After countless teasers and anticipation, Demi Lovato finally released her video for “Heart Attack” last night. Although it’s a bit different than we expected, it’s still nonetheless awesome. It kind of reminds us of her past video “Remember December,” but darker and much more mature. Staying on trend with a black and white theme, her attitude in it is as fierce as the song itself. She definitely made it to match the tone of the song.
http://cantdisguise.tumblr.com
Work it, girl!
There’s one thing I’m wondering though: how long did it take to remove the black paint off her arms? That is a serious clean up job.
With the likes of Ed Sheeran and Olly Murs, British singers are pretty much dominating North American air waves right now. What else has appeared? Boy bands. Yes, boy bands. Good thing the biggest difference between these boy bands and the ones we’ve had in the 90′s is that well, they’re not so corny.
I’ve put together a little chart to see which boy band you’re most like. Yes, I know Lawson’s not really your typical boy band, but with their awesome looks, girls can’t help but swoon over them, so I decided to put them on there. Check out the chart underneath, and let’s see what you got. (Don’t worry, if you didn’t get what you wanted, you can always try again!)
UPDATE: ENTER TO WIN TWO PAIRS OF TICKETS TO SEE OLLY MURS LIVE IN TORONTO ON MAY 1ST. SEE CONTEST DETAILS HERE!
I’m crouched in an office, mid-morning, with my cellphone cradled between my arm and shoulder talking to Olly Murs about the CIA-drama Homeland. The UK singer and X-Factor runner-up, who’s making his North American debut this April, says he often throws the show on to help him relax before gigs — tonight he’s taking Nottingham.
“I’ve never seen Homeland,” I tell him.
“It’s soo good, you should watch it!” he raves.
I ask him what he loves about it but I’m met with an awkward lapse of silence. Before I mistake it for apathy on his part I realize the call was dropped.
I silently curse the Canadian blizzard raging outside my window (with no regard for my cell service) and wait for him to call back. FOR THE SECOND TIME. So far, our 10-minute call has been interrupted twice by poor weather, and he’s been nothing but kind about it.
“It’s okay, I completely understand!” he keeps saying.
Olly’s got a soft spot for Canada because Toronto was his first pit stop when he opened for One Direction during their “Up All Night Tour.” The guys were pretty busy most of the time so pranking was kept to a minimum, though there was that time Niall surprised him by doing his soundcheck.
OUCH! Demi Lovato broke her leg slipping on hardwood floor. The star tweeted a couple of pictures as well as some pun on words to lessen the blow.
Demi’s friends and fans have been sending her well wishes on twitter
Lets hope this accident doesn’t spark another revolution like Jessie J did when she broke HER leg.
HIT: The 2013 Golden Globes Award Show
This year’s Golden Globes can only be described as “perfection,” and here’s only some of the reasons why:
Seriously, best awards show. Ever.
MISS: Twitter reactions to Jennifer Lawrence’s acceptance speech
Twitter went a little crazy when our lovely J-Law started her speech with “What does it say? I beat Meryl!” The backlash was a bit disappointing considering I saw it coming from some prominent industry figures (and Lindsay Lohan) because you’d think they know that J-Law was simply quoting the 1996 movie, The First Wives Club. Unfortunately, she had to explain the joke to everyone who’s not on Tumblr while on Late Night with David Letterman on Tuesday night. While her on-stage joke may not have gotten the reception she was looking for, she will have the chance to try again when she hosts Saturday Night Live this weekend.
HIT: One Direction visits Ghana for charity
One Direction is currently in Ghana in support of the U.K. charity, Comic Relief. The five visited Accra, the country’s capital, to meet people who have received donations and support from the charity. While the boys are doing a very nice thing, we do hope they don’t over-generalize the living conditions in Ghana. Hopefully, their world travels have taught them to see both sides of every place so those stuck at home (a.k.a. me) can see the natural beauty of Ghana.
