Lauren Alaina tackled an iconic Elton John single last night, the track this singer wrote in honor of Princess Diana. It was a challenge for the American Idol finalist, but one that may have turned her into a season 10 contender. Giving the ballad a unique sound via her country twang, Alaina earned overflowing praise from the judges. Randy referred to the cover as “sensitive,” while Steven said it… Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : The Hollywood Gossip Discovery Date : 31/03/2011 12:46 Number of articles : 2
Singer even cleans up his look during Elton John week — though the trademark beard stays put. By Adam Graham Casey Abrams performs on “American Idol” Wednesday Photo: FOX Following last week’s dramatic judges’ save, Casey Abrams was reborn on Wednesday’s (March 30) “American Idol.” Abrams initially came into the competition one of the favorites to win it all, though a series of health problems and a couple of bum performances — including last week’s train-wreck take on Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” — stalled his momentum to the point where America sent him packing. But the judges threw their weight behind the shaggy-haired soul man, and this week it was up to him to prove they made the right decision. But first, he had to deal with the fallout from last week’s performance. When mentor Jimmy Iovine rolled tape of Abrams’ Motown week effort, the singer found it difficult to even watch. “You know what was wrong with that performance?” Iovine asked. Abrams sheepishly replied “some … things?” while Iovine corrected him: “Everything!” Iovine went on to say Abrams “killed himself” with the Gaye cover, saying he’d lost his way in the competition and needed to refocus. Producer Rodney Jerkins was just as critical, but had a far more concrete solution to Abrams’ problems: “Get rid of the beard.” Abrams took Jerkins’ advice to heart and took his mug to Baxter Finley, a Los Angeles barber shop, where a team of skilled professionals trimmed his bushy facial fuzz and hacked away at his unkempt hair. The results weren’t unveiled until Abrams hit the “Idol” stage, though it wasn’t as dramatic as the segment led viewers to believe. Instead, Abrams’ look was simply a fresher, cleaner version of the wild man he’d come to be known as — Abrams 2.0, if you will. His performance was where he really showed his rededication to the competition. Taking on Elton John’s “Your Song,” Abrams stayed seated and didn’t do laps around the studio as he did during Motown week or thrash in place as he did during his risky take on Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” two weeks prior. He dialed himself way back, delivering the song in a comfortable, heartfelt manner and letting the lyrics take over. (Some tabloid reports have tied Abrams to fellow contestant Haley Reinhart, though there was no word whether he was singing the song to his alleged new squeeze.) Eventually, he let out his inner Casey, grunting a few notes near the song’s close, but overall it was the most reserved he’d been onstage yet. He delivered a high closing note that noted music scholar Randy Jackson would later identify as a Major 9. Jackson called the performance “brilliant,” “nice” and “tender,” while Steven Tyler praised Abrams’ range of styles, saying that makes him a “true artist.” Jennifer Lopez called the performance “very Casey” and reiterated that the judges made the correct decision by keeping him around. “Along the way, we’ve had to make some hard decisions and send some really, really great people home, and I’ve lost sleep over that. But one decision I didn’t lose one ounce of sleep over was saving you,” she said. “I slept like a baby!” What did you think of Casey Abrams’ 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. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Pia Toscano and Scotty McCreery also wow the judges. By Gil Kaufman “American Idol” top ten plus one Photo: FOX Theme nights are always tricky, and on Wednesday (March 30), the “American Idol” top 11 had to take on the imposing catalog of Elton John. Some soared and some crashed, and a couple of recent cellar dwellers — Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart — appeared to pull themselves out of the fire with gutsy performances. As always on non-country theme weeks, the question was “What is Scotty McCreery going to do this time?” He made the obvious choice, the obscure “Country Comfort,” which he picked because it had the word “country” in it, but also because it’s one of Elton’s only country-leaning tunes. With