Jesse Jackson adds voice to Grammy protest

(Reuters) - Civil rights activist the Rev. Jesse James on Friday urged Grammy organizers to reinstate 31 ethnic and minority musical categories that have been cut from the music industry's top awards.

In a letter to Recording Academy president Neil Portnow, sent three weeks before the February 12 Grammy Awards show, Jackson said the elimination of awards for Native American and Hawaiian musicians, and cuts in Latin Jazz, R&B and other categories were ill-considered and unfair.

Jackson said some of the categories dropped by the Recording Academy in a major overhaul last year "constitute the very heart of the music that nourishes and inspires minority communities."

Writing on behalf of the Rainbow Push Coalition of U.S. civil rights groups, Jackson called for an urgent meeting with Portnow to try and resolve the conflict that has spurred months of protests and a lawsuit by leading musicians.

Portnow said on Friday he was "receptive to meeting with the Rev. Jackson to explain how our nomination process works and to show the resulting diverse group of nominees it produced" for this year's Grammy Awards.

Paul Simon, Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt and Bobby Sanabria are among dozens of musicians who have protested the decision, announced last April, to slash the number of Grammy categories to 78 from 109 for the 2012 Grammy Awards.

Some categories, such as Hawaiian and Native American albums were dropped completely, while others including Latin music and R&B saw the number of award categories halved.

Portnow said at the time the changes were necessary to maintain "the prestige of the highest and only peer-recognized award in music."

Sanabria and three other Latin Jazz musicians filed a lawsuit in New York in August saying the cuts would harm their careers financially. They have also called for a boycott of the CBS network, which broadcasts the annual Grammy Awards show in Los Angeles.

The 2012 Grammy Awards take place on February12. Rapper Kanye West leads the field of contenders with seven nominations followed by British singer Adele, Bruno Mars and alternative rock band Foo Fighters.

(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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Maroon 5 making moves thanks to 'Jagger,' 'Voice' (AP)

NEW YORK – Before joining NBC's "The Voice," Adam Levine says some folks assumed he was some "singing bimbo that likes girls." So he's grateful to the show for providing a bit of clarification on his image.

"It was a nice opportunity to show my personality — that I have a brain," said the lead singer of Maroon 5. "It's also true: I am a bimbo and I like to sing and I like girls, but there's more to my personality; it's a little more dynamic than that, and I like to show that on the show. It's cool."

The singing competition — which also features Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton as music coaches — was a hit in its first season. The four coaches chose teams of eight after an audition process that allowed them only to hear the contestant's voice, but not to see them. Once teams were whittled down to one contestant for each coach, Levine's mentee — the crooner Javier Colon — was crowned the winner.

"The Voice" helped showcase the playful and sillier side of the heavily-inked Levine. Band keyboardist Jesse Carmichael says Levine's presence on the show "was so positive for him definitely as a person, but for us as a band, too."

Now, the group is taking advantage of the buzz: They recently released "Moves Like Jagger," which features "Voice" co-star Aguilera, and it will be the No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 charts Thursday. It also hit No. 1 on the European and Canadian charts.

The dance song is a departure for the pop-rockers, and they say they're rushing to get a new album out this fall. In the past, the group released an album every three or four years.

"We're going to make it as quickly as we can (and) ride this wave of momentum," Levine said in an interview last week.

"That's too long," he explained about past breaks between records. "We can't do that anymore. We've got to keep moving."

The Grammy-winning group's 2002 debut, "Songs About Jane," sold 4.7 million units and they followed that with another multiplatinum-seller, 2006's "It Won't Be Soon Before Long." Last fall, they dropped their third album, the gold-selling "Hands All Over," which was re-released to feature "Jagger."

On Maroon 5's upcoming album, the group says they want to take a new direction. "Jagger" was produced Benny Blanco and Shellback, hitmakers for acts like Katy Perry, Ke$ha and Britney Spears.

"We can definitely stand to take more risks," Levine said. "It's awesome to have that little feeling in your stomach like, `Oh, this isn't safe, this isn't normal for us' ... (and) if you don't do that, I think you're dead a as band."

The second season of "The Voice" premieres after the Super Bowl on Feb. 5.

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Review: Jake Owen needs to find his own voice (AP)

By MICHAEL McCALL, For The Associated Press Michael Mccall, For The Associated Press – Tue Aug 30, 4:52 pm ET

Jake Owen, "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" (RCA)

Jake Owen's third album, "Barefoot Blue Jean Night," opens with a guy telling his lover he'll do whatever she wants to make her happy. The song, "Anywhere With You," epitomizes Owen's country music career: He strains for radio play by following formulas established by others, which keeps Owen from establishing his own identity or point of view.

Owen occasionally achieves a hit: The new album's breezy title cut has become his third top 10 single. But he misses more than he scores, and the reason can be found in songs like the cliche-filled "Keepin' It Country" and the silly "Apple Pie Moonshine," in which a blue-collar guy hits it off with a wealthy young woman because her moonshine tastes so sweet. As in the past, he focuses on lightweight fare that doesn't resonate.

