Swift leads, Miguel hurts fans at Billboard Awards

By MESFIN FEKADU | Associated Press

Taylor Swift is red hot.

The singer, who is nominated for 11 Billboard Music Awards, was the show's early leader with seven wins so far, including top Billboard 200 album and country album for "Red." She topped it off with a colorful performance of her hit "22" — starting backstage and working her way to the main stage on the back of a bike with help from a dozen background dancers and a flurry of red balloons.

Miguel, too, had a show-stopping performance, though he seemed to kick a fan when he jumped over the crowd during a performance of his hit "Adorn." The R&B singer seemed to have landed part of his body on one girl, who walked away, and kicked another girl, who held her head low.

Maroon 5 and fun. were also nominated for 11 awards and won honors in a pre-telecast announcement. Gotye and Rihanna are behind Swift with four awards each.

Bruno Mars and his band kicked off the show in silky red suits that matched their silky dance moves, with bright gold disco balls hanging above them. Mars performed his new single, the upbeat and old-school flavored "Treasure."

Justin Bieber, who won top male artist, is also up for the night's biggest award, top artist. Other nominees include Swift, Rihanna, One Direction and Maroon 5.

"This is not just my award," Bieber said, thanking his fans and team.

He performed his song "Take You" in leather pants, a leather vest and a black shirt that had one sleeve, as blue laser lights beamed.

Nicki Minaj, who is set to perform with Lil Wayne, won the first award in the live telecast for top rap artist, beating out Drake, Flo Rida, Pitbull and Psy.

"I definitely did not expect this one," she said, wearing a bright red dress.

But the awards show, airing live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on ABC, is less about the trophies and more about the performances. Selena Gomez sang her seductive new hit, "Come & Get It," while Chris Brown danced around the stage to his latest single, "Fine China," though his voice began to crack during the performance. Duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis also performed their massive hit, "Thrift Shop," which won top rap song.

"First and foremost, gotta thank Goodwill, gotta thank Value Village," Macklemore said to laughs.

Prince, who will receive the icon award, will also hit the stage. Madonna was named top touring artist.

"Thank you for supporting me for three decades. Without you I truly wouldn't be here," she said.

Bieber, Swift and Mars are also up for the fan-voted milestone award.

Comedian-actor Tracy Morgan is the show's host, and he dressed as Psy in a bright yellow suit when the rapper-singer was onstage to present an award. They had a dance battle to Psy's new single, "Gentleman."

Pitbull made two appearances, one with Jennifer Lopez and another with Christina Aguilera. His hit with Aguilera, "Feel This Moment," samples A-Ha's "Take On Me" and Morten Harket came out to sing a line from the song.

Christina Aguilera & Cee Lo Green Taking ‘Voice’ Hiatus; Shakira & Usher To Fill Their Chairs

By Lyndsey Parker | Reality Rocks


You have to hand it to "The Voice." Last week, the show added a third Wednesday episode to ruin "The X Factor's" big premiere night. And now, with the new "American Idol" and "X Factor" judges having had hardly any time to bask in their publicity, already "The Voice" is stealing both shows' thunder once again--with breaking news that two new singularly named superstar judges, Shakira and Usher, will replace Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green for Season 4. Both Christina and Cee Lo will be back for Season 5 in fall 2013, according to NBC.

Rumors have swirled for months that NBC's overkill decision to air "The Voice" twice yearly would at least temporarily drive away some or all of the show's regular judges, causing the lineup to be revamped for the spring 2013 season. Apparently such is the downside of hiring judges who, you know, are still relevant hitmakers and have other important things to do with their time, like touring and recording, besides sitting on an NBC soundstage six months out of the year. (And this is why talent shows should consider hiring non-celebrity judges, but I digress.) In fact, just last week when talking to Ryan Seacrest, Christina admitted that she'd first assumed her "Voice" gig would be "kind of like a side project...then it kind of took off, and there goes my free time!"