lyrics about grandmas and factory closings, it was pretty much what you’d expect: a Vince Gill-esque, aw-shucks acoustic amble accented by pedal steel and piano — with a shout-out to his real granny! — that, well, sounded like just about everything McC has done so far. “Nothin’ I could say to you that an old-fashioned pair of high-heeled cowboy boots wouldn’t fix,” Steven Tyler gushed cryptically, adding that he (still) loves everything about the teen crooner. Once again, Jennifer Lopez gave the most sage advice, encouraging Scotty not to get too in his head and doubt himself. Randy Jackson marveled at how fast Scotty has matured on the program and said he felt like he was at a headlining show by the “Idol” finalist. If Scotty always brings the country rumble, dreadlocked rude girl Naima Adedapo similarly finds a way to add a reggae swag to her songs. Wearing a white jumpsuit with red, yellow and green accents, she gave a Bob Marley-esque island vibe to “I’m Still Standing,” struggling at points to keep in tune but truly making it her own and creating one of the most unique “Idol” makeovers in the recent memory. Lopez and Jackson loved the reggae lilt but weren’t sure if it wasn’t a better idea than the payoff, and maybe a bit corny. Talk about someone totally in the pocket on Elton night. Paul McDonald went for it with the legendary “Rocket Man,” which mentor Jimmy Iovine suggested he play like it was an encore in front of 20,000 screaming fans. Wearing his signature flowered country suit and strumming an acoustic guitar, McDonald started out mellow and seductive, with just a piano for accompaniment. It seemed like he blew off Iovine’s advice, because while he retained that ragged Ray LaMontagne vibe, he barely got out of second gear, keeping things mostly low-key and feathery. Randy called it “quiet comfort” and said, despite being pitchy, Paul’s soft, gentle voice was once again infectious, and Jennifer suggested he was holding back and needed to let loose. “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” is an old “Idol” favorite, and despite being counseled to move out of the ballad-ballad-ballad routine, Pia Toscano went with the emotional staple. With a subtle arrangement, Toscano put the focus squarely on her powerful voice and, backed by a gospel choir, she seemed to hit the sweet spot once more. “Pia, you’ve done it again,” Tyler said, gently needling Randy’s suggestion that Pia switch it up. “That’s what you are and you sang it, you nailed it. And you know how I know a good song? It makes me cry inside … that’s just about as good as it gets.” Lopez said the notes Pia chooses take the audience to “an otherworldly place” and that Toscano seems poised to break through to another level. Stefano Langone made his first trip to the bottom three last week, so he was probably hoping that the epic “Tiny Dancer” would do the trick. But the cheesy arrangement and his smarmy Disney-style performance probably didn’t save the day. All three judges liked it and said Stefano seemed to be really taking their notes and trying to connect with the audience, keep his eyes open and his voice focused on his sweet, high range. Teen Lauren Alaina was just a toddler during the second revival of ultimate weeper “Candle in the Wind” in 1997, but her restrained, country lilt came off like the ultimate mash-up of past “Idol” divas Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Though the performance was a bit sedate, her vocals were controlled and crisp and she gave off her usual
Pia Toscano and Scotty McCreery also wow the judges. By Gil Kaufman “American Idol” top ten plus one Photo: FOX Theme nights are always tricky, and on Wednesday (March 30), the “American Idol” top 11 had to take on the imposing catalog of Elton John. Some soared and some crashed, and a couple of recent cellar dwellers — Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart — appeared to pull themselves out of the fire with gutsy performances. As always on non-country theme weeks, the question was “What is Scotty McCreery going to do this time?” He made the obvious choice, the obscure “Country Comfort,” which he picked because it had the word “country” in it, but also because it’s one of Elton’s only country-leaning tunes. With lyrics about grandmas and factory closings, it was pretty much what you’d expect: a Vince Gill-esque, aw-shucks acoustic amble accented by pedal steel and piano — with a shout-out to his real granny! — that, well, sounded like just about everything McC has done so far. “Nothin’ I could say to you that an old-fashioned