‘Physical’ duet with Olivia Newton-John makes us long for more ‘Glee’ video re-creations.
By Jean Bentley
Jane Lynch and Molly Shannon in “Glee”
Photo: FOX
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Michael Lynche joins him in the bottom three, despite experts predicting Casey James’ exit
By James Montgomery
Aaron Kelly on “American Idol” Wednesday
Photo: Fox
On this week’s “American Idol,” the top five went old school, tackling the time-tested songbook of Frank Sinatra. So it was perhaps not all that surprising that the show’s youngest contestant ended up getting the boot.
Yes, on Wednesday night’s (May 5) results show, voters sent 17-year-old Aaron Kelly packing, thanks largely to his shaky performance of “Fly Me to the Moon,” a timid turn that Simon Cowell rather rightfully described as “mouse” like.
Still, despite coming so close to winning it all, Kelly was all smiles when host Ryan Seacrest told him his time was up, saying, “I’ve had a great time; I’ve had a blast,” before taking one more run at “Moon” (and, to be honest, this version was much better than Tuesday night’s).
And while Kelly’s exit wasn’t exactly shocking, it was who joined him in the bottom two that raised more than a few eyebrows: Michael Lynche, the big-bodied crooner who won praise for his jazzy version of “The Way You Look Tonight,” a performance Cowell and fellow judge Ellen DeGeneres particularly liked.
In the end, Lynche survived, and joined Lee Dewyze — a lock to advance after his swinging, swaggering take on “That’s Life” — Crystal Bowersox and, somewhat surprisingly, Casey James, in the top four.
James had been most “Idol” experts’ pick to get the boot on Wednesday, following an awkward version of “Blue Skies.” And yet, he avoided elimination yet again (maybe it had something to do with his scruffy, sorta-beard).
Earlier in the show, Lady Gaga — who wore black (lace) in keeping with the classy, Sinatra vibe of the show — strutted through a performance of her current single “Alejandro,” and Sinatra Week mentor Harry Connick Jr. crooned his way through a version of the Lennon/McCartney classic “And I Love Her” (from his new album of covers, Your Songs) and w was joined by the remaining “Idol” hopefuls through a medley of his own hits.
Next week, frequent “Idol” collaborator Jamie Foxx will help guide the top four through some of Hollywood’s best-known movie music.
Were you bummed to see Aaron go? Let us know in the comments.
Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
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Pop star starts over-the-top performance with a slowed-down snippet of ‘Bad Romance.’
By Larry Carroll
Lady Gaga performs on “American Idol” Wednesday
Photo: Fox
She’s one of the hottest musical acts at the moment, an endlessly fascinating performer who has enough tricks up her sleeve to possibly outlast the long list of flavors of the month who have similarly skyrocketed to the top of the charts. On Wednesday night (May 5), “American Idol” officially went Gaga.
“This is a woman who’s dominating the charts and pushing the pop-culture envelope,” Ryan Seacrest said in his gushing introduction of Lady Gaga.
With that, America’s most popular TV show became a showcase for one of its most unique talents. Taking to the stage with a large ensemble of backup dancers in a pre-taped performance, Lady Gaga sang the newest single from The Fame Monster, a Spanish-influenced number called “Alejandro.” Gaga started out at the piano for a slowed-down snippet of “Bad Romance.”
Dressed in a revealing-but-veiled black outfit that might be appropriate for a woman attending a stripper’s funeral, Gaga wielded a cape and was surrounded by a team of shirtless dancers. Halfway through the performance, she shed her cape and began writhing on the floor.
“Alejandro, let me go,” she sang. “You know that I love you, boy/ Hot like Mexico, rejoice.”
Over in one corner of the stage, a statue of the Virgin Mary had flames pouring out of the top of it, in something that felt straight out of Madonna’s repertoire in her prime. Smoke filled the stage while the songstress performed a highly choreographed dance routine.
The “Idol” crowd seemed appreciative of the spectacle, welcoming her with opening arms and cheering throughout the performance.
Gaga taped the performance after last week’s elimination show, when Siobhan Magnus got the boot.
What did you think of Gaga’s performance? Let us know in the comments!
Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
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‘I said [to the doctors] in these exact words: ‘Am I dying?’ ‘ Poison frontman tells People magazine.
By James Montgomery
Bret Michaels
Photo: Jason LaVeris/ FilmMagic
One day after he was released from the intensive care unit of a Phoenix hospital following a massive brain hemorrhage, Bret Michaels told People magazine that he feels “lucky to be alive.”
In the new issue of the magazine — which hits newsstands Friday — Michaels recalls the harrowing moments after he was first rushed to the emergency room on April 22, following a series of “excruciating headaches,” which doctors would later discover were actually due to a subarachnoid hemorrhage.
