set of performances. Performers included Queen Latifah, David Cook, Jason Mraz, Carlos Santana, Black Eyed Peas, Lionel Richie, Rod Stewart, Cyndi Lauper, Keith Urban, Steve Martin, KISS and Queen. Of course, every single one of the Top 13 was also there to perform. It was a great showcase of talent. The past, present and future of music was greatly presented in one amazing show.
Kris Allen was called the dark horse of the competition and was clearly the underdog, but in the greatest upset in American Idol history since Chris Daughtry was eliminated, Kris Allen was named as season 8’s winner. When everyone from the judges to the producers to even Kris Allen himself thought that Adam Lambert was going to win, being announced as the winner was a big shock.
While some people aren’t too happy about Kris Allen winning American Idol over Adam Lambert, experts say that the fans may have gotten it right. If you compare the singing styles of the final two, Kris is clearly a more marketable singer. It’s easier to make a great record out of R&B with a touch of John Mayer and Jason Mraz than an album of rock and roll with a touch of theater. And did you know that with the addition of Kris Allen in the set of winners of American Idol, three quarters of the winners are from the south? Power to the people!
For the second round of last night, Adam Lambert got to sing Sam Cooke’s “A change is gonna come”… a song which offered Adam Lambert the opportunity to catch up with his rival’s performance from round one. As any decent man would do, Adam Lambert seizes the opportunity and he does it with style. Among the many praises from the other judges, Simon Cowell declares the following: “You are 100 percent back in the game. Congratulations.” It must have been a very impressive performance for Simon Cowell… either that or he’s using his influence to keep the competition alive and active. It’s probably working very well on the voters.
Simon Cowell says he would “absolutely not” stay on American Idol if the show slipped from its number one spot on US TV.
The 49-year-old makes his shocking admission as he tops The Hollywood Reporter’s Reality Power List.
Cowell, who heads his own company Syco Television, is just one of four high-profile Brits on the 50-person list that includes Simon Fuller, Gordon Ramsay and Nigel Lythgoe.
The TV judge says: “Being number one is verging on an obsession with me.
“I don’t accept the argument of fragmentation or declining numbers. The Super Bowl goes up every year.”
Despite this admission, Cowell still toys with the idea of leaving American Idol when his contract runs out.
“The idea that for the next five years I’d be doing exactly what I’ve been doing for the past five years … the thought is just too depressing,” he says.
“You have to evolve, you have to change.”
Cowell reportedly earns $36 million a year to do American Idol.
Source: Splash News
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