On better songs — such as the dramatic narrative "The One That Got Away" or the beach-party celebration, "Nobody Feelin' No Pain" — Owen shows talent and personality. But he hasn't climbed to stardom as quickly as peers Jason Aldean and Jamey Johnson because, thus far, he's failed to suggest he has anything distinctive to offer. "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" doesn't change that assessment.

CHECK OUT THIS TRACK: "Alone With You" is a moody ballad about confronting a woman who only flirts with him when she's drinking. Throughout the song Owen displays a dramatic intensity that proves meatier material suits him.

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Review: TV's "The Voice" album is a listenable experience (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – It may be that we don't need another line of pop hits remade by barely identifiable reality-show contestants or actors, when we already have more "American Idol" and "Glee" albums than America's shrinking music-retail shelves can hold.

Actually, it's certain that we don't. But if the gods have decreed we have to have another cover-tune franchise, thank God it's "The Voice," whose credible coaches know first-hand that individuality of interpretation counts.

The breakout series' first full-length soundtrack, "The Voice: Season 1 The Highlights," turns out to be an altogether listenable experience on its own "reality"-free terms. Part of the reason is that, on the surface, several of the 11 singers seem wrong for the material they're singing -- which is why things sometimes go so intriguingly right.

Do we really want to hear anyone other than Dolly Parton sing "Jolene?" (Besides the White Stripes?) Hardly, but the case is easier to make with someone whose voice is the opposite of crystalline Dolly's -- that being, in this case, Vicci Martinez's slightly cracked, more R&B-rooted tones.

Usually the singers on "Idol" are trying to out-brass the originals, so it's a delight to hear Xenia offering a sweeter, more relaxed take on "Price Tag" than Jessie J, the originating British diva, did. (In this case, it may help not to have watched the show; Xenia's live performing skills, or the alleged lack thereof, were supposedly what got her voted off early, but on record, her contribution may be the album's most instantly appealing.)

Nirvana's "Come as You Are" wasn't made for as wistful and free-range a warbler as Rebecca Loebe, but even if you believe all too well that she "don't have a gun," she's packing an alternative approach that suits Kurt Cobain's former surliness just fine.

Of course, when it comes to Kanye West's "Heartless," any interpreter who isn't blatantly singing through Autotune's electronic filtering would be radically breaking from form. It's a bit of a stunt to turn his electro-lament into a more traditional ballad, but runner-up Dia Frampton finds the heart in West's seething.

While series winner Javier Colon doesn't take many chances with the tune that introduced him, "Time After Time," you'd be hard-pressed to argue that even Cyndi Lauper's iconic version has anything in loveliness on his tender vocal or, especially, its bare-bones arrangement.

The album isn't all about departure: Frenchie Davis' "When Love Takes Over" couldn't skew much closer to the minor David Guetta original. But Davis arguably brings more vocal character to the dance track than Guetta's guest, Kelly Rowland, did, which is merit enough for its inclusion.

If you didn't watch the series and weren't invested in the cast, listening to the "Voice Highlights" album won't change your musical life, but it should at least change your viewing habits next season.

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Korean "street boy" wows world with voice and courage (Reuters)

SEOUL (Reuters) – Dressed in blue jeans, a checked shirt and sneakers, the soft-spoken young contestant 40272 on "Korea's Got Talent" seemed a far cry from a typical opera singer.

But Sung-bong Choi's powerful baritone and his inspirational life story have now pulled at the heart strings of millions around the world thanks to the Internet, a story rivaling that of Susan Boyle.

Saturday he goes before the judges again in a semifinal round of the popular talent contest. But Choi, 22, now has as many fans from outside South Korea as at home and has been lauded by the likes of Justin Bieber.

"For me, singing is a wide bridge that links me to the people and the world," he said in an email to Reuters.

In May, in the first round, when a judge said she couldn't tell his occupation from the way he looked, Choi gave a nervous smile and said he was a manual laborer, to audience laughter.

"You mean, early in the morning and things like that?" the judge said, laughing.

A moment later, Choi hesitated when asked about his leaving the "family" portion of the application blank, then revealed in a soft voice that he'd been left in an orphanage at age three.

He said he ran away two years later after he was beaten by people there, and then lived on the streets in the city of Daejon, south of Seoul. He survived by selling gum and energy drinks, and sleeping "on the stairs or in public toilets."

Choi confessed just before his performance that he did not sing that well, but added "But when I sing, I feel like I become a different person." Then he launched into the Italian song "Nella Fantasia" (In My Fantasy).

His rendition left the audience and judges in tears.

"I just wanna give you a hug," one judge said.

In a country which has spawned countless K-pop boy and girl bands which have churned out hit after hit across Asia after careful grooming and rigorous training, Choi's rise to fame is even more phenomenal than his choice of song.

Like Susan Boyle, who shot to fame on a British TV talent show and became an Internet hit with a song from an Andrew Lloyd-Webber musical, Choi has become a global phenomenon.

His story has gone viral on YouTube, with more than 9 million hits. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BewknNW2b8Y&feature=player_embedded).

