Showing posts with label American Idol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Idol. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Global 2013: Jennifer Lopez Expresses Worries

Jennifer Lopez at ISC Miami.
Jennifer Lopez at ISC Miami. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jennifer Lopez is not oblivious about what her 18-year age difference with boyfriend Casper Smart could mean for their future together.

J.Lo tells People for their cover story this week how Casper, 25, “helped [her] heal” after her divorce from Marc Anthony. However, for the first time the “Dance Again” singer acknowledges she has doubts at times about their relationship.

"I ask him, 'Why don't you go find a young girlfriend and get out of here? What do you want with me?' And you think, 'How long is this gone be?' You think, 'Okay, in 10 years I'm going to be like this and you're going to be like that' and … men at that age are … I think all different things,” Lopez, 43, tells the mag. “The truth is we don't know what's going to happen. We're loving this moment right now. We make each other happy."

Lopez’s relationship with Casper certainly isn’t her first romance to make headlines. The “Parker” actress was of course once engaged to Ben Affleck and infamously dated Diddy.

"I don't regret those things – that's who I am," Jennifer says about her high-profile relationships. "But at least now I'm at a point where I have to recognize that these choices and things that happen are partly because of me and my decisions and I have to be more careful. So I am being more careful."

The Golden Globe Awards could have posed a potentially awkward situation for Lopez, with three exes — Affleck, Diddy, and Bradley Cooper — all in attendance. But the singer says on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in an interview set to air Wednesday that she was unfazed by it all.

“I see them a lot,” J.Lo responds when asked whether it was awkward to all be in the same room. “We’re in the same business. We run in the same circles.”

Lopez even gave Affleck a standing ovation when he took home the prize for Best Director for “Argo.”

“It was a great movie. And, we got you know, a lot of like… they were really hard on us in the press when we dated back in the day. On movies and things like that,” Lopez continued. “So it was a nice moment. It was a nice to see him have that moment. I was really happy for him.”

With Smart on her arm Sunday night omg! saw first hand how Lopez was able to handle her exes with ease. Lopez, Smart, and Diddy were all spotted together at the Weinstein bash and even kept the pleasantries going late into the night at CAA’s super private after-party at the Sunset Tower Hotel.

Lopez has certainly has a lot of topics on her mind leading up to the release of her new film, “Parker,” co-starring Jason Statham, out January 25. With the new season of “American Idol” beginning tonight, she admits to a bit of nostalgia about her former judge’s chair. “I am going to miss it,” she tells DeGeneres. “I love what I am doing but I am going to miss it. I just had a good time. I love the people there, Randy, Ryan, Steven, Nigel everybody behind the scenes …everybody. It was a nice little family.”

Speaking of family, Jennifer also expressed that she’d indeed like to have more kids one day soon. "I would love to have more," J.Lo exclusively told E!’s Marc Malkin. "I don't know if it's in the cards for me, but I would love it."

http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/jennifer-lopez-expresses-doubt-over-may-december-relationship-165449702.html

Enhanced by Zemanta

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Global 2012: Kelly Clarkson Announces Engagement On Twitter

Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson (Photo credit: brendyn)

America's sweetheart is making it official with her sweetheart of 10 months, Brandon Blackstock. On Saturday afternoon, the American Idol took to Twitter to joyfully announce her plans to tie the knot with Brandon, excitedly posting: "I'M ENGAGED!!!!! I wanted y'all to know!! Happiest night of my life last night! I am so lucky and am with the greatest man ever :)"

Kelly later tweeted, "Everyone has been asking about my engagement ring, so here it is :) It's a yellow canary diamond with diamonds around it and Brandon designed it with Johnathon Arndt! They did an amazing job! I can't wait to make Brandon's ring with Johnathon as well!"

Kelly has been dating Brandon since February 2012, but the two have known each other for years: Brandon is Reba McEntire's stepson and the son of Kelly's manager, Narvel Blackstock, and he is a talent manager himself, overseeing the career of Kelly's good pal Blake Shelton. Their relationship apparently evolved from friendship to romance after the two crossed paths when Kelly performed the national anthem at this year's Super Bowl.

"After six years of having to say there's no one special in my life, finally there is," Kelly told Britain's Daily Mail earlier this year. "I've known [Brandon] for six years, but he was married for most of that time. Then, suddenly, there he was at the Super Bowl, and he was single…"

Kelly has credited Brandon for inspiring her recent weight loss (she once told People, "I have a boyfriend, and if I'm being completely honest, no one likes to be not toned when you are dating someone") but also for "ruining her creativity," joking to to Zap2It that she can't come up with another signature angry breakup anthem a la "Since U Been Gone," "Never Again," or "Stronger" because "I'm trying to write a tough song and I can't; it's coming out all butterflies and rainbows. It's killing me."

Kelly's engagement caps off a year of major milestones for the Original Idol.  In 2012, she turned 30, celebrated the 10th anniversary of her "Idol" victory, and was nominated for three 2013 Grammy Awards (for Record Of The Year, Best Pop Solo Performance, and Best Pop Vocal Album). Congratulations to Kelly for having such a fantastic year, and here's looking forward to a new album of "butterflies and rainbows" songs soon!

http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/reality-rocks/kelly-clarkson-announces-engagement-twitter-224346371.html

Enhanced by Zemanta

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Global 2012: Nicki Minaj/Mariah Carey ‘Idol’ Catfight

Mariah Carey
Cover of Mariah Carey

Rumor has it that "American Idol" producers are hoping that some juicy feuding between new alpha-female judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj will bring in ratings for Season 12. And now, months before Season 12 even starts, a video has already "leaked" depicting a blowup between the two loud ladies during this Tuesday's Charlotte, North Carolina, auditions. It's probably far from the last such TMZ-obtained video we will see before a drastically different "Idol" returns to the air in 2013.

