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MARIAH CAREY AND LUIS MIGUEL ENJOY COLD VACATIONS 
The two love birds, Luis Miguel and Mariah Carey, took advantage of their recent time off to travel around the world, walk together and do other activities regular couples in love do.
After almost two years of dating, the singers, who from the beginning of their engagement were harassed by the press, please to travel as much as they want – anywhere they want. Nevertheless, they have not been extremely successful since the pair is always persecuted by the paparazzi. The only place where they weren’t bothered by the brutal press was in the Bahamas, where they spent almost all the day in a yacht enjoying the sun.
On this occasion the famous singers decided to change of climate and they went to Reel, Colorado, where they enjoyed the cold but romantic vacation. Luis was constantly buttoned up in a thick jacket and pants, whereas the interpreter of “Emotions” seems to be accustomed to the intense cold weather of Colorado, apparently in Carey’s case the bitter cold had no affect on her.
(Taken From: Vanguardia Web) (Translated By: Will Ward) | ||
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BRANDY TO STAR IN THE O.Z.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, singer Brandy will star in the remake of The Wizard Of Oz. This television project is called The O.Z. and will see Queen Latifah as Glinda The Good Witch, Ginuwine as the Scarecrow, Busta Rhymes as the Cowardly Lion and Little Richard as the Wizard.
Although all these artists have already agreed to this project, nothing has been signed. Randall Kleiser, known from the musical Grease, will direct. Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds and his wife Tracy are taking care of the music.
Brandy has already a lot of acting experience. She starred in "Cinderella", "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Double Platinum", and she has her own television serie, "Moesha".
Last year, Billboard Online asked visitors who would be the best choice for Dorothy. Brandy's duet friend Monica garnered 37.9% of the votes, while Mariah Carey got 34.4%. Brandy herself got only 5.8% of the votes.
(Taken From: E! News Online) | ||
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MARIAH AND LUIS SPLIT UP RUMOURS DENIED
Ever since Mariah Carey and Luis Miguel met each other in Aspen 2 years ago, there are rumours that they've split up. The fact that both of them never talk about their romance in public only increases the rumours.
But Mariah's publicist, Cindi Berger, denies all rumours. Recent pictures in the UK magazine "OK!" affirm this statement. On these pictures you can see Mariah and Luis having fun in the snow while they were on holiday in Aspen last Christmas.
Only a month ago, in December 2000, Berger also denied that Mariah and Luis had broken up. Not long before that, rumours circulated that Luis had asked Mariah to marry him.
At this moment Mariah is in Reel, Colorado to record a few songs for the soundtrack of her motion picture "All That Glitters". This film will be released somewhere at the end of this coming summer. The whereabouts of Luis are unknown.
(Taken From: E! News Online) | ||
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NEW MARIAH RELEASE IN MARCH?
Sony Music Australia announced that a new release from Mariah Carey will be available March 12, 2001. However, the item is quite mysterious because it has no title. In fact, it isn't even known what format it is: single, album or video. But according to Sanity Records, it will be an album release. Of course it can't be "All That Glitters", because there has been no debut single or promotion. And also - it would make no sense to release the soundtrack album a half-year before the actual movie release. Some say it could be a Remix/B-Side Album, which has been in rumor since 1999. But regardless of all the statements, it will probably be the "Rainbow Tour" video. We will just have to wait and see.
JANUARY 28, 2001 "MCWNO" SITE NEWS
"Mariah Carey World News" has been moved to Tripod, as most of you know and almost all of the sections have been completely updated. Those who haven't been updated are coming soon. Here is a complete wrap-up of the updates:Multimedia > Photo Gallery Multimedia > Music Videos Multimedia > Midi Interact > Contest Interact > Chat Interact > Shout Outs Exclusives > Janel Spiegel Meets Mariah Carey In New York Exclusives > Rainbow Over Germany Exclusives > Atlanta, Georgia - Are You In The House? Exclusives > Australian Butterfly Biography > Biography Information > Mariah's Horoscope Information > This Day In Mariah History Information > Site History Specials > VH1 Divas 2000 Specials > Rainbow Specials > Rainbow: One Night Only! Tour Specials > Support Banners Fan Work > Drawings/Paintings Fan Work > Lyrics/Poetry I would also like to mention that "Mariah's Horoscope" and "This Day In Mariah History" will be updated daily from now on. Also, MCWNO's Real Audio Archive will soon be updates majorly with almost all of Mariah's liver perfomances, remixes, bootlegs and much more. And for the remaining sections that haven't yet been updated: stay on the look out for those. Updates will be posted here as well. And also, check back tomorrow for the new "Sound Of The Week".
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CALLING ALL LAMBS
Today, the first Mariah Carey Chat Party will begin. Mariah fans from all over the world will gather to chat with each other about Mariah's future and past as well as her upcoming events like "All That Glitters". Webmasters are also using this to promote their sites and to find help for their sites. Tons of Mariah fans are expected to attend and we hope you will be one of then. The chat is taking place as you read this so come on in and chat! Start chatting now by clicking here
JANUARY 27, 2001 SEXY SNOW BUNNY MARIAH’S GOT A BIKINI TOP Surf-and-sand lover Mariah Carey did a complete turnaround from her tropical getaways with longtime lover Luis Miguel as the two vacationed in snowy Aspen, Colo.
"Mariah and Luis usually go water-skiing but they tried their hand at snow skiing and learned one thing: hitting the slopes is a lot harder," a source close to the songbird told The Enquirer.
"Mariah's family joined the couple at a beautiful home in Aspen complete with snowmobiles. As a treat for some of her entourage, Mariah rented houses for them too." And when luscious Mariah went outdoors with only a skimpy bikini-line top under her coat, she showed she's so hot that cold weather doesn't bother her.
"The winter vacation was the first chance the couple had to spend time together in several months," the source said. "Luis has been on tour and Mariah has been busy working on her movie, All That Glitters, in Canada."
(Taken From: National Enquirer) JANUARY 27, 2001 GENEROUS MARIAH MAKES BELLBOYS’ DAY
Mariah Carey is a real pain when she travels, but at least she puts her dollars where her diva attitude is.
When the fussy songbird recently checked into a $2,500-a-night villa at the Beverly Hills Hotel, she immediately started redecorating. She had pink light bulbs installed in the bathrooms, ordered a DVD player for the master bedroom and had all the furniture, including the bed, removed from a spare bedroom.
That room was converted into a walk-in closet to accommodate her 25 or so pieces of luggage.
But no one at the hotel is complaining. Mariah, 30, handed out $50 tips to everyone who helped her.
(Taken From: Star) | ||
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MARIAH: KUNG FU FIGHTING ON THE WEB
The new Mariah Carey Web site is up, and this time it's not run by Sony Music. It's the singer's very own enterprise.
The biggest surprise: An animated cartoon feature in which Mariah battles a big-haired rival named Bianca. With Matrix/Crouching Tiger-like flying the two go at it, and Mariah pretty much beats poor Bianca to a pulp. The final scene is of Bianca with a lot of scratches and bruises on her face. I guess the message is: Don't mess with Miss Mariah.
The new site also debuts the return of Mariah's voice messages, the ones that Sony didn't like because she was criticizing them for botching her career. The new message is fairly tame, though. It's accompanied by a video clip in which you can see Mariah playing with underprivileged kids on an Aspen snow bank.
In the still pictures from her Aspen Christmas, Mariah poses in a skimpy white halter top under her ski parka. The title for the whole thing should be: Benevolent Bunny. In one picture, she stands between Will Smith and rapper Jay-Z. All of their eyes are bugging out. I don't blame them.
Last week I ran into actor/director Vondie Curtis-Hall, who directed Mariah in her first feature film, All That Glitters. And guess what? Hall said Mariah can act, the film is okay, and will not be an embarrassment. "We showed some of it to the studio recently and they're very happy," Vondie said.
So there!
(Taken From: Fox News 411) JANUARY 26, 2001 QUALITY ON THE 'LO' SIDE
Is Jennifer Lopez poised to make a comeback? Sure, she never really left the public eye, with recent appearances at various awards shows (you can't forget that dress at last year's Grammys); a starring role in "The Cell"; and her beau. Sean "Puffy" Combs, facing weapons possession charges.
But Lopez is hoping to up her critical ante, with a new movie in theaters today and a new album, "J. Lo," in stores this week.
Her debut album, "On the 6," went multiplatinum and spawned a No. 1 song, "If You Had My Love." But it was generally panned by critics.
So is Lopez breakin' on through to the other side with "J. Lo"? Not really. With a few exceptions, the album is a forgettable collection of R&B, pop, dance, hip-hop and Latin sounds. It does have its moments, particularly when Lopez moves into Latin territory, but those excursions are few and far between, and aren't enough to lift the album out of mediocrity.
The album - decorated with shots of Lopez looking like the high-fashion model that she is - starts with "Love Don't Cost A Thing," also on "The Wedding Planner" soundtrack. It's a semicatchy pop tune that rehashes the "Can't Buy Me Love" theme. You can tell Lopez - or the five people who wrote the song for her - have been listening to a lot of TLC lately. The song is cut from the same cloth - hip-hop beats and blurts, multivoice choruses, heavy production and programming.
One can also hear Combs' bouncy, high-gloss influence all over "J. Lo." He helped write four of the songs, which he also produced or co-produced.
Most of the Combs contributions are unremarkable, except for the sexually charged "Come Over," whose erotic lyrics provide a unique keyhole view of the Lopez-Combs bedroom, turning the listener into voyeur. Do we want to see this? Maybe.
"We Gotta Talk" and "Secretly" are disposable and could have easily been left off an album that comprises 15 songs. "That's the Way" sounds uncannily similar to "Love Don't Cost A Thing." Hey, two for the price of one.
Lopez is more impressive when she ventures into Latin territory on the songs "Ain't It Funny," "Cariño," "Dame (Touch Me)" and "Si Ya Se Acabó."
"Ain't it Funny" starts with a Spanish matador's trumpet, giving the song a romantic touch. The lyrics are actually pretty intelligent, too, in contrast to the three songs that precede it.
"Cariño" kicks off with jazzy salsa horns that compliment Lopez's more sparsely spaced vocals.
A note on Lopez the singer: She can hold her own in the middle ranges but can't hold a candle to fellow divas Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston, who blow her out of the water in the higher octaves.
"Dame" and "Si Ya Se Acabó" - the numbers sung completely in Spanish - are enjoyable, danceable tunes. The instrumental backing for those tracks also brims with more personality and confidence than the R&B stuff.
It's a shame that Lopez, by her own admission, doesn't feel completely comfortable with Spanish, because the Latin sound is where her talent lies. (Then again, she doesn't have to sing Latin songs in Spanish.) She's not as convincing when she's trying to be TLC, Toni Braxton or Faith Evans.
If you're a fan of Lopez, you'll probably like this album. If not, you probably don't need to bother.
(Taken From: Orange County Register) | ||
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MARIAH CAREY AND LUIS MIGUEL
Pop diva enjoys snowball fights with new love and orphan children in Colorado mountains. Caught having fun in the snow with her new boyfriend was singer Mariah Carey. The diva has been working hard on her debut movie, All That Glitters, with Max Beesly, the boyfriend of Spice Girl Mel B. The film, which has been shot in Canada, will be released in the summer and Mariah has been doubly busy because she wrote all the songs for the movie as well as singing them.
She took a much needed break in Aspen, Colorado, with her fiance, Luis Miguel, who is known in South America as the Mexican Elvis. For their first few days in Aspen, Mariah invited groups of orphan children, for whom she has worked tirelessly, to join her for some fun in the snow.
Mariah and Luis spent their days like big kids, skiing, riding bobsleighs and playfully throwing snowballs at each other. They also enjoyed romantic nights in front of a blazing log fire drinking hot chocolate and toasting marshmallows.
The two have been busy going in different directions for work and have found it hard to catch weekends together, so the Aspen holiday was a welcome relief. Mariah, whose marriage to Tommy Motolla-president of her record company Sony-ended in 1998, is on a particular high having found new love and got her acting break.
"There were really nice things about my relationship with Tommy but they were few and far between," she says. "I was happy to be successful but I was frustrated because I wanted to act. I'd wanted to act since I was a little girl but some people didn't think the same way and want me to do it at all. I just wanted to study acting and finally when that happened it was a real breakthrough, because I was really unhappy. I was very excited to do All That Glitters. It's set in 1981 and my character is in a girl group. She's not the lead singer but she's like the tomboy hanging around in the background."
(Taken From: OK) JANUARY 25, 2001 MARIAH CAREY'S ASPEN HOUSE
It is the house that has everything: four sprawling bedrooms, five fireplaces, a heated four-car garage and views of the Rocky Mountains. It even has a celebrity pedigree, with Cher as a former owner and pop-star Mariah Carey renting just this month. The only thing it doesn't have: a buyer. Owner Robert White, who put the Aspen, Colo., house up for sale in August, says lookers drive by all the time - but so far, not a single bid. The big news of the cooling economy has been the surprising resilience of the housing market. But there is a sign of trouble ahead: sluggish sales of luxury properties.
(Taken From: WENN) (Courtesy: Jake) JANUARY 25, 2001 MARIAH AND MICHAEL JACKSON TO DUET?
