LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Justin Timberlake, making his pop music comeback with a new single and album, will perform at next month's Grammy Awards for the first time in four years, Grammy organizers said on Wednesday.
Timberlake, 31, will take the stage at the music industry's biggest night in Los Angeles on February 10, ahead of the scheduled March release of his first album since 2006.
'The 20/20 Experience' marks Timberlake's return to music after several years in which he has focused more on acting and business ventures, including a clothing line and a partnership in social networking site Myspace.
At the Grammy Awards ceremony and show, Timberlake will join performers and country music nominees Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley, singers Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood, and bands Mumford & Sons and FUN.
Elton John will also duet with rising British singer Ed Sheeran, and the Grammy ceremony will be hosted by rapper LL Cool J. Other performers will be announced in the next 10 days.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Will Dunham)
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Afghan singer's star is rising, as are the threats
KABUL (Reuters) - With a scarf loosely covering a fancy television hairstyle, Latifa Azizi raised her arms in victory after surviving another elimination round on the hit talent show, 'Afghan Star'.
But the victory pales into insignificance when compared with the larger battle 17-year-old Azizi is fighting - to pursue her dream of becoming a famous singer despite the censure of ultra-conservative Afghan society.
'Whether I win or lose, my family can't go back home, it's too dangerous,' Azizi, from the relatively liberal northern capital of Mazar-e-Sharif, told Reuters in the show's dressing room.
Azizi and her family fled Mazar for the Afghan capital, Kabul, soon after she appeared on the show in November. Her community was angry with her appearance, saying it was un-Islamic for a woman to sing and appear on television. The family began to receive death threats.
'Latifa will have no life here after what she's done. We don't do such things and we don't accept people who do,' said Sayed Mohammad Kasem, a member of Azizi's tribe in Mazar-e-Sharif.
The threats began after the airing of her audition for 'Afghan Star'. With an audience of 11 million, the six-year-old show has become an important vehicle for young Afghans aspiring to become famous singers.
'I went to school the day after my audition aired to take my final exams and my classmates started to shout horrible things and pulled at my hair,' Azizi said in a soft low voice.
'I ran away crying,' she said. 'Not even my teachers tried to help me.'
Azizi said she was eventually expelled. The school's headmaster, Mohammad Kalanderi, denied that when contacted by Reuters and said Latifa could come back whenever she wanted.
The backlash Azizi faces is not out of the ordinary for Afghan women who become public figures. Female actors and singers are often harassed, and sometimes beaten and killed.
In a 2009 documentary about 'Afghan Star', one contestant was forced to leave her hometown of Herat in the country's west after her head scarf slipped to her shoulders during a performance.
During the 1996-2001 reign of the Taliban, women were banned from school, voting and most work. They were not allowed to leave their homes without a man.
Many women's rights have been painstakingly won back since the Taliban's overthrow, but there are fears violence against women is under-reported.
Last year also saw a worrying spike in violence, including several cases of female school students being poisoned.
This has led to fears that, when most NATO-led forces withdraw from the country next year, women may once again be subject to Taliban-style repression and violence.
'Every day that passes by, you're supposed to move forward, but we keep moving backwards,' said singer and 'Afghan Star' judge Shahla Zaland, whose mother was also a famous singer in the 1960s.
'The struggles female singers had to overcome fifty or sixty years ago are being faced by these girls today.'
Even in Kabul, Azizi and the only other female contestant receive constant threats.
People follow their cars as they travel to rehearsals to try to discourage them from attending, and issue threats of violence over the phone.
Azizi told Reuters she would not let the threats stop her from appearing on the show. Her father, Sayed Ghulam Shah Azizi, agreed.
'Our family is angry but my daughter had a dream,' he said in the family living room. 'What else was I to do but encourage her to pursue it?'
(Additional reporting By Bashir Ansari; Editing by Dylan Welch and Nick Macfie)
(This story was refiled to fix the spelling of Sayed Ghulam Shah Azizi)
But the victory pales into insignificance when compared with the larger battle 17-year-old Azizi is fighting - to pursue her dream of becoming a famous singer despite the censure of ultra-conservative Afghan society.
'Whether I win or lose, my family can't go back home, it's too dangerous,' Azizi, from the relatively liberal northern capital of Mazar-e-Sharif, told Reuters in the show's dressing room.
Azizi and her family fled Mazar for the Afghan capital, Kabul, soon after she appeared on the show in November. Her community was angry with her appearance, saying it was un-Islamic for a woman to sing and appear on television. The family began to receive death threats.
'Latifa will have no life here after what she's done. We don't do such things and we don't accept people who do,' said Sayed Mohammad Kasem, a member of Azizi's tribe in Mazar-e-Sharif.
The threats began after the airing of her audition for 'Afghan Star'. With an audience of 11 million, the six-year-old show has become an important vehicle for young Afghans aspiring to become famous singers.
'I went to school the day after my audition aired to take my final exams and my classmates started to shout horrible things and pulled at my hair,' Azizi said in a soft low voice.
'I ran away crying,' she said. 'Not even my teachers tried to help me.'
Azizi said she was eventually expelled. The school's headmaster, Mohammad Kalanderi, denied that when contacted by Reuters and said Latifa could come back whenever she wanted.
The backlash Azizi faces is not out of the ordinary for Afghan women who become public figures. Female actors and singers are often harassed, and sometimes beaten and killed.
In a 2009 documentary about 'Afghan Star', one contestant was forced to leave her hometown of Herat in the country's west after her head scarf slipped to her shoulders during a performance.
During the 1996-2001 reign of the Taliban, women were banned from school, voting and most work. They were not allowed to leave their homes without a man.
Many women's rights have been painstakingly won back since the Taliban's overthrow, but there are fears violence against women is under-reported.
Last year also saw a worrying spike in violence, including several cases of female school students being poisoned.
This has led to fears that, when most NATO-led forces withdraw from the country next year, women may once again be subject to Taliban-style repression and violence.
'Every day that passes by, you're supposed to move forward, but we keep moving backwards,' said singer and 'Afghan Star' judge Shahla Zaland, whose mother was also a famous singer in the 1960s.
'The struggles female singers had to overcome fifty or sixty years ago are being faced by these girls today.'
Even in Kabul, Azizi and the only other female contestant receive constant threats.
People follow their cars as they travel to rehearsals to try to discourage them from attending, and issue threats of violence over the phone.
Azizi told Reuters she would not let the threats stop her from appearing on the show. Her father, Sayed Ghulam Shah Azizi, agreed.
'Our family is angry but my daughter had a dream,' he said in the family living room. 'What else was I to do but encourage her to pursue it?'
(Additional reporting By Bashir Ansari; Editing by Dylan Welch and Nick Macfie)
(This story was refiled to fix the spelling of Sayed Ghulam Shah Azizi)
Ke$ha bringing her "crazy beautiful life" to MTV series
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Singer Ke$ha is coming to cable television with a new reality series that promises to document the 'drama, madness and euphoria' of her professional and personal life, MTV said on Tuesday.
'Ke$ha: My Crazy Beautiful Life,' will premiere on MTV in April, the network said.
'You might have heard my voice on the radio, seen me onstage or in a music video, but that's only a part of the story,' the 25-year-old singer, known for hits including 'Tik Tok' and 'We R Who We R,' said in a statement.
'With this documentary series I'm revealing a more complete picture of what my life is really like. It's not all glamorous but it's all real,' she added.
MTV said the 'no-limits' series would depict the music star 'as she navigates the drama, madness and euphoria of her professional and personal life while recording a new album and traveling the globe.'
The show was shot over two years by the singer's brother Lagan Sebert, working with minimal crew, providing what MTV said was an unfiltered, 'real and raw' look at her life.
Lagan, a journalist, said that as he watched his sister's ascent, 'I soon realized that the most amazing story was happening in my own family and it became my mission document it ... I set off on a two year long journey to tell my sister's story.'
Ke$ha has sold 3 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide and has won MTV Europe's best new act award. Her most recent album was 2012's 'Warrior.'
(Reporting by Chris Michaud; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Cynthia Osterman)
'Ke$ha: My Crazy Beautiful Life,' will premiere on MTV in April, the network said.
'You might have heard my voice on the radio, seen me onstage or in a music video, but that's only a part of the story,' the 25-year-old singer, known for hits including 'Tik Tok' and 'We R Who We R,' said in a statement.
'With this documentary series I'm revealing a more complete picture of what my life is really like. It's not all glamorous but it's all real,' she added.
MTV said the 'no-limits' series would depict the music star 'as she navigates the drama, madness and euphoria of her professional and personal life while recording a new album and traveling the globe.'
The show was shot over two years by the singer's brother Lagan Sebert, working with minimal crew, providing what MTV said was an unfiltered, 'real and raw' look at her life.
Lagan, a journalist, said that as he watched his sister's ascent, 'I soon realized that the most amazing story was happening in my own family and it became my mission document it ... I set off on a two year long journey to tell my sister's story.'
Ke$ha has sold 3 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide and has won MTV Europe's best new act award. Her most recent album was 2012's 'Warrior.'
(Reporting by Chris Michaud; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Cynthia Osterman)
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Justin Timberlake's new album '20/20' is due out in March
(Reuters) - Singer-turned-actor Justin Timberlake has set a March date for his comeback album - his first in more than six years.
RCA Records said on Tuesday 'The 20/20 Experience,' the former N'Sync boy band member's follow-up to 2006's 'FutureSex/LoveSounds' and only his third album ever, would be released on March 19.
In recent years, Timberlake, 31, has focused more on films and business ventures ranging from restaurants to a clothing line, and reviving social networking site Myspace, of which he is part owner. He remarked in a recent video that creating music involved 'physical torture' for him.
'Suit & Tie,' the first single off his forthcoming album, fell short of sales expectations for its first week. The song, featuring rapper Jay-Z, sold 314,000 downloads last week. Industry experts had expected about 350,000 downloads.
Top menswear designer Tom Ford collaborated with Timberlake, designing suits worn in the 'Suit & Tie' video as well as styling the production and the release's artwork.
Timberlake will perform his first concert in five years during a private Super Bowl-weekend event in New Orleans on February 2 at an invitation-only concert.
Timberlake posted on Twitter about the forthcoming game, saying among other things: 'This is gonna be a GREAT Super Bowl!' and 'Oh wait ... I don't have tickets. Dammit! Anybody know anybody?? LOL!'
(Reporting by Chris Michaud; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Philip Barbara)
RCA Records said on Tuesday 'The 20/20 Experience,' the former N'Sync boy band member's follow-up to 2006's 'FutureSex/LoveSounds' and only his third album ever, would be released on March 19.
In recent years, Timberlake, 31, has focused more on films and business ventures ranging from restaurants to a clothing line, and reviving social networking site Myspace, of which he is part owner. He remarked in a recent video that creating music involved 'physical torture' for him.
'Suit & Tie,' the first single off his forthcoming album, fell short of sales expectations for its first week. The song, featuring rapper Jay-Z, sold 314,000 downloads last week. Industry experts had expected about 350,000 downloads.
Top menswear designer Tom Ford collaborated with Timberlake, designing suits worn in the 'Suit & Tie' video as well as styling the production and the release's artwork.
Timberlake will perform his first concert in five years during a private Super Bowl-weekend event in New Orleans on February 2 at an invitation-only concert.
Timberlake posted on Twitter about the forthcoming game, saying among other things: 'This is gonna be a GREAT Super Bowl!' and 'Oh wait ... I don't have tickets. Dammit! Anybody know anybody?? LOL!'
(Reporting by Chris Michaud; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Philip Barbara)
Justin Bieber strips down voice, heartache on 'Believe Acoustic'
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Justin Bieber is stripping down. Musically, that is.
The Canadian pop phenomenon showcases his vocal and song-writing talents with a new acoustic album, out on Tuesday, that also features three new tracks including a heartbreak ballad thought to be about his former girlfriend Selena Gomez.
'Believe Acoustic' sees Bieber, 18, change up the arrangements of songs from his fourth chart-topping album 'Believe,' released last June, singing with only a guitar or piano-driven melody.
The album went straight to the top of the iTunes U.S. album charts on Tuesday, and won generally warm reviews.
Up-tempo songs such as 'Boyfriend,' and 'Beauty and the Beat,' which roped in electronic sounds with fast-paced dance beats, are slowed down as the singer uses his vocals to manipulate the vibe of the song.
'Believe Acoustic' sees Bieber return to his acoustic roots five years after he was discovered on YouTube, singing on the streets of Canada accompanied only by a guitar.
It was released following Bieber's failure to pick up a single Grammy nomination this year, despite having a chart-topping album and a sold-out world tour.
Bieber often performs acoustic versions of his hits, most recently at the American Music Awards in November, where he delivered a stripped-down version of dance song 'As Long As You Love Me.'
But most ears now are turned to new track 'Nothing Like Us,' which follows Bieber's widely reported split from former Disney Channel star Gomez.
It features Bieber singing a raw and emotion-filled ballad over a piano melody, with lyrics such as 'Girl, why would you push me away?/Lost in confusion, like an illusion ... But that is the past now, we didn't last now.'
SIMPLE LOVE SONGS
Bill Werde, editorial director of Billboard music magazine, who interviewed Bieber last week, said the song was 'directly about Selena' and that fans were anticipating the singer sharing 'his feelings about something this personal.'
Werde said he hoped people would take notice of Bieber's song-writing and vocal production skills on the new album.
'Some of the best songwriters that are working out of our pop space are the ones that can take these very, very specific feelings that you would expect a teenager or a young adult to have and then sing and write about them in a way that makes them universal,' Werde told Reuters.
'That's a skill that needs to be respected. It's not easy to write great, simple love songs.'
Rolling Stone magazine gave the album three out of five stars, calling it 'proof that the Bieb is, verily, a musician, whose songs work even with the high-gloss production stripped away.'
Newspaper USA Today said Bieber was a 'master at maximizing his material.' But it added, 'For people who've forgotten - or who never understood - the appeal of young performers like Bieber, 'Believe Acoustic' is a good place to hear it.'
The other new songs are 'I Would,' a sweet love song, and 'Yellow Raincoat,' a mellow survival song with the singer crooning softly 'cause the fame and the money and the girl will drive you crazy ... I'm thinking maybe just put on my raincoat.'
If 'Believe Acoustic' reaches No. 1 in the Billboard 200 album chart next week, Bieber will become the youngest artist to have five No. 1 albums under his belt. He would also be one of the few artists, including The Beatles and Jay-Z, to have a No. 1 album each year for four consecutive years.
Bieber, who surpassed Lady Gaga earlier this month to become Twitter's most-followed person, will make his television hosting debut on 'Saturday Night Live' on February 9, the night before the Grammy awards.
Bieber told Billboard he would not be attending the Grammy awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
Click on www.billboard.com for the full interview.
(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Jill Serjeant and Jackie Frank)
The Canadian pop phenomenon showcases his vocal and song-writing talents with a new acoustic album, out on Tuesday, that also features three new tracks including a heartbreak ballad thought to be about his former girlfriend Selena Gomez.
'Believe Acoustic' sees Bieber, 18, change up the arrangements of songs from his fourth chart-topping album 'Believe,' released last June, singing with only a guitar or piano-driven melody.
The album went straight to the top of the iTunes U.S. album charts on Tuesday, and won generally warm reviews.
Up-tempo songs such as 'Boyfriend,' and 'Beauty and the Beat,' which roped in electronic sounds with fast-paced dance beats, are slowed down as the singer uses his vocals to manipulate the vibe of the song.
'Believe Acoustic' sees Bieber return to his acoustic roots five years after he was discovered on YouTube, singing on the streets of Canada accompanied only by a guitar.
It was released following Bieber's failure to pick up a single Grammy nomination this year, despite having a chart-topping album and a sold-out world tour.
Bieber often performs acoustic versions of his hits, most recently at the American Music Awards in November, where he delivered a stripped-down version of dance song 'As Long As You Love Me.'
