A music video for the James Durbin single, “Love Me Bad” is currently in production with Roman White at the helm. (White directed Scotty McCreery’s latest video)
Adam Lambert’s episode of “Majors and Minors” debuts on the HUB Network on Sunday October 30. 7/6c pm.
Kelly Clarkson will perform at this year’s Z100 Jingle Ball at Madison Square Garden on December 9.
Kelly Clarkson is the celebrity Guest Editor at MSN. Check out her picks HERE.
MP’s Kiana “Kiki” Brown wins Kidz Bop talent search
Students were in for a surprise when they were asked to attend an impromptu assembly this Friday afternoon. Freshman, Kiana “Kiki” Brown was possibly the most surprised of all.
Friday, Brown received the news at a school-wide assembly that she had won the Kidz Bop Talent Search. Friends, family, and MP students were present to congratulate the budding star.
Also in attendance, was American Idol winner Kris Allen, who told Azcentral.com, “I love how [her] voice seems so effortless. [She uses] the dynamics of your voice very well.”
Read more at MP Voice of the Pride
American Idol: With Scotty McCreery’s Successful Debut, Did Universal Learn From Sony’s Mistakes?
“Nobody had a clue what to expect, ” says Brian Wright, head of A&R at Mercury Nashville, the label that signed the deep-voiced McCreery as well as Alaina. “We’re absolutely thrilled.” Credit resilient country music fans, who continue to buy physical product, along with a youthful fanbase, and… Idol perma-mentor and Interscope Geffen A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine.
“He didn’t want to wait six to eight months, Jimmy wanted the record out sooner rather than later, ” adds Wright. Previous Idol albums were typically released in November or December — although season 9’s Casey James, who signed with Sony Music Nashville in August 2010, has yet to announce a street date for his debut.
Read more at the Hollywood Reporter
Crystal Bowersox, Lee DeWyze both dropped by their record label: For ‘Idol’, what a difference a year makes
Perhaps the better numbers are a result of country audiences more willingly buying whole albums than pop listeners, or perhaps Scotty and Lauren benefited from October release dates, rather than the more competitive mid-November (Lee) and December (Crystal) dates of their predecessors. Or maybe audiences just like them more—after all, Scotty and Lauren fit into the smiley, bright-eyed, big-dreaming mold of American Idol better than the more subdued Bowersox and DeWyze.
Whatever the reason, McCreery and Alaina (and hopefully Haley Reinhart one day soon!) are re-establishing American Idol as a brand that can produce stars—so long as they aren’t named Pia Toscano, of course. She just never really happened, did she?
Read more at EW
Carrie Underwood Shows Up at Jeff Foxworthy-Led Fundraiser
Only in Nashville might Carrie Underwood just pop up at a fundraising function.
Comedian Jeff Foxworthy hosted an event for Rocketown, a Christian-themed “safe” hangout for teens that includes a music venue, skate park and coffee shop.
Carrie was there as the plus one for her husband, Mike Fisher, a player for the NHL Nashville Predators. And—this gets confusing, so follow closely—the Predators’ head coach is best buds with a manager for Christian music star Michael W. Smith, who is a big supporter of Rocketown. Whew!
Read more at Country Weekly
Carrie Underwood Goes Casual for Redneck Rally
t’s rare that we see Carrie Underwood dressed down. Typically, the ‘Before He Cheats’ hitmaker is leggy in short-but-classy dresses and heels, dressed her best for the red carpet with her hair and makeup perfectly primped. On Thursday, however, Underwood kept it casual for the 2011 Redneck Rally for Rocketown in Nashville, sporting an oversized plaid pearl snap shirt and a simple pair of jeans, her hair hanging down in loose curls.
See the photos at Taste of Country
Reinventing Adam Lambert, the Outtakes
The Advocate: When did you first know that you could sing?
Adam Lambert: I had been doing children’s theater for a while, at a theater company in San Diego and we were doing a production of Fiddler on the Roof. There’s this part the Russian soldier who sings this big powerful operatic solo in the middle of the song “L’Chaim” and I’d been cast in that role, and I just opened my mouth. You have to hold this one kind of high powerful note for a long time, for dramatic effect, and I just remember this director was like, “Wow, ” and stopped me had me do it again, used it as instruction for the other kids. When I finally did it in front of an audience I heard a few gasps. It was children’s theater so the level of expectation was kind of low. So that was the first time I went wow, maybe this is something I’m better at than the other kids. I’m good at something.
Read more at Advocate.com
Adam Lambert & Producer Nile Rogers
Adam Lambert tweeted, “Working with the Legend @nilerodgers in NYC today!!” Nile Rogers tweeted, “Hey Adam! Today was total madness- I could have played and hung with you ALL DAY! The record is gonna be great- Talk soon”
Hawaiian Variety Act Society of Seven With Jasmine Trias Returns to Suncoast
Formed in Hawaii and perfected in showrooms throughout Las Vegas and the Islands, Society of Seven brings its lively variety show to the Suncoast Showroom November 12 and 13. Joined by season three “American Idol” finalist Jasmine Trias, Society of Seven will perform each evening at 7:30 p.m.
Read more at Broadway World
‘The X Factor’: L.A. Reid on boys he’ll coach, Simon and Nicole’s selections, and those ratings
On Simon’s selection of The Girls: “I would have made some different choices.”
On Dexter Haygood advancing instead of worthy singers Elaine Gibbs or Tiger Budbill in the Over 30s: “I respect Nicole’s decision to put Dexter through. He’s clearly an artist. I would say it’s not so much a focus on spectacle. It’s more like giving someone an opportunity to rebound.
Read more at EW
