We Got 'Em!: BRITNEY's COMEBACK SINGLES!

Hey there, kids!

Okay... it's the weekend, and have we got a post for you ;)

Britney Spears fans (are there are any left?), take heart - we've got her new comeback single "Gimme More" for you below! This is the one she filmed a video for the other month... you didn't forget these pics did you??



We also have a high-quality version of another song, "Cold Like Fire."

I'm not really into either of them, but I will say that "Cold" is kind of catchy after a few listens... maybe she should have picked that as her comeback single :-p

To be honest, I don't think either of them has what it takes to revitalize her career... they're just not different enough, or show off a previously unseen side, or crazily good enough... to make up for her annoyingness of the last few years.

Actually, it's not her wild ways that turned me off to Britney - it's been her bad parenting and "woah is me" sense of martyrdom. Sweetie, if you're going to complain about the paparazzi... then put on some panties, willya? (Especially if it's not worth lookin' at!)

Still, these are pretty juice songs, especially since Britney is rumored to be opening the VMAs next week... wonder if "Gimme More" will have grown on me by then!

The songs are below... but here's the thing: since we don't want any legal notices in our INbox, we're only leaving the songs up through the weekend. SO if you have any Britney fans, send them a link to the blog NOW! Sunday night... sayonara!

Enjoy, and have an awesome weekend ;)

Love,
JADE

Update: Release date change for JASON WALKER

Hey guys,

Just a quick update today!
If you've been looking for our July DIVO Jason Walker's new album, you've probably been disappointed to find that "Flexible" wasn't available for the original August 21 release date.

Problem solved! The release date has been rescheduled, and you can catch the album in stores and online on...

SEPTEMBER 4!



Phew... Walker fans, take a breath ;)

Full update tomorrow, gang!

Later,
JOHNNY

PAUL VAN DYK plays with DOLLS! (and pays tribute to MADONNA?)

Yep, you heard it here first... Paul van Dyk plays with dolls!!

Pussycat Dolls, that is ;)

First of all, head over to our Reviews section to get the skinny on Paul's new album, "In Between." I'd tell you what we thought of it... but I think it's more fun to read for yourself, don't you? :)

Aaanyway, the first single off the album is "White Lies," which has been heating up trance dance floors everywhere. It's a wild, hard-edged sonic ride - I love it! But like me, you've probably been thinking that the female guest vocalist (who also appears in the video) looks and sounds kind of familiar... but can't quite place her...

Mystery solved! The singer is Jessica Sutta, a member of the Pussycat Dolls!


Jessica must have a thing for club music, cause it's not the first time she's loaned her voice to a DJ/producer piece... earlier this year, she was the vocalist for Dave Aude's single "Make it Last."

I have to hand it to her, she's pretty good. I kind of figured that Nicole Scherzinger was the only one who could actually sing... since she's the only one who usually does! Plus, unlike most music artists, all the members of PCD are actually salaried employees of the record label (weird, huh??) which gave rise to rumors that all the girls other than Nicole were basically picked to be talentless, backup arm candy.

Okay, but here's my one beef... have you checked out the "White Lies" video? If not, first give it a gander below:



Okay... a chair dance in a black corset with a bowler hat... on a stage in front of three little peep show windows... does this bear a striking resemblance to another dance video from yesteryear?

Say... Madonna "Open Your Heart"??
Don't believe me?? Check THAT clip out below:



I need to compile a list of all the times I see Madonna's inspiration in current dance music... and then write all the newer artists letters to see if it was intentional!

Okay, so obviously we need to pit these two videos together in another face-off vote.
You might recall that our last one was between two "free-running videos": David Guetta's "Love Don't Let Me Go" and Madonna's "Jump."

You guys voted, and the results were:

David Guetta "Love Don't Let Me Go" - 48%
Madonna "Jump" - 52%

I have to say, I was surprised... I actually voted for David this time around!

So check the poll at the top of the blog and the homepage...
... and check out our review of Paul van Dyk's "In Between..."
... and the next time you're listening to "White Lies," check out your own Pussycat Doll moves in the mirror! ;)

Loosening up my buttons,
JADE

LIL SUZY is going to have a littler Suzy!

We're a little belated here, but it seems that congratulations are in order for one of dance music's infamous divas... LIL SUZY!

The Princess of Freestyle is 6 and 1/2 months pregnant with a baby girl!

Lil Suzy at 6 months pregnant, 2007

It's been a while since we've heard new music from Suzy, and now we know why: she's been playing wife and (soon to be) mother :)

If you need a refresher course on exactly WHY Lil Suzy has her place in dance music industry, here's the short of it: at the age of 14, this Freestyle Diva became the youngest EVER President of a record label (her own Empress Records). Of course, there's also the fact that she was performing alongside artists like Judy Torres by the age of 8, had churned out her first hit by the age of 13 ("Take Me in Your Arms"), and spent the next two decades popping out dance projects that I, for one, love. Of course, I'm not gonna lie... I always DID get a little self-conscious about having a CD that said "LIL SUZY" in my car. Haha. Manly pride, y'know? ;)

Anyway, sample her "Greatest Hits" album on iTunes if you need a reminder of her successes. My fave was always "When I Fall in Love." Gotta love the mid-90s wailing-Diva-meets-white-boy-rapper combo!

Aanyhow, Lil Suzy is now all grown up. She was married in October of 2005, and now she and her hubby are expecting their first child.

Lil Suzy wedding picture, October 2005

Oh, and we hear that the little girl's name is already picked out: Angelica Juliet.

Now THAT is a pretty name!

Congratulations, Lil Suzy. And here's hoping motherhood inspires her to write some new music! Every baby needs a lullaby, after all...

... even if it's a Freestyle jam!

Haha.

Later,
JOHNNY

DIVO to watch: BRIAN KENT!

