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3wrongsmixtape · 11 months

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Side One, Song Fourteen "If I was Invisible..."

If hearts were unbreakable

I could tell you where I stand

I would be the smartest man

If I was invisible... wait, I already am.

During the summer of 2002, a singing competition television show erupted like wildfire amongst my household, much like yours if you were a teenager around this time. In July 2002, American Idol debuted... and just a few months later, Kelly Clarkson was crowned the first American Idol. Her life has undoubtedly changed because of it.

Well, by now, you know that my dream at this point was for a pair of boobs, a boyfriend, and a recording contact to become an international pop star, headset & pigtails included. I was too young for American Idol, so I lived vicariously through the contestants.

Season two debuted January of 2003. There was not much to do in my little town. Since I was forever grounded and stuck in a walking boot for much of my ninth grade year, television was my escape. And American Idol became my hyperfixation.

I had just been diagnosed with ADHD and little was known about the disorder. Now, there are so many subgroups and terminology used, I often get confused within myself. That is very on brand. One thing neurospicy (if you don't know what that term means, you can google it at any time, just please, earmark this page or remember your place. this story gets really good.) Wait, what was I saying? OH YEAH.

One thing my brain actively does is hyperfixate. I get stuck and cannot focus on ANYTHING ELSE until I figure out exactly how and why something works. I take things apart, set them up so I can figure out their function, and prepare myself to provide a doctorate PHD level dissertation on my newly researched topic at the drop of a hat.

In 2003, whenever the show was mentioned, my ears perked up. I inserted myself into any conversation to talk about which singer sang what on which week and who the guest judges were on that episodes. I made charts to connect contestants in certain states to which songs they picked or could overlap. I tallied how I thought America would vote week to week. If you've gotten to this point and you haven't watched American Idol specifically from the early 2000s, let me explain it. You might be confused and, well, I consider myself some what of an expert. I may not be an expert of thing that make a LOT of money but I can tell you about American Pop Culture and television.

American Idol was a American singing competition series created by Simon Fuller. He created the original version of the show, Pop Idol, based in the UK. Believe it or not, this singing competition show produced many of the best musicians and artists and was a smash hit. They went to five or six cities to audition HUNDREDS of people to give out the golden ticket to Hollywood. (I assumed it was Hollywood as I had never been... but it really was Hollywood adjacent.) During Hollywood week, the judges, Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson, would put the singers through series of tests to narrow down the hundred or so competitors to a top 24. There, the semi finals starts... and live television. America was encouraged to vote using their cellphones to TEXT or call the toll free number on which singer they wanted to continue into the next round.

Texting was expensive... and I didn't have my own cellphone. The toll free lines were constantly busy... but we would try for HOURS to get our votes in. The next day, the show's producers would tally up America's votes... and eliminate the person with the least amount of votes.

It never occurred to me these shows could be produced or that they weren't actually tallying up their votes. I believed EVERY week... whether or not America and I thought the same. American Idol never showed the exact number. They never showed their work. They never released their tallying numbers. We just blindly believed the results echoed by Ryan Seacrest. He was the vote for America, and we believed his charming smile.

Some weeks, America just got it wrong.

On February 12, 2003 (detailed notes, people!!) Clay Aiken, a tall skinny red haired GEEK from North Carolina, whom I knew there was something magical about him from his audition, was eliminated from the semi-finals. I was CRUSHED. He had the star power, the voice, not the looks, but he could sing the phone book and steal my purse. I was devastated... until they revealed he was going to be given a second chance at the wild card. And three weeks later on March 5, 2003 (!!!), Clay Aiken sung a cover of Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" and was safe into the top 12.

Week after week, I watched the Tuesday, voted up until midnight by redialing the toll free number, and suffered with anxiety all through Wednesday waiting for the results that night. I imagine I was insufferable. As someone who processes things by speaking, I know I only talked about American Idol... and Clay Aiken. I printed pictures of Clay Aiken from Google to tape to the inside of my locker. I would memorize the songs song week after week, further researching each composer or guest judge's song catalog. Gladys Knight was the guest judge and mentor for the contestants one week. That week, each contestant sand her music... so all I downloaded from Limewire were versions of the contestants covers or that week's guest judge's original music. These days, I can't remember if I've taken my medication or where I put my car keys but I can name five Gladys Knight songs or why Lamont Dozier was pivotal for music as we know it today. (He's the father of Motown... every Motown song you know, that's Lamont Dozier.) Well, Clay Aiken mat it to the finals along side Rueben Studdard, America's Velvet Teddybear. Everyone at school would pass me by my lockers and heckle me about Clay Aiken. "He looks like a nerd. No way he will get votes." "He's ugly. He'll never make it." "Ew, doesn't he look weird and creepy? Why do you have a creepy guy in your locker?"

"He's clearly gay." I wasn't unfamiliar with bullying. I was an awkward kid in a private school full of blonde beautiful rich kids. Both of my parents had jobs, my mom having multiple jobs, while my peers all came from money. Any ounce of difference was almost immediately exposed. It's a ritual. If you're like me, you took your bullying and became funny instead. If I got to the punchline first, they couldn't use my difference as ammunition. This would unfortunately be a running theme into my adult years... but we will save that for later.

I know now that the bullying isn't something I should be been resilient towards. I shouldn't have had to use sarcasm as a weapon to dodge the cruel nature of asshole kids. I was never taught how to stand up for myself.