But most ears now are turned to new track 'Nothing Like Us,' which follows Bieber's widely reported split from former Disney Channel star Gomez.
It features Bieber singing a raw and emotion-filled ballad over a piano melody, with lyrics such as 'Girl, why would you push me away?/Lost in confusion, like an illusion ... But that is the past now, we didn't last now.'
SIMPLE LOVE SONGS
Bill Werde, editorial director of Billboard music magazine, who interviewed Bieber last week, said the song was 'directly about Selena' and that fans were anticipating the singer sharing 'his feelings about something this personal.'
Werde said he hoped people would take notice of Bieber's song-writing and vocal production skills on the new album.
'Some of the best songwriters that are working out of our pop space are the ones that can take these very, very specific feelings that you would expect a teenager or a young adult to have and then sing and write about them in a way that makes them universal,' Werde told Reuters.
'That's a skill that needs to be respected. It's not easy to write great, simple love songs.'
Rolling Stone magazine gave the album three out of five stars, calling it 'proof that the Bieb is, verily, a musician, whose songs work even with the high-gloss production stripped away.'
Newspaper USA Today said Bieber was a 'master at maximizing his material.' But it added, 'For people who've forgotten - or who never understood - the appeal of young performers like Bieber, 'Believe Acoustic' is a good place to hear it.'
The other new songs are 'I Would,' a sweet love song, and 'Yellow Raincoat,' a mellow survival song with the singer crooning softly 'cause the fame and the money and the girl will drive you crazy ... I'm thinking maybe just put on my raincoat.'
If 'Believe Acoustic' reaches No. 1 in the Billboard 200 album chart next week, Bieber will become the youngest artist to have five No. 1 albums under his belt. He would also be one of the few artists, including The Beatles and Jay-Z, to have a No. 1 album each year for four consecutive years.
Bieber, who surpassed Lady Gaga earlier this month to become Twitter's most-followed person, will make his television hosting debut on 'Saturday Night Live' on February 9, the night before the Grammy awards.
Bieber told Billboard he would not be attending the Grammy awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
Click on www.billboard.com for the full interview.
(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Jill Serjeant and Jackie Frank)
Justin Bieber strips down voice, heartache on "Believe Acoustic"
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Justin Bieber is stripping down. Musically, that is.
The Canadian pop phenomenon showcases his vocal and song-writing talents with a new acoustic album, out on Tuesday, that also features three new tracks including a heartbreak ballad thought to be about his former girlfriend Selena Gomez.
'Believe Acoustic' sees Bieber, 18, change up the arrangements of songs from his fourth chart-topping album 'Believe,' released last June, singing with only a guitar or piano-driven melody.
Uptempo songs such as 'Boyfriend,' and 'Beauty and the Beat,' which roped in electronic sounds with fast-paced dance beats, are slowed down as the singer uses his vocals to manipulate the vibe of the song.
'Believe Acoustic' sees Bieber return to his acoustic roots five years after he was discovered on YouTube, singing on the streets of Canada accompanied only by a guitar.
It was released following Bieber's failure to pick up a single Grammy nomination this year, despite having a chart-topping album and a sold-out world tour.
Bieber often performs acoustic versions of his hits, most recently at the American Music Awards in November, where he delivered a stripped-down version of dance song 'As Long As You Love Me.'
The teen singer released 'My Worlds Acoustic,' in 2010, featuring alternative versions of tracks from his debut studio record 'My World.'
But most ears now are turned to new track 'Nothing Like Us', which follows Bieber's widely reported split from former Disney Channel star Gomez.
It features Bieber singing a raw and emotion-filled ballad over a piano melody, with lyrics such as 'Girl, why would you push me away?/Lost in confusion, like an illusion...But that is the past now, we didn't last now.'
SIMPLE LOVE SONGS
Bill Werde, editorial director of Billboard music magazine, who interviewed Bieber a few months ago, said the song was 'directly about Selena' and that fans were anticipating the singer sharing 'his feelings about something this personal.'
The new track is not dissimilar to the heart-break odes written by country-pop darling Taylor Swift or British soul-pop singer Adele.
Werde said he hoped people would take notice of Bieber's song-writing and vocal production skills on the new album.
'Some of the best songwriters that are working out of our pop space are the ones that can take these very, very specific feelings that you would expect a teenager or a young adult to have and then sing and write about them in a way that makes them universal,' Werde told Reuters.
'That's a skill that needs to be respected. It's not easy to write great, simple love songs.'
The other new songs are 'I Would,' a sweet love song, and 'Yellow Raincoat,' a mellow survival song with the singer crooning softly 'cause the fame and the money and the girl will drive you crazy...I'm thinking maybe just put on my raincoat.'
Bieber may not be winning Grammys just yet, but the singer could make chart history if 'Believe Acoustic' reaches No. 1 in the Billboard 200 album chart next week.
The singer will become the youngest artist to have five No. 1 albums under his belt, and one of few artists, including The Beatles and Jay-Z, to have a No. 1 album each year for four consecutive years.
Bieber, who surpassed Lady Gaga earlier this month to become Twitter's most-followed person, will make his television hosting debut on 'Saturday Night Live' on February 9, the night before the Grammy awards.
Bieber told Billboard he would not be attending the Grammy awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
Click on www.billboard.com for the full interview.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Jill Serjeant)
The Canadian pop phenomenon showcases his vocal and song-writing talents with a new acoustic album, out on Tuesday, that also features three new tracks including a heartbreak ballad thought to be about his former girlfriend Selena Gomez.
'Believe Acoustic' sees Bieber, 18, change up the arrangements of songs from his fourth chart-topping album 'Believe,' released last June, singing with only a guitar or piano-driven melody.
Uptempo songs such as 'Boyfriend,' and 'Beauty and the Beat,' which roped in electronic sounds with fast-paced dance beats, are slowed down as the singer uses his vocals to manipulate the vibe of the song.
'Believe Acoustic' sees Bieber return to his acoustic roots five years after he was discovered on YouTube, singing on the streets of Canada accompanied only by a guitar.
It was released following Bieber's failure to pick up a single Grammy nomination this year, despite having a chart-topping album and a sold-out world tour.
Bieber often performs acoustic versions of his hits, most recently at the American Music Awards in November, where he delivered a stripped-down version of dance song 'As Long As You Love Me.'
The teen singer released 'My Worlds Acoustic,' in 2010, featuring alternative versions of tracks from his debut studio record 'My World.'
But most ears now are turned to new track 'Nothing Like Us', which follows Bieber's widely reported split from former Disney Channel star Gomez.
It features Bieber singing a raw and emotion-filled ballad over a piano melody, with lyrics such as 'Girl, why would you push me away?/Lost in confusion, like an illusion...But that is the past now, we didn't last now.'
SIMPLE LOVE SONGS
Bill Werde, editorial director of Billboard music magazine, who interviewed Bieber a few months ago, said the song was 'directly about Selena' and that fans were anticipating the singer sharing 'his feelings about something this personal.'
The new track is not dissimilar to the heart-break odes written by country-pop darling Taylor Swift or British soul-pop singer Adele.
Werde said he hoped people would take notice of Bieber's song-writing and vocal production skills on the new album.
'Some of the best songwriters that are working out of our pop space are the ones that can take these very, very specific feelings that you would expect a teenager or a young adult to have and then sing and write about them in a way that makes them universal,' Werde told Reuters.
'That's a skill that needs to be respected. It's not easy to write great, simple love songs.'
The other new songs are 'I Would,' a sweet love song, and 'Yellow Raincoat,' a mellow survival song with the singer crooning softly 'cause the fame and the money and the girl will drive you crazy...I'm thinking maybe just put on my raincoat.'
Bieber may not be winning Grammys just yet, but the singer could make chart history if 'Believe Acoustic' reaches No. 1 in the Billboard 200 album chart next week.
The singer will become the youngest artist to have five No. 1 albums under his belt, and one of few artists, including The Beatles and Jay-Z, to have a No. 1 album each year for four consecutive years.
Bieber, who surpassed Lady Gaga earlier this month to become Twitter's most-followed person, will make his television hosting debut on 'Saturday Night Live' on February 9, the night before the Grammy awards.
Bieber told Billboard he would not be attending the Grammy awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
Click on www.billboard.com for the full interview.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Jill Serjeant)
Monday, January 28, 2013
Rock singer Morrissey postpones six more shows due to bleeding ulcer
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - British rock singer Morrissey is postponing six performances on his U.S. tour due to a bleeding ulcer, his spokeswoman said on Sunday.
'Morrissey is expected to make a full recovery and thanks everyone concerned for their support during this time,' his representative Lauren Papapietro said in a statement.
Morrissey, the former lead singer for 1980s alternative rock band The Smiths, checked into Beaumont Hospital on Friday in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak, Papapietro said.
She declined to say if he remains hospitalized.
Due to his bleeding ulcer, Morrissey is postponing his upcoming shows in Asheville, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; Atlanta, Georgia; Lawrence, Kansas; Clear Lake, Iowa; and Lincoln, Nebraska, Papapietro said.
He plans to resume his tour on February 9 in Las Vegas.
Due to an illness in his band, Morrissey, 53, canceled his show Thursday in Flint, Michigan, and postponed a Friday night performance in Minneapolis and another engagement set for Saturday night in Chicago, Papapietro said.
Morrissey, whose hits include 'First of the Gang to Die' and 'Irish Blood, English Heart,' toured North America last fall, played some shows in Australia and New Zealand in December and returned to the United States this month.
He kicked off his latest tour with a performance of his unreleased song 'Action is My Middle Name' on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' in New York.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Kevin Gray and Stacey Joyce)
'Morrissey is expected to make a full recovery and thanks everyone concerned for their support during this time,' his representative Lauren Papapietro said in a statement.
Morrissey, the former lead singer for 1980s alternative rock band The Smiths, checked into Beaumont Hospital on Friday in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak, Papapietro said.
She declined to say if he remains hospitalized.
Due to his bleeding ulcer, Morrissey is postponing his upcoming shows in Asheville, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; Atlanta, Georgia; Lawrence, Kansas; Clear Lake, Iowa; and Lincoln, Nebraska, Papapietro said.
He plans to resume his tour on February 9 in Las Vegas.
Due to an illness in his band, Morrissey, 53, canceled his show Thursday in Flint, Michigan, and postponed a Friday night performance in Minneapolis and another engagement set for Saturday night in Chicago, Papapietro said.
Morrissey, whose hits include 'First of the Gang to Die' and 'Irish Blood, English Heart,' toured North America last fall, played some shows in Australia and New Zealand in December and returned to the United States this month.
He kicked off his latest tour with a performance of his unreleased song 'Action is My Middle Name' on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' in New York.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Kevin Gray and Stacey Joyce)
Singer Chris Brown to be questioned over alleged punch: police
(Reuters) - R&B singer Chris Brown will be questioned as part of an investigation into allegations that he punched a man during a fight over a parking space in West Hollywood, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said on Monday.
Deputies responded to a call on Sunday about a fight involving six men on Santa Monica Boulevard, the department said. Witnesses said the Grammy-winning singer had assaulted a man during the brief altercation.
No arrests were made. The alleged victim was not named in a department statement that said Brown and his entourage had left the scene before deputies arrived.
Investigators plan to contact the singer about the incident at a later time, according to the department.
Brown, 23, is serving a five-year probation sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting fellow R&B star and former girlfriend Rihanna on the eve of the 2009 Grammy awards.
(Reporting by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
Deputies responded to a call on Sunday about a fight involving six men on Santa Monica Boulevard, the department said. Witnesses said the Grammy-winning singer had assaulted a man during the brief altercation.
No arrests were made. The alleged victim was not named in a department statement that said Brown and his entourage had left the scene before deputies arrived.
Investigators plan to contact the singer about the incident at a later time, according to the department.
Brown, 23, is serving a five-year probation sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting fellow R&B star and former girlfriend Rihanna on the eve of the 2009 Grammy awards.
(Reporting by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
Sunday, January 27, 2013
One Life To Live, All My Children - New Episodes On The Way This Spring Via Hulu, iTunes
Let the countdown begin! 'One Life To Live' and 'All My Children' are coming back with all-new episodes this spring!
And, making it easy for viewers to watch, both soaps will premiere digitally on Hulu, Hulu Plus and iTunes.
PLAY IT NOW: Kelly Monaco & Frank Valentini Talk Genie Francis Returning To General Hospital
'I believe that both Hulu and iTunes have the vision, the reach and the technology to help us launch TOLN (The Online Network) in a significant way,' Prospect Park Chairman and CEO, Jeff Kwatinetz, said in a statement. 'We think these platforms are part of history, helping us to transform distribution. Hulu's reach, platform and advertising prowess are best in class, and iTunes provides an incredible way to buy TV shows that is second to none. Through both of these partners, we hope daytime drama fans are absolutely delighted to be able to watch their favorite programs in a broadcast-quality HD format wherever and whenever they want.'
According to Prospect Park - new, 30-minute episodes of 'AMC' and 'OLTL' will be introduced each weekday, beginning this spring.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Returning Stars Of One Life To Live
Prospect Park is planning to go into production on the shows in the next month or so, a rep for PP told AccessHollywood.com.
As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com , among the stars coming back to 'OLTL' are Erika Slezak (Victoria Lord Buchanan), Robin Strasser (Dorian Lord), Kassie DePaiva (Blair Cramer), Hilary B. Smith (Nora Buchanan) and Robert S. Woods (Bo Buchanan).
Deals were also closed with Tuc Watkins (David Vickers), Jerry verDorn (Clint Buchanan), Florencia Lozano (Tea Delgado), Melissa Archer (Natalie Buchanan Banks), Kelley Missal (Danielle Manning), Josh Kelly (Cutter Wentworth) and Andrew Trischitta (Jack Manning).
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Days Of Our Lives: Scenes & Stars
Also in the fold are recurring cast members Sean Ringgold (Shaun Evans), Shenaz Treasury (Rama Patel) and Nick Choksi (Vimal Patel).
As for 'All My Children,' Prospect Park announced earlier this week it had closed deals with Darnell Williams (Jesse Hubbard), Debbi Morgan (Dr. Angela Hubbard), Vincent Irizarry (Dr. David Hayward), Lindsay Hartley (Cara Martin), Jordi Vilasuso (Griffin Castillo), Jill Larson (Opal Cortlandt) and Thorsten Kaye (Zach Slater).
VIEW THE PHOTOS: General Hospital: Cast Photos & More
-- Jolie Lash
Copyright 2013 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
And, making it easy for viewers to watch, both soaps will premiere digitally on Hulu, Hulu Plus and iTunes.
PLAY IT NOW: Kelly Monaco & Frank Valentini Talk Genie Francis Returning To General Hospital
'I believe that both Hulu and iTunes have the vision, the reach and the technology to help us launch TOLN (The Online Network) in a significant way,' Prospect Park Chairman and CEO, Jeff Kwatinetz, said in a statement. 'We think these platforms are part of history, helping us to transform distribution. Hulu's reach, platform and advertising prowess are best in class, and iTunes provides an incredible way to buy TV shows that is second to none. Through both of these partners, we hope daytime drama fans are absolutely delighted to be able to watch their favorite programs in a broadcast-quality HD format wherever and whenever they want.'
According to Prospect Park - new, 30-minute episodes of 'AMC' and 'OLTL' will be introduced each weekday, beginning this spring.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Returning Stars Of One Life To Live
Prospect Park is planning to go into production on the shows in the next month or so, a rep for PP told AccessHollywood.com.
As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com , among the stars coming back to 'OLTL' are Erika Slezak (Victoria Lord Buchanan), Robin Strasser (Dorian Lord), Kassie DePaiva (Blair Cramer), Hilary B. Smith (Nora Buchanan) and Robert S. Woods (Bo Buchanan).