MISS: Britney Spears quits The X-Factor and her engagement Read more…
By Jessica Galang
“I’d like to thank the man upstairs for taking care of me first and foremost; my family, all the country music fans, God bless you. Thank you so very much for all the votes and this is the best day of my life.”
Those were Tate Stevens’ first words immediately after hearing he was the winner of X-Factor and the recipient of a hefty $5-million recording contract. Even without winning the show, all of the judges throughout the season have agreed that there was no way he wouldn’t have a future in the music industry.
From his first audition when he performed Anything Goes by Randy Houser, audiences fell in love with his humility and Southern charm, yet every performance had him command the stage. Though LA had a meltdown at the beginning after hearing he was the mentor for the over 25s, Tate always delivered for LA week after week. After performing “Dead or Alive” in the top 13, it wasn’t surprising to hear that he was America’s number one and clearly he stayed that way until tonight.
In the final minutes of the show, X-Factor’s past contestants came together on the stage with Tate Stevens as he sang “Tomorrow.” It’s been an emotional journey for everyone and it was nice to see everyone jamming along with the winner.
Here’s the video:
By Jessica Galang
This is it: The last show of the season and the last chance for finalists Fifth Harmony, Carly Rose Sonenclar and Tate Stevens to impress America and the judges. Each of the contestants had a chance to perform alone with their “song of the season”, a song that each artist felt was their best of the whole show, and perform a duet with a celebrity. Fifth Harmony was paired with Demi Lovato, Tate Stevens was paired with Little Big Town, and Carly Rose Sonenclar was paired with LeAnn Rimes. Their final song towards the end of the show was supposed to be “worth $5 million.”
In a special performance dedicated to the victims of the Sandy Hook shootings, all of the former contestants came together at the beginning of the show and sang “You are Not Alone,” while the names of all the victims appeared on the screen. It’s touching when a huge production like X-Factor gives back.
All of my favourites happen to be from each contestant’s last performance of the night. Perhaps because all of the contestants realized “Holy crap, this is my last song.” They all really belted it out for this performance.
Here are my three picks:
Fifth Harmony — “Let it Be” by The Beatles ($5 million song)
While I enjoyed their “Anything Could Happen” performance, they’ve performed that song so many times that I’m just done with it (okay, I know, it was only twice). I felt like this song showed their individual vocal talents, while at the same time allowing them to sing together in classic Fifth Harmony fashion. I have to agree with the judges that Fifth Harmony have come really far in the competition and aren’t as boring as I originally thought. “You guys really did this song a lot of justice.” LA said. Simon Cowell, the girls’ mentor, said he’s beyond proud and that they deserve to win the competition.
Tate Stevens – “Tomorrow” by Chris Young ($5 million song)
Although his performance with Little Big Town was fun and energetic, it looked like an awkward high school talent show. I thought his song of the season, “Anything Goes,” was really well done and I was originally going to pick that for my favourite, but this one just overshadowed it. You can always see in his face and his strong stage presence how badly he wants to win. “I genuinely believe that in a year’s time we’ll be hearing about your record sales. You’ve had a really good night.” Simon said. Twitter user @CrystalCama12 tweeted: His final performance and he still never fails to give me goosebumps. Simply amazing! @tatestevensctry #TateNation.”
Carly Rose Sonenclar – “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen ($5 million song) Read more…
By Jessica Galang
Emblem 3, Fifth Harmony, Tate Stevens and Carly Rose Sonenclar are the final four left standing in the competition, and it’s getting super intense. You can tell all the musicians have their game face on and are bringing it with everything they have. Like last week, the acts will sing two songs: One chosen by the singers themselves, and one chosen by their mentor. Every performance is getting better and showing the true potential of the artists, which is why it’s getting hard to pick just three favourites.
