Adam Lambert Gives Ryan Valentine’s Day Advice
After years of pushing the S.A.D. campaign (Singles Awareness Day) every Valentine’s Day, there may be a light at the end of Ryan’s relationship tunnel after Adam Lambert gives him an interesting piece of advice on American Top 40.
Singing doesn’t always come easy for Kris Allen
SINGAPORE : It’s been his dream since he was 13 to become a singer but singing doesn’t always come easy for American Idol 8 champion Kris Allen.
The 24-year-old dreads singing in front of small groups as he gets “tensed up” and “scared”. One wonders how he made it through the Idol auditions.
“I’d rather sing in front of a million people than you guys, ” Allen told reporters during an interview at Mandarin Oriental Singapore on Tuesday.
And it’s worse if you are family. So the Arkansas native decided to take action and gave his mum song cards for Christmas which she could use to force him to sing.
“She would pull it out once in a while and go ‘okay now you have to sing’ because I couldn’t say no to it, so that was really rough, ” he said.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Carrie Underwood, others see post-Grammy album sales bump
Many winners and performers from the Grammy Awards saw significant sales increases last week — notably, for our purposes, Carrie Underwood. The former American Idol champ saw all three of her albums makes The Billboard 200 with week-over-week percentage increases in the double digits.
Play On moved back into the Top 20, as a 65 percent increase brought the album’s weekly sales to nearly 30, 000. Both Some Hearts and Carnival Ride benefited as well, seeing more than 30 percent growth.
Carrie Underwood adds ‘Play On’ tour dates
Back in December, Carrie Underwood announced the first dates of this year’s Play On tour, which kicks off March 11 in Reading, Penn. Now she’s added nine more dates for June. Craig Morgan and Sons of Sylvia will continue as opening acts.
Here are the new dates:
Haiti single is ‘fastest seller’ charity track
Simon Cowell’s Haiti song featuring Leona Lewis and Mariah Carey, has become the fastest-selling charity single this century.
The Official Charts Company said the record has topped the 200, 000 sales mark in just two days.
The star-studded cover of Everybody Hurts is also on course to have one of the biggest first week sales of any single since 2000.
All proceeds will go to helping the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
What Would ‘Idol’ Be Like With Howard Stern?
Simon Cowell may have a reputation as “Mr. Nasty, ” but “American Idol” fans won’t know what hit them if shock jock Howard Stern takes his place. Cowell is leaving the popular talent show at the end of the current season.
Stern was rumored as a possible replacement by the New York Post last week, and earlier this week, he told his satellite radio listeners that he would consider taking the job.
“There’s not a better job on the planet than judging that f—ing karaoke contest, ” he said, paying the show a backhanded compliment on his Sirius radio show Monday.
‘American Idol’ Without Simon Cowell? Sarah Silverman Is Worried
Tuesday night marked the beginning of the Ellen DeGeneres era on “American Idol.” The evening also moved us one episode closer to the end of the Simon Cowell reign of caustic truth-telling. Some worry about this passing of the reality judge’s torch, while others embrace it. You can count Sarah Silverman, another caustic truth-teller in her stand-up comedy, in the “Uh-oh, there goes ‘Idol’ ” camp.
Jordin Sparks Designing Jewelry to Benefit Haiti
Former American Idol winner Jordin Sparks is doing her part to give back to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Last week she participated in the all-star group of artists who banded together to record a remake of “We Are the World.”
And Hollyscoop also got the exclusive scoop on another project Miss Sparks is a part of, which combines fashion with charity. Jordin teamed up with Pennyroyal creator and designer Tim Foster to create her very own necklace design for the company’s Signature collection, and part of the proceeds will go to fund mobile medical units in Haiti.
Fantasia on the eye-opening experience of starring in ‘The Color Purple’
“I would seem to walk off the stage, with her still hanging on my back or going home with me. It was different. It was hard. It was scary. It was weird. I’d call my mom sometimes, ‘Mom, what’s going on?’ — and she would ask, ‘Do I need to come?’ ”
Performing on Broadway was the stuff of fantasy for Fantasia Barrino, the 2004 “American Idol” winner who begins her last appearance in “The Color Purple” on Wednesday at the Pantages Theatre.