pair of high-heeled cowboy boots wouldn’t fix,” Steven Tyler gushed cryptically, adding that he (still) loves everything about the teen crooner. Once again, Jennifer Lopez gave the most sage advice, encouraging Scotty not to get too in his head and doubt himself. Randy Jackson marveled at how fast Scotty has matured on the program and said he felt like he was at a headlining show by the “Idol” finalist. If Scotty always brings the country rumble, dreadlocked rude girl Naima Adedapo similarly finds a way to add a reggae swag to her songs. Wearing a white jumpsuit with red, yellow and green accents, she gave a Bob Marley-esque island vibe to “I’m Still Standing,” struggling at points to keep in tune but truly making it her own and creating one of the most unique “Idol” makeovers in the recent memory. Lopez and Jackson loved the reggae lilt but weren’t sure if it wasn’t a better idea than the payoff, and maybe a bit corny. Talk about someone totally in the pocket on Elton night. Paul McDonald went for it with the legendary “Rocket Man,” which mentor Jimmy Iovine suggested he play like it was an encore in front of 20,000 screaming fans. Wearing his signature flowered country suit and strumming an acoustic guitar, McDonald started out mellow and seductive, with just a piano for accompaniment. It seemed like he blew off Iovine’s advice, because while he retained that ragged Ray LaMontagne vibe, he barely got out of second gear, keeping things mostly low-key and feathery. Randy called it “quiet comfort” and said, despite being pitchy, Paul’s soft, gentle voice was once again infectious, and Jennifer suggested he was holding back and needed to let loose. “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” is an old “Idol” favorite, and despite being counseled to move out of the ballad-ballad-ballad routine, Pia Toscano went with the emotional staple. With a subtle arrangement, Toscano put the focus squarely on her powerful voice and, backed by a gospel choir, she seemed to hit the sweet spot once more. “Pia, you’ve done it again,” Tyler said, gently needling Randy’s suggestion that Pia switch it up. “That’s what you are and you sang it, you nailed it. And you know how I know a good song? It makes me cry inside … that’s just about as good as it gets.” Lopez said the notes Pia chooses take the audience to “an otherworldly place” and that Toscano seems poised to break through to another level. Stefano Langone made his first trip to the bottom three last week, so he was probably hoping that the epic “Tiny Dancer” would do the trick. But the cheesy arrangement and his smarmy Disney-style performance probably didn’t save the day. All three judges liked it and said Stefano seemed to be really taking their notes and trying to connect with the audience, keep his eyes open and his voice focused on his sweet, high range. Teen Lauren Alaina was just a toddler during the second revival of ultimate weeper “Candle in the Wind” in 1997, but her restrained, country lilt came off like the ultimate mash-up of past “Idol” divas Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Though the performance was a bit sedate, her vocals were controlled and crisp and she gave off her usual
“They were kissing and cuddling in public,” an onlooker from the night tells us. “They were clearly very fond of each other. They were very, very affectionate to one another.” Carey Mulligan, who otherwise kept a low profile at the show, “was very quiet and just kind of sat behind the scenes,” says the onlooker. Is Carey Mulligan off the market again? The actress, 24, who split from Shia LaBeouf in late October, has reportedly moved on to fellow Brit, Marcus Mumford, lead singer for Grammy-no
“I have been very fortunate in life both professionally and personally,” Elizabeth Banks, 37, wrote on her Web site in a blog post announcing the birth. “The one true hurdle I#39;ve faced in life is that I have a broken belly. After years of trying to get pregnant, exploring the range of fertility treatments, all unsuccessful, our journey led us to gestational surrogacy.” Her 30 Rock character Avery Jessup is a new mom – and it turns out Elizabeth Banks is as well. The actress and husband Max