Hi guys,

You know how excited we get when we hear of a new DIVO on the scene (cause they're so hard to come by!)... so fire up the speakers and check out someone new we've come across: Brian Kent.



Brian's hard two singles so far that you've probably heard: The first was "I'm Not Crazy," but the second was what really made an impact on me. It was a remake of the Journey hit "Don't Stop Believin'"... you know, that standby karaoke song that usually involves a group of drunks slinging their arms around each other and belting an inspirational anthem ;) (NOT speaking from personal experience, of course!)

I actually was NOT a big fan of his "Don't Stop Believin'" cover. It's not often that I like when dance artists cover rock songs... some things are better left alone! It's worked before, of course... check out this old blog I wrote that pairs classic rock songs against their dance version remakes.

Anyway, I'm happy to say that Brian Kent's first full album, "Breathe Life," is actually quite good! (So I forgive him for the Journey debacle ;) ) It's basically all high-energy dance cuts, so click the cover below to sample it through iTunes:



Yay, another guy in the dance world... you go, boy!

Love,
JADE

PS. Here's a little piece of trivia about Brian... he was a member of the original cast of the show Naked Boys Singing. Haha. Anyone have any pictures of that?? You'll be my hero!! ;)

New CD review posted: RACHEL PANAY "Back to Love"

Hey guys!

Just a heads up... go over to the CD Review section to check out the latest review posted. This one is for Rachel Panay's album "Back to Love."

Rachel was our "DIVA of the Month" in JUNE. But you'll have to check out the review to see what our "phantom critics" thought about the album!

Now if you'll excuse me, I have my sister's birthday cookout to get to... better hurry, there aren't going to be many weekends like this left in the summer... at least, not in New England ;)

Later,
JOHNNY

KIM SOZZI speaks about BEATSTOCK 2007!

Hey kiddies!

So earlier this week I brought you my girl Amber's report on the experience at Beatstock 2007. But really... doesn't everything deserve a second opinion?? (Plus, it gives me an excuse to call up another one of my fave divas... ;) )

Kim Sozzi had some dish for us on the Beatstock experience... check it out below!

KIM SOZZI says...

How was the crowd at Beatstock 2007?
KIM SOZZI: It was good, it was good! I was a little concerned because KTU had switched formats and cut back on the dance music. So I was concerned that maybe the energy wouldn't be as good or there wouldn't be as many people. But It was totally awesome, the place was packed... it was great. It was just a great crowd. I felt like the vibe was there, the energy was there, the support was there... it was great. I have no complaints!

Have you had any fans give you their feedback about the format change?
KS: Yeah, that's old news. I've had everyone in the last six months be like, "what's going on on??" I think the word is out, especially in New York. But there's so many other avenues. There's MySpace, and there are a lot of opportunities to perform locally in the area, so I still see my fans and they still play my music. It's not terrible.

What songs did you perform at Beatstock?
KS: A whole medley: it was "How Did You Know" into "Break Up," into "Alone." And then I came out an hour later with Lucas Prata, and we did a duet that we recorded that's going to be on his album. It was "Don't You Want Me," a cover of the '80s Human League song. I think a lot of people had wanted us to do something together for a long time.


Kim performing "Don't You Want Me" with Lucas Prata, Beatstock 2007

Is Lucas a fellow artist that you know well?
KS: I've known Lucas for years! Way before he was THE Lucas Prata. Since maybe like... 2001? He actually went to college with my husband, which is totally random. We met at one of the conferences one year and it turned out... we had never made the connection, but all of a sudden out of nowhere it came up. I think they were even in the same fraternity or something, which is pretty wild. Totally crazy, they had their own independent connection!

Any memorable moments from Beatstock?
KS: I was beyond excited... They were getting ready to introduce me, and the time of the show was an issue for the producer... they wanted everyone to be under a certain amount of time. They told me that "you can only have 10 minutes, you have to cram everything in." And Eugene, he's the voice of the station, he does all these commercials and advertisements on the radio for all throughout the country... he put together a [recorded] introduction for me. And they actually played it! I thought we didn't have enough time, and they actually played the intro. It was like a minute long intro, and i was about to cry! I'm not kidding, I was so excited... I was hearing my name at Jones Beach, which is were I grew up. But every time I go on stage I feel like that. I feel so lucky. There are so many people who want to be on stage, out there performing in front of people. There are so many talented people who don't get the same opportunity. I'm so lucky.

We're lucky you get the opportunity, too, Kim!

Have an amazing weekend, everybody!
Love,
JADE

COLETTE album, movie, contest news... and a trivia question!!

Hey guys,

If you've already read our feature on DIVA of the Month Colette, then you know that she's married to actor Thomas Ian Nicholas (Kevin from the American Pie flicks).

Aaanyway, check out this movie trailer I came across. It's called LA DJ, Thomas Ian Nicholas' directorial debut from 2004. He and his brother (Tim Scarne) wrote the screenplay and star together in a tale of two DJ wannabes struggling to be part of "the scene." And guess who has a cameo in the movie as herself...?

Yup! Colette! (See if you can spot her at the very beginning of the trailer...)


I actually still haven't seen the movie, but I've added it to my Netflix queue...


Okay, now without getting totally off topic, let me pose a little trivia question about dance DIVAS in movies...
... yesterday, Jade made a post about AMBER.

* What club movie did Amber have a cameo in?
* Which of our other past DIVAS had a cameo alongside her?
* (Here's the tough one) Under what group name did they release the movie's hit single?

If you can answer all three questions, email me at johnny@divadivodance.com. First correct respondent gets a cookie! ;) haha. Well, you'll get somethin'... nothing huge, but hey, it's worth an email :)

Anyway, back to the DIVA at hand... don't forget that Colette has also finally unleashed her second album this week. My favorite track is "If," and we hear that it's going to be released as the second single! (Sweet... can't wait to hear the mixes ;))

Click the cover shot below to sample Push (and "If") on iTunes:




If you're feelin' lucky, head over to Colette's official website and enter a contest to win an autographed copy of the album, PLUS two free tickets to her show at DNA in San Francisco tomorrow night! (Better get a move on it, tiger ;))

Enjoy the album, the flick... and hopefully, a hot Friday night with Colette in San Fran!