In a seemingly scandalous new fly-on-the-wall clip just posted by TMZ, a pink-wigged and dirty-mouthed Nicki is shown going off on her former "Up Out Of My Face" duet partner, shouting, "If you've got a f***ing problem, handle it!" She also yells, "I told them, I'm not putting up with her f***ing highness over here. I'm not gonna sit here every f***ing minute to have you come down and harass me every minute every day."

Meanwhile, Mariah's manager and fellow judge, Randy Jackson, sitting by his star client's side, orders Nicki to "settle down." Producer Nigel Lythgoe, who has repeatedly claimed that Mariah and Nicki are getting along just swimmingly, also steps in to intervene. New neutral-as-Switzerland judge Keith Urban, sitting in the undesirable hot seat between Nicki and Mariah, remains calm and carries on, just sipping his Coke and probably mentally going straight to his happy place. And Mariah looks exasperated; moans,"Why, why, why?"; and appears to point Nicki in the direction of the exit door. (Mariah tweeted on Tuesday late afternoon, "whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy"--but that post has since been deleted.)

TMZ additionally reports that Nicki also threatened to "knock out" Mariah, although that exchange apparently wasn't caught on tape.

http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/reality-rocks/nicki-minaj-mariah-carey-idol-catfight-caught-video-055850018.html

Enhanced by Zemanta

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Global 2012: Randy Jackson Speaks Out on Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler's American Idol Exits

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 23:  Judges Steven Tyler...LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 23: Judges Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez, and Randy Jackson greet the contestants onstage during Fox's 'American Idol 2012' results show at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on May 23, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)Jennifer LopezCover of Jennifer Lopez
Randy Jackson's future on American Idol remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the Idol veteran won't sever ties to Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez just because they've exited the FOX series.

"Steven and Jennifer are truly two of the most talented and consummate professionals I've worked with," Idol's only remaining original judge, 56, told Gossip Cop in a statement. "I was friends with them before we hopped on this crazy journey together and I have no doubt our friendships will continue long after. I will love them for life."

On Friday, Lopez, 42, confirmed her much-anticipated exit to Idol's host, Ryan Seacrest, on his KIIS-FM radio show. "The time has come," Lopez said, one day after her colleague Tyler announced he too would not return for season 12. "I've decided it's time for me to let go of my mistress American Idol before she boils my rabbit . . .I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I'm back," the rocker, 64, admitted.

As Idol fans and its FOX network come to terms with Lopez and Tyler's departures, the show may be in for an additional shakeup, as a source tells Us Weekly Jackson's role may change from judge to mentor.

When it comes to filling the judges' panel, many high-profile names have been bandied about. Among the top contenders: Mariah Carey. "They are in serious talks with Mariah and it's very close to being a done deal," the source says.


Enhanced by Zemanta

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Global 2012: Why Jessica was almost kicked out of American Idol

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 01:  Singer Jessica Sa...LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 01: Singer Jessica Sanchez arrives at Fox's American Idol finalist party at The Grove on March 1, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
There is only one reason why Jessica Sanchez was almost booted out of American Idol. She got the lowest number of votes. There are judges in the show but all they do is critique the contestants. The voters from all over America get the final say. And last week, they said that they did not like what Jessica did or should I say, sang.

Viewers out here and perhaps around the US have been reading racial bias on what nearly happened. Maybe. Take a look at the list of previous winners. Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barino, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, Kris Allen, David Cook, Lee DeWyze and Scotty McCreery.

After 11 years of nationwide searching by Idol, no contestant of Asian or Latino ancestry has won the contest. So if there is indeed racial bias in the voting then Jessica is in double jeopardy. She is Mexican-Filipino. I believe though that race does not figure prominently in the voting. Only perhaps in the subconscious at the very least. So let us save that card for later.

The hard fact is Jessica got the lowest number because she chose to sing for herself and the judges and not for the viewers who vote. That was why the judges saved her. She was really good. But she chose to do an unknown song Stuttering by a less-known artist, Jasmine Sullivan. Viewers like being familiar with the melodies. They were not with Stuttering. I at least got to bob my head to How Will I Know from the week before last.

This showing off is a common problem among singers who believe that making such choices proves their musicality and sets them apart from the other contestants. It is okay to indulge yourself if you are doing a full set but not when you only have two minutes on stage. In that case you had better get everybody to your side on your very first note.

Now this brings us to what I think is the present Idol dilemma. Is it just the singing or the total package? How big is the role being played by looks or by likeability in choosing the winner? Not much as per the judges who never fail to remind the audience that AI is a singing contest. But if I could vote for contestant, I would vote for the one I like, the one who entertains me. That is not necessarily the best singer.

I guess this was an Idol problem from the start but only came into sharp focus these past few years. There are several reasons why this happened. Declining ratings (need to shake things up in a big way), competition from other talent shows (The Voice has been doing very well concentrating on singers) and most of all, the lackluster results of the careers of bland pop Idol choices like Kris Allen and Lee DeWyze. I guess this was the reason why Idol served up a very good batch of singers in Season 11. Take note, I said, singers.

Idol sometimes gets it right as in David Cook over David Archuleta. Is it true that the TV series that the younger David did here was both a commercial and critical dud? There have also been times when Idol didn’t. Think Jennifer Hudson, Chris Daughtry, Katharine McPhee and Adam Lambert who lost out in the Idol race but bounced back as big stars. In some cases, bigger than the winner.


Enhanced by Zemanta