Best RnB Album for December 2006?
Brian Mc Knight - Ten
Ciara - The Evolution
Fantasia Barrino - Fantasia
Keshia Chante - 2U
Mary J. Blige - Reflections - A Retrospective
Omarion - 21
Tyrese - Alter Ego
Aretha Franklin Prepares to Drop New Album in 2007
Aretha Franklin is ready to prove she’s still in the R&B game. The soul songstress prepares for the release of her new album, Aretha: A Woman Falling Out of Love, set to hit stores in the beginning of 2007.
The album features a solid guest list of gospel singers like Shirley Caesar, Karen Clark-Sheard and the rest of Detroit’s Clark Sisters, as well as multi-platinum artist Faith Hill.
Franklin will drop this album on her own label, Aretha’s Records, with some help from veteran studio hand Michael Powell, who worked on numerous R&B projects including her 1998 hit, “A Rose is Still a Rose”.
A Woman Falling Out of Love will come out riding on the crest of Franklin’s Golden Globe nomination for best original song in a motion picture for “Never Gonna Break My Faith,” her duet, co-written by Bryan Adams, with Mary J. Blige for the Bobby film soundtrack.
“My agent called me and told me that Miramax Pictures was calling and they wanted me to sing for that [film],” Franklin says to Billboard.com. “I was just delighted, having met several of the Kennedy’s on occasion and I also sang at the first memorial service for him. And singing with Mary J. Blige, I think we made a very good coupling.”
Franklin was also honored at the United Negro College Fund’s “An Evening of Stars,” which was taped in September in Los Angeles for a broadcast that will air on Jan. 27 and 28 on BET.
The Pussycat Dolls performing at Point Theatre 24Nov,2006
December 17, 2006 by RealRnB
Filed under RnB Photos
Katharine Mcphee mixes Pussycat dolls and Mariah Carey ,on debut CD
Type “katharinemcphee.com” into your Web browser and it’s instantly clear the “American Idol” runner-up is over “Over the Rainbow.” First, the “Wizard of Oz” line “We’re not in Kansas anymore” appears on the screen, then the words raise up to reveal a shot of McPhee that’s more wicked witch — or at least wicked sexy — than Dorothy.
“It’s a really great thing,” a grinning McPhee said of her image makeover. “Love that song, it’s been a great run, but it’s time to put it down” (see “Katharine McPhee Eyes Acting, Goes ‘Over The Rainbow’ With Debut”). In fact, when McPhee’s record label announced plans to include her signature song from “Idol” on her upcoming debut album, the singer replied, “No you’re not.” “That doesn’t go with the record at all,” she told MTV News recently.
During her “Idol” run, McHaters implied McPhee’s greatest downfall was overconfidence, but her strong sense of self is also her greatest strength as the 22-year-old Los Angeles native sets out to transition that fame into a career. Read more
Ciara dominates albums chart
December 15, 2006 by RealRnB
Filed under RnB Charts
Ciara completed her evolution this week,by ending # 1 on the charts.
The keyword into selling albums these days is :promotion.She started since end of September and it payed off.
Happy for her.Justin Timberlake should be 2 X Platinum ,next week.
Unfortunately,Tamia’s new album sank more of less as planned.
1 CIARA EVOLUTION 338,447 999 612 339,062
3 STEFANI*GWEN SWEET ESCAPE 242,671 999 738 243,411
12 AKON KONVICTED 118,202 7 110,327 676,702
13 BEYONCE B’DAY 108,047 14 94,678 1,600,262
19 FERGIE DUTCHESS 92,642 62 57,240 804,976 Read more
Ashanti prepares “Incredible” album for 2007
In a new interview with BET,Ashanti revealed the title of her next album,set for a spring of 2007 release.
“I’ve been working on a little bit of everything. The album is coming; it’s called Incredible.
Other than that, I’m in the new film “Resident Evil,” coming out in spring of 2007.I have a book coming the middle of next year and a line of bags. I’m brewing up a little bit of everything.”,she said.
No details were given on the names of her collaborators.Ashanti can actually be heard on “Pac’s Life”,the new album from the late Tupac Shakur.
Mary J Blige leads Grammy Nominations,with eight nods
Mary J Blige leads Grammy Nominations
Mary J. Blige talks to the media following the 49th Annual Grammy Awards nominations news conference in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2006. The Grammys will take place in Los Angeles on Feb. 11, 2007. Blige, whose album ‘The Breakthrough’ was perhaps the biggest in her career, was nominated for a leading eight Grammy Awards.
List of nominees
Jamie Foxx hits the road for the holidays
Jamie Foxx announced this week,that he’s taking “Unpredictable” to the road With Fantasia, Snoop
“We’re gonna go out on tour on December 26, we’re gonna hit 30 cities, we’re going to do the comedy and the music, so I’m looking forward to that,” Foxx recently told a room of reporters while promoting “Dreamgirls.” Tickets to some shows are already on sale, and more dates will be released shortly.
The “we” he was referring to includes Fantasia Barrino — the “American Idol” Foxx shared an intimate moment with at June’s BET Awards (see “Eminem Joins Busta Onstage, Jamie Foxx Smooches Fantasia At BET Awards”), who will appear on select dates — plus “There’s going to be some surprise spots by Snoop if he’s not incarcerated,” Foxx added, poking a little fun at his friend, who has had a myriad of run-ins with the police the past few months (see “Snoop Arrested For Gun And Drug Possession After ‘Tonight Show’ Taping”). “If Snoop is out of jail, we’re going to do our thing. Off the heezy for sheezy, outta jeezy! Merry Christmas.”
Usher talks about new project
Usher announced this week,that he’s heading back to the studio and plans on releasing a new album,sometimes next year.
He gave Mtv news ,more details:”It’s about time for me to get back in and put my 10 cents in it!” then continued “I feel it’s about time for me to come out with an album,” he said via phone from Atlanta on Tuesday. “I’m not extremely enthused about where music has gone. I say that coming from listening to artists like Stevie Wonder, Prince, Michael Jackson — those great artists and iconic musicians. I feel music is at a standstill.”
Usher says he does like what Justin Timberlake and John Legend are doing right now, and that Robin Thicke has released the album of the year with The Evolution of Robin Thicke.
“His album is banging, but also as a producer and writer, he’s amazing,” the singer said of his friend. “We’ve been able to get to a point where we can work very easily together. I’ll give him an idea and he’ll understand exactly what wavelength I’m on.”
Jermaine Dupri and the production teams of Dre and Vidal and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are all scheduled to collaborate on the record — as is Jay-Z. Usher, who appears on the Pharrell-helmed “Anything” from Jay’s Kingdom Come LP, said he and Hova did a trade-off.
“Jay-Z came to me with the record,” Usher recalled. “He said, ‘This is one I don’t want you to miss out on.’ We had been talking for years about doing a record, and as a result of this, we’re going to work again on my album. So look out for that next step, but it’s a hot one on his album.”
Usher has been called many things over the years, but he emphasized that “James Brown” will not be one of them — at least not at the moment. He said reports that he has signed on to play the Godfather of Soul in an upcoming biopic are untrue.
“That was a press release that was put out. I haven’t been signed on to play James Brown, but it would be an honor to be considered for the role,” he said.