On May 21st, the American Idol finale was to air. For weeks, I had been focused on nothing else but this singing competition show. I felt like the contestants were my friends. I posted one last picture, this time on the outside of my locker. I said a prayer for Clay Aiken. And if God loved me, he would let Clay Aiken win so I would stop the bullying at least until the end of the 9th grade.

Well, May 22nd... and I was living in a world where Clay Aiken lost to Rueben Studdard... by a mere 124,000 votes.

I walked into school to giggles and whispers behind my back. No one spoke to me... that was until I got to my locker.

My once decorated locker with ballons, ribbon, tape, and hand written lyrics... was vandalized. I walked into first period and everyone sitting down laughed as I walked in to class.

Mrs. P rallied the class quiet and we went through that day's assignments. I got sent to the office because my vandalized locker was clearly my fault. Someone had taken sharpie and drew devil horns on my Clay Aiken picture I printed from the computer lab. The Devil Clay Aiken had a quote bubble that said, "I'm a F A G" The sharpie had bled through the cheap printer paper and onto the locker itself. I was told to clean out of my locker instead of going to class. I was advised to not have a locker for the rest of the school year. I was being punished for being passionate about a singer.

If hearts were unbreakable

I could tell you where I stand

I would be the smartest man

If I was invisible... wait, I already am.

The rest of that school year was a blur... and somehow everyone remembered that I loved Clay Aiken so passionately that year but never recalled the obvious bullying I faced for being passionate about something I liked. To my developing brain, I was being told that my passions aren't worth being expressed as I could risk being mocked.

The only person who supported my passion and adoration for Clay Aiken was my mother. She took me to the American Idols concert that summer where I saw him for the first time. We won tickets to his tour the following year along with American Idol Alum Kelly Clarkson. It's where we went backstage... and I completely embarrassed myself. I couldn't SPEAK at all in front of him.

And that's just how i felt... I felt truly invisible.

And honestly, being invisible felt like a waste of a life, if you ask me.

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quietasides · 7 years

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Degrees of separation: Louis Tomlinson and Amy Winehouse

On 28 February, @Louis_Tomlinson replied to a question asking what his favorite Amy Winehouse track is...

I read the song’s lyrics (which can be interpreted in a suitably shady way, if you’re so inclined), and then I went to find out a little more about the song (here’s the video) and the 2003 album it’s from, Frank.

One critic called Frank "a staggeringly assured, sit-up-and-listen debut, both commercial and eclectic, accessible and uncompromising" and another wrote that "[Winehouse’s] lyrics are commendably feisty and, as the album title suggests, frank.“

Of his own as-yet-unreleased first album, Louis said, ‘The album in general is just very honest and conversational...[the bands I grew up listening to] speak very matter-of-fact and honest, and I think that's cool and that's interesting.’

He also said: ‘...the way [those bands] tell stories is such an effortless thing. It’s real, it’s honest and it’s to the point, you know? ...there is a way of incorporating that conversational honesty into pop.’

Back to Amy Winehouse, from a 2004 interview with her in The Guardian:

If there is a shadowy nemesis in the Amy Winehouse story, then - according to biz gossips - it could be the most powerful man in the British music industry. The perception is already out there that Amy is yet another puppet on the strings of Simon Fuller, inventor of The Spice Girls, Pop Idol and almost everything else huge in manufactured pop over the past decade. Fuller funds Winehouse's management company, Brilliant/19. She knows that there is suspicion around her involvement with him.

'Yeah. But I'm not worried. I've met him twice. My A&R man is paranoid about it because he doesn't want people to think he [Fuller] did it. I'll tell you what people should worry about. The fact that Simon, when S Club started fucking up ... he replaced them. SClub 7, SClub 8 ... its all the same. Now that's fucked. He's mad, that Simon Fuller.'

So, if you haven't sold enough records in six months' time, aren't you worried that he'll come in and take over?

'I don't think he cares if he gets a return on me. He's got Pop Idol and his empire. He's a smart man, and he's clever enough to know he can't fuck with me.'

Simon Fuller hired Simon Cowell to be a judge on Pop Idol, and later American Idol—one could even say that Cowell owes most of his career to Fuller. This 2010 article looks at their contentious history. In 2011, in the midst of a lawsuit, “Cowell [called] his relationship with Fuller ‘complicated,’ but while he’s careful to point out that he’s not named in the suit, clearly Cowell is bothered.

‘It goes back to being a kid; if you shake hands with somebody, then it’s a deal, simple as that,’ [Cowell] says. ‘If someone breaks that trust, and they can’t admit it to you, it’s cowardly. I’d rather have a person look me in the eye and say, ‘I’m going to screw you.'" (xx)

Louis is, of course, signed to Simon Cowell’s Syco label and has a long and tangled history with him since 2010. And here, look, the degrees of separation: Louis—> Simon Cowell—> Simon Fuller—> Amy Winehouse.

Back to Amy— ...This entire [Guardian feature] could have been filled by Winehouse's heroically reckless rants at those at Universal/Island who insisted that Frank contain certain tracks and mixes that she herself hates. She says, repeatedly, that she is 'only 80 per cent behind this album', and ... well, here's a choice selection of Winehouse's verbal blasts at the business:

'Some things on this album make me go to a little place that's fucking bitter.'

'I've never heard the album from start to finish. I don't have it in my house.'

'Well, the marketing was fucked, the promotion was terrible. Everything was a shambles.'

'It's frustrating, because you work with so many idiots - but they're nice idiots. So you can't be like, "You're an idiot." They know that they're idiots.'

