| Tyler Grady Isn't 'Bitter' At 'American Idol' Judges Posted: 26 Feb 2010 03:34 AM PST But booted contestant wasn't planning to change for them either: 'I probably would've just stuck to my guns.'
By Katie Byrne 
Tyler Grady on "American Idol"
Photo: Fox While Tyler Grady made a lasting impression with his retro "American Idol" audition in Boston, he virtually went missing from the stage during Hollywood Week. That disappearing act might have marked the end for the 20-year-old from Nazareth, Pennsylvania — who was kicked off "Idol" on Thursday along with Ashley Rodriguez, Janell Wheeler and Joe Muñoz. Before he reprised his performance of the Guess Who's "American Woman," he had some choice words for the judges: "I like all the judges, and I've really had a great time with them, but I feel like I didn't really get much constructive criticism during Hollywood Week, and what they told me was a little too late." When we caught up with him Friday (February 26), Grady defended those controversial comments and his '70s-rocker style. Q: A lot of "Idol" watchers thought you were out of line to call out the judges during the results show. Do you regret those comments? A: I've seen that I'm getting some heat in the media about my comment before the show ended, and I just wanted to let everyone know that I really meant no disrespect by that. When I watched the show back on Wednesday, I felt that I was too caught up in the moment to stand up for myself, whereas contestants are absolutely encouraged to express themselves when they're being critiqued, I felt like I was kind of shocked with the criticism, and I just didn't get the chance to express my feelings, so when I said that, I was just expressing myself. I meant no disrespect. And I'm not bitter at the judges or anything like that. If I would've made it through to another week, it would've been due to a fanbase that appreciated what I was doing, so I probably would've just stuck to my guns and performed in the same style I've been performing in. I may have chosen a more recent rock song, but you wouldn't have seen me coming out in baggy jeans and wearing a headset microphone. I wouldn't have been changing my performance style at all. Q: So you wouldn't have take the judges' words to heart? A: I definitely respect the judges, and I think that they're very qualified to be critiquing the contestants on the show, but at the same time, when you are building a fanbase and your fans are supporting you, they're supporting you because of what you're doing, so you can't turn on your fans. You can't change up what you're doing to the point where you irritate your fans. If they're supporting you, you need to give them what they want and support them back. Q: How would you be able to tell what your fans want while you're in the bubble of the show? A: Essentially, if I would've gotten through another week, I think it would've been fair to assume that my fans appreciated my style of performance, because I've been consistent from the Boston audition to now. And if you see my band play ever, that's exactly the style of performance I give every time. In response to Ellen's critique of my lack of honesty and charisma onstage, I do absolutely respect her as an entertainer and as a critic, but I feel like she kind of misrepresented me there. Q: Do you think your lack of screen time during Hollywood Week hurt you? A: I don't want to make excuses. I know that the media is already claiming I'm making excuses, as far as blaming the judges for what happened on the show, and I don't blame the judges at all. When I made that comment, I was simply expressing my feelings at the time. As a contestant on that show, you need to stand up for yourself and go out with some dignity, but I really don't make any excuses for what happened. I mean, Kelly Clarkson and Kris Allen, both winners of "American Idol" in the past, didn't have that much airtime going into the live show, so I wouldn't say that that would've affected the results. Q: Do you think your stick-by-my-guns attitude is what got you eliminated? A: I can't explain to you why I was eliminated. Well, actually, I can explain to you why I was eliminated: I didn't get enough votes. I got one of the least number of votes out of the 12 guys; that's why I got eliminated. As a performer, you have to stick to your guns. You have to be honest and true to yourself. If you're gonna change your style ... and be inconsistent, you won't be able to build a solid fanbase, because people won't be able to catch on to you. And once you build a fanbase, you need to feed them what they appreciate about you. You can't constantly change yourself, or you're not really respecting your fans. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| Ellen DeGeneres Talks About Her First Week On 'American Idol' Posted: 26 Feb 2010 06:19 AM PST Comedian jokes about Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest during Friday's episode of her talk show.
