Today Idol headlines after the jump ¦
YES I use Botox, NO I am not gay: Simon Cowell’s frankest interview
….Interestingly, he tells me that he considers himself shy. TV, he says, has given him the ability to walk into a room and be able to bypass the initial small-talk unease.
But during our chat, his eyes flash most when he is talking about the pain he feels when someone – anyone – does better than him. It’s what drives him, made him – and it’s what he hopes to see in someone else’s eyes every Saturday night on The X Factor.
“I don’t like the idea that other people in this business might be doing better than me. That really bugs me – I mean really bugs me. It’s what drives me on. It’s not just about what acts I sign, and how much money I make.
“It’s probably unhealthy, but without that drive I don’t think you can do this job. If you are happy to see someone who does the same thing as you do well – even someone within your own company – then you haven’t got it, simple as that.
“If you look into Madonna’s eyes – or Whitney Houston’s when she was at her peak – you see something there that other people haven’t got. It’s a steel, a sense of ‘I am going to do it, whatever happens’. It’s not necessarily a good character trait to have, but if you are going to make it in this business, you need it.” ….
Blake Lewis: Influenced by Taco?
‹It like an 80s mix tape, says the ‹Idol runner-up of his new album
The beatboxing runner-up from …American Idol season 6, Blake Lewis, will release his debut album …Audio Day Dream, Dec. 4.
The spiky blond singer hooked up with a host of talent for the release including Lupe Fiasco and Blake …Idol pal Chris Richardson. He also worked with Ryan …Alias Tedder of OneRepublic, who co-wrote with Lewis and Sam Watters, the album first single …Break Anotha.
Tedder who alongside Timbaland currently has the number one song on the digital singles chart ‘ …Apologize, co-wrote much of the material on Lewis debut album with the …Idol alum…….
Blake Lewis to Release Debut Album ‘Audio Day Dream’ on 19 Recordings / Arista Records on December 4th, 2007
FIRST SINGLE ‘BREAK ANOTHA’ DEBUTED DIRECTLY TO FANS VIA SAY NOW
Blake Lewis, the popular finalist on the sixth season of “American Idol, ” will release his debut album Audio Day Dream on 19 Recordings / Arista Records on December 4th, 2007. The album will feature the single “Break Anotha” co-written by OneRepublic’s Ryan “Alias” Tedder, Sam Watters and Lewis and produced by Tedder (Timbaland, Leona Lewis) which will go to radio this week.
“Blake knows music, is deeply involved and connected with the process and we all had a ball making this album. The results are so gratifying. Blake comes to the fore as a totally fresh, creative, edgy and bold new artist, poised to break through right out of the gate, ” comments Clive Davis, Chairman and CEO BMG Label Group.
Tedder and Lewis co-wrote and Tedder produced numerous other tracks on the debut including “Gots To Get Her” (Inspired by “Puttin’ On The Ritz”), “Hate 2 Love Her, ” “Know My Name” featuring Lupe Fiasco (co-written by Tedder, Josh Hoge and Lewis), “Surrender” (co-written by Tedder and E. Kidd Bogart), and “I Got U.” In addition, Jonathan “JR” Rotem, (who worked with Rihanna on her No. 1 single “SOS”) produced and co-wrote the track “What’cha Got 2 Lose?” along with Lewis and his Idol co-finalist Chris Richardson.
“This album is exactly how I wanted it to come out. It’s like an ’80s mix tape, with some hip-hop and electronic influences. I wanted to make a record where every song sounds like it could be on the radio, but my radio. 2000-’80s Blake radio is what I call it, ” Lewis says……
Nick Cokas and Katharine McPhee Engaged…And Expecting?
American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee announced that she is engaged to cradle-robber actor Nick Cokas. But now some media outlets are speculating that Mcphee, 23, is also pregnant with her first child with Cokas, 43.
As you can see by the picture where she’s holding her stomach, she seems to be experiencing a little pregnancy nausea. Either that or she just heard Taylor Hicks’ new CD.
Also, McPhee has been seen lately wearing huge, loose-fitting shirts, the first sure sign of pregnancy. Or bad taste.
Dave on Demand | More annoying than what we can stand
….Girls go to Jupiter. Are we celebrating stupidity now? This week I saw former American Idol ditz Kellie Pickler get stumped on Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? with the question “Budapest is the capital of what European country?” “I thought Europe was a country, ” said Kellie to convulsive laughter….
‘Idol’ alum headlines KSC show
….At 4 p.m. today, see country singer Josh Gracin, who came to attention on “American Idol” and followed up with hits including “I Want To Live.”
TV king Simon Cowell
…..Weekend financial journalist Duncan Farmer said: “It’s the 47-year-old’s continuing success in the US, particularly with ‘American Idol’ – a show watched by 41 million Americans every week – that has really helped to fill the Cowell coffers.
“A recent report in an US magazine estimated the ‘American Idol’ and ‘X Factor’ brands could be worth as much as £750million for Cowell.”
Simon’s fellow ‘X Factor’ judge Sharon Osbourne and her husband Ozzy – who both starred in MTV reality show ‘The Osbournes’ – saw their collective riches equal Simon’s….
Can You Duet? CMT Thinks So
CMT and FremantleMedia North America – the producers of American Idol ‘ are set to hold an open-call audition Jan. 12, 2008, in Nashville to find contestants for their new music competition show Can You Duet?
Performers can also audition via videotaped submission. Slated for spring 2008, the weekly series is designed to find the best country-music duet in America.
Unlike other talent competition shows, each contestant will compete as part of a duo. As a result, viewers will witness first-hand all the on and off-stage drama to be had in creating a dynamic musical duet.
In addition to critiquing each performance and deciding who will advance to the next round, the judges (who have to be announced) will serve as mentors to guide, groom and develop the duets along the way…