...You know, Amy, these idiots have your commercial interests at heart ...

'Yeah, I know. I hate them fuckers, man. I've not seen anyone from the record company since the album came out and I know why ... 'cos they're scared of me. They know I have no respect for them whatsoever. Look ... I know its a terrible thing for someone to come out and say they hate their own music. It's the worst thing you can do. My album isn't shit. If I heard someone else singing like me I would buy it in a heartbeat.'

In a pop world obsessed with the celebration of all things shallow, can someone with her substance and muso talents truly fit in?

'For things that are genuinely tailored toward music,' she says, 'I'm easy to get your head around.'

If I guaranteed you success in return for letting me change a few things about you, what would you say?

Amy: 'It depends. Everything can be improved on. I'm not so proud as a woman that I'd say, "No! I'll never get my breasts done!" Fuck it ... I probably would, when I'm old and whatever. I'm a girly girl.

It's just my music. It's the only thing I have real dignity in in my life. That's the one area in my life where I can hold my head up and say, "No one can touch me." 'Cos no one can touch me!'

Today, 1 March, LunchMoney Lewis posted a video of Louis on his ig... LunchMoney was also part of Liam’s Drag Me Down remix, and worked with Louis in 2017 as well.

And here again, the degrees of separation between Louis and Amy Winehouse: Louis, collaborating with—> LunchMoney Lewis, who was nicknamed by—> Salaam Remi, who produced (and co-wrote a lot of music, including Fuck Me Pumps)—> Amy Winehouse

'Cause you all look the same / Everyone knows your name / And that's your whole claim to fame

(Amy Winehouse, Fuck Me Pumps)

#Louis #LunchMoney Lewis #Amy Winehouse #I was a darkLouie and laughed about the connection #between Amy and Remi and LunchMoney and Louis #and the Simons Fuller and Cowell #and then lo and behold LunchMoney posts that ig video #pillarsofsaltpillarsofsand #shared my astonishment #as we were just talking about this last night #so here's this post #f me pumps

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gpalmora · 5 years

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Liam’s management situation is very dodgy. His agency manages sportsmen and women. He was supposed to be the start of them branching out into music, but he is still the only music artist they have signed. Simon Oliveira, the MD, was once a consultant for Simon Fuller’s artist management company. Simon Fuller being the creator and EP of American Idol. Amy likes to emphasise the fact that Cowell and Fuller had a falling out, but there were a lot of Idol alum at Cowell’s Walk of Fame party.

Liam started out really strong with STD being such a huge hit and it looked like everything was going well with live performances, appearances in industry and fashion events plus he's got a Hugo Boss deal but his music has taken a back seat. I don't understand why he released an EP and didn't promote it. His album is 2 weeks away and I'm hardly getting any buzz about it. I want him to do really well. Where is his record label hyping his music up?

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ssfoc · 6 years

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Are people forgetting that QE is produced by ITV? And Simon has a big connection to ITV. Simon made alot of money with teletubbies and power rangers. This is all business. Bottom line is always money. The QE guys began to mysteriously hang out with Gigi while zigi was organically (lolz) happening. If everything feels connected and manipulative, it’s because it is.

Well, I know nothing about this, but here it is for the record. Apparently ITV produces Queer Eye, as well as Britain’s Got Talent, Love Island, and The Voice. It airs The X Factor, as we know.

Simon Cowell has produced many, many shows for ITV that have involved people behind the scenes whose names we’ve all heard over the years (Sharon Osborne, Simon Fuller, Howard Stern, Piers Morgan, Max Clifford). I don’t know if Simon has any ownership stakes in the company.

