Ooh, this will have me crying in a theater near you! - 'Precious' Trailer

This movie looks amazing. And, incredibly enough, Mariah Carey may actually add something to the film! The trailer alone already had me choked up so goodness knows I'll need to bring some Kleenex to the theater with me. What do you guys think?

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.

You must be joking - Mariah Re-records Hero

Mariah Carey is hell bent on ruining her career. Some would argue that we already knew that since she "promotes" her new material, but clearly she's insistent upon tarnishing her reputation as well. Why on Earth would you re-record Hero? Girl, you KNOW you can't sing anymore. And the video is craptastic. What a joke Mariah has become. Not a good look to start the new year.

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.

That's more like it - Mariah Carey: I Stay in Love on X-Factor

Now this is the Mariah we know and...tolerate. Pre-recorded vocals and expert miming. God knows why I Stay in Love is the next single, but after watching this you'd be fooled into believing that Mariah's still got it. That is, if you didn't just watch her butcher Hero. Tsk, tsk.

And damn. We know Whitney stole Mariah's retoucher, but did she swipe her hair stylist, too?! We know you relish the 90s, Mariah, but the rest of us have moved on.

Time to retire... - Mariah Carey: Hero on X-Factor

Mariah skipped across the pond and performed at X-Factor recently. And this is what she made those lovable Brits suffer through.



Now, Mariah has her lip-sync game on lock. Aside from a few blips here and there while promoting the last album, she knows that miming serves her well. Why she chose to dispense with it on this occasion is beyond me. If any of the X-Factor contestants got up on that stage and gave that performance, they would have been booed from the stage and cried afterward in shame. Mariah got a standing ovation and beamed shamelessly. Must be nice.

Did you hear that double register?! When she was singing in chest and whistle at the same time. B****'s voice is broken. Throw in the towel, girl. Leave with some dignity.

My point exactly...

See, this is exactly the s*** I'm talking about. WTF, Mariah?

Leona wants to take over America

Leona Lewis, booted off the top of the Billboard 200 this week by none other than Mariah, performed on the most-watched TV show in America, American Idol, exactly one week after Mariah guest starred. She shut it down. She added her special libs and riffs and brought in pyrotechnics to make sure the audience payed attention. And compared with Mariah's questionable performance from last week...well, there is no comparison. Check it out.



Leona's stay at the top of the charts was brief, and it seems Mariah's will be as well with Madonna's much-hyped Hard Candy (which sounds a lot like it could be Gwen Stefani's third solo album) set to drop next week.

Just to be clear, before I receive hate mail, Mariah is a tremendous talent, that much is undeniable. But, her performance on last week's AI was, in short, not what one expects from arguably one of the world's greatest singers. It was pitchy, seemingly difficult for her, and I couldn't even tell you what was going on at the end, but it didn't sound good, or genuine. Watching Leona, it's just "Wow."

Mariah Madness

So with Mariah's new album dropping tomorrow (or, damn...today), she's been everywhere promoting, including a visit to Queen Oprah. She lipped the end of her performance, surprise surprise, but she looked decent this time so I won't complain. I've been listening to the bonus track Heat on repeat for days now. The lyrics are absolutely ridiculous, calling to mind the famous Mariah vs. Mariah showdown in the Heartbreaker video. I'm sad it's not on the album. Anyways, check out Mariah singing Bye Bye live (the beginning at least) below.

Mariah Leaks - E=MC² Album Review

She finally beat Elvis for the Billboard record for most #1 hit songs, but Mariah's new effort E=MC² leaked in its entirety shortly thereafter. A highly anticipated collection of work indeed, but in my opinion, a slightly disappointing one.

Continue reading...

After listening to the album a few times through, I didn't exactly dislike any of the tracks (though some were more than a little silly) but too few of the songs stood out. Mariah did switch some things up with the production, but the album as a whole feels formulaic and calculated; Mariah's efforts to make an Emancipation part two do not go unnoticed. As tempting as it must have been to use a successful album as a template, it seems that Mimi did more to constrain than guide, and some songs are petty pastiches of tracks that soared on her last disc. I Wish You Well is the most blatant example of this; clearly a knock-off of Fly Like a Bird that falls dreadfully short.

Mariah fans, relax. With the bad out of the way we can get to the good. I love Migrate; following in Mariah's apparent trend to come up with the silliest lyrics possible, it's inherently catchy and Danja's beat definitely doesn't hurt. Mariah's insistence on sticking with what worked last time around means Bye Bye will be the next single instead of Migrate, a mistake in my eyes. Bye Bye is a decent track, destined to make more fans because of its subject matter rather than its melody, but it doesn't measure up to the greatness that was We Belong Together. I'm That Chick is an example of Mimi's influence serving some good; those throwback elements she channeled on Stay the Night grab your attention away from the fact that Mariah's talking about "blazin' up and tasting her." For the Record, the insert song for those tacky perfume ads, is actually one of the best songs on the album. The harmonies are so good they're trippy, and the track can boast the distinction of having the highest note; no small honor on a Mariah album. I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time is classic Mariah. Fans will be blaring this from their car windows all spring and into the summer. And, of course, lead single Touch My Body has a special place in that sticky part of our heads, and on Mariah's mantle.