Deals were also closed with Tuc Watkins (David Vickers), Jerry verDorn (Clint Buchanan), Florencia Lozano (Tea Delgado), Melissa Archer (Natalie Buchanan Banks), Kelley Missal (Danielle Manning), Josh Kelly (Cutter Wentworth) and Andrew Trischitta (Jack Manning).
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Days Of Our Lives: Scenes & Stars
Also in the fold are recurring cast members Sean Ringgold (Shaun Evans), Shenaz Treasury (Rama Patel) and Nick Choksi (Vimal Patel).
As for 'All My Children,' Prospect Park announced earlier this week it had closed deals with Darnell Williams (Jesse Hubbard), Debbi Morgan (Dr. Angela Hubbard), Vincent Irizarry (Dr. David Hayward), Lindsay Hartley (Cara Martin), Jordi Vilasuso (Griffin Castillo), Jill Larson (Opal Cortlandt) and Thorsten Kaye (Zach Slater).
VIEW THE PHOTOS: General Hospital: Cast Photos & More
-- Jolie Lash
Copyright 2013 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Singer Tina Turner on path to Swiss citizenship
(Reuters) - Soul music legend Tina Turner has taken the first steps toward giving up her U.S. passport and becoming a citizen of Switzerland, the country she has called home for nearly 20 years.
The Zurich suburb of Kusnacht has approved Swiss citizenship for the 'Proud Mary' singer, pending confirmation from other authorities in the country, a spokeswoman for Turner said on Friday.
Turner, who was born in Tennessee, moved to Switzerland in 1995 to join her German-born record producer partner Erwin Bach and has lived there since. She enjoys the privacy she receives there and has no plans to live elsewhere, the spokeswoman said.
'I'm very happy in Switzerland and I feel at home here,' Turner, 73, was quoted as telling the Swiss daily newspaper Blick.
The eight-time Grammy winner retired from performing after her last tour, which ended 2009. Her hits with Ike Turner and as a solo artist include 'What's Love Got To Do With It,' 'Private Dancer' and 'River Deep - Mountain High.'
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine, editing by Jill Serjeant and Xavier Briand)
This article is sponsored by real estate news.
The Zurich suburb of Kusnacht has approved Swiss citizenship for the 'Proud Mary' singer, pending confirmation from other authorities in the country, a spokeswoman for Turner said on Friday.
Turner, who was born in Tennessee, moved to Switzerland in 1995 to join her German-born record producer partner Erwin Bach and has lived there since. She enjoys the privacy she receives there and has no plans to live elsewhere, the spokeswoman said.
'I'm very happy in Switzerland and I feel at home here,' Turner, 73, was quoted as telling the Swiss daily newspaper Blick.
The eight-time Grammy winner retired from performing after her last tour, which ended 2009. Her hits with Ike Turner and as a solo artist include 'What's Love Got To Do With It,' 'Private Dancer' and 'River Deep - Mountain High.'
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine, editing by Jill Serjeant and Xavier Briand)
This article is sponsored by real estate news.
Friday, January 25, 2013
It's a "Mini-Buble" for singer Michael Bublé and wife
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Canadian jazz singer Michael Bublé and his Argentinian actress wife, Luisana Lopilato, are expecting their first baby together, Lopilato said in a video posted to YouTube on Thursday.
The video shows what appears to be an ultrasound of a fetus with the words 'Mini Buble !!!' attached to the image. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-Q0tUPjPDFo
A written statement that also is part of the 21-second video says, 'We're having a baby Bublé!!!'
Bublé, 37, is a three-time Grammy Award winner known for such songs as 'Haven't Met You Yet,' 'Home' and 'Save the Last Dance for Me.'
He and Lopilato, 25, were married in 2011. She has starred in such Spanish-language television series as 'Chiquititas, la historia' and 'Rebelde Way' and has also worked as a model.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis, editing by Jill Serjeant and David Brunnstrom)
The video shows what appears to be an ultrasound of a fetus with the words 'Mini Buble !!!' attached to the image. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-Q0tUPjPDFo
A written statement that also is part of the 21-second video says, 'We're having a baby Bublé!!!'
Bublé, 37, is a three-time Grammy Award winner known for such songs as 'Haven't Met You Yet,' 'Home' and 'Save the Last Dance for Me.'
He and Lopilato, 25, were married in 2011. She has starred in such Spanish-language television series as 'Chiquititas, la historia' and 'Rebelde Way' and has also worked as a model.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis, editing by Jill Serjeant and David Brunnstrom)
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Arhoolie Records set highlights 50 years of roots-music
BOSTON (Reuters) - Chris Strachwitz discovered the first performer for his Arhoolie Records label by quizzing roadside field hands, a prosperous cotton farmer named Mr. Tom Moore, and a man called Peg Leg at a railroad station in Navasota, Texas.
As Strachwitz tells it, Peg Leg identified a highway worker and former tenant farmer who entertained local folks: Mance Lipscomb.
'Mance Lipscomb, Texas Sharecropper and Songster,' was recorded in 1960 in the musician's shotgun house, and it launched Lipscomb into the surging U.S. folk-music revival.
It also launched German-born Strachwitz on a half-century career of uncovering and popularizing vernacular 'roots music' of the Americas. That includes the blues of black Americans, the Zydeco of Louisiana's Creoles, Mexican norteño and Tejano conjunto music, and other styles that spring from deep cultural wells and get crowds dancing in obscure rooms.
'I probably should have become a detective,' Strachwitz told Reuters in a telephone interview. 'Meeting all these people was an intriguing adventure. I didn't have to go on a safari, hunting for elephants or something. I hunted musicians.'
Some of the performers who Strachwitz tracked down on his back-road and honky-tonk rambles, and others influenced by him and his records, gathered two years ago in Berkeley, California for a 50th anniversary concert run.
The three-night run was released this week as 'They All Played for Us,' a 4-CD set and photo book that showcases Arhoolie's mosaic of musicians.
'They had confidence in the music that they made,' Grammy-winning recording artist Taj Mahal said. 'It wasn't predicated on selling a million or millions ... it's what made them happy. Chris - most of his records were about that.'
Mahal and fellow roots-music pioneer Ry Cooder joined the performers at Berkeley's Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse for the anniversary. Others included the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band, bluegrass master Peter Rowan, norteño stars Los Cenzontles, the Treme Brass Band from New Orleans and The Campbell Brothers, a 'sacred-steel' guitar gospel group.
GATHERING A MUSICAL FAMILY
Strachwitz, who said he fell in love with records as a child in pre-war Germany and came of age in southern California, gathered his musical family in several ways. He scoured record stores and listened to regional ethnic radio programs.
Strachwitz learned of bluesman 'Black Ace' Turner when he inquired at a street-corner gambling game. Blues legend 'Lightning' Hopkins took him to see a cousin, Clifton Chenier, who later rose to acclaim as the 'King of Zydeco.'
Strachwitz named Arhoolie after a type of work song, a field holler, that had deep roots in African-American musical culture.
He was asked to describe the unique attributes of each musical style he recorded. But instead he cited a common thread.
'I think it's the powerful rhythm,' he said. 'They were all dance music - real dance music, not this boogaloo shit. And it's sort of honky-tonk music, it's just free flowing, rhythmic, stuff. With some good singing on top of it.'
He recorded in his living room, kitchens, beer joints and churches. 'I didn't give a damn about acoustics. I'd record in an outhouse if I had to,' he said.
He made sure his musicians got their due. Strachwitz recalled giving an appreciative Fred McDowell a royalty check for the Rolling Stones' cover version of 'You Gotta Move.'
'Fred McDowell enjoyed his life so much just playing for people, and after we got him the money ... from the Rolling Stones, he said. 'Well, I'm glad them boys enjoyed my music.''
The 50th anniversary concert and recording were fundraisers for the Arhoolie Foundation, which supports folk culture and is advised by Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt and others. Projects include films, instrument donations, and digital transfers of more than 50,000 records and cassettes in the collection Strachwitz donated of Mexican and Mexican-American music.
A 'SONGCATCHER' STRUGGLING TO STAY IN BUSINESS
Arhoolie Records and writer Adam Marchado won a Grammy award last year for 'Hear Me Howling,' an anthology of the Bay Area music scene culled from Strachwitz's recordings.
But Arhoolie, based in El Cerrito, California, is struggling. Strachwitz said. He called himself more of 'songcatcher' than businessman.
'I've been trying to survive basically on the publishing royalties. I haven't got a salary from Arhoolie in years and now they can't even afford to pay the rent anymore,' he said.
But there will always be songs to catch and backwaters to explore, Mahal said. The folk-music scene is still vibrant and house concerts are supporting a wave of new talent to be discovered, he said.
And the legacy Strachwitz created will endure.
'Deep Americana (music) is a huge force and it has traveled out of our country to people around the world. It is a big source of comfort for a lot of people,' Mahal said.
'People like Chris Strachwitz have spent their lives making sure that that is so, and that these people don't get lost in the shuffle, and drop through the cracks.'
(Reporting by Randall Mikkelsen, editing by Jill Serjeant)
As Strachwitz tells it, Peg Leg identified a highway worker and former tenant farmer who entertained local folks: Mance Lipscomb.
'Mance Lipscomb, Texas Sharecropper and Songster,' was recorded in 1960 in the musician's shotgun house, and it launched Lipscomb into the surging U.S. folk-music revival.
It also launched German-born Strachwitz on a half-century career of uncovering and popularizing vernacular 'roots music' of the Americas. That includes the blues of black Americans, the Zydeco of Louisiana's Creoles, Mexican norteño and Tejano conjunto music, and other styles that spring from deep cultural wells and get crowds dancing in obscure rooms.
'I probably should have become a detective,' Strachwitz told Reuters in a telephone interview. 'Meeting all these people was an intriguing adventure. I didn't have to go on a safari, hunting for elephants or something. I hunted musicians.'
Some of the performers who Strachwitz tracked down on his back-road and honky-tonk rambles, and others influenced by him and his records, gathered two years ago in Berkeley, California for a 50th anniversary concert run.
The three-night run was released this week as 'They All Played for Us,' a 4-CD set and photo book that showcases Arhoolie's mosaic of musicians.
'They had confidence in the music that they made,' Grammy-winning recording artist Taj Mahal said. 'It wasn't predicated on selling a million or millions ... it's what made them happy. Chris - most of his records were about that.'
Mahal and fellow roots-music pioneer Ry Cooder joined the performers at Berkeley's Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse for the anniversary. Others included the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band, bluegrass master Peter Rowan, norteño stars Los Cenzontles, the Treme Brass Band from New Orleans and The Campbell Brothers, a 'sacred-steel' guitar gospel group.
GATHERING A MUSICAL FAMILY
Strachwitz, who said he fell in love with records as a child in pre-war Germany and came of age in southern California, gathered his musical family in several ways. He scoured record stores and listened to regional ethnic radio programs.
Strachwitz learned of bluesman 'Black Ace' Turner when he inquired at a street-corner gambling game. Blues legend 'Lightning' Hopkins took him to see a cousin, Clifton Chenier, who later rose to acclaim as the 'King of Zydeco.'
Strachwitz named Arhoolie after a type of work song, a field holler, that had deep roots in African-American musical culture.
He was asked to describe the unique attributes of each musical style he recorded. But instead he cited a common thread.
'I think it's the powerful rhythm,' he said. 'They were all dance music - real dance music, not this boogaloo shit. And it's sort of honky-tonk music, it's just free flowing, rhythmic, stuff. With some good singing on top of it.'
He recorded in his living room, kitchens, beer joints and churches. 'I didn't give a damn about acoustics. I'd record in an outhouse if I had to,' he said.
He made sure his musicians got their due. Strachwitz recalled giving an appreciative Fred McDowell a royalty check for the Rolling Stones' cover version of 'You Gotta Move.'
'Fred McDowell enjoyed his life so much just playing for people, and after we got him the money ... from the Rolling Stones, he said. 'Well, I'm glad them boys enjoyed my music.''
The 50th anniversary concert and recording were fundraisers for the Arhoolie Foundation, which supports folk culture and is advised by Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt and others. Projects include films, instrument donations, and digital transfers of more than 50,000 records and cassettes in the collection Strachwitz donated of Mexican and Mexican-American music.
A 'SONGCATCHER' STRUGGLING TO STAY IN BUSINESS
Arhoolie Records and writer Adam Marchado won a Grammy award last year for 'Hear Me Howling,' an anthology of the Bay Area music scene culled from Strachwitz's recordings.
But Arhoolie, based in El Cerrito, California, is struggling. Strachwitz said. He called himself more of 'songcatcher' than businessman.
'I've been trying to survive basically on the publishing royalties. I haven't got a salary from Arhoolie in years and now they can't even afford to pay the rent anymore,' he said.
But there will always be songs to catch and backwaters to explore, Mahal said. The folk-music scene is still vibrant and house concerts are supporting a wave of new talent to be discovered, he said.
And the legacy Strachwitz created will endure.
'Deep Americana (music) is a huge force and it has traveled out of our country to people around the world. It is a big source of comfort for a lot of people,' Mahal said.
'People like Chris Strachwitz have spent their lives making sure that that is so, and that these people don't get lost in the shuffle, and drop through the cracks.'
(Reporting by Randall Mikkelsen, editing by Jill Serjeant)
Broadway's "Spider-Man" producers, Taymor, near settlement, again
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The producers of 'Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark' and Julie Taymor, the musical's ousted director, are once again ready to settle their long-running court case, a court filing showed on Wednesday.
'We anticipate notifying the Court within the next week that a final settlement agreement has been executed,' attorney Charles T. Spada, who represents Taymor, wrote in a January 22 letter to U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest in Manhattan.
The letter comes less than two weeks after the parties resumed litigation after failing to reach a final settlement of Taymor's copyright infringement lawsuit, court records show.
The latest development comes five months after Taymor had reached a settlement in principle with 8 Legged Productions, the producer, in the copyright infringement case
'Spider-Man,' which became a hit, got off to a disastrous start in 2010 with opening night delays, injured actors and the firing of Taymor, who won a Tony Award for her work on 'The Lion King.' She sued 8 Legged Productions in November 2011.
Any settlement is conditioned on 8 Legged Productions coming to terms with Marvel Entertainment, a unit of Walt Disney Co, to extend its license to produce the musical in other venues, Spada wrote in a December 19 letter to the judge.
In Wednesday's letter, Spada said an agreement between the producer and Marvel to amend the license is likely within days.
Taymor and 8 Legged Productions intend to execute their agreement at the same time, the letter said.
'We are moving closer to finalizing the settlement,' Dale Cendali, a lawyer for 8 Legged Productions, said in an email.
A spokesperson for Marvel didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
The case is Julie Taymor et al v. 8 Legged Productions et al, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 11-cv-8002.
(Reporting By Karen Freifeld; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)
'We anticipate notifying the Court within the next week that a final settlement agreement has been executed,' attorney Charles T. Spada, who represents Taymor, wrote in a January 22 letter to U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest in Manhattan.
The letter comes less than two weeks after the parties resumed litigation after failing to reach a final settlement of Taymor's copyright infringement lawsuit, court records show.
The latest development comes five months after Taymor had reached a settlement in principle with 8 Legged Productions, the producer, in the copyright infringement case
'Spider-Man,' which became a hit, got off to a disastrous start in 2010 with opening night delays, injured actors and the firing of Taymor, who won a Tony Award for her work on 'The Lion King.' She sued 8 Legged Productions in November 2011.
Any settlement is conditioned on 8 Legged Productions coming to terms with Marvel Entertainment, a unit of Walt Disney Co, to extend its license to produce the musical in other venues, Spada wrote in a December 19 letter to the judge.
In Wednesday's letter, Spada said an agreement between the producer and Marvel to amend the license is likely within days.
Taymor and 8 Legged Productions intend to execute their agreement at the same time, the letter said.
