Tonight, American Idol will lose 2 contestants before the Top 8 perform for YOUR votes at 8/7c PM.
N.C. Music Hall of Fame to induct Avett Brothers, Kellie Pickler – Concord’s Avett Brothers, Albemarle’s Kellie Pickler and Monroe’s Ron Tyson are among eight acts that will be inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame this fall. Pickler, 29, recently appeared as a mentor for current hopefuls on “American Idol,” which launched her country career in its fifth season in 2006. – Read more at the Charlotte Observer
Jennifer Lopez Signs New Deal With Epic Records – Jennifer Lopez has returned to Epic Records, Billboard has confirmed, signing a new long-term contract with the Sony Music-owned label and reuniting with longtime mentor, Epic chairman and CEO L.A. Reid. Says Reid: “I’m thrilled to welcome Jennifer back home with me to Epic Records. Jennifer is a true global icon with a magnetism that sears across music, film, and TV and I’m excited to be working together again.” – Read more at Billboard
Harry Connick Jr says ‘American Idol’ is ‘Romper Room’ in terms of toughness – Have you had any different criteria for judging the contestants for what is the ‘farewell season’ of “American Idol“? Harry Connick Jr: The way we treat everybody this year is exactly the same as the other years. I’m not thinking of this as the farewell season at all in terms of what my job is, and I think I can speak for [the other judges], too, on that. We are looking at people. We see who they are, look at their talent, assess their talent, and try to figure out whether they would be a valuable part of the show and base it on that. So it has nothing to do with anything else. We are just completely focused on the task at hand. – Read more at ZaptoIt
Before ‘American Idol,’ Olivia Rox was a child actor – At age 9, the daughter of jazz great Warren Hill was in discussions with Disney to star in “a Selena Gomez-type of TV show,” when her family decided to self-produce a feature length movie for her instead. “My character’s name was Olivia Roxamillion,” she says. “Everybody ended up calling me Olivia Rox from then on out. I loved [the name], so I kept it.” Now 16, Olivia has little time for acting. – Read more at FOX 411
American Idol’s Top 10 works for Avalon Young – “Of course I’d like to win,” Young said, “But getting to the Top 10 was a goal. No matter what happens I am just hoping that I have done enough to have caught the attention of someone and they notice me.” Regardless of Thursday’s vote Avalon (she was named after the song and has some of its lyrics tattooed on her right arm) has performed well beyond any past gig. “I think before this I sang in front of 100 or 200 people in San Diego once,” she admitted. Following some past performances she drew high-praise from the judges (Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick, Jr.). But last week not so much, although guest judge Kelly Clarkson was ebullient with praise. “That was awesome to hear,” Young said. – Read more at Press Democrat.com
Haley Reinhart Talks New Album ‘Better,’ Return To ‘Idol’ & JLo’s History Lesson – Reinhart parted ways with Intersope six months after the release, and since then, she has been putting together the long-awaited follow-up. Better will be released independently and is expected to arrive in April, with the title track to impact ahead of the drop date. Her current single is a cover of Elvis Presley‘s Can’t Help Falling in Love, which you can grab now on iTunes. “Stylistically, the song ‘Better’ has a similar funky vibe to ‘Listen Up.’ I especially like it because it is geared toward women, in general. I want to inspire and motivate them to step out of a relationship if it’s not right for them and if it is weighing them down or abusive in any aspect,” Reinhart shares with Popdust over a phone call last week. “In the chorus, I talk about throwing this ring a guy gave me in the ocean, and I’m already feeling better and lifted.” – Read more at Popdust.com
Checking in with Adam Lambert – WASHINGTON BLADE: What can those coming out to the Lincoln Theatre on March 5 expect from you that night? What defines an Adam Lambert concert? ADAM LAMBERT: This show is definitely kind of a product of my evolution. I’m exploring new ideas and new sounds. It’s been seven years since “Idol” and I’ve definitely grown up a bit. I approach things in different ways now and have learned a lot about my fans and myself as an artist, and musically, I’ve grown and broadened my palate, so to speak. – Read more at the Washington Blade
On the Set of Fox’s ‘The Passion’ as the Stars — Including Chris Daughtry! — Prep for the Live Show – ET got a look into TV’s next live musical event that is literally taking over New Orleans! Set in The Big Easy, The Passion will be a modern-day retelling of Jesus Christ’s final days. The story, narrated by Tyler Perry, will cover Christ’s Last Supper, Judas Iscariot’s betrayal and his trial overseen by Pontius Pilate. – Read more at ETOnline
On the road with Carrie Underwood – ‘What’s the difference between Nashville the place and Nashville the TV show? In real life, it isn’t so dramatic,’ laughs Carrie Underwood. A country music megastar who has sold over 56 million records, this month she headlines the spectacular Country 2 Country festival – High Life hitched a ride to discuss her life in travel. – Highlife.ba.com
Taylor Hicks to perform in Land O’ Lakes – “I love performing,” Hicks said. “I think that’s something I’ll always do. Entertaining and making people feel music, that’s something that I just really love doing.” Hicks is the featured performer in a new event the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce is launching, aimed at giving people an annual music festival they can enjoy, while area businesses showcase their goods and services. – Laker Lutz News
Christina Grimmie talks ‘Side A,’ Rachel Platten tour and (score!) new songs – “It’s super cool,” Grimmie said. “I really love that I’m getting to sing all these new, original songs. All the songs that I’m really doing for each of these shows are completely new – brand-new material that I just released recently. So, it’s cool, because I got to produce and write 90 percent of this EP, which is cool. I’ve never really produced my own track and put it out there. “That’s super cool to be on stage singing stuff that I honestly thought would never see the light of day. I kind of just had it on my laptop for a while; saved to my computer. I didn’t ever think that I’d really release it. But now that I’m on tour – now that I’m singing it live for people – it’s super, super cool. Really, really exciting.” Last month, Grimmie released a four-song EP fittingly called “Side A.” – Read more at WNYPapers
Alisan Porter Fills Us In On Her Pre-Voice, Post-Curly Sue Life – “I have cried at every single blind audition I have ever watched from my couch at home,” she confesses. But she worried about breaking into tears during her own audition. “You cannot sing and cry. It’s one thing you can’t do, like if you sneeze you have to close your eyes.” But when the moment came, “it was like a dream,” she says, and she went into performance mode. – Read more at EOnline
Jennifer Lopez – Marry, Shag Kill…Keith Urban, Harry Connick Jr and Ryan Seacrest
