Singer-songwriter, dancer, fashion model, actress Ciara is quite the force to be reckoned with. Even if you tried to, it’s almost impossible to deny her rising influence in the music industry.
After the 23-year-old artist first released her single and album ‘Goodies,’ (which sold over five million records worldwide) in 2004, rumours surrounding Ciara’s sex arose. Some critics assumed that this foolish speculation would result in an early demise for this young singer.
But, in one of those (many) life moments, they were proven wrong.
Two years later, Ciara’s second album ‘Ciara: The Evolution’ went platinum five weeks after its release. Her chart topping singles “Get Up”, “Like a Boy” and “Promise” and her appearance in Missy Elliot’s Grammy award winning video “Lose Control” proved this artist was just starting to make her mark.
Now, Ciara’s upcoming highly anticipated third album “Fantasy Ride” is certain to be her biggest career hit to date. According to reports, the album includes guest appearances by Ludacris, Young Jeezy, Missy Elliot and the now media disgraced Chris Brown.
Both her collaborations with Enrique Iglesias for “Takin’ Back My Love” and Justin Timberlake for “Love Sex Magic” exude an overwhelming mixture of sexiness and classiness. In both videos, even with the presence of good/bad boys Enrique and Justin, Ciara manages to steal the spotlight.
Dance like Beyonce, and you could win a whackload of cash and a featured spot on her tour.
The singer is inviting fans to show off their best moves for a “Single Ladies” dance video contest, which asks entrants to perform the original hip-swivelling choreography from the hit video.
The grand-prize winner will receive $2,500 US and have their video shown during Beyonce’s “I Am …” world tour.
The contest is open to those 18 and older. Submissions are due by March 6, 2009; visit beyonceonline.com for details on how to enter.
Beyonce walked the red carpet at this Sunday’s Oscars and even teamed up with host Hugh Jackman for a song-and-dance number during the awards ceremony.
Beyonce and her alter-ego Sasha Fierce are coming north of the 49th parallel.
The singer will play four shows in Canada in late March, hitting Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg and Vancouver in support of her latest album, “I Am Sasha Fierce.”
Tickets for the Winnipeg stop go on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday via Ticketmaster, while presales for the other three dates begin at 10 a.m. on Friday.
Beyonce will follow up her Canadian dates with a show in Seattle on April 1, before jetting to Europe for a string of shows that will take her through the end of May.
The singer was named top female recording artist at last week’s NAACP Awards, where she opened the show with a rendition of her song “Halo.”
Here are Beyonce’s upcoming Canadian dates:
March 26 – Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
March 27 – Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre
March 28 – Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
March 31 – Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place
Beyonce Knowles as her alter ego Sasha Fierce has recently released her video for one of her latest singles “Halo”. This soulful track now has a video just as powerful as the song itself. The video depicts Beyonce and an inevitably breathtaking man who truly look as though they are deeply in love. Throughout the video it cuts into scenes of Beyonce in a bodysuit (obviously looking fabulous) dancing in a studio while her love watches her admirably. It is certainly worth a watch and a listen as the flawless Beyonce uses her incredible vocal and performing talents to create yet another hit.
Singers Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige are set to sing at the “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial,” along with U2, Bruce Springsteen, Will.I.Am, Sheryl Crow, Garth Brooks, and the list goes on.
The event will be the first of many events sponsored by the Presidential Inaugural Committee. It will start at 2 p.m. on Sunday, and will be aired for free on HBO for cable and satellite subscribers that same night at 7 p.m. according to The Washington Post.
According to MTV News, the theme of the show will be President-elect Barack Obama’s place in history, as well as other presidents that have led the U.S. in difficult times, and many of the artists will perform songs that connect with this theme.
Jamie Foxx, Queen Latifah, Denzel Washington and Martin Luther King III will read historical passages. Vice President-elect Joe Biden will attend the concert while Obama will make an appearance onstage.
The Lincoln Memorial is also the site where Martin Luther King Jr. made his famous “I have a dream” speech.
Beyonce is … Sasha Fierce.
I know what you’re thinking: who the *bleep* is Sasha Fierce? Well, apparently Beyonce’s ego wasn’t already big enough so she created an over-the-top, uber confident alter ego and named her Sasha Fierce.
First name: Sasha. Last name: Fierce.
“Sasha Fierce is the fun, more sensual, more aggressive, more outspoken side and more glamorous side that comes out when I’m working and when I’m on the stage,” Beyonce said in a statement to media outlets recently.
