Via Realtor.com Christina Aguilera has put her Beverly Hills house on the market for $13.5 million. Aguilera may be hoping that selling her house will put an end to a nearly year long slump: Since kicking off last summer with the slow selling album “Bionic” (her first record in four years), she forgot the lyrics to the National Anthem at this year’s Super Bowl, fell while performing in a Grammy tribute to Aretha Franklin, filed for divorce from her husband Jordan Bratman and, most recently, was arrested for public intoxication along with new beau Matthew Rutler. Aguilera’s 6 bedroom, 9 bath Mediterranean-style house covers a whopping 10,000-square-feet on 0.64 acres. It features three covered parking spaces, hardwood floors, a pool, patio, breakfast bar, pantry and powder room. It was previously owned by Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne. Have a flip-thru to peep X-Tina’s crib…
Suit alleges Sony Music paid wrong group to sample song for use in ‘Ain’t No Other Man.’ By Shawn Adler Christina Aguilera Photo: Denise Truscello/ WireImage Sorrows continue to come as battalions for pop superstar Christina Aguilera who, less than a week after getting arrested for public intoxication, may be back in hot water again due to a federal lawsuit filed against the singer and Sony Music by TufAmerica, according to TMZ.com . The lawsuit, filed in New York, claims Sony paid the wrong distributer for rights to the 1968 song “Hippy Skippy Moon Strut” by Dave Cortez and the Moon People, which Aguilera sampled for her Grammy winning hit “Ain’t No Other Man.” TufAmerica reportedly owns the rights to the song, which Sony arranged to sample through deals with Condigo Mysic and the Clyde Otis Music Group. TufAmerica is seeking to nullify other publishers’ claims to the rights, as well as punitive damages. The lawsuit comes at the tail end of a rough year for the 30-year-old diva, which began with the poor sales of her album Bionic and continued with a canceled U.S. tour , a flop in her big-screen debut “Burlesque” and a divorce from her husband Jordan Bratman . Aguilera’s woes got worse in 2011, with a now infamous flub of the National Anthem during the Super Bowl pre-game show, and an arrest on March 1 for public intoxication . “She was not capable of taking care of herself. … She was incapacitated, not belligerent, but just intoxicated,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department spokesperson Steve Whitmore said of the arrest in a press conference. Aguilera will not be prosecuted for the misdemeanor offence. “Ain’t No Other Man” was the lead single on Aguilera’s third album Back to Basics. For it, Aguilera won the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Related Artists Christina Aguilera
We watched Teyana Taylor turn 16, put out the single “Google Me”, pursue acting and hang with her crew. She has always been labeled as being famous for no reason and maybe that’s because no one has ever been clear on what exactly she does or even wants to do. In a recent interview with Edge magazine, Teyana speaks on the fame, her style and her career. “It gets really hard because people don’t really know what’s happening on the inside of things. People can be so cruel and not even know your situation and not want get to know”, she says in her soft spoken and perfectly raspy tone. This transparency and softer side may shock many who know Taylor as the Jordan wearing, opinionated skateboarder chick whose big hair and unique style is being copied by young girls everywhere. But the sincerity in her vulnerability is magnetic. “I’m a piece of work and I am certainly one of a kind, I know for sure that I am”, she says, “but I honestly can care less about this industry. I just do what I love”. In her confidence is also knowledge of the power she has as a role model for young girls that need a place in this world to feel accepted. She speaks for a large part of the new generation of young women who simply want to be who they are but fear no one will understand. When talking about her responsibility to the girls coming after her, Taylor’s speaks with the wisdom of a veteran twice her age. “I want to inspire young people, with everything I do. Even through my style”, she says, “if you can change the world or just change lives directly, why not go for it? If I can encourage kids to be themselves and to be cool with being different that’s what I’m going to do. I have a responsibility to try to change as much as I can.” “Before I got signed I was a skateboarder and I played basketball. I gave it up for my career because the label saw a lot of danger in it. I wanted to do something so that I could still have basketball in my life and as a fan I wanted to know more about players”. Her small gesture to remain close to the sport she loves turned into a 100,000 strong following in just one week, a number that she hadn’t planned for. “The site kept crashing”, she says with a raspy laugh, “we didn’t build the site for those kind of numbers. But we’ve been back for almost three weeks and we’ve already gotten almost all of our traffic back…. it’s good to know people didn’t forget about it”. If you’re wonder what Teyana has been up to lately, check out the trailer for Tyler Perry’s New Movie HERE ! Source