The likes of pop star Bieber, who was himself discovered on YouTube in 2008, and the "Perez Hilton" celebrity gossip website are among those lauding his talents.

"MUSIC IS MY BEST FRIEND"

While some on the Internet have questioned the authenticity of his story, the show's producer Kim Sae-jin stands by Choi.

Indeed, Choi's case was all too familiar during the height of the Asia financial crisis in the late 1990s, when authorities said thousands of children were abandoned by one or both parents. Many lived at home alone.

"I have lived from hand to mouth and had even given up on my life as I guessed there was no more hope in the future. During that time, music is my only best friend," Choi said in his email.

The turning point came at 14, when a woman from a snack bar near a bus station in Daejon helped him enter night school. He soon passed middle and elementary school equivalency exams, and teachers discovered his talent for singing.

"I still remember the moment when I first met a singer at nightclub when I was selling chewing gum. That was just a miracle," Choi said.

"Every melody of the song touched me deeply and made me feel alive amid happiness and joy. That highly motivated me."

"I want to be a person who gives hope and happiness with a song," he added.

(Writing by Jeremy Laurence; editing by Elaine Lies)

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"Voice" coaches to return to welcome NBC TV hit (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Singers Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine will return for a second season of "The Voice," which is ailing network NBC's most successful new show in years.

NBC said on Thursday that all four "coaches," who help the contestants hone their skills in the music talent contest, would take part in a second season, but the network did not say exactly when the new set of shows would begin.

Some industry watchers speculate that NBC may try to challenge Fox's juggernaut "American Idol" when it returns to airwaves in the winter of 2012.

"Our fantastic coaches were integral to the tremendous success of 'The Voice' this year and we are thrilled that they are all returning," said Paul Telegdy, head of alternative programing at NBC. "We look forward to building season two and making 'The Voice' an even greater experience for fans."

NBC's announcement came a day after 10.8 million Americans tuned in to see soulful singer Javier Colon win the contest, a $100,000 prize and a recording contract.

The contest brings a fresh twist to the plethora of TV talent searches by having the four celebrities mentor contestants, sing live with them, and occasionally perform together as a quartet. It has almost doubled viewership at NBC in its time period, compared to a year ago.

Wednesday's two-hour finale also gave NBC its highest non-sports rating among the 18-49 age group most coveted by advertisers since January 2008, the network said.

In addition, it has also boosted the commercial fortunes of singers Aguilera and Green, country star Shelton and Maroon 5 frontman Levine.

All four currently have tracks in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts, while Colon and runner-up Dia Frampton were top of the iTunes singles charts on Thursday.

"The Voice" came too late to rescue NBC from bottom place among the leading four U.S. networks for the official 2010-11 TV season that ended in May.

But the network has high hopes for 2012. "The Voice" will get a major showcase in February immediately after the Super Bowl -- the biggest sports and TV event of the year.

NBC on Thursday declined to specify when "The Voice" will return, other than to say it will resume in "mid-season" which could mean roughly anytime in the first few months of 2012.

That leaves the door open for a slot any time between January and May, and a possible direct challenge to "American Idol" which drew more than 29 million viewers for its 2011 finale and remains the most popular show in the United States.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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NBC's 'The Voice' gives voice to gay singers (AP)

NEW YORK – NBC's hit show "The Voice" is giving a voice to gay singers.

The singing competition wraps its first season this week with four contestants battling for the championship. Two of those finalists are gay.

Other TV talent shows such as "American Idol" and "America's Got Talent" have featured gay performers but not in an open way. For example, Adam Lambert, who won second place on "American Idol" in 2009, didn't address his sexuality until after the competition ended. He's had success as an openly gay performer, earning a Grammy nomination, a gold-selling CD and a pair of Top 40 hits.

But the presence of gay singers on "The Voice" is fresh for prime-time TV, and the singers are making a splash at a time when New York State has legalized gay marriage.

"It couldn't have come at a better time, could it?" said Beverly McClellan, a 41-year-old gravelly voiced singer from Virginia and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., whose partner has appeared backstage on the show with her.

McClellan is working with Christina Aguilera on "The Voice." Vicci Martinez, a 26-year-old energetic singer from Tacoma, Wash., is also gay and has Cee Lo Green as her mentor.

"Everybody is just evaluated based on their talent and their voice, and that has no boundaries and no boxes to put anybody in," said Audrey Morrissey, one of the show's executive producers.

Aguilera, Green, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine serve as coaches on the show. The four chose teams of eight after an audition process that allowed them only to hear the singer's voice but not to see them. Teams were whittled down to one contestant for each coach in the finals.

The winning singer gets a record contract with Universal Republic Records and a $100,000 prize.

McClellan and Martinez have battled multiple rounds to land in the Top 4. They both received top votes in their teams when each group was reduced from four to two contestants.

McClellan, who rocks a shaven head and multiple tattoos, won over Aguilera and Levine with her rendition of the soul song "Piece of My Heart" during the auditions round.

"I just think that it's amazing that America voted for me to stay, living as a 41-year-old lesbian with a unique look," she said. "America has come a long way."

Martinez agrees, saying that she feels like "there's a shift right now in the universe."

