posted by Administrator on Dec 6
Former American Idol finalists Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Mandisa Hundley, and Chris Daughtry were all recognized by The Recording Academy when nominations for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards were announced on Thursday.
esh off his band Daughtry taking home 2007 American Music Awards for Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist and Favorite Breakthrough Artist — while the group’s self-titled debut album was also recognized for Favorite Pop or Rock Album — Daughtry received three Grammy Award nominations.
The group’s self-titled debut was nominated for Best Rock Album, while one of its singles — “It’s Over You” — received a nod in the Best Rock Song category. “It’s Over You” was penned by Daughtry and songwriters Gregg Wattenberg and Mark Wilkerson, as well as Daughtry’s fellow fifth-season Idol finalist Brett “Ace” Young.
“Home” — a ballad that served as background music for Idol sixth-season eliminations — received a nod in the Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals category. In addition, the album’s producer Howard Benson was nominated for Producer of the Year.
Underwood — who took home two 2007 Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance for “Jesus Take the Wheel” — received three nominations this year.
“Before He Cheats,” which was written by John Kear and Chris Tompkins, was nominated for Song of the Year and Best Country Song. The song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Country Songs chart and has already been recognized with 2007 CMT Music Awards for Female Video of the Year and Video of the Year; a 2007 People’s Choice Award for Favorite Country Song; a 2007 Academy of Country Music Award for Video of the Year; as well as a 2007 Country Music Association Award for Single of the Year.
In addition, Underwood’s “Oh Love” duet with fellow country crooner Brad Paisley — a track that appeared on his sixth album “5th Gear” — also received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals.
Underwood and Paisley will be pitted against Clarkson and her best bud Reba McEntire in the Best Country Collaboration with Vocals category, in which they were nominated for their duet “Because of You.”
Like Underwood, Clarkson also already has two Grammy Awards to her credit. The original Idol champ’s sophomore album “Breakaway” won a 2006 Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album, while its single “Since U Been Gone” received the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Award.
Barrino received her Grammy nod in the Best Contemporary R&B Album category for her second album “Fantasia.” The Idol third-season champ’s debut album “Free Yourself” received two 2006 Grammy nods in the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Album categories, however she failed to receive either award.
Hudson received a Grammy nomination in the Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media category for the Dreamgirls’ song “Love You I Do,” which was written by Siedah Garrett and Henry Krieger. The Dreamgirls actress — who received an Oscar for her role — performed “Love You I Do” in the film.
Rounding out the nominations was Hundley — Idol 5’s ninth-place finisher — who received a Grammy nod for her debut album “True Beauty” in the Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album category.
The 50th Annual Grammy Awards are scheduled to air live from Los Angeles’ Staples Center on Sunday, February 10 at 8PM ET/PT on CBS.
posted by AINews on Oct 12
Former “American Idol” star Kelly Clarkson has kicked off her 26-city “My December” tour in Verona, N.Y.
The tour follows a triumphant trip to Australia where she played sold-out performances in
Melbourne and Sydney, appeared on three of Australia TV’s most popular programs –”The Footy Show finale,” “Sunrise” and “Australia Idol” — and attended a gold-plaque presentation for Australian sales of her album, “My December.”
On Wednesday, the Grammy Award-winning singer took the stage at The Turning Point Casino in Verona.
She is set to play the first of three sold-out performances at New York City’s Beacon Theatre Monday where she will sing her biggest hits like “Since U Been Gone,” “Walk Away,” “Because of You” and “Behind These Hazel Eyes,” as well as “Never Again” and “Sober.”
Interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of rehearsals for her tour, as well as scenes from her trip to Australia, can be viewed at www.kellyclarkson.com.
“I love the idea of giving something special to my fans,” Clarkson said in a statement. “I’m psyched about the tour and I want everyone else to share that excitement.”
posted by AINews on Sep 4
First-season “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson announced plans to kick off a 23-city tour in New York next month.
Clarkson has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide during a career that began five years ago on the TV talent contest.
Since then, she has had four No. 1 singles and earned two Grammy awards, four American Music awards and three MTV Video Music awards.
Her “My December” outing is expected to start Oct. 14, with three performances at New York City’s Beacon Theatre.
The tour is slated to include 25 performances during a seven-week period.
Before Clarkson’s final stop on Dec. 3 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, she is expected to have performed before home-state crowds at the Nokia Theater in Dallas, as well as the Verizon Wireless Theater in Houston.
She is also scheduled to play Los Angeles’ Gibson Amphitheater and Boston’s Orpheum Theater.
“I’m really getting pumped to get out there and rock with y’all,” Clarkson said in a statement. “We intend to blow the roofs off these theaters.”
posted by AINews on Jul 15
Recovering from a tough year, American pop singer Kelly Clarkson is taking a chance on a gutsy new album — and has divulged she once ate a pot-laden treat.
Her latest album, “My December,” chronicles her breakup from a relatively obscure musician who cheated on her, USA Weekend reports.
Her record label’s frosty reception when she submitted her new album has highlighted her less-than-friendly relationship with RCA producer Clive Davis.
“I’m going to be real honest with you: I am not a fan [of Davis] …. I do respect him, but I don’t want to barbecue with him,” she said. “We don’t braid each other’s hair. And, despite the rumors, he is nowhere near a father figure.”
