It's been a minute

Been having an insane few months. I need some serious downtime soon. I have been making lists and accomplishing all of them, starting gaining traction on tumblr with 95 followers and growing, starting to form a gaming YouTube video channel, trying to get permission from the games I want to play (got permission from Nintendo), got 2 friends to help with channel commentary, working on 2 short stories/books, and working all of these crazy hours at work (48 to 56 hours a week). My creativity has been on point for the past few weeks.  i will back to posting stuff soon.

The X Factor 2015 judging panel is...

NEWSFLASH: The X Factor 2015 judging panel = REVEALED. Nick Grimshaw and Rita Ora will be joining Simon Cowell and Cheryl on this year's show: http://www.itv.com/xfactor/news/nick-grimshaw-rita-ora-join-the-x-factor-judging-panel

From their Facebook page.

Furious 7 will have made more than $1 billion worldwide by the end of day

EW wrote:

Great news for the cast and crew of Furious 7: the latest entry in the franchise has passed $1 billion at the global box office. And in record time, too. Universal announced Friday that Furious 7 will have made more than $1 billion worldwide by the end of day, according to estimates, crossing that major milestone in only 17 days. That makes Furious 7 the fastest live-action film to reach that number, ahead of Avatar, Marvel’s The Avengers, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, all of which reached $1 billion in 19 days. Furious 7 has been open in the United States for 15 of the 17 days. Furious 7 is now also the only film from Universal Pictures reach $1 billion in ticket sales during its initial theatrical run. (Jurassic Park only crosed the threshold after its 3D re-release in 2013.) James Wan’s film has taken in an estimated $273.7 million in North America over 15 days and $735.2 million overseas in 17 days. Overall, the latest film’s box office also pushes the entire Fast and Furious franchise to more than $3 billion around the globe. “We’re incredibly proud to watch Fast & Furious take its place as the only original live-action franchise to reach these kinds of results at the box office,” president of domestic distribution at Universal Nick Carpou said in a statement. Buoyed by strong reviews and the film’s beautiful farewell to series mainstay Paul Walker, Furious 7 has been breaking records practically since it opened, and the film has already made more than every other movie in the franchise. Its debut was the biggest Easter and April opening weekends ever, and the film has stayed at a strong No. 1 spot at the box office two weeks in a row.

Ciara's Tour Kicks off May 3rd

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/6523906/ciara-new-album-jackie-tour-may-4

Quote:

Ciara has just announced the release date of her sixth album and the initial dates for her first tour in six years. Jackie, named for her mother, will drop Tuesday, May 4. The album's only single to date, "I Bet," has already hit No. 15 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and No. 43 on the Hot 100. The Jackie tour, which starts May 3 (the day before the album drops) in Chicago, is Ciara's first in six years, as she didn't tour to promote her 2013 eponymous release. The tour dates are listed below -- better start practicing your "One, Two Step." Preorder the album here, and find tickets via Live Nation. May 3 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues May 5 - New York, NY @ Best Buy Theatre May 7 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues May 9 - Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore May 10 - Glenside, PA @ Kenswick Theatre May 12 - Charlotte, NC @ Fillmore May 13 - Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage May 15 - Miami, FL @ Fillmore May 16 - Tampa, FL @ The Ritz Ybor May 19 - New Orleans, LA @ Joy Theatre May 20 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues May 22 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues May 23 - San Antonio, TX @ The Aztec Theatre May 24 - Corpus Christi, TX @ Brewster Street Ice House May 27 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues May 29 - Riverside, CA @ Riverside Municipal Auditorium May 30 - Los Angeles, CA @ Club Nokia May 31 - San Francisco, CA @ Regency

Ciara's New song get a remix Featuring Nick Jonas and T.I.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/6523906/ciara-new-album-jackie-tour-may-4

Quote:

"I Bet" is also getting a dance remix featuring Joe Jonas and T.I. The cover art, an intimate shot that the singer praised as "a timeless image," was shot by noted fashion photographer Francesco Carrozzini.