"People are waking up and people are being honest with themselves," she said.

Martinez, whose staggering covers of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" and Florence + the Machine's "Dog Days Are Over" helped make her one of the competition's front-runners, believes the show's success is shifting the state of the record business.

"The music industry is changing and 'The Voice' is going to be a big reason for that," she said.

Morrissey, whose producing credits include MTV's "Unplugged" and the Video Music Awards, doesn't think the singers' sexuality will hinder their singing careers.

"Clearly America loves them — they voted for them. I don't think they're going to have a problem at all," she said.

The other two finalists on "The Voice" are Dia Frampton, the bubbly and smooth singer working with Shelton, and Javier Colon, a powerful crooner with Levine of Maroon 5.

The winner will be crowned Wednesday (NBC, 8 p.m. EDT). The finalists will perform original tunes for the first time Tuesday night (9 p.m. EDT). The singers are getting a big boost thanks to the show's ratings — a 13.2 million viewership average, according to Nielsen Co.

Besides Martinez and McClellan, another gay singer on the show was Nakia, a bluesy performer who appeared at the auditions with his boyfriend. He was Green's second finalist, behind Martinez. And there was also Tyler Robinson, voted off early from Shelton's team.

The singers said they didn't think twice about hiding their sexualities when appearing on national television.

"I've been told from people that I should sometimes, just make people keep guessing," Martinez said. "I'm out here trying to speak truth and tell people to live their truth, and that's just ridiculous."

McClellan has released five albums independently. She got word about "The Voice" auditions from the studio where she records music. She said she had no interest in becoming a commercial singer because of industry stereotypes and standards.

"(I) never wanted (a recording contract) because I didn't want to be told what to do. But I figured at 41 I'm already set in my ways, I don't think anybody can really change me," she said.

She also said she and mentor Aguilera didn't talk about her sexuality.

"I've tried to stay out of that box 'cause I don't think my singing has anything to do with being gay," she said.

Green got backlash last week after tweeting a music critic who gave an underwhelming review of his live show. "People enjoyed last night! I'm guessing you're gay? And my masculinity offended you?" he tweeted. Some people accused the singer of being homophobic, but Martinez said that's not the case.

"He apologized like so many times," she said. "He called me, texted me, tweeted me. Even a week later he's like, 'I really want you to know I'm so sorry. That was so stupid of me. It was taken totally out of context. You know that I love you.'

"I didn't take any offense to it," Martinez said.

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Mesfin Fekadu covers entertainment for the Associated Press. Follow him at http://twitter.com/musicmesfin

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Miranda Lambert to perform on NBC's `The Voice' (AP)

LOS ANGELES – Miranda Lambert is stepping into new husband Blake Shelton's territory.

On next Wednesday's season finale of NBC's hit singing contest, "The Voice," Lambert will perform a duet with the finalist who was on Shelton's team, Dia Frampton.

Lambert, a Grammy winner for her single "The House That Built Me," said she was "thrilled" to be part of "The Voice."

"It's been a joy watching my husband grow so attached to his team. Truthfully, I am a little jealous that I am not a coach myself. I can't wait to be a part of it," she said.

Country superstars Lambert and Shelton were married last month.

"The Voice" also features Christina Aguilera, Maroon 5's Adam Levine and Cee Lo Green as coaches to their own groups of would-be pop stars.

The other finalists competing with Frampton are Javier Colon, Beverly McClellan and Vicci Martinez. The four will perform next Tuesday, with the viewers' choice to be announced on the finale the following night. The winner gets a record contract and a $100,000 prize.

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Will Cheryl Cole judge UK's version of "The Voice?" (Reuters)

LONDON (Hollywood Reporter) – The BBC has won the battle to bring talent search show "The Voice" to BBC1 after a high stakes battle with ITV. The move could see Cheryl Cole back on British screens next year.

The Girls Aloud singer, who was unceremoniously dumped from "X-Factor" U.S. earlier this month, also lost out on her chance to rejoin the British version of the show - which airs on ITV1 - after refusing to take calls from ITV executives.

There is no word about Cole signing to the BBC1 Saturday night show -- yet. But as the most popular talent show judge in the U.K. after Simon Cowell, Cole will be the viewers' choice to front the BBC show, and if wooed to the BBC could secure the show's success for the BBC.

A rep for Cole denies that "any discussions with Talpa have taken place."

BBC1 boss Danny Cohen said he has signed a deal with the show's creator, John de Mol, whose production company Talpa Media is behind the NBC show starring Christine Aguilera, Cee Lo Green and Adam Levine. The U.K. show will be co-produced by Talpa and Warner Bros-owned British company Shed Media.

"It's a big, exciting and warm-hearted series and will be a fantastic Saturday night event on BBC1," said Cohen.

"The Voice" initially began life as "The Voice of Holland" and was the most watched talent competition in the history of Dutch TV.

Creator John de Mol said it represented "a new generation" in its genre. "I am so glad it has been picked up by the BBC, who really share my passion and belief in the show," he added.