With Christina getting ready to release her comeback album, Lotus, in November (her new single, "Your Body," debuted last week to positive reviews), and the ubiquitous Cee Lo working on a Christmas album and a new sitcom, it's no surprise that they are the first "Voice" judges to take official leaves of absence.

"Being a coach on "The Voice' is a wonderful experience and the relationship amongst us all is like an extended family," Christina said in an NBC press release Monday. "I am so proud of being part of the show from the beginning, all the work we've done, and proud of what the show stands for as a whole. As I have expressed since day one of the show, that I am a singer and performer first and I am so excited to get back to that love. Since this year NBC and 'The Voice' have decided to tape back-to-back seasons, requiring a full-year commitment, it is important for me to take Season 4 off, allowing me to support my music that my fans have been waiting for...by pursuing my first passion of music during the break, I am also able to come back and offer even more to my team on 'The Voice' in the future."

In the same press release, Cee Lo said: "First, thank you NBC for supporting my decision to take this Season 4 hiatus! It says that I'm seen and respected as a complete artist and not just a cast member. I'm highly enthusiastic about focusing my undivided attention on my additional endeavors and interests like my upcoming solo album, new Goodie Mob album, Las Vegas residency 'Loberace,' new memoir, and new NBC comedy...I will return for Season 5 and will be watching Season 4. NBC is home and as far as Usher and Shakira are concerned--'mi casa su casa.'"

NBC's press release assured that "The Voice's" resident bromancers, Adam Levine (whose Maroon 5 band is hotter than ever) and Blake Shelton, will stick around to hang with Shakira and Usher in Season 4, but it seems like only a matter of time before they too decide to take a break. Blake in particular has repeatedly, quite loudly complained about "The Voice's" new grueling two-seasons-a-year shoot schedule, and just this week he told Access Hollywood: "I don't know how much longer I'm even going to do it. It's [NBC's] decision [for us to leave], in that they're the ones choosing to do back-to-back seasons. They really leave us no other option. As far as Christina and Adam and Cee Lo and I, if we want to tour, there's not a chance of that doing back-to-back seasons. That's not acceptable to me. At some point, I've got to go, 'You know what, this has been awesome. It's changed my life, but it's not my life. I've got to get back to what I really do, and that's country music."

It is expected that any current judges who sit out a "Voice" season will return eventually, after taking some much-needed time to focus on their own careers...however, Blake's statement almost reads like a final farewell, so we shall see. If he does ever leave, Adam will probably be crushed. But maybe Usher can be his new bromance buddy when and if that happens.

As for Usher and Shakira, both are relevant stars who appeal to demographics that have traditionally not tuned in for, say, "American Idol"--the urban audience and the Latin audience--and they have a combined 39 years of recording experience to their credit. (And in an age when rival shows hire relative newcomers like Demi Lovato and Nicki Minaj, that counts for something.) So they're not bad choices. But how will they gel with Adam and Blake...or with any new co-stars, when and if Adam and Blake also decide to go on hiatus? And what about when Christina and Cee Lo presumably return--will that old "Voice" magic still be there? This constant game of musical (spinning) chairs on "The Voice" could really ruin the show's momentum.

Or...perhaps a rotating (no pun intended) panel could put "The Voice's" focus where it really belongs and never has been: on the actual contestants, for once.

Beware of the curves: Confident Christina proudly parades her fuller figure... in a VERY tight purple dress at AMA nominations

Christina Aguilera (Getty Images)

By Chris Johnson ( Mail Online )

If there was any doubt that Christina Aguilera has well and truly embraced her fuller figure, then look no further.

The 31-year-old singer put in a very confident turn on Tuesday as she poured (and squeezed) her very generous proportions into a form-fitting body contour dress.

Needless to say, Christina - with dress pulled taut over her bust and bottom - delivered an eye-catching look as she arrived to present the American Music Award nominations at press conference in Los Angeles.

The Beautiful songstress was in full-on performance mode for the photographers - sticking out her rounded derriere, putting her hands on hips and twirling round for her over-the-shoulder shot in a series of moves that threatened derail Kim Kardashian's reputation as having the most famous bottom in Hollywood.

