Sunday May 28th, 2006 HOME
New CD's this past week:
None to report
Music news headlines this week:
Janet Jackson's 60-Pound Weight Loss!
Pop superstar JANET JACKSON just turned 40 and has an all-new album
dropping this September called 20 Years Old -- and ET's KEVIN FRAZIER was
on the set of the cover shoot, proving that 40 is definitely the new 20!
"I worked really hard, and I continue to work very hard," says Janet about
her lean new look. "I have to give credit to my parents' genes I suppose,
and just working with great people [that] make me look good, and nutrition
and a great trainer."
Just six months ago, the svelte Janet was seen in published photos looking
like she had packed on a few extra pounds, but the star explains that she
gained weight specifically for a movie role.
"I put on the pounds for a film I was to do with LEE DANIELS, the producer
of 'Monster's Ball,' which a lot of people didn't know," Janet tells
Kevin. "They wanted a full-figured woman. She's from the South, a
waitress."
Janet says they had to push the project back, and she had to pass on the
opportunity in order to work on her new album. She now thinks that MARIAH
CAREY will take on the role. Of course, she had another assignment to take
care of -- losing the weight!
"I had to turn around and take it off, which was a task -- I started my
regimen in January; it took a 'little minute,'" she laughs. "I've still
got work to do. I have to build my endurance and muscle for the tour.
That's the next phase of this whole thing."
This "whole thing" starts off with the June 19 release of "Call On Me,"
the first single off the CD -- with a little help from Janet's friend
NELLY. The album is co-produced by Janet's fiancé, JERMAINE DUPRI.
"I love this album, and I hate to say, 'expect an album that you'll love'
-- which I just said, but I love this, so hopefully everyone else will
enjoy it," says Janet, "and it's different, it's a little reminiscent, yet
it's new and fresh."
Memorial Gig For Soul Star Lynden David Hall
A memorial concert for singer Lynden David Hall who died in February was
an "uplifting" tribute to the soul star, organisers have said.
The concert, held in London, saw acts including Andrew Roachford, Omar and
Don-E perform.
The gig raised money for the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT),
which Hall supported before his death aged 31 from Hodgkin's Lymphoma in
February.
ACLT co-founder and chief executive Orin Lewis said the concert was a
celebration of Hall's life.
The acts had hit the right "uplifting vibe" that Hall would have
appreciated, he said.
His widow Nikkie released two white doves to mark the start of Tuesday's
memorial at London's Kensington Roof Gardens.
Speaking to BBC digital radio station 1Xtra, she said she felt "honoured
that so many people had come forward to celebrate his life".
"I know how wonderful he was, a fabulous person," she said.
"As well as being a wonderful musician, he was also a spirited young man.
It's wonderful to know so many people cared about him."
Mr Lewis said the event also highlighted the serious issues surrounding
leukaemia in black people and the need to find more compatible blood and
bone marrow donors and raise money for the charity.
The tribute concert gave people a chance to show their sadness at Hall's
death, with a book of condolence circulated at the event, Mr Lewis added.
BBC Radio 1 DJ Trevor Nelson, who offered Hall his first record deal in
1996, was also there.
Hall's biggest success was his album Medicine for My Pain, which included
the single Sexy Cinderella.
He won best newcomer at the 1998 Mobo Awards and was nominated for best
British male at the Brits.
3LW Drops Third Album This August
Female recording artists 3LW are back with their third LP, “Point Of No
Return,” set to be released on August 15. The group has had early success
with their 1999 single "No More," and that debut album garnered them with
not only the Best New R&B Artist at the 2001 Lady of Soul Awards but also
Album of the Year.
After a four-year hiatus, Kiely Williams (19), Adrienne Bailon (21), and
Jessica Benson (18), are getting reacquainted with their loyalists with
their third album, “Point of No Return,” a light-hearted, party starter
that signifies the genesis of their young adulthood. Although 3LW fans
have been fortunate to witness Kiely and Adrienne growing up on the small
screen as Aqua and Chanel in Disney's "The Cheetah Girls" series, it's the
group's latest musical effort that offers a glimpse into their evolution
as artists and women.
"The album's title also speaks to our personal growth in our careers,"
says Adrienne. "We're no longer teenagers and our decision to return to
music is challenging and unpredictable, but there's no turning back."