When the play’s producer approached her in 2006 about playing the lead, Miss Celie, in a musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, of course, she wanted to do it. But the young single mother had no idea what she was getting herself into — the hours of rehearsals and daily shows plus the challenges of living away from her family, especially her young daughter.
Sales Slip for Musicals
The Broadway production of “Hair, ” which won the 2009 Tony Award for best musical revival, dipped below the $500, 000 mark in box-office grosses last week for the first time since opening last March. It was one of several shows with declining ticket sales during the usual midwinter doldrums on Broadway.
“Hair” is also close to signing new leads, and is hoping to get a box-office boost by hiring the former “American Idol” sensation Ace Young to play Berger. Berger is now played by Will Swenson, who is opening the London production of “Hair” next month with other members of the original Broadway cast.
Spotlight grows brighter for Ayla Brown
Let’s set the record straight.
Ayla Brown is available. She is available as a single or five-track EP on iTunes.
The former “American Idol” contestant and current Boston College women’s basketball star released her third studio effort, “Circles, ” a week after her father, Scott Brown, won a U.S. Senate seat (and said she was “available”).
As for the fatherly faux pas heard around the world, the 21-year-old communications major said, “It was definitely funny. It was definitely innocent. That’s so my dad. He loves to joke around and I love him for it.”
For ‘Idol’ Debut, Ellen Parties With Mom — Not Simon
Along with the millions of viewers that tuned in last night to watch Ellen DeGeneres make her ‘American Idol’ debut was one very special viewer indeed — her mom.
“Ellen invited her mom and a close friend over to her house to watch along with everyone else in America, ” a friend of the new judge tells me. “It was super causal with pizza, salad and a few glasses of champagne to celebrate. Plus a home-made cake from her number one fan — Mama DeGeneres.
“Simon had suggested all the judges go out to dinner to celebrate, but Ellen decided she would rather celebrate her joining America’s number one show with her close friends and family, ” the pal said.
We thought you did great, Ellen. I’m sure mom did too!
‘American Idol’ Power List: Who’s got momentum heading into season 9 Hollywood Week?
Hollywood Week begins tonight on American Idol, and over the next two weeks, we’ll see 181 Golden Ticket recipients whittled down to 24 semifinalists. There’ll be tears. There’ll be fights. There’ll be Ellen DeGeneres in the Paula Abdul Memorial Chair! But before we get there, I’m going to count down the top 20 contestants from the last four weeks of auditions, and then ask you to vote for your fave in the handy poll that’s embedded after the jump.
Jessie James helps Hatian Orphans
MERCURY RECORDING ARTIST JESSIE JAMES HELPS HAITIAN ORPHANS
Nashville concert and silent auction raise funds for Dove orphanage in Port-au-Prince
On February 11, 2010, music artists Jessie James and Alyssa Bonagura will perform at The Listening Room in downtown Nashville to benefit Dove Orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. During the performance, a silent auction with items donated from The Rolling Stones, Danny Gokey, Darryl Worley, Dave Barnes and others will be available.
Following the earthquake, Liz McKie, director of 501(c3) nonprofit, Dove Missions, received a phone call from a friend in Port-au-Prince saying than an orphanage had collapsed and 45 young children needed shelter, food and water immediately. After exhausting other options, Liz and her team took on the incredible responsibility of expanding their mission and offering a home, food, heath services and hope for an education to these children; however, their mission is quickly being drained of its resources and is in immediate need of funding and supplies.
‘Idol’ chatter: Underwood to close Summerfest, Gokey CD release at Turner Hall
Milwaukee is busy with concert announcements from past “American Idol” contestants.
Brew City native Danny Gokey will be promoting the release of his debut album, “My Best Days, ” March 6 at Turner Hall Ballroom.
Tickets to the 7 p.m. show are free with a “My Best Days” CD purchase at the venue. Discs will be for sale at Turner Hall starting at 5:30 p.m. the day of the show.
Gokey will also be available for autographs after his performance. The album officially hits stores on March 2.
As for “Idol” winners, Summerfest has announced that country heavy-hitter Carrie Underwood will close the annual Big Gig on July 4.