“This alter ego that I’ve created kind of protects me and who I really am.”
Let’s forget the fact that it sounds like the name of a transvestite stripper, if these words came from anyone else, they’d be in a psych ward.
Remember how crazy Mary J. Blige sounded when she busted out “Brook”, a ghetto-fied, rapping and angrier version of herself? Yeah. Beyonce didn’t get the memo. Or when Prince started going by a symbol? He then became the Artist Formerly Known As Sane.
Where was Beyonce’s team of people who make sure she doesn’t jump on couches or shave her head? You know, the ones reminding her to wear underwear, those people keeping her image in check. Where were they when B decided telling the world she has split personalities was a good idea? Where were her friends? Come on Kelly Rowland, friends don’t let friends name their album after a weird alter ego.
Sure, Beyonce’s been mentioning this Sasha person in interviews for awhile now, but I’m convinced the sudden public push is a little bit of a desperate reinvention.
Sasha Fierce’s expertise is in catchy, upbeat and sexy dance numbers. Rhianna’s last string of hits fit that mold entirely. Coincidence? Rhi Rhi’s got the “fun, more sensual, more aggressive” thing down.
It’s no secret that Queen B has been temporary dethroned by Princess Rhi Rhi. But she’s not backing down without a fight.
Rhianna and Chris Brown are even coming for the Hottest Couple in Hip Hop title from Miss B and Jay-Z.
Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures. Beyonce had to break out the big guns- her secret weapon if you will. See the “real” Beyonce Knowles is quiet, shy and doesn’t like attention. Hmm. So, which Beyonce was in Destiny’s Child? I’m confused.
Anyway, the “real” Beyonce will only be represented on half of her upcoming double album. On the rest of the tracks, B transforms into the Tyra-approved Sasha Fierce, ready to battle it out with Rhianna on the charts and in R&B hierarchy.
If Beyonce’s two newly released songs, “Single Ladies” (Sasha Fierce) and “If I Were A Boy” (Beyonce), are any indication, it’s going to be a hell of a fight.
Are you ready, Rhianna?
WRITER’S NOTE: For those of you who frequent The Prerogative, you know I’m a little obsessed with High School Musical. So I couldn’t let this week go without telling you all to GO SEE HSM 3. If you’re into movies that make you smile uncontrollably, if you feel like leaving the theatre singing songs you barely know or if you just want to reminisce about the joys of high school days past, GO SEE IT. Oh, and shirtless Zac Efron does not disappoint. Trust me.
Beyoncé will back the release of her upcoming third solo album with a string of international and North American dates next year.
According to Billboard, the as-yet-untitled new album is due out Nov. 18 and will be preceded by two singles, “If I Were a Boy” and “Single Ladies.”
Beyoncé will perform one of the tracks at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Liverpool, England on Nov. 6.
“I have worked on this album for close to one year,” Beyoncé wrote on her MySpace page in a message addressed to her fans. “It is the most time I have spent on any project since my first records as a member of Destiny’s Child when I was 15 years old.
“I have recorded over 70 songs and have created a sound that reveals all of me. I am in a different place right now and I wanted people to see the many sides of me.
“The music is upbeat for the dance, fun side and it is reflective, passionate and serious for the personal side.”
Beyoncé will take her new material on tour in 2009, with international dates lined up for next spring and a North American tour scheduled for the early summer.
The album is the singer’s follow-up to 2006′s Grammy-winning “B’Day.”
All eyes were on Beyoncé – or rather her wedding finger –when, for the first time, the singer publicly displayed her wedding ring.
The 27-year-old singer has been secretly married to rapper Jay-Z back in April. According to E! News, the actress/singer showed off her 18 carat flawless diamond by Lorraine Schwartz, valued at more than $5 million dollars, according to the jeweller.
While neither Beyoncé nor Jay-Z have publicly confirmed their marriage, Beyoncé’s younger sister Solange referred to Jay-Z as her brother-in-law during a television interview.
Although months may have passed since word first leaked that Jay-Z and long-time girlfriend Beyoncé tied the knot, the hip-hop star finally talks about his marriage—and defends the couple’s decision to keep the details of their wedding private.
According to MTV.com, interviewer Elliot Wilson from “Vibe” magazine asked the rapper 15 questions – with No. 15 being, after Jay-Z had referred to Beyoncé as a “friend”:
“You said your ‘friend,’ but this is your wife. Are you still not willing to confirm?”