Kelly Clarkson BBC Interview

Kelly Clarkson: I Feel Like I Have the Plague Because No One Will Work With Me
Good thing she's Miss Independent! Kelly Clarkson revealed in a new interview with BBC Radio 1 that she has a tough time getting other artists to record with her.
"I honestly would collaborate with a lot of people, but everyone usually says no," the Grammy-winning singer, 32, told host Nick Grimshaw. "I'm not kidding you. I have legitimately asked several people that I'm not going to call out, and that's cool, but I don't know."
"I ask good people, I don't want to sing with crap people, so I mean, I ask people who are great vocalists, but I'm not going to point out anyone," Clarkson continued. "I have asked several people... Sometimes I feel like I have the plague, or leprosy, they're like, 'If you get too close...' I don't know."
One of the most successful and prolific American Idol winners of all time, Clarkson is debuting her seventh studio album Piece by Piece next month. Her past efforts have gone multiplatinum and hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, despite the lack of big-name collaborations.
"I got John Legend to say yes, and he's cool," Clarkson added to Grimshaw of an upcoming single with the R&B crooner. "I can get country artists to sing with me and John Legend! I'm gonna keep John Legend. He's super credible and talented. I feel very good about myself with that one."
Clarkson, whose previous collaborations include recordings with Jason Aldean, her stepmother-in-law Reba McEntire, and Vince Gill, added on BBC Radio 1 that she isn't taking the snubs too personally.
"I feel like I'm a very nice person that you might want to sing with me," she said.

Grammy's hit 6 year low in the ratings

The 57th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 8 were watched by 25.3 million viewers, a dip of 11 percent from last year's telecast.

While the ratings were their lowest since 2009, it marks the fifth consecutive year in which the audience has topped 25 million viewers.

Live-streaming of the three-hour-plus pre-telecast on CBS.com and Grammy.com generated nearly 7.5 million streams, up more than 40% over 2014.

Nielsen Social ranks the 57th annual Grammy Awards as the biggest social entertainment program of the 2014-2015 TV season to date, with more than 13.4 million comments on Twitter.

The three hour, 45-minute Grammy Awards won the night for CBS, coming in first in the key demos of adults 25-54, adults 18-34 and adults 25-54 (9.3), adults 18-49. The audience in the 18-49 demo was 10.9 million viewers.


Not surprised at all due to it being a total snooze fest.

ABC Family’s Melissa & Joey is going to come to a close.

After four seasons and more than 100 episodes, ABC Family’s Melissa & Joey is going to come to a close.

EW has confirmed Melissa & Joey will cease production this week. “We are proud of the milestones Melissa & Joey has achieved, being the network’s first sitcom to reach 100 episodes and the network’s first comedy to win a People’s Choice Award,” said ABC Family programming executive Karey Burke. “Now that the kids are grown and Mel and Joe have married and are looking towards starting a family, it seemed like a natural time to bring the series to a close. We are grateful to Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence, and the whole cast and crew who worked so hard on this successful show.”

Hart broke the news on her Instagram account. Melissa & Joey was once ABC Family’s top-rated sitcom. The 100th episode will air as the mid-season finale on March 18th and then the show will reurn in the summer for its final run of episodes.

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/02/09/melissa-and-joey-canceled

 

 

Boo i really really loved this show so much.  But it did have a great run.

Xtina Time Magazine Interview

Quote:

