Adam Lambert kicks off rehearsals for American Music Awards
For about five minutes, this reporter was allowed to write notes from a cushy blue chair in the audience during Lambert’s rehearsal, watching as dancers sashayed across the floor in spangly harem pants, leotards with torn tights and in one particular eye-catching costume, leather pants topped off with a few leather suspender-straps and silvery chains on an otherwise bare-chested male dancer. A Lambert performance, we were reminded, is not a place for demure displays of postmodern dance. As for the panther himself, he took a few leisurely leaps to various levels of scaffolding, singing into a phantom mic and writhing with whatever dancer was around. On the top level of the scaffolding, a band of indeterminate numbers played keyboards, a flying V guitar and other gadgets, all of which collude to formulate the glam-rock pyramid that Lambert mightily prays to on a seemingly daily basis.
Carrie Underwood’s gift hits write note with museum
MUSKOGEE ‘†Country music superstar Carrie Underwood has donated original sheet music of her song “I Ain’t in Checotah Anymore’ to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
The hall of fame unveiled the gift from the Checotah native Thursday evening at the hall of fame and museum, where officials also talked about plans for a multimillion-dollar expansion and statewide music trail.
Underwood, keyboardist Rocky Frisco and yodeler Ramona Reed were inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in September.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Adam Lambert Gives ET a Sneak Peek at His AMA Performance
ET is with Adam Lambert as he gets ready for his big AMA performance!
Adam says his fans can expect “fireworks” when he takes the stage at the big event: “The dancers on stage are amazing, there’s a great band playing along, we have pyro, the fashion is off the hook ‘ ¦ It’s a really cool performance. I’m really proud of it.”
Watch the video for more of our interview with the “American Idol” runner-up! Then, catch the AMAs on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Jennifer Lopez, Adam Lambert ready for AMA stage
Lambert, 27, said he’s eager to see how the star-studded crowd responds to his provocative performance, a sexed-up rendition of “For Your Entertainment, ” the first single off his upcoming album of the same name.
“I can’t wait to see people I look up to as artists in the audience watching. I think that will be a trip, and exciting and motivating all at the same time, ” he said after his rehearsal. “It will be really interesting to see what kind of reaction the number gets. It’s different. It really does have an edge to it.”
The performance is heavy on leather and chains and includes Lambert dragging a shackled woman across the stage.
Review: Finally, a True `Idol’ Emerges in Lambert
This vocal chameleon can be all things to all listeners, and he kills at whatever he sings. Lambert is equally adept at hard rock, pop, disco, and power ballads, often blending ingredients of several in a single track to produce unforgettable results.
A perfect example is “Sure Fire Winners, ” a hip-hop-infused track with scratches and weird sound effects, yet just enough heavy guitar and drums to appeal to the rockers, and a sing-along chorus to tie it all together.
Album review: Adam Lambert’s ‘For Your Entertainment’
The ‘Idol’ runner-up goes for it all in his major label debut, with the help of the Hollywood pop A-list. The results are mixed, but never a bummer.
To point out Adam Lambert’s boutique addiction is to reinforce a gay stereotype, but Lambert himself enjoys playing around with preconceived notions, and that includes proudly showing that there’s depth and self-awareness beyond those stereotypes. Lambert’s other clear goal as a newly minted pop star is to celebrate all aspects of the word “play”: pleasure, performance, flirtation, virtuosity, masquerade. That’s what he does on this quickly assembled yet purposeful major label debut.
Dear Adam Lambert I Do Not Want to Tickle You
“That’s a little creepy, Jim, ” you said. “I think it’s a private fantasy of his. I’m unaware of it.”
If you need me, I’ll be crawling into a hole and dying.
Dude, I assure you I’m not a creep. I don’t have tickle fantasies.
In any case, I can’t wait to talk to you about your excellent new album next week. And I promise that you will realize as soon as you meet me again that I’m not a psycho, and that this whole tickle thing was a big, silly misunderstanding.
For your entertainment (and, sure, ours too), we caught up with Adam Lambert and Kris Allen at the Us Weekly Hot in Hollywood party at Voyeur nightclub last night. (The magazine honored both guys in its ‘Stars of the Year’ coverage’â€Adam was named ‘Glam God of the Year’ and Kris ‘Victor of the Year.’ ) Tomorrow we’ll be posting our interview with the adorable and subdued Allen, but for now, check out our heart-to-heart with the delicious little space alien known as @adamlambert:
Torrid, The Destination For Plus-Size Fashion, Partners With Allison Iraheta, American Idol Season 8 Contestant, To Host Nationwide Event
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Torrid, the destination for fashion in sizes 12+, Jive Records and Allison Iraheta are excited to announce the release of Just Like You, Iraheta’s highly-anticipated debut album. To celebrate, Torrid stores nationwide will host listening parties where shoppers can preview and pre-order the album. The first 25 shoppers to arrive at the listening party will also receive a special goodie with their album purchase.
