Justin Bieber goes Motown on us on his sugary sweet new song, Die In Your Arms. Read this article: MTV Buzzworthy Blog – New Song, Justin Bieber, 'Die In Your Arms'
Gladys Knight earned the lowest scores on Motown night, while Jaleel White and Jenkins each earned a pair of 10s. By Kelley L. Carter Derek Hough and Maria Menounos Photo: ABC Monday night’s telecast of “Dancing With the Stars” opened with R&B legend Smokey Robinson crooning his Motown hit “Tears of a Clown.” Then Martha Reeves came in singing her hit with the Vandellas “Dancing in the Streets.” Then came the (current lineup of the) Temptations singing their classic hit “Get Ready.” And Motown founder Berry Gordy was in the audience, to boot. It was the perfect way to intro Motown night — this week’s theme — for the popular ABC dance reality competition. This week’s scores included bonus points for a group cha-cha dance marathon. At the top of the pack this week were Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas. The opera singer once again impressed judges with her moves. She and Ballas danced to the Temptations’ “I Can’t Get Next to You,” and the judges thought she continued to deliver. Her prize? She earned a pair of 10s in her initial score for an almost perfect score. “Tonight, girlfriend, you let it loose. That was amazing!” judge Carrie Ann Inaba said. 29/30 + 10 = 39. Here’s how the others fared: Jaleel White and Kym Johnson The former child actor jumped right back near the top of the leaderboard. He danced the cha-cha to “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and the judges found his movements to be sharp and filled with attitude “You’re back!” head judge Len Goodman told him. He also was rewarded with a pair of 10s from the judges. 29/30 + 8 = 37 William Levy and Cheryl Burke The Latin soap opera star danced the rumba, and judges loved the steam that came from the pair. Their ending was over-the-top sexual (they were laid out on top of one another on the dance floor), and the judges — and the live audience, gauging from the screams and hooting and hollering — enjoyed it thoroughly. “William! Absolute and utter filth. And I loved every minute of it!” judge Bruno Tonioli said. “On behalf of all of the women out there, I thank you,” Inaba said. Goodman thought it was a bit on the raunchy side. 27/30 + 9 = 36 Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd The football star danced the foxtrot to a Temptations track, and the judges were impressed by his showmanship. “Donald, you are a showman! Confidence! Power! Your performances get better and better. You should be in the theater,” Tonioli said. 27/30 + 7 = 34 Melissa Gilbert and Maks Chmerkovskiy The actress danced the Viennese waltz to Robinson’s lush hit “Ooo Baby, Baby,” and judges thought her lines were beautiful. “I see poetry starting to happen in your movements. I see the artistry there,” Inaba told her. 24/30 + 6= 30. Maria Menounos and Derek Hough The TV journalist danced the foxtrot to a Reeves’ hit, and even though she made a few missteps, judges thought she pulled it off quite nicely. “You lost your footing, but you caught up quite brilliantly,” Tonioli told her. 26/30 + 4 = 30. Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower The Disney star danced to a Robinson hit, and the judges thought his moves were more suitable for a hip-hop dance — his specialty — than the ballroom. Goodman said that the execution of his routine was “clipped and jerky.” “In general, I thought your moments were a bit over-exaggerated tonight and it made it hard for me to watch,” Inaba said. 23/50 + 5= 28. Gladys Knight and Tristan McManus The soul legend took the stage first — kind of fitting, considering she recorded with the Detroit label — and she performed the rumba. Judges thought her routine was passionate and said her star quality was undeniable. They thought her rumba should have been a bit steamier and noted how she lost it a bit at the end. “You’re not the best dancer, but I’ll tell you what you are … Gladys, you are the most charismatic dancer, I’m telling you. It is so appealing,” head judge Len Goodman said. “It’s just easy like Sunday morning!” 21/30 + 3 = 24.