By Gil Kaufman 
Ellen DeGeneres and Randy Jackson on Wednesday's "American Idol"
Photo: FOX Let's face it: everyone had a rough first week on "American Idol." The guys, for the most part, tanked, and the women were only marginally better. Even the judges had some difficulties, with Simon Cowell looking visibly bored at times, the other panelists seeming a bit off and new addition to the panel from the same case of nerves that affected many of the contestants. But no matter what the critics say, Ellen had a blast at her new gig. The veteran comedian discussed her first week of live "Idol" shows on the episode of her talk show airing Friday (February 26). "It's been a fun week," she told her in-studio audience. "I'll tell ya, I like being live because anything can happen on live television." Despite being seated at the other end of the judges' table from Cowell, DeGeneres said that one of the British judge's plunging necklines allowed her to get an eyeful of his chest on Thursday night. "Yesterday, Simon had so many buttons open on his shirt he almost had a wardrobe malfunction," she joked. DeGeneres spent some time talking about the differences between watching "Idol" at home and experiencing it live. "I've watched from home for years and years and now I get to see what happens behind the scenes. It's different, very different. I always knew that Ryan worked hard, but I had no idea during the commercial breaks he works another job selling Mary Kay cosmetics." After discussing the in-studio sound of the contestants' live vocals, she reiterated how "totally different" the music comes across in person than it does on television. "The mix is different in the studio, so everyone sounds one way in the studio and then I go home and I listen to it," she said. "You know, in the studio Simon has a Texas accent and he's the sweetest guy. He's totally hairless. Totally different, totally." DeGeneres is bringing a blend of good-natured comedy and boundless enthusiasm for "Idol" to the judges' panel, and she continued that vibe on her own show on Friday. "It's really exciting, though. There's energy and excitement in the studio, and there is a lot of suspense," she said. "That's what they do. They build up tension and nerves. I won't do that to you, though. I'm going to tell right now who I think is going to win. I think the person who's going to win is ... a girl or a guy." Ellen will be back judging the 20 remaining hopefuls next Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday night, four more contestants will be sent home, and last year's third-place finisher Danny Gokey, will perform his new single, "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me." Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| Ludacris Hopes <i>Battle Of The Sexes</i> Makes 'Female Voices' Heard Posted: 26 Feb 2010 05:32 AM PST 'It's such a male-dominated industry that I feel like females need more of a voice,' Atlanta MC says.
By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Sway Calloway 
Ludacris and MTV News' Sway
Photo: MTV News NEW YORK — According to Ludacris, there's just too much testosterone in hip-hop. So with his forthcoming Battle of the Sexes album, the Atlanta rapper decided to inject what he felt was a much-needed dose of femininity into the discussion. "It's such a male-dominated industry that I feel like females need more of a voice, so we wanted to hear more of what the hell they had to say," Luda told MTV News about the album concept. "With that being said, I went out and got women from the past, the present and the future — everyone from Lil Kim, Eve, Trina, Nicki Minaj. I got records where I'm talking about women ... and where women are talking back to me." Originally, the project was slated to feature Ludacris and his former Disturbing Tha Peace first lady Shawnna. The rapper wanted to model the album after collaborative LPs Jay-Z and Foxy Brown and the Notorious B.I.G. and Lil Kim once promised but never delivered. With Shawnna's departure from the DTP camp, however, Luda decided to revamp Sexes into an expanded effort. Monica and Crime Mob's Diamond are among the other females set to participate; Ne-Yo, Trey Songz, Flo Rida and Gucci Mane are also featured on the album. Ludacris said once he put the call out to the ladies to join in on the project, the responses were overwhelming. "They were loving it," he said. "It was even better when we shot the 'My Chick Bad' video and the remix. I had all those women on the same set. It was history. They love the fact that someone is trying to get the female voice out there more." The Battle of the Sexes track list, according to Def Jam: 1. Intro
2. How Low
3. My Chick Bad (featuring Nicki Minaj)
4. Everybody Drunk (featuring Lil Scrappy)
5. I Do It All Night
6. Sex Room (featuring Trey Songz)
7. I Know You Got a Man (featuring Flo Rida)
8. Hey Ho (featuring Lil Kim and Lil Fate)
9. Party No Mo' (featuring Gucci Mane)
10. B.O.T.S. Radio (featuring I-20)
11. Can't Live With You (featuring Monica)
12. Feelin' So Sexy
13. Tell Me a Secret (featuring Ne-Yo)
14. My Chick Bad Remix (featuring Diamond, Trina and Eve) What do you think about Ludacris' idea for Battle of the Sexes? Who are some of the female rappers you want to hear more from? Let us know in the comments below, or upload a video to Your.MTV.com! Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Castoff Janell Wheeler Is 'Nashville-Bound' Posted: 26 Feb 2010 03:49 AM PST 'I definitely heard a lot of us having pitch problems,' she says of rocky first week.