Paul McDonald and Casey Abrams get high marks, while Jordan Dorsey and Robbie Rosen might not make it to the next level. By Eric Ditzian Jacob Lusk appears on “American Idol” on Tuesday Photo: FOX Another season of live “American Idol” episodes is officially in session, which means it’s time to bring back MTV News’ reality-show report card. Who rose to the front of the crooning class Tuesday night when the top-12 men took the stage for the first time? Who’s in danger of being booted out of class? Sharpen your pencils and open to a fresh sheet of notebook paper, because it’s time to get busy grading! Excellent Paul McDonald Why wasn’t he featured more in Hollywood Week? Goofy and gospel-y, this Southern boy was an utter delight during his breakout performance Tuesday. McDonald was, at times, overwhelmed by the backing band, but his vocal tone is truly distinctive and his song choice of Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May” was spot on. We remain undecided about those dance moves: wink-wink awkward or just awkward? Casey Abrams This could have gone so wrong. And if Simon Cowell were still around, we have a feeling he would have slammed Abrams for his hyper-growly take on Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You.” But somehow, to us, it just worked. Abrams has a true artist’s confidence in his own gifts, and even when he takes it too far — sometimes, dude, less really is more! — you still get the feeling he’s in control and knows exactly what he’s doing. Good Scotty McCreery With that subterranean twang of his, the kid sounded like he could be a regular presence on county radio right now. That doesn’t mean we’d want to listen, but he certainly fits a mold; we’ll wait and see if he has any desire to break it. Jacob Lusk Though it was an old-fashioned performance and Lusk needs some work on his phrasing in the lower register, we have to applaud him for one of the more impressive performances of the evening. What a range he has! What’s more, he’s able to communicate genuine emotion when he sings. This wasn’t, however, his breakout performance. We’re waiting for more before bumping him up to the next level. Satisfactory Clint Jun Gamboa What Randy Jackson got wrong about the singer’s take on Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” is that karaoke isn’t just about vocals; it’s also about a feeling. Clint’s performance just felt karaoke. There’s no doubting he has pipes. What he’s missing is artistry. The “Idol” stage practically swallowed him up in a swirl of pulsing primary-colored lights. Jovany Barreto My colleague Jim Cantiello is right on when he zings Barreto for falling far short in the charisma department. We should, though, give credit to Barreto for simply possessing a beautiful instrument. Close your eyes, and it was a much finer performance. Alas, for a TV show, that’s not a good thing. James Durbin We don’t get what all the fuss is about. Everything Durbin did onstage, from the schoolboy-rocker hand gestures to the scarf-tail-thingy that’s supposed to make him stand out, came off as phony. He tried his hardest to project a rock-star image, which is the least rock-star thing anyone can do. At least we’re glad he toned down the scream-singing. Tim Halperin Halperin sneaks into satisfactory territory, if only because we hardly remember his performance, so forgettable was his take on Rob Thomas’ “Streetcorner Symphony.” Uptempo tunes might not fall in his comfort zone, nor did he have the vocal power to compete with the band. Also: Demerits for encouraging the hand-waving clappers in the audience to burst into action. Stefano Langone Langone started off a hair behind the band and couldn’t ever seem to catch up. Don’t even get us started on how he chop-sueyed. Still, he’s got plenty personality to carry him past those vocal missteps. Unsatisfactory Jordan Dorsey He tried on a top 40 pop tune, and it just didn’t fit. How could we even concentrate on his vocals while Dorsey was spastically shaking his body in the name of dancing like Usher? We have a feeling that Dorsey is due for a