#itv #2 february 2019

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moviegooo · 6 years

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DJ Khaled had big shoes to fill, in all ways. The star DJ and music producer will take over from John Cena as host of the “Kids’ Choice Awards” next month, Nickelodeon announced on Tuesday. Khaled will bring a party atmosphere to the annual slime-filled awards show for his inaugural hosting gig on March 23, thanks to his signature catchphrases and gregarious personality. Also Read: Nickelodeon to Revive 'Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader' With New Host John Cena “Father of Asahd is here to let you know the biggest party of the year is about to go up! That’s right, March 23 – I’m your host, DJ Khaled for the Nickelodeon ‘Kids’ Choice Awards.’ I’ll see you soon!” the musician said in a statement. This year’s top nominees include “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Black Panther,” Cardi B and “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation.” First-time nominees include Jason Momoa, Emilia Clarke, James Corden, Noah Centineo, Bebe Rexha, Tyra Banks, Neil Patrick Harris and “Riverdale.” Khaled himself is nominated for three awards: Favorite TV Judge, Favorite Male Artist and Favorite Collaboration. Also Read: John Cena on Nickelodeon Conquest Plans, From 'TMNT' Villain to Hosting 'Kids' Choice Awards' This year’s show also introduces five new categories for voting: Favorite TV Host, Favorite TV Judges, Favorite Superhero, Favorite Gamer, and Vote For A Cause. Nickelodeon’s 2019 “Kids’ Choice Awards” airs live on Saturday, March 23, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) from the Galen Center in Los Angeles. See the full list of nominees below. TELEVISION Favorite Funny TV Show The Big Bang Theory BUNK’D Fuller House Henry Danger Modern Family Raven’s Home Favorite TV Drama A Series of Unfortunate Events Chilling Adventures of Sabrina The Flash Riverdale Stranger Things The Walking Dead Favorite Reality Show America’s Got Talent American Idol American Ninja Warrior Dancing with the Stars: Juniors Double Dare The Voice Favorite TV Host* Ellen DeGeneres (Ellen’s Game of Games) Kevin Hart (TKO: Total Knock Out) Liza Koshy & Marc Summers (Double Dare) Nick Cannon & JoJo Siwa (Lip Sync Battle Shorties) Ryan Seacrest (American Idol) Tyra Banks (America’s Got Talent) Favorite TV Judges* Simon Cowell, Mel B, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel (America’s Got Talent) Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie (American Idol) Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba, (Dancing with the Stars) Sean “Diddy” Combs, DJ Khaled, Meghan Trainor (THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM) Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton (The Voice) Jennifer Lopez, Derek Hough, NE-YO (World of Dance) Favorite Cartoon ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks The Boss Baby: Back in Business The Loud House Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles SpongeBob SquarePants Teen Titans Go! Favorite Male TV Star Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair, Stranger Things) Grant Gustin (Barry Allen/The Flash, The Flash) Jace Norman (Henry Hart/Kid Danger, Henry Danger) Jim Parsons (Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory) Karan Brar (Ravi Ross, BUNK’D) Neil Patrick Harris (Count Olaf, A Series of Unfortunate Events) Favorite Female TV Star Candace Cameron Bure (DJ Tanner-Fuller, Fuller House) Kaley Cuoco (Penny, The Big Bang Theory) Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven, Stranger Things) Peyton Elizabeth Lee (Andi Mack, Andi Mack) Raven-Symoné (Raven Baxter, Raven’s Home) Zendaya (K.C. Cooper, K.C. Undercover) FILM Favorite Movie Aquaman Avengers: Infinity War Black Panther Mary Poppins Returns The Kissing Booth To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before Favorite Movie Actor Chadwick Boseman (T’Challa/Black Panther, Black Panther) Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America, Avengers: Infinity War) Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Avengers: Infinity War) Dwayne Johnson (Will Sawyer, Skyscraper) Jason Momoa (Arthur Curry/Aquaman, Aquaman) Noah Centineo (Peter Kavinsky, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before) Favorite Movie Actress Emily Blunt (Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns) Joey King (Elle Evans, The Kissing Booth) Lupita Nyong’o (Nakia, Black Panther) Rihanna (Nine Ball, Ocean’s 8) Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Avengers: Infinity War) Zoe Saldana (Gamora, Avengers: Infinity War) Favorite Superhero* Chadwick Boseman (T’Challa/Black Panther, Black Panther) Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America, Avengers: Infinity War) Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Avengers: Infinity War) Jason Momoa (Arthur Curry/Aquaman, Aquaman) Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man, Avengers: Infinity War) Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Avengers: Infinity War) Favorite Butt-Kicker Chris Pratt (Owen Grady, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) Danai Gurira (Okoye, Black Panther) Dwayne Johnson (Will Sawyer, Skyscraper) Emilia Clarke (Qi’ra, Solo: A Star Wars Story) Michael B. Jordan (Adonis Johnson, Creed II) Zoe Saldana (Gamora, Avengers: Infinity War) Favorite Animated Movie The Grinch Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation Incredibles 2 Peter Rabbit Ralph Breaks the Internet Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Favorite Male Voice from an Animated Movie Adam Sandler (Dracula, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation) Andy Samberg (Johnny, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation) Benedict Cumberbatch (Grinch, The Grinch) Channing Tatum (Migo, Smallfoot) James Corden (Peter Rabbit, Peter Rabbit) Shameik Moore (Miles Morales/Spider-Man, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) Favorite Female Voice from an Animated Movie Gal Gadot (Shank, Ralph Breaks the Internet) Hailee Steinfeld (Gwen Stacy/Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) Kristen Bell (Jade Wilson, Teen Titans GO! to the Movies) Selena Gomez (Mavis, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation) Yara Shahidi (Brenda, Smallfoot) Zendaya (Meechee, Smallfoot) MUSIC Favorite Music Group The Chainsmokers Fall Out Boy Imagine Dragons Maroon 5 Migos twenty one pilots Favorite Male Artist Bruno Mars DJ Khaled Drake Justin Timberlake Luke Bryan Shawn Mendes Favorite Female Artist Ariana Grande Beyoncé Camila Cabello Cardi B Selena Gomez Taylor Swift Favorite Song Delicate (Taylor Swift) In My Blood (Shawn Mendes) In My Feelings (Drake) Natural (Imagine Dragons) thank u, next (Ariana Grande) Youngblood (5 Seconds of Summer) Favorite Breakout Artist Billie Eilish Cardi B Dan + Shay Juice WRLD Kane Brown Post Malone Favorite Collaboration Girls Like You (Maroon 5, featuring Cardi B) Happier (Marshmello, featuring Bastille) I Like It (Cardi B, Bad Bunny, J Balvin) Meant to Be (Bebe Rexha, featuring Florida Georgia Line) No Brainer (DJ Khaled, featuring Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper, Quavo) SICKO MODE (Travis Scott, featuring Drake) Favorite Social Music Star Baby Ariel Chloe x Halle Jack & Jack JoJo Siwa Max & Harvey Why Don’t We Favorite Global Music Star Africa: Davido Asia: BLACKPINK Australia/New Zealand: Troye Sivan Europe: David Guetta North America: Taylor Swift Latin America: J Balvin United Kingdom: HRVY OTHER CATEGORIES Favorite Video Game Just Dance 2019 LEGO The Incredibles Spider-Man Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Super Mario Party Favorite Social Star David Dobrik Emma Chamberlain Guava Juice Lilly Singh Miranda Sings Ryan ToysReview Favorite Gamer* DanTDM Jacksepticeye Markiplier Ninja PopularMMOs SSSniperWolf How Do You Want to Help? Help Animals (pet rescue, wildlife preservation, service animals, and more) Help the Environment (disaster relief, clean water, recycling, and more) Help People in Need (homes, food, care, and more) Help Prevent Bullying (positivity, emotional support, respect, and more) Help Schools (supplies, after-school activities, arts/gym/STEM, and more) Related stories from TheWrap:'Paddington,' 'LEGO City' TV Series in Development at Nickelodeon'All That' Revival Ready at Nickelodeon, Kenan Thompson to Executive Produce'SpongeBob SquarePants' Spinoffs in the Works at NickelodeonNickelodeon to Revive 'Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader' With New Host John Cena

