November 17, 2011

VH1 DIVAS Celebrates Soul Preview: Jennifer Hudson

VH1 DIVAS Celebrates Soul is set to premiere on Monday, December 19 at 9 p.m. ET. That day is a full month and some change away, but that doesn’t mean that we’re not already doing backflips of excitement about this year’s lineup, which will feature Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Florence + The Machine, Kelly Clarkson, Jessie J and Jennifer Hudson. Regarding the latter, we’re excited to reveal this new promo image of the Grammy- and Oscar-winning singer/actress J. Hud! We haven’t heard any advance word about what songs she’s planning on performing that night, but seeing as how one of the featured soul-music capitals we’ll be spotlighting is her hometown of Chicago, we’re sure she’s got some exciting tricks up her sleeve about how to best honor the rich musical legacy of the Windy City.

VH1 DIVAS Celebrates Soul will air exclusively on VH1 on Monday, December 19 at 9 p.m. ET/8 CT. Stay tuned to these pages for more updates as they come in!

RELATED: VH1 DIVAS Celebrates Soul On December 19 With Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson And More [VH1 Blog]

Tags: , , Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Florence and the Machine, Jessie J, VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul

November 10, 2011

Win A Trip To See VH1 DIVAS Celebrates Soul In New York City!

This year’s lineup for VH1 DIVAS Celebrates Soul is outstanding, and we’re fully confident that you’re going to love seeing the likes of Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Jill Scott, Florence + The Machine, Kelly Clarkson and Jessie J perform when the special airs on VH1 on Monday, December 19. However, wouldn’t it be even better if you were there seeing it live and in person?

Well, let us be the first to tell you that that person could be you! We’re excited to announce our 2011 VH1 DIVAS Tweetstakes, which is open today through November 23. Entering could not be any easier: Simply tweet a message about who you think has “real” soul to @VH1 and include the hashtag #VH1DIVAS and you’ll be entered in the contest, where we’ll eventually choose a winner at random. Yes, really, it’s as easy as that! Now, get those thumbs warmed up and start tweetin’.

(For those of you who delight in reading legalese, here’s the complete list of rules.)

Tags: , , , Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Florence and the Machine, Jessie J, VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul

October 27, 2011

VH1 DIVAS Celebrates Soul On December 19 With Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson And More

Hot off the presses, we’ve got some exciting news to share with you! We’ve been able to convince an outstanding array of wildly talented vocalists, including Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Jill Scott, Florence + The Machine, Kelly Clarkson and Jessie J, to participate in the latest entry in our long-running series, VH1 DIVAS. This year’s theme will be VH1 DIVAS Celebrates Soul, which will enable each of our performers to pay their respects to the cities where soul music originated and ultimately flourished, places like Chicago, Detroit, London, Memphis and Philadelphia. We’ll have more details on this amazing show in the coming days and weeks, but for now, here’s the full press release that just hit the wires.

 

VH1 DIVAS Celebrates Soul with Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Jill Scott, Florence + the Machine, Kelly Clarkson and Jessie J

VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul Pays Tribute to the Great Cities of Soul Music Including Chicago, Detroit, London, Memphis and Philadelphia

The Roots Confirmed to Perform as House Band

Special will air Monday, December 19 at 9 PM/8c on VH1

 

NEW YORK – October 27, 2011 – VH1’s beloved, popular franchise, VH1 Divas, returns and will pay tribute to the cities where soul gave birth to music’s most powerful classics and inspired today’s divas. Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Jill Scott, Florence + The Machine, Kelly Clarkson and Jessie J will pay homage to these cities and soul music’s timeless classics at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom. VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul premieres Monday, December 19 at 9 p.m. ET/8 CT on VH1.

The full press release continues below…

[click to continue…]

Tags: , , , , , Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige, The Roots, Jill Scott, Florence and the Machine, The USO Presents: VH1 Divas Salute the Troops, Big Morning Buzz Live, Jessie J

August 25, 2011

Aaliyah’s Music Industry Friends and Fans Take To Twitter To Mourn Her Loss

Aaliyah’s mystique was transcendental even before she tragically passed ten years ago today, so it’s not surprising that the impression she left and music she made continues to cause a rippling impact on music culture. For fans, her music was the backdrop to their lives, scoring everything from fun-filled rooftop dance parties to the moments when boots were knocked. Her peers in the music industry held her in the highest of regards, and those close to her have, for years, commented on her spirit’s ability to penetrate and inspire.

Having never met R&B’s trail-blazing beauty, Young Money’s Drake tweeted to Aaliyah just last night, nodding at his belief that she is, like an angel, actively guiding him through his career. But Drake is certainly not alone in sending messages out into the ether to celebrate the late singer; in an era where grieving is often done in a public forum, we’re lucky to be privy to a layer of digital mourning that, before social media, we may not have experienced. We’ll be adding to this post throughout the day, so take a look at the tweets and iconic photos below from the likes of close collaborators like Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, and more. And please, by all means, feel free to share your memories and tweets of Aaliyah with us in the comments as well.

