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Kara DioGuardi Judges My Songwriting

Posted 6/20/11 5:30 pm EST by Jim Cantiello in American Idol

Kara DioGuardi

Kara DioGuardi took a lot of lumps from American Idol fans during her two-year stint as “the fourth judge.” Hell, anyone who keeps up with my Idol coverage knows I’ve employed far too many Kara DioSaster puns.

Things are different in KaraLand now, though. She’s absolutely killing it as head judge on her latest TV endeavor, Bravo’s Platinum Hit, a reality competition where aspiring songwriters battle it out to become America’s Next Top Diane Warren. (New episodes premiere every Monday night. So much drama, and the songwriters are actually talented!) Plus, Kara escaped Idol with her sense of humor intact, joking openly in interviews about her less-than-stellar time on live TV.

Last week, Kara stopped by MTV News and I had about a zillion things to ask her. But I also wanted to give her the chance to critique me. I’ve made mortgage payments thanks to her Idol gaffes, so it’s only fair to allow her to get a few shots in at me. So I strapped on my songwriter cap and spent 20 minutes re-writing the lyrics to one of my musical “Glee-caps” in Kara’s honor. And then I performed it for her. To her face. And asked her opinion. Gulp.

What would one of the industry’s top songwriters think of my tune? Would she say the melody needs work? Or that my lyrics are cliché? How could I go on living if the person responsible for so many of my favorite karaoke jams hated my music?

Check out the video below to see her reaction. (Spoiler alert: she’s awesome.) Read More...

Tags Kara DioGuardi

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Kara DioGuardi Catches MTV Staff Off Guard With Sense Of Humor

Posted 6/16/11 8:42 am EST by MTV News in American Idol

Kara DioGuardi

By Morgan Schwartz

Kara DioGuardi strolled into MTV News yesterday in a pair of black plastic flip flops. A weird choice of shoes? At first, I thought so. But after listening to her candidly (and hilariously) talk about her experiences and seeing how laid back and open she was, the shoes seemed a perfect fit.

I first got to know Kara when she judged American Idol in its eighth and ninth seasons. As a hardcore Idol fan, I must say, having a seemingly random woman walk on and upset the balance of Randy, Simon and Paula really pissed me off. But Kara won me over pretty quickly and I became an admirer.

Always looking hot, Kara proved to be a provider of some pretty good feedback (or at least better than her female counterpart Paula, who always seemed to be, um, a little out of it). But I still had no idea where her expertise came from. And though I learned she was a songwriter, I had no idea how much she actually did. Until today.

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Nicki Minaj, Jordin Sparks Add Sizzle To Summer Tours

Posted 6/7/11 8:16 pm EST by MTV News in Music

By Vaughn Trudeau Schoonmaker

Summer is the season when music's biggest acts unleash hell on fans' bank accounts by all touring at the same time. The summer of 2011 is no exception — but what makes it special is that many of the supporting acts this season are so big that tickets become a two-for-one deal! And who doesn't love a bargain?

The biggest summer shows, and their big-name opening acts, include:

NKOTBSB with Jordin Sparks
Jordin Sparks will open for the much-hyped NKOTBSB tour, featuring the union of the two mega-boy bands that now compose one big "man band." The "American Idol" winner will be sure to give packed arenas their last shot of estrogen-infused power ballads and high heels before the testosterone-filled ninesome thunders in.

U2 with Florence and the Machine or Lenny Kravitz
U2 has enlisted a handful of opening talents to cover various portions of their everlasting 360 Tour. The Fray have just wrapped up their part of the tour, leaving fans the possibility of catching Florence and the Machine or Lenny Kravitz at the remaining shows.

Rihanna with Cee Lo Green and J. Cole
Cee Lo takes the stage before Rihanna and her fluffy red hair on the Loud Tour. The neo-soul singer is taking a break from judging NBC's "The Voice" to show off the voice that made him big enough to sit at the judge's table. Rapper J. Cole also adds to the volume of the Loud Tour.

Blink-182 and My Chemical Romance with Matt and Kim, Against Me or Manchester Orchestra
At different points this summer, Matt and Kim, Against Me and Manchester Orchestra will open for one of the noisiest tours of the season. Blink-182 and My Chemical Romance have joined forces to co-headline a tour that will be sure to draw in every punk in the United States and then some. "What's My Age Again?" will become an irrelevant question as the tour will surely draw teens as well as the 20- and 30-year-olds who moshed their way through Blink shows in the '90s.

Britney Spears with Nicki Minaj
After some drama with Enrique Iglesias, Nicki Minaj stepped in to add to the "femme" on Britney Spears' Femme Fatale Tour, which starts off in North America before hitting the rest of the world.