'We are moving closer to finalizing the settlement,' Dale Cendali, a lawyer for 8 Legged Productions, said in an email.
A spokesperson for Marvel didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
The case is Julie Taymor et al v. 8 Legged Productions et al, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 11-cv-8002.
(Reporting By Karen Freifeld; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Adele to perform Bond theme song "Skyfall" live at Oscars
LONDON (Reuters) - British singer Adele will return to the stage next month after a year absence to perform her Oscar-nominated song 'Skyfall' at the 85th Academy Awards, the show's producers said on Wednesday.
The theme tune to the latest James Bond movie was written by Adele and Paul Epworth. It is the first Bond theme to be nominated for the original song award at the Oscars since 'For Your Eyes Only' in 1981.
The February 24 show will be Adele's first live performance since the Grammy Awards last April and the first time she will perform 'Skyfall' live, as she has kept a low profile since giving birth to a son last October.
'It's an honor to be nominated and terrifyingly wonderful to be singing in front of people who have captured my imagination over and over again,' Adele, 24, said in a statement.
'It's something I've never experienced and probably only ever will once!'
She was in Hollywood last month to pick up the Golden Globe for the best original song prize for 'Skyfall'.
Adele's album '21' scored the rare feat in December of topping all U.S. album sales for the second straight year. She records on the indie record label XL.
(Reporting by Belinda Goldsmith; editing by Patricia Reaney)
The theme tune to the latest James Bond movie was written by Adele and Paul Epworth. It is the first Bond theme to be nominated for the original song award at the Oscars since 'For Your Eyes Only' in 1981.
The February 24 show will be Adele's first live performance since the Grammy Awards last April and the first time she will perform 'Skyfall' live, as she has kept a low profile since giving birth to a son last October.
'It's an honor to be nominated and terrifyingly wonderful to be singing in front of people who have captured my imagination over and over again,' Adele, 24, said in a statement.
'It's something I've never experienced and probably only ever will once!'
She was in Hollywood last month to pick up the Golden Globe for the best original song prize for 'Skyfall'.
Adele's album '21' scored the rare feat in December of topping all U.S. album sales for the second straight year. She records on the indie record label XL.
(Reporting by Belinda Goldsmith; editing by Patricia Reaney)
Did she or didn't she? Beyonce causes lip-synching stir
(Reuters) - Never mind President Barack Obama's inauguration address or what Michelle Obama was wearing at the ball.
Was Beyonce lip-synching the U.S. national anthem on Monday, or wasn't she?
The Grammy-winning singer remained silent on Tuesday amid a media storm over whether she was lip-synching, singing over her own pre-recorded track, or performing live when she delivered a flawless version of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' to hundreds of thousands of people in Washington and millions watching on television.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Marine band first told U.S. news outlets on Tuesday that the 'Single Ladies' star 'decided to go with the pre-recorded music at the last minute' and that, to the spokeswoman's knowledge, she was not actually singing the anthem.
But the U.S. Marine band later backtracked, saying in a statement: 'Regarding Ms. Knowles-Carter's vocal performance, no one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether it was live or pre-recorded.'
The statement said the band and Beyonce, whose surname is Knowles-Carter, had no chance to rehearse together before Monday's inauguration 'so it was determined that a live performance by the band was ill-advised for such a high-profile event.
'Each piece of music scheduled for performance in the Inauguration is pre-recorded for use in case of freezing temperatures, equipment failure, or extenuating circumstances,' the Marine Band added.
Beyonce, 31, was giving her first major public performance since giving birth to a baby with husband, rapper Jay-Z, in January 2012. On Sunday, she posted on Instagram photo of herself in a recording studio holding the sheet music for 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'
Her representatives did not return calls for comment on Tuesday. Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor, who also performed at the inauguration ceremony, both sang live, their publicists said.
Whatever Beyonce's choices on Monday, she was not the first artist cause a stir on such occasions.
Classical musicians Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman and two others played along to a pre-recorded tape at Obama's 2009 inauguration because the cold and wind on the Washington Mall raised the potential of broken strings and sharp notes.
Madonna lip-synched her way through her 2012 Super Bowl half-time performance last year, as did the late Whitney Houston in her 1991 Super Bowl rendition of the national anthem. Singing to pre-recorded tracks has become widespread in the pop music industry
The lip-synching question made headlines around the world and 'Beyonce' was among the top Facebook conversations on Monday, according to the social networking site.
Fans were divided. 'I enjoyed the performance and do not care whether it was lip-synched or not - it was a beautiful rendition, with some originality, of a song we have all heard so many times,' wrote LeeAnne24 on the Washington Post comment board.
Twitter user hiphopdancerJen was disappointed. 'There's honestly no reason for Beyonce to lip-sync... Especially the national anthem. I may despise most of her music, but she has a voice.'
Beyonce is due to take the spotlight again next month - this time at the February 3 Super Bowl half-time show.
(Reporting By Jill Serjeant in Los Angeles and Anna Yukhananov in Washington; Editing by David Brunnstrom)
Was Beyonce lip-synching the U.S. national anthem on Monday, or wasn't she?
The Grammy-winning singer remained silent on Tuesday amid a media storm over whether she was lip-synching, singing over her own pre-recorded track, or performing live when she delivered a flawless version of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' to hundreds of thousands of people in Washington and millions watching on television.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Marine band first told U.S. news outlets on Tuesday that the 'Single Ladies' star 'decided to go with the pre-recorded music at the last minute' and that, to the spokeswoman's knowledge, she was not actually singing the anthem.
But the U.S. Marine band later backtracked, saying in a statement: 'Regarding Ms. Knowles-Carter's vocal performance, no one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether it was live or pre-recorded.'
The statement said the band and Beyonce, whose surname is Knowles-Carter, had no chance to rehearse together before Monday's inauguration 'so it was determined that a live performance by the band was ill-advised for such a high-profile event.
'Each piece of music scheduled for performance in the Inauguration is pre-recorded for use in case of freezing temperatures, equipment failure, or extenuating circumstances,' the Marine Band added.
Beyonce, 31, was giving her first major public performance since giving birth to a baby with husband, rapper Jay-Z, in January 2012. On Sunday, she posted on Instagram photo of herself in a recording studio holding the sheet music for 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'
Her representatives did not return calls for comment on Tuesday. Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor, who also performed at the inauguration ceremony, both sang live, their publicists said.
Whatever Beyonce's choices on Monday, she was not the first artist cause a stir on such occasions.
Classical musicians Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman and two others played along to a pre-recorded tape at Obama's 2009 inauguration because the cold and wind on the Washington Mall raised the potential of broken strings and sharp notes.
Madonna lip-synched her way through her 2012 Super Bowl half-time performance last year, as did the late Whitney Houston in her 1991 Super Bowl rendition of the national anthem. Singing to pre-recorded tracks has become widespread in the pop music industry
The lip-synching question made headlines around the world and 'Beyonce' was among the top Facebook conversations on Monday, according to the social networking site.
Fans were divided. 'I enjoyed the performance and do not care whether it was lip-synched or not - it was a beautiful rendition, with some originality, of a song we have all heard so many times,' wrote LeeAnne24 on the Washington Post comment board.
Twitter user hiphopdancerJen was disappointed. 'There's honestly no reason for Beyonce to lip-sync... Especially the national anthem. I may despise most of her music, but she has a voice.'
Beyonce is due to take the spotlight again next month - this time at the February 3 Super Bowl half-time show.
(Reporting By Jill Serjeant in Los Angeles and Anna Yukhananov in Washington; Editing by David Brunnstrom)
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Singer Shakira, soccer star Gerard Pique welcome baby
(Reuters) - Singer Shakira gave birth to her first child, a boy, on Tuesday in Barcelona, the Colombian pop star said on her website.
The 'Hips Don't Lie' singer and her boyfriend, the Spanish soccer player Gerard Pique, named the six-pound, six-ounce (three kilograms) boy Milan.
'Milan (pronounced MEE-lahn) means dear, loving and gracious in Slavic; in Ancient Roman, eager and laborious, and in Sanskrit, unification,' the star said in a statement posted on her website.
'Just like his father, baby Milan became a member of FC Barcelona at birth,' the couple joked in a statement. Pique is a defender for Spanish La Liga runner-up FC Barcelona.
Shakira, 35, announced her pregnancy in September after bowing out of a performance in Las Vegas.
The couple last week asked fans to donate gifts such as mosquito nets and vaccines to help needy children in an online baby shower. Shakira is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Shakira has signed on to be a judge on the upcoming season of the hit singing contest 'The Voice,' which is broadcast by U.S. network NBC. She and R&B singer Usher will replace judges Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green.
The singer fist met Pique, 25, in 2010, but only confirmed that they had been in a relationship in March 2011.
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey, editing by Elaine Lies)
The 'Hips Don't Lie' singer and her boyfriend, the Spanish soccer player Gerard Pique, named the six-pound, six-ounce (three kilograms) boy Milan.
'Milan (pronounced MEE-lahn) means dear, loving and gracious in Slavic; in Ancient Roman, eager and laborious, and in Sanskrit, unification,' the star said in a statement posted on her website.
'Just like his father, baby Milan became a member of FC Barcelona at birth,' the couple joked in a statement. Pique is a defender for Spanish La Liga runner-up FC Barcelona.
Shakira, 35, announced her pregnancy in September after bowing out of a performance in Las Vegas.
The couple last week asked fans to donate gifts such as mosquito nets and vaccines to help needy children in an online baby shower. Shakira is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Shakira has signed on to be a judge on the upcoming season of the hit singing contest 'The Voice,' which is broadcast by U.S. network NBC. She and R&B singer Usher will replace judges Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green.
The singer fist met Pique, 25, in 2010, but only confirmed that they had been in a relationship in March 2011.
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey, editing by Elaine Lies)
Justin Bieber tops Lady Gaga to rule Twitter
(Reuters) - Teen heartthrob Justin Bieber with his hordes of fans known of Beliebers became the King of Twitter on Tuesday, topping fellow pop star Lady Gaga as the user with the most followers.
Data from TwitterCounter.com showed that the 18-year-old Canadian singer jumped into the lead with 33.33 million followers, topping Lady Gaga's 33.32 million and ending her two-and-a-half year rule of the microblogging site.
A spokesman from TwitterCounter.com said Lady Gaga has held the top slot on Twitter since August 2010 when she overtook U.S. pop star Britney Spears.
Bieber rose to fame as a baby-faced pop star singing love songs such as 'Baby' after being discovered on YouTube in 2008. He has released two No. 1 albums in the past 18 months - the holiday-themed 'Under the Mistletoe' and 'Believe.'
Bieber was named by Forbes magazine in 2012 as the third-most powerful celebrity in the world and his huge following on Twitter was cited as a reason why marketers need to take notice of the 140-character micro-blogging site.
Lady Gaga has dropped to second in Twitter followed by singer Katy Perry in third with 31.49 million followers then Rihanna and Barack Obama with 26.17 million followers. Britney Spears has slipped to sixth place.
(Reporting by Belinda Goldsmith; editing by Patricia Reaney)
Data from TwitterCounter.com showed that the 18-year-old Canadian singer jumped into the lead with 33.33 million followers, topping Lady Gaga's 33.32 million and ending her two-and-a-half year rule of the microblogging site.
A spokesman from TwitterCounter.com said Lady Gaga has held the top slot on Twitter since August 2010 when she overtook U.S. pop star Britney Spears.
Bieber rose to fame as a baby-faced pop star singing love songs such as 'Baby' after being discovered on YouTube in 2008. He has released two No. 1 albums in the past 18 months - the holiday-themed 'Under the Mistletoe' and 'Believe.'
Bieber was named by Forbes magazine in 2012 as the third-most powerful celebrity in the world and his huge following on Twitter was cited as a reason why marketers need to take notice of the 140-character micro-blogging site.
Lady Gaga has dropped to second in Twitter followed by singer Katy Perry in third with 31.49 million followers then Rihanna and Barack Obama with 26.17 million followers. Britney Spears has slipped to sixth place.
(Reporting by Belinda Goldsmith; editing by Patricia Reaney)
Live Nation to rock London Olympic park in 2013
LONDON (Reuters) - Live Nation Entertainment said on Tuesday it had secured exclusive rights to host major music concerts in London's Olympic Park and Stadium complex in 2013.
Live Nation, which hosted more than 400 concerts and performances across Europe in the past year, said it has already planned to hold its Wireless Festival and Hard Rock Calling events at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in the summer.
'We are delighted to be staging music concerts at the London Olympics venue, which last year became a globally-recognized site for outstanding performances - both in sport and music,' John Reid, president of concerts at Live Nation Europe said in a statement on the company's website.
The announcement is a boost for the British government, which provided almost 9 billion pounds ($14.25 billion) of public money to build and provide security for the London 2012 Games, quashing criticism that the east London site could become an expensive white elephant after a glorious summer of sporting drama.
The London Legacy Development Corp (LLDC), set up to transform the park into a viable space for entertainment, leisure and work, said the concerts will form part of a series of events that include a cycling festival, a weekend of music and other activities.
LLDC Chairman and London Mayor Boris Johnson said the Live Nation deal was a ringing endorsement of the efforts made to transform the park.
'Along with the other major international sports events we have already secured this latest news proves that the park has a very bright future indeed,' Johnson said in a statement on the LLDC website.
The LLDC is negotiating with West Ham United to try to finalise a deal for the Premier League soccer club to move into the Olympic Stadium.
The deal also provides Live Nation with a venue to stage events that had become a bone of contention for some residents living near London's Royal Parks, who complained that its summer concerts failed to end at the appointed time and were too loud.
Concert-goers were surprised in July when microphones were suddenly switched off on Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen in mid-duet when a Hyde Park concert ran over time.
Financial terms of the London Olympic venue contract have not been disclosed. Details of the music acts and dates to perform at the site will be announced in the first quarter of 2013, Live Nation said.
($1 = 0.6316 British pounds)
(Reporting by Paul Casciato; editing by Keith Weir)
Live Nation, which hosted more than 400 concerts and performances across Europe in the past year, said it has already planned to hold its Wireless Festival and Hard Rock Calling events at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in the summer.
'We are delighted to be staging music concerts at the London Olympics venue, which last year became a globally-recognized site for outstanding performances - both in sport and music,' John Reid, president of concerts at Live Nation Europe said in a statement on the company's website.
The announcement is a boost for the British government, which provided almost 9 billion pounds ($14.25 billion) of public money to build and provide security for the London 2012 Games, quashing criticism that the east London site could become an expensive white elephant after a glorious summer of sporting drama.
The London Legacy Development Corp (LLDC), set up to transform the park into a viable space for entertainment, leisure and work, said the concerts will form part of a series of events that include a cycling festival, a weekend of music and other activities.
LLDC Chairman and London Mayor Boris Johnson said the Live Nation deal was a ringing endorsement of the efforts made to transform the park.
'Along with the other major international sports events we have already secured this latest news proves that the park has a very bright future indeed,' Johnson said in a statement on the LLDC website.
The LLDC is negotiating with West Ham United to try to finalise a deal for the Premier League soccer club to move into the Olympic Stadium.
The deal also provides Live Nation with a venue to stage events that had become a bone of contention for some residents living near London's Royal Parks, who complained that its summer concerts failed to end at the appointed time and were too loud.
Concert-goers were surprised in July when microphones were suddenly switched off on Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen in mid-duet when a Hyde Park concert ran over time.
Financial terms of the London Olympic venue contract have not been disclosed. Details of the music acts and dates to perform at the site will be announced in the first quarter of 2013, Live Nation said.
($1 = 0.6316 British pounds)
(Reporting by Paul Casciato; editing by Keith Weir)
Rolling Stones nominated for four NME music awards
LONDON (Reuters) - Veteran British rockers The Rolling Stones, who celebrated their 50th anniversary last year, were nominated for four NME music awards on Monday.