The Voice judge completed her style with a pair of sky-high silver heels, fake eyelashes along with her newly-dyed pink and purple-tipped blonde tresses.

And then there was the fake tan. And lots of it.

Christina, a mother of one, had slathered it on in abundance, particularity so over her legs - which appeared to be a darker shade than the rest of her body.

Aguilera, who announced the AMA nominees on Tuesday, was the first performer to be announced for the live show, which takes place next month.

R&B star Rihanna and rapper Nicki Minaj led nominations for the American Music Awards with four apiece, edging out stiff competition from pop sensations Justin Bieber and One Direction.

list of AMA nominations

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Justin Bieber
Drake
Maroon 5
Katy Perry
Rihanna

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
J. Cole
fun.
Gotye
Carly Rae Jepsen
One Direction

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK
Justin Bieber
Flo Rida
Pitbull
Usher

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK
Kelly Clarkson
Nicki Minaj
Katy Perry
Rihanna

FAVORITE BAND, DUO OR GROUP – POP/ROCK
fun.
Maroon 5
One Direction
The Wanted

FAVORITE ALBUM – POP/ROCK
Justin Bieber, “Believe”
Maroon 5, “Overexposed”
Nicki Minaj, “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded”
One Direction, “Up All Night”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – COUNTRY
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Eric Church

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – COUNTRY
Miranda Lambert
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

FAVORITE BAND, DUO or GROUP – COUNTRY
Zac Brown Band
Lady Antebellum
Rascal Flatts

FAVORITE ALBUM – COUNTRY
Luke Bryan, “Tailgates & Tanlines”
Lionel Richie, “Tuskegee”
Carrie Underwood, “Blown Away”

FAVORITE ARTIST – RAP/HIP-HOP
Drake
Nicki Minaj
Tyga

FAVORITE ALBUM – RAP/HIP-HOP
J. Cole, “Cole World: The Sideline Story”
Drake, “Take Care”
Nicki Minaj, “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B
Chris Brown
Trey Songz
Usher

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B
Beyoncé
Mary J. Blige
Rihanna

FAVORITE ALBUM – SOUL/R&B
Chris Brown, “Fortune”
Rihanna, “Talk That Talk”
Usher, “Looking 4 Myself”

FAVORITE ARTIST – ALTERNATIVE ROCK
The Black Keys
Gotye
Linkin Park

FAVORITE ARTIST – ADULT CONTEMPORARY
Adele
Kelly Clarkson
Train

FAVORITE ARTIST – LATIN
Don Omar
Pitbull
Shakira

FAVORITE ARTIST – CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL
Jeremy Camp
Newsboys
tobyMac

FAVORITE ARTIST – ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC (EDM)
David Guetta
Calvin Harris
Skrillex

Christina Aguilera: Billboard Cover Story

by Andrew Hampp

Christina Aguilera hasn't felt this way in a decade. The singer is reflecting on the eventful two years leading up to the release of her fifth studio album, "Lotus," from her home in Los Angeles -- a period that heralded the commercial disappointment of her album "Bionic"; a divorce from husband Jordan Bratman; the release of her first movie, "Burlesque," and its accompanying soundtrack; her highly successful stint as a coach on NBC's "The Voice" and accompanying appearance on Maroon 5's mega-hit "Moves Like Jagger."

 The last time she felt so inspired, the result was 2002's Stripped-a creative breakthrough that helped distance Aguilera from her teen-pop peers and produced memorable hits like "Beautiful," "Dirrty" and "Fighter."

Due Nov. 13 on RCA, "Lotus" refers to the "rebirth" Aguilera underwent both personally and professionally, opting not to work with longtime songwriting partners like Linda Perry in favor of such newer collaborators as Alex Da Kid, Sia, Candice Pillay and even pop maestro Max Martin, on first single "Your Body," which hit radio and iTunes last week and bows at No. 33 on Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 chart this week.

