Since I have a very large ego and I pride myself on predictions, I’d like to take this moment to predict that the very talented Vicci Martinez will win ‘The Voice.’ I’d tell you why, but perhaps you should just watch her perform Florence + The Machine’s ‘Dog Days Are Over’ and judge for yourself.
Category: Music
Beyonce v. Lorella Cuccarini — Inspiration or Ripping Off?
My mother used to say that copying is the greatest form of flattery. Then I’d tell my mother she’s ridiculous. I’m not one of those people who enjoys when others copy my work. In fact, you probably don’t want to be on the other end of that accusation. It isn’t pretty. So when Beyonce was accused of copying Lorella Cuccarini’s 2010 performance during the Billboard Music Awards, she insisted that she was merely inspired by it, and didn’t directly copy it. Hey, at least she admitted to having seen the performance. Most artists would dismiss it as a strange coincidence. Lorella’s performance is so original, it’s only fair to say that Beyonce liked the idea and took it on as her own. So does it matter? If I were Lorella, it would infuriate me, especially since no credit was given to her idea during the performance. She only admitted to the similarity after the copy-cat accusations surfaced. Watch below and judge for yourself.
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NBC’s ‘The Voice’ — Vicci Martinez v. Niki Dawson — Best Duet Ever
Some might say that NBC’s show, The Voice, is “gimmicky” — which it is. After all, the “battle rounds” take place in a boxing ring. Though it’s certainly ridiculous, it’s also one of my favorite new shows on television. In the battle round below, you’ll see Vicci Martinez and Niki Dawson sing Pink’s song, ‘Fu*kin Perfect,’ and Vicci Martinez completely blew me away. I’d like to take this moment to predict her future success, so that if I’m right, I can brag about it for years to come. If I’m wrong . . . well . . . I can always delete the post.
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Randy Jackson Calls ‘The Voice’ Gimmicky — Gives Very Funny Quote
I just came across this quote from Randy Jackson about ‘The Voice,’ and I have to share it. When asked what he thinks of the new singing show, Jackson called it “gimmicky.” Then he said (and here comes the good part), “Maybe Simon Cowell should have people opening doors. Like, ‘Knock, knock; Who’s singing? I can’t see you!'” Who knew Jackson was such a jokester! I also think the show is gimmicky, but I must admit it’s a guilty pleasure. Besides, I’d rather have a gimmicky show that’s entertaining than the reformed version of American Idol — which sucks.
‘The Voice’ Will Be Two Hours Now — Gigantic Waste of Time?
I’ve never in my entire life watched a one-hour show and thought, “you know what would be really great — if this show was two hours long.” In fact, I often find myself infuriated when I’m forced to fast-forward through a large portion of Celebrity Apprentice, presumably because the producers think the show is so fantastic that they refuse to edit out the extraneous material. ‘The Voice’ is hopping on board the piss-off-The-Dishmaster train, by expanding their one hour show to two hours. I imagine that since the ratings are great, they want to use the show for all its worth, thereby maximizing their ad revenue. Here’s the problem — adding an hour fatigues the viewers and inevitably sacrifices the quality of the show. When you get greedy, you lose your cash-cow.
Did ‘The Voice’ Edit Out Christina Aguilera’s Lady Gaga Tirade?
I’m often confused by a Producer’s decision to remove controversial segments of a show. Sure, they might cause a stir, but it makes for great television, and it would certainly make headlines. Plus, it’s real. Reports are circulating that Christina Aguilera is a diva on the new show, The Voice, and she recently took aim Lady Gaga while critiquing a contestant’s performance. If it’s true that Aguilera insulted Gaga (which wouldn’t be the first time), then they should have aired the segment. People would surely tune in to see her antics. Though this story came out of The National Enquirer and is therefore subject to speculation, my experience tells me that reports of diva behavior are usually true. Employees on the show often become infuriated enough to blab to tabloids, in hopes of damaging the reputation of terrible celebrities.