By Katie Byrne 
Janell Wheeler on Wednesday's "American Idol"
Photo: Fox Janell Wheeler had a standout moment during Hollywood Week when she sang a stripped-down version of Estelle's "American Boy" and played her acoustic guitar. Unfortunately, she left the guitar at home for her performance of Heart's "What About Love," getting the boot Thursday night along with Tyler Grady, Ashley Rodriguez and Joe Muñoz. We caught up with the bubbly blonde on Friday (February 26) to talk about nerves running rampant and what's next. Q: The judges seem to be giving a lot of mixed messages this season. Was it hard to figure out what they wanted? A: I think I knew exactly what they wanted from me. I just was choosing to do it the second week. [Laughs.] The first rehearsal with me and that [Heart] song was a little more country. However, it lost a lot of its rugged sound and energy, so I did switch it back to the rocker version. I felt like it definitely pumped me up and helped me perform better. But I think that in order for me to have secured a place to the next round, I should've gone ahead and brought the guitar out and performed a top 40 hit, like "American Boy," which I was definitely planning to do next week. Q: It seems like nerves got the best of a lot of contestants this week. What do you think was behind the anxiety? A: Being there is so different, being live. The band is really, really loud and aggressive, and it's awesome and you get so into it. ... Everyone sounds good when you're in-house. But going back, when I did listen to the show ... I definitely heard a lot of us having pitch problems. It was our first show, and we don't know how the sound works yet. If you can't tell, my performance changed from the first night to [results] night. I sang the same song, but I sang it differently. I had a better concept of the stage, of the sound, of my vocals with the band. ... Each time they get on that stage and get used to what it sounds like, it's just gonna get better and better. It was difficult to grasp that at first, because it was, for a lot of us, our first time. Q: Were you surprised to be going home, or did you expect it? A: I am a very hopeful person, but that day, for some reason, I just had this feeling inside of me. I couldn't really explain it. I even called my parents and said, "Be prepared, because I don't have a very good feeling about today." Of course, they reassured me. But I was like, "Trust me, I know." [Laughs.] I didn't get the worst comments; I didn't get the best comments. I don't think I was particularly the worst, and I definitely wasn't the best. I was in that dangerous zone, that in-between, because people tend to think that you're safe. If you're in-between, if you're right in the middle, people think you'll squeeze by. ... Because I didn't really shine or get really bad feedback, I think I just got lost in the mix. Q: What did you think of Ellen DeGeneres' live debut as a judge? A: I love Ellen, I don't think it's a secret. ... I watch her show religiously. So, to me, I just thought she was so refreshing. She represents the American public, the people who actually go out and buy the albums — the fans, just America. And I think she really knows music and she's so diverse in her knowledge, and I think people need to give her a lot of credit, because she did a bang-up job for her first live show. Q: What's next? A: I think I'm just gonna try to do this on my own. Hopefully I'm Nashville-bound! Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| LMFAO Track Inspired By Mitt Romney Airplane Altercation Posted: 26 Feb 2010 06:08 AM PST 'We're gonna use this incident to actually bring the world closer together,' Redfoo says.