“I said [to the doctors] in these exact words: ‘Am I dying?’ ” Michaels told the magazine. ” ‘If I’m dying, I want to see my kids. But if I have a chance, I don’t want them to see me in this condition.’ ”
Doctors were able to stabilize Michaels, but he remained in the ICU for 10 days. During that time, he underwent a battery of tests to determine the cause of his hemorrhage, which occurred at the base of his brain stem, as fans filled Facebook and Twitter with messages of support, and his friends — like “Celebrity Apprentice” co-stars Sharon Osbourne and Bill Goldberg — issued statements hoping for a full recovery. His condition slowly improved, and earlier this week, the Poison frontman was able to speak without slurring his words.
His team of doctors at Phoenix’s Barrow Neurological Institute praised Michaels’ strength and spirit, saying his “sheer will to live and fully recover is undeniable.” According to People, Michaels is currently undergoing physical therapy at an undisclosed rehabilitation facility and is expected to make a full recovery.
Share your well-wishes for Bret Michaels in the comments.
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Debut album from MTV News’ ‘MC to Watch’ will be #1 on Billboard’s top 200 albums chart next week.
By James Montgomery
B.o.B
Photo: Frank Mullen
It’s been nearly 18 months since MTV declared B.o.B an “MC to Watch”, and while he’s spent most of 2010 making us look smart, even we couldn’t have predicted this.
Thanks to the success of his singles “Nothin’ on You” and “Airplanes,” the Atlanta rapper’s debut album, The Adventures of Bobby Ray, will bow at #1 on next week’s Billboard albums chart, with sales of more than 84,000 copies. He’s only the second hip-hop artist to debut in the top spot in 2010 (Ludacris did it back in March with his Battle of the Sexes album) and only the third since September of last year, when Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3 dominated the landscape.
Following behind B.o.B is unstoppable country juggernaut Lady Antebellum, who sold just under 76,000 copies of their Need You Now album. Coming in at #3 — the week’s second-highest debut — are Welsh rockers Bullet for My Valentine, whose third album, Fever, sold close to 71,000 copies. Justin Bieber’s My Word 2.0 is next at #4, selling more than 69,000 copies, and AC/DC’s Iron Man 2 soundtrack lands at #5 with sales of about 52,000 copies.
Rounding out the top 10 are Usher’s Raymond v. Raymond (#6, 48,000), Melissa Etheridge’s new Fearless Love (#7, 46,000), Miranda Cosgrove’s new Sparks Fly (#8, 36,000), the ubiquitous Now 33 (#9, 30,000) and last week’s top seller, the “Glee” cast’s Power of Madonna (#10, 29,000).
Outside the top 10, notable debuts include Hole’s first album in more than a decade, Nobody’s Daughter, which bows at #15 with sales of close to 22,000 copies, Daddy Yankee’s Mundial at #29, with sales of more than 13,000 copies, and Sons of Sylvia, who, fresh off their appearance on “American Idol,” moved more than 12,000 copies of their debut, Revelation, to open at #33.
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‘He can come holla at me,’ Dame says of his former Roc partner.
By Shaheem Reid
Karrem Biggs, Jay-Z and Dame Dash
Photo: Roc-A-Fella
By now, everyone should know that Dame Dash is bringing back Roc-A-Fella records. He recently signed a distribution deal with very familiar partners Def Jam and will be releasing albums under the name of the Roc, a label he co-founded with Jay-Z and Kareem “Biggs” Burke in the ’90s before selling his share to Island Def Jam in 2004.
But Dash’s co-founders aren’t onboard for the new venture, and some Roc-A-Fella purists are already saying that it just isn’t the Roc without Jay and Biggs.
“I don’t know,” Dame said of the naysayers. “A ‘Roc-A-Fella purist’ is me. So what am I gonna tell myself? If someone has the essence and the DNA that Roc-A-Fella initially meant and they reflect that, then it’s not an issue. Any Roc-A-Fella purist — that would mean they would love to see the evolution of Roc-A-Fella. They would be happy because as of now [the label] doesn’t exist. And the spirit doesn’t exist. If we’re gonna bring back the spirit of Roc-A-Fella, any Roc-A-Fella purist would say, ‘That’s exactly what I would have wanted Damon to do if he was still the CEO of Roc-A-Fella.’ Or, ‘Roc-A-Fella as an entity always chose the opinion leader, and he seems to be that guy. And always a thorough individual, and he seems to be that guy as well.’ So I would think a Roc-A-Fella purist would be happy.”
