Monday, 27 January 2014

[Watch] Lorde Sings "Royals" To The Royals @ Grammys 2014



I refuse to speak anymore about Lorde until someone tells me what she did with the (reportedly) $21,000 gift bag that performers and presenters receive for taking part in the Grammy Awards.

Did she adhere to the message of her hit Royals- which she sang at the event- and refuse the luxury bag, telling the organisers "That kind of luxe just ain't for us." OR did she grab it with both hands, while drinking Cristal and admiring the diamonds in her rings.

Someone let me know, asap! I MUST KNOW!

[Watch] Taylor Swift And Her Piano Perform "All Too Well" @ 2014 Grammy Awards


taylor swift grammys 2014

I really like Taylor Swift. I'm not sure why. I mean, I know why I like her music, but I'm not sure why I like her as a person. I'm not saying I should dislike her or anything, more so that I should be a little more nonchalant of her as an individual. With all this confusion going on in my mind, I'm not sure how to feel about her rendition of All Too Well at the 2014 Grammy Awards.

My immediate reaction was that I liked it! Simple and stunning was what I felt. However, after reading comments on YouTube calling it "mediocre" and "average," and kind of seeing what they mean when watching it a second time, I IZ CONFUZED.

Am I being blinded by my odd affections for Taylor, or was this actually a good performance? I'm sure you guys will give me a gentle nudge in the right direction with your critiques in the comments.

Did Beyonce Lip-sync "Drunk In Love" @ 2014 Grammy Awards?

beyonce jay z grammy 2014


With all the success- both critical and commercial- Beyonce's latest album is enjoying, it was only fitting that the A-Lister opened up the 2014 Grammy Awards. And kudos to the Diva for wanting to give an honest representation of what the album is (mostly) about by singing the sexually charged Drunk In Love . However, I'm not quite sure the Grammy Awards was the right gig for the performance she gave; it definitely wasn't strong enough to have been an opener.

Friday, 24 January 2014

[Free For All Friday]


I could really do with a Hallmark/Lifetime movie and a cup of tea right about now. Not long to wait, though! One starts at 3 on Channel 5!  Let me give you guys the synopsis *checks TV guide*:

"A criminology professor is suspicious when a colleague appears to have died from a heart attack, and teams up with a private detective to uncover the truth - and they discover the dead man had a number of enemies and harbored many secrets. The second in the series of murder mysteries, starring Dick and Barry Van Dyke alongside Kimberly Quinn and Jonathan Banks".

Not really what I had in mind, but I suppose I can pretend it's a feature length episode of Diagnosis Murder. I also need to pick up my car from a cousin's house...but I guess that can wait. The banality of (my) life..(!)

If you don't know the score, here be the rules:
  • Try not to get too perverted-this site still needs to basically be "safe for work".
  • If somebody starts a controversial subject, try keeping it civil when dealing with it. If things get out of hand please flag the conversation.
  • It would be nice if it stuck to music, but it's not a requirement! So talk about news, current events, how you're getting your hair done next time you hit the hairdresser! Whateves, really!
  • No nasty comments aimed at other users.
Inappropriate hugs to all y'all, and wishing you an awesome weekend!

Wednesday, 22 January 2014

[Yikes!] Patti LaBelle Refers To New Generation Of Divas As "Little Heifers"



Ms.Patti LaBelle don't mess around. Ask her a question and she refreshingly speaks what is on her mind. And this is exactly what happened when Pridesource had the audacity to ask what being a "Diva" meant to her. Lordy, I was not expecting the response that followed:

For you, what does it mean to be a diva?

That word is used so loosely that I don't even consider myself a diva. I always considered myself a woman who sings her heart out and who gives 120 percent. "Diva" is a word that I wouldn't wanna call myself because it's so loosely used. It's not cute anymore.

Is there a negative connotation to it now?
Yeah, because all these little heifers who can't sing are called divas! It doesn't mean anything to me and probably to some of the other ladies who have been doing it for as long as I have: Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick. You know, I'm speaking for me - I don't know if they like to be called divas - but I know I wouldn't call them divas, because it's not in good company.

But it used to be a respectable term at some point.

Well, for opera singers, and for ladies who earned it, but that was way, way back when. Now you can look up to them, but you might not see what you wanna see. A hot mess! People who are doing it and doing it with about 40 people on stage with them to hide their pitifulness - that's not a word, but you know what I mean.

Someone had their RDA of Krabby Patties that day! Still, I can't detect any lies being told here; the Dame of all Divas spoke nothing but the truth. The usage of the word has definitely changed in recent years from previously being used to denote a singer with a great voice, to now just being another synonym for any female singer (regardless of talent). I mean, just check out how the line up for the VH1 Divas concert has changed since it started in 1998. Sad times. If only she'd gone further and named names! Now that would have been something!

NB: I'm not unaware that I use the word Divas pretty fast and loose on this site. I'll be sure to punish myself for this indiscretion [...].

A Young Christina Aguilera Covers Swv's "Weak"

young christina aguilera singing


Taken from Christina Aguilera's time at the Mickey Mouse Club-which would make her around thirteen/fourteen, I think- this video was sent to me via email (hooray for emails!). I wasn't even aware that Christina was singing during her stint on the show, but according to Wiki it was part of the gig. The more you know, eh?

Oddly (to me), the songs chosen, by whoever was working behind the scene, were grown-ass tracks! There are other videos of the Genie In A Bottle singer covering hits from Toni Braxton (Another Sad Love Song), CeCe Peniston (I'm Not Over You) and Mary J. Blige (Real Love), however I thought I'd go with the SWV cover of Weak because I also enjoyed the other singers (Rhona Bennett and Nita Booth ) who joined the young Diva on stage.

Watching these videos it's apparent that Christina's singing style hasn't changed all that much since she was a teenager- no shade intended. Artificially lowered timbre, vocal slides, and contrasting (oft poorly supported) upper belts are all things that have followed the Diva through into her adult years. However, age, and experience, has brought the Diva's mature singing style a believability that her youth didn't convey very well.

Was it any wonder she was called "the little girl with the big voice"!

Saturday, 18 January 2014

[New Music] Danity Kane Return With "Bye Baby"



My favourite girl group of the naughties have reformed (disclaimer: "favourite" as far as can I recall right now). Danity Kane are back, dearies! Well, most of them. D.Woods still remains conspicuous by her absence- which apparently isn't anything to do with her. Shame, because it would have made this moment even more perfect for me.