Sunday October 1st, 2006 HOME
New CD's this past week:
- Natalie Cole - Leavin'
- Anthony David - The red clay chronicles
- Freddie Jackson - Transitions
- Janet Jackson - 20 Y.O.
Music news headlines this week:
Janet Jackson's New Album Released
Janet Jackson's new album, 20 Y.O.,
arrived Tuesday, September 26th, timed
to celebrate the anniversary of her 1986 breakthrough album Control. The
video for the set's first single, "Call On Me" featuring Nelly, is
currently streaming on Jackson's web site. Jackson said that music videos
have always been an important part of her career: "Music is very visual
and it's been like that for a very long time and I love great images. And
I think it's sad 'cause I think there's so many really creative directors
that can't show their true creativity because of the limits -- I mean
granted to a certain degree you have to have a budget of some sort but the
budgets are so small today that they really can't let their imagination
really stretch and show the younger generation what a real video is
supposed to look like."
The new album was written and produced by Jackson with Jimmy Jam, Terry
Lewis and Jermaine Dupri.
The second single from 20 Y.O. is "So Excited" featuring Khia.
In other news, Jackson spoke to Oprah Winfrey Monday, September 25th about
her friendship with Justin Timberlake after the 2004 wardrobe malfunction
episode at the Super Bowl. Although they haven't spoken in a while,
Jackson said she considers him a friend. She explained, "He has reached
out to speak with me. Like I said, friendship is very important to me --
and certain things you just don't do to friends. And in my own time, I'll
give him a call."
The 40-year-old singer also hasn't been in touch with her brother, Michael
Jackson, since he was acquitted of child molestation charges in June 2005.
Janet said the ordeal "took its toll on (the) entire family," adding, "He
keeps in touch with Mother, so we know what's going on with him."
Lionel Richie's New Divorce Song Inspired By
Daughter Nicole Richie
Lionel Richie says that he didn't shy away
from personal topics on his new
Coming Home album. The album, which debuted at Number Six on the charts,
contains the song "Why," which deals with his divorce from first wife
Brenda and its effect on their daughter, TV personality Nicole Richie.
Lionel said that Nicole was very much on his mind when he composed the
song, explaining that, "In every kind of divorce, especially when you have
kids involved, sometimes the parents can be so stupid, and keep the
argument amongst themselves, thinking it's just between the two of them,
when actually the kids always think it was their fault. I thought about
Nicole when she was going through the divorce between me and Brenda. It
was one of those situations where she is trying to manage two grown
people."
He added that hopes that by airing out some of his own painful
experiences, listeners might be able to find solace with their own
problems: "What is so wonderful about getting personal is if you say it
truthfully, the whole world is going through the same problem. What people
call personal is really group therapy."
Lionel and Brenda Harvey-Richie divorced in 1993 after 17 years of
marriage. His second marriage, to Diana Alexander, ended in 2003.
Lionel Richie kicks off his tour on October 27th in Detroit at the Music
Hall Center. He'll be on the road through the end of November.
Natalie Cole Is "Leavin" With New CD
Eight-time Grammy-winner Natalie Cole
released Leavin' last Tuesday, her
20th studio album today (September 26th). The set is Cole's first album of
new material in almost four years and includes a dozen tracks that are an
eclectic mix of pop, rock and R&B, with Cole covering songs from Sting,
Kate Bush, Fiona Apple, Neil Young and Aretha Franklin, among others.
Cole teamed with Grammy-winning producer Dallas Austin on the project.
She's currently doing a tour to support the new record.