http://www.movieg.ooo/2019/02/dj-khaled-set-to-host-nickelodeons-2019.html

#DJ Khaled Set to Host Nickelodeon’s 2019 ‘Kids’ Choice Awards’ http://www.movieg.ooo/2019/02/dj-khal

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daedulust-blog · 5 years

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Simon Cowell Plastic and also Cosmetics Surgery

A previous musician and even skill representative who became a global family name, Simon Cowell have developed numerous hit programs like the "America's Got Ability," "Britain's Got Talent" and also "The X-Factor." He was, for some time, the most hated man in America as the insulting judge on "American Idolizer." Rumors of a celebrity discussion are all here!

His blunt comments to striving vocalists and also abilities throughout the tryout rounds is merely a put-on of a personality he brings to television. In the real world, Simon is beloved by his talents who have given that gotten to terrific success in the show business, consisting of Kelly Clarkson as well as One Instruction.

While his portfolio is impressive, followers have been questioning what the hell has been occurring to Simon's puffy face lately. Individuals can not stop whispering regarding him getting botox fillers, and there were likewise talks that the TV talent judge has gone through a face surgery to minimize the wrinkles on display.

Allow's face it; this British man has been on the tv show business for nearly twenty years, so even if he had gotten cosmetic surgery, we could not see anything incorrect with it.

The only inquiry we have is, what anti-aging therapy did a male, who's pushing 60 years old, get?

To discover the kind of cosmetic treatments that Simon Cowell reached enhance his look, we'll look at a few of his before and after photos. Let's see if his makeover is worthy of a golden buzzer!

Did Simon Cowell have botox?

During his very early looks on tv, Simon's face looked rough and sturdy. He had deep lines and wrinkles around his eyes, as seen in this before the image. But some years later on, those lines disappeared, as this after picture will undoubtedly reveal.

Simon has considering that been appearing in public with smoother skin as if he has layers of make-up on. He's likewise obtained fuller and younger cheeks, which means one point: he's capturing botox shots.

Has Simon Cowell Had Face Lift?

These contrast pictures resemble two various people, don't you assume? Based on this photo evidence before us, it's somewhat possible that Simon has had a facelift. We do not think skincare creams as well as also skin specialist can turn around a skin problem like that.

Besides the going away wrinkles around the eye area, Simon's face looks so tightened up and smooth post-surgery. He seems years more youthful in the after image. So if this holds, after that to Simon Cowell's plastic surgeon credit score, he has done excellent work with this treatment.

Did Simon Cowell Get Cheek Implants?

Simon did not have prominent cheekbones back then. His cheek location was almost totally flat, as seen in the left image. However, his after photo reveals his cheekbones are swollen now.

After analyzing some photos and video clips, we doubt he had cheek implants, and it's most likely that he went too far with the botox. So much to ensure that the procedure changed his face shape. Do you assume he should lay it off or is it giving him a much more pleasant smile?

Simon Cowell's Teeth

Simon's teeth look a lot far better than lots of British males who hate going to the dentist. So, for us, he indeed has a bring a smile for TV. His before photo tips of somewhat uneven teeth however his present smile proudly reveals a perfectly-aligned collection of teeth. He has more than likely gotten veneers, as opposed to braces, to remedy the blemishes.

One more treatment we assume he's had is teeth bleaching. Look how gleaming they are ... they virtually look phony!

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seddiegifs-blog · 6 years

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Nicole Scherzinger Plastic Surgery

Hawaiian-born vocalist, dancer and also tv celebrity Nicole Scherzinger belonged to a sexy burlesque team in the early 2000s. This site is about plastic surgery celebrities week will tell you all the details of the application of cosmetic surgery stars! As the lead singer of Pussy Feline Dolls, Nicole made a mark as one of the hot faces to enjoy in the recording scene. Her captivating face, unique charm, and talented singing voice attracted attention among the rest of the members of the girl team.

When the Pussycat Dolls took place respite after one effective album release, Nicole decided to start a solo career. From executing in the United States, Nicole transferred to the other side of the pond to come to be a judge for "X Aspect," a singing competition that Simon Cowell generated along with "Britain's Got Talent."

As a female of extraordinary beauty in the public eye, nonetheless, Nicole has been the center of cosmetic surgery rumours. Some followers question how Nicole preserves her 40-year-old body in great shape with a boob dimension that makes her look fantastic in a swimwear.

So what are the likely plastic surgery procedures that Nicole Scherzinger has done to aid her to achieve a stunning face and also whistle-bait body? Will reality finally be exposed?