Rumours are circulating that Mariah Carey has recorded a duet with Michael Jackson. The song is said to be on the King of Pop's long awaited new studio album. The album is scheduled to be released at the end of April. At this moment, nothing has been confirmed about the duet, but we'll keep you informed. One thing that has been confirmed, is that Michael will release a new Greatest Hits album at the end of February.
(Taken From: Sony Music - Holland) (Courtesy: Elin) | ||
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JACKO AND MARIAH DUET
Michael Jackson and Mariah Carey, arguably the king and queen of pop, will duet on Jackson's forthcoming album. The pair, who won male and female 'Pop Artist(s) Of The Millennium' at the World Music Awards in Monaco last year, have already recorded a track together in New York, which will appear on Jacko's eagerly-awaited comeback album, due in April.
The album also features R&B producers Rodney Jerkins, Teddy Riley and R Kelly, with Will Smith rumoured to rap on one track. It has also been reported that Michael wishes to meet a1's Ben and Christian who have both submitted songs for consideration for the album, and Westlife want to get in on the act too. It's like Live Aid all over again.
(Taken From: MTV Europe - UK) | ||
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MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION: MARIAH CAREY
Every year the Make-A-Wish foundation honors members of the celebrity community who have generously given a little of their time and a lot of their heart to help make wishes come true for children with life-threatening illnesses. This past year, Mariah has graciously and enthusiastically provided amazing wish experiences for precious children who wanted nothing more than to meet her - children like 15 year-old Rebecca. When Rebecca wished to meet Ms. Carey, even she could not have imagined what an amazing experience it would be. Ms. Carey invited Rebecca to accompany her to a photo shoot for Rolling Stone Magazine where, upon learning it was Rebecca's birthday, sang a special version of "Happy Birthday" just for Rebecca. The next night Rebecca was Ms. Carey's special guest at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas.
Because Mariah Carey has gone above and beyond to make dreams come true for some of her youngest fans with life-threatening illnesses, we are extremely pleased to honor her with the Make-A-Wish Foundation's 2000 Chris Grecius Award for Celebrity Wish Granter of the Year. Chris Greicius is the child who inspired the creation of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
(Taken From: Make-A-Wish Foundation) (Courtesy: Matt) JANUARY 23, 2001 PUSSY CAT
Sex kitten Mariah Carey curls up to sleep each night wearing a hot-pink eye mask encrusted with gold and silver imported crystals that spell out 'PUSSY CAT.' Mee-OW.
(Taken From: National Enquirer) (Courtesy: Tomas) | ||
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GLITTERING DIVA ALERT Diva alert! Co-producer Mariah Carey, center, stars as a singer on the path from troubled childhood to musical stardom. With Shawntae Harris, left, and Tia Texada. Release date to be announced. (Fox)
(Taken From: Los Angeles Times) (Courtesy: Jen) JANUARY 22, 2001 JACKSON AND CAREY DUET RECORDED?
Rumours are flying that US stars Micheal Jackson and Mariah Carey have recorded a duet together.
It's been reported that the track will appear on Jackson's forthcoming long-player, which has apparently been pencilled in for a late April release.
When dotmusic contacted Michael's record company about the rumours they told us that there was as yet "no information about his new material".
They could confirm that there would be a Greatest Hits album released on February 26th.
The new album, which has been in the making for years, will mark the 'King of Pop's first new material since 1991's 'Dangerous'.
Mariah Carey's spokesperson was not available for comment this morning.
(Taken From: DotMusic) | ||
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MARIAH EXHIBITS 
Mariah Carey, the sexy songstress exhibits much more than an awesome set op pipes - her 34C-size lungs have helped her dance through octaves and sell over 80 million records. Mariah's motto: Grin and bare it!
(Taken From: National Enquirer) JANUARY 21, 2001 BABS' CO-OP HELL COMES TO AN END; BOARD OKS SALE
Barbra Streisand has finally unloaded her triplex co-op apartment in the Ardsley at 320 Central Park West. The last asking price was $7.8 million.
Since first putting her 16-room penthouse (with no park view) on the market in 1998, a string of financially-able buyers have agreed to the asking price. But the fickle co-op board kept rejecting the applicants for various reasons - New York law does not require them to say why.
The most notable rejectee was Mariah Carey in March 1999. At the time of Carey's rebuff, Streisand publicly lambasted the board, "If artists can't live . . . on the Upper West Side, where can they live?"
Perhaps the board had a premonition that her then-inseparable pal, Sean "Puffy" Combs, and his allegedly armed posse could come screeching up in Lincoln Navigators at all hours.
No word yet on who had the right stuff to get past the Ardsley's board, but you'll know when we do.
Brokers from Douglas-Elliman did not return calls, while one of Streisand's publicists asked that we fax our questions.
Fax this, buddy.
(Taken From: The New York Post - Online) JANUARY 21, 2001 MCWNO MOVING LOCATION
Hey Guys, this is Will Ward, webmaster of "MCNWO". I just wanted to let everyone know that this site will be moving over to Tripod soon, so bare with me while I move everything. Thanks. - Will
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MARIAHCAREY.COM PREMIERS
MariahCarey.com, Mariah's newly announced Official Website, has been completely updated today. The new site includes many exclusive pictures ranging from from in her baby crib in 1970 to Mariah at her New Year's party in 2001. You can also get exclusive information on Mariah's charities and movie projects. Check out the latest news, read Mariah's biography, get to understand Mariah's sayings, register to the Mariah Carey e-mailing list, view fan letters, shop at the Official Mariah store and so much more. It looks as if Mariah has finally gotton the site that she deserves. Check it all out at: http://www.mariahcarey.com/
And in regards to the rumor of Mariah and Luis' "recent breakup". I honestly cannot say how true this is. MariahCarey.com has pictures of Mariah and Luis happily together this Christmas.
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SEXY MARIAH ON FILM
Mariah Carey tried to tone down her sexy image during the filming of her movie. The result turned out other wise. Last year the popdiva played in the movie "All That Glitters". The movie is Mariah's debut on the silver screen, and she plays an innocent hardworking nightclub singer.
According to the paper Daily Record, Mariah turned completely red when she recently saw the finished cut. Apparantly, during one of the scenes, you could see completely through her clothes.
"Mariah got embarrased, and blushed when she saw the result", a source on the set of the movie told the Scottish newspaper. "She looked even more sexy than she usually does", the source adds.
Mariah likes to shock with cleavages that go a lot deeper than everyone else's, and skirts that are shorter than short. However, on the silver screen she wants to look innocent, the paper writes. The movie, which is a romantic drama, will premiere around the world sometime this year. It's directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall.
(Taken From: VG) (Courtesy: Elin) JANUARY 19, 2001 DIVAS TO HONOR ARETHA
Aretha Franklin will be the centerpiece honoree of VH1's fourth annual "Divas Live" special. "VH1 Divas Live: The One And Only Aretha Franklin" will air live on the cable network April 10 from New York's Radio City Music Hall.
Produced in conjunction with New Hall Productions and the Experience Music Project, the special will feature a star-studded line-up of male and female artists, yet to be announced.
Franklin was involved with the original "Divas Live" project in 1998, which also featured Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, and Shania Twain. A similar special followed the next year with Whitney Houston, Cher, Tina Turner, and Brandy, with special guests Sir Elton John, LeAnn Rimes, Mary J. Blige, Faith Hill, and Chaka Khan.
Last year was the first to tribute an artist, honoring Diana Ross with a talent lineup that featured Carey, Hill, Donna Summer, Destiny's Child, Hilary Swank, RuPaul, Queen Latifah, and former Supremes members Lynda Laurence and Scherrie Payne.
As with past "Divas" outings, the special will raise funds for the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, specifically benefiting inner city schools in Detroit in Franklin's name.
(Taken From: Billboard) JANUARY 19, 2001 ARETHA FRANKLIN RETURNS TO VH1 CONCERT
For the fourth consecutive year, VH1 will bring together some of the biggest male and female artists in music history for one unforgettable night, this time spotlighting living legend Aretha Franklin, it was announced today by Jeff Gaspin, Executive Vice President, Programming & Production, VH1. "VH1 Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin" airs live on Tuesday, April 10 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT, from New York City's legendary Radio City Music Hall and is being produced in conjunction with New Hall Productions and the Experience Music Project. The additional talent lineup joining Ms. Franklin will be announced shortly.
Aretha Franklin, the "Queen of Soul," is a living legend, the first female performer inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and an inspiration and influence on countless other female vocalists the world over. Winner of numerous awards, citations and other accolades, including 17 Grammy Awards, the Grammy Legend Award (1991) and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1994), Aretha has also been a Kennedy Center Honoree (1994), winner of the National Medal of the Arts by President Clinton (1999), and has performed at four Presidential Inaugurations. Among her 100 pop and R&B chart hits are "Respect", "A Natural Woman", "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone," "Chain of Fools", "Think", "Spanish Harlem", "Until You Come Back to Me," "Freeway of Love", "Who's Zoomin' Who", "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" with The Eurythmics, and "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" with George Michael.
The "VH1 Divas" phenomenon began on April 14, 1998, when "VH1 Divas Live" spotlighted Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan and Shania Twain together onstage at New York's Beacon Theatre. "VH1 Divas Live '99," airing live from the Beacon Theatre on April 13, starred Whitney Houston, Cher, Tina Turner and Brandy, with special guests Sir Elton John, LeAnn Rimes, Mary J. Blige, Faith Hill and Chaka Khan. Last year, the April 11 presentation of "VH1 Divas 2000: A Tribute to Diana Ross" featured Diana Ross, Mariah Carey, Faith Hill and Donna Summer, plus Destiny's Child, Hilary Swank, RuPaul, Queen Latifah and former Supremes singers Lynda Laurence and Scherrie Payne. The three "Divas" specials are among the all-time highest rated broadcasts in VH1's history.
VH1's "Divas" specials raise funds for the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music programs in America's public schools, and to raising awareness of the positive impact that music participation has on students. This year's show will specifically benefit Detroit inner city schools in the name of Ms. Franklin. VH1 produces and programs a wide variety of music-based series, specials, live events and acquisition-based programming that keep viewers in touch with the music they love.
(Taken From: VH1 Online) JANUARY 19, 2001 ROCK IN RIO'S SECOND WEEKEND
Brazil's Rock in Rio festival kicks off its second weekend tonight with a lineup of teen pop, featuring American superstars Britney Spears and 'N Sync. But the two acts — whose new albums sold nearly 18 million copies in the United States last year — may not be the biggest draw of the evening.
Sandy & Junior, a duo featuring 17-year-old Sandy Lima and her younger brother, saw their latest album, Four Seasons, outsell Spears' Oops … I Did It Again 4-to-1 on the siblings' home turf.
But festival promoters aren't so concerned about which act fans come to see — whether its top-billed foreign acts like R.E.M. and the Foo Fighters or locals like Moraes Moreira and Gilberto Gil — they just want fans to come.
Last weekend's attendance, 510,000, put the seven-day fest (Jan. 12-14 and 18-21) behind the pace for breaking the world record for event attendance — a record set at the first Rock in Rio in 1985, when 1.38 million turned out to hear music. The first, and most well-attended, Woodstock festival, by comparison, drew an estimated 450,000 fans in 1969.
Promoters scheduled 159 bands to play throughout the seven days and specially constructed a multivenue "City of Rock" in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro.
For fan convenience, each night has a loose theme. After tonight's teen pop extravaganza, tomorrow night will feature metal headliners Iron Maiden, Halford, and Queens of the Stone Age; Saturday night will feature rootsier fare, with the Dave Matthews Band, Sheryl Crow, and Neil Young on the main stage; and on the final night, the Red Hot Chili Peppers will take the stage, along with the Deftones and Silverchair.
Each night, the main stage also features several Brazilian performers, which serves to draw Brazilian fans to the foreign performers. But acts like Sandy & Junior are hoping the gig will raise their profile abroad, too. They are poised to enter foreign markets, with an English-language album in the works.
"Rock in Rio is going to open the doors to the outside world, but the CD will put us there for good," the petite, brown-haired Sandy told reporters ahead of today's show, which will be webcast on America Online and broadcast throughout the world on numerous television networks.
Sandy, a self-declared Mariah Carey fan, is closer in style to Canadian singer Celine Dion and has even recorded a version of "My Heart Will Go On" from the movie Titanic.
(Taken From: Wall Of Sound) | ||
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ROCK IN RIO SPAWNS BRAZIL BRITNEY AND MARIAH RIVAL
When 11-year-old Alicia slipped past guards at a posh Rio hotel, employees assumed she was a fan on the prowl for teen idol Britney Spears, star of the ''Brazilian Woodstock'' Rock in Rio music festival on Thursday.
But Alicia, looking fashionable in a shiny hot-pink blouse and high-heeled sandals, put them right.
``Britney is cool I guess, but I just wanted a chance to meet Sandy,'' she said. That's Sandy Lima, a 17-year-old country singer-turned-popstar who fans are calling the Brazilian Britney Spears.
Sandy & Junior, a duo that includes Sandy's younger brother, will also take the stage on Thursday as some of the world's top recording artists kick off the second weekend of the ``Rock in Rio for a Better World'' extravaganza.