It’s already been a busy week for Christina Aguilera, and she hasn’t even made her big return to television yet. On Sunday, Aguilera won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Say Something,” her 2013 hit with A Great Big World. This Sunday, she’s kicking off the 64th NBA All-Star game at Madison Square Garden. And later this month on Feb. 23, she’ll return as a coach on NBC’s The Voice alongside Blake Shelton, Adam Levine and Pharrell Williams after taking two seasons off to focus on motherhood. (She welcomed daughter Summer Rain Rutler last August.) TIME: Congratulations on your Grammy win! Were you at the ceremony? Christina Aguilera: No, I’m in steady dance rehearsals and vocal rehearsals for this Sunday, for the NBA kick-off performance. It’s a whole tribute to New York — I’ve got the Rockettes joining me and a special guest. I’m very fired up for this specific performance because it’s such exciting, classic material revamped. And then I had to record late [Sunday] night for a soundtrack deadline, so I was unable to attend. I think if I had had a record out, I would have made the trip. Maybe next year! But I was so happy. I felt the boys won it more than me. It was such an innocent, pure intention of a song that truly didn’t ask for anything — so humble in its approach. It didn’t have any formula. It was very honest with just a simple piano and a vocal. It was real music. It was truly organic. I was so happy to see such talented guys take that win. Did you miss spinning around in those chairs on The Voice? Yeah, the chairs can be kind of fun! Too bad it only lasts for the first section — the blind auditions — then there’s no more spinning. What a bummer. But that’s also a very nerve-wracking time because you feel the performer and the nerves they’re going through, and you feel nerves for yourself. You get hesitant on pushing your button sometimes, because you don’t want to fill your team too fast, but then you feel nervous that you might be letting some great talent go. It’s such a weird mind game at the end of the day. Truly, the company I come back to is so fun. I always have a great laugh with the boys. They kept it pretty hilarious for me, which is really important. I would be bored behind the scenes if I wasn’t coming back to Blake and Adam’s craziness. You took two seasons off to focus on being a mom. Did you pick up any new hobbies while you weren’t on The Voice? I don’t think anything new. I was consistent with my yoga throughout my pregnancy. I moved into a new house, actually, which has been taking up a lot of time and energy. Unpacking boxes, having a five-month-old — so just normal life stuff, which is awesome. It’s very important for me to stay grounded and keep honesty within my music and my artistry. No real vacations or anything like that. I pretty much stayed in L.A. and spent time with my son, my family and myself” writing music, gaining inspiration for my new future endeavors — my record being the biggest part of that. Your son Max just turned 7. How long before he finds an old Christina Aguilera video on YouTube and asks, “Mom, can we talk about what happened in 2002?” Luckily, he hasn’t discovered that yet. But it’s scary what’s out there for him to find: certain movies, certain song lyrics that I’m even hearing him come home with. I’m like, “Where did you hear that?” All of a sudden it’s like — oh my God, when did I become the parent? What is he singing that you’re not wild about? Oh my goodness, just songs with certain lyrical references. It could be anything as innocent as Beyoncé to songs about baking soda, you know what I mean? It’s crazy. It’s different for me because I really separate my business hat from my mom hat, to the point where my son will come back from school and basically say, “How do kids at school know who you are, Mom?” Because I literally am so sweatpants and flip-flops and no makeup at home. That’s my real time. Then I transition into an artist mode, which I keep completely separate. It’s tapping into a different side of myself, a side that I do for me. Even though it’s extremely hard sometimes to juggle all the different hats at once, it’s important for me to do that. But yeah, technology is so crazy — what’s accessible at your fingertips now. I’m a little scared. But I know that I had really important principles for me at the time, and there’s a place and time for everything. Back in my “Dirrty” days, that was an empowering moment for me, when I was 21 and coming into my own. I will always explain to him the reasons why Mommy did X, Y and Z. They were plentiful! I’m prepared to tell him about who I am as an artist, and why he’s able to live the life that he now lives. It’s a lot better than how I was brought up! I noticed Nick Jonas is a mentor for your team this season; he, like you, began his career very young and shocked people when he suddenly showed off a more adult side. What advice would you give him about that transition? I love it when people go out on a limb and try new things. It’s very risky, and you never know how people are going to receive you, but that’s part of being a good artist and staying true to yourself. Whether people like it or not, you have to be the person that you really are inside. To be able to explore and experiment and be unafraid to take risks is, to me, the most important thing about what we do as artists. I don’t like when it gets too safe and people are afraid to make mistakes because of failure. I’m one that throws caution to the wind, and sometimes that ends in highs and lows. But you have to take the risks — you have to take certain chances and you have to live life. My biggest fear is that at the end of it all, I’ll look back and say, “I wish I would have had the guts to try that.” But so far, I put myself out on a limb, and that’s part of the beauty of challenging yourself — looking back at your body of work and being able to say, “Wow, I’m so glad I had the confidence to do that, to go out there, take matters into my own hands and have the balls to take it to my level.” You worked with Sia several years before she had her big moment at the Grammys. I like your research there. Sia, Nicki Minaj — yeah, I had a lot of great people on Bionic before crazy stuff happened. So you clearly have an eye for spotting rising talent. If you had to pick artists for a 2015 version of “Lady Marmalade” [the 2001 song Aguilera recorded with Pink, Mya, Lil Kim and Missy Elliot], who would they be? Miley would be great in that mix, because I think she’s a great risk taker and has a lot of fun. Maybe Nicki Minaj. Those are the two that directly come to mind. But I actually thought “Bang Bang” [featuring Minaj, Jessie J and Ariana Grande] was a pretty good “Lady Marmalade” reference, in a way. It’s always great to see girls come together — especially in the face of the media sometimes, trying to pit us against each other. It’s never ending, no matter how young or old you are. Anytime I can encourage girls to get together and actually support each other and encourage risk-taking, I’m all for it. I love it. So yeah, I’m waiting for the next new group of people. http://time.com/3702541/christina-aguilera-the-voice-lady-marmalade/

yall better be ready for 2015: The Year of X

Katy Perry's Surprise Guest for Halftime Show Revealed!

PHOENIX (AP) — Missy Elliott is going to "Work It" at the Super Bowl with Katy Perry.