'Til tomorrow,
JOHNNY

AMBER talks about BEATSTOCK 2007!

Hi all,
Hope you guys are doing well!

Hopefully, many of you were lucky enough to get to BEATSTOCK 2007 this weekend. It's New York radio station KTU's annual outdoor, 2-day dance music fiesta. This year was the 10th anniversary Beatstock series, so they pulled out all the stops and loaded up on some huge dance music stars: Kim Sozzie, Lucas Prata, Cascada, Reina, DJ Jonathan Peters, Angelo Venuto, Crystal Waters, Judy Torres, Rockell... damn, did I miss anybody? ;)

Sure did... how 'bout... AMBER?

Yep, our inaugural Diva herself performed at both the Saturday and Sunday shows
We checked in with the Divine Miss A afterwards, to see how the show went for her:


Amber with Cascada, Beatstock 2007

QUESTION: How was the crowd at Beatstock?
AMBER: The crowd was filled with young teenagers, up until the middle aged generation... they all have a lot of fun. KTU has switched their format into a retro format and also has new leadership since last year... so there is not any new music played. You will pretty much only hear the previously established hits.

Q: What songs did you perform?
AMBER: I performed a medley consisting of "This is Your Night", "One More Night" and "Anyway." Then I performed the full tracks of "Yes", "If You Could Read My Mind" and "Sexual." And then around 1.5 hours later, I performed a set with Jonathan Peters where I sang "Above the Clouds" to his remix version.


Amber with Jonathan Peters

Q: Any surprises or memorable moments from your performance?
AMBER: The crowds are always very enthusiastic and sing along... that is a lot of fun.

Q: Did you have any time to enjoy the local area before or after your show?
AMBER: Absolutely not! lol. It is always "in and out" for me... I do not hang around. Not my thing.

Q: Were there any other performers you were excited to see or meet?
AMBER: Beatstock really consists of Freestyle and Dance artists and the fans who know me, also know that I am not really a consumer of that music style. I know a few faces because they show up for the same event every year. We just exchange a few words and greet each other. But as for the rest... I make sure that I give the best performance I can at that point and then get back home ASAP. There's just too much going on backstage, and I like to stay focused and do what I am asked to do.

Q: What do the next few months have in store for you, Amber? Any new music plans, personal plans, or news we should get ready for?
AMBER: I have a few shows set, and I am planning to slowly re-release a few older hit singles in a new musical form to make them digitally available worldwide. There is a lot of material of mine that is just nowhere to be found, because those masters do not belong to me. I want to make sure that they are out there for the fans. We keep receiving requests for them!

Q: Describe the Beatstock experience in three words:
AMBER: I can't. I enjoy the professional part of it and enjoy performing in front of 15,000 people and connecting with them. I assume for the fans and visitors it is... BIG, FUN... and PARTY!

Amen to that, Amber!

Look for another "Beatstock artist recap" in a few days, gang :)

Love,
JADE

Where are they now: EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL

Hey all,

Here's a two-for-one special for ya, a blog about a DIVA and a DIVO all at once. I'm talking about the married couple of Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn, better known as Everything But the Girl. They had a huge hit back in the day with "Missing" (it was a mainstream US radio breakthrough, too), but it seems that this duo has been missing ever since.

Not the case! They both have recent projects.

Ben currently oversees his own independent record label, Buzzin' Fly. It was named Label of the Year in 2005 by the House Music Awards, and is really focused on promoting new talent in the electronica world. Hence why Mr. Watt has decided to introduce us to Justin Martin, a Hartford CT born DJ. He's about to release his first album with Buzzin', called Chaos Restored.



If you haven't yet heard Justin, take a quick look at his MySpace page. Pretty good stuff! And when you've got the support of Ben Watt behind you, it lends a certain amount of credibility ;) Too bad the album isn't out 'til October 9.

While her husband has been busy managing the careers of up-and-comers, Tracey has been busy herself. She recently released a solo album called "Out of the Woods" (a reference to her extended absence from music, perhaps?) to critical acclaim.

If you like Imogen Heap, you'll probably like this. Has a very similar sound. It's Tracey's first album since 1999, the last time Everything But the Girl worked together.

Good things come to those who wait!

Which is why you should check the blog again tomorrow...

Oh, and... if you missed yesterday's post, I highly recommend reading it. Throughly. All the way through. Cause you never know, there MIIIIGHT be a special surprise hidden there, somewhere... especially if you're a Madonna-fan...

Later,
JOHNNY

DAVID GUETTA's latest WILL get a US release!

Hey Guetta-philes!

Here's a spot of news to follow up on our recent naming of Chris Willis (French DJ David Guetta's longtime pal and vocalist) as DIVO of the month. His work on Guetta's new album Pop Life will get a stateside release!

Right now, Pop Life is only available in France.. and a release in the UK is scheduled within the next month. Pretty frustrating for American fans... I didn't realize that you had to have a billing address in another country to buy songs from foreign ITunes stores. Lame!

But no worries, as that will be a moot point soon. Ultra Records is going to be in charge of releasing Pop Life in America on October 2. Mark the date, cause we've already heard the album (one of the perks of the job - there aren't many! haha) and it's a good one. Chris' work on it is among his best.



Gotta love Ultra. They were also responsible for finally bringing Jes' album to the states. Until last week, it was only available in Europe through Tiesto's Black Hole Recordings label. Check out our review of it, if you haven't already.

So there you have it! Hopefully this means Guetta and Chris will be touring America to promote the album! (Actually we already have word that David will be making the jump across the pond to tour... time will tell if Chris follows to accompany him...)