While Spears and N' Sync, who will be playing in Brazil for the first time, grabbed headlines in recent days, the even younger Sandy & Junior have far outsold their counterparts in Brazil, the world's seventh biggest record market.
Crazed teens have snapped up 10 million albums by the angel-faced duo -- including more than 2 million copies of their last album ``Four Seasons.'' By contrast 19-year-old megastar Spears has sold just 500,000 copies in Brazil, one of the only countries where local groups outsell Anglo artists.
Still, foreign acts like R.E.M, Neil Young and Guns N' Roses are the star attractions at the third edition of the so-called Brazilian Woodstock that promoters had hoped to make the world's biggest music festival ever.
Promoters have booked 159 bands, including 38 major national and international acts. They plan to donate 5 percent of ticket sales to a Brazilian anti-violence group and United Nations backed projects.
The first three days of the seven-day mega-event drew only 510,000 fans, making it likely that the first Rock in Rio in 1985 will continue to reign as the biggest festival ever with 1.38 million people. Woodstock in 1969 drew 450,000 fans.
Thursday is expected to be the festival's biggest night. Teenagers from across Brazil set up vigils all week outside the Hotel Intercontinental just to get a glimpse of international popstars Spears, 'N Sync and Five.
And Brazilian teen sensation Sandy has also received her fair share of idol worship, fueling comparisons to Spears.
``I guess it's inevitable,'' said Adriana Rielo, a press spokeswoman for Universal, Sandy & Junior's recording company. ''They both sing well, they're pretty and they're successful.''
They are also both self-declared virgins.
Sandy & Junior plan to record their first album in English later this year and are hoping Rock in Rio, which is being shown on the Internet by America Online and on DirecTV and Warner Bros. channels, will raise their profile abroad.
``Rock in Rio is going to open the doors to the outside world, but the CD will put us there for good,'' the petite, brown-haired Sandy told reporters ahead of Thursday's show.
Fame came early to both Spears, who was a Mouseketeer, and Sandy, who as the daughter of one of Brazil's top country singers, Xororo, started recording tracks before she was 10.
But unlike Spears, who has sold 40 million albums world wide, Sandy still looks and acts like a young teenager.
``I don't want to compare myself to Spears,'' Sandy said. ``I think she is a great artist ... but we sing different styles, the only thing we have in common is our public.''
Sandy, a self-declared Mariah Carey fan, is closer in style to Canadian singer Celine Dion, and has even recorded a version of ``My Heart Will Go On'' from the movie ``Titanic.''
(Taken From: Reuters) JANUARY 18, 2001 MARIAH TO HIT THE MOVIE SCREEN
After a small cameo role in "The Bachelor," opposite Chris O Donnell, Mariah found her second calling. "I'm working on a movie called All That Glitters," she says. "It takes place in the early 80's in the club scene of New York-the time when hip-hop was starting and DJs were these sexy, hot guys that everyone looked up to. My character is someone who has grown up in a foster home, and always wanted to sing." Think Mariah will be able to handle the new workload? "Shooting a movie as well as getting involved in producing the film is making my life really hectic and busy-which is the standard for me. But I'm finding the whole thing really exciting."
(Taken From: Tiger Beat) (Courtesy: Christina) JANUARY 18, 2001 YEAREND CHARTS
The year 2000 wasn't as bad for Mariah as most fans think. In the yearend charts, sent to me by Ali, we can find many singles and albums of Mariah. In the best selling singles list we can find Thank God I Found You at Number 7 and Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme) at Number 37. In the best selling maxi singles list, Thank God I Found You is even listed at Number 5.
Here are the lists:
Best selling single of 2000 07. Thank God I Found You 37. Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme) Best selling non-maxi single of 2000 16. Thank God I Found You 38. Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme) Best selling maxi single of 2000 05. Thank God I Found You Best selling catalog album of 2000 025. Daydream 036. Music Box 090. Mariah Carey 136. Merry Christmas 169. Butterfly 173. Emotions Best selling R&B album of 2000 056. Rainbow 147. #1's (Taken From: Mariah Carey Archives) (Courtesy: Eric) JANUARY 18, 2001 NELLY FURTADO: TEEN POP GOES GLOBAL MTVi News: How did you get your start in the music business? Nelly Furtado: I've been doing it since I was a kid, performing-wise. The first time I performed I was four. [It was] a duet with my mother in Portuguese, so I was singing in Portuguese before English. I started writing songs when I was about 12. [I was] infatuated with urban music, I wrote books and books of R&B kind of songs. I had my room plastered with WordUp! and Rap Pages magazine. The first musicians I came into contact with were hip-hop musicians, MCs and DJs.
I met some kids that were from the States; they went to a boarding school in Victoria, [Canada]. One of them was in a hip-hop group, [he] knew a producer in Toronto. On my way out to Portugal one summer on vacation, I stopped there [and] did some tracks with them. My first recording experience was doing back-up vocals for a hip-hop group. I was 16 years old.
I did that for about a year, even filmed a video. But at 18, I wasn't ready to pursue music professionally. I wasn't writing songs on guitar yet, I wasn't writing complete singer/songwriter-style songs and I felt like that was the last frontier. I moved back to Victoria for a year to go to college, studied writing, and I learned guitar and started writing songs. And I was doing more experimental stuff with DJ friends who lived in the city and just doing techno and ambient and house stuff, always having a solid footing in both pop writing and the technological, progression kind of thing.
MTVi News: Can you explain the sound? It's very wide open. Nelly Furtado: I think it's a pop record, because I feel that even when I was writing, in that trip-hop, more street scene, the stuff I was writing was a bit more hooky than that scene. When I started playing guitar, I started writing these more traditional pop songs. What I set out to do with Whoa, Nelly! was make a record that was under the pop umbrella, but combined more elements of my Portuguese heritage. And used Brazilian percussion.
From the scenes that I come out of, you hear the hip-hop on the record, and you hear the world element [and] you hear the techno element. I think hip-hop energy really runs through the record, and I think the spirit of that is stream-of-consciousness writing, and spontaneity.
MTVi News: What was it like growing up in Victoria? Nelly Furtado: My parents are from the Azor Islands in Portugal. It was cool growing up first-generation Canadian, 'cause we spoke English at home, but I went to night school to learn Portuguese. In my church we had different festivals and so you'd get the culture, the folk dancing. I got a great cultural education, because I could be at an East Indian Banghla-dance one weekend, next weekend I'd be at a Latin dance, dancing to the merengue, and the next weekend be celebrating Chinese New Year. MTVi News: Some of your songs deal with relationships. How do you come up with the lyrics? Nelly Furtado: I write in two different styles. One style is, again, very stream-of-consciousness. I'm very inspired by the Beat poets, like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. When I was 14 I got a hold of a Jim Carroll novel ["The Basketball Diaries"] way too early. It was like, wow, street science and street energy and rawness. I think you hear that on tracks like "Party," "I Will Make U Cry" and "Trynna Find a Way." MTVi News: Who would you say your main musical influences are? Nelly Furtado: I'm very influenced by modern Brazilian artists, like Caetano Veloso and Tom Ze — Brazilian music in general. The instrumentation is so diverse, and that's what inspired the record a lot, because there are no rules, really. And Asian Dub Foundation and Cornershop, which I love as well. The lead singer combines his East Indian heritage under a pop umbrella, but there's a slight political thread running through it. Which I like and you don't really hear on my record; it's not really a political record, but I love the energy of that. Jeff Buckley's a huge influence. In the way that he used his voice as an instrument.
I listened to Mary J. Blige, religiously, [all] my life. Mariah Carey I listened to a lot when I was about 12, 13, because, technically, she's a great singer, and not having lessons or anything, I'd flip the tape over and over again and memorize the licks.
Portishead was a huge influence, too. When I was 17 and I first moved to the city from the small town of Victoria, Portishead complemented those teen-angst depression years quite well.
(Taken From: MTV Online) | ||
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VISIONS OF MARIAH CAREY IN SAN JUAN
Perhaps trying to drown the pains that Mariah Carey has faced in the year 2000 - like the rumor that claims she has broken up with her boyfriend, Luis Miguel. Her ex-husband, Tommy Mottola’s marriage to Thaliá. And being declared one of the year’s worst dressed celebrities - the American pop diva, Mariah Carey visited several clubs in Puerto Rico the past weekend. Mariah, whose last visit to the Island with Luis Miguel caused a rage in the average premises, was accompanied, this time, with several of her friends, including rapper Da Brat.
The diva and her friends went to the Neons Club on Friday night. And then on Sunday, Mariah and her posse were drawn to Club Babylon in the San Juan Hotel on Green Island. Although strongly guarded, the singer and her friends ignored them, only to dance until the early hours of the dawn in VIP area of the club.
(Taken From: El Vocero) (Spanish Translation: Will Ward) | ||
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JANUARY 16, 2001
NO DIVA FOR YOU THIS YEAR
After releasing a series of albums and home videos to accompany the musical specials titled, “VH1 Divas Live”, Epic Records will not be releasing it’s latest concert “Divas Live 2000”. This decision was made finale after many pleads to the target of “Divas Live 2000”: Diana Ross. The reason for this is that Ms. Ross claims that she was not giving a serious performance and therefore would not give the rights to VH1 and Epic Records to produce a commercial album or VHS.
The one-of-a-kind concert starring Mariah Carey, Faith Hill, Donna Summer, Destiny’s Child, Ru Paul, and the one and only Diana Ross was first broad-cast on VH1 from New York's Madison Square Garden on April 11, 2000. The "VH1 Divas Live" concert was a benefit for "VH1 Save The Music," a pro-social initia-tive dedicated to improving the quality of education in America's public schools by restoring and supporting music programs in cities across the country. "VH1 Save The Music" was launched in January, 1997. Since then, VH1 and its affiliate partners have contributed over $30.5 million in total support and $5 million in instruments to the national initiative.
A significant portion of the proceeds from sales of the past VH1 Divas Live albums were donated to "VH1 Save The Music" by Epic Records, which has also made a $250,000 advance contribution to the initiative. Looks as though VH1 won’t be racking in any money from album sales of the latest diva concert. And to all those children who are still tooting on broken flutes held together with tape: thank Diana Ross.
(Taken From: Music News) | |
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JANUARY 15, 2001
CLOTHES COMBAT
Take an elegant, Grecian-pattern, sterling-silver dessert fork and stick it in Mr. Blackwell. He's done. The fashion critic has probably always been irrelevant. Now, with his 41st annual list of the 10 worst-dressed women, he has hit the peak of pointlessness.
Every year, the "former designer" (has anyone ever worn an original Blackwell and when?) gets newspaper space by figuring out who are the 10 most discussed females around. Then he bitches about what they wear.
Up to now, I have always kept mum. I have no claim to expertise, after all. My own editor says I dress "like an unmade bed". Should I ever stay tuned to Fashion Television, it's in the hopes they'll do one of their Pulitzer-quality stories on the new Victoria's Secret line. But I know what I like, fashion-wise.
Which brings me to No. 1 on Blackwell's list: Britney Spears, an admittedly negligible singer who has lately gained attention for what she's not wearing. "Her bra-topped collection of Madonna rejects are pure fashion overkill", sniffs Blackwell. Earth to Mr. B: Britney wears filmy outfits specifically designed to showcase her buff young body. And I say to the lucky sod who evidently stitches her duds directly on her: "Well done. Mission accomplished. Gimme five."
Of Christina Aguilera, No. 6, Mr. Blackwell says, "A body-baring bungle." See Britney Spears. Of Angelina Jolie, No. 2, Blackwell says: "Fashion interrupted." I say: It doesn't matter what Angelina Jolie is wearing. Of Bjork, No. 3, Mr. Blackwell says, "She dances in the dark, and dresses there too." I say: Bjork is cool. Bjork is cooler than Mr. Blackwell ever was or ever will be. Lay off Bjork.
Blackwell advises Elizabeth Hurley, No. 5, to "buy a coat". Easily the worst advice Liz got since: "Let Hugh go to L.A. by himself. What's the harm?"
Mariah Carey: "Her X-rated baby-doll disasters are laughably low-rent." Well, I agree that Mariah Carrey is selling a decidedly smutty image these days. But let's get real. Mariah didn't pick her bikini-and-roller skates video wardrobe because she knew it would appeal to elderly ex-fashion designers, if you know what I mean. Like Shannon Tweed movies, Mr. Randall rates Mariah a guilty pleasure.
Courtney Love, No. 8: "No one is tackier and wackier." I say: You saw Courtney Love last year? Dr. Laura Schlessinger, No. 7, Blackwell says, is "a turtlenecked terror". I'll give the guy the benefit of the doubt here since I make it a point to avoid that Doyenne of Disapproval. But after checking some old pictures of her posted on various Web sites, I have to give credit where it's due. In her younger days, Laura had a real flair for what I call "classic loungewear".
