Idol Headlines for 12/03/09

Grammy Nominations Special: Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift Lead Pack

The nominees for the 52nd annual Grammy Awards were announced Wednesday night (December 2) in Los Angeles, with a star-studded telecast/concert headlined by Nick Jonas (and his brand-new band the Administration), the Black Eyed Peas and Maxwell, but that paled in comparison to the names that scored noms.

Beyonc, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, Eminem, Drake, the Kings of Leon and Green Day were just some of the artists who landed early Grammy nods Wednesday night ‘” the full list of nominees was posted on Grammy.com following the telecast ‘” setting the stage for a very big night Sunday, January 31.

MTV

Allison Iraheta Was Free To Do ‘My Own Thing’ On Just Like You

The road to post-“American Idol” glory is paved with cautionary tales, perhaps none more cautionary than that of Diana DeGarmo, the runner-up during the show’s third season.

One of the youngest ‘” and most talented ‘” “Idol” contestants, she was inked to RCA Records in 2004 and released Blue Skies, a glossy pop album she had little creative control over (in a recent interview, she complained that RCA ignored her suggestions about songwriting partners almost entirely) and one that effectively ended her career. It debuted at #52 on the Billboard 200, then, without the benefit of a hit single, quickly disappeared. Nearly five years later, it has sold fewer than 200, 000 copies, and DeGarmo is starring in an off-Broadway production of “The Toxic Avenger.”

MTV

ABC shuts Adam Lambert out of ‘Kimmel’: Is the FCC to blame?

That naughty American Music Awards performance isn’t going to be behind Adam Lambert anytime soon.

Even after his well-received performance on “The Early Show” last week, ABC continues to feel uncomfortable around Lambert. His Dec. 17 “Jimmy Kimmel Live” appearance was canceled today–news Lambert himself delivered on his Twitter page an hour ago.

The performance on Kimmel’s live stage was scheduled before Lambert made his now infamous debut on the AMAs on Nov. 22. In one of his tweets about the matter, Lambert told his fans not to blame ABC but rather “It’s the FCC heat.”

It’s not clear whether ABC told Lambert to put the blame there or if the “American Idol” runner-up is making his own assumptions. But we do know the following: The FCC doesn’t monitor programming after 10 p.m. Don’t believe us? The following is an excerpt from its website:

LA Times

More Idol Headlines After the JUMP…

Walters spotlights year’s Most Fascinating People

Barbara Walters thinks this year’s roster of fascinating people is a little edgier, more current and less obvious than usual.

Of course, the fact that she’s compiling a new list is no surprise. Airing Dec. 9 at 10 p.m. EST on ABC, “Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009” is her 17th edition.

But the choices this time, she says, “are hopefully more adventurous, ” in contrast to last year’s, which (boasting the likes of Michael Phelps, Tom Cruise, Tina Fey, Barack Obama) seemed to come together naturally.

Here’s glam rocker Adam Lambert, speaking with Walters on the heels of his racy performance at ABC’s American Music Awards _ and getting dropped from an appearance on the same network’s “Good Morning America.”

“We said, ‘Should we have done Adam Lambert or should we have done Taylor Swift?’ And then he did this huge thing (on the awards show) and we said, ‘Ah! We got the fascinating one!'”

Phillyburbs

Do Adam Lambert And Howie Mandel Share A Stylist?

Last week, Adam Lambert sat down with MTV News’ Jim Cantiello for an extended conversation about a variety of topics, including the development of his new album For Your Entertainment, his controversial performance at the American Music Awards, the aftermath of “American Idol, ” his new music video and a host of other topics. (If you want to catch up with any of the excellent Lambert footage that came out of that interview, be sure to check out “Extended Play: Adam Lambert.”)

MTV

Adam Lambert Finds His ‘Strut’ On Debut Album

Adam Lambert is certainly a confident performer, so when the time came to write songs for his debut LP, For Your Entertainment, he wanted to capture that confidence on record. The “Idol” runner-up sat down with judge Kara DioGuardi, and the pair decided that the best way to describe Lambert’s swagger was with a single word: strut.

But as the two were writing the song, they realized that it meant so much more than that. “Like with Kara, for example, we wrote ‘Strut’ together with Greg Wells, and the idea of strut was actually her concept, ” Lambert told MTV News. “I told him I wanted to do a song that was real glam-rock.”

MTV

Adam Lambert Recalls One-Night Stands With Help From Muse

Adam Lambert worked with everyone from Rivers Cuomo to Pink to the Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins to “Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi on his new album, For Your Entertainment. But one song, “Soaked, ” written by Muse singer Matthew Bellamy, felt especially personal for the “Idol” runner-up.