Lotsa love,
JADE

PS. Since we made a vow to try and not have this blog turn into a Madonna forum, I will definitely NOT post a link to ANOTHER leaked clip from her upcoming dance album. Nope. Not going to post it at all. Even though it's another Pharrell Williams produced track (and you can even hear him on the backing vocals), is called "The Beat Goes On," and sounds very promising and Bedtime Stories era. Nope, not gonna post it at all. Certainly not here

Heehee!

MADONNA's Birthday News Round-Up!

Okay, okay... so yesterday was her birthday. We thought we'd wait 'til the weekend to wish Madonna a Happy 49th Birthday! Yowza... almost 50 and still kicking her dancing shoes higher than most. How come Britney Spears is like, half that age and looks like she could barely do "jazz hands" without twisting her ankle on a Cheetoh? ;)

Alright, enough potshots at the weak and vulnerable pop prey. Let's get to it... the latest batch of news reports about Madonna's upcoming 49th year!:

* Just to reiterate previous reports, her next album - produced by Timbaland, Pharrell Williams and Justin Timberlake - is still slated for a November 2007 release. We've already shown you the rumored (and I stress rumored!) track list, and risked a beheading by Madge when we snuck that clip of the demo "Candy Shop" online. So leave us alone, already! :)

* Okay, you twisted our arm... here's ONE more news bit about the new album. While in the "green room" waiting for his shoot on TRL, Timbaland spoke to MTV about his work on the album:

"Ah, man," Tim gushed. "There's this one song, we taking it back to 'You must be my luck-eee starrrr!' ... Remember 'Ugly' by Bubba Sparxxx? I got a beat similar to that. The hook is no words. It's saying stuff named after coffee — all these different names for coffee — is the hook. ... The name of the song is 'La, La.' Pharrell did a hot one for her too called 'Candy Shop.' She's off the chain."

Interesting! Timbaland confirms what we know about "Candy Shop," but no song called "La, La" appears on that supposed tracklisting we received...

I'm beginning to wonder if that tracklisting isn't totally phony, and possibly leaked by Madonna's camp! Seriously. Isn't it coincidental how it got "leaked" right after the legitimate leak of "Candy Shop." And Madonna has been known to fool around with internet fans before... you might recall that during the 2003 release of "American Life" she inundated the file-sharing networks with faux versions of the tracklisting. Then, when cyber-shoplifters downloaded the tracks, they were greeted with an audio file of Madonna herself yelping, "What the FUCK do you think you're doing??" over and over again!

Maybe the tracklisting is another case of Ms. Ciccone using a decoy tactic!

* Rumor has it MTV is planning a television special to mark Madonna's 25th year in the music business, to air in the '07-'08 season. In the tradition of those Icon specials they (used to) air, it will involve other artists performing Madonna's past hits, and culminate in a spectacular performance by The Diva herself.

* Madonna herself is said to be keen to celebrate her 25th show-biz year, too. After the new album drops, her next musical project will be a Special Edition Boxed Set of new Greatest Hits compilations and DVDs of her infamous music videos and live performances. How about re-releasing her SEX book while she's at it? Hey, little Lourdes is gonna see the thing ONE day! haha.

* The self-celebration never ends when you're Madonna (but then, what do you expect from an ultimate, spotlight-loving LEO like her?). She's already looking ahead to her 50th Birthday, and is contemplating organizing something HUGE. REALLY HUGE. Here's a hint: Television special. Here's another: Central Park, New York. Okay, that's not really a hint anymore ;) But seriously, how awesome would that be?? Seems that Madonna knows the media will have a field day with her hitting an "aging" milestone... especially since her reputation over the years has hinged so much on her sexuality, boldness and energy. Apparently she feels she won't be able to run from that, so she'll turn the media attention to her advantage and show what a 50-year old MILF can do!

* Madonna is going to unleash a full dozen (yes, 12!) children's books - all at once - at the end of the year. Presumably, just in time for the Christmas shopping season.
(Yawn... never really that interested in Mama Madonna's Bedtime Reads, personally.)

* And finally the news that REALLY has us siked... we hear that Madonna IS gearing up for a tour to promote the new album... to kick off in JUNE 2008!!

Damn... and I thought I was busy lately! ;)

Alright, kids... that's enough news to keep you smilin' all weekend.

Oh, and one last thing... :)
If you thought those pictures above looked a little funny, you're right!
NOPE, they're NOT Madonna! They're Madonna impersonator Roxy Marquis from Minneapolis!
Haha... sorry, we couldn't resist a gag that Madonna herself would appreciate ;)

Have a good weekend, all!
JOHNNY

Free-Running DANCE OFF!: Battle of the Videos

Hi guys!

Hope you're all having a lovely week ;)
I'm a bit hung over this morning... went to a party last night for the website Manhunt... it's a "dating" (ahem, more like hook-up!) site for gay men. Which means the music they played was fantastic! Haha. "Gay Jim" from Boston's KISS 108 was the DJ, and he played everything from current hip hop to older Euro-dance ("Castles in the Sky"?? Oh yes!!) Anyway, I'm paying the price this morning :)

So if you haven't seen the home page yet, check it out! We've named our new DIVA and DIVO of the month: Colette and Chris Willis!

Chris is best known as the voice behind French DJ David Guetta's big hits, and that sort of inspired my post today. My favorite Guetta song is "Love Don't Let Me Go/Walking Away," and I was watching the video the other day. It features some pretty crazy dancing... all these "ordinary people" suddenly break into wild moves, the kind that combine Krump with Free Running . You know, they break it down and then start running up walls and jumping over buildings and stuff like that. Amazing!

It reminded me of a lot of the dancing Madonna implemented during her Confessions Tour last year, and then I recalled how she used a lot of it in one of her recent videos... for the single "Jump."