(Taken From: Winnipeg Sun) (Courtesy: Eric & Regina) | |
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MARIAH WISHES A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO FANS Mariah has left a new voice message at MariahCarey.com and she wants to wish everyone a very Happy New Year. Here's the exclusive transcript:Mariah: Yeah, Happy New Year and things of that nature. I do believe that I have not had the chance to call in and, we're trying to get this whole website thing up, so yeah. I don't know nothing about computers. (Laughs). Basically, I'm quite inadequate in that department. But, everybody here wants to say happy new year. We got Mary Ann, we got ReRe, we also have the world famous Brat-tat-tat. Da Brat: Happy New Year. Mariah: (Laughs) We love ya, we enjoy ya. Bye bye. I hope you like the website because I'm going to keep, like, trying until I get it right and I want your feedback on things that you like and what you don't like. So, bye. Da Brat: Yeah, and if you want any curse words and dirty stuff, log on to DaBrat.com, bitch. Mariah: (Laughs) Oh dear. Take a listen to the message for yourself. Just use the applet below:JANUARY 14, 2001 BODY BEAUTIFUL
When you're a rock star, looking good comes with the territory. But we want to know what it is about your favorite star that turns you on. Who's got the best eyes? The firmest thighs? The biggest talents? Well, you can see where we're going. Tell us who wears it well, and the results will appear on VH1 All Access: Body Beautiful, due to premiere on March 22. You don't have to be vain - this really is about you.
Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Lenny Kravitz, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Johnny Rzenick and Jon Bon Jovi are just a few of the many celebraties that are in Body Beautiful's rank.
Vote for Mariah in the following catagories:
(Taken From: VH1.com) JANUARY 14, 2001 MEL WILL GO MAD IF SHE SEES THIS, MAX
This is the picture that will make Mel B flip out - lover Max Beesley in the arms of Mariah Carey.
The two look a picture of happiness snuggling up together - but Mel will be relieved to know it's all make believe - probably.
The shot is from their movie All That Glitters, being filmed in Canada. An insider on the set says: "Max and Mariah really hit it off, they're a pair of naturals. To the untrained eye they could have been real lovers the way they joked and flirted with each other.
"I don't know what Mel's reaction will be when she has a look at this." Mel made her feelings known while Max was making the film at the end of last year. She even ordered him to gargle with mouthwash after he had filmed kissing scenes with Mariah.
(Taken From: The Online Sun) JANUARY 14, 2001 MARIAH & MADONNA TOP FASHION FAUX PAS LIST It's a well-documented fact that fame means nothing in the fashion world. Unless celebs have a flawless stylist (or a rare, innate ability to choose the perfect outfit) to advise them against purchasing woeful threads, they'll end up on label-watchers' "Out" lists.
All the money in the world can't ensure a star's fashion cred — which explains how bronzed, bleached pop princess Britney Spears and sultry Estée Lauder model Elizabeth Hurley, both of whom have plenty of cash and designers at their fingertips, can still fail to wow fashion diehards. This year, Spears was named the Worst-Dressed Woman of 2000 by self-appointed fashion guru Mr. Blackwell.
She's not alone. Spears — who favors gaudy, barely there knit tops, leather pantsuits, embroidered jeans, and Kmart-style fringe adornments — is joined by fellow stylistic flops Angelina Jolie, Madonna, Christi na Aguilera, and Courtney Love, all of whom wandered into Blackwell's crosshairs.
"Oops, she did it again," Blackwell, who produces his worst-dressed list annually, hissed about Spears to Reuters Tuesday. "Her bra-topped collection of Madonna rejects are pure fashion overkill."
The fashionista was equally viperous when it came to Britney's older, wiser pop counterpart. Ironically, Madonna, who favors wearing snug Britney Spears T-shirts as a nod to the younger generation, was ripped a new buttonhole by Blackwell. "From Ghetto Glam to Rhinestone Cowgirl to Mrs. Guy Ritchie. Any way you label it, she's still just kitschy, kitschy, kitschy."
Oh, how we love these lists. Meeee-ow!
Britney rival Aguilera (No. 6 on the list), the young singer who never leaves the house with her navel covered, could also use some fashion help, while pop weirdo and actress Björk (No. 3), who's always marched to the beat of her own fashion drummer, ought to be dubbed "Alice in Blunderland," said Blackwell.
Oddly, gown-wearing grouch Love, known for her pampering excursions to couture shows, was ranked No. 8. We ain't sayin' that the Hole singer's ready for the runway, but she does cash in personal favors from designer pal Donatella Versace and has drastically cleaned up her wardrobe since her tragic, early '90s "kinderwhore" look.
Tabloid fave Hurley, who stomped into many a premiere wearing the sort of clingy pastels and pinks loved by, say, Floridian grandmothers, was No. 5. "Her barely there fashion bombs have hit a sour note — buy a coat," rhymed Blackwell. Also earning places were pop diva Mariah Carey (No. 9), actress Angelina Jolie (No. 2), and Florida's notorious Secretary of State, Katherine Harris (No. 10).
But Jennifer Lopez, who made headlines worldwide last February by wearing an open-fronted dress that barely covered her nipples, was left off the list. Geena Davis (who wore a very unfortunate, very revealing dress to the Emmys in September) was also spared.
(Taken From: Wall Of Sound) | ||
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GLITTERING DEBUT
Scantily clad Mariah Carey, shown here with her back-up singers Shawntea Harris and Tia Texada, portrays what else? A pop star in her feature film, "All That Glitters". It's due out in theaters this fall.(Taken From: Star) JANUARY 13, 2001 SNEAKY WAYS TO WIPE OUT FAT Here are some sneaky ways to wipe out all that excess fat:Mariah Carey's fast-food must have: "When I'm working a lot, the only thing I ever feel like eating is a McDonald's cheeseburger and fries."(Taken From: Twist) JANUARY 13, 2001 MAKE ROOM Mariah Carey's boyfriend Luis Miguel has a way to go before he commands the VIP treatment accorded to director Penny Marshall. When the former "Laverne and Shirley" star swaggered into Studio 54 the other night with hard-partying hoopster Jayson Williamsand a large entourage, managers booted Miguel from his table to make room. The club's kingpin Noel Ashman made nice with Miguel by sending over a bottle of Kettle One vodka. Moby, James King and Chris Brosnan witnessed the musical chairs.
(Taken From: New York Post) JANUARY 13, 2001 POP FANS USING STAR NAMES AS RHYMING SLANG
Pop fans are using a new rhyming slang based on stars' names to describe everyday activities. Instead of cycling to the gym they now George Michael to the Fatboy Slim, and drinkers can get Daft Punk after too many Britney Spears.
The so-called popney rhyming slang was invented by Paul Elliot, editor of the Music365.com website. Paul reckons daredevil Happy Mondays fans could end up taking to the skies on a Shaun Ryder - hang glider. And golf fans could see Tiger Woods getting a bit Mariah Carey - lairy - after a bust-up with his Puff Daddy - golf caddy.
Other rhyming pop slang phrases include making a snack on your Kula Shaker - sandwich maker - or nipping out in your Wu Tang Clan - Transit van - for a Jay Kay - takeaway. Music365.com's Paul says, "It started as a joke but now everyone's using it."
(Taken From: World Entertainment News Network) (Courtesy: Eric) | ||
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"MCWNO" EXCLUSIVE: NEW MARIAH BIOGRAPHY TO BE RELEASED In June 2001, ECW Press will be released a brand new 200 page biography dedicated to Mariah. Written by the New York Times best selling author, Marc Shapiro, "Mariah Carey" showcases every aspect of Mariah's past, present and future life. And will be the most up to date Mariah Carey biography to date. Marc Shaprio's previous biography books include the best-selling J.K. Rowling: The Wizard Behind Harry Potter, Carlos Santana: Back on Top, My Rules: The Lauryn Hill Story, and James Cameron: Biography of the Filmmaker. Here is an editorial review from the publisher: A Cinderella story starring the bestselling female musical artist of the millennium
Mariah Carey grew up in a broken home, poor and with no friends. Singing was her salvation. One day, at a music industry party, another musician slips executive Tommy Mottola a demo tape of Mariah. In the limo on his way home Mottola is bored, so he listens to the tape. Mariah's voice is like liquid gold. He goes back to look for her. But just like in the Cinderella story, she has slipped away.
Mottola follows the tracks of Carey's slipper and immediately signs her on. In 1990, at 21, she becomes an instant star. Her debut album sells more than seven million copies in the U.S. And she ends up marrying Mottola, her Prince Charming.
Marc Shapiro's new biography charts this Cinderella story in which Carey becomes the biggest selling recording artist of the 1990s, selling 115 million albums worldwide. Carey is the only musical artist to earn a #1 single every year of the last decade. At the beginning of this decade, fans are anticipating her new movie and soundtrack to All That Glitters (March 2001).
Shapiro's new book also includes coverage of Carey's personal life: her love of cats and dogs, riding horses and roller coasters, and watching Marilyn Monroe movies; her eventual break-up with Mottola, revealed to have physically abused Mariah and kept her prisoner in their mansion; and her recent bizarre behaviour at live shows like her fondness for the striptease.
You can find the exclusive scan of the cover at the beginning of this news story. Click the thumbnail for a larger view.
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MARIAH LEAVES NEW MESSAGE @ MARIAHCAREY.COM MariahCarey.com, Mariah's new Official Website presented by Maroon Entertainment has been breifly updated today with a new video file, while includes footage of Mariah playing alongside childen from the National Adoption Service in Aspen, Colorado. The file also contains a message from Mariah where she gives a breof overview of what she is going in Aspen and fills us in with all the info about the National Adoption Service. Here's her message:
[Hi] I'm here in Aspen working. Well, first of all I'm trying to relax and get in the Christmas spirit. And I'm also working on the music for soundtrack to my first movie, "All That Glitters," which is hopefully going to be out, the first single from that in possibly June or July.
I have a whole recording studio set up outside. And I basically wake up, walk out, sing, go back to sleep and look at the nice Christmas lights and things of that nature.
"Thank God I Found You" was a very important single for me and I was at a really good place in my life. It was Valentines Day and I felt like that it would be a good idea to try and give something back.
After I did the commercials for the Adoptive Services in New York and they told me about the increase and I met some of the kids and they were so amazing. And, you know, it was just so sad. I feel that there are people who aren't are very aware of even about going about doing this so I just wanted, I felt really close to the cause and felt like that it is something that I could maybe, you know, help icrease awareness for.
My roaylties from the song are going to go to the National Adoptive Center. Basically last year it was just in New York where the TV commercials ran, and they said had a big increase and so I wanted to try and do it nationally.
My plans for Christmas are basically I am going to be working on my soundtrack up until the 22nd and after I'm going proceed to do my usual Santa Claus duties for basically everybody I know. [Bye].
Download the message and video now! Choose your format and speed below: WINDOWS MEDIA: 300K | 128K | 56K | 28KREAL AUDIO: 300K | 128K | 56K | 28K
JANUARY 11, 2001 A NUMBER ONE RECORD? AT SONY, WHO CARES? Tone and Poke, the record producers behind Destiny's Child's long running number one record Independent Woman, are leaving their record label, Sony Music. They're looking for a new deal.
You might be asking, Huh? IW has been at the top of the charts for weeks, and Destiny's Child has given Sony its one glimmer of Grammy glamour at a time when Ricky Martin's record sales are slipping and Jennifer Lopez is fighting with boyfriend Puff Daddy about which tracks should be on her new album.
Samuel "Tone" Barnes and Jean Claude "Poke" Olivier had been outside producers until Sony lured them inside. They were put in touch of Sony's Black music division a couple of years ago. The guys could be victims of at least three different scenarios, however. One theory — their closeness to the departing Mariah Carey, ex-Mrs. Tommy "CEO" Mottola. Theory 2 — Their production deal, like the one with Wyclef Jean, cost Sony too much dough at a time when the hits aren't coming. And the 3rd Theory — they themselves were not cost effective to have on the payroll.
A source close to them says about the high-cost idea, "That's what Sony's trying to put out there."
But since T&P have hits with Nas, Foxy Brown, Jennifer Lopez, Will Smith, LL Cool J and others, one has to wonder: does someone up there at Sony not like them anymore?
(Taken From: Fox News 411) (Courtesy: Tomas) JANUARY 11, 2001 CELEBRITY CHARITY DENIES CORRUPTION
A high-profile British charity has hit back at claims of financial mis-management and corruption levelled at it in a British newspaper. War Child UK, which raises money for young victims of war around the world, has been accused of accepting bribes and spending excessive amounts of money on management, following an investigation by the Guardian and Channel 4 News.
Celebrity patrons of the charity, who included Luciano Pavarotti, Mariah Carey, David Bowie and Juliet Stevenson, quit after the co-founder and a charity consultant were accused of accepting an alleged bribe.
Bill Leeson, co-founder of War Child UK, was allegedly given a £14,700 bribe from contractors building the Pavarotti music centre in Mostar, Bosnia in 1996. But a statement from War Child UK said the investigation amounted to nothing more than "criticism of its distant past". A spokesman for War Child UK told BBC News Online that Mr Leeson and Mike Terry, employed as a consultant, returned the £14,700 given to them at the end of 1996.
War Child has raised millions of pounds of aid since it was set up in 1993, with the original aim of helping children in war-torn Bosnia. Since then the charity has been involved in projects in Liberia, Guatemala and Rwanda, and has raised money through high-profile concerts and the release of a charity record as well as spawning sister organisations War Child Italy and War Child USA.