Let's review several of her photos before and after she became a big name on tv.

Nicole Scherzinger Boob Job

The sizes and shape of Nicole's boobs belong to her allure. She spruces up in clothing that highlights her busty upper body. However, if you consider the above "Before" photo from her more youthful days, it feels like her busts were a few mug size smaller sized.

A friend as well as "X-Factor" co-judge Louis Walsh claimed in 2016 that Nicole Scherzinger had breast enhancement as well as he spouted out the news with a straight face at the Daily Mirror's red rug event. A resource, however, rejected Louis' case as well as stated that Nicole is an all-natural beauty.

Numerous years back, the "Child Love" vocalist admitted she makes use of actually unique kinds of bra to boost her upper body. She denied she had a breast implant. Nicole additionally claimed that she's not troubled by ageing yet she's not marking down cosmetic surgery if she assumes she could need it later.

Nicole Scherzinger's existing bra size is a 34C.

Nicole Scherzinger Rhinoplasty

Nicole's nose transformed ever before so a little as well as while she asserts she hasn't obtained a nose job, her previously and also after images over may have told a different story.

Before she obtained famously, she had fat and instead protruding nose pointer. These days, nevertheless, that rounded tip is gone as well as her nasal bridge has slimmed down also.

This substantial change usually happens with professional nose surgery, so if this isn't a superbly well-done makeup method, after that it's very likely that Nicole has picked a great doctor to do her nose.

Nicole Scherzinger Lip Filler

Followers of the "X Factor" judge case Nicole obtains way too much lip shots lately. Some of her followers, in fact, post their observations of Nicole's lips on her Instagram.

Like the rest of her reported improvements, Nicole does not confess to any lip filler treatments. Can you see the distinction in the size and shape of her upper lip in these pictures? Do you assume the fuller lips is just the work of a great lip pencil application?

Nicole Scherzinger Face Lift

For someone with a small and thin face, Nicole has noticeable cheeks. Fans presume she's been getting usual cheek fillers to endure its plumpness.

Nicole isn't a fan of botox. However, she does obtain another thing done on her face.

According to the Telegraph, the "Do not Cha" vocalist likes superhigh frequency facials as a component of her skin care. This treatment helps plump up the skin and also it's thought about much better than a facelift because it is non-invasive.

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sexatoxbridge · 6 years

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The Daily Star

Any time I see The Daily Star I want to eye roll into another dimension because it's literally 49p of garbage that isn't worth the paper it's printed on, but I also find it interesting since it's one of Simon Cowell's mouthpieces. This piece had a lot of interesting things...

I got kind of obsessed with making this post had to scroll through 32 hours worth of Daily Star tweets and could feel my brain cells shutting themselves down in protest as I was like

I mean...

Anyway, it took me awhile

Going item by item, let's start with the Harry article and what it's putting out there about Harry.

1. Ticket sales are low

2. He's definitely dating a female

3. He is being outsold by openly gay artist Sam Smith (...ok? And?)

4. Harry is the new face of Gucci

Then there's a pop up about Harry's dating history which flat out says that Harry's current girlfriend is Tessperado but he's in the early stages of his relationship with what's her face.

They're legit saying that Tess and Harry have been together for over a year.

Then it's a laundry list of everyone else who's still using his name for self-promotion.

And just in case you forgot for one fucking second that he dated Taylor Swift....

This is consistent with Sony's aggressive "no homo" image of Harry. THEN the article basically stops talking about Harry all together and things get more interesting.

You get your unproblematic fave Noll who once again swerves any bullshit with the exception of being roped into Chiam's charade. You can see him immediately regretting that situation...

THEN the article makes sure we know that Liam is 100% straight and that he impregnated someone who started grooming him when he was 14.

They don't even mention Liam in writing or his music, they just insert this random set of 32 photos and make weirdly passive aggressive remarks about Cheryl and her "fuller face"

The fact that they omit anything about Cheryl is also interesting since the real point of this article is to talk about The X-Factor (I'll get to that in a minute). Cheryl is apparently not returning to XF because she is going to a rival reality show, which would explain the petty digs

So in order to dredge up an iota of interest in this show that they've been threatening to cancel for six years, guess who is rumoured to be the next judge?

Louis looks like he'd rather put a campfire out with his face than work with Simon Cowell ever again and I would have a minor panic attack if they didn't do this every. Single. Year.

But they're trying to push this again. As always. It's been mentioned in two articles now.

Low key I would actually tune in to watch Louis and Mariah Carey be sassy together though...

Me:

Anyway. Circling back to Cheryl for a moment, given they've made the official narrative that she ditched XF for a new BBC show it would explain why they're dragging her through the mud and (HOPEFULLY) ending Chiam

Basically this Harry article is a giant PR piece to stir up interest in the X-Factor. Which would make sense given that the owner of the Daily Star, Richard Desmond, is one of Simon Cowell's BFFs that almost became his business partner according to Desmond's autobiography

So while I don't give one flying fuck about The Daily Star, like The Sun it can be useful in order to see what narrative Simon Cowell/Sony are trying to push through his obvious connections in the media

(Simon with Richard Desmond)

(Simon with Perez Hilton or whoever this is)

And that’s what I think about that.

