New HBIC - Lady GaGa Tops the Charts Again

Lady GaGa’s second single, Poker Face, has reached the pinnacle of the Billboard Hot 100 making her the first artist in nearly a decade to have their first two singles reach #1. Mmhmm, right. Another level. Meanwhile, her first chart-topper, Just Dance, is still holding strong at #9. With this accomplishment, GaGa shares a record with Christina Aguilera, who had a pair of #1 singles, Genie in a Bottle and What a Girl Wants, with her debut in 1999. However, with the even hotter track, LoveGame, slated as the next single, our Ferocious Lady may be coming up on Mariah Carey territory. Mariah, famously, had her first five singles hit the #1 spot.

Christina Aguilera Performs @Perez's Bday Bash

From all indications, Perez had quite the birthday party. I can't stand him, but I would have went. No gift! Haha.

Perez bashed Christina for months, calling her a hot tranny mess (which wasn't totally undeserved, but still) and boycotting her music and performances while she was promoting Back to Basics. Yes, the fans remember! But, lately he's changed his tune; showing excitement for the work she's done with Sia for her upcoming album and calling her "faboosh." Guess he knew he couldn't continue to trash her if she was on the bill. I'm sure Christina's people knew about all the s*** Perez has talked about her in the past, but this way she gets good press for the next album. Smart woman.

Check out the tail-end of Christina performing Lady Marmalade (one of her many gay anthems) at Lavandeira's birthday bash. Not gonna lie, it's the best I've heard her belt in a long while and I've seen every live performance.

'At Last' the claws come out!! - Etta James Blasts Beyoncé!!

It appears even living legends aren't above feeling bitter!! The web is abuzz with news of 71-year-old soul singer Etta James lashing out at Beyoncé for being the one to sing for President Obama at his inauguration instead of her!! 

Beyoncé portrayed Etta James in last year's Cadillac Records and has taken to performing Etta's most famous song At Last, most notably at the Inauguration Ball for Barack and Michelle's first dance. Etta claimed she was happy with Beyoncé's portrayal and even paid the 'Diva' a compliment or two, but apparently it was all an act and the praise was forced through gritted teeth! Etta has come out with the truth: she "can't stand Beyoncé!" Check out the rant:



OMG yes! This has literally made my day! I almost feel sorry for Beyoncé. She probably thought it was all gravy. But then I think about the songs she's snatched (ex. Smash into You), beats she's stolen (ex. Diva) and s*** she's taken credit for that she knows she had nothing to do with (ex. writing credit for Silent Night). Beyoncé just gets on people's f***ing nerves!! The b**** had something like this coming!

On the other hand, Etta James needs to go sit down. I can understand feeling snubbed; it is her song after all. But, Beyoncé is current and you're not, sweetie. Fall back. Christina Aguilera has been singing At Last for ten years now and Etta James has sat down to interviews with Chris, praising her version of the song. I bet Xtina is wondering if that old hag was faking that, too!!

Happy Birthday, Christina!!

Restrained Divaness - Christina Aguilera sings "I Loves You Porgy"

Though she didn't score any Grammy nods this year, Christina Aguilera made the silly nomination concert worth something when she took the stage last night and sang the Nina Simone classic I Loves You Porgy.



Beautiful. You may or may not have appreciated her medley of hits at the AMAs, but personally, this is why I'm a fan. Not only did last night affirm my love for Chris, but it also confirmed my doubts about Taylor Swift. Why is this girl a professional singer? She cannot sing. I know she's selling a lot of records right now and there's that mildly seared beef with the Jonas brother, but honestly, she does not belong on the Grammy stage coming after performers like Christina Aguilera. Please, go sit down.

Battle of the Divas!! - Christina Aguilera vs. Little Christina Aguilera

There are a bunch of videos on YouTube of divas battling and fans comparing notes, but this one is actually cute. I love little Christina to death. I think she definitely wins when it comes to the low notes. Her tone was just better back then.

American Music Awards 2008

I can't tell you the last time I watched the AMAs, but this year's show had a lineup I couldn't miss! Just about every big name in pop music performed (and I'm sure you noticed, most of them were divas). Unfortunately, just about every performance was negatively affected by incompetent sound people, and many performers were competing with the music to be heard. That blip aside, it was a great show and next year's Grammys will have a hard time coming up with something better. My girl Christina opened the show with a medley of hit songs from her career.



