~Saru-ya~

Thursday, August 09, 2007

7 Moonmen nominations for Beyonce, Justin.

[Source] With seven each, Beyonce and Justin Timberlake lead the nominations for the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, to be handed out Sept. 9 in Las Vegas. The two artists will square off in the video of the year category, with their songs "Irreplaceable" and "What Goes Around ... Comes Around" competing against Amy Winehouse's "Rehab," Justice's "Dance," Kanye West's "Stronger" and Rihanna's "Umbrella" featuring Jay-Z.

Other top nominees include West and Rihanna with five and Winehouse with three. Timbaland will serve as the musical director for the event as the Palms Casino Resort. Performances are confirmed from West, Winehouse, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Fall Out Boy, Foo Fighters and Lily Allen, with more to be announced. Read the full story from Billboard.

----------------

There are many categories which got the cut from MTV whilst the new, rather weird ones were introduced. Best Collabo got a new name, which is Best Earth-shattering Collaboration. There's also a new category called Quadruple Threat of the Year, where nominees have certain degree of success in multiple fields (music, movie, concert, and what is the other one???). In addition, there's also Monster Single of the Year, which, surprisingly didn't include Irreplaceable as one of the nominated songs. No more viewers choice awards. Instead, viewers can now choose the winner for Best new Artist (which I think will most probably go to Carrie Underwood, who is contending agaisnt Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, just to name a few). Here's the aprtial list of the nominees:

Video of the Year
Amy Winehouse - "Rehab"
Beyoncé - "Irreplaceable"
Justice - "D.A.N.C.E."
Justin Timberlake - "What Goes Around ... "
Kanye West - "Stronger"
Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z) - "Umbrella"

Male Artist of the Year
Akon - "Don't Matter," "I Wanna Love You" (featuring Snoop Dogg), "Smack That" (featuring Eminem)
Kanye West - "Can't Tell Me Nothing," "Stronger," "Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been" — DJ Premier remix, featuring Nas, KRS-One and Rakim)
Justin Timberlake - "Let Me Talk To You/ My Love," "SexyBack" (featuring Timbaland), "What Goes Around ... "
T.I. - "Big Things Poppin' (Do It)," "You Know What It Is" (featuring Wyclef Jean), "What You Know"
Robin Thicke - "Can U Believe," "Lost Without U," "Wanna Love You Girl" (remix, featuring Busta Rhymes and Pharrell)

Female Artist of the Year
Amy Winehouse - "Rehab," "You Know I'm No Good"
Beyoncé - "Irreplaceable," "Beautiful Liar" (featuring Shakira)
Fergie - "Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal)," "Glamorous" (featuring Ludacris), Fergalicious" (featuring Will.I.Am)
Nelly Furtado - "Maneater," "Say It Right"
Rihanna - "Umbrella" (featuring Jay-Z)

Best New Artist
Amy Winehouse - "Rehab," "You Know I'm No Good"
Carrie Underwood - "Before He Cheats"
Gym Class Heroes - "Clothes Off," "Cupid's Chokehold/ Breakfast in America"
Lily Allen - "Alfie," "Smile," "LDN"
Peter Bjorn and John - "Young Folks"

Best Group
Fall Out Boy - "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race," "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs"
Gym Class Heroes - "Clothes Off," "Cupid's Chokehold/ Breakfast in America"
Linkin Park - "What I've Done"
Maroon 5 - "Makes Me Wonder"
White Stripes - "Icky Thump"

Most Earthshattering Collaboration
Akon (featuring Eminem) - "Smack That"
Beyoncé and Shakira - "Beautiful Liar"
Justin Timberlake (featuring Timbaland) - "SexyBack"
Gwen Stefani (featuring Akon) - "The Sweet Escape"
U2 (featuring Green Day) - "The Saints Are Coming"

