Adam Lambert Afraid Fans Won’t Buy his Music
Following a controversial performance at the American Music Awards, Adam Lambert speaks out about his fears for the future and gets some much needed defense from his American Idol alum while catching a few performances at Z100’s Jingle Ball concert last night.
Lambert admits to being scared, ‘That people won’t want to buy the rest of my music; that people will stop being interested. I think that’s my biggest fear, ‘ the 26-year old vocalist tells reporters on Friday in NYC.
American Idol winner draws small crowd
The kind of crowd Ruben Studdard drew for a concert in Monroe Saturday night was not befitting an American idol.
Fewer than 150 persons turned out for the performance by Mr. Studdard, who was propelled to fame when he won TV’s American Idol contest in 2003, outpolling Clay Aiken.
“I’m disappointed, ” said Gerald Richards, a promoter whose Soul Lyfe Entertainment brought Mr. Studdard to the River Raisin Centre for the Arts to cap an evening of entertainment meant to raise funds for the Monroe Center Cancer Connection. He said he wasn’t sure the event proceeds would cover the expenses.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
When Adam Lambert sang ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which fights against prejudice, bigotry and anti-Semitism, gave its highest honors, America’s Democratic Legacy Award, to Steven for his influential work which reflects his status as a ‘true champion of human rights’ and for his philanthropic efforts.
Singing before a crowd packed with Hollywood’s most powerful suits, from Jeffrey Katzenberg, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy to Stacey Snider, Adam put his individual stamp on the US national anthem toward the end when, as expected these days, he added vocal embellishments. The audience gave Adam a thunderous ovation for his soaring a cappella rendition.
Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, More Play To Screaming Tweens At Jingle Ball
NEW YORK ‘†As the lights went down at Z100’s Jingle Ball on Friday night, giant screens played a countdown video instructing the nearly sold-out crowd to scream. These teens and tweens needed no encouragement. They screamed for each new act, for Taylor Swift and John Mayer, for Kris Allen and Pitbull, for Boys Like Girls and Jordin Sparks and the Fray.
But at Madison Square Garden, the evening indisputably belonged to pint-size pop-throb Justin Bieber. When the 15-year-old limped onstage in a walking cast to join Sparks for “No Air, ” the crowd disgorged a collective shriek so deafening it needs to be harnessed by peacekeeping agencies to be used for crowd-control purposes.
Jennifer Hudson Determined to Spread Holiday Cheer
“It hurts me so when I see people like, ‘Whatever, Christmas is just another day, ‘” the self-proclaimed “holiday fanatic” told PEOPLE over the phone Friday. “I’m that person who’s going to go over there and get you into the holiday spirit. And that’s how I’ve always been.”
With that kind of attitude, it’s no surprise the Academy Award winner plans to help audiences across the country get into the spirit Monday with her first televised holiday special. Jennifer Hudson: I’ll be Home for Christmas features musical performances shot on location in Hudson’s native Chicago: the local church where she got her start singing in the choir and the music academy where she studied, among other places. Hudson will also introduce audiences to her family, former teachers and childhood friends.
Life after reality TV: Shannon ‘Shambo’ Waters, Blake Lewis, Jason Mesnick and more
“Stay true to yourself, ” Lewis now advises wannabe reality-show contestants. “Smile for television and never be negative.”
The 28-year-old released his second album on Tommy Boy Records last month. RCA Records dropped him when staff who worked on his first album were fired, but it may have been for the best. The show celebrated his individuality, but the label “boxed him in, ” he said.
Now, instead of looking outside for acceptance, the Bothell beatboxer is concentrating on his roots. Lewis is currently producing a compilation album filled with such local stars as the Blue Scholars.
“This time around I have a better album and a better attitude, ” said Lewis.
Kellie Pickler wows Civic Center crowd
As the throng of country music fans waited outside the Dothan Civic Center Saturday in the freezing rain, it appeared evident concert officials had made a wise decision.
Originally, it was to be a crowning event for Country Crossing. Kellie Pickler had been picked to christen the venue’s brand new Celebrity Station Amphitheater in front of thousands of screaming fans. Afterwards, many were expected to walk over to the electronic bingo pavilion for several more hours of festivities.
5. ‘American Idol’ justifies its existence: Once thought to be a hacky TV talent show, the British-born spectacle of dreams realized and crushed mercilessly has not only become a hit in its own right, but done what it said it would: Produce pop culture phenomenons. There’s pop stalwart Kelly Clarkson, country heavyweight Carrie Underwood, rock god Chris Daughtry, fan fave Clay Aiken and current headline grabber Adam Lambert. And let’s not forget the show’s biggest crossover success, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, who Simon Cowell famously predicted would have a limited career. See, the show’s so big, even the show can’t predict how far their alumni can go!
