A Modern Fairy tale

The 29th of April 2011 is a day which many of us all around the world will never forget. It was the day the world joined Britain in celebrating the wedding of Kate Middleton to Prince William. There was a great deal of speculation about what the bride would wear and how she would look. Despite frantic efforts by the media the designer and the gown remained a closely guarded secret.

But it was all worth the wait and the suspense.Kate made a beautiful bride. Her dress was simple yet elegant falling beautifully into box pleats as she stepped out of the car and made her way down the red carpet at Westminster Abbey.She wore a short veil and the train of her gown was in perfect proportion to her dress.

The dress with its long fitted lace sleeves and lace bodice was traditional and yet beautiful in its understated simplicity. Kate was calm and collected as she made her way down the aisle on her fathers arm.

Her sister Pippa who was her bridesmaid, looked stunning in a simple fitted white dress.

Both Prince William and best man Prince Harry looked dashing in their official uniforms.
As the bride walked down the aisle, the sun came out and the crowds waiting eagerly outside cheered noisily.
. The trees decorating the inside of the church added a touch of nature to the celebration.
The actual ceremony was short and sweet and all too soon the royal couple made their way to the open carriage waiting for them outside the church.
The bridal procession was magnificent. The pomp, the show , the pageantry-it was a sight worth seeing. At the centre of all the excitement was the beautiful bride and her handsome prince. The couple waved to the crowd which roared in excitement. Following the bride were a number of carriages carrying other members of the royal family. The carriages, the horses, the footmen - It looked like a scene from medieval times and yet there was this very modern and beautiful couple who had just got married.
It was a wonderful day...A fairy tale come true....A beautiful young girl had married a handsome prince and had become a princess and future queen of the country. It was the stuff dreams are made of.
As the couple appeared on the famous balcony at Buckingham Palace and kissed not once but twice the crowd applauded and chanted their approval.
A wedding is a day of hope and excitement, a new beginning..For a day people all over the world were able to put aside all their problems and worries...This royal wedding makes one believe in romance and love...It is a reminder that dreams can come true.
It is a modern fairy tale


Image  http://www.news-world.us/index.php/2011/04/kate-william-wedding-cake/

American Idol-The top six

This week the top six performed the music of Carol King, a famous singer and song writer. With the royal wedding around the corner, enthusiasm for the show dropped and  ratings fell by 5%..

This week apart from the individual performances by the top six, the audience were entertained with 3 duets.

Casey and Haley sang "I feel the Earth Move". It was an average performance. Judge Steven hinted about an affair between the pair and asked  Casey if he was in love with Haley, a question which remained unanswered to the disappointment of the audience.

Lauren and Scotty performed their third duet together, singing "Up on the Road". The performnace was not as good as their earlier duets. The pair also squashed any rumours of a budding romance by saying they viewed each other as brother and sister.

The best duet of the night was by Jacob and James.who sang "Something good". It was a lively performanc with a lot of acting and the audience loved it.

The individual performances were not as good as they were last week when every performance was superb.I think that the singing itself was good but some of the songs chosen were a bit dull

 The best performance of the night was James singing "Will you still love me?" .Randy said that this performance proved that James was not only a great rocker but a great singer as well. With last weeks excellent performance under his belt, James has emerged as a serious contender for becoming the next American Idol.

Casey gave a superb performance of "Hi De Ho". He is a brilliant performer and a great entertainer. I loved the way he played a few bars on the piano at the beginning of the song.
Despite  a superb performance and lavish praises from the judges, Casey was voted out of the show the next day.
This just goes to show that no one knows what happens next on American Idol and the competition can still be any ones game.

Casey went out with a bang giving a very entertauning performance in which he hugged the judges and a number of adoring fans in the audience. There has never been another performar like Casey and we will all miss him.

Scotty and Jacob were also in the bottom three.

But for now America has chosen its top five and we can look forward to some brilliant performances next week from James, Jacob, Scotty, Lauren and Haley.


Image   http://www.bsckids.com/2011/04/american-idol-top-6-sing-carol-king-performance-reviews/






. The best performance of the night for me was

American Idol Season 10 - Top Eleven

What a depressing week this has been. An earthquake, a tsunami, a  massive loss of lives and the threat of a nuclear disaster in Japan.

But the show must go on.

This week American Idol ( season 10. Episode 18) began the show on a very sombre note

The three judges together with Ryan extended their sympathy to Japan and its people. They announced that the proceeds from the sale of this weeks songs available on i-tunes would go towards helping Japan.