Dash says he welcomes the participation of both Biggs and Jay-Z, if they want to be involved.
“If Jay wanna come through and do something, he can come holla at me,” Dash said. “I ain’t got no beefs with Jay.”
Dame made sure to add that he and Hov would have to come to an amicable business agreement if they were ever to partner again.
“Just off the strength that it’s Roc-A-Fella, I could never tell Jay he can’t be a part of something he helped create,” the Harlem born CEO said. “So maybe it felt ridiculous that he said [me and Biggs couldn’t be a part of Roc-A-Fella once we sold the company] and a Roc-A-Fella purists didn’t appreciate that. If I walked away from Roc-A-Fella, then that would be different. But the option should always be there. So the option is there for him. He helped build that. And I don’t hold grudges. I think one of the most important things in evolving is forgiveness. If he did something wrong or if I did something wrong, we’d have to forgive each other, or we’d still be children.”
The first release from the latest incarnation of the Roc is Curren’s Pilot Talk, which has a tentative release date of June 15. After that will be the mixtape album helmed by Ski Beatz called 24 Hour Karate School.
Can Roc-A-Fella records truly exist without Jay-Z’s involvement? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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‘We don’t have no competition,’ Dipset MC says — his squad bested teams led by Jermaine Dupri, OJ Da Juiceman, Black Lips.
By Steven Roberts
Jim Jones
Photo: MTV News
ATLANTA — At Converse’s second Band of Ballers basketball tournament on Saturday, the musical lineup boasted a variety of acts, from rock to hip-hop. But the action during the two-loss elimination tourney, held at Clark Atlanta University, was primarily on the court. Teams were pitted against one another in three-on-three games. Last year’s event saw Jim Jones and his “Jones Family” squad taking the trophy, and this year, Jones was confident his team would reclaim the trophy.
“I’ve been poppin’ a lot sh–, so I have a lot to lose, way more than anybody else,” Jones admitted. “Everywhere we [go, we] make home. Where I lay my hat is my home. You ain’t heard that song before? It’s my house,” the Dipset MC taunted. “We don’t have no competition. We just run through and we skatin’ on them, just like we did last year.”
Jones’ team definitely suffered from a home-court disadvantage, however. Four of the seven teams represented either Atlanta or Georgia: Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def Family; a punk outfit, the Black Lips; Southern Hospitality’s Pill, OJ Da Juiceman and Shawty Lo, and Athens-based rockers Of Montreal were all looking to dethrone the Jones Family. Other teams included the mash-up squad Bad News, which was made up of Jay Electronica, Sean Price and Donnis, and the Jersey indie-rock band Steel Train.
Dupri said he was out to make sure one of the teams from Atlanta won.
“I keep hearing Jim Jones talking about [his team], but is he playing in the game? That’s all I want to know. If he ain’t playing in the game then all that talk, all of that talk doesn’t mean nothing, because I’m playing. I’m suited and booted and ready to go.”
Jones and Dupri were constantly in each other’s faces, verbally sparring. And while Jones, joined by his surprise teammate Cam’ron did, in fact, hit the court — Dupri never did. Both Jones’ and Dupri’s teams established themselves early on as tournament favorites, with Southern Hospitality rounding out the top three. They made quick work of the other crews, though Steel Train put up an impressive fight.
Southern Hospitality eventually knocked the So So Def Family from the semi-finals, setting up a finals showdown between SH and the Jones Family. Jones’ team had earned a bye into the finals, thanks to its undefeated status through the earlier rounds. And despite Southern Hospitality’s best efforts, Jim Jones was able to etch his name onto the trophy for another year. Crowned champion once again, Jones wasn’t any more humble than he’d been after the first win.
“They better bring some real basketball players out, because I’m tired of coming down here, wasting my time, thinking we’re going to play some people that know how to play basketball,” a triumphant Jones said.
Were you surprised the South didn’t pull out a win at this year’s Converse tourney? Tell us in the comments!
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Band says ideas for new songs are often born on tour, but usually written at home.
By James Montgomery
Paramore’s Hayley Williams
Photo: MTV News
It seems odd to talk about “new” Paramore songs, given that their Brand New Eyes album is just seven months old, but the fact remains that there actually are some new tracks in the works … albeit ones that are progressing very slowly.
“[Frontwoman Hayley Williams] normally needs to rest her voice during show days, so she’ll come to soundcheck sometimes and just listen to her in-ear monitors,” drummer Zac Farro told MTV News on Saturday at the Bamboozle festival in New Jersey. “The other day, we were just messing around — we have a couple of songs we just play for fun. They’re never anything we’ll probably use, but we’ve been playing them for a while. [They’re] just random, two-second things.”