‘I’m honored that I’ve been given such a prestigious title,’ Ne-Yo says of new role as SVP in statement to MTV News. By Rob Markman Ne-Yo Photo: WireImage When you think Motown Records, you think of artists like Diana Ross, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson, just to name a few. Now Ne-Yo joins the legendary list of soul and R&B singers that will record under the iconic brand created by Berry Gordy in 1959. The Grammy Award-winning singer (and co-star of the George Lucas-produced “Red Tails” ) has moved from Def Jam to Motown Records, according to a statement sent to MTV News on Wednesday (January 25). Not only that, Ne-Yo will also take over as the label’s senior vice president of A&R. “I’m honored that I
‘I’m honored that I’ve been given such a prestigious title,’ Ne-Yo says of new role as SVP in statement to MTV News. By Rob Markman Ne-Yo Photo: WireImage When you think Motown Records, you think of artists like Diana Ross, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson, just to name a few. Now Ne-Yo joins the legendary list of soul and R&B singers that will record under the iconic brand created by Berry Gordy in 1959. The Grammy Award-winning singer (and co-star of the George Lucas-produced “Red Tails” ) has moved from Def Jam to Motown Records, according to a statement sent to MTV News on Wednesday (January 25). Not only that, Ne-Yo will also take over as the label’s senior vice president of A&R. “I’m honored that I
Singer/songwriter Ne-Yo is moving from Def Jam to Motown Records, and he is bringing his Compound imprint along with him. You can now call Ne-Yo the senior vice president of A&R at the label. The Atlanta-based artist released the following statement on the news: “I’m honored that I¹ve been given such a prestigious title and trusted with such responsibility; terrified because I know that playing this role in the fashion of one of my career role models, Mr. Smokey Robinson — these are big shoes to fill. But trust, I can handle it.” For more information on Ne-Yo’s move, head over to Billboard. Congrats to Ne-Yo! Meet The Beautiful Black Men Of “Red Tails” [EXCLUSIVE] Is “Red Tails” The Black “Star Wars”? [EXCLUSIVE] Ne-Yo & Girlfriend Welcome Baby No. 2
This week brings Trespass , the latest film from Joel Schumacher. The occasion prompted the opportunity for Movieline to have a candid, wide-ranging chat with the veteran filmmaker about his career, his critics and his humble origins as a costume designer in the 1970s. And despite his glossy new thriller starring Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman, one subject demanded even more attention: The Wiz , the Motown musical directed by Sidney Lumet and written, in his brief, scrappy scribe-for-hire days, by Schumacher.
Lusk’s command performance of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s ‘You’re All I Need to Get By’ earns praise on Motown night. By Adam Graham Jacob Lusk performs on “American Idol” Wednesday Photo: FOX On Wednesday’s (March 23) Motown-themed episode of “American Idol,” there was Jacob Lusk, and then there was everyone else. The 23-year-old Compton, California, native stole the night with a stirring rendition of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s 1968 smash “You’re All I Need to Get By,” and lived up to the promise he showed earlier this season when, during Hollywood Week, he wowed judges and audiences with his take on “God Bless the Child.” That earlier performance was immediately praised as one of the best in “Idol” history, and Lusk’s performance Wednesday may earn that designation as well. By no means a subtle singer — as his performances in past weeks have demonstrated — Lusk was able to control the song, never drowning it in over-the-top vocal gymnastics or “fireworks,” as Jimmy Iovine described them in a video package on Wednesday’s show. Instead, he showed total mastery of the tune, experimenting with his vocal phrasing and playing with his facial expressions like Jim Carrey at his most rubber-faced. With an assist on bass from Funk Brother Bob Babbitt, Lusk, looking dapper in a white sportcoat and jeans, was the most comfortable onstage he’s been all season, and like Adam Lambert did during Motown week back in season eight, he pulled apart from the rest of the pack with his performance. Steven Tyler was so moved he walked onstage and embraced Lusk just as he hit his final note. A pan of the audience showed Kirsten Dunst was on her feet and cheering Lusk, as well. The judges, who gave Lusk a standing ovation, were effusive in their praise. Jennifer Lopez complimented the way Lusk held back in the song, saying he made the audience “beg” for the big notes. Referring to Motown’s founder, Randy Jackson said, “the great Berry Gordy is somewhere saying, ‘Oh my God!’ ” He went on to say Lusk commanded the song “like a true professional,” before offering the following critique: “You know what was wrong with that performance, guys? Absolutely nothing!” The judges weren’t the only ones who were moved: Lusk’s grandmother was in the audience, and the singer stepped off the stage to give her a big ol’ hug. After that embrace, Ryan Seacrest made the unprecedented move to invite members of the audience onstage to wrap their arms around Lusk, and more than a dozen fans made their way onto the stage to offer their praise. Prior to performing, Iovine said there was nobody in the competition more suited to sing Motown songs than Lusk. Lusk proved him right, and suddenly he’s back to being in the “Idol” power position. What did you think of Jacob Lusk’s performance? Let us know in the comments! Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday on MTV.com, following the “American Idol” results show, for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty ! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
James Durbin and Pia Toscano also nailed their takes on Motown classics. By Gil Kaufman “American Idol” Final 11 Photo: FOX Producers promised to shake things up this year on “American Idol,” but they were back to their predictable old tricks on Wednesday night (March 23), when the top 11 singers once again dipped into the Motown bag for some golden oldies. It was a critical week for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the fact that it would decide season 10’s top 10, i.e., the handful of singers who will go out on the road with the “Idol” tour this summer. Some (Thia, Lauren, Paul) stormed back after tough weeks, while others cemented their frontrunner status (Pia, Jacob) and a few tripped up (Stefano, Haley). After squealing his way through Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” last week (and possibly scaring off his little-girl vote) Casey Abrams went for the big brass ring with Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” He did some of his now-signature growling, mixing Gaye’s sweet soul with the swampy blues texture of the classic Creedence Clearwater Revival cover, pushing closer to the dreaded, white-soul belter territory blazed by “Idol” champ Taylor Hicks. “I think you’re the perfect entertainer,” Steven Tyler enthused. “Perfect pitch and perfect mix of crazy-ass out-of-control ego and that’s what makes an artist today.” Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson agreed, saying that Abrams has already carved his own totally unique lane. Trying to rebound from a rough week, the youngest singer in the contest, Thia Megia, 16, went with an uptempo number for once, Martha and the Vandellas’ “Heatwave.” Wearing a flirty, frilly pink skirt with a black bustier top, Megia showed an intriguing different side to her personality, a country/pop-ish tone with plenty of attitude, though she still sometimes comes off a bit cruise ship-y. Lopez loved seeing Megia let loose for once and encouraged her to dig even deeper and try to connect with her lyrics more, by acting if necessary. Randy was psyched to see her take a chance after a string of same-y ballads. With his gospel background, this should have been a slam-dunk week for Jacob Lusk. Choosing Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s legendary ballad “You’re All I Need to Get By,” Lusk leaned into the spare arrangement with a feathery contralto, hopping between his throaty and falsetto voices while putting on a divo-esque soul clinic of controlled runs. Tyler couldn’t contain himself, running up to hug Jacob and scream “hallelujah!” into the mic. The standing ovation inspired Jackson to say it was Lusk’s best performance yet, praising his easy way of leaning into the chorus and totally controlling the song by knowing when to give it all and when to hold back. “You know what was wrong with that performance?” he said. “Nothing!” The other 16-year-old, Lauren Alaina, dug into the Supremes’ classic “You Keep Me Hangin’ On.” Opening in a single spotlight and transforming the intro into a slow, soul kiss, Alaina once again tapped into her precocious charms and flirted with Jackson and sashayed all around the judges’ circle while singing a very good, sassy karaoke version of the disco-lite tune. “I don’t think you listen to anybody about anything and I like that about you,” Tyler said to his favorite Aerosmith fan, while Lopez praised L.A.’s flowy zebra-striped, floor-length skirt and neck-rolling attitude. Unlike Alaina, Stefano Langone grew up on Motown, though he chose not a classic, but the 1984 Lionel Richie schmaltz-fest “Hello.” Warned not to over-sing it, Langone gave it an odd operatic lilt, turning the tune into a Michael Buble-style, light FM show tune. She still