The show which was aired on March 16, 2011 featured America's top twelve singers singing songs from their birth year

The show opened with Naima Adedepo (1984) singing Whats Love Got To Do With It by Tina Turner. Naima was looking her usual exotic self but she did not manage to wow the judges who thought her voice was a bit pitchy.

Next cane Paul McDonald (1984) singing an Elton John  number I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues. Paul bad been down with the flu and had a sore throat which made his voice was raspier than ever.However he managed to please the judges. Steven Tyler enigmatically called him a "cool dude with a loose mood". I am not quite sure what that means.

Thia Megia (1995) , the youngest contestant of the show, looking her usual simple. pretty self sang a ballad Colours of the Wind which had originally been sung by Vanessa Williams in the Disney classic Pocahontas. The performance was sweet and I enjoyed it but the judges urged her to avoid being safe and to go for songs which showcased her voice.

 Rocker James Durbin (1989) sang  I'll be there for You by Bon Jovi. It was a good performance and Steven Tyler promised to join James on the stage if he had it to the finale.

Haley Reinhert (1990) failed to impress with a Whitney Houston number I'm Your Baby Tonight. Hailey had an embarrassing moment as a gallant Ryan tried to blot out the bright red lipstick which had smudged over her face.

The judges just loved wild card contestant Stefano Langone (1989) who sang If You Don't Know Me Now by Simply Red. Randy called it the best performance of the night. It was my favourite performance. I feel that this extremely likable singer has the talent to make it all the way to the top.

Pia Toscano (1988) gave another great performance singing Where Do Broken Hearts Go by Whitney Houston. Randy said that Pia was in it to win it and Steven said that she was the reason why the show was called American Idol.

Country singer Scotty Mc Creery (1993) famous for his deep voice wowed the judges who were impressed by his growth in the competition.. He sang Travis Trip's Can I Trust You With My Heart.

Looking stunning in black leather boots and a black mini dress Karen Rodriguez (1989 ) gave a rather lack lustre performance for the second night in a row.The judges said that her performance of Love Will Lead You Back by Taylor Dayne was better than her last performance but still not good enough.

The judges loved Casey Abrams (1991) singing Smells Like Teen Spirit This was the first ever Nirvana song to be performed on Idol and the judges applauded him for not being afraid to take risks.

Lauren Alaina (1994) was another idol who was down with the flu. But the judges loved her rendition of I'm The Only One by Melissa Etheridge. They said that her sickness had actually improved the quality of her voice.

The final performance of the night was by gospel singer Jacob Lusk (1987) who pleased the judges with his muted  performance of Alone By Heart.

There were so many good performances that the judges said that this was developing into a hot  competition.

I feel that. on the whole, the boys gave  more solid performances than the girls.

This was proved the next night in the Result Show.. 

Three girls Naima, Haley and Karen were in the bottom three . Naima was saved first , followed by Haley.

A disappointed Karen had to sing for her life but failed to impress the judges. She was voted out of the show.




Image http://www.news.raafatrola.com/entertainment/tv/637-next-american-idol-will-enjoy-thursday-nights























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Natures fury

Japan is the most developed country in Asia and one of the most developed countries in the world. Being in the ring of fire, a zone of seismic activity in the Pacific region Japan had taken every precaution and was fully geared up to meet the very real possibility of an earthquake.

Then disaster struck and despite being one of the most prepared nations in the world Japan cowered under natures fury.
First there was the massive earthquake and then an earthquake triggered tsunami. Over eight thousand people have lost their lives and eleven thousand are still missing.The coastline is covered with debris. Mangled cars, capsized boats,broken houses are scattered everywhere. Once genteel villages have vanished. There were fires everywhere. Japan is even now facing the challenge of a nuclear crisis.
Looking at the pictures and listening to the news , I cant even begin to imagine what the Japanese people must be going through.
It makes me realise just how vulnerable we all are.
We think we are so powerful with our fancy cars, our latest gadgets and our posh houses which we try to cram with every comfort possible. Japan had all the latest technology and a sophisticated system of nuclear reactors to guarantee an almost limitless supply of power.Everything was well organised, All contingency plans were in place.
Yet they were no competition for natures fury.
Looking back at the events of the last week I cant help but realise how very powerless we are and how we are no match for nature.
Anything can happen to any one at any time.
The thought scares me . I cower with the thought of my own helplessness and insignificance.



Image   http://www.shmula.com/japan-earthquake-2011-queueing/8321/

It all happened in an instant

. It was a calm peaceful Friday afternoon . People were already planning for the weekend ahead,when disaster struck.It just took an instant for life to change forever for the people of Japan

 First there was the earth quake.A massive 9.0 earthquake. Japan is in the ring of fire- a zone of seismic activity in the  Pacific region.They live under the constant threat of earthquakes. Their houses are built to withstand the impact of an earthquake,there are warning systems and disaster management plans in place..But they have never experienced such a high intensity earthquake.As the ground trembled with strong aftershocks people scrambled around in panic as they tried to protect themselves.