major comeback — when he returns to his R&B roots — yet we fear he may not get the chance after Tuesday’s outing. Brett Loewenstern Oh, Brett! What can we say? Maybe don’t dance next time? Maybe only shake those fiery locks once or twice? The smallness of Loewenstern’s voice was unmistakable during the Doors’ “Light My Fire.” We don’t think he’s in danger of going home — the kid remains aw-shucks likable — but we can’t say we’re expecting better in coming weeks. Robbie Rosen Pitchy and somnolent, lacking in youthfulness and energy, Rosen’s was one of the more surprising of the night in that it just wasn’t very good. We were expecting more from him. Share your “American Idol” grades in the comments! Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” at 10 p.m. Thursday on MTV.com, following the “American Idol” results show, for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke. 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
Pittsburgh rapper shares cover duties with ‘Jersey Shore’ star Snooki. By Jayson Rodriguez Wiz Khalifa on the cover of Rolling Stone Photo: Wenner Media Wiz Khalifa got his very first break as a high school senior when the Pittsburgh rapper was tapped by Rolling Stone as an artist to watch. Now, on the verge of delivering his major-label debut, Rolling Papers, the “Black and Yellow” star is set to grace the cover of the magazine, according to RapRadar . In the issue, he’s been named “Hip-Hop’s Rookie of the Year”; The Source bestowed the same honor on him back in November. Wiz Khalifa is sharing cover duties with “Jersey Shore” starlet Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi for the issue, dubbed the “Hot List” special, which arrives on newsstands Friday. MTV News’ “Hottest Breakthrough MC” winner — who won by a landslide, thanks to his Taylor Gang following — is riding high (pun intended) off the success of “Black and Yellow,” his hometown anthem that doubled at the Steelers’ soundtrack on their way to the Super Bowl. Wiz followed that number with “Roll Up,” which is currently #76 on Billboard ‘s Hot 100. “Black and Yellow” is still going strong, resting at #10 after hitting the top earlier this year. In January, MTV named Wiz Khalifa an “11 for ’11” celeb to watch, along with Dave Franco, Kim Kardashian and another “Jersey Shore” star, Deena Cortese. “I got a lot of work to do,” Wiz told MTV News shortly before receiving the nod. “I’ve done a lot of work to get where I’m at, but I have to keep working. And, hopefully, I’ll be the best artist of the year.” Will you check out the Wiz/Snooki issue of Rolling Stone ? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Wiz Khalifa
Singer’s arrest tops year of troubles for Grammy winner. By Gil Kaufman Christina Aguilera Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images The pattern has, unfortunately, become fairly predictable at this point. A young star experiences stratospheric early success, lives a high-flying lifestyle and engages in over-the-top rebellious behavior and then begins to spin out of control after experiencing some personal and professional disappointments. The latest victim is former Grammy winner Christina Aguilera, whose annus horribilis reached its peak on Tuesday morning when she and her boyfriend both ended up behind bars . A year ago, Aguilera was on the cusp of a return to the spotlight after nearly three years away, during which she celebrated the birth of her son and recorded a new album, Bionic, which was tagged as her futuristic stab at retaking her pop-diva mantle. “There’s no other way of looking at the last year in her career other than to say it’s been trying,” said Keith Caulfield, the associate director of charts for Billboard magazine. “A lot of artists have tough times and go through all sorts of drama. Mariah Carey had her ‘TRL’ moment when ‘Glitter’ bombed and ‘Loverboy’ didn’t do what she wanted, but she came back with ‘We Belong Together,’ and was better than ever. Everyone was writing [Aguilera] off because that’s what we like to do — beat people while they’re down.” Although authorities have said she won’t be prosecuted, Aguilera was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of public intoxication on Tuesday morning after her boyfriend Matthew Rutler was pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence. It was the latest hiccup in a year of difficulties for Aguilera, which began with the flop of her 2010 Bionic album, which has sold only 250,000 copies in the U.S. to date. That was followed by a hastily canceled U.S. tour , the failure of her big-screen debut in “Burlesque” and the announcement of her separation and pending divorce from husband