[click to continue…]

Tags: , , , Ciara, Lil' Kim, Mary J. Blige, Timbaland, Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, Aaliyah, Drake, La La

August 24, 2011

85-Year-Old Tony Bennett To Intro Amy Winehouse VMA Tribute

The 2011 VMAs are airing live from Los Angeles on Sunday night, and the latest addition to the evening’s already-stellar lineup is Tony Bennett. The 85 year-old (!) will captain what’s sure to be an emotional tribute to recently-deceased singer Amy Winehouse. Introducing a slew of performers who are currently being kept confidential by the folks in MTV’s ivory tower, we’re excited to see that Bennett, who had recently collaborated with Winehouse on a duet due this fall, “Body and Soul,” will make an appearance on the notoriously youthful VMA stage. While the majority of the MTV audience’s demographic was not yet even a twinkle in their parents’ eyes when Bennett took home his first Grammy in 1963, this certainly isn’t the first time an elder statesman has been booked on MTV’s annual celebration of the year’s best music videos. Want to see what we mean? Check out our list of the Top 5 Oldest People To Appear On-Camera at The VMAS!

5) George Clinton, 52 Years-Old (1993): George Clinton presented the Best R&B Video award alongside West Coasters Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre in ’93. Then 52 years-old, the funk innovator and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee must have been pretty psyched to hand Moonmen over to the lovely ladies of En Vogue. And the Funky Divas were most likely equally as pleased!

4) Lou Reed, 54 Years-Old (1996): Making a cameo with house band(leader) Jack White of Raconteurs, Lou Reed of The Velvet Underground was well into his fifth decade at the ’96 Video Music Awards. Hosted by Dennis Leary, big winners that night included Coolio, Alanis Morrisette, and Smashing Pumpkins.

3) Diana Ross, 55 Years-Old (1999): Who could forget the jiggle heard ’round the world? When Mary J. Blige accompanied Lil’ Kim, Lil’ Kim’s breast, and Motown sensation Diana Ross to present the award for Best Hip-Hop in ’99, all hell broke loose! The then-55-year-old Rosstook it upon herself to, on live television, cup and jiggle Kim’s pasty-covered, partially-exposed boobie.

[click to continue…]

Tags: , , , , Alanis Morrissette, Amy Winehouse, Dr. Dre, Lil' Kim, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, The Raconteurs, Diana Ross, Tony Bennett, Lou Reed, George Clinton, Coolio, En Vogue, Jack White, Smashing Pumpkins

August 18, 2011

Who Is The Strongest Of Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger” Competition?

The down home diva Kelly Clarkson announced a release date (October 25) and a title (Stronger) for her fifth LP yesterday. Clarkson’s fans have been foaming at the mouth for months wondering when this album would officially come out, especially since a few songs (including “Dark Side” and “Let Me Down”) leaked last month and were well-received by her acolytes.

That said, when we first heard that she’d be titling her record Stronger, we couldn’t help but feel like, well, it had been done before. After all, it was only March of this year when country artist Sara Evans released an album bearing the same name. A little bit more research revealed that a handful of other well-known musicians have recorded tracks called “Stronger” in recent years, artists running the gamut from Kanye West to Britney Spears to Mary J. Blige to Faith Hill (the latter two of whom are, like Clarkson, former VH1 Divas). While it is still unclear if Clarkson’s new LP will have a title track of the same name, here’s a look at Kelly’s competition for becoming the strongest of the “Stronger” pack.

Artist: Mary J. Blige, “Stronger” (Listen to the song)
Album: More Than A Game (2009)
Refrain: “I’m stronger, stronger, stronger / I’m stronger, stronger, stronger”
Analysis: This song has very impressive DNA; it was written by Esther Dean, produced by Polow da Don, and sung by one of the best singers in the biz. However, it suffers retroactively because it’s so closely tied to the disappointing career arc of Miami Heat supervillain/choke artist LeBron James. The song first appeared on the soundtrack to the documentary about James’ high school years, More Than A Game, and feels overwhelmingly melodramatic and stripped of its potential anthemic power because of that association.
Rating:

[click to continue…]

Tags: , , , Britney Spears, Kanye West, Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige, Faith Hill, Dead by April

July 21, 2011

Behind The Music Sneak Peek: How Love Saved Mary J. Blige From A Life Of Alcohol Abuse

Behind The Music is moving to Sundays starting with this week’s premiere of the can’t-miss Mary J. Blige episode. In this sneak peek, Blige reveals how her budding romance with now-husband Kendu Isaacs inspired her to combat her worsening alcohol abuse. “The best thing you can do to me? Challenge me to challenge myself,” she says, and that’s exactly what Isaacs apparently did for her. She attributes her success to “willpower” and “prayer,” and admits, “It was hard.”

