Tag: Soul (21-30 of 79)

Oct 27 2011 04:24 PM ET

Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige, Florence Welch, and Jennifer Hudson to headline this year's 'Vh1 Divas'

Kelly-Clarkson

Image Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Clear Channel

The annual VH1 Divas show has become something of a referendum on the biggest female singing stars in the music world. Last year featured ascendant stars like Katy Perry, Keri Hilson, and Nicki Minaj, and previous Divas include Beyoncé, Adele, Jordin Sparks, Miley Cyrus, and Whitney Houston.

This time around, the headliners are no exception: Kelly Clarkson, Florence Welch, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Jessie J, and Jill Scott are all scheduled to perform. It’s a return date for Clarkson, Blige, Hudson, and Scott, while Welch and Jessie J will be making their Divas debuts.

This year’s show will also feature the Roots (who will serve as the house band, presumably because of federal law that requires them to back up everybody) and will pay tribute to a number of influential musical cities, including Chicago, London, Detroit, Memphis, and Philadelphia. The show airs December 19.

So let’s go ahead and do some fantasy booking, shall we? Though most of the show will probably be devoted to the funk and soul tracks that came from those cities, there are a few things we’re hoping for while all those ladies are in the same room.

Since Jessie J loves a good cover, she should go toe-to-toe with Clarkson on a run through “Since U Been Gone.” Welch and Hudson should pay homage to Blige with a tribute, maybe “Real Love” or “Family Affair”? And is there any chance Scott can do a version of the Roots’ “You Got Me,” since she co-wrote that song?

What do you want to see this year’s Divas do? Sing your torch song in the comments.

Read more on EW.com:
Review: Kelly Clarkson, Stronger
Review: Florence + The Machine, Ceremonials
AMAs announce more performers, including Justin Bieber and Kelly Clarkson. Who are you most excited for?

Oct 8 2011 06:48 PM ET

'Michael Forever': Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Cee Lo Green, and Michael Jackson's children appear at controversial tribute show

jackson-tribute

Image Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images

Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, and Ne-Yo all performed at the controversy-plagued Michael Jackson tribute concert “Michael Forever” earlier today, according to the AP. Jackson’s three children — Paris, 13, Prince, 14, and Michael Joseph Jr., 9 — also appeared onstage to address the audience at the show, which took place in Cardiff, Wales.

Ne-Yo started the concert with a performance of “Billie Jean;” Jackson’s brothers Marlon, Tito, and Jackie tackled the Jackson 5 hit “Blame It On the Boogie” with British boy band JLS; and Christina Aguilera sang “Smile.” Meanwhile, Beyonce performed “I Wanna Be Where You Are” via satellite. The Jackson children returned to the stage for the finale, “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.”

“Michael Forever” had attracted criticism for a variety of reasons, including the fact that it was set to coincide with the manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, who is accused of contributing to  Jackson’s death. Several of Jackson’s other siblings, including Janet, declined to take part in the concert and last week the Black Eyed Peas withdrew from the show, citing “unavoidable circumstances.”

Read more:
Troubled Michael Jackson tribute concert hits new snag with Kiss’s Gene Simmons
Jay-Z says wife Beyonce is ‘the second coming’ of Michael Jackson: Yes, he knows it’s blasphemy
Another year, another King of Pop tribute in jeopardy: Michael Jackson’s estate, brothers won’t support latest effort

Oct 7 2011 02:34 PM ET

RCA Records retires Jive, J Records, and Arista

Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that RCA Records has folded J Records, Arista Records, and Jive into parent label, RCA. The label issued a statement to EW explaining that the move was “an effort to refresh RCA Records,” and “all label imprints (J Records, Arista Records and Jive) will now be under the the iconic RCA Records label.” Among the artists who will be affected by the change are Jive tentpoles (Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake), singers from Arista (Alicia Keys, Pink, Usher), and J Records acts, including Pitbull.

Sep 29 2011 09:06 PM ET

Adele releases heartbreaking, beautiful 'Someone Like You' music video: Watch it here

Adele’s soaring, cut-yourself-already ballad “Someone Like You” may have recently dipped to No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100, but maybe its just released music video — splendid in its simplicity — will help it reclaim the top spot from Maroon 5′s overplayed “Moves Like Jagger.”

The understated, black-and-white clip promoting the song — which you can catch below — is, in a word: quiet. Honestly, it’s just what you’d want to see for this break-up heart-wrencher. Adele spends the nearly five-minute-long video simply walking around Paris, which is somehow fittingly deserted, as she wails through the haunting lyrics.  READ FULL STORY »

Sep 27 2011 11:41 AM ET

Guns N' Roses, Joan Jett, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, and the Cure all nominated for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Guns-N-Roses

Image Credit: Dave Benett/Getty Images

Yes, folks, it’s that time of the year again. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has released its nominations for the class of 2012 and the list is as follows: Guns N’ Roses, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Beastie Boys, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, the Cure, Heart, Eric B. and Rakim, the Small Faces/Faces, Rufus with Chaka Khan, War, Laura Nyro, Donovan, Freddy King, and the Spinners. Those who receive enough votes will be inducted on April 14, 2012, at the Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

As always with the list of nominees, several questions immediately spring to mind. Will this be the year for the Beasties and the Chili Peppers, both of whom have been nominated before (as have Nyro, War, and Donovan)? Has the Hall of Fame done enough — or too much — to highlight the creative contributions of hip-hop to “rock and roll”? And will the classic, ’80s-era lineup of Guns N’ Roses reunite to play, call each other names, or compare rehab facilities?