”That’s ridiculous for me to confirm,” replies Jay-Z. “I don’t have … I’m gonna say, I think that was a ridiculous question. I just think it’s really a part of your life that you gotta keep to yourself.”
Jay-Z continues to then say: “You have to, or you’ll go insane in this type of business. You have to have something that’s sacred to you and the people around you.”
The fifth annual Fashion Rocks concert will feature a cavalcade of music superstars, including Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Chris Brown, Rihanna and Mariah Carey.
The event, which celebrates the relationship between music and fashion, will be held Sept. 5 at New York’s Radio City Music Hall.
Also performing will be Black Eyed Peas, Fergie, Keith Urban, Lil Wayne, Kid Rock and Duffy.
Proceeds from the show will go to Stand Up To Cancer, a program set up by the Entertainment Industry Foundation to help fund cancer research.
“Fashion Rocks uniquely celebrates the intersection of two of the most sexy cultural paradigms: fashion and music. This year, we have a spectacular lineup of talent and performances that will take the show to a whole new level,” Richard Beckman, president of Conde Nast Media Group, said in a statement Tuesday.
Conde Nast, which produces the event, will also include its annual Fashion Rocks magazine (put together by Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour) in the September edition of 16 of its titles.
Those who can’t make it down to the Big Apple can catch the concert when it airs as a two-hour special on CBS Sept. 9.
Mediatakeout.com is reporting that newlyweds Jay-Z and Beyoncé may soon be the next couple to hit Oprah’s couch.
Though, not yet confirmed, rumours are circulating that the couple are in talks with the media mogul for an exclusive interview about their relationship and a possible pregnancy.
After years of speculation, hip-hop’s reigning king and queen finally cemented their royal union with lavish nuptials in New York Friday.
Beyoncé Knowles and Jay-Z (born Shawn Carter) took out a marriage license days before the highly anticipated wedding and sent the celebrity gossip world into a frenzy. The couple added more fuel the marriage rumours when an onslaught of white flowers and furniture were delivered to Jay-Z’s Tribeca loft prompting dozens of paparazzi to gather outside the apartment.
The wedding was confirmed to People by an inside source who was quoted as saying Jay-Z “wanted it to be a really private affair” with only the couple’s close friends and family.
The guest list included Beyonce’s well-known parents, stylist mom Tina and manager dad Matthew, her sister Solange, former Destiny’s Child members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, and the duo’s famous friends Gwyneth Paltrow and husband Chris Martin.
While the musically-inclined couple have yet to confirm the good news, the speculated wedding date (04/04/08) appears to make perfect sense since the number 4 is special to both artists. Beyoncé was born on Sept. 4 and Jay on Dec. 4. The rapper also named his club 40/40, and it is also rumoured that the pair has matching “IV” tattoos on their ring fingers.
Knowles, 26, and Jay-Z, 38, have reportedly been together for six years.
Beyonce Knowles is set to appear on the big screen again, this time as legendary soul singer Etta James.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the former Destiny Child’s singer will play James in the new film “Cadillac Records,” which tells the story of label Chess Records in the 1950s and the lives of some of its most famous recording artists including Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry.
Oscar winner Adrien Brody will star in the movie as label co-founder Leonard Chess, while the label’s lineup of musicians will be played by Knowles, Jeffrey Wright, Cedric the Entertainer and Columbus Short, among others.
Darnell Martin (“Their Eyes Were Watching God”) is tapped to direct.
Besides appearing in the film, Beyonce will act as one of the movie’s executive producers and will reportedly record four songs for the movie’s soundtrack.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, she will also donate a portion of her fees from the film to the Survivor Foundation, a charity for recovering drug addicts.
It’s not Beyonce’s first foray into movies — she previously appeared in 2002′s “Austin Powers In Goldmember” and 2006′s “Dreamgirls.” Beyonce received two Golden Globe nominations for the latter film, Best Actress in a Motion Picture and Best Original Song.
American sex symbol Beyonce Knowles’ concert in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was cancelled after the Hip Hop diva refused to abide by the country’s performer dress code. The singer declined to comply with the request set in place by Malaysian Muslim groups that asked that she be covered from neck-to-knees when on stage.
Back in August, Gwen Stefani faced the same requests when playing a show in Kuala Lumpur, and after much consideration Stefani, unlike Beyonce, decided to cover up and perform for her fans on their terms.