So after watching both videos, I thought I would let you, dear reader, be the one to decide... which Free Running video is better??

Take a look at them below, and then vote in our poll on the left hand side.
And don't forget to check out our new DIVA and DIVO!

VIDEO ONE: David Guetta "Love Don't Let Me Go"


VIDEO TWO: Madonna "Jump"


Love and urban gymnastics,
JADE

SPICE GIRLS baby news! (and new tour dates)

Congratulations to Emma Bunton - former Baby Spice and current new-mama-Spice!

Baby had a baby boy just a few days ago (Friday, August 10). Named Beau, we're told the son and his famous mother are resting comfortably and in good health :)

Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) with hubby Jade Jones.

Maybe he was inspired by the happy birth of his ex's pal, but Eddie Murphy finally owned up that he IS the father of Melanie Brown's (Scary Spice) son, Angel. This came after weeks and weeks of denial... and Scary even went on the Larry King Live show to discuss the situation. Check out a clip below (and tell me if it sounds like Larry is being a bit confrontational!):


Well, Murphy has now claimed paternity and agreed to pay child support to Mel B (not that she'll be needing it after this winter's tour ;) haha). However, he continues to refute her claims that they had planned to start a family... saying they were just a spicy fling!

In addition to the baby news, the Spice Girls have announced new dates for their forthcoming reunion tour... so I guess they will be turning the globe into Spiceworld, after all. The options are still slim, though (only a San Jose date was added to the US leg of the tour), and tickets still have to go through the lottery system on their website.

Here's the full list of dates announced:
December 2, '07 - Vancouver (CANADA)
December 4, '07 - San Jose, California (USA)
December 7, '07 - Los Angeles, California (USA)
December 8, '07 - Las Vegas, Nevada (USA)
December 11, '07 - New York City, New York (USA)
December 15, '07 - London (UK)
December 20, '07 - Koln (GERMANY)
December 23, '07 - Madrid (SPAIN)
January 8, '08 - Shanghai (CHINA)
January 10, '08 - Beijing (CHINA)
January 12, '08 - Hong Kong (HONG KONG)
January 17, '08 - Sydney (AUSTRALIA)
January 20, '08 - Cape Town (SOUTH AFRICA)
January 24, '08 - Buenos Aires (ARGENTINA)

Hmm... looks like there are still plenty of holes to fill in there... so I wouldn't be surprised if a few more Spice cities are announced soon!

Wonder how many Spice babies we'll see in the meanwhile!

Til then,
JOHNNY

DANIELLE BOLLINGER and COLETTE get ghetto-fabulous... kinda?

Hi all!

Hope you had a fabulous weekend... I spent most of it putting together my new place (still... it's going to take a while!), but hopefully you all were able to do something that didn't involve cleaning grout all day :) haha.

Anyhow, we've made mention several times on this site about how frustrating it is when dance music gets ignored on the radio waves in favor of other genres... hip hop in particular, since it seems to be the only genre of music that has any credibility on the radio anymore!

So imagine my surprise to discover that two popular dance artists have added a hip hop element to their new music... to mixed results!

THE GOOD:
In case you didn't know, Colette is about to release her second artist album, Push, at the end of the month. (And by the way, you'll be seeing much more of this DJ, producer, songwriter and vocalist very soon! Hint, hint ;)). Anyway, the new album features one track that is Colette's first collaboration with a guest rapper: "Funny" featuring Black Spade. You can get a quick listen to it here, though unfortunately you won't make it to the rap portion in the third verse. Still, it's a nice snippet of the overall beat and sound.

However, we did manage to get ourselves and advance listen of the full song... and it's GOOD! It totally took me by surprise when the rap came in at the end. I was just grooving along, playing (and losing) poker with a bunch of friends, and all of a sudden I hear Black Spade chime in. It totally works, and while I'm usually hesitant to hear that dance artists are going to bring in hip hop collaborators (Madonna aside, of course!)... I thought that this worked in, well, Spades!

THE BAD:
Well, apparently the dance community wasn't supportive enough of Danielle Bollinger's career, because the former "Kiss the Sky" and "When the Brokenhearted Love Again" star sounds like she's selling out... excuse me, "expanding her horizons"... for the sake of mainstream success.

Check out her MySpace page to hear a clip from her new single, "Take it Back." If the simple snare beat, ragga rapper and half-spoken lyrics weren't enough to make it obvious that she's vying for the "London Bridge" hit of 2008, check out her new look. I didn't realize Fergie had retired and left an opening!

Look, I'm not going to sit here and say that I think it's unequivocally horrible for dance artists to integrate other styles into their music. And hip hop is definitely a natural choice... it IS dance music, after all. And you know, I'm not even going to pretend that I don't like her new song... to be honest, it's kind of catchy.

What bugs me is how transparent it is that an artist - in this case, it seems - would so flagrantly compromise themselves for a crossover hit. Can you at least be subtle?? Don't make it so obvious that you're preparing a cocktail for pop stardom ("Let's see... I need one part paint-by-numbers hip hop jam, two parts gold medallion wardrobe accessories...").

There's a good way and a bad way to aim for the crossover charts. You can either complement your OWN sound with something new, or you can throw the baby out with the bathwater and remodel yourself for others.

OR... you can just shut up and dance!

Loves,
JADE

KRISTINE W on a national tour... with BARRY MANILOW!?

Yep, you heard us right!

One of our ultimate dance divas is heading on a national tour, playing major arenas around the US! We're talking possibly Madison Square Garden here, kids! Not every day you see dance divas playing for thousands in venues like that!!

Unfortunately, you'll have to shell out big bucks... Kristine W will be the opening act for Barry Manilow on his An Evening of Music and Passion Tour, and right now floor seats are going for $250 bucks or so. Right now, Barry is the resident act at the Las Vegas Hilton - the same place where, if you've read our feature on Kristine back in May you already know, Kristine used to be the resident performer. It was at the Las Vegas Hilton where she performed more shows in Vegas history than ANY other performer... Elvis included! Anyway, she has a long history with the Hilton, so it's no wonder that they decided to pair Manilow up with one of their longstanding success stories. Way to go, Kristine!!!


