American Idol Announces Season 8 Schedule
Get Ready To Share Your Voice As American Idol Returns With A Brand-New Season, New Contestants and a New Judge Tuesday, January 13 and Wednesday, January 14 on FOX.
*Top 36 Semi-Finalists Revealed Wednesday, February 11.
* Voting Begins Tuesday, February 17.
* Top 12 Singers Revealed After Judges’ Wild Card Round Thursday, March 5.
* Top 12 Finalists Perform for First Time Tuesday, March 10.
The American Idol Experience to Open in February
American Idol Experience Reliable Netcot sources (i.e. Joel) report that the American Idol Experience at Disneyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Hollywood Studios will be open from February 5-8 for an Annual Passholder Preview with the grand opening being held on Valentineà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Day (or February 14).
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Nary a Carol in Earshot, and a Santa in Heels
At the Z100 Jingle Ball on Friday night at Madison Square Garden, if you werenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t approximately 14 and approximately a girl, the chances were high that you were a bored father, a sympathetic mother or a responsible boyfriend. The roles were assigned, and almost tribal.
Jingle Ball is a heavily branded, highly sponsored promotional event for an extremely influential pop-radio station in New York. The girls in the audience have the kind of fun they probably expect to have, all tears and iPhones and braces, furiously texting the number posted above the stage, where their messages are rendered in flashing lights. Sweetly, they sometimes misspelled their idolsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ names. (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Jessee is my lifeeee!à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“David Archuletta will you marry me!!à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ) The performers dutifully ran through their commercials of 15 to 30 minutes. Songs not pitched directly toward the girl brain were essentially failures.
Country star Underwood wows O’Dome
A new generation of Okie from Muskogee brought her brand of country music to the Oà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢Connell Centerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s stage Sunday night as Carrie Underwood performed before a near sellout crowd of 6,200 fans.
More Photos:
Unlike the usual college concert, Underwood brought out all ages. College students still predominated but the Oà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢Dome looked an awful lot like family night as parents brought the next generation to see one of the most popular singers in music today. Of the students present, the men were heavily outnumbered as packs of young women, dressed in cowboy boots, short skirts and cowboy hats ruled the night.
A very special Christmas list for fans of all musical genres
A Coko Christmas, Coko (Light). Former SWV singer Coko mixes old and new tunes here. Three tunes come from SWV’s 1996 A Special Christmas album, another two from Coko’s 2006’s solo gospel debut. The most prominent of the four new tracks is a duet with American Idol finalist George Huff on Give Love on Christmas Day. www.cokosplace.com/
Paula Abdul Supports Dogs in Women’s Shelters
The American Humane Association and award-winning recording artist Paula Abdul plan to collaborate to spread the message about helping abused women transition into a better life, along with their pets.
Abdul, whoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s also a judge for the top-rated à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ reality TV show, has signed on as a pro-bono spokeswoman for American Humaneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Pets and Womenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Shelters program (PAWS). As part of her duties, sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll record public service announcements for the program, as well as promote it in her various other media and public appearances.
X Factor’s Alexandra Burke eclipses Leona Lewis as Hallelujah becomes fastest-selling download EVER
Alexandra Burke entered the record books today as her single Hallelujah became the fastest-selling single via download in history.
The X Factor winner has already sold 80,000 copies of her Leonard Cohen cover since its digital release at midnight on Saturday.
The track has already surpassed Leona Lewis’s record-breaking fifth single Run which recently became the fastest selling digital release of all time, after it sold 69,244 in just two days.
It comes as Simon Cowell vowed to turn Alexandra into a bigger star than Leona, telling friends that this year’s X Factor winner is ‘more versatile’.
Ballas Hough Band Finish Record, Prep For à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Dancing With The Starsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Tour
Ballas Hough Band checked in with fans on their blog at MySpace on Sunday (December 14), discussing the bandà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s participation in the Dancing with the Stars tour and progress on their Hollywood Records debut album, which is due out March 2009. The Los Angeles based pop rock group tell readers:
Archie’s video is cute!
But did the girl break up with him over Guitar Hero? LOL. These fickle kids and their video games, I tell ya.
I like this video a lot better than the Crush video. This one seems more on the mature side. I also like the rain in the video.
Aww! I actually like the very last part when he has to decide whether or not to delete all the pictures.
I love the rain effect too and definately more mature than crush was. I like how it goes through the different pics and such.
Jason fans, he just posted a video wishing everyone happy holidays.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYIgjI867IM
He’s in New York. That was fast. He was just in Texas yesterday doing a M&G at B&N to benefit the charity that he performed for Saturday night.
Thank you gabam..
I join you. It seems the most errors made by the judges were to pick cute or sexy girls who sang like goats or couldn’t carry a tune. We’ll see about this. I just want to know the Top 24 or Top 20 or whatever.
Not sure if this is legit (but the poster has a long history on Pulse), but here is the casting call information for Kelly Clarkson’s new video:
Kelly Clarkson “My Life Would Suck Without You”
Music Video, Non-Union Posted: 12/15/2008
Union Status Non-Union
Rate $200 – $1000.
Submissions Due By 12/17/2008
Audition Dates 12/17/2008
Shoot/Performance Dates
12/20/2008, 12/21/2008
Shoot/Performance Location
Los Angeles CA
Synopsis
Cute tale of romance from childhood into adulthood
Project Notes
Director: Wayne Isham
Producer: Dana Marshall
Production Co: Merge Films
Casting Director: Dustin Blackburn
Role
submit LEAD GUY / Non-Union / Lead / Male / Caucasian / 24-29
Rugged, Cool, Edgy, All American Good Lookin Guy. Not a bulky jock or a skinny rocker guy. Also must be able to act and be comfortable kissing Kelly Clarkson. DO NOT SUBMIT IF YOU ARE UN AVAIL FOR THE AUDITION OR SHOOT DATES Thank you Dustin Blackburn
Rate: $1000 Negotiable
Role Added 12/15/2008 3:04:00 PM
Other Current Roles
submit LITTLE LEAD GUY / Non-Union / Featured / Male / Caucasian / 6-8
I need a talented lead guy to play our tbd lead male on the play ground. Must be a strong actor and have up to date paperwork
Rate: $200
Role Added 12/15/2008 3:08:00 PM
submit LITTLE KELLY / Non-Union / Featured / Female / Caucasian / 6-8
I need an extremely talented little actress to play Kelly Clarkson on a playground meeting her future true love. Please make sure all paperwork is up to date and research Kelly’s current look. Thank you
Rate: $200 Negotiable
Role Added 12/15/2008 3:06:00 PM