Emblem 3 – “Baby I Love Your Way” (Picked by Emblem 3)
Emblem 3 picked this song because they said it’s their mother and father’s favourite song (Aww!). I’m a sucker for oldies, and I felt like their cover was really modern and creative; I wasn’t a big fan of the rapping part, but I still liked that they put their own personal spin on a classic. Like LA said, they’re super charismatic and they’re good at getting the audience into every performance. Demi said it was the first time she felt they actually lived up to what she expected of them. Twitter user @sassquatchet tweeted “I actually really think Emblem 3 deserves to be in the finals — they have such a unique, raw sound that’s so different than everything today”
Tate Stevens – “Fall” by Clay Walker (Picked by LA)
LA picked an emotional song for Tate, and he performed it so well I felt like he was singing on his wedding day. I don’t even know what to say about Tate anymore – I think everyone understands that his voice is impeccable and unwavering in every performance, and even if he doesn’t win first place, this show won’t be the last we’ll see of him. Demi said: “Your wife must feel like the luckiest girl in the world, spending your fifteenth anniversary singing your heart out to her.” Simon said he was happy that Tate decided to enter the competition.
Carly Rose Sonenclar – “Imagine” by John Lennon (Picked by Britney) Read more…
Anyone who had tickets to the season nine grand finale of X-Factor UK on Sunday (Dec. 9) was dayam lucky because Rihanna AND One Direction KILLED their live performances.
Before James Arthur was crowned as victor, Rihanna did an emotional performance of “Stay.” Her vocals were flawless and you can tell she really taps into the emotion of the song each time she sings it — it’s clear she’s evolving as an artist.
X-Factor alum One Direction also performed their soon to be third single “Kiss You.” There was an awkward moment when Zayn’s microphone cut out but it also spurred him to hilariously rant to Harry after the performance around the five minute mark.
What was your favourite performance of the night?
Watch Rihanna perform “Stay”
One Direction perform “Kiss You”
By Jessica Galang
Tonight’s show was unique as the contestants had to perform two songs each. One of those songs was chosen by the very people that keep the show going: the fans. The Pepsi Challenge assigned three songs to each contestant and the songs that got the most votes was performed on last night’s show. The contestants even tweeted what they were wearing; CeCe Frey tweeted a photo of her shorts and asked “denim or no denim?” The other song wasn’t revealed until they actually performed it — it was called the ‘unplugged’ song.
For tonight, here are my top three favourites:
Emblem 3 – “Forever Young” by Rod Stewart (From the Pepsi Challenge)
Emblem 3 is so adorable; they remind me of a boy band from the 90s. I felt it was really appropriate that they sang ‘Forever Young’, since they really embody youth and that boyish charm that makes preteen girls go nuts. I felt they did a really good rendition and they all sang the song on point. While not all their performances are amazing, they really know how to keep in harmony together and make it work. Demi had the biggest smile on her face and told they judges they all know she’s a fan, but she wants to see them command the stage more. However, @SimonCowell tweeted “I have no idea what Demi is talking about @emblemthree were amazing.”
Carly Rose Sonenclar – “If I Were A Boy” (From the Pepsi Challenge)
This performance can literally be summed up by one line she sings towards the end: “But you’re just a boy, no you don’t understand.” As soon as I hard her vocalize that line, I pretty much just accepted that the competition is probably over because Carly is phenomenal. Though this is an overplayed song, she performed it just as well as Beyonce herself, and it looks like she’s getting more confident every week. “As a fan I get very excited because you never let me down, you are so talented,” LA says. Demi said her vocals are amazing, but she wants to see her sing more up-tempo because it is predictable – Simon quickly interrupted and told Carly not to listen to anything Demi has to say. I must agree with Demi; it would be nice to see Carly go beyond the slow tempo and do something different rather than pick the same kind of song every week. Still, it was a flawless performance.