Jordan Bratman. Those incidents were followed by her infamous flubbing of the lyrics at February’s Super Bowl and a stumble on the Grammys stage a week later, amid tabloid reports that her partying had gotten out of hand. Billboard ‘s Caulfield said he didn’t think Aguilera’s troubles are comparable to the very public difficulties suffered by Britney Spears several years ago or even Lindsay Lohan’s string of trips to jail and rehab, but that the pileup of Christina’s career and personal setbacks may have been amplified by the speed at which information and photos are disseminated on the Net these days. “Because of the coverage and the way things happen so quickly on the Internet, there’s no room for an, ‘Oh, I screwed up the lyrics or I stumbled.’ The problem is that everything she’s done over the past year was on a significant magnitude: her first starring role, the Super Bowl!” Had all the other previous incidents not happened, Caulfield said people may not have even noticed Aguilera’s stumble at the Grammys, a trip that Caulfield himself, who was at the show, said he didn’t even detect. “I can’t imagine how difficult it is to be Aguilera now: you have a kid, you’re separating from your husband, the album you waited four years to put out no one bought, it’s got to be tough.” PR expert and star of the Kim Kardashian-produced E! show “The Spin Crowd,” Jonathan Cheban said some of Aguilera’s problems may stem from her public image. “She has an incredible voice … she’s won Grammys … but it’s a different story than Britney,” Cheban said of the comparison to Spears and other stars like Lohan and Robert Downey Jr. who’ve had public spirals. “Christina’s definitely had a bad year, but there have been so many stories over the years about how unfriendly she is and how she doesn’t treat the people around her right, that I think people are more eager to take her down. Nobody is rooting for her because over the years she’s not been one to root for anyone else.” Before things went south for her, Cheban said it was hard to knock Aguilera off her pedestal because she was producing hit albums, winning Grammys and being asked to appear in movies such as Martin Scorsese’s 2008 Rolling Stones documentary, “Shine a Light.” But once things started to fall apart, he said, the knives came out. “There were no breaks, really,” he noted. “From the album tanking, the movie tanking, the divorce … she did a weird 360 in her life and went into hiding, and when you hide too much these days, people don’t like that. If you’re not out there, people will come after you and not in a positive way.” So, is it bad luck or bad karma? “Look at [Lady] Gaga,” Cheban continued. “If she’s trying to compete with [Gaga], then she should have praised her. Gaga is a woman of the people and everyone loves her and she’s fun and she’s out there and honest.” Caulfield said another problem is that while Aguilera was away, a new crop of younger, hotter models (Gaga, Katy Perry, Ke$ha) rose up to take her place and when Bionic failed, she purposely took herself out of the spotlight and seemed to amplify the career stall-out. “Pick a diva, they’ve all had their issues and failures — Madonna, Whitney Houston, Mariah,” he said. “We love a comeback story, though, and, of course, whatever her next thing is, hopefully it will work and people will love her again.” What do you think of Christina’s latest personal and professional woes? Share your thought in the comments. Related Photos The Evolution Of: Christina Aguilera Related Artists Christina Aguilera
In the latest edition of As Charlie Sheen’s Hilariously Troubled World Turns… Brooke Mueller has responded to the video that depicts her young twins hanging around Sheen’s “goddesses” and taken action to wrestle physical custody of them from her ex-husband. One problem, according to TMZ? She went to the wrong police station to do so. Sheen’s lawyer, Marty Singer, has fired off a letter to Warner Bros. and CBS that demands Sheen gets paid for the full season of Two and a Half Men , lest these companies face legal action. It reads: “Warner Bros. made it clear they wanted Charlie back for two more years, even with the prospect that he could go to jail. They made a deal with him while the charges were pending. But now that Charlie made some disparaging comments about the show runner who had refused to work… they made a decision not to proceed with the show this year. It’s outrageous.” On its own, that statement actually makes a solid argument. Following the uproar over how Sheen referred to creator Chuck Lorre as “Chaim,” the actor has asked for an apology from the Anti-Defamation League for saying the actor exhibited “borderline