earsucker

Britney Spears has announced the second act of her “Circus” tour. Ugh, she’s still not coming to Cleveland. We are the mistake by the lake, but we need love, too!

Tour dates after the jump! (continue reading…)

We just wanted to give you a reminder that Jordin Sparks’ new album, “Battlefield” is hitting stores tomorrow! (continue reading…)

“American Idol” season six winner Jordin Sparks has just released the album cover of her sophomore album, “Battlefield”.

The track listing:

1. Battlefield
2. Let It Rain
3. Walking On Snow
4. Faith
5. Paper Cut
6. When The Pain Goes Away
7. Just Me
8. On The Inside
9. Vertigo

You can check out her official video for the song “Battlefield” here, or you can Pre-order the album, “Battlefield” here.

Season six “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks’ new video for “Battlefield” has just been leaked onto the internet.

The song marks the first single from her second studio album, “Battlefield”, which is due out in stores on July 21, 2009.

She performed the song live on “American Idol” on May 13, 2009. The song was co-written and produced by Ryan Tedder.

I like the song alright, but the video is kind of boring. Think this will be a huge hit?

(continue reading…)

Former season six “American Idol” winner, Jordin Sparks says that she wants to do a duet with season eight runner-up, Adam Lambert.

Sparks revealed her collaboration idea, calling Lambert’s voice “out of this world”.

She adds, “Not since Freddie Mercury or Steven Tyler has there been a voice like his. It would be really cool to do something with him and maybe release my inner rockstar.”

Sparks also praised “American Idol” season one champ, Kelly Clarkson as a role model in how she’s conducting her career.

She says, “I’d love to do something with Kelly Clarkson because she’s been a monumental influence on me. I love how she handles her celebrity. She’s not in the tabloids a lot but everyone knows and respects her because she’s got an amazing voice. That’s something I aim towards.”

Sparks also revealed that she views original Idol Kelly Clarkson as a role model in conducting her pop career.

Jordin Sparks must’ve been really ticked off about Russell Brand digging on the Jonas Brothers for wearing their purity rings. Throughout the show, he said that he got one of those rings and he plans to collect all three. Jordin Sparks wasn’t taking that crap lying down.

She hit back at the host of the show for acting like an imbecile. Ha!

[Image Credit: KnOizKi via Flickr]

Jordin Sparks was said to have been surprised that she won the last season of American Idol. Why? She says that she was SO distracted by Simon Cowell’s “GOOD LOOKS”.

WTF? I want some of whatever she’s on. She must’ve been fantasizing about the guy’s wallet, because that’s the only attractive thing I would’ve noticed.

She says, “I did have a crush on Simon before going on the show. He doesn’t care about hurting people’s feelings and doesn’t hold back with what he says. For some reason, that’s so attractive.”

Note to Simon: 15 will get you 20.
Note to Jordin: You need to get your eyes checked, girl.

Are Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks an item? I don’t know, but I do know this: If this kiss is for real, then they look like they have been put up to this. Jeezus, I sure thought Blake would’ve been a little smoother than that.

Check this out:

Poor kids, they look retarded here.

(Link via JustJared – go there for more pics of these smoochin’ singers)

At the very end of the show, Ryan Seacrest announced the winner of American Idol.

Here, she sings her new single, “This is my now”. She seemed utterly filled with glee and emotion. So, with this, the most boring season of American Idol is over:

Blake Lewis looked too happy for Jordin. He’s probably jumping for joy that he doesn’t have to sing this song on his album, when it comes out. Cuz, you know Blake is going to get a record deal, that way he can have all of the creative control he wants. He can beat-box the heck outta whatever he wants.

At the very last minute of the show, it was announced, which goes to show you that’s all you really have to watch. I got home at 9:30pm tonight and didn’t miss much, if you consider Bette Midler took the stage. She did “The wing beneath my wings” and she killed her own song. Murdered it! Poor thing.

Tonight is Jordin’s “Now” that she keeps singing on and on about. Have it Jordin, I need a nap.