(Editing by Zorianna Kit)

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Gainsbourg's smoky voice selling perfume in France (Reuters)

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Placido Domingo adds voice to FIFA reform committee (AFP)

WASHINGTON (AFP) – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has named opera legend Placido Domingo, former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Dutch football icon Johan Cruyff to a "council of wisdom" to help solve FIFA's woes.

The 75-year-old global football supremo, elected unopposed to a fourth and final term as FIFA president last week, told CNN on Monday that he has assembled a solutions committee to deal with controversy involving his election and selection of World Cup hosts.

"These gentlemen are more or less advisors," Blatter told CNN. "They are not the experts but advisors and what they should be also is the kind of council of wisdom -- which my executive committee would not like because they think they are the council of wisdom."

FIFA needs all the wisdom it can get after a bribery scandal involving his only presidential rival candidate, Mohamed bin Hammam, and another executive committee member, Jack Warner. Both have been suspended while a probe is conducted.

"To rebuild the image of FIFA, that's No. 1," Blatter said of his priorities.

To that aim of credibility, Blatter named people whose links to football are far less strong than their fame in other areas.

Spanish-born 70-year-old tenor Domingo is best known for singing in concerts before four World Cups in a row starting in 1990 along with Jose Carreras and the late Luciano Pavarotti as part of "The Three Tenors".

Kissinger, 88, was an avid booster of the New York Cosmos during the 1970s after making his fame in America by serving in the government administration and also helped out in advising the International Olympic Committee on reforms after the Salt Lake City votes for bribes scandal.

He has yet to agree to join the advisory panel.

"Placido Domingo will be part. He is happy. He is proud that he is part," Blatter said. "Kissinger also. People say he's an old man but he's a wise man.

"Let me work with this committee of solutions," Blatter said. "And if this committee of solutions or the ethics committee have the impression that they should do something, then let them take the decisions."

A FIFA official will chair the committee of solutions, Blatter seeing no need for an independent group to provide outside oversight of FIFA's actions.

"The football family has asked me to solve the solution inside FIFA and not outside FIFA," Blatter said. "If we have to go and open our borders and say everyone can come in... we are a very organized institution with 208 associations, six continents.

"I've put already zero tolerance in the agenda."

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Rihanna defends video, says victims need a voice (AP)

NEW YORK – Rihanna is defending her latest music video, which opens with a man being shot in the head.

"Man Down," which premiered Tuesday on BET, is a song about a girl who shoots her abuser in public. The video also portrays sexual assault.

On Wednesday, the Parents Television Council called the clip "disturbing" and asked BET to stop airing it.

But on Thursday's "106 & Park," BET's music video countdown show, Rihanna said the video is "art with a message."

"We just wanted to hone in on a very serious matter that people are afraid to address, especially if you've been victimized in this scenario," Rihanna said.

BET says it will continue to play the video, explaining that the network "has a comprehensive set of standards and guidelines that are applied to all of our content" and that Rihanna's video "complied with these guidelines and was approved for air."

MTV and VH1 have not played the video. Representatives for both networks said they are currently reviewing the video.

BET, MTV and VH1 are owned by Viacom.

Rihanna, who was attacked by then-boyfriend Chris Brown in February 2009, says she doesn't agree with violence.

Brown attacked Rihanna on the eve of the Grammys. He pleaded guilty to a felony and was sentenced to five years' probation.

"I've been abused in the past and you don't see me running around killing people in my spare time," she said.

But the 23-year-old says rape happens too often and those victims need a voice.

"If I can be a voice for so many that aren't heard, then I win twice," she said.

The "Man Down" clip was directed by Anthony Mandler, who has directed other Rihanna videos.

The Grammy winner says she didn't intend to make a controversial music video. She was hoping to display her acting skills and create "something raw and artistic."

The video for "Man Down" has not yet appeared on iTunes. A rep for iTunes said that decision is up to the label.

An email seeking comment from Rihanna's record label went unreturned Thursday.

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Rihanna defends video, says victims need a voice (AP)

NEW YORK – Rihanna is defending her latest music video, which opens with a man being shot in the head.

"Man Down," which premiered Tuesday on BET, is a song about a girl who shoots her abuser in public. The video also portrays sexual assault.

On Tuesday, the Parents Television Council called the clip "disturbing" and asked BET to stop airing it.

But on Thursday's "106 & Park," BET's music video countdown show, Rihanna said the video is "art with a message."

"We just wanted to hone in on a very serious matter that people are afraid to address, especially if you've been victimized in this scenario," Rihanna said.

BET says it will continue to play the video, explaining that the network "has a comprehensive set of standards and guidelines that are applied to all of our content" and that Rihanna's video "complied with these guidelines and was approved for air."

MTV hasn't played the video. A MTV representative said they're "in the process of reviewing the video."

Rihanna, who was attacked by then-boyfriend Chris Brown in February 2009, says she doesn't agree with violence.

Brown attacked Rihanna on the eve of the Grammys two years ago. He pleaded guilty to a felony and was sentenced to five years' probation.

"I've been abused in the past and you don't see me running around killing people in my spare time," she said.

But the 23-year-old says rape happens too often and those victims need a voice.