#harry styles #louis tomlinson #x-factor #sao harry #sao louis #tessperado #haha 'his gf since 2017'#sure jan #sao1d #noll #sao liam #chiam #simon

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laoyangtutor · 2 years

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老Yang教员组今天为大家整理一篇优秀的essay代写范文 -- American Idol: The Shortcut to fame，文章讲述《美国偶像》是由西蒙·富勒（Simon Fuller）制作，由19 Entertainment制作的美国歌唱比赛系列，由北美洲FremantleMedia发行。自2002年6月11日起在美国福克斯电视台播出，自美国偶像首映以来，它在美国尼尔森收视率排名中名列第一。西蒙·考威尔（Simon Cowell），兰迪·杰克逊（Randy Jackson）（II）和宝拉·阿卜杜勒（Paula Abdul）以及美国各地的主持人瑞安·西克雷斯特（Ryan Seacrest）都在寻找美国偶像-皇帝出世之后的日子。

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American Idol: The Shortcut to fame

l Introduction of the show

American Idol is an American singing competition series created by Simon Fuller and produced by 19 Entertainment, and is distributed by FremantleMedia North America. It began airing on Fox on June 11, 2002.Since the premiere of American idol, it rates first in Neilson ratings ranking in the United States. The judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, (II) & Paula Abdul and the host Ryan Seacrest across the United States is looking for American idol - pop/days after the emperor. And the following aspects are worth watching. Firstly, all of the songs choose by contestants are extremely famous, and many of them are of great classic, we can absorb more about American pop music in this way .Secondly there are a lot of stories about why contestants intend to be "American idol" and how hardest prepared the show in order to be successful. Thirdly every time announced the voting results are breathtaking for us and the most important aspect is that the American idol is a stage for those who want to become a star to show itself to the audience.

Once the votes are locked in, the judges of America decide who has the most and the least amount of votes, and the contestant with the least amount of votes is eliminated, and it goes on each week's show until the winner is crowned as "American Idol" where he/she wins a recording contract worth up to $1,000,000. The rest of the other finalists to whom they have been voted off before (the runner-up) also get recording contracts, too. Compounding the impact of growing attention, more and more people are eager to participate in it especially for most of the TV station. It’s a trend to watching and talking the reality show anywhere with anyone closed to us. And the consensus among audiences is exciting .why there are so many contestants and audiences crazy about it? Why would so many televisions likely to imitation? All above these reflect the reality to some extends.

Firstly, why it becomes so popular among the people? This reflects their burning desire of becoming famous. And the show is also a shortcut to get success. On the one hand, there are many celebrities from all walks of life all around the world. On the other hand, they appreciate the success of being famous after the hardest practice. But success is not for everyone to those who intent to be famous despite how hard they are. For American Idol, as long as you are qualified, then you can feel free to come. Contestants go through at least three sets of cuts. Those selected by the judges are sent to Hollywood. About 10–60 people in each city may be send to Hollywood. So the show is the big chance for them to achieve their dream. And the success of American Idol has been described as "unparalleled in broadcasting history".[1] The series was also said by a rival TV executive to be "the most impactful show in the history of television".[2] It has become a recognized springboard for launching the career of many artists as bona fide stars. On the other hand, at the beginning of the show, every contestant proved to be qualified, the wonderful acting makes the climax of the show. And it is the fair stage to achieve their dream of being famous behind the hard practice and persistence. So everyone is enjoying in this show. Judges are pleased to hear, contestants are giving Confident performance and the audiences are excited during the process of watching it. But American Idol is gradually seen to be a fast track to success for its contestants has been a cause of resentment for some in the industry. LeAnn Rimes, commenting on Carrie Underwood winning Best Female Artist in Country Music Awards over Faith Hill in 2006, said that "Carrie has not paid her dues long enough to fully deserve that award".[3]

Secondly, the phenomenon of chasing the ratings of American idol reflects the ignorance of the sense of television mission. The more investment such as advertise will be brought because of the high ratings. At the same time, the enormous success of the show and the revenue it generated was transformative for “Fox Broadcasting Company”.[1] The show pushed Fox to become the number one TV network amongst adult 18–49, the key demographic coveted by advertiser[2], Its success also helped lift the ratings of other shows that were scheduled around it such as “House and Bones”. It is wise to seize the audience’s timely needs and adjust the form of television show. And only the rating becomes the signal of television’s success, but there is nothing to left, when the enthusiasm gradually fades. what the final result did televisions got? Disseminating the knowledge of education can only in term of the school education, and now television, with vivid image true reflection, strong appeal, fast communication and wide coverage, strongly influenced the modern people's thoughts, ideas and life. Put another way, the mission of television can be well compassed by the connotation of shows. It’s just a way to aid and attract the needs of audience provisionally; it is not a long-time strategy to inching up the ratings and development. So the real way to get lasting ratings is to create more profound shows, and also the lofty social ambition is included. In essence, determined to find a novel formula is the trick.

l The problem reflected in the show

When the American idol first came into people’s eyes, everyone think it is a good television shows because it is a shortcut to become famous. Everyone has an “American dream” and hope that he/she can realize it although he is just a mediocre man/woman. I want to say American idol’s original concept is excellent but what happen later just make me disappointed.

The judges of the show begin to make fun of others. Besides, some kinds of discrimination exist in the show. The two aspects reflect the problem that unfair treatment exists in our society.

I will elaborate the two aspects in details in the following paragraphs.

Firstly, let’s see how the judges of the show making fun of the competitors. Here are some words from a famous judge. “It sounded like cat jumping off the Empire State Building”. “I’m going to reach out with a hook if you don’t shut up”. “You have just invented a new form of torture”. And the most insulting comment is “You’re like a little hamster trying to be a tiger.”