But the worst was not over.Within half an hour Japan felt natures fury once again as a violent tsunami swept over the north east coast, destroying everything in its path. Cars were lifted as if they were plastic toys, buildings were destroyed, ships were overthrown and a train was flung far away from its tracks.As the wild waters carried everything in its path, the debris caused even more damage.People were swept away and villages were destroyed. The death toll is mounting with each passing day.Today over six thousand people are reported dead and over seven thousand are still missing.

They say that trouble comes in threes. After a massive earthquake and a monstrous tsunami Japan is now battling against a nuclear meltdown. The force of the water destroyed the pumping systems which had been built to control the temperatures in the nuclear plants.The Japanese are cautious people. They had made alternate plans to be deployed in case of an emergency. Incredibly all plans failed.

Today many brave Japanese are courageously trying to save the situation. They are using helicopters to dump water over the reactors to try and cool down the spent fuel . But things can go either way and radiation levels are known to be rising.

Amidst all this tragedy and uncertainty the Japanese people have remained calm and cool. There is no fighting, no panic , no looting. They accept everything stoically.This is their worst disaster since World War when Hydrogen bombs destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Refusing to be defeated they went on to become the third most developed country in the world.

Today even as Japan struggles with widespread destruction and tragedy and even as they mourn for the loss of life and the misery of over four million people who have been evacuated form their homes one thing is clear. Japan is going to emerge from this disaster, stronger than ever.


Image   http://newamericamedia.org/2011/03/tsunami-country-man-vs-nature-in-japans-devastated-northeast.php

Earthquake of 8.9 magnitude devastates Japan

Less than 10 hours ago ,there was a massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake on the Pacific coast of Japan.This was followed by over 30 powerful aftershocks.The earthquake was so powerful that it is reported that the tremors were felt up to Beijing.

Within a short time, the earthquake triggered a deadly tsunami which swept over the north-eastern coast of Japan causing widespread destruction . The huge waves swept inwards carrying a deadly load of debris which destroyed everything in its path

Houses crumbled and cars were carried and tossed by the massive waves.

A tragedy of epic proportions is unfolding in Japan. There has already been a huge loss of human life and the worst is not yet over. There are over 80 fires raging around Japan including a massive fire at an oil refinery. Two nuclear plants are in danger and have been shut down. Thankfully, there are no reports of any radiation leaks.

Two of the airports have been shut down..There has been a complete breakdown of transport and communications systems. A ship carrying over a 100 passengers was swept into the sea by the tsunami. A passenger train has been reported as missing..

Even as the government tries to take control of the situation, offers of help and support are pouring in from all quarters of the world

.But the danger is not over. Nor is it confined to Japan. Over 50 countries located in the Pacific Rim face the danger of the tsunami which is already making its way across the Pacific Ocean. An alert has been sounded to all places in its path.Right now the gigantic wave is reported to be speeding towards the western coast of the USA. It is shortly expected to strike the coastal region of California.

People in the danger zones have been advised to stay away from the beaches and the sea. They have been asked to evacuate to higher lying ares. We hope and pray that these places do not feel the fury of the tsunami and that people follow the safety instructionas and remain safe.

But for Japan, its going to be a long night


Image  http://2daynewsupdates.blogspot.com/

The fabulous sisters

It was so lovely to see  Joan and Jackie Collins being interviewed on 'Piers Morgan Tonight'. It was the first time the famous sisters had appeared on an interview together, It was a real scoop for Piers and a great treat for the viewers.

Famous actress, Joan Collins, is best known for her memorable role as the glamorous Alexis in the the hit television series Dynasty.She is also a successful writer with a number of bestselling novels and several lifestyle books to her credit .
But the famous writer in the family is younger sister Jackie Collins who has written 27 novels all of which made to the New York Times best selling list
The two sisters looked gorgeous.No one would say they were in their seventies.They  both denied ever going to the plastic surgeon to enhance their looks. We got to see a couple of their photos when they were young and both of them were very beautiful.
The two sisters reminisced about their childhood and talked about their dad who was very strict. He was a dominating man who never appreciated his daughters despite the success they both managed to
achieve.
Jackie told us how from a very young age she wanted to be a writer. Joan it seems was a good artist and loved making sketches and Jackie would quickly write a story about the characters in the drawing.
She told us how at the age of 15 she left her home in Britain and went to join her sister who was making a name for herself in Hollywood.
Joan has been married five times but seems to have found the love of her life with Percy her fifth husband. Jackie was married twice .She left her first husband because of his drug abuse problem and her second husband died.
Jackie claims that she was very wild when she was young and all the experiences she had has been fodder for the very bold and racy books she writes.
It was a wonderful relaxed interview and both sisters had many interesting stories to tell.