The Stones, back in the limelight after a photo book, greatest hits album, documentary film and mini tour to mark their 2012 golden jubilee, were shortlisted for best live band, best book, music moment of the year and best music film.
They were one of four acts with four nominations each. The others were LA sisters Haim, an up-and-coming band tipped for the top by several industry polls, Australian rock band Tame Impala and British alternative hip hop artist M.I.A.
Music magazine NME's nominations were decided by fans voting online, and the winners will be announced at The Troxy in east London on February 27.
'When I first heard it was four things, I thought, 'Ooh, blimey! That's very nice!'' Stones lead singer Mick Jagger said.
'It's funny, because when we were rehearsing at Wembley Arena last year, it was where we used to do the NME Pollwinners,' he said, referring to concerts the magazine staged in the 1960s featuring acts voted on by NME readers.
'We remembered, it was the first time we ever played 'Jumpin' Jack Flash', at one of those Pollwinners concerts!'
Nominated three times was another comeback king David Bowie, who took the music world by surprise earlier this month by releasing his first new music in a decade and promising a studio album in March.
'All the early plaudits will go to Haim, Tame Impala, M.I.A. and the legendary Rolling Stones ... but it's testament to the exquisite taste of the NME audience that artists as wide ranged as Frank Ocean, Jake Bugg, Pussy Riot and David Bowie are recognized too,' said NME editor Mike Williams.
Russian punk band Pussy Riot were shortlisted in the music moment of the year category for a protest against President Vladimir Putin in Moscow's main cathedral that landed some of them in jail.
Rounding out the category was Bowie's comeback, the Olympic Games opening ceremony, The Stone Roses reuniting to play Heaton Park in Manchester and Green Day's secret set at the Reading Festival.
Following are the NME Awards 2013 nominees in the main categories:
BEST BRITISH BAND:
- Arctic Monkeys; Kasabian; The Vaccines; Biffy Clyro; The Maccabees; The Cribs
BEST ALBUM:
- Channel Orange/Frank Ocean; Jake Bugg/Jake Bugg; Given To The Wild/The Maccabees; An Awesome Wave/Alt-J; Come Of Age/The Vaccines; Lonerism/Tame Impala
BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND
- The Killers; Tame Impala; The Black Keys; Odd Future; Crystal Castles; Foo Fighters
BEST TRACK
- R U Mine?/Arctic Monkeys; Don't Save Me/Haim; Bad Girls/M.I.A.; Inhaler/Foals; Best Of Friends/Palma Violets; Elephant/Tame Impala
BEST MUSIC FILM:
- Searching For Sugar Man; LCD Soundsystem: 'Shut Up And Play The Hits'; Hit So Hard : The Life & Near Death Story of Patty Schemel; Marley; The Rolling Stones: 'Crossfire Hurricane'; Led Zeppelin: 'Celebration Day'
BEST SOLO ARTIST:
- Jake Bugg; Noel Gallagher; Florence Welch; Miles Kane; Grimes; Paul Weller
BEST NEW BAND:
- Alt-J; Peace; Palma Violets; Django Django; Alabama Shakes; Haim
BEST MUSIC VIDEO:
Oblivion/Grimes; Bad Girls/M.I.A.; Where Are We Now?/David Bowie; R U Mine?/Arctic Monkeys; Don't Save Me/Haim; Feels Like We Only Go Backwards/Tame Impala
BEST LIVE BAND:
- The Maccabees; The Cribs; Blur; Biffy Clyro; Foals; The Rolling Stones
BEST DANCEFLOOR ANTHEM:
What You Came For/Mosca featuring Katy B; Sweet Nothing/Calvin Harris featuring Florence Welch; Gangnam Style/Psy; Bad Girls/M.I.A.; In Paris/Kanye West and Jay-Z; Losing You/Solange
MUSIC MOMENT OF THE YEAR:
- David Bowie returns; The Stone Roses play Heaton Park; Olympics opening ceremony; The Rolling Stones play London's O2 Arena; Green Day's secret set at Reading Festival; Pussy Riot's punk prayer
HERO OF THE YEAR:
- David Bowie; Bradley Wiggins; Pussy Riot; Barack Obama; Frank Ocean; Dave Grohl
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)
The Stones, back in the limelight after a photo book, greatest hits album, documentary film and mini tour to mark their 2012 golden jubilee, were shortlisted for best live band, best book, music moment of the year and best music film.
They were one of four acts with four nominations each. The others were LA sisters Haim, an up-and-coming band tipped for the top by several industry polls, Australian rock band Tame Impala and British alternative hip hop artist M.I.A.
Music magazine NME's nominations were decided by fans voting online, and the winners will be announced at The Troxy in east London on February 27.
'When I first heard it was four things, I thought, 'Ooh, blimey! That's very nice!'' Stones lead singer Mick Jagger said.
'It's funny, because when we were rehearsing at Wembley Arena last year, it was where we used to do the NME Pollwinners,' he said, referring to concerts the magazine staged in the 1960s featuring acts voted on by NME readers.
'We remembered, it was the first time we ever played 'Jumpin' Jack Flash', at one of those Pollwinners concerts!'
Nominated three times was another comeback king David Bowie, who took the music world by surprise earlier this month by releasing his first new music in a decade and promising a studio album in March.
'All the early plaudits will go to Haim, Tame Impala, M.I.A. and the legendary Rolling Stones ... but it's testament to the exquisite taste of the NME audience that artists as wide ranged as Frank Ocean, Jake Bugg, Pussy Riot and David Bowie are recognized too,' said NME editor Mike Williams.
Russian punk band Pussy Riot were shortlisted in the music moment of the year category for a protest against President Vladimir Putin in Moscow's main cathedral that landed some of them in jail.
Rounding out the category was Bowie's comeback, the Olympic Games opening ceremony, The Stone Roses reuniting to play Heaton Park in Manchester and Green Day's secret set at the Reading Festival.
Following are the NME Awards 2013 nominees in the main categories:
BEST BRITISH BAND:
- Arctic Monkeys; Kasabian; The Vaccines; Biffy Clyro; The Maccabees; The Cribs
BEST ALBUM:
- Channel Orange/Frank Ocean; Jake Bugg/Jake Bugg; Given To The Wild/The Maccabees; An Awesome Wave/Alt-J; Come Of Age/The Vaccines; Lonerism/Tame Impala
BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND
- The Killers; Tame Impala; The Black Keys; Odd Future; Crystal Castles; Foo Fighters
BEST TRACK
- R U Mine?/Arctic Monkeys; Don't Save Me/Haim; Bad Girls/M.I.A.; Inhaler/Foals; Best Of Friends/Palma Violets; Elephant/Tame Impala
BEST MUSIC FILM:
- Searching For Sugar Man; LCD Soundsystem: 'Shut Up And Play The Hits'; Hit So Hard : The Life & Near Death Story of Patty Schemel; Marley; The Rolling Stones: 'Crossfire Hurricane'; Led Zeppelin: 'Celebration Day'
BEST SOLO ARTIST:
- Jake Bugg; Noel Gallagher; Florence Welch; Miles Kane; Grimes; Paul Weller
BEST NEW BAND:
- Alt-J; Peace; Palma Violets; Django Django; Alabama Shakes; Haim
BEST MUSIC VIDEO:
Oblivion/Grimes; Bad Girls/M.I.A.; Where Are We Now?/David Bowie; R U Mine?/Arctic Monkeys; Don't Save Me/Haim; Feels Like We Only Go Backwards/Tame Impala
BEST LIVE BAND:
- The Maccabees; The Cribs; Blur; Biffy Clyro; Foals; The Rolling Stones
BEST DANCEFLOOR ANTHEM:
What You Came For/Mosca featuring Katy B; Sweet Nothing/Calvin Harris featuring Florence Welch; Gangnam Style/Psy; Bad Girls/M.I.A.; In Paris/Kanye West and Jay-Z; Losing You/Solange
MUSIC MOMENT OF THE YEAR:
- David Bowie returns; The Stone Roses play Heaton Park; Olympics opening ceremony; The Rolling Stones play London's O2 Arena; Green Day's secret set at Reading Festival; Pussy Riot's punk prayer
HERO OF THE YEAR:
- David Bowie; Bradley Wiggins; Pussy Riot; Barack Obama; Frank Ocean; Dave Grohl
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)
Violinist Vanessa-Mae rehearses for a new role - Olympic skier
LONDON (Reuters) - Violinist Vanessa-Mae has put music on hold for a year and is rehearsing for a new role - skiing for Thailand at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in February 2014.
Vanessa-Mae, 34, is in training with the aim of competing in at least five internationally recognized events to qualify for the giant slalom and possibly the slalom at the Sochi Olympics.
'People are surprised when they see me skiing - a classical violinist, Oriental, who has lived in the city all her life,' Vanessa-Mae told Reuters in a telephone interview.
'But it has been my dream to be a ski bum since I was 14. This is something I am determined to do.'
The violinist is a British citizen but she also holds a Thai passport. She was born in Singapore to a Chinese mother and a Thai father but she was brought up in England when her mother remarried a Briton.
Vanessa-Mae, whose full name is Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson, would be only the second Thai to compete at a Winter Olympics if she qualified. Academic Prawat Nagvajara represented Thailand in cross-country skiing at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics.
'I wanted to compete for Thailand because there is a part of me which I have never celebrated -- being Thai,' said Vanessa-Mae. 'My father, like most Thais, has never skied but he's really excited about me doing this as is the Thai Olympic Committee.'
Vanessa-Mae started skiing at the age of 4 but music has always been her priority. She made her international professional debut aged 10 and made her mark on the world stage when she broke from tradition and became known for her sexy, glamorous style and for mixing classical music with pop.
Her first techno pop-style album, 'The Violin Player,' was released in 1995 and reached No. 11 in the UK albums chart and she has not stop touring since, although she has not released a new album since 2004.
SECOND PASSION
Vanessa-Mae said she had always wanted to spend more time on her other passion, skiing, so moved to the Swiss alpine resort of Zermatt in 2009 where she is now in training for the Olympics. She hopes to compete in her first event by April.
International Ski Federation spokeswoman Riikka Rakic said Vanessa-Mae was one of five actively registered Thai athletes so she has a license to compete for Thailand but she needs a minimum of five starts in FIS (Federation Internationale de Ski) competitions and certain points to qualify for the Olympics.
'She has a full year to quality and there are many events so there are plenty of options still,' said Rakic.
A National Olympic Committee of Thailand spokesman said Vanessa-Mae would be welcome to race for Thailand if she qualified. So far no Thai athlete has qualified for Sochi.
Vanessa-Mae said she knew it would be tough to make the Olympics but she had given herself a year sabbatical from music to do this -- and always worked better with a deadline.
'When it comes to music I am a perfectionist but when it is skiing, I have no delusions about a podium or even being in the top 100 in the world,' she said.
'Of course there is a risk that I could break something but life is short and you have to go for it. Just to qualify for the Olympics in my hobby would be a dream come true for me.'
Once Sochi is over, she intends to return to music.
'It's time for a new album but doing this will give me a new perspective. Living my dream of being a ski bum is great but the best job in the world is being on stage, making music,' she said.
(Reporting by Belinda Goldsmith, editing by Paul Casciato)
Vanessa-Mae, 34, is in training with the aim of competing in at least five internationally recognized events to qualify for the giant slalom and possibly the slalom at the Sochi Olympics.
'People are surprised when they see me skiing - a classical violinist, Oriental, who has lived in the city all her life,' Vanessa-Mae told Reuters in a telephone interview.
'But it has been my dream to be a ski bum since I was 14. This is something I am determined to do.'
The violinist is a British citizen but she also holds a Thai passport. She was born in Singapore to a Chinese mother and a Thai father but she was brought up in England when her mother remarried a Briton.
Vanessa-Mae, whose full name is Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson, would be only the second Thai to compete at a Winter Olympics if she qualified. Academic Prawat Nagvajara represented Thailand in cross-country skiing at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics.
'I wanted to compete for Thailand because there is a part of me which I have never celebrated -- being Thai,' said Vanessa-Mae. 'My father, like most Thais, has never skied but he's really excited about me doing this as is the Thai Olympic Committee.'
Vanessa-Mae started skiing at the age of 4 but music has always been her priority. She made her international professional debut aged 10 and made her mark on the world stage when she broke from tradition and became known for her sexy, glamorous style and for mixing classical music with pop.
Her first techno pop-style album, 'The Violin Player,' was released in 1995 and reached No. 11 in the UK albums chart and she has not stop touring since, although she has not released a new album since 2004.
SECOND PASSION
Vanessa-Mae said she had always wanted to spend more time on her other passion, skiing, so moved to the Swiss alpine resort of Zermatt in 2009 where she is now in training for the Olympics. She hopes to compete in her first event by April.
International Ski Federation spokeswoman Riikka Rakic said Vanessa-Mae was one of five actively registered Thai athletes so she has a license to compete for Thailand but she needs a minimum of five starts in FIS (Federation Internationale de Ski) competitions and certain points to qualify for the Olympics.
'She has a full year to quality and there are many events so there are plenty of options still,' said Rakic.
A National Olympic Committee of Thailand spokesman said Vanessa-Mae would be welcome to race for Thailand if she qualified. So far no Thai athlete has qualified for Sochi.
Vanessa-Mae said she knew it would be tough to make the Olympics but she had given herself a year sabbatical from music to do this -- and always worked better with a deadline.
'When it comes to music I am a perfectionist but when it is skiing, I have no delusions about a podium or even being in the top 100 in the world,' she said.
'Of course there is a risk that I could break something but life is short and you have to go for it. Just to qualify for the Olympics in my hobby would be a dream come true for me.'
Once Sochi is over, she intends to return to music.
'It's time for a new album but doing this will give me a new perspective. Living my dream of being a ski bum is great but the best job in the world is being on stage, making music,' she said.
(Reporting by Belinda Goldsmith, editing by Paul Casciato)
Monday, January 21, 2013
"Les Miserables" soundtrack tops UK albums chart
LONDON (Reuters) - The soundtrack of the Oscar-nominated movie 'Les Miserables' climbed to the top spot in the UK albums chart, the first film cast recording to do so since Madonna's 'Evita' in 1997, the Official Charts Company said on Sunday.
A film version of a hugely successful stage musical based on a novel by 19th century French writer Victor Hugo, 'Les Miserables' has already picked up a Golden Globe award for best movie musical, and is nominated for a best picture Oscar.
The recording of songs performed by the actors in the movie, including Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman, had entered the UK albums chart in fifth position a week ago. It knocked Emeli Sande's 'Our Version Of Events' off the top spot.
Hathaway, who plays a character called Fantine, also had the 22nd spot in the singles chart with her performance of 'I Dreamed A Dream', one of the most popular songs from the musical.
At the very top of the singles chart, U.S. producer will.i.am's collaboration with Britney Spears, 'Scream & Shout', held onto the number one ranking, fending off stiff competition from new entrants 50 Cent and Justin Timberlake.
U.S. rapper 50 Cent's new release, 'My Life', featuring Eminem and Maroon 5's Adam Levine, came in at number two while Timberlake, the former 'N Sync star, nabbed the number three spot with his 'Suit and Tie' featuring Jay-Z.
(Reporting By Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Sophie Hares)
A film version of a hugely successful stage musical based on a novel by 19th century French writer Victor Hugo, 'Les Miserables' has already picked up a Golden Globe award for best movie musical, and is nominated for a best picture Oscar.
The recording of songs performed by the actors in the movie, including Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman, had entered the UK albums chart in fifth position a week ago. It knocked Emeli Sande's 'Our Version Of Events' off the top spot.
Hathaway, who plays a character called Fantine, also had the 22nd spot in the singles chart with her performance of 'I Dreamed A Dream', one of the most popular songs from the musical.
At the very top of the singles chart, U.S. producer will.i.am's collaboration with Britney Spears, 'Scream & Shout', held onto the number one ranking, fending off stiff competition from new entrants 50 Cent and Justin Timberlake.