The statement from War Child UK read: "The Guardian has alleged that there were breaches in basic standards of probity. However, if true, they occurred years ago and the responsibility to correct these breaches rested with the trustees at that time. None of these trustees remain on the board of War Child."
The spokesman for the charity said that Mr Leeson and Mr Terry were no longer involved with War Child UK. Celebrity patrons and trustees quit the charity in 1999 after the alleged bribe, and over concerns about the use of money raised through donations being used to cover management costs incurred by War Child UK.
The Guardian report claims that money specifically earmarked for projects in Liberia and Bosnia was spent covering management fees in London. More than £3m was raised for the Pavarotti centre in Bosnia but only £2.19m was handed over, according to the Guardian.
But the statement from War Child UK said: "All monies received by War Child for the Pavarotti music centre project were spent on that project." It added: "The charge of high administrative expenses, poor accounting and inadequate management structures are inaccurate."
A spokeswoman for the Charity Commission said the organisation was aware of the problems at War Child UK. She said: "We have been intensively involved with the trustees about a number of financial and administrative matters since they approached us in 1998 and they have acted appropriately and responsibly in bringing their problems to our attention."
(Taken From: BBC Online) | ||
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BRITNEY SPEARS: FASHION DISATER According to Mr. Blackwell, Hollywood's self-appointed fashion czar for the last 41 years, the bubble-gum popster was the worst dressed woman of 2000.
"Her bra-topped collection of Madonna rejects are pure fashion overkill. Relax help is on the way!" the former dress designer dished in his 41st "worst-of" countdown of celebrity fashion victims. Spears was the only holdover from Blackwell's list last year.
Also making the dishonor roll for Y2K: Britney rival Christina Aguilera. "Is she a boring and body-baring bungle--or just auditioning for Sheena, Queen of the Jungle?"
For singer-turned-actress Björk, Mr. Blackwell thought she must have been dressing, not dancing, in the dark. "Looks like a fractured fashion fairy tale," he says. "Let's dub her Alice in Blunderland!"
Never one to be left off a top 10 list, Madonna earned Mr. Blackwell's wrath for her chameleonic ways. "From Ghetto Glam to Rhinestone Cowgirl to Mrs. Guy Ritchie. Any way you label it, she's still just kitschy, kitschy, kitschy!"
Of Mariah Carey ("her X-rated Baby Doll disasters are laughably low-rent"), Mr. Blackwell could only wonder if her designer was Larry Flynt?
Blackwell also thinks advice queen Dr. Laura Schlesinger could use some advice herself. "When it comes down to fashion horror, no one does it better than Dr. Laura. A turtlenecked Terror!"
Other notables Blackwell bagged on for their sartorial crimes: Angelina Jolie ("Fashion interrupted. Hit by a Gen-X gothic hex!"), Elizabeth Hurley ("Poor Liz: Her barely there fashion bombs have hit a sour note--a word of advice, buy a coat!"), Courtney Love ("When push comes to shove, no one's fashion is tackier and wackier then punky, funky love!") and Florida's math-challenged Secretary of State Katherine Harris ("The pretty, brassy lassie from Tallahassee needs cosmetic direction--her paint-by-numbers make-up screams out for discretion! A recount please!").
Lest you think Mr. Blackwell mightn't have anything nice to say, he points to the 10 best-dressed women of the year. The "fabulous fashion independents" are Juliette Binoche, Halle Berry, Charlize Theron, Faith Hill, Liz Smith, Gwyneth Paltrow, Heather Locklear, Ashley Judd, Winona Ryder and Queen Rania of Jordan.
(Taken From: E! Online) JANUARY 10, 2001 OOPS! BRITNEY SPEARS TOPS WORST-DRESSED CHARTS Teen pop princess Britney Spears was deemed top of the worst-dressed charts by the self-appointed fashion guru known only as Mr. Blackwell Tuesday in a list that also included Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris.
With the notable exception of Jennifer "that dress" Lopez, some of the most talked-about celebrities of 2000 were ridiculed as fashion flops by Mr. Blackwell, who produces his "worst-dressed" list annually.
Spears, 19, whose bare navel is almost as ubiquitous as her hits from her second album "Oops! I Did It Again," soared to first place on the Worst Dressed Women of 2000 list, up from sixth place a year ago.
"Oops, she did it again," purred Mr. Blackwell. "Her bra-topped collection of Madonna rejects are pure fashion overkill. Relax. Help is on the way."
The 10th but most recent entry on the list was reserved for Harris, who was dubbed Cruella de Vil by the media when she became a household name in America during the prolonged U.S. presidential election count last November.
"Her paint-by-numbers make-up screams out for discretion. A recount please!" said Mr. Blackwell.
Teen pop sensation Christina Aguilera (sixth) could use some fashion help while Iceland's singer-actress Bjork (No. 3) ought to be dubbed "Alice in Blunderland," said Mr. Blackwell.
Madonna's latest reinvention as a rhinestone cowgirl did not go unnoticed. Coming in fourth place on the list, Mr. Blackwell dubbed the Material Girl "still just kitschy, kitschy, kitschy."
British actress-model Elizabeth Hurley, famed for a body-baring dress held together with safety pins, has turned into a fashion fumbler winning fifth place on the list. "Her barely-there fashion bombs have hit a sour note -- buy a coat," advised Mr. Blackwell.
Others incurring Mr. Blackwell's wrath included Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie (No. 2), singer Courtney Love (No. 8) and singer Mariah Carey (No. 9) whose "X-rated baby doll disasters are laughably low rent."
But Jennifer Lopez, who made headlines worldwide last February by wearing a dress that set records for plunging necklines, was left off the 10-worst list.
(Taken From: Reuters) JANUARY 10, 2001 SPEARS TOPS MR. BLACKWELL'S LIST Mr. Blackwell ranged from pop to politics in his annual worst-dressed list Tuesday, electing Britney Spears the top fashion offender for her two-piece tendencies and skewering Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris for her makeup.
The former fashion designer also dressed down Angelina Jolie, Bjork, Madonna, Elizabeth Hurley, Christina Aguilera, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, Courtney Love and Mariah Carey as fashion flops in 2000.
His 41st annual list and comments:
1. Britney Spears: Oops, she did it again. Her bra-topped collection of Madonna rejects are pure fashion overkill.
2. Angelina Jolie: Fashion interrupted. Hit by a Gen-X Gothic hex.
3. Bjork: She dances in the dark - and dresses there, too.
4. Madonna: From ghetto glam to rhinestone cowgirl to Mrs. Guy Ritchie. Any way you label it, she's still just kitschy, kitschy, kitschy.
5. Elizabeth Hurley: Poor Liz, her barely there fashion bombs have hit a sour note - a word of advice, buy a coat.
6. Christina Aguilera: Is she a boring and body-baring bungle - or just auditioning for `Sheena, Queen of the Jungle?
7. Dr. Laura Schlessinger: When it comes down to fashion horror, no one does it better than Dr. Laura. A turtlenecked terror.
8. Courtney Love: When push comes to shove, no one's fashion is tackier and wackier than funky, punky Love!
9. Mariah Carey: Her X-rated baby doll disasters are laughably low-rent. Who's her designer? Larry Flynt?
10. Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris: The pretty, brassy lassie from Tallahassee needs cosmetic direction.
(Taken From: The Sacramento Bee) JANUARY 10, 2001 LUTRCIA MCNEAL TO RELEASE NEW LP R&B diva Lutricia McNeal will be releasing her long awaited sophomore album later this year.
Lutricia bursted onto the scene just two years ago with her debut single, a cover of the Barbi Benton classic 'Ain't That Just The Way'. The track seemed to capture the mood of a nation. Spending over 3 months in the UK chart, it peaked at No.6, selling an incredible 300,000 copies.
The follow up, 'Stranded', released in May 1998 and peaked at No.3 - going to spend a further 10 weeks in the UK top 20. Around the same time Lutricia beat off strong competition to win her first major award in the UK, picking up 'Best International Newcomer' at the esteemed Capital Radio Awards.
McNeal, once signed to Mariah Carey's now defunct record label, Crave, will be releasing her yet-untitled-album this fall. The lead single from the lp has just been released and radio is already spinning it on their airwaves.
(Taken From: Music News) (Courtesy: Tomas) | ||
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SONGWRITER SUES SONY OVER MARIAH CAREY HIT A California songwriter filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in United States District Court for the Central District of California on Friday (Jan. 5) over the single "I Still Believe," which was a hit for Brenda K. Starr in the '80s and for Mariah Carey in the '90s.
Songwriter Kathi Pinto alleges in the suit that she co-wrote a song entitled "I Still Believe" in 1981, which was sold to music publisher Galen Senogles at Simple Song Music that same year. As the song switched hands among various publishers and record execs over the years through Pinto's desire for a recording contract, it eventually ended up in the hands of Tom Sturges at Chrysalis Records around 1985. Sturges allegedly helped pen a tune called "I Still Believe" with Antonina Armato and Beppe Canarelli, which was later recording by Motown recording artist Bunny DeBarge in 1986.
The suit reads, in part, "The infringing song incorporates and copies the theme, words, and music of [Pinto's original]. In particular, the infringing song copies almost exactly the title-hook line in the chorus of [Pinto's original], the most memorable and commercially important part of the [Pinto's original]. The infringing song repeats this title-hook line several times in the chorus."
A year later, flash-in-the-pan Chrysalis artist Brenda K. Starr also recorded a version of the song, who just happened to be employing a back-up singer named Mariah Carey at the time. After Carey's rise to superstardom throughout the '90s, a version by Carey appeared on her 1998 greatest hits compilation #1's, which was a worldwide smash. All this -- alleges Pinto -- without her permission or knowledge.
Pinto is suing for copyright infringement, violation of the Lanham Act, unfair competition, unjust enrichment, and accounting. In addition to Sony Music, Pinto also names Sturges, Armato, Cantarelli, Chrysalis Music Corp., and EMI Music Publishing in the suit.
(Taken From: AllStar News) JANUARY 09, 2001 MAZ SHOWS OFF HER SLOPES If Mariah Carey didn't exist someone would have to invent her. While holidaying in the ski resort of Aspen, Colorado, Mariah walked into the St Regis hotel wearing a black ski suit unzipped to her navel to reveal a red bra. Later at a party in the town's Baldwin Gallery she showed up in skintight pants and a suede bomber jacket under which she was apparently wearing nothing. Not a bit nippy, then?
(Taken From: WorldPop) (Courtesy: Eric) JANUARY 09, 2001 TRACKMASTERS SPLIT WITH COLUMBIA The hot production team responsible for Destiny's Child's current No. 1 single, "Independent Women Part I," is shedding its affiliation with Columbia Records and looking for a new label deal, sources tell Billboard Bulletin.
Samuel Barnes and Jean Claude Olivier (known as Tone and Poke), were named executive VPs at the label in 1999; they also operate the Columbia-affiliated Trackmasters Entertainment label. The pair is in talks about a joint-venture deal with a number of majors, including Arista and RCA, sources say. A deal could be announced within two weeks.
Along with Destiny's Child, Trackmasters have worked with Mariah Carey, Will Smith, and others.
A Columbia spokesman did not return a call for comment. Trackmasters' attorney, Kenny Meiselas, had no comment.
(Taken From: Billboard Bulletin) JANUARY 09, 2001 BILLION DOLLAR BOOM IN HOLLYWOOD NORTH Toronto Film Studios owner Ken Ferguson, whose Eastern Ave. sound stages were recently home to the cable movie Prince Charming, agreed that overall it was a year of smaller but more plentiful productions.
"That's a concern, but it's one we're living with for now," he said.
John Mainwaring, a 10-year props man, is one satisfied IATSE card carrier.
"Every single day I called in (to the union) for availability, I got a call for the following day. Every single day," said Mainwaring, whose projects this year included the U.S. cable movie Witchblade and several months on the TV series Twice In A Lifetime.
Stills photographer Peter Stranks, whose bread and butter is publicity and art-department shoots for American TV movies made here, has seen his job list triple.
"In advertising, it took me 15 years to build to where I am now. In film, it took two years, I'm at the point now where I'm turning down work," said Stranks, whose assignments this year included the telefilms The Pretender, Spinning Out Of Control, Santa Who, Final Jeopardy, The Miracle Worker, and two miniseries, Me And My Shadows and Widows.
His wife, a key hairdresser and NABET member, worked on the Mariah Carey feature All That Glitters and Interstate 60, starring Gary Oldman and Christopher Lloyd, but chose to spend most of the summer at home with their two preschool daughters.
"She was probably turning down three jobs every week," Stranks said. "It was unbelievable."
Mike Fylyshtan, one of about 30 steadicam operators based in Toronto, found his specialty more in demand than ever and he worked many six-day weeks.
"There'd be days you could be booked four times in one day if you tried," he said.
At William F. White, the production-equipment supply giant, they'd already reached their most profitable year by September.
"Yeah, it's been stupid," said marketing director Keith Danby, laughing. "It's been great. It's been fabulous."
But, seriously, at what point do busy and stupid meet? That was a question asked on some sets this year.
