Singer Nikko Smith to launch debut album, “Revolution”
Singer Nikko Smith was excited two years ago when he previewed his music for an invitation-only crowd at Dante’s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ and for good reason. It sounded like he had a few hits on his hands.
But ever since, Smith has had to answer fans’ questions about when the music would be available.
“I get it all the time,” he says. “As long as they’re still asking, it means they still want to hear it. If they weren’t asking, I’d be scared.”
Now, the former “American Idol” finalist is about to release “Revolution,” his long-overdue debut album.
“We just wanted to make sure it was going to be right and different from what people expect,” Smith says. “People think I should be singing about rainbows and unicorns, though we do have some songs like that.”
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Music sales boom, but albums fizzle for ‘08
Americans bought more music in 2008 than ever before, but album sales à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ the music industry’s main source of revenue à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ dropped for a fourth year.
According to the Nielsen Co.’s year-end figures, music purchases à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ CD, vinyl, cassette and digital purchases of entire albums (grouped together as total albums), plus digital track downloads, singles and music videos à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ attained a new high of 1.5 billion, up 10.5% over 2007.
“Underplay” bookings guarantee full houses
Concert-industry veterans call it the “underplay,” and there are many reasons a band would rather headline a significantly smaller room than a much larger venue.
It was why Chris Daughtry was playing rock clubs and small theaters on his first national tour in 2007. Daughtry was the fourth-place finalist in the fifth season of “American Idol” in 2006, and with his popularity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ and the aid of a massively popular single à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ he could have easily made the jump from the 500-capacity Bluebird Theater to the three-times-larger Ogden Theatre and still sold it out.
Instead he left countless Denver fans in the dark à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ and the next time he came through Colorado, he was opening for Bon Jovi at the Pepsi Center.
“We’re definitely using these shows to work on our stage show and hone our craft,” Daughtry told The Denver Post at the time. “We haven’t had any time to rehearse, really, so it’s been basically rehearsing on the road.”
‘Grease’ has deep, dark Chicago roots
Pop quiz! What high school inspired “Grease,” the Broadway musical-turned-film-turned-juggernaut about summer lovin’, hot rods and rumbles? Answer: Taft High School in sweet home Chicago.
Truth be told, playwright Jim Jacobs (Taft ‘60) flinches at how his do-wop memoir has evolved into a sugary valentine to the 1950s. (“American Idol” winner Taylor Hicks shows up as the Teen Angel in the latest touring production, bopping Jan. 6-18 into the Auditorium Theatre.)
The original romance between the black-jacketed Danny and nice girl Sandy, which bowed at Kingston Mines here in 1971, was darker, edgier and would be “rated R today,” said Jacobs, 66.
Back then, Danny, Kenickie & Co. cussed up a storm, just like ex-greaser Jacobs and his gang did in high school. He and late collaborator Warren Casey were out “to shock everyone with blue language,” he admitted.
Dish Of Salt: Top 10 TV Shows Of 2008
#8 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ After a disappointing and lackluster group of contestants in Season Six (save for Sanjaya!), Season Seven roared back with a diverse group of singers from dreadlock-loving Jason Castro to hippie chick Brooke White. I didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t even mind the so-called à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“ringersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Carly Smithson and Michael Johns. Even the instruments I feel added a little zing to the show. Who could forget when Brooke had to start her song over because she messed up on the piano! Ultimately, it boiled down to David versus David. Cook and Archuleta are what truly made the show this year and what a fantastic finish it was for Cook at the finale.
What is your New Year’s resolution?
David Archuleta: “I would like to learn more about the music and business that I have gotten into. I would like to get more involved in the writing side of music, and also I’m learning more things about performing and meeting a lot of new people that I can learn from.”
Paula Abdul Planning Talk Show?
Paula Abdul is planning to launch her own daytime TV talk show, according to a new report.
The American Idol judge is said to be in talks with CBS/Paramount Network Television about developing the show, which could hit screens as early as next year.
Paula, 46, is currently renegotiating her current contract with Idol execs and is asking to double her $5 million salary. If bosses don’t meet her demands, she “will put the wheels of her talk show in motion immediately,” reports the National Enquirer.
Simon Cowell exclusive: X Factor judge is building a  £10 million bachelor pad in Barbados
Simon Cowell is building a new  £10 million bachelor pad in Barbados – with sexy mirrored walls in the bedrooms.
The newly single X Factor judge has bought ten acres of land close to the exclusive five-star Sandy Lane resort on the luxury island.
The building work will start this month – and Cowell has given architects a strict criteria of what he wants.
And top of his list are the lavish mirror panels for the bedrooms which he hopes to make the centrepiece of the house.
Cowell – who recently split from long-term love Terri Seymour – has told pals the new mansion will be the ultimate singleton’s pad.
One friend said: “No expense will be spared – it will have installed all the latest gizmos and boys toys.
Ballas Hough Band Perform à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Devastatedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ On à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Good Things Utahà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢
Mark Ballas and Derek Hough of the Ballas Hough Band visited à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Good Things Utahà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ on Tuesday (December 30) to promote their performance later that night on the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Dancing with the Starsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Tour, talking a lot about à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Dancing with the Starsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, as well as the long history of the band. Watch the interview at abc4.com and the bandà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s performance of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Devastatedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ below the fold.
I saw Crush on the AOL website at number 8 a few weeks ago. I think I’ve seen it elswhere before too but I don’t keep track.
Hmmm, you’re probably right, mac. I didn’t look that deeply into it. I guess with the advent of the internet, just about anyone can profess to be a music critic.
DA’s album was also given an honorable mention as Best of ‘08 in music by one of the Seattle papers. I think that was posted a little while back.
Maybe the rewards will come in next year’s awards for the Davids?
I had no problem with personality and AI 7. I wanted to see a select group of talented artists, and for the most part, that’s what we got. Maybe the characters cast were not as drama worthy as Simon needs, but they were fine IMO.
I just cannot see myself invested in any singer like I was this season and Season 4. OK, maybe addicted is a better word. It seems impossible at this point in time.
So much word to this, and your entire post, smallie. I’m proud to say he was my pick from the very beginning because of exactly what you mentioned. Such a difference between his looks and his demeaner/personality. Very intriguing. Also, after he got his ticket and walked back out to Ryan, who else was waiting for this “punk poseur”? His mom, who he gave a big hug. He had me right there.
That ESPN montage gave me a grin a mile wide. I love sports montages, and this one was just a treat. I hope sports nut DC gets to see it.
Haha, you could be right! I loved the montage of him mispronouning a bunch of names on the Best of the Rest show. The voiceover asks “but is he doing this on purpose?” and shows Simon saying to Paula, “I think I’m just going to try to get all of the names wrong today.” and she just cracks up. Then a guy comes in and Simon pronounces the name and the guy goes “yes”, and Simon, under his breath, goes “damn.” That just had me cracking up.
Rewatching is kind of fun. I like watching the show without the sense of “omg how is my favorite going to do?!” and being all nervous. Heh.
ETA: There really are some great moments in that montage – from the clips of Bobby Bowden and JoePa to the lyrics “but you’re still standing”, and the clip of Phil Fulmer being carried off the field at his final game at Tennessee – those just fit so well with the lyrical content of the song. But I think my favorite clip, just purely for the way the visual fits so perfectly with the lyrics, is the guy making the catch and basically doing a backflip as the lyric “I’m losing faith in gravity” is sung. Brilliant! ESPN editors FTW!
A poster on DCO commented that she actually knows the ESPN editor who did the montage. He’s an Emmy-award winner and a “huge fan”. What a nice compliment for David!