Tate Stevens – “If Tomorrow Never Comes” Read more…
With only eight contenders left in the competition, it is only appropriate that this week’s theme is “songs that hit number one on the music charts.” The X-Factor also gave audiences a special treat by premiering the new music video for Will.I.Am and Britney Spears’ new song “Scream and Shout,” which had Britney Spears speaking in a British accent for some reason. Everyone stepped it up this week, even CeCe Frey (above) with her version of “Lady Marmalade.”
Here are the top three performances you definitely need to see:
Carly Rose Sonenclar – “Rolling In The Deep” by Adele
How adorable was her oversized fedora? I felt the hat really matched the old-school, bluesy sound of her unique version. Fashion aside, Carly Rose champed the tempo of this usually fast-paced and melodic song and slowed it down for us in the beginning. While I don’t think she sang the song as powerfully as she has been singing in recent weeks, she still kept her fierce stage persona and made the song her own. LA agreed with me: “I didn’t think it was your very best,” he said. “But even your second best is better than everyone’s first best.” Simon joked and said while she can definitely sell records, she’s not human and may have to be disqualified because aliens are not allowed to enter the competition.
Paige Thomas – “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley
As the weeks have gone by, her mediocre performances made me give up on Paige, and I felt her passing every week was a fluke. But this performance showed that she really has potential. While most people think “Rick Rolled!” when they hear “Never Gonna Give You Up,” I don’t think that thought stuck in anyone’s mind as she turned the song into a haunting and slow rendition that was so melodic I could totally see it on someone’s heartbreak playlist. She also seemed a lot more confident and sexy this week as she swayed her hips and moved across the stage (Love it!). Even LA Reid, who has been harsh on her the past few weeks, tweeted: “Finally, @PaigeAva just turned a page in this competition”
Tate Stevens – “Somebody to Love” by Keith Urban Read more…
Khloe Kardashian went on TheEllenShow and got a special Christmas surprise from the talk show host. The Kardashian family releases an overly dramatic family photo every Christmas and since they’re all super busy they often have to photoshop the odd person in — this year they photoshopped in Lamar and her, Kendall and Scott. That’s why Ellen thought it wouldn’t be a biggie to photoshop herself wearing a red Santa Claus dress and hat across the very front of the photo.
“I’ve added myself, I hope you don’t mind,” Ellen said. “I have a a mock-up of what I’d like. Is that alright?” asked Ellen.
The X-Factor host also talked to Ellen about her Thanksgiving plans this year (she was working) and who made it to dinner.
Watch it here
It was barely in the trailer for next week’s X Factor, but the teaser for Britney Spears’ and Will.I. Am’s new music video will surely have an effect for Brit Brit’s legion of fans.
Featuring multiples of both singers, the teaser shows Will sporting a black suit while Britney looks glamourous in a black outfit with pouffed hair.
The duo will premiere their music video for “Scream and Shout” on X Factor on Wednesday, Nov. 28.
Who’s excited?
That being said, this is what the song sounds like.
By Jessica Galang
Everyone knows intense emotion and reality TV go together, which is why this week’s X-Factor will be perfect for the reality junkie. Last night, the top 10 sang songs dedicated to people they’re thankful for. The Thanksgiving-friendly theme was perfect for falling-behind acts like Arin Ray and Paige to get a popularity boost, but unfortunately neither did as well as they could have. Still, I found myself fighting back tears because some of the stories were so emotional — particularly CeCe’s.
While it was difficult to choose the best (I had a lot of favourites tonight), here are my top three picks for this week:
Carly Rose Sonenclar – “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Judy Garland
Carly Rose might as well have her own reservation on my list every week. Her voice, which is so good I swear it should be illegal, was amazing as usual. I’m a big fan of this song already, but I think her version is better than the original. Her notes were spot on, vocalized flawlessly, and it never seemed like she was trying too hard. I also love how she always looks so confident and sure of herself in every performance, which is a rare quality for a 13-year-old. Demi made a bold statement by saying that Carly will be in the music industry for the rest of her life, and she got a standing ovation from judges.