Make sure to catch the full episode on Behind The Music‘s new night, Sunday, July 24th at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

[click to continue…]

Tags: , , Mary J. Blige, Behind The Music

June 16, 2011

At Storytellers, Maxwell Pleads For The Troops To Come Home

On the surface, Maxwell’s “Fistful of Tears” comes off as a song that’s urging a woman to shake her unnecessary insecurities and, in the process, perhaps save him some unnecessary grief. Lyrics like “all you got to do is raise up, face up, stay up, all things will heal” make sense under that context and resonate deeply, so when the sultry singer revealed to our VH1 Storytellers audience that the song’s inspiration was actually drawn from the war in the Middle East, we were taken aback. But as he explains in the above sneak, Maxwell’s song-writing is a “three-prong experience,” alllowing him to apply (1) what he’s going through personally, (2) what he sees going on in the world, and (3) what he hopes the listener will get out of it, and therefore, our previous interpretation may still stand.

Before performing the powerful ballad in this clip, Maxwell candidly opens up about his opinions on the “religious war” that has been waged by the US, advocating a peaceful coexistence for all. “I hate the fact that we’re fighting, I can’t wait for the troops to come back,” said the R&B veteran, adding, “If your God is name this, and my God is named that, I’m cool.” And despite the fact that Max hates to name drop, he delivered this information via a story about being in the studio with Mary J. Blige and Anthony Hamilton, taming his somewhat reclusive mystique and making the story all-the-more juicy. Just as we were nodding our heads in new-found understanding, however, the soul singer brought us back full circle, noting that the song is also about trying to show someone “how great they are, when they can’t see how great they are.” A-ha! Not only was our original theory right after all, but it seems Maxwell also stayed true to his trusty three prongs– touching on both his life and world observations, all while allowing us to decode and evaluate for ourselves.

Tags: , Mary J. Blige, Storytellers, Maxwell, Anthony Hamilton

May 23, 2011

New Season of Behind The Music To Feature Adam Lambert, Ricky Martin, Missy Elliott And More

Behind The Music, one of the most beloved series in the history of our network, is celebrating its 14th anniversary this August. Next month, a brand new cycle of shows debuts, featuring intimate looks at the lives and careers of some of the biggest stars in the music industry: Adam Lambert, Ice Cube, Missy Elliott, Ricky Martin, Mary J. Blige, Enrique Iglesias, and Miranda Lambert. What you’re about to read is a press release that’s just hitting the wires … NOW!

VH1’S ICONIC MUSIC SERIES BEHIND THE MUSIC RETURNS WITH SEVEN ALL NEW EPISODES BEGINNING IN JUNE

FEATURED ARTISTS INCLUDE RICKY MARTIN, ADAM LAMBERT, MARY J. BLIGE, ENRIQUE IGLESIAS MIRANDA LAMBERT, MISSY ELLIOTT AND ICE CUBE

Behind The Music: Missy Elliott Kicks Off The Season on Wednesday, June 29 at 10 PM ET/PT

SANTA MONICA, CA – May 23, 2011 – VH1’s most celebrated music documentary series Behind The Music returns with seven of today’s most successful and celebrated artists. The five-time Emmy® Award-nominated series gives viewers a front row seat to the most exclusive and intimate interviews with the artists as well as their families, friends and colleagues. Featured this season are Missy Elliott, Ice Cube, Miranda Lambert, Mary J. Blige, Enrique Iglesias, Adam Lambert and Ricky Martin. Beginning on Wednesday, June 29 at 9 PM ET/PT with Behind The Music: Missy Elliott, the series will bring viewers never-before-seen footage of these talented musicians and the people who know them best.

[click to continue…]

Tags: , , Enrique Iglesias, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, Ice Cube, Ricky Martin, Miranda Lambert, Behind The Music, Adam Lambert, Behind the Music

June 17, 2008

Mary J. Blige Buys Fans Fancy Things

There are a billion reason to love Mary J. Blige, so let’s start the day with just one. The singer was shopping recently at the Diane Von Fustenberg stores in downtown NYC, and overheard a customer freaking out about a dress she had on hold that she thought was $500 but turned out to be $900. Mary J. swooped in and asked to pay for the balance on the dress. “I know what it’s like to want something and not be able to have it,” Mary J. said when the customer tried to deny her offer. “I insist.”

Awww! Aren’t you just swooning at her kindness? She even declined the lady’s offer to repay her the balance on the dress, saying, ” “Just enjoy it. I’m blessed, so let me do this.” Other celebs out there – are you listening? Buy us stuff we can’t afford! [NYP]

Tags: , , Mary J. Blige

Next »