Numerous Muslim groups like the National Union of Malaysian Muslims asked the ministry to veto Beyonce’s show, arguing that her sexy costumes and suggestive dance moves went against common Muslim values.
Content in her sequined micro-minis, Beyonce has yet to comment on the cancellation of her show.
R&B star BEYONCE KNOWLES yearns to be a Latina – because she adores the
“beautiful” culture.
The Irreplaceable singer admits she is “jealous” of stars like Jennifer Lopez
and Eva Longoria, because of their rich cultural backgrounds.
She says, “I’m just jealous that I wasn’t born Latina.
“I wish I had been, because the culture is so beautiful. I noticed a big
difference between speaking to all of the Latino stations and speaking to the
pop stations or the other stations.
“With the Latino stations, there was so much love and everyone is so
genuine.” (NLI/WNWCSO/MT)
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
Hip-hop mogul JAY-Z has vowed to marry his long-term love BEYONCE KNOWLES “soon”.
The couple started dating in late 2002 after recording duet ’03 Bonnie &
Clyde, but remain furiously private over their relationship.
The rapper, real name Shawn Carter, was asked by reporters at a press
conference in Las Vegas on Thursday (06Sep07) if he planned to make 26-year-old Knowles his bride in the future.
The 37-year-old said, “One day, soon – let’s leave it at that.”
When asked if he would consider marrying in Vegas, Carter replied, “I don’t
know. It’s kind of comfortable here.”
Carter is planning to open his third 40/40 nightclub in the Palazzo Hotel in
Vegas in December (07). (ES/WNWCUW/MEH)
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
BEYONCE KNOWLES is the latest western artist to be warned to tone down her stage show when she performs in Malaysia later this year (07).
Students in the predominantly Muslim country threatened to boycott a recent concert Gwen Stefani performed in the south east Asian nation, because of her raunchy reputation.
Now Knowles’ concert organisers have told her to cover up onstage when she performs there in November – just days after she accidentally flashed her chest at a gig in Toronto, Canada.
Razlan Ahmad Razali, the chairman of Pineapple Concerts, says, “We’ve informed Beyonce’s management about this issue of clothes, but it takes some of the fun out of it.
“Beyonce won’t be able to do the kind of show here that she does elsewhere. “She’s a fashion icon, and we know that she often wears miniskirts and clothes that expose her navel during her performances. It’s a pity to restrict her, because her costumes are all tasteful and glamorous.” (IG/WNWCSO/ES)
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
R&B beauty RIHANNA has dismissed suggestions she’s feuding with pop chart rival BEYONCE KNOWLES, insisting she has bought three copies of the IRREPLACEABLE singer’s new album.
The Umbrella hitmaker has been caught up in a storm of controversy, which started with reports she was making moves on Beyonce’s boyfriend Jay-Z.
And, of late, reports have suggested Beyonce and Rihanna have become sworn enemies as they battle for R&B supremacy on the charts.
But the pretty Barbados-born star insists nothing could be further from the truth – she’s a huge fan of the former Destiny’s Child singer.
In fact, she’s so devoted to Beyonce, she has bought three copies of her so-called rival’s last album B’Day – because her friends keep stealing it from her house.
She tells WENN, “She’s definitely not the enemy, it’s not a competition. I love her, I love her so much.
“I’ve bought that album three times – because my friends keep stealing it from me.” (MEH&JC/WN/KL)
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
Superstar BEYONCE KNOWLES credits WILL SMITH with teaching her to always treatfans respectfully, after the actor/rapper’s perfect behaviour dazzled her as a teenager.
The Crazy In Love singer was just 15 when she met Smith at a soundtrack signing for his 1997 movie Men In Black, and his charming ways made quite an impression on her.
Knowles says, “We were the last people he met. I said, ‘I don’t care if I ever get that famous, I will always be like him.’” (GES/U/MEH)
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT has attacked BEYONCE KNOWLES for force-feeding music fans meaningless and “formulaic” hits.
The cult singer identifies Knowles among the worst performers currently making hit singles because not enough thought goes into her R&B songs.
Wainwright rants, “I’m really sick of Beyonce. All of her songs are formulaic and produced in a way that’s utterly mesmerizing in the basest way.
“There’s no enlightenment. Like most mainstream pop these days, it’s more of a scientific experiment than an artistic experience.
“I’m scared of what young people are being force-fed. I’m sick of trash culture.”
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