"If I can be a voice for so many that aren't heard, then I win twice," she said.

The "Man Down" clip was directed by Anthony Mandler, who has directed other Rihanna videos.

The Grammy winner says she didn't intend to make a controversial music video. She was hoping to display her acting skills and create "something raw and artistic."

The video for "Man Down" has not yet appeared on iTunes. A rep for iTunes said that decision is up to the label.

An email seeking comment from Rihanna's record label went unreturned Thursday.

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Cee Lo Green: "Voice" judges back for season two (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Billboard) – Before NBC's hit singing competition "The Voice" kicks off its finals phase and transitions to live broadcasts beginning June 7, Cee Lo Green tells Billboard.com that he and the other judges -- Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine -- are all likely returning for the show's second season later this year.

"We've already been secured for a second season, so prepare to see a lot more of myself, Christina, Blake and Adam, and a host of great artists doing their thing," said Green. When asked whether or not all four judges will definitely be back, the R&B singer said, "That would be the safe assumption. I haven't heard anything other than that. I'll be there, that's for sure."

In the meantime, fans of both Green and Aguilera can check out "Nasty," a new duet that leaked online this month. Green said that he kicked the song around for years before recording a version with Aguilera for the soundtrack of her 2010 movie, "Burlesque."

Although the song wasn't finished in time to make the album, Green said that he's happy it has seen the light of day. "Christina's one of my favorite voices to listen to They never gave up on that record, and it's a great song," he noted.

While he's not sure if "Nasty" will ever be officially released, he said that he and Aguilera could very well perform the track on an upcoming episode of "The Voice." "Most likely, once the incomparable Mark Burnett hears this song, I wouldn't doubt for a second that he strongly suggests that we would do it," he said.

While Green said that his commitment to "The Voice" -- as well as an arena tour supporting Rihanna that kicks off June 4 -- has made it "increasingly difficult to focus" on new music, but noted that his experience on the reality show has thus far been "very gratifying." He also said that he respectfully disagreed with "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson, who described the concept of "The Voice" as "spinning around with gimmicky chairs" in an interview earlier this month.

"Randy is a personal friend of mine, and he is well within his rights to voice his opinion," said Green. "I believe that's a little harsh to say that that's 'gimmicky.' I don't believe that to be true I believe that it was very savvy of the creators of 'The Voice' to give it a different spin. And that spin gives us an opportunity to co-exist. I don't believe we're competing; I believe there is a co-existence."

(Editing by Zorianna Kit)

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Gibson adds voice to Foster, 'Beaver' at Cannes (AP)

CANNES, France – In Mel Gibson's new movie "The Beaver" a hand puppet does most of his talking. At the Cannes Film Festival, Jodie Foster continued to supply most of the words for her pal, though Gibson did share a few wry quips.

Foster, director and co-star of the darkly comic drama, spoke for an absent Gibson at Tuesday's news conference for the movie, which arrives after the latest scandal in his private life.

Gibson did turn up on the red carpet for the festival's glitzy premiere of "The Beaver" later, and though Foster had predicted he would not be talking, Gibson had a ready answer when a festival interviewer asked him how he got into the dark head space of his character.

"I faked it," Gibson said, before adding, "Hey, I don't know. It doesn't bear too much analysis."

Gibson has stayed out of the limelight in the months leading up to the U.S. theatrical debut of "The Beaver" on May 6, while Foster has been out publicizing the film and defending her star after his ugly breakup from then girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, who had accused Gibson of striking her. Gibson pleaded no-contest and has been sentenced to three years probation for the incident.

As Foster was editing "The Beaver" last year, recordings surfaced of disturbing arguments riddled with sexist and racist comments that purportedly occurred between Gibson and Grigorieva.

"I can't excuse Mel's behavior. Only he can explain that," Foster told reporters at Cannes. "But I do know the man that I know. He's been a friend for many, many years, and as a friend, he is kind and loyal and thoughtful, and I can spend hours on the phone with him talking about life. And he's complex, and I appreciate his complexity and what his complexity brings to his work."

The film stars Gibson as a suicidally depressed husband and father who tries to sort through his problems with an unlikely therapist, a beaver puppet through which he communicates with his wife (Foster), their two sons and his colleagues at the failing toy company he runs.

The puppet initially rejuvenates his home life and business, but it gradually turns into a dangerous alter-ego that forces Gibson's character to an even darker place.

Critics have praised the performance as one of the best of Gibson's career, some viewing it as almost an on-screen therapy session for the actor to work on his own troubled life.

"The Beaver" was shot before the blowup over his relationship with Grigorieva, which further eroded Gibson's reputation in Hollywood after his anti-Semitic rant during a drunken-driving arrest in 2006.

Foster said she did not know whether the film might help restore Gibson's tarnished reputation, but it does offer a glimpse of his soul.

"Anything that you do that you obsess about and think about and give that much to, for six months of your life in his case and for years in mine, allows you to look deeper at yourself and at the people around you, at the effect of what you do, and that has to have kind of a therapeutic, cathartic end," said Foster, friends with Gibson since they costarred in 1994's "Maverick."

