‘American Idol’ stars in talks for bigger pay
“American Idol” judge Paula Abdul, left is making $4 million a year and is seeking $12 million, sources say. Host Ryan Seacrest has made a three-year deal, while judge Simon Cowell, who some see as essential for the show to remain a success, is in talks. He could use his leverage to try to get “X Factor, ” which he hosts overseas, on Fox.
Negotiations on a new contract for Simon Cowell, the show’s linchpin, chief prosecutor and animating force, are progressing quickly and could be concluded as early as this week. Cowell, who currently makes about $36 million annually and still has another year on his pact, is looking at a new multiyear deal that would boost his pay to the $45-million range, people close to the talks said.
iTunes, Record Labels Aim to Jump Start Album Sales
Apple and the four major record labels are reportedly in talks to figure out ways to entice more consumers to purchase full-length albums, the variable pricing, which raised the cost of hit singles while lowering that of catalog albums. Reps from the four major labels declined to comment on ‘Cocktail.’
KELLY’S BEYONC DRAMA
KELLY Clarkson is battling her record label over her new single — because it sounds exactly like the new Beyonc song.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Kris Allen Performs Live!
Thousands of screaming fans crowded into Verizon Arena Saturday night for their hometown hero-Kris Allen. It’s the American Idols Live Tour 2009 in North Little Rock.
Over 14, 000 fans packed a sold out show; all to see the top ten finalists and of course Kris Allen.
Though he has been back to the state once since he won the show in March, we spoke with Kris today and he’s calling this visit his true homecoming.
Kris Allen comes home
More than 14, 000 happy fans filled Verizon Arena in North Little Rock Saturday night for the American Idol tour stop featuring Conway’s Kris Allen, winner of this year’s editon of the talent competition.
Brian Chilson was on hand for these photos. Rock Candy will be weighing in with a report in time and look to Lindsey Millar’s coverage in this week’s Times, too.
Back at home
Allen has been touring the country with nine other ‘American Idol’ finalists as part of the American Idols Live Tour 2009. Whether he was crowned ‘American Idol’ because more fans voted for him or because his fans just voted a little harder is up for debate, but there was no doubt that he was the star attraction for this particular show.
My lunch with Phil Stacey
Phil Stacey and I had lunch on Friday, along with a couple of publicists from Provident Music Group, at Amerigo’s in Nashville. Did we talk about his new album, Into the Light, due Aug. 25? Hardly at all, actually. We did, however, discover that we like to order the same way at restaurants. So when the waitress came, we handed her our unopened menus and said, “You know what’s good here — surprise us!” I got the Cannelonni al Forno, Phil wound up with a cedar-wood roasted pork chop with asiago mashed potatoes. We each highly recommend our dishes, and we had so much fun doing it that we decided we’re going to get the wives together sometime before Into the Light comes out and do it again.
Even though we never got around to talking about the album, I did learn that Phil recently knocked Michael Jackson off the top of Amazon’s most-downloaded tracks chart (which can happen when you’re offering your new single for free). Also, Phil will tour with Michael W. Smith in September and October (Matt Maher and Meredith Andrews will be part of that package, as well). Did find out one thing about the album: Time of My Life writer Regie Hamm also co-wrote one of the tracks, Got to Be Love.
Jordin Sparks Thinks She’ll Be Russell Brand’s New VMA Target
At last year’s VMAs, after Russell Brand took some time out to poke fun at the Jonas Brothers and their purity rings, Jordin Sparks took to the stage to present an award. With a slightly surprised John Legend at her side, Sparks proclaimed to the world how she felt about Brand’s comments.
“I just have one thing to say about promise rings, ” she said during the telecast. “It’s not bad to wear a promise ring, because not everybody ‘†guy or girl ‘†wants to be a slut.”
Carrie Underwood shines at the Grand Ole Opry
Last night, Carrie Underwood took the stage for the 7:00 and 9:30 performances at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. Underwood was joined by country music legends Little Jimmy Dickens, Bill Anderson and Clay Walker. Bill Anderson, who took the stage two hours into the show, before Underwood’s set, came out to announce ‘Welcome to the Carrie Underwood show!’
Reviews | Daughtry, The Mars Volta, The Dead Weather and more
American Idol finalist Chris Daughtry never met a clich he couldn’t steamroll his way over on angst-driven post-grunge rock. That was forgivable on his band’s 2006 debut because you figured he probably didn’t have that much say in its direction.
However, this baggage is damnable on Leave This Town, the sound-alike follow-up to the quadruple-platinum Daughtry.
Leave This Town is maddeningly generic and predictable. Hey, big dumb rock doesn’t have to strive for Art. Chickenfoot’s no-frills retro rawk, for instance, is a blast to crank while you try to drive 55.
SF AIDS benefit features Jersey Boys, American Idol stars
What “Help Is On The Way” is known for are appearances by name entertainers who, while they give their time for free, put in knock-you-outta-your-seat performances. Cast performers from the musical “The Jersey Boys” have graced the stage in the past and this year, show star John Lloyd Young comes in. The show has also been the focal point for “American Idol” stars and this year is no exception. Melinda Dolittle, who wowed Idol audiences in season six, and now has a new album called “Coming Back to You”, will be joining the cast as well as the amazing Joely Fisher. Fisher’s currently in a new Fox TV show called “Til Death” and is on “Desperate Housewives” as well, in addition to a wealth of credits on TV shows like “Normal, Ohio” and movies like “Inspector Gadget”. I had the pleasure of meeting Fisher at last year’s event; what an incredibly nice person she was to go with her many accomplishments.
Is this Simon Cowell’s new girlfriend? Brunette make-up artist his plus one at birthday bash
When you’re one of the world’s most eligible bachelors there is little hope of remaining single for long.
And so, a year after making public his split from long-term love Terri Seymour, Simon Cowell appears to have been snapped up.
A peak at the guest list for his surprise 50th birthday bash at the weekend revealed that his plus one was Mezghan Hussainy, a U.S. make-up artist who works on American Idol.
Mystery over Simon Cowell’s relationship with party ‘plus one’ Mezhgan Hussainy
With a stunning brunette on his arm, it was little wonder Simon Cowell looking so pleased with himself on Saturday.
Mezhgan Hussainy flew in to London to attend a party with the X Factor boss at the weekend ‘ and set tongues wagging about their relationship.
The 36-year-old, who is a make-up artist on American Idol, was down as Cowell’s ‘plus one’ for a birthday bash for his old flame Jackie St Clair.
Sources close to Mezhgan ‘ pronounced Mish-gone ‘ say she has a ‘unique friendship’ with her boss and they share the same sense of humour.
Simon’s so vain, I bet he thinks this song is about him
She had always kept the real subject of her 1972 No 1 a secret – although it is widely believed to be about her actor ex Warren Beatty.
But on Saturday Simon’s pal Piers Morgan got Carly on the phone to talk via a loudspeaker at the bash. She told guests: “I was re-recording the song in the studio the other week and I was at the piano. I just thought, ‘Of course, this song is all about Simon Cowell.'”
ETA:
Nobody is Happy About Kelly’s Already Gone
The clip was directed by Joseph Kahn, who during the shooting of the clip complained via Twitter, ‘I don’t think I won a single battle’ ; after the video leaked over the weekend, he gave a cryptic statement about whether or not his vision would be fully realized, saying, ‘That meatloaf is already cooked, and my hand hurts from everyone slapping my spices away.’ I guess not everything can be as crowning an artistic achievement as the clip for the Pussycat Dolls’ ‘When I Grow Up.’