Justin Timberlake also wanted to sign Bieber, ‘Never Say Never’ star said in 2009. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber Photo: Brian Phares/MTV News Just as the world was learning who Justin Bieber was, MTV News caught up with the shaggy-haired singer in September 2009. He was gearing up to release his debut album, My World , and plotting his pop-world domination. In the year and a half since that interview, Bieber has done the nearly impossible, launching himself into the pop mega-sphere. In the chat, Bieber recalled how he and his manager, Scooter Braun, met and eventually got big names interested in signing the teen. “My manager found me on YouTube. He flew me out to Atlanta for the first time — I’d never actually been on a plane before. He flew me to Atlanta where i was going to the studio to meet some people,” he recalled. “And Usher happened to roll up in his Range Rover. I ran up to him, and I was like, ‘Usher, I love your songs. Want me to sing you one?’ The politest possible way he could say no, he did. … I took the hint. I didn’t get to sing for him: He had to run into a studio session.” But later, Usher was beckoning the teen back to the ATL. “He actually watched my videos — after my manager got to talking to him — and was like, ‘I should have let this kid sing,’ and flew me back to Atlanta where I got to sing for him in a proper setting. A week later, I had a meeting with Justin Timberlake, who also wanted to sign me, so they both kind of wanted me.” As the story goes, Bieber went with Usher, and the two never looked back. “As far as Usher being my mentor, he’s definitely given me words of wisdom. I hear it from everybody, but definitely to hear it from Usher is great, just to stay humble and grounded is very important,” he explained. “There’s a lot of people, especially young stars, that have gone down the wrong path, and I definitely plan to stay humble and stay grounded and keep my family first, because that stuff really is important in life.” On Friday, Justin Bieber’s 3-D documentary, “Never Say Never,” opens. The film takes a look at how the teen star worked to hit it big. MTV News has been chatting with him along the way, from the time he first burst on the scene in 2009 until now, as he embarks on a huge 2011 that will include a tour and more new music. Related Videos Discovering Justin Bieber MTV Rough Cut: Justin Bieber Related Photos Photos From Justin Bieber’s Interview With Sway Related Artists Justin Bieber Usher Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1657425/justin-bieber-usher-video.jhtml Shannyn Sossamon Shiri Appleby Sienna Guillory Sienna Miller Simone M¸therthies Related posts: Justin Bieber’s Next Album To Capture Justin Timberlake’s Magic Photos | Justin Bieber’s AMA Night Photos | Justin Bieber’s AMA Night Justin Bieber Passes Michael Jackson’s Box-Office Record Justin Bieber Causes Fan Frenzy In Liverpool, England
All-star lineup of Erick Morillo, Wolfgang Gartner, Laidback Luke, will.i.am, Diddy, Chemical Brothers and many more close out three-day bash. By Akshay Bhansali David Guetta and Flo Rida perform at Ultra Music Fest Photo: MTV News MIAMI — On its third and final day, the Ultra Music Festival delivered a blazing one-two punch of trance and house star power for the 50,000 fans in attendance on closing day of the annual get-together held at Bicentennial Park. The Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am joined an impressive roster of house-music performers that included Laidback Luke, Steve Aoki, Erick Morillo, Robbie Rivera , Wolfgang Gartner and David Guetta. Dutch trance music star Armin van Buuren celebrated the 500th broadcast of his A State of Trance show, this time dubbed ASOT 500, in honor of the milestone. The show filled in the slot normally taken by Carl Cox’s stage on Friday and Saturday, and van Buuren brought some well-known trance-DJ friends like Cosmic Gate, Gareth Emery, Ferry Corsten, ATB and the night’s closer, Sander Van Doorn, all of whom helped to pack a few thousand fans into the tent, chest to back, to capacity. Just before 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, AVB joined friend/countryman/collaborator Corsten onstage. But a hug and a few jokes later and it was van Buuren’s turn to steer the ASOT 500 ship, and he throttled into his set. Van Buuren also held down hosting duties throughout the night, revealing in an on air-interview with ATB the pair have collaborated on a track titled “Vice Versa.” On the main stage, Gartner didn’t just hit fans with hits like “Spacejunk,” “Illmerica,” and his deadmau5 collabo, “Animal Rights.” He also tested out a few new songs, including still-unreleased gems “818,” and his next single, the electro-house banger “Forever,” which features vocals by will.i.am. Later, house legend Morillo blessed the crowd with three top-notch vocalists: Rachel Starr, former Pussycat Doll Jessica Sutta, and powerhouse singer Shawnee Taylor took turns joining him onstage. Fans sang along with Taylor as she belted the hits “Stronger” and “Live Your Life” among others. Finally, Diddy joined his buddy Morillo onstage, dropping his bars from Dirty South’s remix of Diddy-Dirty Money’s “Coming Home,” a Miami Music Week DJ-set staple. David Guetta was feeling particularly electro-clubby. He hammered fans with hair-raising renditions of his material, kicking things off with “Gettin’ Over You,” and then a baritone horn-driven thumper of a tune that some fans may have heard days before at Mansion. Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am joined Guetta onstage at various points of the night, adding vocals to Guetta’s remixes of BEP hits “The Time,” and “I Gotta Feeling.” But probably the more unexpected cameo was Flo Rida, who showed up with an entourage of Super Soaker-wielding friends and charged onto the stage for the Guetta/Flo hit “Club Can’t Handle Me.” Perhaps the most moving moment of the day came when rising star Afrojack joined Guetta and addressed the audience. “Miami, last year, I played here for the first time, through David,” Afrojack said. “I had a great time. David is all about the love. David, I love you. Miami, I love you. This guy is the f—ing sh–! So Miami, make some noise for David Guetta!” Needless to say, the crowd seemed to agree with the 22-year-old Dutch phenom. They returned his request with a roar. Did you attend Ultra Music Festival in Miami this year? Tell us about your experience in the comments below! Related Videos Pump Your Fist For Miami Music Week Related Photos Miami Music Week Related Artists David Guetta Flo Rida Armin Van Buuren
Chris Brown’s neighbors are complaining that the pop star is a horrible neighbor thanks to all of the loud music and constant stream of people coming in and out of his West Hollywood condo. “Chris Brown is a problematic tenant, to say the least,” a source tells RadarOnline . “He has his posse traipsing around until the late hours of the night, he’s loud and totally disrespectful of his neighbors.” The source says that Chris’ neighbors are professional-types who work during the day and need rest at night. “He’s driving the other tenants in the building crazy… It’s important to them to get some rest at night and that’s proving difficult with the noise that’s being generated.” “He just moved in around a month ago and he’s already received a warning. The tenants are just really worried – if he’s like this straight off the bat, they wonder if it’s going to get any worse.” RELATED: Chris Brown Buys $1.75 Million Condo RELATED: Chris Brown Dyes His Hair, Again! [PHOTO] RELATED: Chris Brown And Rihanna To Sit Down On ABC? RELATED: Chris Brown’s Publicist Throws Up The Deuces; Terminates Relationship RELATED: Chris Brown Gets It In At F.A.M.E. Release Party [PHOTOS] RELATED: Chris Brown Apologizes For “GMA” Rampage [VIDEO] RELATED: Chris Brown Talks Twitter Hook Ups & Guilty Pleasures [EXCLUSIVE] RELATED: Chris Brown Breaks Down “F.A.M.E.’s” Double Meaning [EXCLUSIVE] RELATED: Chris Brown Explodes In Rage, Breaks Window At “Good Morning America” [VIDEO]
Chris Brown’s neighbors are complaining that the pop star is a horrible neighbor thanks to all of the loud music and constant stream of people coming in and out of his West Hollywood condo. “Chris Brown is a problematic tenant, to say the least,” a source tells RadarOnline . “He has his posse traipsing around until the late hours of the night, he’s loud and totally disrespectful of his neighbors.” The source says that Chris’ neighbors are professional-types who work during the day and need rest at night. “He’s driving the other tenants in the building crazy… It’s important to them to get some rest at night and that’s proving difficult with the noise that’s being generated.” “He just moved in around a month ago and he’s already received a warning. The tenants are just really worried – if he’s like this straight off the bat, they wonder if it’s going to get any worse.” RELATED: Chris Brown Buys $1.75 Million Condo RELATED: Chris Brown Dyes His Hair, Again! [PHOTO] RELATED: Chris Brown And Rihanna To Sit Down On ABC? RELATED: Chris Brown’s Publicist Throws Up The Deuces; Terminates Relationship RELATED: Chris Brown Gets It In At F.A.M.E. Release Party [PHOTOS] RELATED: Chris Brown Apologizes For “GMA” Rampage [VIDEO] RELATED: Chris Brown Talks Twitter Hook Ups & Guilty Pleasures [EXCLUSIVE] RELATED: Chris Brown Breaks Down “F.A.M.E.’s” Double Meaning [EXCLUSIVE] RELATED: Chris Brown Explodes In Rage, Breaks Window At “Good Morning America” [VIDEO]