Image   http://www.mylifetime.com/lifestyle/entertainment/celebrities/joan-and-jackie-collins

Is Charlie Sheen ok?

From the last few weeks we have heard a plethora of stories about Charlie Sheen. There were stories about his being hooked on drugs , his romps with hookers and his wild behavior.His producers wanted to suspend him from Two and a Half Men'.

 Then there were his frantic appearances on any and every television show that would have him .Charlie became the favourite target of Tonight show host Jay Leno, who would take every chance to poke fun of Charlie in his monologue.
I took it all with a pinch of salt. I thought the stories were all exaggerated and things would settle down soon. I thought it funny that Charlie was acting just like his character on the small screen. But now things have taken a turn for the worse.
Charlie was fired from his show 'Two and a Half Men' on Monday. Now there are allegations that he may may be losing his mind. Looking at him rant and rave on television certainly made me worried .They say that Charlie may go back to drugs and there is the genuine danger that he might be suicidal. One thing is clear Charlie needs help.
Money, fame and success have not bought Charlie happiness. He appears to be a tormented man with delusions of his own grandeur and infallibility. He seems out of touch with reality.I feel so sorry for Charlie. He needs help and he needs it now.


Image   http://www.myspace.com/everything/article/partner/2011/03/09/dr-drew-advises-involuntary-confinement-for-charlie-sheen-entertainment-tonight-tv

Charlie Sheen Fired

I was shocked to hear that Charlie Sheen has been fired by Warner Bros Television from his hugely  successful show " Two and a Half Men" I am an ardent fan of the comedy and cant imagine the show without Charlie.

For quite some time Charlie has been in the news with stories about his drug and alcohol related problems. He got into trouble with the producers who claim that "Two and a Half Men" was a family show and that Charlie's lifestyle was upsetting the viewers. They said that the advertisers were threatening to pull out of the show.

But Charlie character in the show is that of a lovable womanising -drinking- cigar smoking rascal and the audience just love him.in that role So it beats me, why any one should object if Charlie real life persona is the mirror image of his character in the show.

I don't care what Charlie does in his personal life. In fact, for me  his current lifestyle reinforces the image every one has of Charlie and just makes his character more believable. I would be quite surprised and a wee bit disappointed if it turned out that Charlie was a teetotaler and a saint. All this controversy just adds to my enjoyment of what has been a hugely successful and enjoyable show.

I always thought that the trouble would blow over and Charlie would be back on the show stronger than ever. I am still hoping that sanity prevails and somehow the dispute is resolved because I just cant imagine my favourite show without Charlie.

Image  http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/notitas-de-noticias/details/sorry-charlie-sheen-officially-fired-from-two-and-a-half-men/

American Idol- Top 13 revealed

The excitement never seems to stop on American Idol. This result day there was a brutal annihilation as in one swift stroke 11 contestants were knocked out of the competition.

First, the top 10 singers voted in by the viewers were revealed.

The top 5 boys are:
1) Scotty McCreery, the country singer known for his deep voice
2)Casey Abrams, an extremely talented musician who can play a multitude of instruments
3)Jacob Lusic,already famous as a gospel singer

4) James Durbin, the rocker known for his ability to scream the house down

5)Paul Mcdonald, a talented singer with a soothing voice, famous for his white suit covered with red roses

The top 5 girls are:
1) Lauren Alaina. the 16 year old who was compared to Kelly Clarkson
2) Karen Rodriguez, this stunning singer enraptured the judges as she sang in Spanish
3) Pia Toscano, a beautiful singer with a great vocal range, she is one of the favourites to win the contest
4) Thia Megia, cute and adorable this unassuming, talented singer is only 15
5) Haley Reinhart, this talented singer with a smoky voice sang a popular Alicia Keyes number

America has chosen extremely well. All these singers are just so talented and right on the top of my favourite  list.I am so glad that they made it to the top ten.
Next there was a wild card round in which the judges gave six of the singers a second chance. These six were asked to sing and based on their performance the judges chose three of the singers to join what would now be the top 13

The 3 wild card singers picked by the judges are:

1) Stefano Langone, I was so pleased when Stefano was chosen as he was one of my personal favorites
2)Naima Adedapo, this colourful singer reminded Jennifer of an exotic flower
3)Ashthon Jones. compared to Tina Turner this diva was determined to remain in the competition.