During her participation on the American Idol Live tour, Iraheta began writing and recording songs for the album with pop and rock hit makers such as Kevin Rudolf, Howard Benson, Max Martin, David Hodges, Kara DioGuardi and P!nk. Fellow American Idol alumni Chris Daughtry also contributed a track for the deluxe version of the album. In partnering with Allison Iraheta, Torrid is providing young women VIP access to on-trend fashion and music. Hope to see you there!
No Grinch will ruin Carrie Underwood’s Holiday
If only those Grinches disguised as tabloid gossips weren’t around to spill the eggnog. Underwood, during a Monday conference call to promote her special, took time to set the record straight when asked about the ending of the very entertaining CMAs last week.
“I just want to say that was really hurtful, ” Underwood said of tabloid reports and Internet gossip that she was miffed with Swift’s runaway success that night and interrupted Paisley’s closing comments in order to turn the spotlight back on herself. “My brain would never operate that way at all. I have so much respect for every single person that is in that room. Whether they’re, I mean ’cause most of the people there are in the music industry. They are part of it. I would never dream of doing anything like that.”
Kelly Clarkson brings shiny, happy, club-worthy hits to Seattle
Her new album is aptly titled “All I Ever Wanted, ” and at the ripe old age of 27, Kelly Clarkson has achieved what just about every girl singing into her hairbrush might dream of.
Ask the “American-Idol”-winner-turned-superstar, and it’s likely she’d say she’s far from having it all. The humble gal-next-door is known for her sincerity, charm and modesty as much as her roof-shattering voice. And while it’s true that the shape-shifting star has plenty more avenues to explore in what will likely be a long and successful career, she is on top of the world right now.
Review: Cook shows what idols are made of
A lot of the time David Cook could have been singing songs at his Peoria show Thursday night was spent waiting for the screaming to stop.
‘How we doing tonight?’ he’d ask the Civic Center theater crowd of about 1, 500, and they’d erupt in a chorus of ear-splitting screams. He’d laugh impishly, then more screams. He didn’t even have to sing or thrash on his guitar; a sigh into the mic would bring on waves of high-pitched sound. The crowd remained on its feet for the Season 7 “American Idol” winner’s entire show.
‘Thank you so much for coming out tonight, I’m loving this crowd. But, where are the aisles?’ he asked, to the laughter of an audience used to scrambling over other concertgoers to get to a middle seat.
No place like home for Archuleta
Nothing says Christmas like coming home. That’s where David Archuleta hopes he’ll be this year — where his heart is, in Murray, Utah.
“In this business, if you get a little time off here and there, many people will stay out where they are working and just relax, ” said Archuleta, who is currently in Los Angeles. “But I say if I have time off, even if it is just a few days, I try to get home.
“I am not sure where I will be at Christmas. The tour schedule goes until right before Christmas, and the fact is, there isn’t really just one place I live right now. But I still call Utah home, and try to spend as much time as I can there.”
At the very least, Archuleta will make it home during Thanksgiving week. He plays two shows at Abravanel Hall, on Tuesday and Wednesday. He has played the venue before, once at an event for Sen, Orrin Hatch, and once, this past summer, for a pops concert.
Archuleta returns to Utah for holiday concerts
When David Archuleta performed in Utah for the first time after he finished second in the 2008 season of “American Idol, ” the concert sold out.
When he performed in Utah this past March, the concert sold out.
So this November, tour organizers scheduled two concerts for Archuleta’s home state. The 18-year-old Murray pop singer will perform selections from his recently released “Christmas From the Heart.”
“To call Los Angeles home — I could never do that, ” Archuleta said in a Tribune interview. “I like Utah too much.”
Archuleta is spending plenty of time in L.A. these days, writing songs for his second pop album, which his label hopes will be released in 2010. But Archuleta said that as much as he loves his fans to hear his music, he wants to make his sophomore effort count.
‘Dreamgirl’ Sheryl Lee Ralph on Newcomer Syesha Mercado
The original “Dreamgirl” and Broadway veteran Sheryl Lee Ralph is sharing her thoughts on former “American Idol” contestant Syesha Mercado, who plays Deena Jones in the revival of the stage production.
“Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing Mercado as the latest reincarnation of Deena Jones in yet another United States national tour of Dreamgirls, starting at the world famous Apollo. We’re both Capricorns with Connecticut roots. We both love Whitney Houston and Lauryn Hill ‘ ¦and now we share Deena Jones. ‘Wonderful, what can I say but wonderful.'”
Holiday happenings
The stars of the small screen will shine brightly at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora this December.
“American Stars In Concert for the Holidays” on Dec. 19 features four “American Idol” Top 10 contestants from the first eight seasons, including hometown girl Gina Glocksen of Naperville.
Their final number will feature a combined choir from Marmion Academy and Rosary High School.
“With the ‘American Idol’ show, we’re having some fun and experiencing traditional Christmas carols in a whole new way with rock and dancing, ” said Melissa Mercado, marketing manager with the Paramount. “Anyone who loves that TV show is really going to like this show.”
Glee Star Amber Riley: Cast Romances “Would Be Like Incest”
Glee star Mark Salling may have gotten cozy with Audrina Patridge at Thursday’s Us Weekly Hot Hollywood party at L.A.’s Voyeur — but if the rest of Glee’s cast are getting romantic, it’s not with each other.
Amber Riley, who plays Mercedes on Fox’s musical hit, insisted to Usmagazine.com that castmates Lea Michele and Cory Monteith are not an item — despite flirtatious chemistry on the show and off-set rumors.
Yay Glee!: The Cast Interview
Perhaps not since American Idol or the invention of Guitar Hero and Rock Band has there been a mainstream pop-cultural force that so readily introduces music of the past to the young generation as does Fox’s Glee. Whether it’s old-skool hip-hop hits like Young MC’s “Bust A Move” and Salt N Pepa’s “Push It”; classic rock cuts like Queen’s “Somebody To Love, ” Heart’s “Alone, ” and REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t Fight This Feeling”; the entire Madonna catalog (an all-Madge Glee episode is thrillingly in the works); or even Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline, ” the irresistible glee-club singalongs on this groundbreaking program are creating a whole new curriculum of Music Appreciation across the nation.
X Factor star Danyl Johnson wins row with Simon Cowell over song
Simon Cowell last night caved in to Danyl Johnson and changed his song for this week’s show.
The stroppy drama teacher had a hissy fit and stormed out of rehearsals when asked to sing George Michael’s Praying for Time.
But after crisis talks Cowell agreed he could perform the star’s classic hit Careless Whisper.
And the X Factor judge brushed off their row as a ‘storm in a teacup’ blaming 27-year-old Danyl’s meltdown on the pressure of competing for the top prize. He said: ‘The frustration got to him and he boiled over but when we talked it through he was as good as gold.
Susan Boyle, “I Dreamed a Dream” (Columbia) [1.5 STARS out of 4]
Arranged for maximum orchestral bombast and drenched in schmaltz, the material clearly was chosen for the broadest marketing appeal. There are Baby Boomer-friendly pop songs (“Wild Horses, ” “Daydream Believer, ” “The End of the World”), traditional hymns (“Amazing Grace, ” “How Great Thou Art”), the tunes she sang on television and even, in consideration of the season, a closing version of “Silent Night.”
None of these can fairly be considered the definitive reading of the song, as artful as the work of a Charlotte Church, or even anything beyond the capabilities of a thousand gifted mezzo-sopranos regularly appearing in musicals staged by community theaters around the world. The difference is that Boyle, for better or worse, is in the midst of Andy Warhol’s fabled 15 minutes of fame.
X Factor’s Danyl Johnson brought to heel by Simon Cowell after threatening to quit show
He has been his staunchest defender throughout the X Factor.
But now even Simon Cowell has lost patience with Danyl Johnson over his arrogant and smug attitude.
Cowell felt forced to have a one-on-one meeting with Johnson after he threw a tantrum over his choice of song for this weekend – and continued causing tension in the X Factor house.
Johnson’s latest outburst saw him threatening to quit the show, but he was quickly brought to heel by some choice words from his mentor.
Cowell reminded the 27-year-old that he cannot expect any special treatment and will be judged on the same basis as all other contestants.
Simon Cowell
Tensions are running high between the singer and his very powerful mentor
Johnson, a bisexual drama teacher from Kent, left rehearsals for the ITV talent show after demanding that his song for this week’s programme had to be changed.
The theme for the show is 1980s band Wham!