Like on Stripped, Aguilera dips into many genres-from dance-pop on "Your Body" and "Make the World Move" (a duet with fellow "Voice" coach Cee Lo Green), piano-driven power ballads ("Sing for Me," Sia collaboration "Blank Page") and rock-tinged empowerment anthems ("Army of Me," "Cease Fire"). The album even opens with a quick sample of M83's "Midnight City" on the title track, an experimental table-setter where Aguilera resolves to "leave the past behind/Say goodbye to the scared child inside."

Alex Da Kid, who first teamed with Aguilera for 2010's "Castle Walls" on T.I.'s No Mercy, worked with Aguilera on several Lotus cuts with songwriter Pillay, many of which were recorded at her home studio. "I've worked with big and smaller people, and the more established people can get stuck in their ways and say they're not open to critique," Alex Da Kid says. "She definitely had a strong opinion, but she'll go with the best idea in the room. That's really rare for someone that's had so much success."

With Aguilera more or less based on the West Coast for the entire period leading up to Lotus' release to finish taping the current season of "The Voice," that means an aggressive Los Angeles-based promotional schedule during the next few months-with expected stops on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" as well as prominent use of "The Voice" to premiere the video for "Your Body" and a performance during album release week.
"Nobody knows better than Christina that success doesn't come from simply having the voice, but from believing and trusting in that voice," "Voice" producer Mark Burnett says. "That knowledge and experience makes her an incredibly nurturing coach, and one who not only challenges her artists, but encourages and inspires them to challenge themselves."

"I have no time to even watch my own show.
So there's your answer."

- On whether she'll watch Britney Spears on "The X Factor"

"The Voice" is winning the music-competition show race and beating "The X Factor" in the ratings. But as the show shifts into full-year production, the singer confirmed that she would be taking a break for season four, set to air next spring, with Shakira filling in her chair and Usher taking that of Cee Lo Green. She's anxious to go back out on the road for the first time since 2007's Back to Basics tour, having canceled 2010's Bionic tour due in part to poor ticket sales. "It's been a joy to be a part of other people's journey, to be able to inspire and be a part of new singers coming up in this business," she says. "But I was starting to get really worried and concerned that I wouldn't have the time to go and be an artist again.

"Mark made it very clear that these chairs are always our chairs," she continues. "He said, 'I understand the only reason the show's going to work is if it doesn't get stale.' And he totally understood that I needed something to fulfill my creative soul, and said, 'This chair will always be yours to come back to whenever you do what makes you the best.'"

However long Lotus keeps her away from "The Voice," it likely won't be permanent. "I'll probably be back. I just need to do my thing for a minute, then I can come back and be that much better of a coach. I just need a second to get back to me."

Billboard spoke with Aguilera -- who's keynoting the Billboard/Hollywood Reporter Film & TV Music Conference, to be held Oct. 24-25 -- on the eve of a live Twitter Q&A where she officially announced the details around "Lotus."

Source Billboard

Christina Aguilera Likes New 'Voice'

Christina Aguilera New Look

"The show feels bigger." That was host Carson Daly's assessment of season 2 of NBC's "The Voice" when Billboard caught up with him and other stars of the show on the red carpet Tuesday night.

 Coach Christina Aguilera sounded similarly positive, especially about the new twist that was introduced at the live elimination show ( which claimed two of her singers).

 "We kinda had a minute to understand what it was all about last year," she told us. "Although this year, a really cool twist was them getting to come out, pick a song… and sort of get one last chance. In those blind auditions we'd have no clue what's behind us and all we had was the big red button… And all you could go by is what sounded good to your ears. What moves you. I went into this year really wanting unique voices, and I think that's what I got."

 Also on the red carpet, we chatted with Aguilera's fellow coach Adam Levine, contestants Jermaine Paul, Lindsay Pavao, Jordis Unga, Chris Mann, Rae Lynn, Erin Willett and Jesse Campbell, as well as just-ousted Charlotte Sometimes, Naia Kete and Moses Stone.

 Reporting by Phil Gallo in Los Angeles