What an excellent top 13. I am very pleased with the results and feel that this is turning out to be the best American Idol Season ever.



Image   http://expresstoday.info/american-idol-season-10-episode-13-s10e13-top-12-guys-compete-top-12-boys-perform.html

Excitement on result day

Last week was a very hectic week on American Idol, Season 10. With the top 24 declared, the week began with some mind blowing performances by the top 12 boys.This was followed the next day with some extremely good performances by the top 12 girls.

The next day was result day . But this year things were done differently as in one serious blow the top 10 chosen by the viewers votes were revealed.

Even as the viewers and the contestants were left gasping as 14 singers were in danger, Ryan announced that there would be a wild card round in which the judges would get to choose which of the eliminated singers they would like to put back into the contest.

The judges asked six of the contestants to sing and then picked three more singers to join the ten voted in by the viewers.So at the end of the day American Idols top 13 singers were chosen and 11  did not make the grade and had to leave the contest.

This was the first time that such a large number of singers were knocked out in one show. While I did feel sorry that these singers would not get another chance to win over the viewers on the whole it was a good move. It shows that this year the producers are determined to give the show a complete overhaul and give American idol a brand  new image as a fast moving, slick and exciting show.

Image  http://tvsomniac.com/2011/american-idol-season-10-finalists-meet-your-top-13-america/

Simon Cowel on the Tonight Show

It was nice to see Simon Cowel on the Tonight Show( 2nd March 2011). It was the first time, after he had announced his retirement from American Idol last year, that Simon was being interviewed by Jay. Welcoming him warmly, Jay took the opportunity to ask him what he thought about the new judges and the show so far. Simon replied that he was happy the show was doing well but he would not like it to be better than it was when he was around. He wanted to be missed.

He talked about Chris Medina and said that if the judges were so sympathetic and moved by his story, they should have kept him.He smugly assured us, that he would have been a more sympathetic  judge and would have kept the lad.
Jay showed a clip of Simon as a young man, taking part in a game show.It was nice to see Simon dressed in a suit and looking  young and handsome.
Simon recounted the story of how he had been kicked out of a studio ten years ago when he had wanted to bring Idol to America.Although he refused to reveal the name of the studio, he promised to give the information to a curious Jay after the show.
Simon also promoted his new show The X-Factor which is to air in August 2011. At the moment, Simon was busy finalising the judges for his show. He said that any talented singer above the age of 12 could enter the competition and groups could also take part. The lucky singers or groups who entered the final stages of the competition would be mentored by the judges. He promised a show which would be vital, energetic and young. Knowing Simon's ability to turn everything he touches into gold , I am eagerly looking forward to this show.

Image  http://www.solarnavigator.net/music/the_x_factor_2005.htm

The Moving story of Chris Medina

We first heard Chris Medina's story in the Milwaukee auditions of American Idol Season 10.Two years ago, Chris thought he was the luckiest person in the world when his beautiful girlfriend Juliana Ramos accepted his proposal. Then even as the couple were making plans for their wedding, disaster struck.One night in October 2009 when Juliana was driving home from work at about 3.30 am she was involved in a serious accident in which she became almost paralysed and severely brain damaged.Chris was devastated but the loyal 27 year old decided to stick by Juliana. He became her caretaker and devoted his life to looking after her.

When Chris decided to try out for the American Idol auditions, the judges were  impressed with his singing talent and decides to send him to Hollywood for the next stage of the competition.They were so moved by his story that they invited him to bring his fiance to the stage to meet them. All the judges had tears in their eyes as Chris proudly wheeled in his fiance on her wheel chair. They were shocked to see how this once beautiful, vibrant girl had been practically reduced to a vegetable.

During Hollywood week, this talented singer managed to make it to the top 40. But when the time came for the top 24 to be announced the judges were forced to cut him from the competition because there were so many other great  singers who had given consistently good performances. Jennifer Lopez was heartbroken when she had to tell Chris that he had not made the cut.It just seemed so unfair that this young man who was coping with so much tragedy in life had missed this one opportunity to make things better..Chris received the news calmly but later Jennifer burst into tears and said that she was not sure if she could continue with the pressure of delivering bad news to the contestants.
 But every cloud has a silver lining. After he got knocked out of the show, this unassuming young man managed to get quite a lot of publicity. His moving story was even picked up by The Tonight Show host Jay Leno. Jay interviewed him and got him to perform on the show. Chris sang a song dedicated to his fiance and Jay Leno announced that this song was available on I-Tunes and the proceeds of the sale would go towards providing treatment for Juliana. Chris has also opened a website which accepts donations for her medical care.