I know she's promoting the greatest hits CD, but I think I would have preferred her to do just one or two songs, even if it was Keeps Gettin' Better. The medley was fun to watch for me as a fan, but because she only sang each song for a minute, I feel like she never really got into any of the songs and caught a stride. The costume was versatile and awesome, though. And while it wasn't the best day she's ever had vocally, plenty of artists still wish they had her pipes.



P!nk was awesome. Her mike wasn't loud enough, but her voice is still amazing. While not a powerhouse, that raspy quality adds that uniqueness to her music and gives her a signature sound. Her duet with Sarah McLachlan later in the show was beautiful, as well. Still not exactly feeling Sober, though.



Leona Lewis looked great and sounded great. She did all the riffs I thought she should have done in the studio version of Better In Time. I still think the song, while pretty, is rather bland and didn't make for an engrossing performance.



Now, I really don't care much for Miley Cyrus. But, this was a great performance. She's clearly not the most talented vocalist, but she played to her strengths and engaged the audience. I loved the billboard people. Kudos, Miley.



I am officially a Beyoncé fan again... but not because of this performance. I've seen the video for Single Ladies so many times and seen a few live performances, and now it's just kinda boring. Case in point: I know the choreography so well that I noticed her f*** it up at one point. Also, is it me, or did her legs look weird? All that said, it was still a great performance. She wielded that ponytail like a deadly weapon. Though, I do wish Justin could have replaced one of her dancers.



PCD has fallen off. They seemed determined to stay relevant with When I Grow Up, but ever since then the ship has been slowly sinking. While I Hate This Part has definitely grown on me, the live rendition wasn't exactly impressive. And then Nicole went on to that incredibly long, incredibly sour note before the dance breakdown. Back to the drawing board, ladies. Away. I LOVED Nicole's dress on the red carpet, though. Fabulous, Christian, just fabulous.




Finally, a "merit" award recipient that doesn't put me to sleep! Annie Lennox is so f***ing awesome. Like, seriously. Enough said.



Natasha shut it down. Her voice is incredible. My only complaint is that she didn't sing enough of Soulmate, my favorite (and her favorite) track off of her most recent album. But, damn, she was amazing. She killed Pocketful of Sunshine. Best vocals of the night, IMO. And that's saying something because it's me and Christina performed. OK.



Yes! Yes! Amazing way to close the show. Uh, LOVE Queen Latifah! (I'd love her more if she just CAME OUT ALREADY, but still). What a performance. I was like "Who the hell is Kathleen Battle?" And then she came out and my roommate and I were like "Oh, opera singer." It was awesome. Way to go, Alicia, repping for the sistas. She had too much make-up on all night, but I still love her to death. She can do no wrong.

Other performers:

New Kids on the Block: More like Old Farts on the Stage. They looked, sounded and moved like s***. Please retire. Forever this time.

Taylor Swift: What's the big deal with this girl? The most interesting thing about her is that she dated a Jonas. And, trust me, she knows. That's why she can't stop talking about it. I don't get it.

Coldplay: Chris Martin was loopy like always, but it was awesome. Love their sound.

Mariah Carey: How about this, Mimi? How about you just put up a cardboard cut-out of yourself up on stage and save the trip. I mean, it's not like you're going to move or sing anyway.

Rihanna: While Rehab will definitely be another notch on Riri's belt of hits, she still needs to learn a thing or two about stage presence. She looked hot, though.

Kanye: I'm sorry, I tried, but I'm not feeling any of his new music. And while watching him give an acceptance speech is a nail-biter, watching him perform is a yawn.

Uh-oh, now you've done it... - Rolling Stone names Greatest 100 Singers of All Time

This list will, no doubt, spark its fair share of controversy. But, to those who are pissy about the low ranks their idols received, or in some cases the no-ranks, I say: when you run your own magazine, you can make your list anyway you see fit.

Aretha Franklin tops the list, and agree or disagree, she is a formidable woman with an amazing career that's still going strong. Ray Charles and Elvis Presley round out the top three. Keep in mind, Rolling Stone are judging artists not on their vocal ability but rather on their importance. No surprise, then, that most of those who made the list were born in the 30s and 40s, influencing the greats to come behind them.

However, some younger generations were represented. #25 on the list goes to Michael Jackson. Prince made #30 and Whitney Houston placed 34th. Get 'em Whitney.

And, it seems that 2006's Back to Basics, Christina Aguilera's tribute to the greats, paid off. Christina, born in 1980, is the youngest on the list by a decade, taking the #58 spot. Congrats, darling. Closest in age to make the list is Mariah Carey, born in 1970, and placing 79th.