"It has been so hectic, and so busy for everybody ... In the end, you don't necessarily get your first choices when you book grips and electrics for a show," said Louise Muskala, production assistant on the Denzel Washington movie John Q.
"I think what a lot of people in my position might complain about a little bit is that because it's gotten busier, there's a lot of people who are sort of jumping categories," said Jessica Daniel, a line producer for five years. "This week's craft person is next week's location manager. This week's props person is next week's set designer. Sometimes it works out beautifully, but sometimes it's a risk."
A longer-term question lingers: With foreign projects so heavily driving the industry here, what becomes of our homegrown fare?
"It's getting to the point where we can't even get our own product done because it's so busy here," says Jay Firestone, chairman and CEO of CanWest Entertainment, whose Fireworks Productions shot Interstate 60 and Cletis Tout in and around town this year.
Semi Chellas, screenwriter of the recently-filmed feature Claire's Hat, also has mixed emotions. She'd like to move from writing to directing, likely a low-budget effort for her first time out.
With so many people in the industry focused on the biggest projects and biggest paycheques, she wonders how much room there is now for a rookie.
"I think it will get harder and harder for Canadian independent filmmakers like me to get things going and be nurtured," Chellas said. "There doesn't seem to be room for newcomers, like there had been for Atom Egoyan or Bruce McDonald."
(Taken From: Toronto Sun) | ||
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HARD TO TELL THE SINGERS FROM THE ACTORS That may not be George Clooney's real voice you hear coming out of his mouth in the Coen brothers latest film, O Brother Where Art Thou? On the other hand, it's definitely Icelandic eccentric Bjork singing and acting in Lars Von Trier's critically acclaimed Dancer in the Dark.
Rocker Jon Bon Jovi has been moving into acting in the past few years, while Madonna has become as well known for her music as for her attempts to prove her acting chops. The Spice Girls tried acting and flopped, while rapper Ice-T and crooner Harry Connick, Jr. have garnered critical kudos for their skills as thespians. It seems everyone in music wants to act, and all actors want to do lately is sing. This latest wave of music in movies/musicians in movies is picking up more steam in Hollywood. The promise of a long list of new musicals and twisted rock 'n' roll flicks tells us that film studios are betting we're ready to shell out to see our favourite stars singing and our favourite singers acting.
Here's a peek at what 2001 has in store:
More '80s Nostalgia: The film with the best chance of attracting a mainstream audience is Rock Star, a heavy metal saga with a touch of romance starring Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Aniston. Set in metal's 1980s heyday, Rock Star chronicles the rise of the lead singer of a cover band who finds himself fronting the band he once worshipped. The story is said to be loosely based on that of Judas Priest's Tim (Ripper) Owens, whose road to fame was eerily similar.
Tale of a Tortured Soul The long-awaited bio-pic about Janis Joplin finally makes it to the screen. In the same vein as The Doors, Joplin: The Movie tells the sad story of the rise and fall of a music legend. The film stars newcomer Laura Theodore as Joplin and will feature the actress performing Joplin's best-loved material.
Another Comic Comes to Life
Look for lots of feel-good, happy music when Josie and the Pussycats hits theatres. Girl stars Tara Reid, Rachael Leigh Cook and Rosario Dawson star as the crime-busting girl band, and backers are undoubtedly counting on the actresses' sex appeal combined with Austin Powers' style cutesy kitsch to bring in the crowds. More likely scenario: Josie and the Pussycats finds itself in the same league as the dismal Mystery Men.
Singing, Dancing, the Whole Nine Yards
Director Baz Luhrmann (Romeo and Juliet, Strictly Ballroom) creates another fantastical world -- this time turn of the century (the 19th century, that is) Paris -- with his latest, Moulin Rouge. Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo and Kylie Minogue star in a musical showcasing music from the Beatles to Madonna. Mariah, Mariah, Mariah It should come as no surprise that uber-diva Mariah Carey isn't satisfied with being a multi-platinum, multi-millionaire chanteuse. Oh no, Mariah has her sights set on being a Big Star and has pinned her hopes on the R&B/hip-hop rags-to-riches tale, All That Glitters. Mariah sings, shakes and emotes through the film which was shot in Toronto last year. Also stars Da Brat.
And Now For Something Beyond Different
It won't soon be playing at a multiplex near you, but if you stumble across an art house/alternative theatre and see an advertisement for the Japanese film Wild Zero, set down your nine bucks immediately. Love it or hate it, you'll never see anything else like it. Starring the members of Guitar Wolf (known as the Japanese Ramones), Wild Zero features zombies, aliens, groupies and slick Elvis style hair-dos. Must be seen to be believed. Odds 'n' Ends
Rapper Usher stars opposite Dylan McDermott and James Van Der Beek in the upcoming Texas Rangers; Harry Connick, Jr. teams up with Sarah Jessica Parker for Life Without Dick; and Elvis Costello, Mary J. Blige and Q-Tip star in the dramatic feature Prison Song.
If that's not enough to either get you cringing in horror or eager for more, just think: rumours are afoot that a remake of the last big movie musical to make it, Grease, is in the works. After that all we'll need is a update of that other Olivia Newton-John vehicle Xanadu and life will at last be complete.
(Taken From: Calgary Herald) JANUARY 08, 2001 DESTINY'S CHILD USE TURMOIL TO FUEL NEW LP Destiny's Child have channeled the very public turmoil they faced last year into a "diverse and inspiring" new album, the aptly titled Survivor, due in April.
The multiplatinum pop/R&B group has completed 11 out of 13 songs planned for the album, with an all-star slate of producers that included Rodney Jerkins (Britney Spears, Brandy) and former Tony! Toni! Toné! member Dwayne Wiggins, according to Mathew Knowles, the group's manager and father of lead singer Beyoncé.
"I know everybody can relate to this album — it's very diverse and inspiring," singer Kelly Rowland said Wednesday. "The year 2000 was very challenging, and I know that gave Beyoncé a lot of inspiration to write songs for the album. We cannot wait for everybody to hear it. It's so empowering for a lot of people who have already heard a little bit of it."
Beyoncé and Rowland recently reached an amicable settlement with former Destiny's Child members LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson, who sued them in March after leaving the group.
The new album's title-track first single, which is scheduled for a late February release, can be heard as a response to such strife. The track features an uptempo hip-hop beat, looped strings and the insistent, chanted chorus "I'm a survivor/ I'm gonna make it."
Another new track, the ballad "Brown Eyes" — one of only two slow songs on the album — is a gently harmonized love song, with production reminiscent of the Janet Jackson hit "Again." The song was produced by Walter Afanasieff, known for creating lush soundscapes on slow jams for such artists as Mariah Carey and Celine Dion.
Other Survivor tracks include "Nasty Girl," "Dance With Me" and "The Story of Beauty," which, according to Knowles, is "a pretty controversial yet realistic song that deals with something that happens in most families that no one wants to talk about."
Jerkins, who worked on two songs for the album, including the tentatively titled "Girl Like Me," said he aimed for "a more street-edgy" sound for the group. "Everything is uptempo — that fast Destiny's Child sound," he said.
Jerkins shares several Grammy nominations with the group and Beyoncé for his work on Destiny's Child's previous album, 1999's The Writing's on the Wall. (See "Dr. Dre, Beyoncé Lead Grammy Nominees.")
The group, whose current lineup also includes Michelle Williams, will follow the release of Survivor with a tour, although details are still taking form, Knowles said.
(Taken From: SonicNet) JANUARY 08, 2001 FASHION 2000: THE MACRO AND MICRO VIEWS Here's a look at the big fashion picture and a few of the trimmings at century's end
What was fashion about in the year 2000? Was it ladylike? Was it retro? Was it luxury and opulence? Actually, a bit of all these elements.
There were the Versace campaigns, featuring tranquil blonds Amber Valetta and Georgina Grenville modelling psychedelic prints, lounging in elaborate interiors, clutching crocodile totes and sporting pumps with heels thinner than your baby finger. Prada, meanwhile, gave us spreads with a '30s flavour -- lots of fur trimmings, sequined camisoles, tweed skirts and dresses bottomed with Prada mainstay peekaboo shoes.
That's the macrofashionista view of the year. And for the micro, those little details that illuminated the big picture, here's a rundown of the year in style.
TRIMS Luxury is often provided through such detailing as beading, sequins, feathers, piping, bright grosgrain striping, studs and sprinkles. Miu Miu, Prada's cheaper sister, used the grosgrain on skirt side seams, waistbands, shoes and jackets. Contrast piping also had a starring role in virtually anything with a seam, especially handbags, such as Tod's black leather bag with pink piping for fall.
COLOUR Stores were inundated with pink early on. Even classic designer Ralph Lauren produced a pair of bright lipstick-pink cargo pants for spring 2000. And pink was just the beginning. We said goodbye to charcoal, grey and smoke, and hello to reds, purples, greens and a range of blues from baby to midnight. Fendi did a canary-yellow sweater with pink geometric striping; Moschino did lime-green sequined slacks with a three-quarter-length suede jacket in violet.
PRINTS Not just the Pucci prints, which are hot any season, but polka dots (especially Valentino's stunning red polka-dot flirt dress), stripes, florals, '70s disco prints, checks and herringbone. Tommy Hilfiger did tartan, Prada did a popular lacquered lip print and Dior succumbed to the camouflage print for its saddle bag.
DENIM
This fabric is so adaptable it can absorb any trend: from Parasuco, using every colour in the rainbow, to Indian-style beaded hems and raw-edged seams. Other trends included Mariah Carey's jeans with her now-signature-shorn waistband, studded inseams by Mavi, patched and triple-topstitch detailing by Miss Sixty and, undoubtedly the best of all, Dolce & Gabbana's snug-fitting jean jacket with plump muskrat collar.
SKINS A hot topic among Greenpeacers and animal lovers. This fall, designers spared no beast, whether it was snakeskin or croc for a tote or a skirt. We saw everything from mink to rabbit, from pony to lambskin. Even if you didn't purchase the real thing, you probably bought a synthetic replica, whether pleather or plastic.
ACCESSORIES Did it start with the wooden Buddha bracelets or the beaded bracelets? Regardless, the fever caught, and jewels and metals made a remarkable comeback. Bangles, hoops, drop and feathered earrings, chunky rings and pendants, sunglasses, hats and diamond belts. Everyone was accessorizing: If it wasn't Lenny Kravitz wearing a leather cowboy hat, it was Madonna sporting the denim version.
MIXING IT UP All the hottest looks of the year featured cross-referencing, mixing the looks of decades gone by to create something fresh. Rock met sophistication as Deborah Harry and Catherine Deneuve were morphed in Chanel's see-through silk skirt and motocross jacket. Glam met street with Dolce & Gabbana's graffiti jeans and diamond cuff and belt. The best was Chloé's mini-bad-girl T covered with a tiny blazer and '80s slim, tapered pant.
THE TAN Perhaps it was the influence of the boobs from Brazil as Gisele, Model of the Year, left us yearning for sun-kissed skin again. For those of us afflicted with eternal pallor, there are now, more than ever, remarkable bronzers and sunless tanning products to keep us on top of the trend.
THE LOGO What Chanel made gold long ago has now become platinum by a slew of other design houses. Initials and logos were everywhere: on bags by Coach, jean jackets by Celine, tights by Chanel, scarves by Gucci and anything by Vuitton.
THE '80S Excluding shoulder pads (which will hit next season), the comeback of that over-the-top decade was in full force. We saw the return of miniskirts, suits, chiffon, satin, the high-waisted silhouette, trench coats and anything see-through. Take a look at Cameron Diaz, the Charlie's Angels star, for hair and makeup.
(Taken From: Canada.com) JANUARY 08, 2001 A NEW CHANCE TO PROVE YOU'RE A SINGLES SERVANT You won't get any points for knowing that Elvis Presley was the most popular singles artist during rock's first half decade. But you will be off to a good start in this pop-by-the-decades quiz if you can name the act that finished second during that period.
That's the first question in a quiz drawn from information in "Top Pop Singles, 1955-1999," the latest in Joel Whitburn's invaluable series of pop reference books.
1. Elvis Presley was the most popular singles artist from 1955 through 1959. Who was second? (a) Chuck Berry
(b) Pat Boone
(c) Fats Domino
(d) The Everly Brothers
(e) Buddy Holly
2. The Beatles were the biggest singles act of the '60s. Who was second in this time? (a) The Beach Boys
(b) Ray Charles
(c) Brenda Lee
(d) Elvis Presley
(e) The Supremes
3. Paul McCartney came close to topping all singles artists in the '70s, but he and Wings had to settle for second place. Who beat them? (a) The Bee Gees
(b) The Carpenters
(c) The Eagles
(d) The Jackson 5
(e) Elton John
4. Thanks to "Billie Jean" and "Beat It," Michael Jackson was the dominant singles artist of the '80s. But it was close. Who finished second? (a) Elton John
(b) Madonna
(c) Prince
(d) Lionel Richie
(e) Stevie Wonder
5. Women occupied five of the top seven places among the most popular singles artists of the '90s. Who finished first? (a) Mariah Carey
(b) Celine Dion
(c) Whitney Houston
(d) Janet Jackson
(e) Madonna
ANSWERS: He hasn't made it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but Pat Boone gave Elvis Presley the strongest competition on the pop charts in the 1950s. The pop-minded singer, whose career was launched on polite remakes of hits by Fats Domino and Little Richard, accumulated 2,851 points in Whitburn's scoring, which awards points for every hit single, along with bonus points for highest chart positions achieved by each single.