Kristine W, back in her Hilton showgirl days!


Barry Manilow, best known for songs like "Copacabana," "Could it Be Magic," "Mandy," and "Can't Smile Without You"

Anyhow, only two non-Vegas dates have been announced for the tour so far: Boston and Philadelphia. However, we have it on good authority that Kristine won't be joining the tour until after those shows... once it hits the road for additional cities in 2008. Oh well, at least that gives you all plenty of time to start saving up!

This is definitely great news for Kristine, as it's going to give her a chance to bring her music to a whole new audience... and it probably means that her jazz album is almost finished!! Cause let's face it, she probably won't be performing the Rauhofer remix of "Some Lovin'" for Barry Manilow fans, right? ;) But who knows... Kristine has always said that dance music is her love and joy, so maybe she'll throw in a few house hits and help bring dance to a new audience.

We'll keep you posted as dates are announced... but for now, enjoy the news of this unlikely... okay, bizarre... but very cool pairing!

Later guys,
JOHNNY

JUAN PABLO DI PACE: Mamma Mia... what a Hottie!!

Hi all!

Hope all of you are having awesome weeks!

So I had to fill you in on this bit of news... ever since Johnny posted about the Eric Prydz video "Call on Me" a while back, I've been rediscovering an infatuation with Juan Pablo Di Pace... he's the hottie guy who takes the aerobics class (and makes lip-bitingly hot thrusting moves) in the music video. YUM!!

Anyyyyway... I was curious as to what this Argentinean model and actor (and full-time stud) was up to. Okay, okay, so really I was just looking for an excuse to Google Image his name and see what pics came up ;) The point is, I discovered in the course of things that Juan Pablo is about to take his experience with dance remixes from Steve Winwood to ABBA:

Juan Pablo has been cast in the role of Petros in the Universal film MAMMA MIA directed by Phyllida Lloyd. The musical film stars Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Julie Walters. Juan Pablo will be shooting in London and Greece throughout the summer.

Guess movie producers really are discovering the value of the Hollywood musical!!

"Hairspray" opened strong this month, so it's a good sign for musical movies. And sounds like the ABBA-inspired "Mamma Mia" is going to be the next adaptation. Unfortunately, while I haven't seen the show, I'm told that Juan Pablo's role (Petros) is not a major one. In fact, I'm pretty sure he only has a bit part as a handyman. That's in the stage version, of course. Who knows if the theatrical rendition will take some liberties. I hope so, and I hope that it involves Juan Pablo having to replicate those "Call on Me" hipthrusts... but this time, with a few other moves involved ;) oooh, I'm sorry! I just can't help it!

Anyway, thought that was a fun little anecdote for ya. "Mamma Mia," the movie version, is slated for release on July 18, 2008. So get ready to see all your favorite disco classics (as long as they were done by ABBA - and really, was any disco song NOT done by ABBA??) on the big screen. And get ready to see Juan Pablo strutting his stuff once again.

He's the same boy he used to be!

Lotsa love,
JADE

New Release Tuesday: JES "Disconnect"

Hey everybody,

Just a quick update today... a reminder that our , JES, has released her debut album today! Disconnect. You've probably noticed that I don't often blog about a new album release... but I just had to this time. I got my promo copy when we first interviewed JES a few weeks back, and it hasn't left my car stereo... or my ITunes... or my home theatre... you get the idea ;)

Anyway, you can click the image below to hear samples on ITunes... check it out. And keep your eye on the "Tour Dates" page we have listed at the top of the site. It's finally going to be operational soon, and JES has a ton of dates that we'll keep you posted on.

Alrighty, another "news" update tomorrow... but here's a DIVA DIVO "good luck" salute to JES. It's taken a while for her to get her solo album off the ground, and I'm rooting for her. Cause it rocks!

Later,
JOHNNY

LOUIE VEGA update: New album and movie news!

Hi guys!

Hope everyone's doing well... I had a productive weekend moving into my new place. Egads... so much to unpack, so little time ;) Oh well, any excuse to redecorate works well enough for me! hah.

Anyhow, you might remember that Louie Vega was our DIVO of the month back in June. Well, we just got some news that none other than Mr. Vega will be the DJ behind the next Defected release titled (what else?) Louie Vega in the House!

The Defected label has been cranking out some killer compilations lately... though you'll notice our resident album reviewer was on the fence about their last one. I'm hopeful for an effort from Louie, though. He integrates Latin style so well, which makes sense... his uncle is the famous Hector Lavoe, a Latin artist who really brought the genre mainstream in the '70s and '80s. There's a movie out right now (it came out on Friday in fact) called El Cantante. It stars husband and wife team Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, and tells the story of Lavoe. I haven't checked it out yet, myself... I mean, the last time J.Lo worked with her hubby the result was Gigli... do I really want to risk it again? ;) Haha. If you've seen it, let me know if it's worth checking out.

Below we've got a few words from Louie about the upcoming Defected album. Check it out!

Now if you'll excuse me... my new place already has a leaking ceiling that needs attention. Here's hoping this isn't an omen!



Q: What have you done with the mix for Defected?
Louie Vega: I am very proud of it. I covered a lot of different styles of house music. It took me seven days to put that together. I have even done a third CD on my own, which contains inspirational tunes. It’s a really great CD, one of my favorites so far. It’s a really great all around package.

Q: Give me some of the names that are on the "inspirations" CD?
LV: Denise Williams, Summer Madness, a Tania Maria song that she did last year, Ultra Nate, Donnie Hathaway, Valdez In The Country... A really beautiful vibe.