By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Sway Calloway 
LMFAO's Redfoo
Photo: MTV News NEW YORK — LMFAO couldn't let an opportunity like getting into an altercation with former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney pass without putting their unique twist on things. Redfoo and Sky Blu plan to release a new track on Friday titled "We Came to Party (The Vulcan Grip Mix)" inspired by the incident, where Romney and Sky Blu were whisked off an airplane after arguing with one another. The song, they said, will also double as the release for the pair's next album, Don't Judge Me, tentatively set for a summer release. "They call you suit and tie and you'se a politician," Redfoo rapped the lines to MTV News. "They call me Superfly, I always got two bitches/ You go to church and tithe, I really ain't religious/ You're on P's and Q's, I sip that Jesus juice." Then the LMFAO guys burst into the chorus together, "Everybody wants to feel good, from up in Capitol Hill to the 'hood." The song doesn't feature Romney by name, Redfoo explained, but the song title teases at Romney for sure. Sky Blu, who got into the skirmish with the GOP figure, said Romney grabbed him by the shoulder after repeatedly requesting for the musician put his seat up on the still-grounded airplane. Sky Blu refused because of Romney's tone, and he claimed the former Massachusetts governor then attempted to put a "Vulcan grip" on him. Blu offered that Romney didn't appear to be rude guy after matters cooled down between them. The guys said they'd like to do shots with the politician, playing off of their Lil Jon-assisted single "Shots." But Romney, a devout Mormon, doesn't drink alcohol. So in the interim, LMFAO hope their tune, "We Came to Party (The Vulcan Grip Mix)," will serve as an olive branch. "We're gonna use this incident to actually bring the world closer together, " Redfoo said. |
| Joe Munoz Doesn't Blame Screen Time For 'American Idol' Exit Posted: 26 Feb 2010 04:46 AM PST 'Other people didn't get screen time at all, and they got through,' he says.
By Katie Byrne 
Jose Munoz performs on Wednesday's "American Idol"
Photo: Michael Becker/ FOX Joe Muñoz had a lot of ground to make up on "American Idol," having only been shown once toward the end of Hollywood Week before this week's live debut. Unfortunately, his good-but-not-great take on Jason Mraz's "You and I Both" didn't do the trick, and he was eliminated Thursday along with Tyler Grady, Janell Wheeler and Ashley Rodriguez. We caught up with the soft-spoken singer to talk about what went wrong and what's next. Q: We didn't hear anything from you until the very end of Hollywood Week. Do you that lack of screen time was your downfall? A: I don't think so, because other people didn't get screen time at all, and they got through. I try not to think about it that much. I just did the best I could, and I was really proud with what I did. Even though the outcome wasn't the best for me, I have faith that things will get better after this. ... I didn't really have much control over [screen time], so that's just how they tried to handle the show. So I wasn't really disappointed. I think I had my moment, and, well, got eliminated! [Laughs.] But I had a blast. Q: Why do you think you were eliminated? A: I honestly have no idea. This is such an unpredictable show. You really never know what's gonna happen. So I was just keeping my mind clear and not trying to think about it and do the best I could. Q: Were you surprised to be going home, or did you expect it? A: A lot of things were going through my mind, honestly, but I was just trying to keep calm. It's so unpredictable. You don't really know who's gonna go home, so I didn't want to get overconfident. Q: What was it like when Ryan Seacrest asked Kara to pick who should stay and who should go home between you and Tim Urban? A: That was kind of nerve-racking, actually. I was blocking myself from even listening, because I didn't want to get more nervous than I already was, so I tried to keep calm. Q: Going forward, whose careers do you hope to emulate? A: I really look up to Michael Bublé and Celine Dion as performers. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| Ashley Rodriguez Says 'American Idol' Judges Were 'Throwing Punches' Posted: 26 Feb 2010 03:34 AM PST 'A lot of people thought they would be a little lenient, considering it was our first live show,' eliminated contestant says.