Diamond White – “Because You Loved Me” by Celine Dion
Besides the fact that her hair was awesome (I love that she broke away from the teeny bopper pony tail),this performance was absolutely phenomenal. It was probably my favourite in the competition so far. She picked a perfect song to dedicate to her mother, who White said “gave her life for her.” It seemed like a genuine performance as White sang the song with her trademark powerhouse vocals and emotion. Despite being so young, she was able to pull off a mature song. After this performance I can’t believe she was kicked out in the first place. LA tweeted: “Shine bright like a diamond. @diamondkwhite.”
Tate Stevens – “I’m Already There” by Lonestar Read more…
By Jessica Galang
Last week for the first time in television history, singers were ranked based on their popularity, with Cece Frey coming in last and Tate Stevens at number one. With these rankings made public, the pressure was on for contestants like Arin Ray and Paige Thomas, who are falling behind.
This week was “Divas Week,” which will probably end up being one of the most favoured weeks of the season. Who can argue with a group of talented singers paying homage to some of the best songs of the twentieth century?
Here are my top three picks for this episode:
Fifth Harmony – “Hero” by Mariah Carey
With a name much better than 1432, Fifth Harmony rocked one of Carey’s best songs. Fifth Harmony doesn’t use dancers like the other contestants seemed to have done at least once. They play the “innocent girls just here to sing, not dance” persona really well. While LA thought they struggled a little at the beginning, they found their voice later on.
Carly Rose Sonenclar – “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion
[Insert obligatory Titanic joke here] Carly Rose, keeping with her popularity streak and love from judges since day one, carried this song with what seemed to be no effort. Her vintage gown was perfect for the haunting, ghostly feel of the melody. I forgot she’s 13-years-old because of the control she has over her audience. Her judge, Britney Spears, definitely has a competitive edge thanks to her. “I don’t believe you’re a human being. Because you can’t do that at 13,” Simon said in awe.
Vino Alan – “Let’s Stay Together” by Tina Turner Read more…
By Jessica Galang
I enjoyed the performances this week way more than last week. The singers are becoming more confident in their respectful elements — Beatrice Miller is doing great with her rocker persona and Arin Ray showed his upbeat hip-hop side with an awesome performance of “American Boy.” However, these three stood out the most.
Carly Rose Sonenclar: “It Will Rain,” by Bruno Mars
Britney Spears has a real advantage with Carly Rose on her team. I’ll just come right out and admit I absolutely HATE this song. But Carly Rose somehow made it bearable — perhaps, amazing? She dressed all in black and took on a dark, gothic persona, which really added to the emotional appeal of a song since it’s supposed to be about desperate love. I actually felt the emotion in the performance, which I think is what made it so powerful. “This is you in your element and I would watch this over and over,” Demi said. And Simon said “I’ve got a feeling with you Carly, we’re watching a star in the making.”
Emblem3: The Tempations/Katy Perry/One Direction mashup
I was already loving Emblem3‘s high-energy performance when I heard One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful” beat. But the fact that they used it to cover The Temptations’ “My Girl” (One of my absolute faves!) and Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” made this performance my favourite of the night. Personally, I think when you can flawlessly mashup a modern and classic song, that’s when you’ve got a solid performance. Even LA said “I don’t know what to say, I want to say something, but I don’t know.” This performance left me as speechless as he was.
Diamond White: “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston Read more…
By Jessica Galang and Brittany Mahaney
Khloe Kardashian made her prime time hosting debut last night along with Mario Lopez and the Twitter community was pretty impressed. Every performer put their own personal spin on popular songs which made for a lively Halloween show.
Jessica’s choices
“Hey Soul Sister” Diamond White
Diamond put a fun and playful hip-hop spin on a song that’s fairly mellow and simple. Her performance was upbeat, and despite the high-energy of the dancers and stage, her voice didn’t waver and she was solid the whole way through. You could tell Britney Spears was her judge considering the high production value.