So despite the fact that Chris did not make it to the top 24 in American Idol, the world was able to share his story  and in addition to the good wishes from the public, he was able to organise some much needed financial support to help him look after Juliana.

Image  http://www.famous-celebrities.com/chris-medina-american-idol/

The top 24 declared

So Hollywood week is finally over and all has been revealed.It was a long and gruelling week but this years top 24 appear to be the most talented bunch in Idol history.The judges must had a tough time choosing them, there was just so much talent.This year however things were done very systematically. There were several rounds of eliminations but all the care seems to have paid off as only the best of the best have been chosen

Hollywood week began with two days of solo performances in which the judges had a chance to review the talent put in at the auditions. Cuts were made as any one not up to the requisite standard was knocked out.

Next came Group night.This was very tough on the contestants as they had just one night to form a group and not only learn a song but also add choreography to it.Tensions ran high but the judges made it clear that they would look at individual as well as group performances.After a lot of drama and some very good performances 61 candidates out of the original 327 which had come to Hollywood were chosen.

Next there was a surprise in store for all the contestants as they were all taken by bus  to Las Vegas and asked to perfect a Beetles song to be performed at the Mirage the next night. Again the singers were divided into groups and had voice trainers to guide them.It is a testimony to the talent of the youngsters and the wide variety of memorable Beetles songs they had to choose from that Beetles night was a great success.It was with great difficulty that the judges managed to whittle down the numbers to 40

In order to help the judges decide the top 24 all the singers were given the chance to perform for one last time. With the help of this last performance the judges were finally able to narrow the numbers to 24

There was a lot of tears and heartbreak for the singers who did not make it, But the new judges handled things very well. Jennifer Lopez was very encouraging and urged many of the singers not to give up but to try again next year.


Image; http://www.himho.com/american-idol-top-24-season-10/

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Drama on Group Night

With Hollywood week well underway, Group Night brought its usual share of drama as the 168 performers who were left after the last round of cuts, were asked to form groups. But there was a twist- each group had to have a mix of performers from Day 1 and Day 2. which complicated things.

They were given just one night to perfect a song and dance routine.

The contestants ran around auditioning for one another and trying to form groups or to be accepted into a group already formed.

There was chaos and a hint of desperation as some of the contestants could not find a group willing to accept them. A case in example was Tiffany Rios from New Jersey. Tiffany is better known for the stars she had emblazoned across her chest in her audition. During the first round of Hollywood auditions she had boasted of being better than the other contestants. The net result of this was that no one was willing to accept her in a group. She was forced to form her own group with another contestant. the soft hearted Jessica Yantz, whom she managed to pull away from another group 'The Sugar Mamas'. Normally a group must have a minimum of three contestants but the judges were forced to make an exception when no one else was willing to join the duo.However all the drama was to no avail as the performance of the pair was below standard and both of them were knocked out of the competition.

Ashley Sullivan was lucky to be accepted by the Day 1 group 'The Hits'. However just when things seemed to be going well, this highly strung, emotional and slightly crazy singer decided to call it quits and back out of the competition.Her group were forced to make adjustments but just when things seemed under control Ashley changed her mind and wanted to rejoin her group. Despite the inconvenience ' The Hits' willingly accepted her back. The group impressed the Judges and all the members including Ashley made it through to the round.

There was another piece of drama when Scott McCreery, famous for his deep voice, wanted to join ''The Goaps'. The group eagerly accepted him but decided to kick out 15 year old contestant Jaycee Badeaux. This cute little boy with an excellent voice was shocked to find himself without a group right at the very last moment. A bewildered Jaycee had to start searching for a new group. Finally, he was accepted by the group 'Sugar Mamas and the Baby' who were singing  'Mercy' a song the young teenager was not familiar with. With the limited time left to perfect an unfamiliar song, Jaycee stumbled over the lyrics but continued to sing by making up his own words begging the judges not to send him home.The judges decided to keep the whole group including Jaycee, who had already endeared himself to the judges in previous rounds.After a few stern words to 'the Goaps' for their heartless behavior, the judges  kept the entire group who  gave a brilliant performance.

The last group of the night was 'Three is Company'. It consisted of ex couple Bob Bolin and Chelsea Oaks and  Jaqueline Dunford ,  whose boyfriend had been eliminated on Day 2. The two girls got on well and Bob was the odd one out. He just could not master the lyrics or the dance moves.The two girls made it through but a depressed looking Bob forgot the words and was voted out.