By Katie Byrne 
Ashley Rodriguez and Didi Benami on "American Idol"
Photo: Micelotta/ Getty Images Before the live "American Idol" episodes kicked off this week, Ashley Rodriguez was shaping up to be the season-nine diva. She tackled songs by Alicia Keys, Beyoncé and Jordin Sparks during her audition and Hollywood Week, and pulled them off with flying colors. Her cover of Leona Lewis' "Happy" wasn't quite as successful, and the 22-year-old Berklee College of Music student got the boot Thursday night, along with Tyler Grady, Janell Wheeler and Joe Muñoz. So what's next for Ashley? We caught up with her to talk about that and her experience on "Idol." Q: It was a pretty tough week on "American Idol." Were you surprised by the judges' primarily negative feedback? A: A lot of people thought they would be a little lenient, considering it was our first live show. Turns out that they were coming in throwing punches. [Laughs.] I wouldn't say that they were too hard, but we definitely could've used a little bit of love from them, that's for sure. I think they were quick to give a lot of criticism and not back it up by anything positive, which is unfortunate, because you can always find something good from a performance, even if it falls apart. Q: Was everyone expecting a free pass for their first week? A: We've all kind of agreed that Simon and the rest of the judges were a little harsh with both the girls and the guys this year. There was definitely no leniency with it being our first live show, which is unfortunate, because there are a lot of jitters and nerves that go on for our first live performance, you know? But they're doing their job, and their job is to critique and their job is to give criticism. They're the judges. It's unfortunate that it came about that way, but at the end of the day, I love them all. They've all played such a huge role in this experience for me. Hopefully, we'll be crossing paths again. Q: Having been eliminated in the first week, is there anything you wish you would have done differently? A: I feel like I went into this competition giving 100 percent all the time. I think it's actually a really, really awesome thing for me that I can walk out of it saying that I have no regrets. I gave my all in every performance and in every situation. I wouldn't change a thing. I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and that one opportunity that may not have been for me is just gonna lead me and bring me to the next best thing for me. Q: What's next? A: "Idol" has really shown me that, now more than ever, I have to fight for what I want. It was giving me a little taste of the dream, and I'm willing to work hard for it, especially now that I've gotten a little glimpse of what this life is like. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos |
| Beyonce Says She 'Killed' Sasha Fierce Posted: 25 Feb 2010 11:33 PM PST 'I don't need Sasha Fierce anymore,' B says of the alter ego she created.
By Hillary Crosley 
Beyoncé
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images Beyoncé is killing the game again, but this time it's herself — or at least her alter ego. "Sasha Fierce is done. I killed her," B said in a recent interview with Allure magazine. Of course, the singer created her alter ego Sasha Fierce in an effort to separate her own shy personality from her stage persona and give herself the courage to be free and sexy while performing. Beyoncé even went so far as to name-check the alter ego on her last album, I Am ... Sasha Fierce. The LP was split into two physical CDs and two genres. The I Am ... side held pop songs like "If I Were a Boy" while Sasha Fierce boasted urban chic like "Video Phone," B's first duet with Lady Gaga. Now the singer says that she's comfortable enough with herself to be all of those things without an alias. "I don't need Sasha Fierce anymore, because I've grown and now I'm able to merge the two," she explained. In fact, the singer/songwriter/actress admitted that she's currently taking a career break after the conclusion of her world tour in Trinidad this month, adding she'd like "to paint and cook and to do Broadway shows and museums. And learn just to be at home and just watch television." Though Mrs. Carter is eyeing a vacation, she's still got two new videos on the way — one with pop powerhouse Lady Gaga for "Video Phone" and one for Alicia Keys' "Put It in a Love Song," so we won't miss her for long. Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' In 60 Seconds: Top 24, Trouble In First Elimination Week Posted: 26 Feb 2010 06:27 AM PST From killer covers to Tyler Grady's angry exit, it's all in the season premiere of 'Idol in 60 Seconds.'