anti-Semitism” via that comment. Singer has also sent that organization a letter that demands a retraction because his clien’s only intention was to “address the man rather than his television persona.” In what he claims will be his final new interview, Sheen called in to the Howard Stern radio show today. Among the tidbits shared: He’s never made a sex tape. He isn’t worried about returning to Two and a Half Men : “I don’t believe in panicking – panicking is for amateurs and morons.” He thinks CBS President Les Moonves ought to fire Lorre: “Chuck wants out, because he’s burned out. He’s got three shows, and he has forgotten that ours was the one who launched the other two… And he’s trying to make me the fall guy, and he’s not going to do it because his tactics are silly and juvenile, and the work of an amateur. I think the real solution is that Les should just fire him and put me back on, and everybody wins.” But isn’t Sheen already WINNING? Listen to the Stern interview below. Charlie Sheen Howard Stern Interview
Welcome to THG’s first American Idol live blog of season 10. With the top dozen men taking to the stage tonight and singing for your vote, we’re here to offer commentary and insight along the way. Leave comments, refresh often for updates and let’s do this… 8:07 Contestants can choose any song they wish, Ryan tells us. Kicking the show off? Clint Jun Gamboa, karaoke host extraordinaire. He chooses “Superstition” and concludes with a scream that would make Steven Tyler proud. He gets two “brilliants,” one from Tyler, one from Randy. Not exactly constructive words from the judges. They’re off to a rough start. 8:14 Jovany Barreto abs alert! Over-played song choice alert! Jovany goes with Edward McCain’s “I’ll Be.” I found it bland. Tyler found it… “Holy shipyards!” J. Lo is “happy” because Barreto “did it.” Randy actually says something worthwhile for once, telling Jovany he brought nothing original to the performance. True dat, dawg. 8:18 Jordan Dorsey breaks out some Usher and, OMG, it sounds like… someone trying to sound like Usher. Minus the body and minus the dance moves, that is. Heck, I can shake my shoulders. The judges are actually critical, although J. Lo compares him to Nat King Cole for some reason. All three disliked it. And Lopez won’t stop interrupting Randy. 8:27 You won’t believe this, but Tim Halperin says everyone gets along well. The guys over there? They are like his brothers! We aren’t buying that for a second, but we might be purchasing stock in Halperin. The singer puts his own touch on a Rob Thomas classic (yes, those exist), and then faces criticism from the judges. Tyler and J. Lo thinks he’s “special,” but the latter at least says he has one of the best voices she’s ever heard. Yes, ever. Yes, she said that. 8:31 Brett Loewenstern is embracing who he is. That means an attempt at classic rock, apparently, and a version of “Light My Fire.” It sounds like a teenager trying to sound hardcore in my view, but the judges can’t get enough of the hair flipping, and the personality, and J. Lo tries to make a joke about Beyonce and Loewenstern leaves the stage too early, only to return and tell Ryan “I love you” and I’m already irritated by this guy. He comes across as fake cute, not natural, David Archuleta cute. 8:40 It’s time James Durbin to makes like Adam Lambert. He keeps telling us we’ve got “another thing coming,” which leads to the first Steven Tyler curse words of the evening. Was that really the first Judas Priest song in Idol history? Can someone look that up for us? Certainly a bold statement from Durbin, who raises his fist and eggs on the crowd. This is not someone who fears the spotlight. 8:49 Ryan introduces Robbie Rosen as the “pride of Long Island.” Isn’t JWOWW from there? She must have been a close second. We’re in the arms of an angel for this minute-plus, which just causes me to picture Sarah McLachlan telling us to save the animals. Tyler and J. Lo love the ballad and it definitely helps Rosen stand out. His heart was very much into the performance. Randy, though, continuing in his attempt to be contrarian, says the notes didn’t all connect. 8:57 Man, Scotty McCreery’s voice is deeper than a Maya Angelou poem (no? How about the Phillies starting rotation?). For non-country lovers, this is “Letters From Home” by John Michael Montgomery. Tyler is right that it’s the perfect song choice, while J. Lo gushes over the rendition. That’s been a rarity tonight, I know. Scotty doesn’t even know what to say when Ryan asks for his reaction. 