Send us your thoughts!

Read more:
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts Alice Cooper, Tom Waits
Vh1′s Top 100 Songs of the ’00s: Find the first 11 songs here! — An EW Exclusive
Radiohead drop woozy ‘Lotus Flower’ and ‘Staircase’ on ‘SNL’: What did you think?

Sep 20 2011 05:34 PM ET

Haley Reinhart sings 'God Bless the Child' in dim New Orleans jazz club, scats with a trumpet player: Watch it here

Please let this be a sign of things to come!

Interscope recording artist Haley Reinhart (typing that will never get old) was recently down. In New. Orleeeeans. with her fellow Season 10 American Idol contestants — and while there, she stopped by Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse to coo a smooth 11-minute rendition of “God Bless the Child” with Irvin Mayfield and his band.

The laid-back session features some astonishingly high runs, bluesy growls, and an extended call-and-response scat session with a trumpet; check out the video (uploaded by Casey Abrams…) below:

READ FULL STORY »

Sep 16 2011 04:23 PM ET

John Mayer announces medical condition, cancels two shows and delays upcoming album

John-Mayer

Image Credit: Mark Von Holden/WireImage.com

Singer and guitarist John Mayer has two big gigs in the near future, but due to inflammation around his vocal chords known as a granuloma, he won’t be able to make either.

Mayer, 33, took to his Tumblr page today to say that he is “bummed to have to bow out of both the iHeartRadio Festival in Las Vegas and an appearance with Tony Bennett in Los Angeles.”

The upcoming performances won’t be the only things slowed down by his ailment. Mayer’s forthcoming album, Born and Raised, “is complete as far as music recording, song selection, and in some cases mixing,” he says. However, there’s still more singing to do that will have to wait until he’s healthy—meaning it won’t be released in 2011 as he planned.

Though he doesn’t know when exactly he’ll be 100% again, John’s comfortable with the care he’s receiving. “I’m not sure how long or short a period of time it will be,” he writes.  “I’ve got the best doctors in the country looking after me and I will be singing and touring again as soon as I get the all clear.”

Read his full letter after the jump:

READ FULL STORY »

Sep 9 2011 08:26 PM ET

Amy Winehouse update: Dad says singer died after suffering seizure caused by alcohol detoxification

Amy-Winehouse

Image Credit: Fred Duval/FilmMagic.com

Amy Winehouse’s father, Mitch Winehouse, claims that his soul-singing daughter died after suffering a seizure caused by alcohol detoxification, reports the Associated Press. Winehouse made the remarks during a taping of Anderson Cooper’s new talk show, Anderson, which will premiere on Monday, Sept. 12, in syndication.

Winehouse said that traces of the prescription drug Librium, which is used to fight anxiety and symptoms of alcoholism, were found in her body after her death on July 23. The singer’s family added that toxicology reports showed there was also alcohol in her bloodstream, although it is unclear how that contributed to her death. “Everything Amy did, she did to excess,” Winehouse told Cooper. “She drank to excess and did detox to excess.”  READ FULL STORY »

Aug 25 2011 12:22 PM ET

Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black' becomes best-selling of 21st century in the U.K.

Amy-Winehouse-Back

She may be gone, but Amy Winehouse’s music is thriving.

Britain’s Official Charts Company announced that the late singer’s Grammy-sweeping sophomore set, Back to Black, has just become the best-selling album of the 21st century in the U.K., beating out James Blunt’s 2004 album Back to Bedlam’s 3.25 million albums sold with her 3.26 million.

Dido’s 2001 effort No Angel rests at third with 3.07 million purchased.

Black is currently No. 3 on the UK top 100 albums chart. It’s been on the list for 167 weeks total.

Posthumous sales, of course, are nothing new; similar surges happened when Michael Jackson passed in 2009, and earlier with the likes of Aaliyah, Biggie, Jeff Buckley, and others.

Have you bought Winehouse’s Black or her debut, Frank, since her passing? Let us know.

Read more:
Amy Winehouse found dead
Amy Winehouse mourned on Twitter
Amy Winehouse falls apart on stage in Belgrade: Watch the video here
Amy Winehouse, gifted Grammy-winning vocalist, frequent tabloid subject, passes away

Aug 23 2011 06:16 PM ET

VMAs tribute to Amy Winehouse to feature Tony Bennett, more

Amy-Winehouse-Tony-Bennett

Image Credit: Dave M. Benett/Getty Images

As expected, the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards will feature a tribute to late British chanteuse Amy Winehouse.

The legendary Tony Bennett, whose duet with Winehouse on “Body and Soul“—the last recording made before her death—appears on his upcoming Duets II, will have the honor of introducing the tribute.

A statement from MTV reveals that the tribute will also debut film of their spring recording session together at Abbey Road Studios in London.

The single and video will be released for purchase by Columbia Records Sept. 14,  which would have been Amy’s 28th birthday. Proceeds will support the Amy Winehouse Foundation established by the late singer’s family.

“It was a thrill to record with Amy Winehouse and when you listen to the recording of ‘Body and Soul, it is a testament to her artistic genius and her brilliance as one of the most honest musicians I have ever known,” says Bennett in the statement.

Though MTV did not say what songs would be performed or who would be singing them, it’s safe to say that hits like “Rehab” and “You Know I’m No Good” will be a part of the set list. The VMAs will air live from Nokia Theater L.A. on Sunday, Aug. 28 at 9pm.

Advertisement

TV Recaps

Powered by WordPress.com VIP
Which will you see this weekend?