A person familiar with the plans for Sunday's halftime show told The Associated Press on Thursday that Grammy winner Elliott is slated to make a surprise appearance during Perry's performance.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because Elliott's participation had not been announced by the NFL.

Elliott was featured on a remix of Perry's song "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" in 2011.

During a news conference Thursday, Perry hinted at Elliott's involvement in the Super Bowl act, which also will feature Lenny Kravitz.

Perry said the halftime show will include an "old school" female singer — but did not say who that would be.

"When you hear the first ring of the chord," Perry promised, "I think jaws will drop and faces will melt."

Elliott is a multiplatinum rapper, singer and producer whose Grammy Awards from the early 2000s include Best Rap Solo Performance for "Get Ur Freak On," and Best Female Rap Solo Performance for "Work It" and "Scream a.k.a. Itchin'."

Other Super Bowl halftime shows have included unannounced performances, including by singer Usher and former Guns 'N Roses guitarist Slash in 2011.

Meghan Trainor Says She Hasn't Made Any Money

It made unknown singer Meghan Trainor into a global superstar – but she still hasn’t received a penny of the profits.

In fact, skint Meghan will have to continue living off handouts from her record label until her bank balance finally gets a big boost in April. She moaned: “I haven’t made any money yet. They say I will get a big fat cheque after nine months which will be in April so I’m hoping that’s right.

“People think I must be rich but I’m not. I haven’t been able to make a big purchase yet but I’m working on it.”

Meghan certainly won’t need pocket money for much longer though.

The US singer’s second single Lips Are Movin is battling Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk for today’s No.1 top spot.

Her debut album Title is destined to be a worldwide hit when released tomorrow.

And she’s now set her sights on penning moneymaking hits for One Direction and Beyoncé.

Chatting to me exclusively after her Spotify Sessions, Meghan, who has already written one track with Harry Styles, added: “Harry is the best person to work with. Nice, funny and very normal.

“I would love to write together again and I think it will happen, absolutely. It would be amazing if they wanted me to write with them for their next album. I just love writing so I would love to.

“My dream artist to write for would be Beyoncé. I haven’t sent her any songs though. I’m too shy.”

Kelly Clarkson - Piece By Piece (Official Tracklist)

01. Heartbeat Song
02. Invincible
03. Someone
04. Take You High
05. Piece By Piece
06. Run Run Run
07. I Had a Dream
08. Let Your Tears Fall
09. Tightrope
10. War Paint
11. Dance With Me
12. Nostalgic
13. Good Goes the Bye
14. Bad Reputation (Deluxe)
15. In the Blue (Deluxe)
16. Second Wind (Deluxe)

Source

New Fergie DigitalSpy Interview: Talks New Album & BEP

Save a fantastic contribution to the Great Gatsby soundtrack with 'A Little Party Never Killed Nobody', it has been six years since we had a new single release from Fergie.

However, that wait ended last September with the premiere of the Black Eyed Peas star's new single 'LA Love (La La)', which will finally be available in the UK this weekend (January 25).

Digital Spy caught up with The Dutchess of pop to talk about her new single, its accompanying album and why she may not reunite with Black Eyed Peas later this year.

It's been six years since your last solo material, so what was it about 'LA Love' that made you decide it was the perfect track to return with?
"Well I did it and I just didn't want to sit on it and hold it. I felt like I was ready to call out to the world and say, 'What's up?' basically. I'm finishing this album and I'm coming with everything. I just didn't want to wait any longer."

Did you know as soon as it was finished that it was going to be the first single?
"It just felt good and the right time to spread some positivity. It felt right to me because there's all this craziness going on in the world right now. That's basically why. There's just so much going on with all the terrorism and ISIS and all of that, I just felt like I wanted to spread some chill Cali vibes."

There is such a love for The Dutchess and the singles that came from that album, so were you nervous about launching your second solo project?
"No, I'm deep in it right now as we speak. I'm going to the studio after I get off the phone. I'm completely involved in finishing the album and I'm razor-sharp focussed. I am engulfed in it. Every song is different, so for me, I'm really enjoying going into each song's vortex - from the lyrics to the sound of it, to what it looks like visually, not only in the video, but the performance - and sharing things that I've been writing for the last few years. I've been recording myself every time I get inspiration. I always write it down - it's my rule. Taking those ideas and evolving them into finished songs is such a great process that I remember how fulfilling it is to me."

How long have you been accumulating ideas? Has it been since the release of The Dutchess?
"Absolutely, because with a Black Eyed Peas album, there's not enough room for me to go into my personal feelings about everything. That's what you have a solo album for. So they're each their own animals. I'm very proud of it and I'm very excited to play it for everyone. It's definitely a lot of different styles all in one album, because I want it to represent me truthfully. It wouldn't be me if it just leant to one certain thing."