9:01 Stefano Langone makes the mistake of choosing one of the most played songs on the radio, “Just the Way You are.” He mixes it up a bit, holding on to a few notes and showcasing his range, but I never think a contestant should choose a song everyone can instantly compare to the original. Or hear the next morning on their drive to work. Hard to stand out that way. Still, a solid performance of the Bruno Mars single. Ryan proceeds to put Stefano on the spot, who dedicates it to “all the ladies out there.” Smooth. 9:10 Paul McDonald challenges Durbin for most confident audition. He goes with a Rod Stewart classic and sounds very much like the music icon, encouraging the crowd to clap along. Doesn’t much different than the original, but McDonald clearly has talent. I like how he wandered around the stage, in his own universe. 9:14 Ryan refers to Jacob Lusk as “understated.” Oh, Ryan. Another soulful performance, great runs, but, excuse me, Steven? Did you just say “divine intervention” brought Lusk here? And did J. Lo really follow that up by saying “Luther Vandross is gone… but now we have you.” Sorry, Charlie Sheen, but the judges have clearly decided you won’t be the WINNER on American Idol . I like Lusk a lot, but this is an awful lot of praise to heap on someone so early in the competition. 9:23 Casey Abrams is putting a spell on us. A really intense spell. The guy is certainly putting it all out there, growling into the mic until ending on a literal high note, really getting into the spirit. I love it. Standing ovation. Tyler says it was as “good as it gets.” J. Lo says he’s “sexy” and will “redefine” the whole thing. Wait… will it no longer be a singing competition?!? How will Randy refer to it then?!? My top 5 from the evening: James Durbin Jacob Lusk Casey Abrams Scotty McCreery Paul McDonald
Welcome to THG’s first American Idol live blog of season 10. With the top dozen men taking to the stage tonight and singing for your vote, we’re here to offer commentary and insight along the way. Leave comments, refresh often for updates and let’s do this… 8:07 Contestants can choose any song they wish, Ryan tells us. Kicking the show off? Clint Jun Gamboa, karaoke host extraordinaire. He chooses “Superstition” and concludes with a scream that would make Steven Tyler proud. He gets two “brilliants,” one from Tyler, one from Randy. Not exactly constructive words from the judges. They’re off to a rough start. 8:14 Jovany Barreto abs alert! Over-played song choice alert! Jovany goes with Edward McCain’s “I’ll Be.” I found it bland. Tyler found it… “Holy shipyards!” J. Lo is “happy” because Barreto “did it.” Randy actually says something worthwhile for once, telling Jovany he brought nothing original to the performance. True dat, dawg. 8:18 Jordan Dorsey breaks out some Usher and, OMG, it sounds like… someone trying to sound like Usher. Minus the body and minus the dance moves, that is. Heck, I can shake my shoulders. The judges are actually critical, although J. Lo compares him to Nat King Cole for some reason. All three disliked it. And Lopez won’t stop interrupting Randy. 8:27 You won’t believe this, but Tim Halperin says everyone gets along well. The guys over there? They are like his brothers! We aren’t buying that for a second, but we might be purchasing stock in Halperin. The singer puts his own touch on a Rob Thomas classic (yes, those exist), and then faces criticism from the judges. Tyler and J. Lo thinks he’s “special,” but the latter at least says he has one of the best voices she’s ever heard. Yes, ever. Yes, she said that. 8:31 Brett Loewenstern is embracing who he is. That means an attempt at classic rock, apparently, and a version of “Light My Fire.” It sounds like a teenager trying to sound hardcore in my view, but the judges can’t get enough of the hair flipping, and the personality, and J. Lo tries to make a joke about Beyonce and Loewenstern leaves the stage too early, only to return and tell Ryan “I love you” and I’m already irritated by this guy. He comes across as fake cute, not natural, David Archuleta cute. 8:40 It’s time James Durbin to makes like Adam Lambert. He keeps telling us we’ve got “another thing coming,” which leads to the first Steven Tyler curse words of the evening. Was that really the first Judas Priest song in Idol history? Can someone look that up for us? Certainly a bold statement from Durbin, who raises his fist and eggs on the crowd. This is not someone who fears the spotlight. 8:49 Ryan introduces Robbie Rosen as the “pride of Long Island.” Isn’t JWOWW from there? She must have been a close second. We’re in the arms of an angel for this minute-plus, which just causes me to picture Sarah McLachlan telling us to save the animals. Tyler and J. Lo love the ballad and it definitely helps Rosen stand out. His heart was very much into the performance. Randy, though, continuing in his attempt to be contrarian, says the notes didn’t all connect. 