By Jim Cantiello 
Ashley Rodriguez, Didi Benami and Ryan Seacrest on Thursday's "American Idol"
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images "American Idol" in 60 Seconds has fast become an MTV News institution, but it goes by so fast that it's not always easy to catch every golden nugget. So, here we present to you a slightly altered script of the weekly bite-size recap of "Idol" high jinks, plus a joke or two that had to be cut for time! In the first live-competition week of the ninth season of "American Idol," we met our brand new Top 24. While not everybody choked (Siobhan Magnus' interpretation of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" was wicked cool, Lilly Scott's Beatles cover made me want to sergeant her pepper and Crystal Bowersox spent half of her debut on a singing competition blowing into a harmonica — quirky, but effective), the general tone of the show's opening week can be summed up in one word: Disaster. Actually, most of that came courtesy of the men. (Oh, did I say "Men?" I meant "Frightened bunny rabbits.") [Jermaine Sellers wails.] That guy is a church singer? I hope God has earplugs. Everybody had a confidence fail. Or an overconfidence fail. It was fail-fail-fail-fail — and then Andrew Garcia taught us just how terrible Fall Out Boy lyrics are. But the week's worst performances came from the judges, who were a mess of disjointed, conflicted and non-sensical advice. "Take bigger risks!" "No, don't take big risks!" "Wait, am I starting, or are you?" But at least Kara got one thing right. [Kara calls herself a 'b----.'] On Thursday night's results show, it was so good to see everybody again. [Ryan Seacrest: "The bad news is we'll have to send two guys and two girls home."] Is that really bad news, though? See you later, random people we couldn't pick out of a lineup. And Tyler Grady? Wearing tight pants and posing ain't "rock star." Blaming that judges for your downfall? That's "rock star." What did you think of this week's performances and eliminations? Leave us your thoughts in the comments! Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Lady Gaga, Cyndi Lauper Get Goofy For MAC AIDS Fund Posted: 26 Feb 2010 01:22 AM PST Pop stars show playful sides in behind-the-scenes photos for Viva Glam campaign in new issue of V magazine.
By Jocelyn Vena 
Lady Gaga at her MAC photo shoot
Photo: Ellen von Unwerth Lady Gaga joined forces with Cyndi Lauper last spring to take colorful, fun photos for the MAC AIDS Fund's Viva Glam campaign, which donates 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of lipstick and lip gloss to the global fight against AIDS and HIV. The behind-the-scenes photos from the shoot will be featured in the new issue of V magazine which hits newsstands next month. In the issue, Gaga appears nearly nude in a makeup chair as she preps herself to pose with Lauper in photos that were shot by famed photographer Ellen von Unwerth, who also shot Rihanna for her Rated R cover. "It's quite awkward to be talking about my passion about the AIDS crisis and the gay community while doing my makeup but ... Viva Glam!" Gaga says in the issue. One photo shows Lauper in a giant, poofy platinum-blond wig blowing kisses, and both Lauper and Gaga appear in another photo in satin robes goofing around in front of a giant makeup mirror. "When MAC started it was a place where people who were highly creative and didn't fit in could feel comfortable working," the pop star says. "And that's still the attitude. We can be incredibly creative and feel like we're making a difference." MTV News caught up with the ladies earlier this month as they promoted the campaign. Gaga said that she feels these lipsticks are a way for women to empower themselves. "We want women to feel strong and feel strong enough that they can remember to protect themselves. To have this lipstick as a reminder in your purse, that when your man is laying naked in bed, you go into the bathroom, you put your lipstick on, and you bring a condom out with you," Gaga said. "There are no exceptions. ... This idea of negotiation before intercourse is this kind of ridiculous thing in the age that we're living in. I would say never, but you must be in a loving, monogamous relationship or married. We're not in an age when you can have irresponsible, condom-less sex." Related Photos Related Artists |