Dynamite? Not quite - Christina Aguilera: New Songs

Christina’s new tracks from her upcoming greatest hits album have also leaked. I have mixed feelings. Dynamite, the only other genuinely new track aside from Keeps Gettin’ Better, is definitely in the same vein of this new sound she’s polishing. It’s better than Keeps Gettin’ Better, and though it’s weird to hear Christina experimenting with her voice in this way, especially when she sounds so amazing clean, it’s catchy, and her dedication to reinventing herself is clear. As it has always been.

You Are What You Are, Christina’s retooling of her hit Beautiful, is a bit too altered for my tastes. Not to sound dramatic, but I think that song meant a lot to some when it was first released, and it just doesn’t lend itself to reinterpretation very well. I mean, it sounds OK, but it’s like why bother messing with it in the first place? Genie 2.0, as indicated by her VMA performance, is awesome. I think it succeeds where You Are What You Are fails because it sounds more like a reinvention than a remix. There’s more nostalgia associated with this nearly 10-year-old song than with Beautiful, and an update is more appreciated.

Unfortunately, this new material leaves me more anxious than excited for her upcoming album (currently slated for a summer '09 release). It's not bad but it's not a new Christina that pulls you in like Xtina and Baby Jane did before. It's just kind of weird. Especially so because there isn't a focus on her vocals, which separates Christina from her pop peers. I've always been impressed with Christina's resolve to remain current and fresh, loved that she continued to challenge herself with different sounds and material, but I just never anticipated that she would move into a direction I wasn't super excited about. I don't think I can support an entire album that sounds like Dynamite. It's just not engaging enough.

Keeps Gettin' Better MV

Like the single, the video could be better. But, she looks good. And I'm not really sweating it 'cause it's just the greatest hits album. I have faith she'll come correct when it comes time to promote the new album. I am surprised that she didn't include choreography, though. What do you guys think of the video?

Yay! A reason to look forward to Monday!

Christina Aguilera is set to release her new video for current single Keeps Gettin' Better on Monday. I'm excited ^_^. I'll be putting it up here as soon as I can and in the meanwhile, check out screen shots from the video.

Maybe it does get better - Christina Aguilera: New Remix

As the huge Christina fan that I am, I’m not at all hesitant to say that I’m disappointed with current single Keeps Gettin’ Better. I’m very much excited to celebrate her decade in the game, I just feel that she could have commemorated the occasion with a better single. It’s not awful, just nothing mind-blowing. However, I just listened to the promo CD, and the Tricky Remix is awesome. Like, I wish it were the original version. The beat is tight, and it still has that electro/dance edge. The song made it to #7 on the Hot 100 last week, which is more than I ever hoped for, but here’s hoping radio picks this version up, as it’s sure to give the song some longevity.

Christina a capella

I don't know how I've gotten to this point in my life and not seen this video before. Haha, but no, I really can't believe I'd never seen this before today. Christina whips out a random, unrehearsed a capella of one of my favorite Whitney songs, Run to You. I hope Christina has a few more songs on her next album like Save Me From Myself, because her voice is far and away her hugest asset.

'Back to Basics: Live and Down Under': A Review

As you may have noticed, I am quite the dedicated Christina Aguilera fan. And, so of course, I pre-ordered my copy of her new live DVD as soon as it was available, and when it arrived, watched it from start to finish, relishing every high note. Here are my impressions, most of them positive (go figure).

For the Back to Basics album, Christina went retro. Not everyone loved it, and I think Christina knew that while her fans would eat anything she dished out, this sort of material wasn't going to exactly take off on pop radio. And so, even though Christina is constantly criticized for her histrionics and acrobatic vocals, she made sure to sing the s*** out of every song anyway. Almost as if to say "You may not get or like what I'm going for, but you won't doubt my pipes for even a second." But, if you liked the album, or even if you didn't, as creative director, Christina put this show together incredibly well, and what seemed to be such a sprawling album translated surprisingly well to the stage.

Most of the tracklist is pulled from her latest album, but the few oldies she did include make for show highlights. Her newer material is definitely the most vocally mature, though, and so not a song goes by where you don't witness the power and versatility of her voice. Makes Me Wanna Pray, one of my favorites from Back to Basics, is, suffice to say, the greatest showcase for her vocals throughout the show. It just doesn't stop. It's interesting to note that during her first tour she focused more on the technical, and during her second she was clearly more concerned with putting her range on display. But, this time around, it's all power. Honestly, during many of the numbers, I was nervous she would crack. There's just so much force. But, her pipes hold up, of course. Some people don't care for this style of singing and wonder why Christina has to belt so loud and wring every note for all it's worth. But, all I can do is marvel. No one else on the pop scene can do what she can do.