U.S. rapper 50 Cent's new release, 'My Life', featuring Eminem and Maroon 5's Adam Levine, came in at number two while Timberlake, the former 'N Sync star, nabbed the number three spot with his 'Suit and Tie' featuring Jay-Z.
(Reporting By Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Sophie Hares)
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Singer Randy Travis reaches plea deal in assault case: TV
DALLAS (Reuters) - Country music singer Randy Travis has reached a plea agreement in a misdemeanor assault case arising from an altercation last summer in a Texas church parking lot, KTVT-TV reported on Saturday.
The Grammy winner will serve 90 days of deferred adjudication under a plea he entered on Friday in a municipal court in Plano, a Dallas suburb, the CBS-affiliated station in Dallas/Forth Worth reported.
Deferred adjudication lets a defendant plead 'guilty' or 'no contest' in exchange for meeting requirements such as probation during the period. The defendant may avoid a formal conviction or have his case dismissed once the requirements are met.
Police said Travis assaulted a man in the parking lot of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano on August 23 while attempting to intervene in a disagreement between a woman, who is now his fiancée, and her estranged husband.
Travis pleaded not guilty to the charge last month. He filed a lawsuit in a Collin County court against the man he was charged with assaulting, saying the incident was an attempt to injure and embarrass Travis, the TV station reported.
Attempts to contact Travis' attorney on Saturday were unsuccessful.
The 53-year-old singer still faces charges of driving while intoxicated in an August 7 incident near his hometown of Tioga, about 60 miles north of Dallas.
Authorities are still investigating alleged threats he made to troopers who took him to jail, and no charges have been filed.
(Reporting by Marice Richter; Writing Ian Simpson in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney)
The Grammy winner will serve 90 days of deferred adjudication under a plea he entered on Friday in a municipal court in Plano, a Dallas suburb, the CBS-affiliated station in Dallas/Forth Worth reported.
Deferred adjudication lets a defendant plead 'guilty' or 'no contest' in exchange for meeting requirements such as probation during the period. The defendant may avoid a formal conviction or have his case dismissed once the requirements are met.
Police said Travis assaulted a man in the parking lot of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano on August 23 while attempting to intervene in a disagreement between a woman, who is now his fiancée, and her estranged husband.
Travis pleaded not guilty to the charge last month. He filed a lawsuit in a Collin County court against the man he was charged with assaulting, saying the incident was an attempt to injure and embarrass Travis, the TV station reported.
Attempts to contact Travis' attorney on Saturday were unsuccessful.
The 53-year-old singer still faces charges of driving while intoxicated in an August 7 incident near his hometown of Tioga, about 60 miles north of Dallas.
Authorities are still investigating alleged threats he made to troopers who took him to jail, and no charges have been filed.
(Reporting by Marice Richter; Writing Ian Simpson in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney)
Friday, January 18, 2013
Bob Dylan considering Dylan Thomas centenary show in Wales
LONDON (Reuters) - American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan may play a special concert in Wales to mark the centenary of the birth of Dylan Thomas, the Welsh poet after whom he may or may not have named himself.
The member of parliament for West Swansea, Geraint Davies, said he had asked Dylan if he would perform in the city as part of a series of commemorative events next year.
'Bob Dylan named himself after Dylan Thomas. I have asked Bob Dylan whether he would be prepared to give a centenary concert in Swansea, in order that he could blend his music with Dylan Thomas's poetry,' Davies said in the British parliament on Thursday.
'Sony Music has come back and said that Mr. Dylan is thinking very positively about the idea.'
Dylan, 71, was born Robert Allen Zimmerman and the reason he picked his adopted name while a young folk singer in Minnesota has long been debated by fans.
The most popular theory is that he did indeed name himself after the Welsh poet, though another says it was after Marshal Matt Dillon in the TV Western 'Gunsmoke'.
Dylan Thomas, whose works include 'Under Milk Wood' and 'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night', was born in Swansea in 1914 and died in New York 1953 after a drinking binge.
Bob Dylan still tours regularly and his latest recording 'Tempest', released last September, was hailed by the critics.
(Reporting by Angus MacSwan; Editing by Paul Casciato)
The member of parliament for West Swansea, Geraint Davies, said he had asked Dylan if he would perform in the city as part of a series of commemorative events next year.
'Bob Dylan named himself after Dylan Thomas. I have asked Bob Dylan whether he would be prepared to give a centenary concert in Swansea, in order that he could blend his music with Dylan Thomas's poetry,' Davies said in the British parliament on Thursday.
'Sony Music has come back and said that Mr. Dylan is thinking very positively about the idea.'
Dylan, 71, was born Robert Allen Zimmerman and the reason he picked his adopted name while a young folk singer in Minnesota has long been debated by fans.
The most popular theory is that he did indeed name himself after the Welsh poet, though another says it was after Marshal Matt Dillon in the TV Western 'Gunsmoke'.
Dylan Thomas, whose works include 'Under Milk Wood' and 'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night', was born in Swansea in 1914 and died in New York 1953 after a drinking binge.
Bob Dylan still tours regularly and his latest recording 'Tempest', released last September, was hailed by the critics.
(Reporting by Angus MacSwan; Editing by Paul Casciato)
Thursday, January 17, 2013
McCartney re-records song for animated YouTube clip
(Reuters) - Former Beatle Paul McCartney has recorded a new version of his 1971 song 'Heart Of The Country,' and directed fans to YouTube where the song accompanies an animated clip featuring his late wife Linda.
'I did a new mega simple version of 'Heart Of The Country' for the Linda animation on YouTube,' McCartney posted on Twitter on Wednesday. The 40-second clip was posted in the United Kingdom on January 11 by 'Linda McCartney.'
'Sounds cool to me!' he said in Wednesday's tweet. In an earlier post, McCartney tweeted 'Looks great - love it!'
In the clip, an animated Linda McCartney snaps photographs, prepares and serves food for children and animals and plays music in a forested setting.
Linda McCartney, who died 15 years ago, was an accomplished photographer and dedicated vegetarian and animal rights activist.
The singer did not say why he re-recorded the song, but people who posted comments on YouTube speculated that the clip and accompanying music would be used for a new advertisement for Linda McCartney's line of vegetarian food products.
Media reports said the ad would air later this month.
'Heart Of The Country' was recorded for Paul and Linda McCartney's 1971 'Ram,' which was the only album credited to the pair.
Linda McCartney died of breast cancer in 1998 at age 56.
(Reporting by Chris Michaud; editing by Patricia Reaney and Stacey Joyce)
'I did a new mega simple version of 'Heart Of The Country' for the Linda animation on YouTube,' McCartney posted on Twitter on Wednesday. The 40-second clip was posted in the United Kingdom on January 11 by 'Linda McCartney.'
'Sounds cool to me!' he said in Wednesday's tweet. In an earlier post, McCartney tweeted 'Looks great - love it!'
In the clip, an animated Linda McCartney snaps photographs, prepares and serves food for children and animals and plays music in a forested setting.
Linda McCartney, who died 15 years ago, was an accomplished photographer and dedicated vegetarian and animal rights activist.
The singer did not say why he re-recorded the song, but people who posted comments on YouTube speculated that the clip and accompanying music would be used for a new advertisement for Linda McCartney's line of vegetarian food products.
Media reports said the ad would air later this month.
'Heart Of The Country' was recorded for Paul and Linda McCartney's 1971 'Ram,' which was the only album credited to the pair.
Linda McCartney died of breast cancer in 1998 at age 56.
(Reporting by Chris Michaud; editing by Patricia Reaney and Stacey Joyce)
"Gangnam Style" takes top song prize at "K-pop Grammys"
(Reuters) - South Korean rapper Psy's quirky viral hit 'Gangnam Style' took the prize for top song on Wednesday at the 27th annual Golden Disk Awards, a Korean pop event dubbed the 'Korean Grammys.'
The two-day celebration of all things K-pop, including performances by superstars such as the boy band Super Junior, was held in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur before hordes of screaming fans, a testimony to the soaring popularity of Korean pop music around the world.
Nowhere has that been more apparent than with 'Gangnam Style,' an infectious hit that made history last month when it became the first ever video on YouTube to reach 1 billion views, the latest record on the song's surge into mainstream pop.
The tune won the Song of the Year award, the final prize.
The awards were only the latest accolades for Psy, 35, in what has been a whirlwind year for the chubby rapper, the first K-pop artist to achieve mainstream success in the United States as a result of 'Gangnam Style.'
Decked out in a bow tie and suit jackets varying from pink to baby blue, and only a towel for one sequence set in a sauna, Psy raps in Korean and busts funky moves based on horse-riding in venues ranging from playgrounds to subways.
The song, released in July, was meant as a commentary on the rampant materialism of today's South Korea - particularly in relation to the Gangnam section of the city, which Psy has termed Seoul's Beverly Hills.
'My goal in this music video was to look uncool until the end. I achieved it,' Psy told Reuters in August.
The popularity of the song, which has prompted many copycat and parody videos, has added fuel to growing international interest in Asian pop music, especially the K-pop industry, which now aims to follow Psy into mainstream Western pop music.
Thanks to their youth, glowing image and the style of their songs and dances, K-pop fans have grown rapidly in Southeast Asia, formerly dominated by stars from the West as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan.
A Malaysian fan who queued for three days to get into the first night of the awards ceremony said she loved how the K-pop stars strived for perfection.
'K-pop stars have been working very hard, even before they make their first debut. They spend a lot of time practicing to become a perfect artist,' said the 20-something Tay Ching Ee. 'This is what other artists should learn from them.'
The Golden Disk Awards began in 1986, with winners chosen based on album sales and digital downloads. The ceremony first ventured overseas in 2012, when it was held in Japan.
On Tuesday, the first night, Super Junior again won the best album award with their album 'Sexy, Free & Single.' Boy band Shinee scooped the Most Popular Star prize.
(Additional reporting by Angie Teo and Belinda Goldsmith; writing by Elaine Lies; editing by Patricia Reaney)
The two-day celebration of all things K-pop, including performances by superstars such as the boy band Super Junior, was held in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur before hordes of screaming fans, a testimony to the soaring popularity of Korean pop music around the world.
Nowhere has that been more apparent than with 'Gangnam Style,' an infectious hit that made history last month when it became the first ever video on YouTube to reach 1 billion views, the latest record on the song's surge into mainstream pop.
The tune won the Song of the Year award, the final prize.
The awards were only the latest accolades for Psy, 35, in what has been a whirlwind year for the chubby rapper, the first K-pop artist to achieve mainstream success in the United States as a result of 'Gangnam Style.'
Decked out in a bow tie and suit jackets varying from pink to baby blue, and only a towel for one sequence set in a sauna, Psy raps in Korean and busts funky moves based on horse-riding in venues ranging from playgrounds to subways.
The song, released in July, was meant as a commentary on the rampant materialism of today's South Korea - particularly in relation to the Gangnam section of the city, which Psy has termed Seoul's Beverly Hills.
'My goal in this music video was to look uncool until the end. I achieved it,' Psy told Reuters in August.
The popularity of the song, which has prompted many copycat and parody videos, has added fuel to growing international interest in Asian pop music, especially the K-pop industry, which now aims to follow Psy into mainstream Western pop music.
Thanks to their youth, glowing image and the style of their songs and dances, K-pop fans have grown rapidly in Southeast Asia, formerly dominated by stars from the West as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan.
A Malaysian fan who queued for three days to get into the first night of the awards ceremony said she loved how the K-pop stars strived for perfection.
'K-pop stars have been working very hard, even before they make their first debut. They spend a lot of time practicing to become a perfect artist,' said the 20-something Tay Ching Ee. 'This is what other artists should learn from them.'
The Golden Disk Awards began in 1986, with winners chosen based on album sales and digital downloads. The ceremony first ventured overseas in 2012, when it was held in Japan.
On Tuesday, the first night, Super Junior again won the best album award with their album 'Sexy, Free & Single.' Boy band Shinee scooped the Most Popular Star prize.
(Additional reporting by Angie Teo and Belinda Goldsmith; writing by Elaine Lies; editing by Patricia Reaney)
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
"American Idol" returns with feuds, fame, fortune
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - 'American Idol' returns on Wednesday with the tantalizing promise of fame, fortune and feuds - and that's just among the celebrity panel hired to find the next pop music sensation.
Singer Mariah Carey, rapper Nicki Minaj and country artist Keith Urban make their debut as judges when the TV talent contest begins its 12th season on Fox.
'All three judges are eminently qualified. It's a good spectrum in terms of embracing hip-hop, country and pop,' HitFix.com music blogger Melinda Newman said.
'What everyone is going to be looking at, sadly, is how Mariah and Nicki Minaj get along, instead of focusing on the contestants,' she said.
Carey, with more than 200 million album sales, the outspoken Minaj, one of the most exciting voices in rap, and Urban are expected to revive interest in the contest. Last year average audiences dipped below 20 million, and 'Idol' lost its eight-year crown as the most watched show on U.S. television to NBC's 'Sunday Night Football.'
The three newcomers replace departing judges Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler who quit last year after two seasons.
The new panel, rounded out by old hand record producer Randy Jackson, didn't come cheap. Carey is reported to be earning approximately $18 million for the season, Minaj about $12 million and Urban $8 million.
But industry watchers say 'Idol' needs more than big names to bring in audiences at a time of cutthroat competition from talent contests like 'The Voice,' 'The X Factor,' and 'America's Got Talent.'
'While shaking up the show can initially provide curiosity tune in, at the end of the day, the panel needs to click with each other and with fans,' Entertainment Weekly's James Hibberd said.
''Idol' used to have the playground all to itself. After four months of 'The Voice' and ' X Factor' last fall, are audiences still going to be excited by 'Idol'?' Hibberd asked.
The new season of 'Idol' was making headlines in September, when video of Carey and Minaj arguing during early auditions was leaked online.
Minaj also was reported to have threatened to shoot Carey, who said in a TV interview last week that she had hired extra security while filming the show.
FOCUS ON CONTESTANTS
In a tense media appearance last week, the two divas claimed they had put their feud behind them, attributing the fight to passionate differences of opinion about the contestants auditioning for a chance to make it through to later rounds.
Newman said it would be a shame if the fight overshadows the show's original mission of finding new talent, an achievement that could prove the biggest boost to 'Idol' ratings.
'All these shows have become more about the contestants than the judges. It would be nice if 'American Idol,' as the one that started it all, got the focus back on the contestants.
'Ten years ago, people were really excited when they were voting for ('Idol' winners) Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood. There needs to be a powerhouse group of contestants who really capture people's interest, and who you want to root for,' Newman said.
The new judges say that's what they want too.
'When I watch these shows and someone says yes to a person who clearly doesn't deserve it, it bothers me,' Minaj told TV reporters last week. 'And I want to jump through the TV because I feel like, for the people who are talented, it kind of minimizes how talented they really are. So when I came on, I didn't really have a problem with saying no, because I kind of felt like we're looking for the best of the best.'
Aspiring rappers - never a group that has been embraced by 'Idol' producers or fans - will get short shrift.
'I definitely don't think a rapper should be in this competition ... When I got involved in the competition, I specifically said, I hope they didn't try to do that because I was on the show, because I think America loves that it's an honest singing competition,' Minaj said.
'American Idol' kicks off on Wednesday on Fox with a two-hour premiere, followed by a one-hour show on Thursday. Fox is a unit of News Corp.
(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Stacey Joyce)
This news article is brought to you by ANIMALS AND PETS - where latest news are our top priority.
Singer Mariah Carey, rapper Nicki Minaj and country artist Keith Urban make their debut as judges when the TV talent contest begins its 12th season on Fox.
'All three judges are eminently qualified. It's a good spectrum in terms of embracing hip-hop, country and pop,' HitFix.com music blogger Melinda Newman said.