Boone's total trailed Presley's 3,704 points, but far outdistanced Domino (1,908), the Everly Brothers (1,105), Berry (902) and Little Richard (863).
Other answers to the pop quiz (see Bonus Track, Page 62):
2. Elvis Presley: His 4,279 points were about 400 short of the Beatles' figure for the decade, but led runners-up Brenda Lee and Ray Charles by about 1,600 each.
3. Elton John: He topped McCartney 2,202 to 2,147, with the Bee Gees third at 2,007.
4. Prince: He generated 2,056 points, 46 points behind Jackson but 75 ahead of Madonna.
5. Mariah Carey: The easy winner with 3,017 points, followed by Jackson with 2,298 and Madonna with 2090.
Whitburn's book offers a pop chart history of more than 23,000 recordings. For information on it and other Whitburn books, covering albums and singles and focusing on genres including R&B and country, call (800) 827-9810 or e-mail books@recordresearch.com.
(Taken From: Los Angeles Times) JANUARY 08, 2001 AMAZING It's that time of year again for Allstar to let readers in on what has gotten the rocks of their favorite artists off throughout the year 2000, whether that be what 10 CDs they couldn't stop listening to, who their favorite film stars were, or, in general, the top 10 "anythings" that inspired them for whatever reason. It's all right here to entertain you.
The list made by Christina Aguilera is very interesting. At Number 1 is our Mariah. Christina described her with just one word: "amazing". Here is the complete list:
01. Mariah Carey 02. Brian McKnight 03. Etta James 04. Lenny Kravitz 05. Whitney Houston 06. Julie Andrews 07. Enrique Iglesias 08. 'NSync 09. Britney Spears 10. Jennifer Lopez (Taken From: CDNow) (Courtesy: Eric) JANUARY 08, 2001 MARIAH CAREY WOWS 'EM Mariah Carey coming to Guam is a pretty big deal. Just ask the throng of photographers I battled for a quick picture of the pop diva last week.
Kind of like Nevada, we don't get too many big names out this way. We're 3,500 miles from Hawaii, and more than 5,000 miles from California. The biggest names we get are either third-rate comedians or those guys who dress up like the Beatles, so when someone like Mariah shows up, the island's press corps turns out en masse hoping to get a glimpse - and at least a couple marketable shots.
Officially, Carey was on Guam just long enough for her private jet to refuel, have a few words with the island media and grab a quick dip in our perpetually 85-degree waters. Her whirlwind visit actually came about because of an interview in Rolling Stone magazine a few weeks ago.
In the interview, which received wide-spread attention on Guam, Carey said that she's always had a fascination with the word Guam, even naming one of her dogs Guam, but that she was afraid to visit the island because of our widely publicized brown tree snake problem. (Contrary to some mainland media reports, the snakes, which have been on Guam since they were inadvertently introduced during World War II, don't drop from Banyan trees onto the heads of unsuspecting tourists, slither ankle deep across sidewalks or eat children.)
Guam's representative in Congress, Delegate Robert Underwood, got into the act by writing to Carey after the interview appeared, inviting her to the island. Local radio was abuzz with the rumor that not only was Carey going to visit Guam, she was also going to put on a concert. Maybe, a few optimistic fans hoped, she would feel so badly about her snake remarks that she'd sing for free.
It wasn't until several weeks later that the news came officially: Carey's jet would stop on Guam en route from Singapore to Los Angeles. All we had to do to see her was show up at the Hilton Guam, where she'd be holding a press conference.
I didn't have to be told twice. Mariah was clearly going to be the biggest celebrity I'd ever covered. The only thing that even comes close was when I drew the "Nevada welcomes the Fred Grandy for Governor campaign" assignment as a Journal reporter.
It wasn't even close. All I had to do was follow Grandy around, shoot some easy pictures of him with the mayor and jot down a few pithy comments. Mariah couldn't be any more difficult, could she?
But as I looked around at the cameras in the rest of the press pool, I became less sure that I was up to the assignment. Heck, I'm a writer, not a photographer. It's only because the magazine I edit has an extremely small budget that I even own a camera.
Waiting for Carey to arrive, I chatted up a couple of my experienced photographer friends for advice. They'd move quickly into the hotel and straight to the elevators, so if I wanted to get a good shot, I'd better be ready, they told me. Sure, I thought. This wasn't going to be like shooting easy pictures of a camera-hungry politico. I'd be lucky to even see Mariah's multi-million dollar throat, much less get a good shot of it.
Carey finally showed up, was whisked past us, and then skipped her press conference to take a swim. Photogs descended on the beach, shutters clicking and videotape whirring as I elbowed my way to the front.
It was over in a blur and before I knew it, Mariah was heading back to her hotel room and then to her jet. Looking over my pictures, it was clear that my fledgling career as part of the paparazzi was probably over, too. Unless, of course, I could find a magazine in the market for pictures of the back of other photographers' heads.
But the next time those guys who look like the Beatles show up, I'll be at the front of the line.
(Taken From: Nevada Journal) (Courtesy: Tomas) JANUARY 08, 2001 NEW "ALL THAT GLITTERS" CAST MEMBERS Moni informs we that a few new characters have been added to the list of characted at www.imbd.com. And they are: She notes that she isn't aware is all these characters are new but she is sure of Chris Tessaro, whom she says plays Mariah's producer and had a key role to do with an awards show scene. (Thanks Moni!) | ||
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JANUARY 07, 2001
MEL B'S IS WELL-ENDOWNED? Spice Girls' Mel B man, Max Beesley, is as well endowed as the next man -- despite a painful childhood experience.
Max, who'll be hitting the big screen with sexy singer Mariah Carey in new movie "All That Glitters," is adamant he is just an average guy, all nine inches of him, despite media reports to the contrary -- but has revealed he was very nearly left with nothing after an accident in his youth.
He says, "Once I trapped it in a zip -- it was so painful, and I turned to my mum's boyfriend. He said, 'Ok son, just relax, one two, three... bom!' And it didn't open, so eventually we got some oil on the zip and it came out.
"The size rumors were created by the press -- I'm just an average guy. The average is nine inches nowadays isn't it? I checked it out in school -- I got the ruler out but where do you measure from?" (Taken From: MTV Asia) (Courtesy: Rogel) JANUARY 07, 2001 BACK TO WHERE THEY ONCE BELONGED It was one of the great lost rock albums. Now, 25 years after its recording at Apple Studios, Badfinger's Head First has been released. So has it been worth the wait?
Mariah Carey ought to be pretty grateful to Mal Evans. Originally a bouncer at the Cavern, Evans became one of the Beatles' dependable lieutenants. He drove the band up and down the country, helped to forge Beatle signatures on publicity photos and, in the studio, provided ad hoc percussion on tracks such as "Dear Prudence" and "Maxwell's Silver Hammer". Not that any of that will matter much to Mariah. For Carey, and indeed all of us, Mal Evans's greatest contribution to pop was discovering the Iveys. The Iveys became Badfinger, and Badfinger, you see, gave the world "Without You", Carey's biggest hit ¡V and, of course, a Grammy award-winner for Harry Nilsson a couple of decades earlier.
The four-piece Badfinger were one of the finest English bands of the early Seventies. At times more Beatles than the Beatles, their principal songwriters, Pete Ham and Tom Evans, had a rare gift. Ham and Evans's songs are as lonely as Eleanor Rigby, as troubled as, well, Maxwell Edison and his silver hammer. And, as sure as life imitates art, Badfinger's own story has more than its share of melancholy; it is perhaps the saddest in rock history. In five short years, Badfinger suffered label rejection, withdrawn albums, management misdemeanours, litigation, even suicide. But remarkably, they now have a new album out. It's called Head First and it's rather wonderful. The thing is, this album was recorded 25 years ago. So why has Badfinger's final recording taken so long to appear?
Let me take you down. Mal Evans had already seen the Iveys play live when, in the summer of 1968, he persuaded them to send a demo of their melodic pop-rock to Paul McCartney. Macca liked what he heard, signed them to Apple and changed their name to Badfinger ¡V the original name sounded "too nice". With full Beatles backing, their first release was the McCartney composition "Come and Get It", a bouncy piece of bubble-gum that chewed its way up the charts in early 1970. Toughening up their sound, they produced a quartet of excellent albums, including the classics No Dice ¡V which features "Without You" as well as the hit single "No Matter What" ¡V and the George-Harrison-and-Todd-Rundgren-produced Straight Up. But by late 1973 Apple had become little more than a house label for solo Beatle projects. After a valedictory single, the touching "Apple of My Eye", perhaps the only love song about a record label, their contract expired. Badfinger was a band on the run.
Pete Ham was keen to renegotiate with Apple. Their manager, Stan Polley, had other ideas. In 1974 he set up an astonishing $3m deal with Warner Bros, assuring the boys, "You're all millionaires!" In return Polley demanded two albums a year and 50 per cent of all income. Unconvinced, the band signed. "Pete was a sensitive guy and perhaps he trusted people too readily," says the keyboard-player Bob Jackson, who joined the band shortly after the move. The band's doubts proved well founded. "After we signed, and recorded an album, it emerged that a publishing advance of something like $163,000 was missing from the escrow account Warners had set up," Jackson explains. Warners withdrew the album and sued Badfinger's management for recovery of the money.
Polley's response was to urge the band back into the studio. "Head First was recorded at the Apple studios in Savile Row in just 11 days," says Jackson. "But when we delivered, Warners refused to release it or even pay the advance due on it. Clearly they wanted out." The mounting pressure was taking its toll on Ham. "There had been some tension in the group over the withdrawn album and relations with Polley," says Jackson. "Pete left the band and then rejoined, but he felt trapped and unable to move on."
On the evening of 23 April 1975, just weeks after laying down the tracks for Head First, Ham bid Tom Evans goodnight with the words: "Don't worry; I know a way out." The following morning his body was discovered hanging behind the garage door. "Pete had money problems of his own, but I'm sure that the management difficulties contributed. I really don't think he would have done that otherwise," says Jackson, quietly.
With the loss of Pete Ham, Badfinger called it a day. But the curse would not lift. Eight years later, still haunted by Ham's death, his writing partner Tom Evans also committed suicide. Listening to "Without You", even Mariah Carey's overblown version, there's an almost unbearable poignancy to the chorus of Ham and Evans's best-known song.
That was almost the end. Almost, but not quite. Over the years, the still-unreleased Head First acquired a reputation as one of the great lost rock albums. Jackson has been determined to see it released. "It's already been bootlegged at least three times to my knowledge," he says.
There was one drawback: despite repeated requests over the years, Warners claimed the master tapes were missing. In the end, Jackson dug out his copies of the rough studio mixes. "Warners had no rights over these, as they had never paid for them," he says. "We did some detective work a couple of years ago and concluded that no one owned them." After a false start with an American company, Jackson hooked up with the British reissue label Snapper, which, using Jackson's tapes, has finally given the long-lost album the attention it deserves.
Bearing in mind the conditions under which it was recorded, Head First has a remarkably rounded feel. It comes with a bonus CD of demos and out-takes, a sort of Badfinger anthology, which also reveals some hidden treasures, such as the tear-stained "To Say Goodbye". Bob Jackson is clearly chuffed that the package is seeing the light of day after so long. "Snapper have done a great job," he says. "The rough mixes sound just as good as the tapes Warners lost." It seems appropriate that Badfinger's final album should have been recorded at Apple, thus renewing the association with their early champions. Were Badfinger still the apple of their eye, I wondered. It seems not. "We had no contact at all with McCartney or the Beatles after we left the label," says Jackson. Still, it's a nice detail. Like coming home.
A quarter of a century on, Badfinger sound surprisingly fresh, and the release of Head First is bound to fuel interest in the quintessential pre-Britpop band. I can even see one of those tribute albums in the offing. I'm sure Richard Ashcroft or Supergrass would be proud to have their name on tracks such as "Lay Me Down" or the moody "Turn Around". Somehow, I can't see Mariah Carey bothering, though.
(Written By: Robert Webb) (Courtesy: James & Elin) | |
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JANUARY 06, 2001
VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE MARIAH MUSIC VIDEO Mariah's newly announced Official Site, MariahCarey.com, is asking all of you to vote for your favorite Mariah music video. The top 3 will be available on the site to download. You can choose from the following videos: Go on over to www.mariahcarey.com and vote for your Top 3 favorite videos now! | |
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JANUARY 05, 2001
JIMMY JAM & TERRY LEWIS NOMINATED FOR "PRODUCER OF THE YEAR" It was announced yesterday that legendary hit-makers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis were nominated for the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards for "Producer Of The Year" for their work with Janet, Mariah Carey and Shaggy in the last year. This nomination marks the 6th time the songwriting/ producing duo have been nominated for "Producer of The Year": they earned their first Grammy Award in that category in 1986 for Janet Jackson's Control album. They received a second Grammy in 1993 for "Best R&B Song" for Janet Jackson's "That's The Way Love Goes." The Jam & Lewis produced song "My Funny Friend & Me," performed by Sting for the soundtrack to the animated film "The Emperor's New Groove" has also received a 2001 Golden Globe Award nomination.