Congrats to Jordin and thanks to Blake’s super-suckage from last night’s performance, Jordin was crowned the sixth American Idol. She did that crybaby crap again. Wahh wahh wahh…I won…..blah

According to some reports, it appears that Blake Lewis is trying to throw the show:

During tonight’s episode, the first thing that might clue you in to Blake’s mindset was his decision to perform first after he won the coin flip (AND after asking Jordin whether she wanted to go first). It’s always beneficial to perform last, in terms of making a lasting impression on the Idol voters (this may not be scientifically proven, but it sure seems to be the case). Blake’s lack of nervousness is another red flag. He does not seem at all invested in the competition and looks as if he only really cares about going out there and having a good time. If he really wanted to win American Idol, we’d probably sense at least a little stress out of him.

I guess it would make a lot of sense if he didn’t win American Idol tonight. Jordin Sparks would be happy because she won the record deal and can make America’s next pop album. And Blake Lewis could still get a record deal and have all kinds of creative control, and still make the type of music he enjoys making.

I applaud Blake for being a gentleman in letting Jordin go first, but who actually thought he had enough talent to win it?

America has already voted, it’s basically over, they just haven’t told us yet. We want to congratulate Jordin Sparks in advance, just because. Blake didn’t seem nervous at all, and then you have Jordin, who had to toss in the crying/whining at the end.

Ahhh, the whiney crybaby nonsense at the end sure got her some votes:

I still wasn’t thrilled at all with her performance. Melinda would’ve done it better. Any chance of that happening?

Written for the American Idol Songwriter’s Competition, Scott Krippayne and Jeff Peabody came together to compose this very unique song. To be recorded by the next American Idol, Peabody had this to say:

“I’m looking forward to being able to download one of my songs,” says Peabody, a church pastor who wrote the song with Scott Krippayne, a member of his New Day Church congregation. “It’s just very surreal. Something that was just an idea a few weeks ago has blossomed into this huge thing.”

“This is my now” (Lyrics)

There was a time I packed my dreams away.
Living in a shell, hiding from myself.

There was a time when I was so afraid.
I thought I’d reached the end,
Baby that was then
I am made of more than my yesterdays.

This is my now, and I am breathing in the moment.
As I look around
I can’t believe the love I see.
My fears behind me, gone are the shadows and doubts
That was then, this is my now.

Had to decide
was I going to play it safe
or look somewhere deep in inside
try to turn the tide
and find the strength to take that step of faith

This is my now, and I am breathing in the moment.
I look around I can’t believe the love I see.
My fears behind me, gone are the shadows and doubts.
That was then, this is my now.

And I have the courage like never before, yeah.
I’ve settled for less but I’m ready for more,
Ready for more.
This is my now

I’m living in the moment
As I look around I can’t believe the love I see.
My fears behind me, gone are the shadows and doubts.
That was then, this is my now.

I am breathing in the moment.
As I look around
Can’t believe the love I see
My fears behind me, gone are the shadows and doubts
That was then.
This is my now.
This is my now.

In this mini-series, up until tomorrow night, I’ll be giving my commentary before and after the show. Part One was my thoughts prior to seeing tonight’s show and this part will be my review.

Tonight’s show started off with Blake Lewis doing his rendition of “You give love a bad name” by Bon Jovi. Again, he beatboxed the heck out of it and gave it some true originality.

Following that showing, Jordin Sparks did Christina Aguilera’s popular upbeat track, “Fighter”. She gave it her all and was decent.

Round one went to Blake by everyone’s standards. And was it me or did Paula seem like she was jacked up on some serious painkillers? And what on earth was Randy wearing?!??

Next up, they were tasked with doing one of their favorite songs. Blake started this round off with “She will be loved” by Maroon 5. He didn’t knock this one out of the park, by any means.

Jordin one-upped him with “A broken wing”, which she had previously sung. She killed Blake with this song, hands down. Heck, she should, she’s been singing it since she was twelve.

