RICKY MARTIN REVEALS HE’S GAY
Today on his Web site, Ricky Martin revealed that he is gay. The singer wrote about his plans to pen his memoirs and how working on the book would “free” him from something he was “carrying within [himself] for a long time.” He adds that he’s spent years silence because people told him revealing his sexual orientation would cause “everything [he] built to collapse,” but Ricky goes on to say he wants people to know he is “proud to say that [he is] a fortunate homosexual man.” Read the singer’s full statement now at RickyMartinMusic.com.
KINGSON & BIEBER TEAM UP FOR “EENIE MEENIE” VID
Justin Bieber and Sean Kingston shot the video for “Eenie Meenie” yesterday in Los Angeles. Kingston tweeted “Me and lil bro Justin bieber looking flyer then ever!! on The set of the amazing ‘EENIE MEENIE’ video.” Kingston added the video is gonna be “A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!”
Click for a photo: http://twitpic.com/1bsk1c
DRAKE’S ALBUM COMING IN MAY!
According to RapUp.com. Drake’s highly anticipated debut album will arrive on May 25th. The record, titled Thank Me Later, features Jay-Z, Kanye West, The-Dream Sean Garrett and Boi-1da, who produced the first single “Over.” Drake will kick off his Away From Home Tour on April 9th at Penn State University, and the outing will wrap in Houston on May 20th, a few days before the record’s release. <JC>
BACKSTREET ANNOUNCES SUMMER TOUR
Backstreet Boys have announced a summer tour. The outing kicks off June 1st in Orlando, Florida and wraps with a two-night stand at The Warfield in San Francisco. The guys have also announced the inaugural Backstreet Boys Cruise, a four-day fan appreciation event that will set sail December 9th. Departing from Miami, fans will visit Key West and Cozumel and will also be treated to special full performances by the group, Q&A sessions, game show activities, photo sessions with the guys and much more. This exclusive and intimate celebration is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season for both the fans and the Backstreet Boys.
MADONNA DVD OUT TODAY
Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet tour is coming to DVD today. The disc features performances of all of Madge’s hit songs that were filmed over four different nights in Argentina. Not only does it include tracks like “Ray of Light” and “Like a Prayer,” but it also boasts 30-minutes of exclusive behind-the-scenes footage. Sticky & Sweet is in stores now.
MADONNA CASTS DAUGHTER IN FILM
Madonna has added yet another cast member to her forthcoming film W.E. According to British paper The Sun, Madge’s daughter Lourdes has been given a small part in the movie. A source said that the role is “not a significant part, but it will give her a good taste of life in the movie business.” Madonna’s eldest child recently expressed an interest in following in her mother’s footsteps of having a career in entertainment.
GAGA CELEBRATES HER B-DAY DOWN UNDER
Lady Gaga turned 24 over the weekend, and the pop star was surprised with an enormous birthday cake from her whole crew in the middle of her show in Melbourne, Australia. They even serenaded her with a rendition of “Happy Birthday.” PerezHilton.com reports that fans in the audience also got a piece of cake on their way out the door after the show! See video of the celebration on the gossip site now.
TRAIN GOES TO NUMBER ONE ON iTUNES
The guys in Train had a pretty good weekend. They posted on their Twitter account that their song “Hey Soul Sister” went to number one on iTunes. They wrote that “it’s a big day for Train” and thanked their fans “for the love.” Read more at Twitter.com/Train.
TRAIN, BON JOVI TO OPEN MEADOWLANDS
It’s been known for a while now that Bon Jovi are going to play the first ever concert at the new Meadowlands Stadium when it opens on May 26th, but now some more information has become available about the show. According to Train’s official Web site, the San Francisco rockers will be opening the show for Bon Jovi. Learn more at TrainLine.com.
FERGIE FALLS DOWN!
It happens to the best of us! Black Eyed Peas’ lead singer Fergie took a little tumble while performing their song “Let’s Get It Started” in Kansas City, Missouri last week. Check out the video of YouTube now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYCtRk6xbKk
FIRST ANNUAL MJFANVENTION
The first annual MJFanvention will take place at the Radisson Hotel and Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, Indiana. This is the first tribute event endorsed by the family of Michael Jackson and it is expected to attract thousands of people from around the world for a four-day celebration honoring the late singer’s life and music. The MJFanvention2010 will be held August 26th to the 29th and members of the Jackson family will be in attendance and participate in question and answer sessions, sign autographs and take photos. Artists like David Nordahl, who painted several commissioned portraits of Michael, and musicians including guitarist Jennifer Batten, who played with Michael on tour, and others will all participate in discussion panels and question and answer sessions.
TIDBIT: Tickets to the First Annual MJFanvention2010 are on sale now at MJFanvention.com.