Quadruple Threat of the Year
Beyoncé
Bono
Jay-Z
Justin Timberlake
Kanye West

Monster Single of the Year
Avril Lavigne - "Girlfriend"
Daughtry - "Home"
Fall Out Boy - "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs"
Lil Mama - "Lip Gloss (No Music)"
T-Pain (featuring Yung Joc) - "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')"
Timbaland (featuring Keri Hilson, D.O.E. and Sebastian) - "The Way I Are"
MIMS - "This Is Why I'm Hot"
Plain White T's - "Hey There, Delilah"
Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z) - "Umbrella"
Shop Boyz - "Party Like A Rock Star"

Best Director
Beyoncé and Shakira - "Beautiful Liar" (director: Jake Nava)
Christina Aguilera - "Candyman" (directors: Mathew Rolston and Christina Aguilera)
Justin Timberlake - "What Goes Around ..." (director: Samuel Bayer)
Kanye West - "Stronger" (director: Hype Williams)
Linkin Park - "What I've Done" (director: Joseph Hahn)
»ihanna (featuring Jay-Z) - "Umbrella" (director: Chris Applebaum)

Best Choreography in a Video
Beyoncé and Shakira - "Beautiful Liar" (choreographer: Frank Gatson)
Chris Brown - "Wall To Wall" (choreographers: Rich & Tone and Flii Styles)
Ciara - "Like A Boy" (choreographer: Jamaica Craft)
Eve - "Tambourine" (choreographer: Tahesha Scott)
Justin Timberlake (featuring Timbaland) - "SexyBack" (choreographer: Marty Kuldeka)

Nominees in italics are my own preference to win the award which it is nominated in. Anyway, I came across a website where viewers voiced up their reaction towards the list. Let's see what few of them have to say:

The Future: I don't understand the VMA'S blind obsession with Beyonce.

OJODIAMANTE: I'm Surprised at No KELLY CLARKSON

AltorRDS: I think I'm the only one satisfied with the new categories and nominations. I am particularly happy because Amy Winehouse got some great recognition.

Xtina: Another flop of a VMA's in my opinion. Disappointed once again!!

Atypical: Boooo to these dumb new categories.

Troy: And Beyonce does NOT need 7 nominations. Ridiculous!

For more, visit this forum. At the same time, TIME has used the word desperate against this year's list. read it here.

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Rumor: Rihanna envies Beyonce in NYC Concert

[Source] August 06, 2007. MediaTakeOut.com has received numerous reports that Rihanna attended Beyonce's New York City performance on Saturday night. Here's one account of what happened on that fateful evening:

Rihanna was the only person at [New York's] Madison Square Garden sitting when Beyonce was opened and performed. She had her arms folded with a nasty pout on her mouth the whole show.

Irregardlesss [sic], Beyonce gave a great performance. She remained professional despite having to look in the crowd for her man Jigga, only to see his mistress frowning and sitting [near] him. That goes to show how irreplacable she is...

Rihanna, might be able to have her man. But she'll never have her success...

Come notable comments:

1) In favour of Rihanna:

DG1

MTO y'all lying. Go to Ultimate Rhianna.com and they got pics of her cheesin, with her hands all up in the air. pleaze RiRi enjoyed that show. She a fan.

Sweetness1

I had tickets to a Janet Jackson show years ago and sat right in the middle of alot of celebs..and not one of them was jumpin up,hoopin and friggin hollaring like the fans were..

Celebs dont act like that usually..doesnt mean
RiRi had an attitude.

2) Not in favour of Rihanna:

lol1431

I WAS THERE, DAT BITCH WAS TIGHT THE WHOLE NIGHT LOL

disisreality

wow...... rhi rhi u really got it bad!!!!! u need to recognize n realize dat u cant eva and wont (WONT)be able to even fit in bey's shoes so u need to loose the attitude, sit back n learn.okkkkkkkk

beyisthebest

LMAO...If I was Rhianna I would be VERY jealous. I mean I'm not trying to knock Rhianna down but majority of ppl think that she is talentless and I agree. She can't sing or dance and like someone said she should just be happy that she got a record deal b/c that was a miracle. She aint got nothing on Bey so I don't know if they have beef but if they do Bey wins at the end of every day. No one does a performance like Bey and I heard that Jay was there smiling the whole time and that he wasn't no where near Rhianna. So whatever the case may be Bey definitely ain't got nothing to worry about b/c she is on top and she's been on top for I don't know how many years and that is why her haters are getting so irritated. I know Bey is laughing her ass off at the haters and enjoying every minute of it.