Clarkson, who isn’t into the drunken debauchery of many of her fellow entertainment industry 20-somethings, does admit to using marijuana once in the form of a cookie. Since she ate the wacky snack in Amsterdam, Netherlands, however, it was not illegal. Since then, Clarkson said, she has been “oregano free,” the magazine said.
posted by AINews on Jul 7
RCA chairman Clive Davis wasn’t a big fan of the musical content of Kelly Clarkson’s third album “My December,” but her fans may be out to prove him wrong.
“My December” debuted at No. 2 on The Billboard 200 weekly album sales chart, according Nielsen Soundscan figures for the week ending July 1. Clarkson’s third album — the first in which she either wrote or co-wrote every song — sold 291,000 copies in its first week of release.
Clarkson’s album trailed only “Hannah Montana 2 (Soundtrack)/Meet Miley Cyrus,” two-disc 20-set set that combines Cyrus’ debut album with music from the popular Disney Channel TV show that the 14-year-old stars in. Cyrus sold 326,000 copies in her album’s first week of release.
My December’s” debut week sales surpassed those of “Breakaway,” Clarkson’s Grammy-winning 2004 second album that has since sold over 10 million copies. “Breakaway,” which was released during the more competitive holiday season sales period, debuted at No. 3 and sold 250,000 copies in its first week of release in November 2004.
Although it beat “Breakaway’s” debut, “My December” fell just short of setting a debut week album sales record for Clarkson. “Thankful,” the original Idol winner’s debut album, debuted at No. 1 and sold 297,000 copies during its first week of release in April 2003.
“My December’s” first week sales performance is the biggest Idol-related album debut since fifth-season Idol champ Taylor Hicks moved 298,000 copies of his self-titled debut when it was released in early December.
posted by AINews on Jun 29
InStyle Magazine gets up close and personal with seven popular female artists in today’s music scene to find out what music inspires them, and two of them are American Idol’s own! First up is Carrie Underwood, who tells InStyle that she is inspired by the true pioneers of country music. “In country music, we remember the people who came before us: singers like Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton. It is awesome for me to have a chance to honor them—they are the reason I’m here! Growing up, I listened to their old 45s on our record player all the time. It was great to see strong women doing so well—and to know it was possible to become like them.”
The original American Idol and two-time Grammy winner, Kelly Clarkson, is featured in the issue next to Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, both pictured with their mouths agape, which seems to have become Steven’s signature pose. Kelly tells In Style, “[Tyler] is the ultimate rock icon. I remember being completely enthralled the first time I heard ‘Dream On.’ Steven has the perfect voice, but I have no idea how he keeps it. He came to my show once—it was the first concert of my tour—and I tried to impress him. I ended up throwing my voice out. At my next gig I sounded like Janis Joplin.”
posted by AINews on Jun 21
KELLY CLARKSON, who canceled her own summer tour last week, has been offered a guest spot on the upcoming “American Idol” tour, reports Rolling Stone. The “Idol” finalist’s scheduled tour to promote her new album, “My December,” wasn’t a big box office draw, so concert promoter LiveNation pulled the plug. Also last week, Clarkson fired her manager, who was concerned about the songs on the new album. And earlier this year, she dissed music mogul Clive Davis when he confronted her about reworking the cuts on “My December” to make them more “radio friendly.” She refused.
posted by AINews on Jun 20
Pop star Kelly Clarkson clashed with record label bosses when they pushed her to perform her “bitter” new single at the recent “American Idol” charity TV special “Idol Gives Back,” The Post Chronicle informs.
The singer insisted the timing was all wrong for her to perform love-gone-bad number “Never Again” at the TV fundraiser in April , and refused to sing her new hit - against record executives’ wishes.
“To promote yourself on a charity event is beyond crass. People are starving and dying and I’m up there singing some bitter pop song?” Kelly said.
“Believe me, everyone wanted me to sing it because they are jaded and have no soul. Imagine sitting in a room full of people totally against you: ‘Can’t they hear themselves speaking? Capitalise on Aids? Are you kidding? Insulting an entire nation of people?’ I just refused,” she added.
posted by AINews on Jun 19
The original American Idol winner, already embroiled in a “My December” album feud with RCA chairman Clive Davis that reportedly contributed to a decision to part ways with her longtime manager Jeff Kwatinetz only two weeks before the new album’s June 26 release, has now postponed her upcoming summer tour, People reported Thursday.
“Plans for Kelly Clarkson’s summer tour have been shelved for now as the singer and her team re-evaluate her show’s size and scope - a decision made even more difficult by the impending release of her album, ‘My December,’” her representative Paul Freundlich said in a statement, according to People.
“I can’t tell you how much I’ve been looking forward to getting out there to perform for y’all,” Clarkson wrote in a fan statement released on her website. “In the craziness of the music business, performing is what I look forward to doing the most, so it really is disappointing for me to have to tell you that I won’t be coming out to tour this summer. The fact is that touring is just too much too soon.”
“But I promise you that we’re going to get back out there as soon as is humanly possible to give you a show that will be even better,” Clarkson continued. “Thanks for all of your love and continued support.”
