While I won’t go into detail about everything in the performance, I will say Taylor was one of the best performances of the night. She literally had so much going on that you shouldn’t have even thought about being bored. She was also the only performer there to use the two wings off of the main stage for dancers and screens. Who said Taylor Swift couldn’t host stadium shows? She certainly was able to feel the MGM Grands performance area to the brim.

She started in the backstage area, rode on a bike on some guys back from the entrance to the arena to the stage. Then in the middle she had some breakdown with the Jabbawockeez dancers, and then to end it all, she showers the crowd with red balloons. The balloon  move was truly a way of Taylor saying this is my stage, bitches.

Now watch the performance below and tell me what you think in the comments. After that go buy the single, or better yet, the whole Red album if you haven’t already.

When will.I.am’s new album #willpower came out last week, I knew it would be slammed by critics around the world. Because will.I.am isn’t known for creating solo music that makes you think, he makes fun music. He makes the music you want to get out on the floor and dance your ass off. I read a review for it that says it perfectly, I’m paraphrasing here, will.I.am makes music that the younger generation wants to just drink and dance too. He is able to make music at 38 that people two generations below him connect with. Despite the haters #willpower has some songs that do make you think and seem to head towards the deep end, but the rest of the album is fast-paced music that makes you want to dance and have fun.

Another artist that gets slammed all the time is Ke$ha. If you still think that she makes music that contributes nothing, then you obviously haven’t listened to her latest album Warrior. That album is filled with deep and emotional songs for Ke$ha that also make you want to dance. She is actually an awesome songwriter and she deserves to be recognized for this.

I think an artist that takes the biggest blow of haters and critics is Pitbull. I think Pitbull’s music is literally the definition if FUN. He rarely makes a song that does not get my hips swivelling, even in the car. I don’t think he hasn’t released a song yet that the critics haven’t eaten up.

I think a lot of time over thinking music kills music. Music is music and there are many types of music. Some makes you think, some makes you cry, some makes you dance, and some takes your breath away. At the end of the day wouldn’t you rather have fun instead of hating consistently? Music reviewing to me isn’t reviewing the value of the lyrics, unless they are total shit. It is about how a particular song makes you feel and what it makes you want to do.

-JakeLX

I was wary of any other network besides CBS picking up Rebel’s show. CBS is known for comedy that seems a little risqué for television(see 2 Broke Girls). ABC isn’t known for having long-last “vulgar” shows. The wonderful show GCB was cancelled due to its subject matter.Rebel Wilson is known for her vulgarity and outrageous comedy that sometimes goes on the side of extreme. I am hoping that ABC won’t tame our little kangaroo too much because her comedy is what makes her shine. I do feel better that the show was created by Conan O’Brien and Rebel herself. It is also being executive produced by the both of them as well.

The trailer for the show almost makes it seem like ABC and Rebel have found a way to bridge Rebel’s humour while keeping it some what on a smaller scale. I think it was also smart to put the show later in the night when the tots are on their way to the land of dreams. The trailer also has a different look about it than the current comedies. It almost looks like it was filmed like a movie.

While I really couldn’t be happier for Rebel, I really am hoping this show means that she will be taking a hiatus from movies. We do know that she is helping write the planned and green-lit Pitch Perfect 2, which is due out in 2014. I hope we don’t have to wait until then for another Rebel filled movie. She has just become one of my favourite actresses and comedienne’s that I want more of her than I probably need.

Checkout the trailer for Super Fun Night below and tell me what you think about it in the comments.

-Jake

Candice Glover has an awesome voice, and while I know this is a singing competition, you need someone you can market well. History has proven on Idol repeatedly that America doesn’t usually support the winners that they have voted to that honour. I think Candice has the edge over Kree at the moment, but that doesn’t mean she will go on to become a huge recording artist. I could be wrong, and I actually hope that I am, but I figure she will end up doing something like Broadway, which is awesome. Candice has an awesome voice, but I doubt I would support the record she makes. Everyone compares her to Adele, but there lies the problem… We already have Adele. Do we really need another songstress that has slightly upbeat songs that can wail to her heart is content and so good at doing it?

Kree Harrison on the other hand has been poised to actually win the top spot since the beginning of the season. Who didn’t love this everyday average girl who could belt out her lyrics? You didn’t think by looking at her that she was going to be able to sing that well. We also didn’t know who this girl was when she was shown to us cause we never saw her audition. I don’t think we saw Candice’s audition either. I feel like her popularity has fallen in the last few weeks against Candice and I cannot figure out why? Is it cause she has pretty much said she is going into country music? No, I don’t think that is right cause Idol has produced a lot of country singers in the last few years.

I was really pulling for Angie to win it all, because she was the most-talented all the way around contestant on the show. Not only can she sing really well, she also is a very talented songwriter. Something neither of the other two final contestants have shown us. Who pulls out their own original music at Hollywood week? Then who could have called that the song would be amazingly beautiful and stuns the judges? No one. It was a first in Idol history. Normally when someone pulls out an original song, you get ready for some good laughs. Not this time. I also feel like her original song ”You Set Me Free” was also what plagued her. It was said many times by the judges that she couldn’t top the performance she gave on her own song. I would most certainly agree with this, but instead of being rewarded, she gets kicked-off the show. It’s okay though. As I stated above, she will have more freedom and will have an amazing album. She already has a single that will sell, sell, sell, and that I figure will overshadow the actual winners single.