A decent effort, but no real growth and frankly, just not as good as The Emancipation of Mimi. It's Mariah, though, so the album will be inescapable. Prepare for at least five singles to be released to radio (she's beat Elvis, now she's going for the Beatles) and to listen to this album for the next two years.

She'll never say "Bye Bye"

Mariah recently performed Bye Bye, a new track from E=MC² on T4. I use 'perform' in the loosest sense of the word. The best and worst thing about the performance is that she lipped the entire damn thing. It's nice because our first real introduction to the song is exactly what we'll hear on the album, unlike when Mariah butchered Migrate on SNL. The subject matter is nice and everything, but I think this song should stay on the album and not be released as a single. Mariah's written better ballads; this is no We Belong Together. The sad thing is, it's kind of a shame that one of our greatest voices can cop out whenever she wants, get a band and backup singers up on stage to do absolutely nothing, and insult our intelligence. Anyway, check it out for yourself.

April Divas

Happy April Fools!! You foolish b***es!! The claws are coming out this April. Madonna, Mariah, and Leona (Lewis; you really just can't say Leona yet) are all dropping their albums this month, and I personally can't wait. I love Leona's new Misses Glass, Mariah's Migrate is actually starting to grow on me (when I manage to block her horrible SNL performance from memory) and Madonna... No, I can't actually say I'm feeling any of Madge's new material, but I'm sure she'll bring something good to the table with Hard Candy.

Spirit - April 8th
E=MC² - April 15th
Hard Candy - April 29th

#8 is not good enough!

Leona zooms to #1 on this week's Hot 100! Meanwhile, Mariah still hasn't cracked the top ten, actually falling a spot to #15 this week. Mariah's album will definitely be better and probably perform better on the album charts when the ladies release their albums next month, so Leona better enjoy being on top while it lasts!

Go, Leona, Go!

Bleeding Love jumped from #21 to the #8 spot on the Hot 100 this week! Seems like she's finally building steam. For the sake of the rivalry I've been playing up, Mariah is moving up the chart as well, currently at #14 with Touch My Body. I've been playing Bleeding Love for months now, so it's a little weird that it's going head to head with the new Mariah single, at least for me. But, I'm glad it's catching on; it's a great track. Which single do you like better?

E=MC²

The official cover for Mariah's upcoming album. I think it's way better than the rumored cover, back when her album was still entitled That Chick *shudders*. But, I still don't actually like it, 'cause Mariah still hasn't actually gotten over her aversion to clothing. What do you guys think?

Abysmal...

Mariah Carey is on the promotion trail for her upcoming album due out in April, and she performed on SNL this weekend. And, I have to be blunt. She was horrendous. She honestly looked like a new artist who just got a record deal; there was something so amateur about her performances. Though first single Touch My Body has definitely grown on me, her rendition was far from stellar. I'll take the studio version, thank you. Rumored second single Migrate sounded awful, and I don't even think the studio version will be any better. With lackluster singles like these, I think it's safe to say she won't be enjoying the success that Mimi brought her in 2005. Mariah has absolutely no stage presence and she all but refuses to sing until the very end of the tracks. And, who the hell is her stylist?! She looks so tacky. The thing with Mariah though, is that she has such a huge fan base that will keep her afloat regardless. But, I do hope she gets a kick in the ass from somewhere, 'cause this just won't suffice.

The Dueling Divas

Both Mariah Carey and Leona Lewis debuted new music videos today for their singles Touch My Body and Footprints in the Sand, respectively. The sparring singers have albums slated to release a week apart from one another in April. Leona seems to have taken aim at viewers' hearts with her effort, and Mariah apparently tried to go for laughs and men's penises. Have a look.

New Mariah

Mariah's new single, Touch My Body, is upon us. I have mixed feelings =/. First off, I like the beat. Three plays into it and I can't help but move to the rhythm. However, I don't like that she's kinda doing that talking kind of singing. Towards the end, in typical Mariah fashion, she drops all pretenses and gets loud and I kinda wish she did it throughout the song. The lyrics...Mariah's talking about getting freaky and the possibility of her acts being caught on camera. Whatevs. Not the most sophisticated lyrics I've ever heard, but I wasn't exactly expecting class.

Overall, I guess I like it. I'm sure it'll grow on me as it inevitably saturates radio. Oh, and thank goodness, she changed that tacky album title. Now it's just corny. But, corny trumps tacky. E=MC² is far superior to That Chick.

*Update*
A couple of the best music blogs on the web were shut down today after posting Mariah's new single for download. And, I'd just like to say: What a dick move! Music blogs are just as much a part of the music industry these days as anything else, if not more so. Everybody's material gets leaked or ripped, and if it's there, why not share it? Especially something trivial like a new single -- who the hell buys a single anymore?? Mariah and her people need to calm down. Good luck to Kevipod and ALi's BlOg. I hope you guys get back on your feet and get those blogs up and running again soon.

Leona Hits the States!!

She's here, and she's fierce! Check out this new clip for her first single, Bleeding Love, already a hit in most of the world, and #3 on my best of '07 list. Her make-up artist needs a raise or tenure; she looks flawless. Leona's recording two new tracks for her U.S. debut to be released in April. Arguably, Leona made her claim to fame singing other diva's songs and now she's taking one of them on; Mariah's That Chick (goodness, is she really sticking with that title?!) is also scheduled to drop in April. Get her, Leona!