New Music From Madonna AND Gwen AND Rihanna!!!! And The Jonas Brothers Too!
Timbaland is coming out with a new album, and – once again – the record is brimming with some A-list superstars!
Shock Value: Volume 2, the follow-up to his 2007 release, is due in stores February 14th, and once again features his frequent collaborator Justin Timberdouche.
Other guests on the album include T-Pain, Akon, Jay-Z, Linkin Park, Dr. Dre, Missy Elliot, Jordin Sparks, T.I., Flo-Rida, and Coolio.
Happy birthday, David Archuleta!
As of Sunday, David Archuleta is a man. Legal to vote and to drink in Argentina, Estonia, Hong Kong, Moldova and Sweden — but not in the U.S. Legal to appear on television shows without having to do hours of tutor-supervised studies. And now legally of age to marry in all 50 of the United States.
Needless to say, his 17th year was momentous for Archuleta, rocketing out of nowhere to become the instant leader of the greatest movement “American Idol” has every known; a million selling single; an album that should turn gold momentarily. Lately Archuleta has been making Christmas appearances just about everywhere on Earth.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Top Idol stories of the year
I meant to post this a week ago but I didnt have access so here are my top 10 …Idol-related stories of 2008, in no particular order. On Tuesday, I will post my top 10 personal favorite stories from dealing with the …Idols directly.
Fan Mail David Archuleta
We Asked David Archuleta fans what THEY wanted to know about the “Crush”-worthy star. Did your question make the cut?
The Broadway Year of Clay Aiken
Thousands love him. Others chastise. But no matter how you feel, American Idol and Clay Aiken sure have contributed greatly to Broadway this past year. With fellow American Idol colleagues in The Color Purple, GREASE, and Rock of Ages, Clay Aiken seemed to be the head-master of the …Broadway Idol family in 2008.
Aiken came to Broadway Spamalot in January 2008. He says he did not decide to play in Spamalot for the music; he came to the show because of the story line. In an interview posted on his website, Aiken says that Spamalot is really not about the story plot, it is more about having fun with Broadway.
‘Rock of Ages, ‘ ‘ Irena’s Vow’ determined to survive on Broadway
The brainchild of writer Chris D’Arienzo, “Rock of Ages” follows a wanna-be rocker and a small-town girl who fall head over heels to a backdrop of iconic tunes by Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx and Whitesnake.
“We’ve been working on the show for three years, in good economic climates and bad economic climates, ” says producer Matthew Weaver. “Its success is less about what is happening outside in the world than it is about these songs really resonating. Audiences love these songs.”
This audience includes young men who typically go to concerts, not musicals. “Dudes are a big part of the audience, ” says producer Carl Levin.
The show ends its run on Jan. 4 at New World Stages, where it has been playing to packed houses since opening in October. There was a bidding war for film rights, which New Line won.
Music: Slicked Hicks
Winning “American Idol” doesn’t guarantee a successful recording career. Taylor Hicks, the 2006 champ, can’t match the CD sales of Chris Daughtry or Kellie Pickler, whom TV viewers rejected that season. But the “Idol” title does open doors, and Hicks is proving to be a careerist.
After parting company with J Records, he took the role of Teen Angel in “Grease” on Broadway in June. This month, he began a six-month road tour with the show that will bring him to the Twin Cities next weekend. During the tour, he will play an occasional club to promote his forthcoming album, “The Distance, ” due in March on his own label, Modern Whomp. He is previewing his new, untitled single during “Grease” as sort of a curtain-call encore.
PapaJohns.com Bowl festival to feature Ruben Studdard – and close Birmingham’s Five Points South
With expectations of a big crowd to see a free performance by American Idol Ruben Studdard, all of the streets at the heart of the Five Points South neighborhood will be closed today for the PapaJohns.com Bowl street festival.
That’s a big change from last year, when a much smaller area was shut down to accommodate the bowl party.
James Little, executive director of the Five Points Merchants Association, said organizers and merchants expect the party to grow significantly in its second year, especially with the 2003 “American Idol” champ headlining the entertainment.
Paula Abdul New Squeeze?
Paula Abdul and Boyfriend
Paula Abdul was spotted leaving Beso restaurant with her reportedly new man. Beso is owned by her ex-boyfriend JT Torregiani but Paula didnt seem to mind and brought her new date their anyway. Paula also mingled with fans on her way out. Mama gotta get some too ¦.
Dancing with the Stars of tomorrow as well as today
Audiences attending Tuesday’s “Dancing with the Stars” Tour at the E Center will see not only the stars of today but also the stars of tomorrow.
That’s because sharing the stage with stars like Lance Bass and Utah’s Derek Hough will be more than 50 young dancers from Orem’s Center Stage Performing Arts.
“We’re taking the next generation and putting them onstage, ” said Center Stage’s artistic director, Kim Del Grosso. “They’re excited and ready to go.”
Life is a whirlwind for dancer Derek Hough
“Dancing With the Stars” has been good for professional dancer Derek Hough. He and his celebrity partner Brooke Burke won the most recent competition.
Since then, life has been a whirlwind, said Hough, who was born in Utah but raised in London and Las Vegas. Not only is he rehearsing for the “Dancing With the Stars” tour, but he is also rehearsing with his band, the Ballas Hough Band, which features fellow dancer Mark Ballas.
“The band is planning to play live gigs in the cities where the ‘Dancing With the Stars’ tour performs, ” said Hough during a call from Los Angeles. “So it’s been pretty crazy. I’d go to dance rehearsals from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and then go to band rehearsals from 5 p.m. to midnight and start over the next day. Lately, it’s been 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. dancing and then 6 p.m. to midnight rehearsing with the band. But I’m so excited to be able to do this.”
Joshua Allen: Defying gravity
With locomotive power and catlike grace, Joshua Allen vaults into the air. For a moment, he feels stories high, suspended in motion, his legs spread out into a gravity-defying split. In August, the Fort Worth native won Fox So You Think You Can Dance
‘ making him the first hip-hop dancer in the show history to pop his way to the title.
The 19-year-old was a marvel to watch each week as he moved outside his comfort zone into new genres. The audience exploded into applause during his jubilant Bollywood routine with partner Katee Shean, and again during a driving Russian Trepak dance with his final competitor, Twitch Boss. “Joshua, you are a force, ” choreographer/judge Mia Michaels told him after a routine.
Melissa Lawson: Chasing her dream
The stars lined up, and the confetti rained down. In early August, Melissa Lawson belted out this season Nashville Star anthem: “What if you chase your dreams, and it changes your whole life ‘ what if it all goes right?”
This year, it finally went right for Lawson, a 32-year-old mother of five boys. The Arlington native outsung 40, 000 hopefuls to become this season Nashville Star. The title came with a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records.
Lawson was just 13 when she started in country music, hitting the Texas Opry circuit and attending Fort Worth now-defunct Professional Youth Conservatory. From ages 19 to 22, she had a run opening for major acts such as Tracy Byrd. She went to Nashville to work on a record deal.
YEAR-END UPDATE Paula Goodspeed’s fiance, mother keep memory alive
Paul McInnis keeps Paula Goodspeed’s ashes at his South Paris home and doesn’t plan to ever bury them.
“There are two reasons, ” McInnis says. “I always told her I’d never abandon her, and she did not like the cold.”
McInnis was to marry Goodspeed this coming Valentine’s Day, but the 30-year-old aspiring singer/actress was found dead of an overdose last month outside singer Paula Abdul’s Los Angeles home.
Instead of a marriage, McInnis will be attending his fiancee’s memorial service, to be held in South Paris sometime after the new year.