Round two went to Jordin.

Finally, they both gave their renditions of the song written by the winners of the songwriting competition, “This is my now”. Blake was bland and Simon even suggested that he be judged by his first two performances. Jordin had her way with the song and shined with her vocal style and talent. It was almost as if this song was written for her.

Round three also went to Jordin.

We’ll see what happens, but my guess is that Jordin’s going to win. (Melinda should’ve been in her place!!)

Tonight is part one of the American Idol finale. Having Melinda Doolittle out of the way, I can ask this: Does anyone still care? I know I’ll be watching it, just because I have to put my two cents into anything related to music.

But honestly, the American public has already voted off most of the major talent from the show. The end result is that the sixth American Idol is going to be a mediocre kid with half of the real talent of ousted Melinda or Lakisha. Ya gotta know that Melinda was really wanting to win this thing, too, the woman has heart.

So, I’ll tell you what I will be boycotting: the sales of any Blake Lewis or Jordin Sparks music.

I read this over at CNN and was kinda baffled:

She was an “amazing talent,” a young singer with a wonderful voice who wrote beautiful songs. But she was no beauty, plus flat-chested and overweight to boot.

Remembering the aspiring star, music executive Jody Gerson still feels terrible about thinking: “She’s never going to get signed, even though she’s fabulous.”

They compared the two great wonders that American Idol ousted, Lakisha Jones and Melinda Doolittle, to the two remaining contestants, Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks. Saying that Lakisha and Melinda were the two real talents of the show was indeed an understatement. Their talent alone should’ve been enough to end them up in the final two, but unfortunately, it appears that their look is not what the music industry is looking for.

I pride myself on oncovering some real talent, here and there, for my own amusement. I don’t care if you’re fat, skinny, or have a third arm. If you have talent, then you’re going to be on my Ipod.

That’s why when Melinda or Lakisha come out with a CD, I’ll be jumping on that. So what if one was compared to Shrek and the other one is picked on for having a gap in her teeth. So what if they don’t fit the industry standard of what’s hot. They fit into my idea of what a real singing competition should be, and that’s talent. I closed my eyes and listened to the entertainers on that stage while they sang their hearts out, and that’s what America should do, too.

Suck it, Avril.

American Idol has the formula down for making you want to watch that nonsense. Recently, they sent home Melinda Doolittle, who has a gargantuan amount of talent, in lieu of two younger, less-talented kids, Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks.

Melinda Doolittle gave it her all on last week’s show and blew them both away, but American Idol can’t turn it’s back on their younger, more popular, audience base: 12-30 year-olds. The 12-year old girls like Blake Lewis and the rest of them think that Jordin Sparks is SO talented. Just shoot me, really let’s get down to the reality of the matter.

Check this out:

Truth to tell, though, this has not been a good year on the most popular reality TV show in the world, and there are signs that its stranglehold on North American youth is loosening. Early in the season critics complained that Fox Television, which produces and broadcasts the show in the U.S., had sunk to a new low when it aired the embarrassing audition footage of a young man who appeared to be mentally handicapped. This spring, the performance segments used to winnow down the top singers were notable not for the stellar talent but rather for a running battle between the notoriously nasty British judge Simon Cowell and the sweet but musically incompetent Sanjaya Malakar.

You see the formula here? They pick the less talented people to give us that wonderful entertainment of seeing Simon rip them to shreds on national television. We all like the bad guy, so we watch. We watch to see what the Sanjayas are going to do next and what the judges will say. We watch to see how drunk Paula acts and to hear how snarky Simon gets.

Is it centered around real talent? No, it’s centered around who will give Fox the most entertainment bang for their buck.

Per a post at Reuters, the sharp-tongued judge stated plainly that he cannot predict who the next American Idol will be:

“I can’t call it at this stage,” Cowell told reporters on a conference call. “For Blake, he’s a brilliant entertainer, but the negative is he’s not a fantastic singer. The advantage for Jordin is she is a great singer and the negative is she hasn’t done one performance yet which I can remember as a ‘wow.’”