My final words are to Angie herself. Don’t take getting kicked-off of Idol as a sign that you’re done and never gonna realize your dream. You are gonna have an awesome album, career, and life.  Apparently, you are going to get to do a duet with Adam Lambert and that is freaking awesome. Even if you didn’t win the show, you are the winner in my book and this years American Idol.

Take a listen to Angie Miller’s original song ”You Set Me Free” down below. It is recorded from when she performed on the show, so you can hear Keith and Randy talking a bit. After you listen, please tell me what you think about it and what you think about Angie in the comments.

-JakeLX

A few days later it popped in my head, so in thirty minutes of searching, I knew it was a Coldplay song, which I should have known. I also was led to a cover by Sara Bareilles which I didn’t care for and knew it wasn’t the song I was looking for. Finally with some luck I came across Chelsea Lankes’ version. I knew once it started I had found it. Digging up deep I saw Chelsea Lankes is from Nashville, so I knew I had the right song I wanted. I assume Lankes is a friend of Taylor or someone from Nashville that Taylor really adores and wanted the world to hear her music.

“Yellow” by Coldplay will be 14-years-old in June, so why do I care about a cover of the song from a new comer? Because I really enjoy the way the cover is arranged and the way Chelsea Lankes voice goes with the music. The music is this synthy electronic vibe that seems so modern. It’s not hard, its soft, and then Chelsea Lankes voice just flows with it so perfectly. It really can put you in a trance if you’re not careful.

While I haven’t listened to the rest of Chelsea Lankes’ EP Ringing Bell, I can say I hope it sounds more like this. I look forward to listening to the EP in the near future. You can definitely except a review of it right here.

Listen to “Yellow” down below and tell me what you think of the cover in the comment section.Chelsea’s contacts are below the video.

WEBSITE: http://www.chelsealankes.com

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/ChelseaLankes

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/ChelseaLankesMusic

Oh, well! Just like The Vampire Diaries, this isn’t a fairytale and they weren’t meant to be forever I guess, Tell me your thoughts on their break-up in the comment section.

Randy has always been my least favourite judge. In the beginning he was overshadowed by Simon Cowell’s meanness and Paula Abdul’s craziness(drunkenness). His only thing that made anyone like him was his “dog” references, but even that grew old and tiresome. This season of Idol was the first season I had watched in two to three years and once again he was overshadowed by all the other chaos on the show this season.

I don’t really blame him for wanting to exit this sinking ship, even if they were going to get rid of him anyway. I think it is respectable that he announced his departure before the show could announce they were getting rid of all four judges. I think he truly stayed on the show for way too long and should have departed a few seasons ago.

@JakeLX: http://www.youtube.com

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Rebel Wilson’s fame has only grown since her debut on Bridesmaids in 2011. Her popularity only has soared since Pitch Perfect last fall. I would consider Pitch Perfect to be her breakthrough role where she was given a lot of air time. Pitch Perfect has become a huge success since its home video release and along with it Rebel Wilson. Rebel WIlson’s next project is apparently a comedy show on ABC called Super Fun Night for ABC. 

Rebel WIlson also just hosted the 2013 MTV Movie Awards, which I will have to say, she killed it. I think she has more than proven her comedy chops and it is surprising to me that she wasn’t asked to host this year. She would have been a better choice than Melissa McCarthy, whose second round of hosting SNL was more lackluster than her first round. 

I guess I can always hold out hope that Rebel will get her chance to host SNL next season. Maybe we will even see her Saturday has a special guest on Kristen Wiig’s hosted show. I really think Rebel Wilson would be a ratings boost for SNL. Let me know in the comments if you think Rebel Wilson would be an amazing choice to host SNL? 

The live version of “I Knew You Were Trouble” has a lot more dubstep and begins with an awesome fiddle solo by her red-haired fiddle player.

The song “#Beautiful” is a very beautiful sounding song, but the sound is a bit different from something else you’d hear on the radio today. That is very smart of someone who is trying to make a comeback after being away for four to five years. The stylization of the single’s name is also very smart, cause assuming people will include the hash tag, this song is going to trend. It was also very smart of Mariah to get a feature artist like Miguel who is new, but growing in popularity. It also helps that he can really sing and his voice just fits this song.

Going back to how the tracks sounds, it sounds very old school R&B, sorta like Justin Timberlake’s album that just came out in March. If this is where music is going, I will say I didn’t see it coming and am very surprised. Alabama Shakes may have a place on top-40 radio yet. It’s not a bad sound, just kinda odd with today’s electronic sound that is so popular.

I feel like “#Beautiful” isn’t going to be one of those huge songs that this diva is known for. It doesn’t showcase her very large vocal range that we all know she has. This song also should be more “Miguel feat. Mariah Carey” since Mariah apparently chose to sing less on her own song. Personally  I feel like it makes Mariah look desperate in trying to have a hit with this song. It was like Miguel is the new hot thing, so he’s gonna sing the whole song and Mariah is just gonna sing a very small portion. I’m not a fan of when featured artists sing more than the actual artists.

Overall I think this song will be a hit cause of its sound, Mariah’s name, and for Miguel’s very hard work. I think it will be good for Mariah to have a hit and to get out of the lowest point of her career… American Idol. You can take a listen to the song down below. Tell me your thoughts on Mariah’s new song “#Beautiful” in the comment section.

RATING: 3/5