Taylor also participated in a meet and greet which I always find very impressive. Celebrities get approached every day by so many strangers and, while I understand the importance of recognizing fans, it’s hard to imagine that it doesn’t get tiring after a while. Plus, when you meet so many people you become more susceptible to illness which has to be tough when your job depends on you being healthy enough to sing and perform.
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While some people seem determined to put together one show-stopping number after another in concert (indeed, some acts can’t come to my city because our venue isn’t set up to support their “technology” and I live in a major city!), Demi is focusing on the quality of her music and performance instead.
The 16-year-old Disney star told Billboard: "I’m not really one to have a lot of, like, crazy stuff on stage. I feel like it’s more about the music, so I don’t want to take away from that."
The tour, which kicks off in Hartford, Connecticut on June 21, will mostly feature songs from her 2008 debut album Don’t Forget which, she explains, is a lot different from her new material. "I think Don’t Forget was a lot more Jonas sounding. It had a little more of their feel on it. But this album is just me." She said that Here We Go Again is "a lot more soulful and personal" so I’m looking forward to seeing how she’s grown since her days of writing songs with the Jonas Brothers (although, one track called “Can’t Stop the World” was co-written with Nick Jonas). I’m really intrigued by the two songs that were penned by John Mayer ("World of Chances" and "Shut Up and Love Me") since he really is one of my favorite songwriters and I believe he possesses the tenderness needed to write with a young woman like Demi.
She definitely sounds like she coming into her own: "I felt a little more confident this time, but I also felt like it was a little more pressure. I feel like, for me, this is definitely a step forward. I was really, really nervous making the album, but I feel like it’s come together. I’m really, really, really excited about it."
image: Total Assault
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The presentation will take place during ASCAP’s 22nd annual Rhythm & Soul Awards which will be held on June 26, 2009 at the Beverly Hilton. R&B, hip-hop and gospel songwriters and publishers will be recognized for the most-performed songs from 2008. The Smokey Robinson will be presented with the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award which is given to “members who have had a major impact on the legacy of Rhythm and Soul music.”
I am absolutely thrilled for Alicia because I think she is an incredible artist. From the first time she burst on the scene with her single “Fallin’” from her 2001 album Songs in A Minor, I knew she was going to be a huge star. That album ended up selling over 11 million copies worldwide, making her the best-selling new artist and best-selling R&B artist of 2001. To further solidify the success, she won five Grammy Awards in 2002, including “Best New Artist” and “Song of the Year” for "Fallin’." As of 2005, she became the female R&B artist to have three #1 debuts on the Billboard Top 200 chart in as many releases.
Her album, As I Am (2007), entered the charts at #1 on the Billboard 200, selling 742,000 copies in its first week. She is now tied with Britney Spears for the most consecutive number one albums. The biggest single from the album, “No One,” earned her the “Best Female R&B Vocal Performance” and “Best R&B Song” prizes at the 2008 Grammy Awards as well as the one for “Best Female R&B Artist.”
Along with Wyclef Jean (formerly of The Fugees), Alicia will also be given BET’s 2009 Humanitarian Award at the Shrine Auditorium on June 28, 2009. It’s going to be a big summer for her!
image: Bauer-Griffin
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I’m happy for her and I hope this means that she is getting her life back on track and doing what she does best. This is a woman who, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, is "the most awarded female artist of all time" – she has six Grammy Awards but has amassed a total of 411 awards!
Now, instead of thinking of all the good songs she’s released or the amazing performances (my favorites are the concert in South Africa that was released on HBO and, of course, the National Anthem at the Superbowl), I just think of that dumb interview where she denied taking drugs and said “crack is whack” even though most of us could tell that she was already heavy into using something.
I remember when she got married to Bobby Brown. Everyone was stunned when this “good girl” married the “bad boy” and people said that she’d either change his ways or he would be a bad influence on her. His volatile behavior seems to have won out but, back in 2006, she left Bobby and sought treatment for her substance abuse problems. They have just one child together, Bobbi Christina.
Whitney Houston has an incredible gift and I would love to see her back on top where she belongs. It’s so sad to me when a single bad decision sets off a chain of events that derail even the best-laid plans but I’ve got high hopes for Ms. Houston. Back in February, Clive Davis told MTV: “You wait for the great songs to be written. The great hits Whitney has given to the public for so many years — you keep encouraging and setting the bar." I hope he’s right.
image: Bauer-Griffin
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Recordings, which was founded by her longtime manager, John Leshay.
Looking at Mandy and listening to her music, it’s hard to believe that she’s the same little girl that I saw driving around in a Volkswagen Beetle in her video for “Candy.” She was a scrawny blonde from Florida and she really gave the impression that she was simply trying to follow in the footsteps of singers like Britney Spears.
I think that I really realized that she had more musical talent than I had given her credit for when she starred in A Walk to Remember. I cry my eyes out every time I watch that movie and one major reason is that tearjerker of a scene where she sings “Only Hope” which I still hum on a regular basis. Similarly, her performance in Saved! was excellent and it really earned my respect.
Now on Amanda Leigh she reinvents herself again with music that was apparently inspired by her love of Paul McCartney’s Ram album and artists like Todd Rundgren, Joni Mitchell, CSNY and Nilsson. It really is a pleasant collection of tracks that range from being infused with country to sounding like the whimsical music of the 1970s. It’s refreshing to see someone as young as Mandy (who is 25) choosing to turn away from the digitized sound that we’re finding all too often on the radio these days.
Mandy was spotted arriving at a private party to celebrate the release of her new album in New York City.