Q: What are the differences between the two mixes?
LV: Well CD1 starts really aggressive and fun and party. The first tune opens up with the Bob Sinclair Remix of "Put your Drink Down." This is a really hot summer track and then it goes into this album cut that the Basement Boys did, that Freestyle Records put out in the UK, They replayed the horn lines of "Street Player," it has an aggressive tribal beat. I’ve started it with a big bang. Right away it takes you there.

Q: Are there any standout tracks on that particular mix?
LV: There’s a song that I produced for Cerrone. "Louie Vega vs Cerrone" is how they are presenting it. It's called "Love Ritual," I did it as a tribute to Cerrone and it remade his famous Conga tune. I redid that beat with the ELO band and it sound really powerful, with a new singer called Nina Rodriguez singing some chants on it.

Q: Is that an exclusive for the album? LV: Yeah! There are a lot of exclusives on there.. also a song by Anane and Blaze, "Dance Ritual." Another song I did for Cerrone is on the 2nd CD, and there are a lot of special versions that I put on there.

Q: Are there any Latin Flavors on there?
LV: I did a remix to my uncles record "Mi Hente (My People)," and I did that for V2 records. It’s a special mix a special dub that is not even out yet.

This summer there is a movie out with Mark Anthony and Jennifer Lopez. Mark Anthony is starring as my uncle and its about my uncle's life. The movie is called El Cantante (The Singer). My uncle was known as the "singer of the singers," he was a very talented singer who brought salsa music to the forefront in the 70’s and 80’s. Willy Cologne who was his partner and his producer, he produced Hector Lavoe all the way until the end, and they really did have an incredible legacy. They were true legends.

Q: Can you tell me a bout any amazing dj experience that you have had?
The Beach in Miami. It was amazing: my mom was there, my wife was there, my son was there, my friends and family from all over the world. I had a great time, they were on the beach on the sand in Miami which is very hard these days. We had Anane performing live, Mr V, Nina doing the Cerrone song that I was telling you about earlier. We had a poet named Ovi, who is a new guy that I’m working with now for my "Elements of Life" album. It was such a great party.

Q: Sounds like you have a lot going on Louie.
LV: At the moment I’m touring, I am also working with Kenny doing more Masters at Work projects. We are both really excited about this!

Lotsa love,
JADE

Rumor: The Songs for MADONNA's next album revealed??

Hey everybody,

It was a week ago today that we brought you the leaked snippet of Madonna's newly recorded track "Candy Shop"... one of several demos that may find a final home on her upcoming album (due for a November 2007 release).


Madonna in a promotional shot for her 2003 GAP ad with Missy Elliot. Note the slightly inappropriate hand gesture ;) typical Madonna for ya!

This Friday, we've got some added info for ya... according to insider sources of Mr. Perez Hilton (who I don't tend to trust, but that's just me...), we can reveal the titles of the songs recorded for the album. Bear in mind this is not the final tracklist, as all of these songs are still in the demo stages and some will end up on the cutting room floor. But anyway, here's the supposed list of songs that were recorded for the album... and a few notes about them:

01. Sleep Deprivation
02. Turn It Up
03. Going Down
04. Little Thang (feat Justin Timberlake)
05. It’s The Beat
06. Tight Fit
07. Black
08. Off The Hook (feat Timbaland)
09. Candy Store (feat Pharrell)
10. Eleven Minutes
11. Do I Care
12. Freelancer.34
13. U n M
14. Starlight
15. Hit It Hard
16. Got This Down Right



* SLEEP DEPRIVATION is a favorite by both Madonna, the producers and the label. Very Likely to become a single. Apparently it's "revolutionary and fierce".

* GOING DOWN has really raunchy lyrics, and it started as a joke. Justin Timberlake worked on it with Madonna.

* LITTLE THANG includes a verse by Justin Timberlake. It’s described as a "midtempo summer jam with a fresh beat".

* BLACK is described as "organic, crazy and it will rumble your worlds".

* OFF THE HOOK is the Timbaland collaboration. Two were recorded, another one he’s saving for his next solo record. Single possibly, the executives loved it.

* CANDY STORE probably WON'T be on the record, along with HIT IT HARD and DO I CARE. Apparently, Madonna is "over them".

* FREELANCER.34 is "very experimental" and still completely unfinished. Might become a sort of intro or outro to one of the songs.

* U n M is another label favorite, supposedly it’s something very new for Madonna.

So there you have it. I don't know who these "insiders" are, and there's a very good reason that some - maybe even all - of these songs are real. But right now... I'm not buying!!

I mean, if they ARE real, I'll be really disappointed. I'm definitely a Madonna fan, and I welcome a new sound for her record... but Madonna is supposed to be the icon who invents what's cool. These titles sound so ridiculous, like they belong on a 50 Cent album... and will justifiably give ammo to critics who scoff at a 50-year-old yogi mom trying to sound 'hood. Uhh... does anyone remember the backlash from the "rap" in "American Life"? And at least that could have been interpreted as ironic (at least, that's how I saw it). Madonna using the word THANG and trying to be legit? That just strikes me as ridiculous. And "Off the Hook"?? What is she, a suburban soccer mom trying to act hip? Why doesn't she just have a single called "Talk to the Hand, Homegirl!"

I don't know... obviously we know that "Candy Shop" is a real track... and I find it suspicious that this "report" says it WON'T be on the record. Because according to this tracklist, it's her only major collaboration with Pharrell Williams. I find it unlikely that she would throw out the only track from one of her "brand name" collaborators.

I wasn't nervous about Madonna having a "hip hop" sound to her record before. I mean, as one of her readers commented a few posts back (and wisely so), she has indeed worked with R&B producers in the past... Babyface, Dallas Austin, etc. Even a song like "Justify My Love," which she worked on with Lenny Kravitz, had an early '90s hint of R&B. But back then, it seemed like Madonna was still the one with her hand on the driver's wheel... the producers were just her car. If these song titles are real, it makes me nervous that Madonna officially handed over the wheel to a bunch of (talented, yes, but nonetheless overexposed and trendy) producers simply to ensure another American radio hit... and I wonder if that car won't go straight into a tree.