'What everyone is going to be looking at, sadly, is how Mariah and Nicki Minaj get along, instead of focusing on the contestants,' she said.
Carey, with more than 200 million album sales, the outspoken Minaj, one of the most exciting voices in rap, and Urban are expected to revive interest in the contest. Last year average audiences dipped below 20 million, and 'Idol' lost its eight-year crown as the most watched show on U.S. television to NBC's 'Sunday Night Football.'
The three newcomers replace departing judges Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler who quit last year after two seasons.
The new panel, rounded out by old hand record producer Randy Jackson, didn't come cheap. Carey is reported to be earning approximately $18 million for the season, Minaj about $12 million and Urban $8 million.
But industry watchers say 'Idol' needs more than big names to bring in audiences at a time of cutthroat competition from talent contests like 'The Voice,' 'The X Factor,' and 'America's Got Talent.'
'While shaking up the show can initially provide curiosity tune in, at the end of the day, the panel needs to click with each other and with fans,' Entertainment Weekly's James Hibberd said.
''Idol' used to have the playground all to itself. After four months of 'The Voice' and ' X Factor' last fall, are audiences still going to be excited by 'Idol'?' Hibberd asked.
The new season of 'Idol' was making headlines in September, when video of Carey and Minaj arguing during early auditions was leaked online.
Minaj also was reported to have threatened to shoot Carey, who said in a TV interview last week that she had hired extra security while filming the show.
FOCUS ON CONTESTANTS
In a tense media appearance last week, the two divas claimed they had put their feud behind them, attributing the fight to passionate differences of opinion about the contestants auditioning for a chance to make it through to later rounds.
Newman said it would be a shame if the fight overshadows the show's original mission of finding new talent, an achievement that could prove the biggest boost to 'Idol' ratings.
'All these shows have become more about the contestants than the judges. It would be nice if 'American Idol,' as the one that started it all, got the focus back on the contestants.
'Ten years ago, people were really excited when they were voting for ('Idol' winners) Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood. There needs to be a powerhouse group of contestants who really capture people's interest, and who you want to root for,' Newman said.
The new judges say that's what they want too.
'When I watch these shows and someone says yes to a person who clearly doesn't deserve it, it bothers me,' Minaj told TV reporters last week. 'And I want to jump through the TV because I feel like, for the people who are talented, it kind of minimizes how talented they really are. So when I came on, I didn't really have a problem with saying no, because I kind of felt like we're looking for the best of the best.'
Aspiring rappers - never a group that has been embraced by 'Idol' producers or fans - will get short shrift.
'I definitely don't think a rapper should be in this competition ... When I got involved in the competition, I specifically said, I hope they didn't try to do that because I was on the show, because I think America loves that it's an honest singing competition,' Minaj said.
'American Idol' kicks off on Wednesday on Fox with a two-hour premiere, followed by a one-hour show on Thursday. Fox is a unit of News Corp.
(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Stacey Joyce)
This news article is brought to you by ANIMALS AND PETS - where latest news are our top priority.
Singer Elton John a father for second time
LONDON (Reuters) - British pop star Elton John announced on Wednesday he had become a father for the second time after the birth via a surrogate mother of Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John.
The 'Rocket Man' and 'Candle in the Wind' singer and his partner David Furnish confirmed the news in a short statement on John's official website, which also provided a link to an article in Hello! magazine.
'Both of us have longed to have children, but the reality that we now have two sons is almost unbelievable,' said the couple, who entered a civil partnership in 2005.
'The birth of our second son completes our family in a most precious and perfect way,' they told Hello!.
John, 65, and Furnish, 50, are already parents to Zachary, who is two. Elijah was born in Los Angeles on January 11.
'I know when he goes to school there's going to be an awful lot of pressure, and I know he's going to have people saying, 'You don't have a mummy,'' John said of his decision to have another baby.
'It's going to happen. We talked about it before we had him. I want someone to be at his side and back him up. We shall see.'
(This story has been corrected to change magazine to Hello! from People in paragraph two)
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)
This article is sponsored by Travel to France.
The 'Rocket Man' and 'Candle in the Wind' singer and his partner David Furnish confirmed the news in a short statement on John's official website, which also provided a link to an article in Hello! magazine.
'Both of us have longed to have children, but the reality that we now have two sons is almost unbelievable,' said the couple, who entered a civil partnership in 2005.
'The birth of our second son completes our family in a most precious and perfect way,' they told Hello!.
John, 65, and Furnish, 50, are already parents to Zachary, who is two. Elijah was born in Los Angeles on January 11.
'I know when he goes to school there's going to be an awful lot of pressure, and I know he's going to have people saying, 'You don't have a mummy,'' John said of his decision to have another baby.
'It's going to happen. We talked about it before we had him. I want someone to be at his side and back him up. We shall see.'
(This story has been corrected to change magazine to Hello! from People in paragraph two)
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)
This article is sponsored by Travel to France.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Lindsay Lohan pleads not guilty to car crash charges
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lindsay Lohan pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to three charges related to a June traffic accident that led a judge to revoke the troubled actress' probation last month.
Lohan, 26, who did not attend the hearing, was arraigned on misdemeanor charges of reckless driving, lying to police and obstructing police when she said she was not behind the wheel of her sports car, which smashed into a truck in Santa Monica, California.
Lohan's not guilty plea was entered in a Los Angeles court by her attorney.
The 'Liz & Dick' actress is on probation for a 2011 jewelry theft and could be sent to jail if she is found to have violated the terms of her probation.
Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Jane Godfrey, who will also preside over Lohan's probation hearing, on Tuesday ordered the actress to attend a January 30 pretrial hearing. A date for Lohan's probation hearing will be set at that time.
Lohan has been in and out of rehab and jail since a 2007 arrest for drunk driving and cocaine possession.
The former 'Parent Trap' child star was arrested in New York on a misdemeanor assault charge on the same day that the Santa Monica car crash charges were filed.
The Manhattan district attorney's office has not filed a criminal complaint in the assault case.
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey, editing by Jill Serjeant and Stacey Joyce)
Lohan, 26, who did not attend the hearing, was arraigned on misdemeanor charges of reckless driving, lying to police and obstructing police when she said she was not behind the wheel of her sports car, which smashed into a truck in Santa Monica, California.
Lohan's not guilty plea was entered in a Los Angeles court by her attorney.
The 'Liz & Dick' actress is on probation for a 2011 jewelry theft and could be sent to jail if she is found to have violated the terms of her probation.
Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Jane Godfrey, who will also preside over Lohan's probation hearing, on Tuesday ordered the actress to attend a January 30 pretrial hearing. A date for Lohan's probation hearing will be set at that time.
Lohan has been in and out of rehab and jail since a 2007 arrest for drunk driving and cocaine possession.
The former 'Parent Trap' child star was arrested in New York on a misdemeanor assault charge on the same day that the Santa Monica car crash charges were filed.
The Manhattan district attorney's office has not filed a criminal complaint in the assault case.
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey, editing by Jill Serjeant and Stacey Joyce)
Monday, January 14, 2013
Justin Timberlake brings sexy back with new song
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pop star Justin Timberlake has brought his trademark sexy crooner voice back with his first new song in five years, receiving a warm welcome from fans and critics on Monday on his long-awaited return to music.
The singer released 'Suit & Tie' featuring Jay-Z on Sunday night, and within hours, the song had topped the U.S. iTunes chart. The new single also came with the announcement of a new album, 'The 20/20 Experience,' to be released later this year.
The new song, produced by Timberlake's long-time collaborator Timbaland, features the singer's falsetto voice over a laid-back, hip-hop beat, fusing R&B and pop sounds.
Critics drew on Timberlake's newly married status - the singer wed actress Jessica Biel last October - as a possible inspiration for the track.
Rolling Stone Magazine reviewer Jody Rosen called the single 'a gift to the world's wedding DJs ... an ode to dressing to the nines and going dancing.'
Pitchfork music website reviewer Stephen Deusner said the track was 'one hell of a wedding reception jam, as bubbly as champagne,' while Billboard's Jason Lipschultz called the song a 'sleek, wholly assured dance number.'
Timberlake, 31, who teased fans with cryptic Twitter messages last week, quickly became a trending topic on social media, along with the song.
MTV Buzzworthy's editor, Tamar Anitai, said the avid online response was no surprise, given Timberlake's vast fan base and the long wait for new music.
'None of his fans have gone anywhere. He's the type of artist who can take 7 years between albums and his fans are still waiting outside his studio door,' Anitai told Reuters.
The singer's last album, 'FutureSex/LoveSounds' in 2006, produced six hit singles including 'SexyBack,' which brought the singer four Grammy awards.
ROOM FOR TWO JUSTINS IN POP MUSIC?
Timberlake rose to fame as one-fifth of 1990's boy band N'Sync, becoming a pin-up for his good looks. He dated fellow singer Britney Spears.
After N'Sync parted ways in 2002, Timberlake launched his solo career with a new look and edgier sound in his debut solo album 'Justified,' with songs like 'Cry Me A River' and 'Rock Your Body,' becoming chart hits. The album won a Grammy award.
His 'FutureSex/LoveSounds' album arrived at the forefront of a new sound in the pop charts, fusing pop, R&B, hip hop and dance.
''FutureSex' is what people are holding onto because it had that really futuristic sound from Timbaland,' Anitai said.
Timberlake took a musical hiatus the last five years to focus on his acting career. He appeared in 2010 Facebook film 'The Social Network,' 2011's 'Friends with Benefits' and last year's 'The Trouble With The Curve,' alongside Clint Eastwood.
During Timberlake's time away from music, a new Justin blazed a trail onto the pop charts, Canadian teenage pop phenomenon Justin Bieber, who has drawn comparisons to Timberlake for his inclusion of hip hop and R&B in his music.
Bieber, who has more than 32 million Twitter followers, tweeted a tip of the hat to Timberlake after the 'SexyBack' singer posted his teaser on Thursday, saying 'i have heard some stuff. u got a good reason to be ready. #greatmusic.'
'There is room for two Justins, but Justin Timberlake is the original Justin and I think there's always going to be room for him,' Anitai said.
(Editing by Philip Barbara)
This news article is brought to you by GLAMOROUS FASHION NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
The singer released 'Suit & Tie' featuring Jay-Z on Sunday night, and within hours, the song had topped the U.S. iTunes chart. The new single also came with the announcement of a new album, 'The 20/20 Experience,' to be released later this year.
The new song, produced by Timberlake's long-time collaborator Timbaland, features the singer's falsetto voice over a laid-back, hip-hop beat, fusing R&B and pop sounds.
Critics drew on Timberlake's newly married status - the singer wed actress Jessica Biel last October - as a possible inspiration for the track.
Rolling Stone Magazine reviewer Jody Rosen called the single 'a gift to the world's wedding DJs ... an ode to dressing to the nines and going dancing.'
Pitchfork music website reviewer Stephen Deusner said the track was 'one hell of a wedding reception jam, as bubbly as champagne,' while Billboard's Jason Lipschultz called the song a 'sleek, wholly assured dance number.'
Timberlake, 31, who teased fans with cryptic Twitter messages last week, quickly became a trending topic on social media, along with the song.
MTV Buzzworthy's editor, Tamar Anitai, said the avid online response was no surprise, given Timberlake's vast fan base and the long wait for new music.
'None of his fans have gone anywhere. He's the type of artist who can take 7 years between albums and his fans are still waiting outside his studio door,' Anitai told Reuters.
The singer's last album, 'FutureSex/LoveSounds' in 2006, produced six hit singles including 'SexyBack,' which brought the singer four Grammy awards.
ROOM FOR TWO JUSTINS IN POP MUSIC?
Timberlake rose to fame as one-fifth of 1990's boy band N'Sync, becoming a pin-up for his good looks. He dated fellow singer Britney Spears.
After N'Sync parted ways in 2002, Timberlake launched his solo career with a new look and edgier sound in his debut solo album 'Justified,' with songs like 'Cry Me A River' and 'Rock Your Body,' becoming chart hits. The album won a Grammy award.
His 'FutureSex/LoveSounds' album arrived at the forefront of a new sound in the pop charts, fusing pop, R&B, hip hop and dance.
''FutureSex' is what people are holding onto because it had that really futuristic sound from Timbaland,' Anitai said.
Timberlake took a musical hiatus the last five years to focus on his acting career. He appeared in 2010 Facebook film 'The Social Network,' 2011's 'Friends with Benefits' and last year's 'The Trouble With The Curve,' alongside Clint Eastwood.
During Timberlake's time away from music, a new Justin blazed a trail onto the pop charts, Canadian teenage pop phenomenon Justin Bieber, who has drawn comparisons to Timberlake for his inclusion of hip hop and R&B in his music.
Bieber, who has more than 32 million Twitter followers, tweeted a tip of the hat to Timberlake after the 'SexyBack' singer posted his teaser on Thursday, saying 'i have heard some stuff. u got a good reason to be ready. #greatmusic.'
'There is room for two Justins, but Justin Timberlake is the original Justin and I think there's always going to be room for him,' Anitai said.
(Editing by Philip Barbara)
This news article is brought to you by GLAMOROUS FASHION NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Justin Timberlake releases 'Suit & Tie,' first single in 5 years
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pop star Justin Timberlake unveiled on Sunday his first single in more than five years, 'Suit & Tie,' featuring rapper Jay Z and producer Timbaland and said a new album would be released later in 2013.
Timberlake, 31 and newly married to actress Jessica Biel, had teased his fans last week with a cryptic tweet saying 'I think I am ready' and linking to a video showing him walk into a studio.
Timberlake, a six-time Grammy winner and former member of boy band N'Sync, took a break from music after his 2006 album 'Futuresex/Lovesounds' and worked as an actor in movies such as 'The Social Network.'
He said in an open letter on his website that the new album is titled 'The 20/20 Experience' but gave no further details.
(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Jon Boyle)
This article is brought to you by SEXY GIRLS.
Timberlake, 31 and newly married to actress Jessica Biel, had teased his fans last week with a cryptic tweet saying 'I think I am ready' and linking to a video showing him walk into a studio.
Timberlake, a six-time Grammy winner and former member of boy band N'Sync, took a break from music after his 2006 album 'Futuresex/Lovesounds' and worked as an actor in movies such as 'The Social Network.'
He said in an open letter on his website that the new album is titled 'The 20/20 Experience' but gave no further details.
(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Jon Boyle)
This article is brought to you by SEXY GIRLS.
Will.i.am on top as Bowie returns to UK charts
LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. producer will.i.am's collaboration with Britney Spears topped the British pop charts on Sunday as David Bowie notched up his first top 10 single in two decades with his surprise new release.
Launched without warning on Bowie's 66th birthday, the single 'Where Are We Now?' caused widespread media interest, and charted in sixth place despite only having been available for five days.
It was his first new song in almost a decade and produced his best chart performance since 1986, when he reached number two with 'Absolute Beginners', the Official Charts Company said.
Topping the chart was 'Scream and Shout' by will.i.am, featuring Britney Spears, giving her a first British number one since 2004.
U.S. country-pop star Taylor Swift's 'I Knew You Were Trouble' moved up to second, with James Arthur, winner of the British version of the 'X Factor' TV talent show last year, dropping from first to third with 'Impossible'.
In the album chart, singer Emeli Sandé returned to number one with 'Our Version of Events', which has now spent 48 consecutive weeks in the Top 10.
Last week's chart-topper '18 Months' by Scottish producer and singer Calvin Harris dropped to second place, and English singer Jake Bugg rose a place to third with his eponymous album.
R&B star Rihanna climbed three to fourth with 'Unapologetic'. The only new entry in the top 10 was the soundtrack from the Oscar-nominated film musical 'Les Miserables', which debuted in fifth.
(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
This article is brought to you by DATING SERVICE.
Launched without warning on Bowie's 66th birthday, the single 'Where Are We Now?' caused widespread media interest, and charted in sixth place despite only having been available for five days.