Photo by Justin Campbell/BuzzFoto.com
Album cover art: Amazon
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image: Amazon
When I was listening to it, I felt like I was listening to an album from the early 90s and, considering that she first album in 1988, it doesn’t say much about her growth as an artist.
Still, I have to respect the fact that she has garnered 16 Grammy Award nominations over the years but I really was not very impressed by this latest effort.
Her album, The Real Thing, becomes available today and it’s being described as “a potpourri of breezy Latin rhythms, sultry jazz standards and dreamy pop sketches.” It was produced by Grammy Award winner Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Keith Thomas, Rob Mathes, and Rex Rideout.
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“look at me in skimpy clothes” moments.
Instead, the video co-stars Alexander Skarsgard (Eric on HBO’s True Blood) and, in the beginning, they are lying in bed and really enjoying each other’s company. Things definitely take a turn for the worse when they head out to the balcony and are clearly being photographed by the paparazzi. He wants her to look in the camera but she doesn’t want to do it and they begin to struggle.
The only problem is that she is perched precariously on the balcony’s edge and, after a few moments, she actually falls over. The next thing we see, she’s “falling” with a black and white swirl moving behind her. It’s a really creative segway from the opening sequence to the actual music video (which continues the storyline). Check it out:
Lady Gaga has had quite the year. I will admit to having not really known much about her and then all of a sudden, she was everywhere. Her hit song “Just Dance” (from her album The Fame) was just starting to become popular when I bought the New Kids On The Block’s new album The Block and noticed that she collaborated with them on their song “Big Girl Now.” Then, when I saw them in concert, she was one of the opening acts and I got to see her in action.
Now, it seems she’s getting recognition for her unique style and music from all sources. She appeared on the American Idol finale, she seems to be good friends with celebrity blogger, Perez Hilton, and Rolling Stone has just put her in the #1 spot on their 2009 Hot List.
image: Amazon
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I saw her on Oprah and then I found out she was working with Justin Timberlake on creating some music of her own. Earlier today, I was sent a link to a behind-the-scenes look of the video shoot for her new song “Outta Here” which was produced by JT and Polow Da Don (get it on iTunes now!).
I like the song and I think that it’s great as a first single (especially for summer) but I’m looking forward to what she does in the future because I think she can definitely handle something a little more complex. With her look, talent and the backing of someone like Timberlake, I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot more of her! Check out the video for “Outta Here”
image: Total Assault
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I’ve only been writing on ShePlaysMusic for six months. Seems rather a serendipitous that I should mark six months here with a new year. Over my time here, I have worked to provide you, dear readers, with a mix of indie and mainstream, sometimes even the banal-if-only-fun music news.
I’ve had tons of fun, actually, digging up all these news bites, traveling to festivals, and generally indulging my insatiable need for tunes. To wit, I share some of my five favorite music moments from the last six months.
I was super excited when Sleater Kenny’s “Dig Me Out” made the list of top guitar songs of all time. In fact they were the only all female band to make the list, with the full onslaught of acerbic punk guitar heroics. And dammit, not many dames rock like that anymore.
One of my favorite indie discoveries of the year was definitely Janelle Monáe. I bought her debut EP Metropolis: The Chase Suite after hearing only one single…it was completely worth it. The girl is fantastic, and apparently she’s electrifying in concert. If I get a chance to catch her in LA sometime, I’ll be sure to let you know. 
September was book-ended with two awesome music festivals. At Seattle’s Bumbershoot (full coverage), I was wowed by Paramore’s performance and pretty much won over by their talent. Later that same month, I headed up north for San Fransisco’s Treasure Island Music Festival (full coverage) where Goldfrap dazzled, Teagan & Sara charmed, and The Kills blazed. Both festivals were wonderful and unique; each a fun funky time.
I didn’t write much in October, new job and other life struggles got in the way. I wasn’t completely absent, and one of my posts for the month was about who I considered the top 10 female rappers of all time. The best thing about writing it was the long manefesto comment, left me by a reader named Tudd. He respectfully disagreed with some of my choices, particularly, my choice to leave Queen Latifah off of my list. He basically said most of my list was a bunch of flash-in-the-pan, almost famous, just aiiite rappers. I have to admit that I have an affinity for the underground, but if you read here often, you know that. You should really check it out, it’s the best comment I’ve gotten all year.
Finally, I was excited to get an advance copy of Nico Vega’s up coming album (read the review). This trio has quickly become one of my favorite underground bands. I saw them burn down the viper room in June and it was easily one of the best shows I’ve seen…ever. If you’re into rock music, you need to give Nico Vega a listen.
Images via Flickr, Newscom, and Big Hassle
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While I haven’t seen Simon Cowell’s X-Factor - the UK counterpart for American Idol - I do know that so far several very talent folks have gotten their big break from competing on the show. More specifically, pop phenomenon, Leona Lewis and now Alexandra Burke.
Unless you live under a rock you cannot escape the buzz of Burke’s record breaking debut. In fact, the young chanteuses’ first official single, a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” has become the fastest selling single by a female vocalist in Europe, ever.
Hearing her sing, I was immediately enraptured with her brilliant voice and naked delivery. She may be new to the game, but she has already began to dominate the UK pop charts, knocking both Leona Lewis and Beyoné off of their pedestals.
Alexandra Burke is heading out on the X-Factor live tour in February and is set to release her debut LP (now available for pre-order) March 16, 2009. If you haven’t heard the single yet, check out the official video after the jump.
Image: Amazon.uk
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Listen to samples