Aside from her encore, Christina updates the older songs in the set to fit her new mood. Come on Over, Baby gets jazzed up to awesome results. What A Girl Wants gets a reggae twist. Dirrty becomes a circus anthem. It all works very well. Whoever is responsible for the retooling of her old hits definitely deserves his credit. It's interesting how well the songs lend themselves to reinterpretation.

It's not your typical pop concert; it's definitely a spectacle. Christina really went all out to achieve this vision, what with the stilts, flappers, and whatnot. I really think it's a testament to her artistry to do something so left-field. She's constantly evolving her sound and image, but all the old versions of Christina are still identifiable. Dirty Xtina's certainly still around, especially in her footage for I Got Trouble. All in all, I'd say it does the job of entertaining very well. I think there's a little something for everyone to enjoy, and Christina fans will enjoy it all. Now that the tour is out on DVD, the Back to Basics 'era' if you will is now complete. Can't wait for what's to come.

It's All Over

The Grammys have come to a close. I watch the Grammys every year and thought this show was relatively better than most, overall. It didn't have any great, heart-stopping moments like, say, last year's performance of It's A Man's Man's Man's World by Aguilera, but it was pretty much devoid of those dull moments that tend to plague the ceremonies each year. And, it was fun waiting to find out whether Amy Winehouse would make Grammy history. Until next year...

Wait! One more award worth mentioning, I think: Barack Obama won the Maine caucuses AND a Grammy Sunday night for his book-on-tape The Audacity of Hope.

And also, the writer's strike is finally over. Which is beyond wonderful. Now TV can once again rule my life. As it should. The strike really affected every facet of entertainment and I'm sincerely glad that they've reached an agreement and are going back to work. I've missed Gossip Girl.

Amy's Going Strong

As I predicted, Amy's coming away with many Grammys tonight. She's already been awarded four, including Best New Artist and stealing Best Female Pop Vocal Performance from Christina *sniffle, tear*. It's OK, though. Not that Rehab was better than Candyman or anything, but it's OK.

I'm very curious about her upcoming performance; she's been said to be doing well in London these days, contradicting herself in her now Grammy award-winning song and entering rehab. Should be good.

And, no Grammys for Christina this year. :( Her duet with Tony Bennett didn't win either. Fellow fans, mourn with me.

Damn...

...That was hot. Maybe even 'hott.' The whole circus theme worked. She worked the horse. Something about the boots. And, of course, the pipes. Looking forward to my copy of the DVD to come in the mail today or tomorrow. But, you guys go ahead and enjoy Dirrty now.

dirty
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It's February!

New month, new banner. Out with the Upper East Siders, and make room for Janet, who's dropping her tenth studio album, Discipline, on the 26th of this month. Check out the jukebox on Janet's official website to hear two new tracks from the album. Both are really hot, but I'm especially infatuated with Luv.

Hopefully, February will also be the month when Christina comes away with another Grammy. Awards are distributed on the 10th; be on the lookout for some great performances for their 50th anniversary celebration. Christina will almost definitely not be taking the stage after giving birth last month to her first son, but Janet was recently confirmed to be performing. Which is exciting, I can't remember the last time she performed at the Grammys.

And finally, the Oscars. Actors vie for the ultimate recognition of talent in their craft on the 24th. Oh, and how could I forget *cough, cough*, the SuperBowl is this weekend. Both should be entertaining enough, and if nothing else, provide an excuse to throw parties and get together with friends.

Happy February!

Sharing Is Caring

Just listened to this song twice. It's so good. Christina claims she went back in time on this album, but she was really just in love. And, the beat is so tight. So, I'm sharing with all three of you! Enjoy.

Download Without You.

Awwww

More Christina blabber! Christina made a video for the lovely song "Save Me From Myself," one of my absolute favorites from Back to Basics. The video features Christina looking very natural (some of the clips made me realize she's the same girl who did "Genie in a Bottle") and contains footage from her wedding video. Christina currently has the video available for download for free on her official website, which I think is a cool gesture. Who puts anything out for free? And, Chris and Jordy named their new baby boy Max Liron, which in Hebrew means "my greatest song." Which is just too sweet. Congrats, Xtina!

Save Me From Myself

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