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Ariana Grande Covers Wham! Chestnut ‘Last Christmas’ (listen)

Keith GirardNovember 19, 2013

Ariana Grande is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. She released a cover today (Nov. 19) of “Last Christmas,” a song first released by British pop duo Wham! on Epic Records in 1984. It’s slated for her upcoming Christmas album. The song, written and produced by George Michael, has been covered by a slew of artists including Taylor Swift....

POP

Kylie Minogue Sensational, Sexy at 45 in New German GQ (10 photos!)

Keith GirardNovember 16, 2013

Kylie Minogue, the Australian singing sensation shows she’s still got it at 45 in a stunning new photo spread in the German edition of GQ magazine. She channels a 1940s-era chanteuse in a stunning mix of glamorous gowns. Her musical career has remained surprisingly resilient, despite enduring criticism early on in Australia that she was a “manufactured” pop singer....

POP

Selena Gomez Makes ‘X Factor’ Debut With ‘Slow Down’ (watch!)

Keith GirardNovember 15, 2013

Selena Gomez brought the stage production of her hit song “Slow Down” to the “X Factor” last night (Nov. 14). She dazzled the audience with a full complement of backup dancers, wearing a black bodysuit with a fringe style skirt and knee-high hooker boots. The 21-year-old singer has been on the road promoting her new album through her “Stars Dance” tour....

POP

Matt Damon gets a come on but not what he expects in Nespresso ad. (Photo: ScreenCap)

George Clooney Hooks Up Matt Damon for Lucrative Nespresso Ad (See!)

Keith GirardNovember 14, 2013

Matt Damon has jumped on the gravy train ridden by many actors to a quick payday in commercials overseas....

CELEBRITIESCULTUREENTERTAINMENT

Taylor Swift Turns Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself’ into ‘Hick Hop’ (listen!)

Keith GirardNovember 13, 2013

Taylor Swift proved one thing about rapping, it’s a lot harder than it looks. She sang a cover of Eminem’s 2002 classic “Lose Yourself” during a radio interview on Pittsburgh’s The Danger Show at 94.9 Froggy and spit what can only be called Hick Hop. The 23-year-old singer gave it her best show, but clearly showed a lack of timing and cadence....

HIP-HOP

Miley Cyrus ‘Summertime Sadness’ Cover a Tip to Lana Del Rey (watch)

Keith GirardNovember 12, 2013

Miley Cyrus toned down her act to sing an acoustic cover of Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness” on BBC-One Radio’s “Live Lounge,” a show that features music stripped of all but the bare essentials. Miley keeps her clothes on this time, but does manage a small tongue wag when she introduces the show....

POP

Elton John’s Hot New ‘Diving Board’ Overlooked on Radio, WTF?

WinchesterNovember 12, 2013

Elton John’s latest album, The Diving Board is his first solo album in six years and first recording since his collaboration with Leon Russell and T. Bone Burnett (The Union) in 2006. Needless to say, we’re loving it. But the pop icon seems to be trapped in an interesting dynamic for so-called legacy artists....

BETWEEN THE LINESPOP

Hildebrand Gurlitt, Notorious Nazi Art Thief, Surfaces in Art Probe

Keith GirardNovember 4, 2013

Hildebrand Gurlitt hailed from a family that was well known in artistic circles in pre-World War II Germany. His father was an architect and art historian, one brother was a musicologist and a nephew was an art dealer. But a deep, dark secret set him apart. During World War II, Gurlitt, a specialist in modern art, was hired by Joseph Goebbels, the feared Nazi propaganda minister, to loot priceless artworks from homes and museums across Nazi-occupied Europe....

ArtCRIME

Rebecca Holden, of ‘Knight Rider’ Fame, Lifts Music Career With Duet

WinchesterNovember 4, 2013

Rebecca Holden is best known as a television actress, but she’s also a singer who has charted two singles and has just released a new song, “Dreams Come True,” with Abraham McDonald. It’s already broken into the Top 20 on the Country charts. Holden, 55, was discovered in New York City and began working as a model. She eventually segued into commercials and made the move to Hollywood to become an actress....

POP

Monkee Micky Dolenz Releases B. B. King Show on New Album (video)

Keith GirardNovember 4, 2013

Monkee Micky Dolenz has just released a new album based on his performance last October at the famed B.B. King Bar & Grill in New York City. Micky and his band deliver a solid, 23-song set to the sold-out crowd that included celebrities like Tony Danza. While Micky was performing solo, most of the songs were from the Monkee’s catalog of hits from the ’60s and ’70s....

ROCK

Justin Bieber Tells More of His Story in New Song, Bad Day (audio)

Keith GirardNovember 4, 2013

Justin Bieber may be lout but he’s sticking to his promise to release a new song every week as part of his “Music Mondays” series. His latest “Bad Day,” is another weeper that features Justin’s falsetto voice soaring on the high notes as he signs about love gone wrong. The tune features mainly guitar with an R&B sound that actually suits Justin well. Listen to it here. ...

POP

Celine Dion New Album, ‘Loved Me Back to Life,’ Full Stream! (Listen!)

Keith GirardOctober 29, 2013

Celine Dion could have gotten by singing pop standards forever, but she’s about to release her most daring album yet. Loved Me Back to Life, her first in English in six years, is edgier, but still modern and contemporary and all Celine. The 13-song set definitely has an edgier feel with a decidedly more contemporary urban, R&B vibe. ...

POP

Justin Bieber New Song ‘Recovery’ Has Tracy Chapman Vibe (Listen)

Keith GirardOctober 28, 2013

Justin Bieber has released a new song “Recovery,” that has almost a jazz sound, with refrains that seem to have an early Tracy Chapman vibe. What ever the case, it’s a more sophisticated sound for the pop singer. Bieber, 19, has been releasing songs as part of what he calls his #MusicMondays series....

POP

Lady Gaga Pays Homage to Love in New Song ‘Venus’ (listen!)

Keith GirardOctober 27, 2013

Lady Gaga rolled out another song, “Venus,” from her upcoming album ARTPOP. It’s a driving dance tune featuring the goddess of love. Although it’s decidedly different, it still evokes Madonna’s 1990 song “Vogue.” It could just be the way Gaga interjects the word “Venus,” in the song and how much it sounds like a similar interjection, “Vogue,” in Madonna’s song....

POP

Riley Keough, Michelle Williams Light Up Whitney Gala (photos!)

Keith GirardOctober 24, 2013

Riley Keough, granddaughter of the late King of Rock Elvis Presley, and actress Michelle Williams were among celebrities who polished their artsy cred at the Whitney Museum of American Art Gala & Studio Party in New York City last night (Oct. 23). Riley, who had a rough go in the tabloids recently, was the picture of hipster chic in her Louis Vuitton black mini-dress, with a white jacket from the designer’s spring 2013 collection....

ArtCalendarMUSEUMS