Katy Perry with Robyn
Scientists across the planet are still scratching their heads, struggling to solve the equation of how to make the ridiculously talented Robyn as famous as she should be in America. Joining Katy Perry's California Dreams Tour won't hurt, considering she has become the first artist to spend a whole year in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Other shows to catch
Don't miss Band of Horses opening for Kings of Leon, LMFAO opening for Ke$ha, and Yeasayer opening for Weezer and the Flaming Lips.

For more artists to look out for, check out our Opening Act videos.

Which opening act are you most excited to see this summer? Tell us in the comments below!

Tags jordin-sparks, nicki minaj

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'American Idol' Champ Scotty McCreery Makes A Plea To The College Board

Posted 6/1/11 2:13 pm EST by Gil Kaufman in American Idol

You learn a lot by being on "American Idol." You get shown the music biz ropes by the finest in the business, are offered the opportunity to perform for the biggest audience on television every week and oh, yeah, if you're season 10 champ Scotty McCreery you also get a fat recording contract and a chance to live your life-long dream of being a country superstar.

But try telling that to your high school teacher. While "Idol" runner-up Lauren Alaina got to go back home to Georgia to attend her brother's graduation, McCreery had to fly home to Garner, North Carolina to take a final exam in the midst of his celebration.
Read More...

Tags American Idol, Lauren Alaina, Scotty McCreery

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Cheryl Cole Double-'X Factor'-ed

Posted 5/31/11 1:24 pm EST by Gil Kaufman in Television

British singer Cheryl Cole knows plenty about the ravages of instant fame thanks to her employment in the once-red hot girl group Girls Aloud. Cole got her mojo back, though, as a solo star and a panelist a few years ago on the British version of Simon Cowell's "X Factor" reality singing competition.

But in a move that surprised everyone at a time when TV singing competitions are increasingly turning to A-list (and some B-list) American talent to serve as judges on shows like "American Idol" and upstart hit "The Voice," Cowell chose Cole to rehash her role on his upcoming American "X Factor."

Well, the wheels quickly came off, as Cole was unceremoniously dumped last week after reports variously claimed she didn't click with fellow panelist Paula Abdul, had a too-thick British accent to be understood by Yankee audiences, wouldn't do the promotional rounds or listen to the show's wardrobe people.

The other shoe dropped over the weekend, when Cole's name was also left off the list of judges on the new season of the British "X Factor". It appears she's been aced out in favor of another girl-group refugee, former Destiny's Child singer Kelly Rowland.

So, to sum up, Cole went from being an unknown British star on the verge of landing a Beckham-like media assault on these shores to being a twice-fired pop singer within one week. Ouch.

Do you think Cole has been treated fairly by Simon Cowell? Let us know in comments below.

Tags Cheryl Cole, Kelly-Rowland, simon-cowell, X-Factor

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Kris Allen Talks New Music, Shares 'American Idol' Secrets

Posted 5/26/11 3:49 pm EST by MTV News in American Idol

By James Dinh, with additional reporting by Jim Cantiello

TLC, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga were just some of the star-studded names that graced the "American Idol" stage on Wednesday night, but there were also a slew of former season contestants in the house too, including season-eight winner Kris Allen.

Always a friend to MTV News, the 25-year-old singer/songwriter gave our resident "Idol" expert Jim Cantiello a tease at what his new tunes sound like in three words: "soulful, weightier and organic."
Read More...

Tags American Idol, jim cantiello, kris allen

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'American Idol' Predictions Results: Scotty Rewards Our Faith

Posted 5/26/11 12:39 pm EST by Gil Kaufman in American Idol

There are no sure things in life, but Scotty McCreery winning "American Idol" on Wednesday night was about as close as it comes.

The self-assured, bullfrog-voiced good ol' boy from Garner, North Carolina, had a Ruben Studdard-like untouchable march through the finals that couldn't be stopped by the strongest force of all: a blatant heart-string pulling "I love my mama" song from rival teen Lauren Alaina.

And, after a dismal season of prognosticating in which none of our experts could come within Skoal-spittin' distance of .500, we finally all got it right for once. (Even if it feels like getting one of those participation trophies kids get these days just for showing up.)
Read More...

Tags American Idol, Lauren Alaina, Scotty McCreery

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'American Idol' Finale: Jim Cantiello's Live Blog

Posted 5/25/11 8:52 pm EST by Jim Cantiello in American Idol

Baby lock them doors and turn the lights down low, because tonight the tenth insane season of "American Idol" is coming to a close.

It’s a cycle that brought us singing cleaning ladies, a scatting jazz freak, a galloping Nashville indie heartthrob, a growling sex kitten piñata, a pyromaniac rocker, a gospel lovin' spa concierge straight out of Compton, and, ultimately, two country fetus finalists who were born after Dr. Dre's "The Chronic" hit stores. With Simon Cowell on to bigger (and better?) projects, all eyes were on two new judges, more concerned with promoting their new singles than giving honest critiques.