Give me hope, Madonna!

Alright guys... take it or leave it, doubt it or believe it... but that's the news for now. Hope you all have an awesome weekend!

Later,
JOHNNY

ARI GOLD shows his SEX appeal!

Hi all!,

Time for all of you to fire up your TIVO to record a favorite DIVO (oh man, how cute am I? haha).

We just heard that Ari Gold will be appearing this Friday and Saturday on the IFC Indie Sex Series. IFC (Independent Film Channel) is doing a four day series on sex in the media... and we're told that Ari the hottie will be included in the episodes airing August 3rd and 4th. Check the IFC website for your local channels and times.



I'm not sure how Ari fits in to the series (it seems to be about sex in film, not music), but there's no doubt that he's been a pretty big influence in sex in media. He was, after all, the very first R&B performer to be openly gay from the start of his career (gotta love a trailblazer!). Since then, he's had a bunch of club hits, and his third studio album (Transport System) is set for release on October 2. In fact, we've got a snippet of his new single for you to take a listen! Check it out below:

Ari Gold - "Where the Music Takes You"

Ooh, so deliciously danceable.

And he's so deliciously edible.

Why are the cute ones always.... ? ;)

Sigh. Guess I'll have to cuddle up with a glass of wine and IFC this weekend. Not quite as exciting as a night with Ari in the flesh, but I'll make it work ;)

Lotsa love,
JADE

AMUKA and VERONICA give us the dish on DANCEBOSTON 2007!!

Hey guys,

You know, it's always funny to me how closely knit the dance community is. The artists, the DJs, the producers... it seems like so many artists know each other in some way - professionally and personally - and I get a kick out of that. I love it, though! Wouldn't it be cool to be a fly on the wall when your favorite dance music stars are kicking back with a few drinks after a performance? ;)

Anyway, this past weekend RAIN nightclub hosted DANCEBOSTON 2007, a round-up of some of the dance world's biggest talent.

It was hosted by Billy Costa, a big radio personality here in Boston (KISS108 FM), and featured performances by Lucas Prata, Veronica, Amuka and Louie DeVito. (Crazy... Lucas and Louie were our first two DIVOs on the site... seriously, just check the BACKSPIN page. Coincidence? I think not! haha.)




Anyway, we had to get the dirt on the show straight from the sources... so we chatted with AMUKA and VERONICA afterwards to get the scoop. Here's what they had to say!

AMUKA says...


HOW WAS THE CROWD AT DANCE BOSTON 2007?
Absolutely amazing. Very energetic and responsive. The club was packed. I love the city and the fans in Boston. BOSTON ROCKS!!!

WHAT SONGS DID YOU PERFORM?
I performed "Appreciate Me" and my new hit song "My Man".

ANY SURPRISES OR INTERESTING STORIES FROM THE NIGHT?
I had a great time with Lucas, Veronica, and Louie Devito. Veronica's best friend Sabrina of the group Cover Girls was there and she is married to Ricky Greenstein of Central Entertainment Group. Ricky is the first person who called me and told me I had a hit song with "Appreciate Me". He was the first agent to book my shows as Amuka, and his passion was incredible. He made me very excited about Dance Music. I had been thinking of him for a few days and I wanted to tell him how grateful I was for everything he'd done for me...and there he was in Boston, walking up the stairs to the Green Room, so I got the opportunity to thank him and I did. God always works things out if you just believe.

DID YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE THE SITES IN BOSTON BEFORE THE SHOW?
No, unfortunately not because my flight was delayed due to a bad storm that day.

HOW ABOUT AFTER THE SHOW... ANY CRAZY AFTER-PARTIES?
No crazy after parties for us. My husband and I spent some time with Veronica and her husband. We talked about the places we've traveled to, and they convinced us that Hawaii should be the next place we take a vacation or go there to work (which ever comes first). We had a flight at 8:30 the next morning, so we went back to the room and prepared for our return trip home.

WHAT OTHER PERFORMER WERE YOU MOST EXCITED TO SEE?
Both Lucas and Veronica. We've done a lot of shows together and we are very close friends. We always have a great time together and they both always put on a great show.

DESCRIBE THE NIGHT IN THREE WORDS:
Fun, happy, energetic.



VERONICA says...

HOW WAS THE CROWD AT DANCE BOSTON 2007?
They were off the hook!!! They gave me so much love. It was a great party!

WHAT SONGS DID YOU PERFORM?
I did "Release Me" and "Someone to Hold."

ANY SURPRISES OR INTERESTING STORIES FROM THE NIGHT?
Yeah...lol...Louie DeVito jumping on the speaker to my left and shaking his ass in the middle of "Someone to Hold!!!" I'll never forget it...good times, good times...lol

DID YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE THE SITES IN BOSTON BEFORE THE SHOW?
Yes, I had dinner at Teatro...yum!!!! Best meal I've ever had in Boston.

HOW ABOUT AFTER THE SHOW... ANY CRAZY AFTER-PARTIES?
Said I was going to Rise, but didn't make it there...I think I had enough liquor...I really had a good time. I was there with my good friends Sabrina and Ricky Greenstein.

WHAT OTHER PERFORMER WERE YOU MOST EXCITED TO SEE?
I didn't get to see the other performers though I've performed with Amuka before... love her. And got to meet Lucas Prata for the first time. And I'm still singing "Yeah, yeah, yeah"! Damn you Lucas!!! LOL

DESCRIBE THE NIGHT IN THREE WORDS:
A- MAZ- ING!
Does that count? lol

For you, Veronica... we'll let it slide! :)
Later guys,
JOHNNY