Alicia Keys is a Girl on Fire

Alicia Keys is truly a Girl on Fire. The star’s brand new album is sitting on top of the Billboard album charts this week. It debuted at number one with album sales of over 159 000 copies and this latest accolade adds to her already impressive run on Billboard. She now has five number one albums to her name. Big up Ms. Keys.

I’ve been listening to the album in my car and when I have some down time and I really am enjoying it. When the news of the album was announced, Keys promised a “new me” and that’s exactly what she is. She’s a mother, a wife. She looks amazing and from what I’ve seen in recent interviews and appearances, she’s just content, confident and loving life. I must admit though, when I heard the first single I was a bit worried about what else was to come. That isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy the single, I was going on the reactions that I had encountered from friends and fellow AK fans. They weren’t loving it as much as I thought. So it made me wonder if the album would be similar and therefore how it would fare in the market.

Well when I went through to the album listening session recently, I was pleasantly surprised. Her voice is raw, stripped down to the basics and it sounds beautiful. She has some magical tracks in the form of Fire We Make, which features Maxwell. When It’s All Over
and Listen To Your Heart are my other favourites off the album too. You’ll hear her signature sound i.e. the oh Ms. Keys on piano and you’ll also hear her little man, Egypt too.

On this album she’s worked with husband and super producer, Swizz Beatz. She’s also enlisted the writing duties of John Legend, Emeli Sandi, Babyface and Nicki Minaj.  Track listing below:

1. De Novo Adagio (Intro)
2. Brand New Me
3. When It’s All Over
4. Listen To Your Heart
5. New Day
6. Girl On Fire (Inferno Version) f. Nicki Minaj
7. Fire We Make f. Maxwell
8. Tears Always Win
9. Not Even The King
10. That’s When I Knew
11. Limitedless
12. One Thing
13. 101

If forced to rate the album out of ten, I’m going to go with a cozy 8. Grab yourself a copy on the iTunes store in America, Europe… and SA!! Boom

Alicia Keys releases lyric video for New Day

Alicia Keys has a brand new single out. It’s called New Day and while we wait for the official video to drop, the star has released a lyric video, which shows off my best… New York City. I be lovin’! Join in on the conversation on Twitter go with #AKNewDay and for more on Alicia Keys, visit her official website: www.aliciakeys.com

Watch: Diddy Dirty Money’s new track with Swizz Beatz

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Love this track. It’s the new one from Diddy Dirty Money featuring Swizz Beatz. The track is called Ass On The Floor, perfect for the weekend and its yet to be discovered festivities.

Jennifer Hudson to release ‘I Remember Me’ album this March

Yes please. How’s this for good news and an awesome way to start your Tuesday. Grammy and Academy Award winner, Jennifer Hudson is set to release her sophomore album on the 22nd of March. It’s called I Remember Me. The album title is based on a poem written by Jennifer and composed into a beautiful song co-written by Ryan Tedder of One Republic fame, which will feature on the album. She’s also worked with the likes of Alicia Keys, Ne-Yo, Swizz Beatz and Stargate on this one

“I’m excited about this album because it’s almost like a renewal for me, reflected through the chapters of my life,” says Jennifer. “I’ve called it ‘I Remember Me’ because of the journey I’ve been on. I’ve learned that life constantly surprises you, no matter your plans. My fans have been so loyal, I feel like they have been on this journey with me and I can’t wait for them to hear the new album.”

Have a listen to the first single Where You At below. It was written and produced by R Kelly and it hit the airwaves and Internet yesterday. She can’t do anything wrong and Clive Davis of Sony Music Entertainment agrees, “Jennifer is the voice of the new generation and she literally soars on her second album ‘I Remember Me.’ Jennifer fulfills all of her promise and all of the prophesies that she will be on that short list of great vocalists of our time.” I doubt there will be that notorious sophomore slump for Ms Hudson when she releases this album. Can’t wait to hear it. For more on the album, check out here official website
http://www.jenniferhudson.com

Keys, Kardashian and more resurrected from digital death

Last week Keep a Child Alive founder and multiple Grammy award-winning star Alicia Keys (pictured left) called on her famous friends to logoff all social networks for a good cause. That cause? To raise a million bucks for World Aids Day. So together with the likes of Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Serena Williams, Ryan Seacrest and more stayed off sites like Twitter, Facebook etc until the cash was raised. It’s believed that by the 3rd of December, the donations via text message had only amounted to $183 000 bucks, but that changed quickly. The powerful group of stars got to the half a million and from there businessman Stewart Rahr agreed to match the amount.

Keys said, “From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all of the fans, friends and artists who stood together for this cause and saved real lives. I am humbled by the outpour of support from everyone.”

Big up to the new mum, her hubby and the rest of the stars involved in this campaign.. Glad they’ve been resurrected from their digital deaths too!

Chris Brown- I Can Transform You

Two artists have been really quiet since that horrid incident back in February, but both are slowly emerging out of this dark space. Who am I talking about? Chris Brown and of course his ex Rihanna. Firstly we saw Rihanna featuring in Kanye West’s video “Paranoid”. Then Chris broke his silence on The Larry King Show. Rihanna then features in yet another song, this time with Jay-Z (and Kanye) on the record “Run This Town” off his The Blueprint 3 album! So you’re wondering why Brown hasn’t released anything? Well he just has actually…. The song is called “I Can Transform You” and it features Lil Wayne and Swizz Beatz. Listen to it below:

What you think? Hopefully he sticks to music and stays away from scandal…

Whitney Houston- "I look To You" album drops Monday

It’s an album I’ve been looking forward to for a long time and artist I admire. Just when I thought she’d lost it completely, given into the darker side of life (bad marriage and substance abuse), she cleans herself up and gets right back into studio- doing what she does best. The result? One of the most anticipated comebacks of 2009. Whitney Houston‘s new album album, her seventh, “I Look To You” drops on Monday and I cannot wait to hear it. Over 170 Million albums sold worldwide, 6 Grammys, 2 Emmys and is the “Most awarded female artist of all time” according to the Guinness Book of World Records, it’s no wonder why people are excited about this album.

Here are some facts for y’all:
- The first single “I Look To You” (LISTEN HERE) is a sweeping ballad. The song is written by R. Kelly and produced by Tricky Stewart and Harvey Mason Jr.
- Songwriters such as Stargate, Akon, Eric Hudson & Johnta Austin, Fernando Garabay & Harvey Mason Jr., Tricky Stewart, Swizz Beatz, David Foster and Diane Warren have all assisted.
- There’s a song called “Million Dollar Bill” which was written and produced by Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz. It’s tipped to be one of the biggest tracks off the album.
- Rolling Stone on the album, “One thing that nearly every song has in common is theme. The writers on the album – Johnta Austin, Kelly, Warren – watched Houston’s struggles in recent years and have written songs that reflect a sense of perseverance and redemption.”

“I Look To You” tracklisting:
1. Million Dollar Bill
2. Nothin’ But Love
3. Call You Tonight
4. I Look To You
5. Like I Never Left (feat. Akon)
6. A Song For You
7. I Didn’t Know My Own Strength
8. Worth It
9. For The Lovers
10. I Got You
11. Salute