Best songs of 2009
19. Kelly Clarkson, ‘My Life Would Suck Without You’
‘I’m nothing without you, ‘ our favorite pop belter sang on this long (long!) awaited return to form, and it was as if she was singing it right to Max Martin and Dr. Luke, the pop masterminds behind ‘Since U Been Gone’ and this track and pretty much everything else that’s ever been worthy of Clarkson’s golden pipes. Welcome back, Kelly! No more ‘My December’ moments, OK?
Review: Taylor Hicks rocks another ‘market’
A mighty force pinned Taylor Hicks to his chair Friday night at the High Noon Saloon. He did his best to fight it — squirming in the seat, kicking at the floor, sliding and jerking his chair around — and all the while belting out blues and rock with technical brilliance.
In or out of a chair, Hicks knows how to lay it down. Backed by an ace trio, Hicks sculpted songs with strong-armed bellows and sly nudges. His raucous “Forever Man” and Nick Lowe’s “I Live on a Battlefield” sparked with feeling, with no small help from Brian Less’ pounding keyboard and Sam Gunderson’s slithering guitar solos. Hicks didn’t pick up his harmonica until late in the show on “What’s Right Is Right, ” then let loose on it with screaming, fluttering blues.
Taylor Hicks, From ‘American Idol’ To Teen Angel In ‘Grease’
Taylor Hicks, Season 5 winner of “American Idol, ” is enjoying his run as the Teen Angel in the national tour of Grease, a role he began last summer.
“I love touring, ” said Hicks, “in whatever shape or form touring comes in, whether it be Broadway or music, I’m very accustomed to it as I have lived on the road now for four years solid since my victory on ‘Idol’.”
We chatted with Hicks by phone from Madison, Wis., during a major snow storm there.
Happy Birthday, Brandon Rogers!
Season 6’s Brandon Rogers started his career in the music industry as a backup vocalist performing with some of the biggest pop artists including Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Anastacia. While on American Idol, Brandon received much praise for his smooth R&B vocals and he made it all the way to the Top 12.
‘The X Factor’: Why it matters who wins
You’ll know the result by bedtime tomorrow tonight. If you care, that is.
This weekend sees another lumbering monster of a talent show shuddering to its climax. It is safe to assume that before the sixth series of The X Factor ends, someone will have cried, someone used the phrase ‘an incredible journey’ , and Simon Cowell will have smiled a crocodile smile.
Depending on who is voted off tonight, the victor could be Olly from Essex, Stacey from Dagenham, or Joe from South Shields.
X Factor: Joe McElderry and Olly Murs go head-to-head in the final
Joe McElderry, the favourite to win The X Factor, will go head-to-head in the final with Olly Murs.
The pair will now battle it out for the title this evening and the chance to win a recording contract and, in all likelihood, the Christmas number one.
Joe, the Geordie 18-year-old went through last night after show-stopping performances of Dance With My Father, Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word and Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me in a duet with George Michael.
Stacey Solomon leaves The X Factor
Simon Cowell’s heaped praise on Stacey Solomon week after week on The X Factor.
The single mum from Dagenham is now out of the contest but sources say the music mogul can’t wait to turn her into the next Leona Lewis.
He is rumoured to have huge plans for Stacey, including a game plan to break the US over the next 12 months once the show finishes tomorrow.
‘Simon’s made it clear that he’ll make her a star, ‘ reveals a show insider. ‘And if anyone can make it happen, it’s him.
X Factor viewers ‘not happy’ with winners song choice
X Factor fans are “not happy” with Simon Cowell’s choice for the winner’s song. It has been reported that the music mogul has chosen the Miley Cyrus ballad `The Climb’.
A poll undertaken by the online bingo site 888ladies.com revealed that 66% are unhappy with the song and don’t think it’s a good choice.
It has been revealed that Miley’s version of the song has been pulled from the Grammy nominations list and been replaced by a song by Yeah Yeah’s Karen O.
Simon’s busy buddy mentor
SIMON Cowell pays a secret “right-hand” man to mentor his X Factor wannabes because he is too busy to do it himself, we can reveal.
The show boss – mentor to the over-25s this year – relies on fellow music mogul Tim Byrne to oversee his acts’ song choices and rehearsals during the week.
Former contestant Lucie Jones, 18, has revealed how Simon, who has scores of other projects on the go here and in the US, leaves his mentoring to Tim and said that was the real reason why he fought with axed Jamie Afro.
Revealed – The eBay traders earning a fortune from Susan Boyle
SIMON COWELL has threatened to sue an army of bootleggers making millions of pounds from fake Susan Boyle gear.
The music mogul has ordered his lawyers to investigate the sale of hundreds of items featuring the singing sensation’s image.
And last night internet auction site eBay apologised over the sale of T-shirts and boxer shorts bearing crude sexual slogans about the spinster superstar.
Cowell’s spokesman Max Clifford slammed the sale of unofficial SuBo items as “despicable profiteering making unscrupulous people millions of pounds”.
He said: “Susan has had a wonderful year and I know she’ll be upset about some of this stuff, especially as it may be fooling fans into thinking it has something to do with her.