"I think he's proud of what he's shown, and I think he wants people to see that side of him. And he's an incredibly private man, so what he shows on the screen is as deep as you could possibly get, and that's our way as actors of telling people, `This is who I really am.'"

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Mel Gibson seeks new voice in glove-puppet movie (AFP)

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – It's sounds an unlikely basis for a Hollywood movie: a depressed husband takes to communicating through a beaver glove puppet, as he struggles to rebuild his life.

Add that he is played by Mel Gibson -- the actor ostracized by Tinsel Town since an 2006 anti-Semitic drunk-driving tirade -- and that the brown furry beaver has a thick cockney accent, and, well, questions multiply.

But Jodie Foster, who both stars in and directs "The Beaver," out in North America on Friday, insists Gibson gives the performance of a lifetime, and reception of the film was positive at a press screening.

"Mel was brilliant. Mel Gibson's performance is extraordinary, and he was really the best actor for this and I'm grateful of the performance he gave, he's my friend," she told a small group of reporters.

Gibson's career has struggled since his 2006 arrest for drunk driving, which exploded into a major scandal because of anti-Semitic remarks he made to a highway patrol officer.

The star of "Braveheart" -- for which Gibson won two Oscars in 1996 -- had no starring role on the big screen from 2005 until last year's thriller "Edge of Darkness."

In March this year he was ordered to follow a one-year domestic violence counseling program, and serve three years of probation, in a plea bargain to avoid jail over the alleged abuse of his ex-partner.

Two-times Oscar winner Foster, directing her third movie, insists Gibson will overcome the nightmare of the last few years.

"I think that's something that Mel understands in a very personal way, wanting to change and wanting to transform and worried that he can't transform," said the 48-year-old, promoting the movie in Beverly Hills.

And the star of "Silence of the Lambs" defends the film's depiction of a man struggling with mental illness.

"I think there are many genuine examples in our culture over and over again where people will don a different personality, split themselves, in order to cope with an overwhelming situation," she said.

"We see that in everyday life, that there are things you know you just can't face, so you find a way to cope."

She wasn't the first filmmaker linked to the project -- the screenplay was on Hollywood's "Black List" of top unproduced scripts in 2008, according to the LA Times newspaper.

"I read the script for 'The Beaver' and loved it, but there was another director involved at that time," she said.

"It was such a raw and beautiful first movie for a first time writer that I kept saying to everybody, 'Listen, if anything happens, call me up'. And that's exactly what happened."

Then she had to find a distributor, no easy task given the subject matter and Gibson's reputation. Gibson also offered to help promote the film, Foster said, although in the end he has kept a low-profile before its release.

Eventually they persuaded Summit -- the company that released the "Twilight" movies and the 2009 best picture Oscar winner "The Hurt Locker" -- to back it, including both with Gibson, and a violent self-harm scene.

"Summit was the only distributor that said yes to two things: Yes to the violent scene, and yes it's Mel Gibson," she said.

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Shania Twain not only lost husband, but also voice (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Country singer Shania Twain said on Tuesday that she was so shattered by the collapse of her marriage that she feared she would never sing again.

In her first TV interview in five years, Twain told Oprah Winfrey that she became "an emotional mess" when she found out in 2008 that her best friend and her husband had fallen for each other.

"I figured mentally that I would never sing again," the five-time Grammy Award winner told Winfrey. Twain said she not only lost her husband, but her producer and co-writer when she split with in Robert John "Mutt" Lange.

"I hadn't written a song without this man in 14 years....How do I even get started?," she said in an interview won The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Twain, whose 1997 album "Come on Over" was a huge crossover hit, revealed that she also suffers from dysphonia, an ailment where the muscles squeeze the voice box.

"My fears and anxieties throughout my whole life have been slowly squeezing my voice," Twain told Winfrey. "I was losing it slowly and progressively."

Twain chronicles the demise of her 14-year marriage and her fight to get her voice back in a new book "From This Moment On" and a documentary series "Why Not?" that debuts on Sunday on Winfrey's cable TV network OWN.

She also announced on Tuesday that she would be attending the Country Music Association festival in Nashville in June -- and handed out passes to Winfrey's studio audience.

In her memoir and TV documentary, the Canadian singer recounts how she grew up poor and witnessed her step-father physically abuse her mother on a regular basis only to see them both die in a car accident, leaving Twain to raise her siblings.

Twain called her husband's betrayal "a trigger crisis," and "the straw that broke the camel's back of something that had already been building."

Eventually, Twain found solace with Frederic Thiebaud, the husband of the woman who was once her best friend. The two married on Jan 1.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)

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Shania Twain not only lost husband, but also voice (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Country singer Shania Twain said on Tuesday that she was so shattered by the collapse of her marriage that she feared she would never sing again.

In her first TV interview in five years, Twain told Oprah Winfrey that she became "an emotional mess" when she found out in 2008 that her best friend and her husband had fallen for each other.

"I figured mentally that I would never sing again," the five-time Grammy Award winner told Winfrey. Twain said she not only lost her husband, but her producer and co-writer when she split with in Robert John "Mutt" Lange.