Simon Cowell has always been known for his truthfulness and his snarky charm. He really gives the contestants honest comments, and I usually agree with him. On Tuesday’s show when he said that if anyone should be awarded a finalist spot, it should be Melinda Doolittle, I completely agreed with him. Melinda has a certain talent and stage presence that is not matched by Jordin Sparks or Blake Lewis. She will definitely go far and I can imagine that she will outsell both of the two finalists.

Chris Daughtry did it, and Melinda Doolittle will do it in the same vein. Some record label out there is going to pick her up and sell tons of records. She had pizazz and soul, something that both of the remaining contestants lack. Bad move, America, getting rid of Melinda when it should have been Blake to go.

I’m done rambling about this for now, but know this, when Melinda puts out her first record, she’s going to make Blake Lewis look stupid.

Last night, with American Idol’s ousting of Melinda Doolittle, we were left with the final two candidates, Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks.

While I thought, at the time, that Jordin’s “I who have nothing” would’ve sunk her as a target, primarily because no one likes a repeater, but I was wrong. Melinda Doolittle was consistent and a very talented singer, but still she was sent home to Nashville. They even named a street after her! Melinda will have a great musical career, heck, she could be the next Tina Turner.

On last night’s show, we were also treated to a song by third runner-uip, Elliott Yamin, who is (of course) promoting his new album. So, third place isn’t all that bad, but I hoped that Melinda would have went further. She’s a more talented and all-around better singer than Blake Lewis.

We’ll have Spazzy McBeatBox around again, for the finale. I knew that American Idol would do that, in the end, they usually have a girl and a guy. I think it should be based on talent, but there are still a lot of people who say it’s fixed. (Howard Stern, anyone?)

Just my two cents.

Well, it’s obvious that someone has to go tonight. It’s a hard choice for the people who voted and I think it will really come down to two people: Jordin Sparks, who did “I who have nothing” for the second time, and Blake Lewis, just because he isn’t as special as he thinks he is.

Melinda is obviously safe tonight because she did a wonderful job in all of the songs she sang and was very charismatic.

The verdict: My prediction is that Blake Lewis is going to say bye-bye. Even though Jordin McRepeater sang that song twice for the show, Blake just isn’t as talented as her.

Jordin Sparks does “I who have nothing” (again):

Next, she does “She works hard for the money” by Donna Summer:

I prefer Donna Summer’s version of the song, but maybe that’s because I’m old school.

Lastly, Simon Cowell’s choice for Jordin Sparks, “Wishing on a star” by Rose Royce:

It may not be Jordin’s night, but I still think Blake is going to go.

With the top three looming over our heads tonight, one has to wonder who is going to bite the dust on tomorrow’s pre-finale.

I’m going to put out my prediction right now, before the show airs tonight at 8pm EST. Blake Lewis is doomed. I don’t say that because he’s votefortheworst’s new mascot, but because he may be able to out-beatbox the two remaining girls, but can he outsing them? My answer is no.

I mean, he might really do a wonderful job on “Roxanne” and make us all get nostalgic and everything for The Police, but it’s not going to be good enough to maintain his place on the show.

Just my two cents. It’s a woman’s year to win….

Via Idol Chatter, we’ve come across some info on Tuesday’s show.

Each of the remaining three contestants will sing three songs. One will be of their choosing, one from the judges, and one from the producers.

Paula has picked The Police’s 80′s hit, “Roxanne” for Blake to beatbox to. Randy Jackson chose “I believe in you and me” by Whitney Houston for Melinda Doolittle. Word has it that Simon Cowell has chosen “Wishing on a star” by Rose Royce, for the youngest contestant, Jordin Sparks.

Jordin did reveal to students in her hometown that she’d be singing “I who have nothing”:

Sparks told students at her former high school in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday that she would be singing “I Who Have Nothing” on Tuesday. She performed that number earlier this season.