Simultaneously, the dynamic duo have been nominated for two Stellar Awards for "Song Of The Year" and "Producers Of The Year" for Yolanda Adams' Grammy-winning "Mountain High Valley Low" gospel album, which received a total of eight Stellar Award nominations. This past year has surely proven to be one of Jam & Lewis' most successful years to date. They made music history when they became the #3 ranked pop producers of all time for producing the most #1 hit records, scoring their 14th #1 hit with Janet's "Doesn't Really Matter" from the Nutty Professor II:The Klumps soundtrack. The producers broke their own record set with Mariah Carey's #1 hit "Thank God I Found You" (Jam & Lewis' 13th #1 pop hit), which also received a 2001 Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration".
Additionally, the songwriting/ producing team and co-heads of Flyte Tyme Records recently entered into an exclusive three-year joint venture agreement with Arista Records. The duo will continue to produce new and established artists for Flyte Tyme Records, which is based in Los Angeles, as well as produce artists on Arista and its other imprints. The year 2001 marks Jam & Lewis' 20th year professionally as a songwriting/ production team. Since their first professional recording with The Time in 1981, Jam & Lewis have continuously re-invented themselves and proved their testament to longevity. They are the only contemporary producers to achieve consistent #1 hit records in three consecutive decades beginning in the 1980's.
Currently, Jam & Lewis are writing and producing with Janet on her upcoming album; are collaborating as executive producers with Mariah Carey on original songs for the soundtrack to her movie, All That Glitters, which just wrapped-up filming in Canada. They also wrote and produced several tracks for Usher's much-anticipated new album, All About U, due out in March, five tracks on R&B legends Isley Brothers forthcoming album and six songs on Jordan Knight's album.
(Taken From: Entertainment Wire) (Courtesy: Eric) JANUARY 05, 2001 MARLÈNE EXCLUSIVE Marlène de Wouters travels around the world to visit the stars, like Loris Azzaro, Greet Rouffaer, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, Greg Lemond, Luciano Pavarotti, Kevin Costner and Prince Albert of Monaco. On January 7 you can see her visiting Mariah Carey. (Dutch television RTL4, 21:50 CET) (Courtesy: Eric) | |
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RAISING EYEBROWS Mariah Carey is sticking around the ski town, even though boyfriend Luis Miguel has departed their $40,000-a-week lodge. The singer has been raising eyebrows among the older crowd. On Tuesday, she sashayed into the St. Regis wearing a black ski suit unzipped to her navel to reveal a red bra. And the other day at the party Gucci threw at the Baldwin Gallery, she showed up in skintight pants and a suede bomber jacket under which she apparently was wearing only perfume. While there, Carey bought a $3,200 David LaChapelle portrait of the late rapper Tupac Shakur in a bubble bath. She also made a date for LaChapelle to take her picture on the mountain in a white Chanel jumpsuit.
(Taken From: New York Daily News) (Courtesy: Eric) JANUARY 04, 2001 PR FIRM SNAPPED BY MEDIA GIANT Hollywood PR agency Bragman Nyman Cafarelli, which represents such stars as Cameron Diaz, Whoopi Goldberg and Kate Hudson, has been sold to the global media firm Interpublic Group of Cos. Inc. for undisclosed terms.
Interpublic, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange, already owns PR outlets PMK, (which handels management for Mariah Carey and Tom Cruise), Rogers and Cowan (responsible for the Grammys and The Rolling Stones) and management/production firm Industry Entertainment (Angelina Jolie, Tobey Maguire).
Bragman Nyman Cafarelli, an 85-person firm with offices in Beverly Hills and New York, will keep its name and operate within the Weber Shandwick Worldwide unit of Interpublic. Weber Shandwick is the world's largest PR agency, with 2,600 employees in 76 offices in 21 countries.
Among Bragman's other clients are studio units such as Sony Pictures Consumer Products, Columbia TriStar Television and Paramount Home Video; and TV shows including ``Just Shoot Me,'' ``The Drew Carey Show'' and ``That '70s Show.'' Its corporate roster features companies including tobacco/food giant Philip Morris, the Kellogg's foods group and consumer-products giant Procter & Gamble.
(Taken From: Reuters) | ||
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43RD GRAMMY NOMINEES ANNOUNCED Showcasing the eclecticism of musical excellence in 2000, a diverse array of performers, producers and other creative professionals garnered multiple nominations for the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards. The announcement was made on January 3 at a press conference held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. Musical artists including Destiny's Child, Sheryl Crow, David Foster, Dave Koz, Shelby Lynne, Nelly, 'N Sync's J.C. Chasez, Sisqo and Toni Braxton were on-hand to reveal the nominees for the coveted awards.
Winners in the 500 plus nominations from the 100 categories will be revealed for the first time during the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards telecast on February 21, 2001. The three-hour show will originate from Staples Center in Los Angeles and be broadcast on CBS TV at 8:00 P.M. (Eastern/Pacific Time) The show will reach a worldwide audience of nearly 2 billion people in 180 countries.
Mariah has been nominated only once, which seems truly sad due to the effort put into the "Rainbow Album". However, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis have been nominated for "Produver Of The Year" for several of Mariah's tracks. Here is a complete information listing:BEST POP COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS: For a collaborative performance by artists who do not normally perform together. Singles or Tracks only. PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis: JANUARY 03, 2001 MARIAH & TOMMY: CAREY VS. MOTTOLA The president of Sony, Tommy Mottola, was looking for the next Whitney Houston and he found her at a party that Mariah went to with the then balad-song bird Brenda K. Starr. Carey gave Mottola a tape that made such a big impression on the president of Sony that he almost couldn't sleep until he finally made contact with her again the next day. Three years of work and preparation made Mariah and Tommy become closer to each other, until they finally fell in love. When her first album came out, the songstress kicked her boyfriend out and Mottola left his first wife for her.
The couple married in June of 1993 in a ceremony that costed half a million dollars and resembled moments of Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding day. The event inclued 50 young flower girls, opera singers, and 300 guests including Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen and Robert De Niro.
Happiness lasted five years, until they decided to divorce in 1998. The separation between the two made Mariah break up with almost everyone that surrounded her from the beggining of her career: lawyer, representative and musical composers that Mottola had provided for her.
Also, she started to think seriously of making movies, the passion which Mottola didn't let her experiment while they were together. "During many years I asked myself why nobody would offer me a deal to make films, and when I separated from Tommy, I realized that he had prohibited for me to get scripts for movies." Maybe that's why she accepted a cameo role in the movie The Bachelor, and started to work on her leading role a few months after being divorced.
The solitude wouldn't last though, because during her vacations in Colorado, Mariah met the Mexican singer Luis Miguel, with which she's having a passionate romance. Like a magician, the singer made Luismi get rid of the phobia he felt for the photographers and papparatzzis and he inspired her to sing/co-write the ballad "Thank God I Found You".
(Taken From: Univision.com) (Courtesy: Angie & Eric) JANUARY 03, 2001 MARIAH BECONS TO HER INJURED MANAGER Mariah Carey and Luis Miguel were once again separated on a very special occation. This time around it was New Year's Eve. While Luis was clubbing with Alejandro Asensi and Polo Martinez at New York's infamous Club54, Mariah was back in Aspen, Colorado to take care of her manager, Louise MacNally, who had broken her leg and hip on a skiing trip made on Christmas eve. Mariah just didn't want to part with her long term worker and friend.
However, the two love birds were determined not to be parted for long. Today, Luis flew to his love. They will soon depart for Acapulco for a brief vacation. And then next week, the duo will visit Los Angeles, where Luis will work on his new album.
(Taken From: WIWA News) | ||
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JANUARY 02, 2001
DIVORCE, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-STYLE Need a divorce quicker than you can dry-clean your slacks? Consider the Famous One Day Dominican Divorce. Juan Suero, a partner at Santo Domingo's Ibert & Ramirez law firm, says getting unhitched in the Dominican Republic is a snap. And to let American lawyers know, the firm is advertising its divorce kit in Florida Lawyer. "We want to show to the world that this is an excellent legal tool that anybody can use," he said. "You don't need to be Mariah Carey." Carey, a pop singer, is one of many U.S. celebrities to jet to the Caribbean nation for a quick split. Make an appointment on a Monday, fly in Tuesday night, spend five minutes in front of a judge Wednesday morning, and it's all over but the crying. Better known for exporting baseball players than legal loopholes, the Dominican Republic offers several advantages over Florida law, according to its promoters: no residency requirement, no waiting period and no public filing of documents. Only one spouse needs to appear, provided she brings a notarized separation agreement, Suero said. The cost differs by law firm, but Ibert & Ramirez charges $1,400, excluding airfare, hotel and tissues. The Dominican option was better known here decades ago, when divorce laws in the United States were stricter. It's so invisible today that Miriam Mason, a partner at Sessums Mason & Black in Tampa and immediate past president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, hadn't heard of it. "That's crazy," she said. "I don't think it's enforceable." Louise Ricardo, a legal secretary at International Law Office Dominica, said Dominican divorces have been upheld in every U.S. state where they've been contested. And advertising to U.S. lawyers is smart, she said, not just for referrals but for the lawyers themselves. "If you divided up our clients by profession," she said, "we have divorced more attorneys than any other." (Courtesy: Eric) JANUARY 02, 2001 SCOOP AWARDS It’s baaack! Only 2 years old, and it’s already a venerated, world-famous, much-feared institution. It’s the Second Annual Scoop Awards! Competition for The Scoopies 2000 was stiff. The year was so chockablock with breathtakingly inane events and bizarrely misbehaving celebs that our panel of esteemed judges nearly swooned as they reviewed the headlines that captured the public’s attention. We became a nation of prize-money voyeurs, watching to see which greedy rat eater would out-maneuver the rest — and I’m not talking about the Florida recount. We watched contestants who wanted to be millionaires. We watched women who wanted to marry a millionaire. We watched Catherine Zeta-Jones marry a millionaire. There were lots of tabloidy romances this year. Guy made an honest woman out of Madonna. Russell made a dishonest woman out of Meg. The politicos misbehaved more than the celebs. Florida was embarrassed by stylus interruptus and the fate of the nation hung on hanging chads. But the votes are in for the Second Annual Scoop Awards and there will be no recounts. So without further ado, the winners please. The Peel Me a Grape Award: Mariah Carey, for her entourage of handlers, one of whom sticks out his hand to retrieve the singer’s used chewing gum. (Taken From: MSNBC) (Excerptional) (Courtesy: Tomas) JANUARY 02, 2001 GUAM'S HEADLINES 2000 MARCH 2000: March 15: Heartbreaker hits the beach. Mariah Carey's Guam stopover lasted about two hours March 14, but before ending the short visit, she gave fans hope she might return to the island. March 17: UOG staff voice discontent. As they wrapped up, members of the accreditation team reviewing the University of Guam heard from faculty members March 16 who complained of a hostile relationship between the university's president and faculty. March 18: Escapee back in jail. Jeffrey John Cruz is now in a maximum-security jail cell after an escape that had authorities looking for him for five days. March 20: Tipping fees hit snag. Since the implementation of trash tipping fees in August of 1999, some utility customers have been less than satisfied with their billing statements, problems agency representatives said are caused by inaccurate databases and computer problems. March 23: Senators scolded. Gov. Carl Gutierrez March 22 banged his fist angrily against a podium in the legislative session hall and screamed at lawmakers in what has become an increasingly bitter battle over the government's hiring freeze. March 24: Senators left in silence. A day after he yelled at lawmakers in the session hall, Gov. Carl Gutierrez decided to give them the silent treatment by prohibiting government employees from giving information to the Legislature. (Taken From: GuamPDM.com) (Excerptional) (Courtesy: Tomas) | |
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JANUARY 01, 2001
NEW SITE DESIGN/HAPPY NEW YEAR With the new year, comes a new design. I hope you all enjoy the new look but please know it's not near complete! I planned on having everything done by now but I'm running on "Mariah time", so, I'm a few days behind. Some links may be broken, items might not appear as they are supposed to but please be patient as I work out all the kinks. But remember that this section will be updated daily even though this drama :D So stay tuned for the fully new design coming soon! JANUARY 01, 2001 WESTLIFE WANT TO DUET WITH EMINEM Pop idols Westlife want to do a duet in the New Year (2001) -- with yet another superstar. The lads were so thrilled to get to No.1 with Mariah Carey they hope to do it again with another established star, possibly with outrageous rapper Eminem. Group member Kian Egan says, "Where do you go after Mariah Carey? She's the biggest selling female artist of all time, but we want to move forward. "It would be cool to record with someone like Eminem, or Jon Bon Jovi. We'll see what happens." And the Irish group plan to concentrate their efforts on cracking America next year. Kian adds, "We only got our foot in the door this past year, so it's a case of getting back over there and really trying to make it big." (Taken From: MTV Asia Online) | |