thinks he’s a cutie with a good voice, but Lopez said the one-time wild card missed the emotion in the song and failed to connect, instead looking like he was trying too hard to perform. Giving some of her most coherent, cogent advice of the season, the multi-hyphenate judge said it’s critical for Langone to look at each song as an acting gig. “You sounded good, but there was no real connection,” Randy concurred. After hitting the bottom-three two weeks in a row, Haley Reinhart was hoping to avoid the walk of shame by singing Smokey Robinson & the Miracles’ “You Really Got a Hold on Me.” Her off-tempo, sissy strut version had the requisite soul mama growls and shouts, but the whole thing felt a bit awkward, shouty and Holiday Inn lounge. After a rough start, Randy said Reinhart’s Janis Joplin-esque growl and attitude brought it back around, giving them a glimpse of the singer they fell in love with. “I think you may have the most soulful voice of anybody in the competition,” J.Lo said, then amending that to just include the girls’ side. The singer facing the biggest challenge of the week was bullfrog-voiced country crooner Scotty McCreery. Though he didn’t grow up with Motown, he went with the Stevie Wonder version of “For Once in My Life.” Shockingly, he sang it with a twangy Glen Campbell vibe accompanied by a wheezing harmonica, acoustic guitar and giddyaup brushed snare beat. Tyler said Scotty Mac took a big chance and ripped it and Lopez agreed, saying Scotty made it his own, even if it wasn’t his strongest vocal performance. Either way, it’s those low notes he always throws in that continue to seal the deal for the judges and the audience. Motown week was no problem for Pia Toscano, who’s been singing the label’s songs her whole life alongside her dad. She chose the lesser-known Stevie Wonder hit “All in Love is Fair,” giving it the full diva treatment, complete with floor-length black gown, string section backing and a powerful series of crescendos delivered while standing nearly motionless behind the mic. Once again, Lopez said the vocals, beauty and feeling were all there and said Pia could have a Celine Dion-like career, but she needs to add more dynamic stage moves into her repertoire. And, c’mon girl, Randy pleaded, we get that you can sing ballads, but mix it up a bit, will ya! After a few seasons where singers frequently hid behind guitars and pianos, Paul McDonald busted out the first acoustic of the finals and did some picking and grinning on Smokey Robinson & the Miracles’ titanic “Tracks of My Tears.” Transforming the party tune into a down-home folk rocker, McDonald put on his best Rod Stewart rasp and remade the weeper as if he’d just written it before hitting the stage. Randy wasn’t sure where the song was going at first, but he loved the Stewart vibe and the soft, tender notes near the end. “Like Dylan, like Willie Nelson, your voice is that different,” Tyler said as Lopez referred to McD as the complete package in search of the right producer. She’s already proved her sick dancing skills, so Naima Adedapo’s decision to grab Martha and the Vandellas’ good time ditty “Dancing in the Streets” made perfect sense. Looking like she was having a blast, Naima worked the stage to the African percussion-tinged remake, mixing her strong, crisp vocals with an energized African dance breakdown at song’s end. For once Tyler was speechless, though he did inexplicably call the performance “E to the Z o twiddly dee,” blown away that she came up with the dance moves and the additional percussion. J.Lo said she got her first goose bumps of the night thanks to Naima’s stage savvy. The night’s pimp spot belonged to lone rocker James Durbin, who sang Wonder’s gritty urban anthem “Living for the City.” Busting out of the gate with his clean falsetto voice, Durbin strutted all over the stage and made the song a bit happier than the original, but managed to give it enough of his rock grit (and high screeches) to make it his own. Reduced to an “oh my Gawd”-ing valley girl, Jennifer was in awe of JD’s dance moves and vocals, admitting he left her speechless. Though it opened rough, Randy said James hit his stride during his dance-breakdown middle and brought it home with the Lambert-esque scream at the end. Thursday night’s results show will feature performances from season-three “Idol” finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and country duo Sugarland. Who did you think nailed it on Motown night? Who blew it? Let us know in comments below! Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday on MTV.com, following the “American Idol” results show, for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty ! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
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