Sunday February 20th, 2005
New CD's this past week:
- Conya Doss - Just because (UK release)
Music news headlines this week:
Destiny's Child Get Naked And Get Revenge In New
Videos
Standing amidst the shifting sands of the
desert, Destiny's Child stand
strong — and nude.
No, this is not a mirage. Beyoncé, Kelly and Michelle have decided to go
au naturale — tastefully, of course — for their new video, "Cater 2 U."
Serving as the third single from the double-platinum Destiny Fulfilled,
the ballad is the ladies' ode to the men in their lives and how they take
care of them.
According to the treatment, the Jake Nava-directed video is all about
scenery and the beauty of the trio. As it plays out, with each member
featured in her own desert scene — Beyoncé on a diving board, Kelly on a
deserted road and Michelle in a lounge chair — each lady sings about, and
briefly to, their respective men. The video climaxes with a group
performance and dance routine that ends in the threesome standing side by
side.
Where shooting one video in a week would have been enough for most
artists, the ladies of Destiny's Child decided to shoot two. In addition
to "Cater 2 U," they enlisted the services of Outkast's go-to director,
Bryan Barber, for the "Girl" clip. The video will serve as their next
overseas offering and is a stark contrast to the simplicity of "Cater 2
U."
"Girl" finds Beyoncé, Michelle and Kelly paying homage to another
all-female clique — the ladies of "Sex and the City." As the three get
together at a trendy restaurant to console Kelly after being stood up, it
quickly becomes clear who's who with Beyoncé stepping into Sarah Jessica
Parker's Manolo Blahnik heels as a Carrie-esque character.
The video cuts back and forth from the restaurant to their respective
apartments with Beyoncé at the computer and Kelly sitting down to a
home-cooked meal alone. At the same time, Michelle is out on a
shoe-shopping expedition when she spots Kelly's man getting quite friendly
with another woman, which she of course tells her girl when they get
together.
Kelly goes home to her man to resolve the situation. And resolve it she
does, seducing her unfaithful man into a compromising position in public,
much to the delight of her girls Beyoncé and Michelle.
Having wrapped the two clips, Beyoncé will step out on her own once again
in a few weeks when she performs with classical singer Josh Groban and the
American Boychoir at the Academy Awards.
Earth, Wind & Fire Push Back Release of
"Illumination"
Earth, Wind & Fire has decided to push
back the release of their new album
Illumination. The set was originally scheduled for release next Tuesday
(February 22nd), but now it will be released on April 5th. According to
the group's label, Sanctuary Records, the project was just completed.
Illumination will include guest appearances by Floetry, Kelly Rowland of
Destiny's Child, Will.I.Am of Black Eyed Peas, and Sleepy Brown. The set
was produced by Organized Noize, Raphael Saadiq, Brian McKnight, Jimmy Jam
& Terry Lewis, and Ivan Barias and Carvin Haggins.
Earth, Wind & Fire's collaboration with Kelly Rowland and Sleepy Brown,
"This Is How I Fell," is also currently included in the new movie Hitch,
which stars Will Smith. Hitch was the Number One movie in the country last
weekend, grossing over $43 million.
Stevie Wonder Says Grammy's Were Bittersweet",
Expecting New Baby
Music icon Stevie Wonder says that
Sunday's Grammy Awards telecast proved
to be bittersweet for him on a number of levels. First, he was gratified
by the shower of Grammy Awards on the late Ray Charles' Genius Loves
Company album and says that the show itself felt like one of the better
productions in recent years.
Stevie added that he was proud to take part in the all-star performance of
John Lennon's "Across The Universe," a tune which is available for
downloading with profits going to help tsunami victims. It reminded him of
the impact of the all-star "We Are The World" recording that raised money
for African famine relief in 1986.
But the awards show montage of the luminaries who died in 2004 --
including Charles and Wonder's first wife, singer and songwriter Syreeta
Wright -- was sobering for the singer. Said Stevie: "In my life I never
imagined that on the list of people that would be read and seen on
television would be my first wife, Syreeta. So you know it was a
bittersweet night. I was happy for those who won. It felt like one of the
best ever. And obviously being part of the performance making a
contribution to those tsunami victims was indeed an honor. It was that of
the likes of when we did 'We Are The World.' "
On the upside, Stevie and his fashion designer wife Kai Milla are
expecting a new baby this May. Asked about the forthcoming bundle of joy,
Stevie joked: "Who's putting my business in the street? (laughter) Well, I
heard that my child may be born the same day as me, so y'all have to deal
with another one of us again. I'm thankful to God for life and ... we're
very thankful for life."
Stevie is also expecting to release an album of new material, A Time To
Love, on May 3rd, 10 days before his 55th birthday.