Is there a particular emotion or idea that it gravitates towards more, though?
"Each song is different. I mean, every one. That's all I can say. They're all just different facets."

You've worked with DJ Mustard on 'LA Love', but can you tell us who else you've been in the studio with?
"I'm going in with Doctor Luke today. Words can't express what I feel about the song we're doing today. I was in with will.i.am last week. I've been in with Mike WiLL, Polow da Don, and the list keeps growing because I keep forgetting there are people where I'm like, 'Oh my gosh - I want to get in with them'. The process right now for me is just so fulfilling and reminds me of when I was recording The Dutchess."

We love your R&B material, but we know you're a big fan of old-school rock, so can we expect some of that influence in there?
"Absolutely - it's going to be all over the map."

Just how rock can a Fergie album go?
"We'll just see! [laughs] I mean I could do an entire album that's all rock. I'm not doing that, but there has to be a little bit of that in there because it's a part of me."

When are you hoping to get the album out?
"It's definitely this year. I'm working as fast as I possibly can making quality songs."

will.i.am has become somewhat of a national treasure in the UK because of The Voice.
"I know - I love it! I don't follow it, but I have switched it on before just to check in and see how he was doing. It's the perfect job for him. This is what he is meant to do."

Your name has been rumored a few times for these kind of shows, but is it something you'd consider doing?
"Oh I'm definitely open, there just hasn't been the time."

will.i.am also let slip recently that the Black Eyed Peas are going to be doing something special for their 20th anniversary this year, so have you guys met up to discuss that yet?
"Not really. I was just in the studio last week and I saw Taboo there, and I heard something will was doing and it was great. But maybe the guys are doing something? I haven't been in the group for 20 years, so it's more their anniversary of being together for 20 years. So maybe they're putting out an album themselves."

(Note: Fergie officially joined the band in 2003 so it is actually her 12th anniversary as an honorary Black Eyed Pea. That said, new BEP music without Fergie is a bit concerning.)

But when you guys get together I imagine the chemistry clicks back. You must be in contact all the time, right?
"Well I just saw Taboo at the studio for a few minutes, but I'm working on my stuff and I only have a certain amount of hours I can be in the studio because I have Axl. So I'm just very focussed on finishing my album right now."

How are you finding the balance between being a mother and being a recording artist?
"Oh I am on a regimen! I'm like queen of the iCal. I have everything scheduled in, marked in colors, all of that. I have to be at the studio a certain time and then I'm like Cinderella - I turn into a pumpkin! I gotta go! I used to hang out in the studio day in day out, but I don't have time to do that anymore. I've got to balance my life."

Not many people in the UK realize that you've been in the entertainment business for 30 years now as we didn't really get Kids Inc here in the 1980s. If you could go back to 1989 and give Fergie, the girl who was just about to leave the show a piece of advice, what would it be?
"It would be to trust your gut because when I've done that, it's worked for me. If you can see the pathway clearly, you can take the steps to make it happen. It doesn't matter what anyone else says or what their thoughts are, of what they think you should be doing. They just don't see your vision yet."

The album will definitely be out this year, so are you hoping to tour it?
"Hoping? I'm going to! There's no hoping - I'm doing it! I'm coming for you."

Are we going to be getting some dates in the UK?
"Absolutely, 100 per cent. I am coming for you - remember I said that! I will be bringing the LA Lovebus over there."

Keri Hison Sings to a barely empty arena

Jacques Peterson wrote:

Remember Keri Hilson? The songwriter-turned-singer has a handful of hits to her name like Pretty Girl Rock and The Way I Are with Timbaland, but it’s been four years since she last released an album. The 32-year-old opened for Lenny Kravitz at a concert in Dallas over the weekend, but she became the target of online ridicule after footage of her performing for a barely-there crowd hit social media. The audience reportedly increased once Lenny hit the stage, but barely anybody showed up to see Miss Keri Baby do her thing. Well, Keri decided to clap back at her critics on Twitter–and her response was pretty damn perfect. “I spent my day being ridiculed for getting paid $100,000 in one night, to do what I love 4 years after being publicly relevant. FML. ” You’ve gotta love Keri for this. Not only did she spill the tea on how much money she made, she also acknowledged that she hasn’t been relevant in years–something most celebrities NEVER do, even if they know it’s true. Now I suddenly want a Keri Hilson comeback. Hopefully something happens this year, coz it’s been WAY too long.