JASON WADE JOINS DAUGHTRY ON STAGE
Daughtry and Lifehouse are out on tour together, so it’s no surprise that the bands are joining each other on stage to play some songs together every now and again. Over the weekend, Lifehouse frontman Jason Wade came out to sing Daughtry’s ballad “Home” with the group. See pictures at Twitter.com/LifehouseMusic.
SIMON STILL MAKES LEONA LEWIS NERVOUS
Even international pop stars get nervous when it comes to Simon Cowell. According to ContactMusic.com, Leona Lewis has always sent her work to Cowell for approval ever since she came to fame after winning on his show The X Factor. Lewis said that for her sophomore album Echo, she got “really, really nervous” about submitting her songs, and that in the future, she’s thinking about sending them in anonymously to “see how it goes.”
KYLIE MINOGUE HELPS CANCER CHARITY
Kylie Minogue is going to be the new face of a breast cancer campaign. According to ContactMusic.com, the pop star, who is a survivor of cancer herself, will be joining actress Sienna Miller and model Claudia Schiffer to help raise funds for the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Learn more at Breakthrough.org.uk.
EVANESCENCE WORKING ON ALBUM
Amy Lee of Evanescence is doing more talking about the band’s upcoming album. The singer told Billboard that they’re currently working on 16 songs in their New York studio and that she feels like she’s making the album of her life. Right now the effort doesn’t have a title, but it’s slated to hit stores in the fall. Learn more at Billboard.com.
GOOD CHARLOTTE TALKS NEW ALBUM
Good Charlotte stopped by MTV News recently to talk about their upcoming fifth studio album, Cardiology. Joel and Benji Madden told the outlet that they recorded a whole album, scrapped it and the disc’s producer, and have been working hard on what is set to be their upcoming disc ever since. Back in February, the band said they hope to have Cardiology out in May of this year. Check out MTVNews.com for more.
HAYLEY WILLIAMS & JARED LETO COVER LADY GAGA
Paramore’s Hayley Williams and 30 Seconds to Mars just so happened to have independently cover Lady Gaga’s tune “Bad Romance” this week. Williams posted a video on her Twitter account where she’s shown playing the piano and singing the song in someone’s home. The nearly three minute long clip really displays Hayley’s vocal range and vocal ability. The Jared Leto sung 30 Seconds to Mars version is a more produced effort and adds a darker, moddier edge to the tune. See Hayley’s version over at Twitter.com/YelYahWilliams and hear 30 Seconds rendition over at PerezHilton.com.
CALIFORNIA TAPS JACKSON ESTATE FOR MONEY
According to the Associated Press, California’s tax board filed a claim against the estate of Michael Jackson last week. The state is asking for just over 16-hundred dollars, claiming the money is due because it had to request that Jackson file a state income tax form for the 2007 tax year. Jackson’s estate has been hit with dozens of creditors’ claims ranging from a few thousand dollars to millions in allegedly unpaid debts.
PRINCE ORDERED TO PAY MILLIONS TO IRISH PROMOTER
A Dublin judge ordered Prince to pay over 2.9-million dollars to Irish concert promoters Friday for canceling a 2008 concert at the last minute. According to the Associated Press, High Court Justice Peter Kelly said he was making the total damages public because Prince has yet to pay anything to Dublin promoters MCD Productions Ltd. in their confidential settlement reached back in February. Kelly ruled that Prince had committed to perform in Dublin’s Croke Park in June 2008, but withdrew without explanation just days beforehand, after 55-thousand tickets were sold. The 51-year-old Prince did not testify at last month’s hearing.
USHER TALKS “PAPERS”
Usher said his hit song “Papers” was a case of life imitating art, not the other way around. According to MTV News, the singer talked about the song, which kicks off his Raymond v. Raymond, saying, “I think people would have immediately alluded to the fact I was talking about my wife when I made that record – and now my ex-wife.” Usher added, “When the song was recorded, I wasn’t divorced… [The song] spoke on the contrast between trying to balance this world of being married and having this responsibility that’s like a marriage at the same time. The song spoke to that place. Unfortunately, it did become a reality.” In October, Usher’s ex-wife, Tameka Foster, told People magazine that “Papers” was just “entertainment” and “people shouldn’t take it literally.” The song was written by Sean Garrett. Usher’s Raymond V. Raymond album is in stores now.
DIDDY TO HOST BOTB
According to AllHipHop.com, Sean “Diddy” Combs will host of The Best of the Best (BOTB) International Music Festival in Miami on Memorial Day weekend. Combs will be joined by DJ Khaled and Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane, who is currently finishing a year-long stint in jail for violating the terms of his probation. The four-day event starts Friday, May 28th and continues until Monday, May 31st. The event will also feature performances from Mavado, Bounty Killer, Mr. Vegas and Lady Saw.
BEACH BOYS TO PLAY DANCING WITH THE STARS
Tonight, the Beach Boys will take the stage on Dancing with the Stars. The band will perform during the results show with honorary member John Stamos sitting in on guitar and drums. Check it out at 8 PM Eastern on ABC.