Note: I clearly think that this rumor is untrue. Rihanna takes Beyonce as her influence, which means she has some respect for her senior, at least.

Rihanna Takes On Britney Spears

August 05, 2007. MediaTakeOut.com got a hold of Rihannas recent spread in Maxim Magazine in Germany. Here's an excerpt of the interview:

What was the latest crazy thing you did?
I got a tatoo - while I was interviewed. We were sitting at a tatoo studio in New York and I thought. Come on Rihana, since you are here already, you can do it. So I got a Sanskrit tatoo on my lower back.

On your butt?
No, a little higher.

Is that your first tatoo?
No, it is already the fourth. I also have clef on my on my right foot and a little tatoo in my right and left ear.

I am sure your boyfriend thinks the tatoos are totally sexy.
Boyfriend? No. I have to pass. Unfortunately I have no time for that.

Can men trust you anyway or are you very trustworthy?
I never cheated on a boy with whom I was together. However, my experiences with love affairs are still limited.

Do you ask yourself sometimes how it came that went up all the way?
Of course. Especially in the beginning I was truely shocked. I was only 17 and people could buy my records all over the world. I am a girl from Barbados – what did I know about the world three years ago? I never would have thought that I ever would travel to Germany – that is absolutely crazy.

What influence has the success on you? Are you more arrogant, bitchier?
I don’t think so. I don’t want that. In reality I am quite shy, maybe that is perceived as arrogant.

Shy? As a pop star?
Now you are shocked, aren’t you? It already got better. Before I was incredibly irritated by my shyness. I was fed up with this girl who didn’t have the heart to do things and was always afraid.

Is that the reason you changed your styling? It appears now…
… more mature, I know. Two years you could’nt have dressed up so provocative. I wasn’t allowed to. My manager didn’t allow to much openness/candidness. Now I also wear belly free clothes and hot pants. I like it sexy.

Did you ever get wasted?
I do like to go out. Here in Europe I allowed to drink alcohol. I never have been really drunk. One, two cocktails, that’s it.

Are you afraid to end up like Britney Spears?
No, I am not afraid of that. That doesn’t suit me. I am not going to slip off / slump. It just began to take off.

Check [source] out for pictures.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

It has been long since I updated myself with the spanking new music which is making hot waves in the industry right now. Lately, I'm pretty much hooked up with Rihanna's new album, Good Girl Gone Bad. Well, the album is most notable for the current hit, Umbrella, but there are a couple of songs to look out for too, such as Breakin Dishes, Don't Stop The Music and Shut Up and Drive (which happens to be the next single to be issued). Unlike her previous albums which were more reggae tone inspired, the sound from this album has been repackaged and reinvented in order to build a wider appeal, and hell, it did. Looks like Rihanna's going to make a big name for herself as she turns bad.

Her hit single, Umbrella.

Singing Shut Up and Drive live.

Another mesmerizing summer song is Sean Kingston's Beautiful Girl. As it samples heavily on Stand by Me by ben E. King, this new song is undoubtedly sweet, spicy and sexy all at once. You might not have heard of SK, but with this song, his invisibility is now void.

Enjoy!

She might be busy touring, but concert is not just the only thing in her mind. With almost 3 million concert patrons to date, Shakira has truly established herself as a Diva in the making. Las de la Intuicion or Pure Intuition has been released for quite some time now. The up-tempo song is simply superb. Love the beats, love the lyrics.