“Won’t Give Up On Us” — Beatrice Miller
Her stage setup, which included a dark background lit by comets and stars, contributed to the haunting ambience of the song. She used the “fragility in her voice,” as her mentor Britney called it, to her advantage and allowed the audience to feel the pain in the song. LA said the key to stardom is “believability, and I believe in you, I love you!”
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” — 1432 Read more…
Paige Thomas always wanted to be a singer. When she was eight years old she performed a Spice Girls song at a beauty pageant, and ever since then, she knew singing was what she wanted to do. Although she began pursuing a nursing degree to provide for her three-year old daughter Jade, she never gave up on her dream.
After a teary audition where she sang Mary J. Blige’s “I’m Goin’ Down,” Paige has continued to impress the audience and judges, including her mentor Demi Lovato. Now, she’s ready to show everyone that she is not “Ri Ri 2.0.” She is Paige Thomas and she is going up.
Where are you right now? I’m in California.
Where would you be right now if you weren’t on X-Factor? I would probably be back home in San Antonio in school, or with my daughter.
On being compared to Rihanna: It’s nice. She is beautiful and she is one of the biggest stars right now. It’s nice to be compared to someone so big. But I’m ready to break out from that: my name is Paige Thomas and I have something different from her. I have a few surprises in store for everyone.
Song you can perform 100 times? “Paradise” by Coldplay. It has a lot of meaning — it’s still got a pop vibe in it, but you can hear the emotional attachment.
Most nerve-racking moment? Honestly, it was if I made it to the live shows. The anticipation and everything I’d gone through on my journey had built up inside me.
What sets you apart from the other contestants? I’m fearless and I’m willing to try anything and everything. I have somewhat of a complete package. I can dance, sing, I have stage presence and I have a passion for this.
Words of wisdom for single mothers: Read more…
Britney Spears may be one of the freshest faces on the X Factor. But when it comes to eliminating contestants, she isn’t exactly the most sympathetic. While I know she has a lot of advice to offer, her expressive head turn looks a little more like the dramatic chipmunk than affectionate.
Emblem3 already has a solid group of fangirls obsessing over them and it’s not hard to understand why. They’re pretty charming over the phone, asking me where I’m from (Canada), if I’ve ever been to Banff (No), and joking about when we should all meet up (next time you’re in Toronto gents, *wink).
It’s hardly worth mentioning that the Huntington Beach band has been compared to X-Factor veterans One Direction, since their sounds are completely different. While One Direction is a boy band, Emblem 3 is a trio who play their own instruments. A common description of Emblem3: ”Its like Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz had a baby and Lil Wayne was baby sitting.”
The guys, consisting of Wesley Stromberg, Keaton Stromberg and Drew Chadwick, performed an original song called “Sunset Boulevard” during their audition. They’re currently being mentored by Simon Cowell, and waiting to see if they made it to the finals.
Where are you right now?
Wesley: Huntington Beach at a kitchen table. The crib!
What sets you apart?
Wesley: We were established as a group before and were literally playing shows in clubs at ages 9, 11 and 13. It’s a little bit of a leg up. [They recorded an album in their basement called Bite Your Lip and Take It.]
Keaton: A lot of the other people don’t have that same experience of performing before this so when they go on that stage it makes them more nervous.
You’re already getting fangirls. How do you deal?
Drew: Some of these girls are like teeny boppers and they say the most adorable, cute sh*t all the time on Twitter and I literally want to hang out with them and watch movies and stuff!
Biggest musical influences:
All: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus, Mac Miller, Jack Johnson, Young the Giant. An eclectic mix.
Two of you are brothers. Do you get in sibling rivalries?
Drew: We get along but we butt heads over little things because we’re together every single day. But it’s cool for improving each other because we can be a bit competitive.
Toughest Judge
All: Britney Spears.
Last song performed: ”Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” by Police