Image   http://idolator.com/5771481/american-idol-group-round-hollywood-week

Grammy 2011 belonged to Lady Antebellum

When my kids were living at home, the house reverberated with the sound of their music and willingly or unwillingly I was kept abreast of the latest hits. But now they have moved out and the only way I keep in touch with the new hits is by watching the Grammy’s.

I loved the song ‘Need you now’ by Lady Antebellum. It has beautiful words and a haunting melody. I have heard this song before but became a fan only after listening to it on the big night. Now I find that I can’t get this song out of my mind and listen to it at every opportunity.

This country group was formed in Nashville Tennessee in 2006. It has three members- Hillary Scott, Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley.

 I loved watching the trio perform ‘Need you now’ on the Grammy stage. There were no gimmicks, no drama- Just three talented singers, singing a beautiful song with great feeling.

Lady Antebellum was the big winner of the Grammy’s this year. The group won an impressive five out of the six awards they were nominated for.

They won Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Country Performance By a Duo Or Group, Best Country Song, and Best Country Album.

 They deserved every award they got and my only disappointment was that they did not bag Album of the year.

Jay Leno's Tribute to the Grammy's

Jay Leno devoted his show on Monday (14th Feb 2011) to the Grammy;s which had been held a day earlier.He got Mike the situation to recount his experiences at the Grammy.Mike of course is always hilarious and great fun to watch. The main guest was Lady Gaga who came in brandishing three Grammy awards.She was dressed in black in a rather witch-like costume. Jay complemented her on taking the trouble to dress up for his show.The actual interview was rather dull and things only began to liven up when Sofia Vergara from 'Modern Family' came in as the second guest.Sofia was looking stunning in a very pretty dress.With her warm personality, strong Colombian accent and interesting anecdotes Sofie stole the show from Lady Gaga who looked dull and insipid in comparison.The show ended with a song by John Legend.On the whole it was a very interesting night.

Image http://www.dontdodumbthings.com/2010/02/12/the-jay-leno-joke-generator/

Grammy Awards 2011- A night to remember

The 53rd annual Grammy awards were held at Los Angeles on the 13th of February 2011. It was a night to remember, a night of upsets and surprise winners and some very spectacular performances.

Country stars Lady Antebellum were the big winners of the night. Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez presented them with the award for Best record of the year for their album “Need you now”. which also won Best song of the year.

Lady Gaga who arrived at the Grammy’s in a giant egg took the award for Best Female Pop Vocal performance for ‘Bad Romance’ .She also won the Best pop vocal album for “The Fame Monster”

Eminem won the award for Best Rap album for his album ‘Recovery”. He also won an award for ‘Not Afraid’ .However the controversial rapper who had a mind blowing ten nominations lost in the major categories, ‘Love the way you Lie’  lost  Record of the Year to Lady Antellebum and ;Recovery’ lost Album of the year to Arcade Fire

Brumo Mars won the award for best male pop vocal for his composition “Just the way you are”

Cee Lo Green and Justin Bieber were two major stars that walked away empty handed

One of the surprise winners on this star studded night was Esperanza Spalding who won the award for best new artist. This came as a shock to the many Justin Bieber fans who expected their idol to walk away with the award.

Another major surprise was when Arcade Fire won Album of the year for “The Suburbs” beating the likes of Eminem and Lady Antebellum.

But the Grammy’s are not only about winning and losing. It is about entertainment and the many unforgettable performances which graced the night.

The show opened with a performance by Christina Aguilera honoring Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. She was joined by a slimmed down Jennifer Hudson, Martina McBride, Florence Welch and Yolanda Adams. The ladies performed a medley of Aretha’s greatest hits which I really enjoyed..

There was a very cute performance by teen idols Jaiden Smith and Justin Bieber. Singer Will Smith and wife Jada were seen beaming proudly in the audience watching their talented son perform.

One of the highlights of the evening was the performance by Eminem who has made a miraculous comeback with his album ‘Recovery. Eminem performed two of his major hits. First he sang ‘I love the way you lie’ with Rehana which was superb. I really loved Rehana’s l fiery dress and the stage effects were brilliant

Then Eminem and Dr Dre along with Rehana rocked the house with ‘I need a doctor’. This was Dr Dre’s first performance in a decade and the crowd cheered him on.

Cee Lo resplendent in a psychedelic peacock costume with giant bird feathers performed along with the Jim Henson Company Puppets and Gweneth Paltrow who gave a very sultry performance .Cee Lo sang and played the piano while Gweneth looking stunning in a cat suit and shoes danced and sang on top of the piano with the puppets acting as background singers. I really enjoyed the performance.

Norah Jones, John Mayo and Keith Urban gave a wonderful rendition of ‘Jolene’, one of Dolly Parton’s classic songs. This was. in honor of Dolly, who got a life time achievement award.