Welcome to "American Idol X: Everybody’s Ridiculous (And Beautiful And Perfect!)"

The two hour seven minute finale spectacular kicks off at 8pm EDT, and I’ll be live-blogging every hot mess moment of it! The random cameos! The jaw-dropping group numbers! Randy Jackson’s sure-to-be-absurd outfit! And, of course, the results, although (spoiler alert) the winner is Scotty McCreery.

I’ll be reporting live from the Nokia Press Room, so in addition to the obligatory “8:02pm – Naima Adedapo just yelled ‘boom fiyah’ while cartwheeling” entry, I’ll also spill about what’s going on backstage. Two years ago, I caught Kris Allen fumbling through a Disney World promo. Four years ago, I spied Jordin Sparks wolfing down some post-victory CPK. (I believe it was the barbeque Thai pizza?) Who knows what secret treasures I'll discover in the press room this year?

8:37 p.m.: Well! This might be the first ever live-blog that began 37 minutes late. Excuse me while I wipe egg off of my face. Sorry kids! I was busy chatting with Adam Lambert on the "Idol" red carpet, and then got stuck on an endless security line. But I'm here! And the festivities begin now. What have I missed?

8:40 p.m.: Kirk Franklin entered the press room and they cut the audio to Steven Tyler's "best of" package. After two minutes of nobody asking him questions he left. (Poor thing.) But I'm thrilled because my girl Haley Reinhart is singing with Alec Baldwin dressed like Tony Bennett! "Steppin' Out!"

8:42 p.m.: I think Tony Bennett's latest "Italian Grandma" look really suits him. I love that cat. But he needs to keep his paws off my girl Haley Reinhart.

8:44 p.m.: And now we get an edited piece all about how beautiful Jennifer Lopez is. And now J. Lo is moved to tears by it. This is a big moment in Women's History, you guys.

8:46 p.m.: Remember that TLC reality show where they tried to find a new member after Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez's tragic passing? Well, apparently Lil Jon won.

8:50 p.m.: Ryan Seacrest introduced Scotty McCreery and Tim McGraw so that they could further confuse the Tim McGraw "Live Like You Were Dying" / Kris Allen "Live Like We're Dying" thing.

8:58 p.m.: Joe Repka is back, continuing his voice-over career on "Idol." Not gonna lie, this guy could have had a career in animated movies back in the 80's, before celebrities cashed in and took over that market. Speaking of which: did I miss Jack Black and Casey Abrams?!!

9:01 p.m.: Marc Anthony is performing. Is it Dia De Las Muertas already?!

9:02 p.m.: J. Lo joined Marc Anthony on stage, and now they're engaging in some sexy choreo. Yeesh, and I thought it was awkward when I walked in on my parents doin' it when I was a kid.

9:07 p.m.: Casey, James (or as Seacrest just announced, "Casey James") and the rest of the boys are doing a medley of Tom Jones songs. God help us if Jacob Lusk sings "Sex Bomb."

Tags Lauren Alaina, Scotty McCreery

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Billie Joe Armstrong's Son Follows In Grand Offspring Tradition With Emily's Army

Posted 5/25/11 3:08 pm EST by MTV News in Music

By Zachary Swickey

It’s hard to imagine what life would be like if your dad was the singer for one of the most successful punk band of all time, but that’s just a day in the life of Joey Armstrong, son of Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. And somewhat fittingly, the 16-year-old drummer is now ready to follow in his father’s footsteps by forming a punk rock outfit with three of his chums.

Dubbed Emily’s Army — a name derived from two bandmates’ 15-year-old cousin Emily, who was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis — the group's rather sneeringly-titled debut album, Don’t Be a Dick, was produced by none other than Papa Armstrong himself and will be released through his own Adeline Records come June 14th.

"The record has a lot of youthful punk rock attitude. They’re raw," Billie Joe proudly affirmed to Spin, "It’s well-played, has great hooks and is catchy as hell.”

So, to celebrate Joey Armstrong's brand-new day job, we decided to take a look back at some other rock-star offspring who have decided to follow in their father's footsteps ... with, it should be noted, varying degrees of success.

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'American Idol' Finale Predictions: It's Scotty's Time

Posted 5/25/11 12:21 pm EST by Gil Kaufman in American Idol

For a minute on Tuesday night, I had a flutter of joy at the fact that Ryan Seacrest wasn't turning to the "American Idol" judges for their comments on the performances from Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina.

Because aside from dinging Haley Reinhart from time-to-time, Randy, Jennifer and Steven have been on autopilot for much of the season when it comes to constructive, useful criticism. But after going into the night's show assuming McCreery would wipe the floor with his cutie-pie Southern belle competitor (especially after learning she was almost scratched from the finale due to injured vocal cords), I started having doubts.