Paula Abdul to Judge ‘The X Factor’ — Simon Cowell is a Genius!
Simon Cowell isn’t just a genius because he can spot talent in the industry, he’s a genius because he can spot talent for his own show too. When Paula Abdul left ‘American Idol,’ Simon Cowell mentally checked out of the show. He knew it was downhill from there, and he therefore gracefully finished out his contract before departing. He also knew that he was sitting on a gold mine. He knew that if he could trounce ‘Pop Idol’ in England with ‘The X Factor,’ he could do the same to ‘American Idol.’ He has a personal investment in killing those shows because he owns ‘The X Factor,’ which means the show’s success puts a lot more money in his pocket. When the stakes are that high, the man better be careful about who he chooses for the show. According to Deadline, he’s chosen Paula Abdul. It’s not official in the press yet because, even though Abdul’s deal is “closed,” she has yet to sign on the dotted line. At this stage in the contract negotiation, it’s fair to say we’ll be seeing her on the show. Despite the media criticism about Paula Abdul, she was an essential component of ‘American Idol’s’ success, and she had great chemistry with Simon Cowell. I therefore give him major props for the choice.
UPDATE: IT’S OFFICIAL!
‘Idol’s’ Jacob Lusk Explains ‘Man in the Mirror’ Comment — Still Makes No Sense
Jacob Lusk was voted off ‘American Idol’ last week, and I have to admit I’m shocked he made it this far. My shock has more to do with his personality than his voice. You might remember Lusk’s controversial comment during his pre-performance interview, when he said that if he got voted off, it won’t be because of his singing ability, but rather, it will be because American “didn’t want to look at themselves in the mirror.” The blogosphere erupted with attacks, and Lusk has finally made a feeble attempt at an explanation. When asked what he meant, he said the comment was about “what was going on in the world,” and wanting people to “look at themselves” and “look at what [they] could do to change the world.” Huh? Perhaps Mr. Lusk can explain what “looking in the mirror” has to do with voting him off because of a bad performance. This melt-down provides a great example of why being a successful singer has more to do with personality than singing ability. If you can’t avoid these type of mess-ups or fix them when they occur, then you don’t belong in the industry. Might I also point out for the millionth time that if Simon Cowell was on that panel when Lusk said that, it would have been addressed and put to bed immediately. Bring back Simon!
Blake Shelton Not a Homophobe — Just Really Dumb
Until there’s a middle-man proof-reading celebrity tweets before they hit the web, I imagine we’ll keep seeing PR melt-downs. Blake Shelton, most recently known as a judge on the hit NBC show, The Voice, tweeted that he’s “re-writing [his] fav Shania Twain song,” and his lyrics included, “Any man that tries Touching my behind He’s gonna be a beaten, bleedin’, heaving kind of guy…” The subsequent outrage warranted the standard apology tweet, with Shelton saying, he “seriously apologize[s],” and “it wasn’t meant that way.” He also whined about the twitter-sphere “jumping on everything” he says. How is it possible that Shelton is the victim in this? Though I’m sure he has a gay best friend and therefore isn’t a “homophobe,” perhaps he could take a little responsibility for his stupidity. Is it seriously beyond his comprehension that his tweet was inappropriate? It was not “taken the wrong way,” but rather, it was just wrong in general. Don’t blame us — blame yourself.
Music Spotlight On: Wolf Gang
Max McElligott, also known as “Wolf Gang,” has yet to release his debut album, entitled Suego Faults, but he’s already receiving a fair share of internet buzz. When my friend pointed me to the song below, I was blown away. The acoustic version of Back to Back is actually better than the studio version, which my musician tells me is an impressive feat. If I could give Mr. McElligot any career advice on his way to the top, I’d tell him to quickly change his band name. He’s impossible to Google, and my attempts were met with a lot of Mozart information. In the age of online media, it’s important to be easily found. If you like the song below, I’d encourage you to buy his EP. You will not be disappointed.