8:57 Man, Scotty McCreery’s voice is deeper than a Maya Angelou poem (no? How about the Phillies starting rotation?). For non-country lovers, this is “Letters From Home” by John Michael Montgomery. Tyler is right that it’s the perfect song choice, while J. Lo gushes over the rendition. That’s been a rarity tonight, I know. Scotty doesn’t even know what to say when Ryan asks for his reaction. 9:01 Stefano Langone makes the mistake of choosing one of the most played songs on the radio, “Just the Way You are.” He mixes it up a bit, holding on to a few notes and showcasing his range, but I never think a contestant should choose a song everyone can instantly compare to the original. Or hear the next morning on their drive to work. Hard to stand out that way. Still, a solid performance of the Bruno Mars single. Ryan proceeds to put Stefano on the spot, who dedicates it to “all the ladies out there.” Smooth. 9:10 Paul McDonald challenges Durbin for most confident audition. He goes with a Rod Stewart classic and sounds very much like the music icon, encouraging the crowd to clap along. Doesn’t much different than the original, but McDonald clearly has talent. I like how he wandered around the stage, in his own universe. 9:14 Ryan refers to Jacob Lusk as “understated.” Oh, Ryan. Another soulful performance, great runs, but, excuse me, Steven? Did you just say “divine intervention” brought Lusk here? And did J. Lo really follow that up by saying “Luther Vandross is gone… but now we have you.” Sorry, Charlie Sheen, but the judges have clearly decided you won’t be the WINNER on American Idol . I like Lusk a lot, but this is an awful lot of praise to heap on someone so early in the competition. 9:23 Casey Abrams is putting a spell on us. A really intense spell. The guy is certainly putting it all out there, growling into the mic until ending on a literal high note, really getting into the spirit. I love it. Standing ovation. Tyler says it was as “good as it gets.” J. Lo says he’s “sexy” and will “redefine” the whole thing. Wait… will it no longer be a singing competition?!? How will Randy refer to it then?!? My top 5 from the evening: James Durbin Jacob Lusk Casey Abrams Scotty McCreery Paul McDonald
Judges want ‘more, more, more!’ of the unique contestant after Screamin’ Jay Hawkins cover. By Kara Warner Casey Abrams performs on “American Idol” Tuesday Photo: FOX For some “American Idol” fans, the competition doesn’t really enter must-watch territory until the decision-making is turned over to the teeming masses and their texting, phone-calling and — new this year — online-voting power. Luckily for those holdouts, that portion of the show began Tuesday (March 1), when the top 12 guys took the stage and performed in front of a live audience for the first time this season. As is custom with “Idol” performance nights, there were several questionable song choices. (We’re looking at you, Jordan Dorsey, who unsuccessfully channeled Usher via “OMG,” and Tim Halperin doing a lackluster cover of Rob Thomas’ “Come on Over.”) There were also predictable ones, namely country crooner Scotty McCreery sticking to what he knows with “Letters From Home” and Adam Lambert wannabe James Durbin, who performed the first-ever Judas Priest song on the show. Thank goodness, then, for the evening’s final performer, Casey Abrams, and his showstopping, passionate performance of the Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ classic “I Put a Spell on You.” Abrams — who is leading the dudes in our top 24 online poll and has wowed the judges previously with his style and unique instruments — brought down the house and the audience to its feet. “That’s as good as it gets,” Steven Tyler told Abrams. “Crazy good.” “You’re sexy, Casey,” Jennifer Lopez added. “Do you know that? Somebody wants it bad,” she said of Abrams’ obvious dedication to remain in the competition. “You came out with hunger and fire, and we just ate it all up,” she said. Randy Jackson agreed, commenting on the way Abrams transformed himself to embody the spirit of Hawkins’ historic tune. “You are really that one,” Jackson said. “You’re so different, so unique, I love it, I applaud it. More, more, more!” What did you think of Abrams’ performance? Do you want more, more, more? Tell us in the comments! Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” at 10 p.m. Thursday on MTV.com, following the “American Idol” results show, for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke. 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 Top 24