Two up and coming folk rock acts Mumford and Sons and The Avett Brothers performed with the legendary Bob Dylan. Dylan’s voice was scratchy and raspy and a bit inaudible as he sang his hit  ‘Maggies Farm’ but the crowd loved him.

Another hit performance was by rock legend Mick Jagger.This was the stars first Grammy performance and he rocked the stage with energy and passion,. proving, once again, that his talent is ageless.

But for me, the star of the night was Barbara Streisand. It was rare treat to see her perform. There were no gimmicks or props-just her beautiful voice to mesmerize us. She was introduced by the fabulous Kris Kristofferson and sang the song ‘Evergreen’ from their movie ‘A Star is Born’. Barbara got a standing ovation for her stellar performance.

The magic of the Grammy’s lies in the fact that it honors music from all generations and all genres and that is what made the night so special.

American Idol without Simon Cowel

I am a great fan of American Idol and to me American Idol meant Simon Cowel When I think of American Idol I always picture Simon sitting with Paula and Randy, a bored expression on his face, often chewing the tip of his pencil, as he watched singer after aspiring singer audition.

A man of few words Simon was very quick to make it clear if he liked or disliked a performance. His critique was short, to the point and often downright rude. Simon had no patience with singers who had no talent or who gave a bad performance.. He was not afraid of calling a spade a spade. Simon was often at loggerheads with Paula who was softhearted and tried to cushion the blow by trying to point out the positive features of a bad performance.

To be honest Simon was a very fair judge. If he liked a performance he made it known. Praise from Simon was rare but something to die for. A small word of praise or encouragement from Simon meant a lot to the singers. If Simon realized that he had misjudged anyone or criticized them unfairly, he was quick to apologies.

There was a lot of friendly banter between the judges and host Ryan Sea crest.  Ryan often teased Simon about his age, his penchant for wearing black tee shirts, and his stormy relationship with Paula. .

 The audience lapped it all up. They loved Simon and his straightforward manner. They loved the romantic tension between Simon and Paula They loved his British accent. They even grew used to his rudeness. Simon could do no wrong. He was American Idols favorite judge

When Simon announced that he was leaving American Idol I was shocked and dismayed. Idol will never be the same I wailed to anyone who was interested. But luckily my predictions were wrong. American Idol is back and it is stronger than ever with a team of fantastic new judges, Steve Tyler and Jennifer Lopez and old favorites Randy Jackson and Ryan Seacrest

Yes, we will always miss Simon and think fondly of the days when he was Idols favorite judge. But that time has passed and now a new era of American Idol has been ushered in and Idol is back on its journey to the top.

Image  http://celebritybackstage.com/british-rock-icon-exterminate-simon-cowell

                                                                                                      

The New Judges of American Idol -Season 10

I think that the new judges of American Idol are simply smashing.Actress and singer,Jennifer Lopez is gorgeous,talented and fun.At first she appeared a bit too soft hearted but she is learning to put her foot down,firmly but gently Steven Tyler the wild rocker from Aerosmith has brought the right mix of craziness, energy and excitement into the show.Randy Jackson is the voice of experience and wisdom, having been in the show since its inception.The trio seem to get on well together. I was extremely pleased to see compere Ryan Seacrest who has always been the heart and soul of the show.


There is a lot of laughing, joking and gay repartee. The judges often sing along and keep the timing with the contestants I found the judging to be extremely fair and a number of very talented singers have made it to Hollywood. Nervous contestants with good voices are usually given a second chance.

The glamour is back in American Idol Jennifer always manages to look ravishingly beautiful,Steven looks cool and not to be outdone,  Randy had on a pair of golden shoes in the sixth installment of the auditions.Ryan looks his usual dashing self.

I have been an avid follower of American Idol right from Season 1. I loved the three judges Simon, Paula and Randy.I enjoyed the friction between Paula and Simon.I was disappointed with new judge Kara who was introduced in Season 8.Four judges were a bit too much and American Idol seemed to be losing a bit of its sparkle,Then Paula left in Season 9 and Ellen DeGeneres took her place.But Ellen was too kind and the magic seemed to be disappearing from American Idol.

When Simon announced that he would be leaving as well , it seemed to spell the end of the road for American Idol.But luckily the predictions of doom did not come true and with the introduction of two exciting new judges American Idol seems to be back in business.

Yes the fun is back in American Idol and all seems well in Idol world.It has been a great start to what might well be American Idols best season yet.



Images
http://hadi-7.blogspot.com/2010/09/american-idol-2011-judges.html
http://f2.washington.edu/teams/nd/winter-2011