So while it sounds like those “two-second” things might not amount to much, Farro quickly added, “Actually, ‘Decode’ and ‘I Caught Myself’ [Paramore’s two songs on the “Twilight” soundtrack] were kind of written that way, so you never really know.”
Williams agreed, though she made it clear that the band is still very much focused on playing songs from Brand New Eyes, and said that the majority of writing for the follow-up — whenever it may happen — will take place at home in Franklin, Tennessee.
“We like coming up with new things, but, like Zac says, it’s usually at home, at practice,” Williams said. “We usually write intros and outros for shows, and that’s a good outlet for us, and a way to keep our creative brains rolling and keep our chops up. But, like he said, it’s like two seconds and then we’re done.”
And Paramore will have even more time to work on those two-second outbursts (maybe even extending them to four or five seconds,) when they hit the road on the Honda Civic Tour with Tegan and Sara and New Found Glory. The trek kicks off July 23 and already, Williams and company are getting pumped — even if it means they’re not going to be home any time soon.
“We all like a bit of everything, musically, and you can usually tell that in our [concert] bills,” Williams said. “I think Honda Civic Tour is the most diverse lineup we’ve ever had. And I’m really psyched about it. I saw Tegan and Sara in Nashville, and they were great. It’s going to be a lot of fun!”
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‘If this was the last night of performances, you would have won this whole thing,’ Ellen says on Sinatra Night.
By Larry Carroll
Lee Dewyze on “American Idol” Tuesday
Photo: Fox
When Frank Sinatra sang “That’s Life,” the song became a masterpiece, a devil-may-care case study in the art of cool, careless crooning about enduring the bad days. On Tuesday night (May 4), Lee Dewyze made the song his own, simultaneously conquering his own demons and the specter of the Chairman of the Board.
The spiky-haired “American Idol” dark horse took on a signature tune from Ol’ Blue Eyes for the show, with necktie appropriately undone. Accompanied on a Hammond organ by mentor Harry Connick Jr., Dewyze straddled the top of the instrument as if paying tribute to the bar-embracing persona of Sinatra, backed by a bluesy band.
Although feisty Frank likely wouldn’t have endorsed Dewyze’s untucked shirt, he could surely appreciate the way the 26-year-old Illinois singer poured himself into lines like “Each time I find myself flat on my face/ I pick myself up and get back in the race.”
With the performance, Dewyze undoubtedly put himself back into the heat of the “Idol” race.
“If this was the last night of performances,” judge Ellen DeGeneres beamed with approval, “you would have won this whole thing.”
“You gave it 110 percent,” Simon Cowell agreed. “It was the best performance of the night.”
“Another great arrangement by a Louisiana boy,” Randy Jackson said of Connick’s efforts. “You stayed your rocker self. I loved it.”
“You can win this thing,” Kara DioGuardi said, before urging Dewyze to go home and write down “I can win this thing” 100 times.
Originally composed by Dean Kay and Kelly Gordon for Sinatra’s album of the same name, “That’s Life” was a huge hit when it debuted in 1966. In the years since, the song has been covered by everyone from Bono to Aretha Franklin to David Lee Roth, and now, perhaps the next American Idol.
What did you think of Lee’s performance? Let us know in the comments below!
Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
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‘American Idol’ winner will star in the musical for 12 weeks starting August 19.
By Gil Kaufman
Jordin Sparks
Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images
Jordin Sparks is about to become the latest “American Idol” alum to head to the Great White Way. The 2007 “Idol” winner will make her Broadway debut on August 19, when she joins the cast of the Tony- and Grammy-winning musical “In the Heights” in the lead role of Nina Rosario.
Sparks is slated to play a 12-week limited engagement with the show through November 14. “It’s always been one of my dreams to perform on Broadway,” the singer said in a statement. “This is a brand new experience for me. I look so forward to spending time in New York City and joining this talented cast and my favorite new musical.”
Sparks, 20, will be taking on the role of Rosario, the proud daughter of a Dominican family living in New York’s Washington Heights who gains neighborhood admiration when she becomes the first in her family to attend college. She will be replacing Janet Dacal in the musical, which currently also stars Corbin Bleu of “High School Musical.”
Last July, Sparks released her sophomore album, Battlefield, which spawned a hit title song and the dance single “S.O.S. (Let the Music Play).” She is in the midst of her first-ever headlining tour, a 44-date outing that kicked off on May 1 and is currently slated to run though an August 8 date at the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis, Wisconsin.
Last week, Sparks joined U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood to announce a new anti-texting campaign, “X the TXT,” aimed at deterring Americans from texting while driving.
How do you think Jordin Sparks will do on Broadway? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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