“Soaked to the bone/ And sink like a stone/ Walk home alone/ It’s not the first time/It’s not the worst crime/ Your soul will be OK, ” Lambert sings in the track.

MTV

Susan Boyle, Top Seller, Shakes Up CD Trends

For most of Susan Boyle’s fans, buying her new album last week meant getting a shrink-wrapped CD, not a download.

Only 6 percent of the sales for ‘I Dreamed a Dream’  were digital downloads, far below the industry’s overall ratio of physical to digital sales. As recently as three years ago CDs ‘” which are more profitable for record labels than downloads are ‘” accounted for 94 percent of the market. But by the middle of this year that share had slipped to about 77 percent. The previous week’s No. 1 release, John Mayer’s ‘Battle Studies’  (Columbia), sold a notable 45 percent of its opening-week 286, 000 copies digitally.

NY Times.com

Festive entertainment | ‘American Idol’ finalists in concert at Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center

The ‘American Idol’  stars will take the stage at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center to treat the audience to festive Christmas music.

It’s part of the ‘American Stars in Concert for the Holidays’  tour that features a combination of four of the Top 12 finalists from seasons one through eight.

Four ‘Idol’  performers will present solo, duet and ensemble performances at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at the arts center, 450 Schoolhouse Road in Richland Township.

Tribune-Democrat.com

‘American Idol’ winner Jordin Sparks singing at 2009 National Tree Lighting

The annual White House Tree Lighting is Thursday, Dec. 3 and “American Idol” season 6 winner Jordin Sparks will be on hand to sing.

Jordin is just one of several artists invited to the ceremony, which is traditionally when the President brings a message of peace to the nation before the giant White House Christmas tree is lit.

Zap2it

Kellie Pickler Will Appear at CMA Event for Music Education in Nashville Schools

Kellie Pickler will present a donation from the CMA’s Keep the Music Playing fund on Tuesday (Dec. 8) during a holiday concert by Nashville Metro Public School students who have benefited from the program. Pickler will also introduce some of the performers during the event at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Tickets are only available to parents of the performers. The Keep the Music Playing program donates proceeds from the CMA Music Festival to area schools for music education.

CMT

Kimberly Locke and Nikki Blonsky: Caroling Channel

MYFOXNY.COM – Singer Kimberly Locke and actress Nikki Blonsky come to GDNY to discuss their involvement in singing and coaching New Yorkers to sing Christmas carols to the support launch of Marshalls and T.J. Maxx “Carol-oke” contest.

Fans can record their own holiday caroling video in a green screen recording booth. Videos get uploaded and featured on YouTube’s Caroling Channel.

My FOX NY

David Archuleta brings Christmas tour to Rexburg

Of all the shows David Archuleta has lined up, one of the most anticipated for him is Rexburg.

“I am so excited to come to Idaho, ” Archuleta said. “They’ve always been so supportive. I have to say thanks.”

Archuleta has his first Christmas album out, “Christmas from the Heart, ” and that will be the focus of his concert tour stop here on Friday.

Standard Journal

David Archuleta bringing in the Christmas spirit

He wasn’t the David who took home the “American Idol” crown in 2008, but that hasn’t hurt Season 7 second-place finisher David Archuleta. Archuleta, who turns 19 this month, laughs frequently and charmingly, and speaks passionately about his desire to communicate his personality through music. One of his passions is Christmas music, which led to him to release a holiday album, “Christmas from the Heart.”

“Christmas music is one of my favorite types of music, ” he said. “Having your own arrangement of those songs and having an orchestra play on the album was really neat to do. Hopefully this will mean something to people this time of year.”

Pioneer Local

Carrie on cover

Who’s on the cover of the World Almanac and Book of Facts 2010 ($12.99) alongside President Barack and Michelle Obama? It’s Oklahoma native, ‘American Idol’  winner and all-around country superstar Carrie Underwood.

Underwood, originally from Checotah, is joined on the cover by the Obamas in an inauguration day photo and Mark Buehrle, the White Sox baseball player who pitched a perfect game this past year, just the 18th in Major League Baseball history.

Musgokee Phoenix

NY1 Theater Review: “Dreamgirls”

The 1981 hit musical “Dreamgirls” is back on the theater scene and recently opened at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem. NY1’s Roma Torre filed the following review.

“Dreamgirls” will forever have to compete with its original legendary self. That landmark 1981 production directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett set the bar so high, nothing short of reincarnation would satisfy its most ardent fans. But I’m happy to report that the revival, staged at the Apollo Theatre where it all begins, is plenty dreamy in its own right.

She had me the moment her titanic chops wrapped themselves around that first lyric of her first song. “She” of course is the mega talent playing Effie at the center of this electric production. And while it’s playing way off Broadway in Harlem, the show hits enough high notes to make it Broadway caliber.