"I hadn't written a song without this man in 14 years....How do I even get started?," she said in an interview won The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Twain, whose 1997 album "Come on Over" was a huge crossover hit, revealed that she also suffers from dysphonia, an ailment where the muscles squeeze the voice box.

"My fears and anxieties throughout my whole life have been slowly squeezing my voice," Twain told Winfrey. "I was losing it slowly and progressively."

Twain chronicles the demise of her 14-year marriage and her fight to get her voice back in a new book "From This Moment On" and a documentary series "Why Not?" that debuts on Sunday on Winfrey's cable TV network OWN.

She also announced on Tuesday that she would be attending the Country Music Association festival in Nashville in June -- and handed out passes to Winfrey's studio audience.

In her memoir and TV documentary, the Canadian singer recounts how she grew up poor and witnessed her step-father physically abuse her mother on a regular basis only to see them both die in a car accident, leaving Twain to raise her siblings.

Twain called her husband's betrayal "a trigger crisis," and "the straw that broke the camel's back of something that had already been building."

Eventually, Twain found solace with Frederic Thiebaud, the husband of the woman who was once her best friend. The two married on Jan 1.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)

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Ladysmith Black Mambazo Sustain South Africa's Voice Through Music

You know them from 'The Lion King' soundtrack, but Nelson Mandela once called them "South Africa's cultural ambassadors." Since then, Ladysmith Black Mambazo has continued to take Mandela's message of peace and spread it around the world.

For an a cappella group that began in 1973 and won three Grammys, Ladysmith's voice is still resilient and timeless. Original member Albert Mazibuko tells PopEater the group strives to sing to more generations to come, especially with new album 'Songs from a Zulu Farm' on the way.

What did it mean to you when Nelson Mandela referred to you as cultural ambassadors of your nation?
This was the highest honor for us. To be singled out by Nelson Mandela told us that we needed to look at ourselves, as a group, differently. We truly represented our nation and had to continuously understand that responsibility.

What kind of responses do you see while touring internationally? Was it always open arms, or was it hard to translate a South African sound?
It seemed, and still seems, that people truly open their arms and minds to what we do. People understand we represent our nation and culture and want to share this with everyone. People seem to want to embrace what we offer.

Do you see the group as more about music or sending a message, acting as teachers?
That is an interesting question. I think the message is most important, but we use the music to deliver the message. And in doing so we want to be teachers. It's really all as one -- very intertwined for us. I guess we see ourselves as teachers bringing a message through our singing.

Watch a live performance by Ladysmith Black Mambazo:

How's the progress with the Mambazo Academy? Is it completely built yet?
Sadly, the progress is very slow. There are so many things changing in South Africa and only a little bit of money to go around. We do spend most of our spare time, when we are home, teaching the young ones about the culture and its history. But doing so in an organized academy has not occurred.

You've collaborated with so many notable musicians like Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and Paul Simon. What's your best memory from those experiences?
Yes, we have been honored to be asked by so many famous and important people, so to pick just one out is very difficult. Of course the Paul Simon memory is the most important for us. We recently worked with Josh Groban, and I think this was different because he is of a new generation, and when we met him he showed that he really loved what we do. So knowing our singing has affected a new generation of artists was touching.

You've also provided music for so many films. Do you find it surreal that moviegoers see these movies and hear your voice without knowing it?
I've met people who say, "I saw this movie and it sounded like the filmmakers copied your sound for the film," and it turns out it was us. So it is funny to see people's reactions when they learn that what they heard was actually us.

The group has shifted over the years. Which years had the best ensemble?
Well, the group we are now has been pretty steady since 1993. Since then we lost a couple of members, but 1993 was important to us. That is when our leader, Joseph Shabalala, had three of his sons join the group. This is the next generation of Mambazo. So, after us older fellas move along they will carry on for many years. Joseph has said the group is more than one or two people. It's a cultural entity that should continue on for decades.

Do you compare your success at all to that of Buena Vista Social Club? If so, what do you think of them?
I've heard of that group but I do not know their music. I think there is a community of cultural groups that should continue on for many years. They are truly one of them. I know the Chieftans too. And the Blind Boys of Alabama. I'm glad to know all of these groups have success.

Is there any kind of new music today that you like? American pop music, perhaps?
It seems a new sound or style comes along every few years, and it all has something interesting to say. I like hearing where music goes, how it changes, the sounds and styles. I have to say I most enjoy simple singing. I don't like when they use machines to manipulate voices. Pure vocal is the most beautiful sound to listen to, I feel.

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Cheryl Cole to be the voice of the new Big Brother?

Posted by heatworld 31 March 2011 11:51

Tags: Cheryl Cole Lady Gaga

It sounds like some kind of nightmare, Cheryl Cole presenting the revamped Big Brother on Channel 5? Cheryl Cole? Big Brother? CHANNEL 5?! Someone please pinch us quick.

Cheryl is still waiting to hear whether or not she’s got the judging job in the next series of the US X Factor and it seems as though Channel 5 think she’ll snap the offer up, especially as a source revealed that they’re offering her

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