It was his first new song in almost a decade and produced his best chart performance since 1986, when he reached number two with 'Absolute Beginners', the Official Charts Company said.
Topping the chart was 'Scream and Shout' by will.i.am, featuring Britney Spears, giving her a first British number one since 2004.
U.S. country-pop star Taylor Swift's 'I Knew You Were Trouble' moved up to second, with James Arthur, winner of the British version of the 'X Factor' TV talent show last year, dropping from first to third with 'Impossible'.
In the album chart, singer Emeli Sandé returned to number one with 'Our Version of Events', which has now spent 48 consecutive weeks in the Top 10.
Last week's chart-topper '18 Months' by Scottish producer and singer Calvin Harris dropped to second place, and English singer Jake Bugg rose a place to third with his eponymous album.
R&B star Rihanna climbed three to fourth with 'Unapologetic'. The only new entry in the top 10 was the soundtrack from the Oscar-nominated film musical 'Les Miserables', which debuted in fifth.
(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
This article is brought to you by DATING SERVICE.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Alicia Keys, Katy Perry top bill at Obama inauguration parties
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - R&B singer Alicia Keys, country guitar slinger Brad Paisley and pop star Katy Perry are some of the A-list performers who will entertain partygoers at President Barack Obama's inaugural celebration, organizers said on Friday.
Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder, two prominent elder statesmen of American music, also will perform at one of the three official parties planned for the onset of Obama's second term in office, the inaugural committee said.
Other performers include salsa singer Marc Anthony, rappers Far East Movement and Nick Cannon, pop band fun., R&B singers Usher and John Legend, gospel choir Soul Children of Chicago, and members of the cast of the TV show 'Glee.'
Obama's swearing-in ceremony on January 21 is expected to draw up to 800,000 people, less than half of the 1.8 million who flocked to Washington in 2009 to celebrate the United States' first African American president.
That historic event featured 10 official balls. This time around, organizers are planning only two - one for military servicemembers and one for the general public. Organizers also plan a children's concert for the Saturday before the event.
Organizers did not say who would perform at which event.
The inauguration committee previously announced performers for the swearing-in ceremony. R&B star Beyoncé Knowles will sing the national anthem, while country singer Kelly Clarkson is scheduled to give a rendition of 'My Country, 'Tis of Thee.' Singer-songwriter James Taylor will perform 'America the Beautiful.'
It will be Beyoncé's third inauguration performance. Four years ago, she serenaded the first couple with Etta James' 'At Last' at an inaugural ball, and in 2001 she performed at the children's concert with her band, Destiny's Child.
(Reporting by Andy Sullivan)
This article is brought to you by DATING SERVICE.
Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder, two prominent elder statesmen of American music, also will perform at one of the three official parties planned for the onset of Obama's second term in office, the inaugural committee said.
Other performers include salsa singer Marc Anthony, rappers Far East Movement and Nick Cannon, pop band fun., R&B singers Usher and John Legend, gospel choir Soul Children of Chicago, and members of the cast of the TV show 'Glee.'
Obama's swearing-in ceremony on January 21 is expected to draw up to 800,000 people, less than half of the 1.8 million who flocked to Washington in 2009 to celebrate the United States' first African American president.
That historic event featured 10 official balls. This time around, organizers are planning only two - one for military servicemembers and one for the general public. Organizers also plan a children's concert for the Saturday before the event.
Organizers did not say who would perform at which event.
The inauguration committee previously announced performers for the swearing-in ceremony. R&B star Beyoncé Knowles will sing the national anthem, while country singer Kelly Clarkson is scheduled to give a rendition of 'My Country, 'Tis of Thee.' Singer-songwriter James Taylor will perform 'America the Beautiful.'
It will be Beyoncé's third inauguration performance. Four years ago, she serenaded the first couple with Etta James' 'At Last' at an inaugural ball, and in 2001 she performed at the children's concert with her band, Destiny's Child.
(Reporting by Andy Sullivan)
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Friday, January 11, 2013
Jazz world mourns Montreux founder "Funky Claude"
GENEVA (Reuters) - Claude Nobs, who founded the Montreux Jazz Festival nearly 50 years ago, has died after several weeks in a coma following a skiing accident, the festival said on Friday.
The Swiss impresario immortalized by rock group Deep Purple as 'Funky Claude' in the song 'Smoke on the Water' and who lured the biggest stars of the music world to his festival on the shores of Lake Geneva died on Thursday at the age of 76.
'He died peacefully, surrounded by family and close friends,' said a statement issued by the festival, where Mathieu Jaton assumed his duties as director earlier this week.
Nobs launched the summer festival in 1967 while working as an accountant at the Swiss resort's tourism office. Over the years, his blend of persistence, patience and charm managed to persuade leading lights such as Miles Davis, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Prince to take the stage at Montreux.
But he often had to meet their whims to coax them along.
'I got Miles a Ferrari for him to drive along the lake, Nina Simone wanted a diamond watch and we found the mineral water that Prince likes in Geneva. We always find a way,' Nobs told Reuters last April during an interview at his beloved chalet.
A former festival employee told Reuters on Friday: 'He was a shy man but still managed to negotiate. That was his strength and led him to create something huge.'
Nobs fell while cross-country skiing on Christmas Eve near his chalet in Caux, overlooking Montreux, a property that he shared with his longtime partner Thierry Amsallem, who is in charge of digitalizing the festival's archives of 5,000 hours.
Last year's two-week festival, which attracted about 250,000 people, featured sold-out concerts by Bob Dylan, American chanteuse Lana Del Rey and British actor and musician Hugh Laurie.
A musical tribute to the people of Montreux is planned in February, in accordance with his wishes, to be followed by events in New York and London this spring, festival board president Francois Carrard told Reuters.
CHALET PARTIES
Nobs threw legendary parties at his chalet, full of vintage Wurlitzer jukeboxes, flat screen TVs and sophisticated sound equipment. Waiters delivered fine food and champagne around a pool with a breathtaking view of the Alps.
A Japanese kimono worn by Freddie Mercury, a print signed by Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones and a larger-than-life bust of Aretha Franklin were among mementoes on display.
Film director Roman Polanski stopped in on his way to see his wife Emmanuelle Seigner perform at Montreux in 2010. Days earlier he had been freed from house arrest in Gstaad after Swiss authorities said they would not extradite him to the United States to face sentencing for having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.
Herbie Hancock, Van Morrison, Phil Collins and Gilberto Gil have all been regulars at the festival, whose two venues are the larger Stravinski Auditorium and more intimate Miles Davis Hall.
In the mid-1960s, after his first flight on an airplane, Nobs formed a decisive and lifetime friendship in New York with Atlantic Records executive Nesuhi Ertegun, whose father was a former ambassador of Turkey to Switzerland.
'That first time I met Nesuhi, I had no credentials, nothing, something magical happened,' Nobs recalled in his memoirs 'Live! From Montreux', first published in 2007.
Of the first edition, he wrote: 'That first festival was obviously when I had to learn a massive amount extremely quickly - from how you deal with one artist arriving whilst the act from the previous night's show still hasn't woken up yet, let alone vacated the suite the incoming band are supposed to be going straight into.'
The Deep Purple anthem which dubbed Nobs 'Funky' was written about a fire that burned down Montreux casino during a Frank Zappa concert in 1971.
Despite heart surgery some six years ago, Nobs had stayed on as festival director, a position he shared during the 1990s with American producer Quincy Jones who returns each year from Los Angeles to introduce new talent and refers to Montreux as the 'Rolls-Royce of festivals'.
Nobs often joined musicians on stage, playing harmonica, sometimes accompanied by his St. Bernard dogs.
The 47th edition is scheduled for July 5-20.
(Reporting By Katharina Bart and Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Paul Casciato)
This article is brought to you by PHOTOS OF SEXY GIRLS.
The Swiss impresario immortalized by rock group Deep Purple as 'Funky Claude' in the song 'Smoke on the Water' and who lured the biggest stars of the music world to his festival on the shores of Lake Geneva died on Thursday at the age of 76.
'He died peacefully, surrounded by family and close friends,' said a statement issued by the festival, where Mathieu Jaton assumed his duties as director earlier this week.
Nobs launched the summer festival in 1967 while working as an accountant at the Swiss resort's tourism office. Over the years, his blend of persistence, patience and charm managed to persuade leading lights such as Miles Davis, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Prince to take the stage at Montreux.
But he often had to meet their whims to coax them along.
'I got Miles a Ferrari for him to drive along the lake, Nina Simone wanted a diamond watch and we found the mineral water that Prince likes in Geneva. We always find a way,' Nobs told Reuters last April during an interview at his beloved chalet.
A former festival employee told Reuters on Friday: 'He was a shy man but still managed to negotiate. That was his strength and led him to create something huge.'
Nobs fell while cross-country skiing on Christmas Eve near his chalet in Caux, overlooking Montreux, a property that he shared with his longtime partner Thierry Amsallem, who is in charge of digitalizing the festival's archives of 5,000 hours.
Last year's two-week festival, which attracted about 250,000 people, featured sold-out concerts by Bob Dylan, American chanteuse Lana Del Rey and British actor and musician Hugh Laurie.
A musical tribute to the people of Montreux is planned in February, in accordance with his wishes, to be followed by events in New York and London this spring, festival board president Francois Carrard told Reuters.
CHALET PARTIES
Nobs threw legendary parties at his chalet, full of vintage Wurlitzer jukeboxes, flat screen TVs and sophisticated sound equipment. Waiters delivered fine food and champagne around a pool with a breathtaking view of the Alps.
A Japanese kimono worn by Freddie Mercury, a print signed by Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones and a larger-than-life bust of Aretha Franklin were among mementoes on display.
Film director Roman Polanski stopped in on his way to see his wife Emmanuelle Seigner perform at Montreux in 2010. Days earlier he had been freed from house arrest in Gstaad after Swiss authorities said they would not extradite him to the United States to face sentencing for having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.
Herbie Hancock, Van Morrison, Phil Collins and Gilberto Gil have all been regulars at the festival, whose two venues are the larger Stravinski Auditorium and more intimate Miles Davis Hall.
In the mid-1960s, after his first flight on an airplane, Nobs formed a decisive and lifetime friendship in New York with Atlantic Records executive Nesuhi Ertegun, whose father was a former ambassador of Turkey to Switzerland.
'That first time I met Nesuhi, I had no credentials, nothing, something magical happened,' Nobs recalled in his memoirs 'Live! From Montreux', first published in 2007.
Of the first edition, he wrote: 'That first festival was obviously when I had to learn a massive amount extremely quickly - from how you deal with one artist arriving whilst the act from the previous night's show still hasn't woken up yet, let alone vacated the suite the incoming band are supposed to be going straight into.'
The Deep Purple anthem which dubbed Nobs 'Funky' was written about a fire that burned down Montreux casino during a Frank Zappa concert in 1971.
Despite heart surgery some six years ago, Nobs had stayed on as festival director, a position he shared during the 1990s with American producer Quincy Jones who returns each year from Los Angeles to introduce new talent and refers to Montreux as the 'Rolls-Royce of festivals'.
Nobs often joined musicians on stage, playing harmonica, sometimes accompanied by his St. Bernard dogs.
The 47th edition is scheduled for July 5-20.
(Reporting By Katharina Bart and Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Paul Casciato)
This article is brought to you by PHOTOS OF SEXY GIRLS.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Adele to join in Hollywood's Golden Globe party
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pop star Adele is set to attend the Golden Globes ceremony in Beverly Hills on Sunday in what will be her first public appearance since giving birth to a boy in October.
Golden Globe organizers said the 24-year-old British singer would be attending as a nominee, rather than a performer. Her 'Skyfall' theme song for the latest James Bond movie is in the running for best original song at the Golden Globes - one of Hollywood's biggest awards shows.
The 'Someone Like You' singer gave birth to her first child in October with her partner, Simon Konecki, but has since kept out of the public eye.
She performed and co-wrote the theme song for 'Skyfall,' a $1 billion box office hit, while her Grammy-winning heartbreak album '21' scored the rare feat in December of topping all U.S. album sales for a second straight year.
Adele will find herself mingling with some of Hollywood's biggest movie and TV stars on January 13, including Golden Globe presenters George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez and Meryl Streep, and nominees such as Jon Hamm, Ben Affleck, Daniel Day-Lewis, Helen Mirren, Leonardo DiCaprio, Anne Hathaway and Kevin Costner.
(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Eric Walsh)
This news article is brought to you by CELEBRITY GOSSIP NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Golden Globe organizers said the 24-year-old British singer would be attending as a nominee, rather than a performer. Her 'Skyfall' theme song for the latest James Bond movie is in the running for best original song at the Golden Globes - one of Hollywood's biggest awards shows.
The 'Someone Like You' singer gave birth to her first child in October with her partner, Simon Konecki, but has since kept out of the public eye.
She performed and co-wrote the theme song for 'Skyfall,' a $1 billion box office hit, while her Grammy-winning heartbreak album '21' scored the rare feat in December of topping all U.S. album sales for a second straight year.
Adele will find herself mingling with some of Hollywood's biggest movie and TV stars on January 13, including Golden Globe presenters George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez and Meryl Streep, and nominees such as Jon Hamm, Ben Affleck, Daniel Day-Lewis, Helen Mirren, Leonardo DiCaprio, Anne Hathaway and Kevin Costner.
(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Eric Walsh)
This news article is brought to you by CELEBRITY GOSSIP NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
"Les Miserables" soundtrack tops Billboard album chart
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The soundtrack to the big screen adaption of Broadway musical 'Les Miserables' topped the Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday, edging out British folk rockers Mumford & Sons.
'Les Miserables' sold 92,000 albums in the week, according to data from Nielsen SoundScan, a 32 percent decline from last week for the star-studded production featuring the singing of Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman. It was the No. 2 album last week.
The soundtrack had the poorest showing for a No. 1 album since Christian hip-hop and pop artist tobyMac's 'Eye on It' topped the chart in September with 69,000 in sales.
Mumford & Sons' 'Babel' rose to the second spot from No. 8, finishing behind 'Les Mis' by only a thousand albums sold. The British band's second album was boosted by a sale price and heavy promotion on the Apple iTunes Store.
Country-pop star Taylor Swift, whose album 'Red' spent the past four weeks atop the chart, dropped to third.
'American Idol' winner Phillip Phillips' 'The World from the Side of the Moon' took fourth and British boy band One Direction's 'Take Me Home' was fifth on the chart.
U.S. album sales for last week, which totaled 6.26 million, rose 8 percent compared to the same week last year.
A total of 34.53 million songs were downloaded last week, a 5 percent increase from last year.
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey, editing by Jill Serjeant and Jackie Frank)
This news article is brought to you by LINUXOS.PRO - where latest news are our top priority.
'Les Miserables' sold 92,000 albums in the week, according to data from Nielsen SoundScan, a 32 percent decline from last week for the star-studded production featuring the singing of Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman. It was the No. 2 album last week.
The soundtrack had the poorest showing for a No. 1 album since Christian hip-hop and pop artist tobyMac's 'Eye on It' topped the chart in September with 69,000 in sales.
Mumford & Sons' 'Babel' rose to the second spot from No. 8, finishing behind 'Les Mis' by only a thousand albums sold. The British band's second album was boosted by a sale price and heavy promotion on the Apple iTunes Store.
Country-pop star Taylor Swift, whose album 'Red' spent the past four weeks atop the chart, dropped to third.
'American Idol' winner Phillip Phillips' 'The World from the Side of the Moon' took fourth and British boy band One Direction's 'Take Me Home' was fifth on the chart.
U.S. album sales for last week, which totaled 6.26 million, rose 8 percent compared to the same week last year.
A total of 34.53 million songs were downloaded last week, a 5 percent increase from last year.
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey, editing by Jill Serjeant and Jackie Frank)
This news article is brought to you by LINUXOS.PRO - where latest news are our top priority.
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