NY1.com

Gift Of Reading: Syesha donates $25K for reading program at Daughtrey

MANATEE ‘” Syesha Mercado, the Sarasota songstress who last year was a runner-up during the popular TV show ‘American Idol, ‘  has donated $25, 000 worth of equipment to a local school for a program in which children learn to read with musical help from a computer.

About 100 students in an after-school tutoring program at Blanche H. Daughtrey Preparatory School of Arts & Sciences ‘” where Mercado once was a student ‘” will participate in a study of the program’s effectiveness, officials said Wednesday during a presentation.

Bradenton.com

‘Grease’ is slick, shiny and shallow

Has there ever been a long-running musical more superficial than “Grease?”

It reduces one of the most complex decades of American history, the 1950s, to a jumble of faux-nostalgic memories of sock hops and souped-up cars.

You’d look in vain for anti-Communist scares, civil rights, rebellion against conformity or the rise of real rock ‘n’ roll – the hard-edged kind, born of rhythm ‘n’ blues and practiced by everyone from Chuck Berry to Elvis Presley. The plot has just one mini-crisis, a suspected pregnancy solved with an “It was a false alarm” reference.

Charlotte Observer

12 finalists perform at Lincoln Theater Saturday

This Saturday, 12 ‘American Idol’  finalists star in ‘American Christmas’  at Lincoln Theater Napa Valley in Yountville.

Similar to the popular television program ‘American Idol, ‘  this production features artists that span several musical genres including pop, country and rock.

The talented, rising, young vocal music stars and audience favorites performing are Alexis Stone Lopez, Amy Davis, Brandon Rogers, Chikezie, Haley Scarnato, Jasmine Trias, Lindsey Cardinale, Nikki McKibbin, Nikko Smith, RJ Helton, Sundance and Trenyce.

Napa Valley Register

X Factor: Olly Murs ‘gutted’ at missing twin brother’s wedding

Despite a last-ditch appeal, the 25-year-old singer has been told he can’t attend brother Ben’s wedding this weekend to fiance Amy.

But the 3pm wedding, in Chemlsford, Essex on Saturday, clashes with the semi-final’s ‘vital’  dress rehearsal.

He had already been told he could not miss the rehearsals, but Murs made a last ditch appeal to the show’s producers to allow him to take a couple of hours off to attend.

Telegraph.co.uk

X Factor: Simon Cowell ‘chooses Miley Cyrus tune for winner’s song’

THE X Factor winner’s first single will be Miley Cyrus’ The Climb, according to reports.
X Factor judge Simon Cowell is believed to have chosen The Climb – a hit single by Miley Cyrus – for the show’s winner to release this Christmas.

According to a tabloid newspaper, the final four X Factor contestants have started rehearsing their own versions of the Hannah Montana single after the decision was made yesterday.

OK.co.uk

‘So You Think You Can Dance’ recap: Viewers’ Choice

Whew, that was close. For a second there, I was afraid that there was going to be a huge upset, and that America had gotten it very very wrong.

Of course, this was the week where the judges relinquished their control to the masses and the voters took the wheel and decided who stayed and who didn’t in this competition. It’s always a crapshoot. How’s it going to go? Does everyone else like the same people I do? What’s going to happen now that some of our beloved couples have been split up? And midway through the program it dawned on me that we were veering in a horribly wrong direction and I had half a mind to stop this car right now! if the voters didn’t behave and get back on course.

Entertainment Weekly

Ratings: Obama’s Afghanistan Speech Pulls More Viewers than Past Addresses

NBC, however, took the night’s top spot in the 18-to-49 demographic, with Part 1 of its Biggest Loser season finale (10 million viewers). A two-hour So You Think You Can Dance pulled in 5.8 million viewers for Fox, while the CW’s 90210 (2.2 million) and Melrose Place (1.4 million) held steady.

Seattlepi.com

‘So You Think You Can Dance’: Only going to get harder from here

It’s not going to get any easier from here on out, folks. If you thought Wednesday night’s elimination was difficult, just know that sooner rather than later one of your favorites is most likely to be cut from “So You Think You Can Dance.” The good news, if there is any, is that this season must be strong if there are so many dancers whom I can’t imagine not being in the competition.

Perhaps to temper the bad news, the show offered some wonderful performances, starting with the Tyce Diorio Broadway routine that kicked off the episode. Sure, it was a little hard to believe the crew as a tough “West Side Story”-style gang when Billy Joel’s “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” was playing, but the top 10 really seemed to have a fun time with it (especially Ashleigh and Ryan Di Lello, who enjoyed a major kiss in the middle of the dance). All in all it was leathery, campy, Adam Lambert-style fun.

LA Times

About mj santilli 34841 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!