What’s the competitors’ response to these insulting words is easy to guess. They may lower their heads. They may laugh with an embarrassing smile. And even some competitors are driven crying by the words.

As far as I’m concerned, not everyone has a good voice or a beautiful figure. It’s not fair to laugh at them or even make fun of them. Maybe the show maker has the pressure to maintain the audience rating, but it’s unethical to realize his goal by insulting others. In my opinion, all people who are brave enough to show themselves on the television should be respected. They are real “American dream “chasers.

Secondly, let’s discuss the second aspect. I think some kinds of discrimination exist in the show. As a report said, 10 competitors of “American idol” instituted legal proceedings against the show maker. They accused the show makers of getting rid of black singers. In the statement of charges, they said that the show makers will often investigating the black singers’ criminal record. Besides, black singers were often forced to sing specific songs but white singers could choose any song they like.

In my opinion, we should not have racial discrimination. All kinds of people are born equal. As the United States Bill of Rights tells us, everyone is born with freedom and should be respected. Martin Luther King’s words “I have a dream” should be remembered. It will remind us about kindness to black people.

l Conclusion

Looking beyond the current ratings of American idol, it’s clear that show has actually reflected reality not only the people crazy about participating or watching them, but also what problem existing in our society. Fair should be advocated and discrimination should be criticized seriously. As for audience, it’s not wise to just watch the judges insulting the competitors. If they do so, they are unethical in some way. Our society still needs positive energy. Maybe our economics is the best one in the world but we may not have a great spiritual civilization. This is what we need to consider about. A true American dream is a true equality of everyone and every kind of people. A true American idol is who is brave to show himself and make things that seem impossible come true.

References

1. Doris Baltruschat (2010). Global Media Ecologies: Networked Production in Film and Television. Routledge. p. 106. ISBN 978-0415874786.

2. Jump up to: a b c d Carter, Bill (February 20, 2007). "For Fox's Rivals, 'American Idol' Remains a 'Schoolyard Bully'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 25, 2008. Retrieved March 13, 2008.

3. "LeAnn Rimes Says Carrie Underwood 'Has Not Paid Her Dues' To Deserve Country Music Award". Starpulse.com. November 14, 2006. Retrieved February 24, 2011.

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i-am-very-very-tired · 3 years

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Somewhere between Britney and Billie Eilish, liberated by social media and their direct relationship with fans, millennial and Gen Z women claimed the right to be complicated pop auteursRead all of the essays in the decade retrospective

📷 Laura Snapes Mon 25 Nov 2019 13.12 GMT 174

While Billie Eilish has reinvented pop with her hushed SoundCloud rap menace, creepy ASMR intimacy and chipper show tune melodies, there’s also something reassuringly comforting about her: as a teenage pop star, she has fulfilled her proper duty by confusing the hell out of adults. It’s largely down to her aesthetic: a funhouse Fred Durst; a one-woman model for the combined wares of Camden Market. Critics have tried to make sense of it, but when editorials praised Eilish’s “total lack of sexualisation”, she denounced them for “slut-shaming” her peers. “I don’t like that there’s this weird new world of supporting me by shaming people that may not want to dress like me.”To Gen Z’s Eilish, not yet 18, it is a weird new world. She and her millennial peers have grown up in a decade in which pop’s good girl/bad girl binary has collapsed into the moral void that once upheld it, resulting in a generation of young female stars savvy to how the expectation to be “respectable” and conform to adult ideas of how a role model for young fans should act – by an industry not known for its moral backbone – is a con. “It’s a lot harder to treat women the way they were treated in the 90s now, because you can get called out so easily on social media,” Fiona Apple – who knows about the simultaneous sexualisation and dismissal of young female musicians – said recently. “If somebody does something shitty nowadays, a 17-year-old singer can get on their social media and say, ‘Look what this fucker did! It’s fucked up.’”📷 Lunatics conquering the asylum ... the Spice Girls. Photograph: Tim Roney/Getty ImagesFemale musicians have been subject to conflicting moral standards for longer than Eilish has been alive. Madonna, Janet Jackson and TLC knew them well – but the concept of the pop “role model”, expected to set an example to kids, solidified when the Spice Girls became the first female act to be marketed at children. In the 70s and 80s, idols such as David Cassidy primed girls for a monogamous future. By comparison, the Spice Girls were lunatics conquering the asylum. But, given their fans’ youth – and the sponsors that used the band to reach them – they also had a duty of responsibility. Their real lives – the all-nighters and eating disorders – were hidden so effectively that Eilish, born in 2001, thought the band was made up, actors playing the roles of the group in Spiceworld: The Movie.In the late 90s, kid-pop became an industry unto itself: Smash Hits and Top of the Pops magazine pitched younger; CD:UK and America’s TRL aimed at Saturday-morning and after-school audiences; Simons Fuller and Cowell built empires. The scrappy Spice Girls preceded the cyborgian Britney, who was a far sleeker enterprise – until she wasn’t. She was pitched as a virgin: cruel branding that invited media prurience and set a time bomb counting down towards her inevitable downfall. Britney’s 2007 breakdown revealed the cost of living as a virtuous cypher and being expected to repress her womanhood to sell to American prudes. Her shaved head and aborted stints in rehab prompted industry handwringing, and so an illusion of the music business offering greater freedom and care for pop’s girls emerged in her wake. Advertisement Major labels abandoned the traditional two-albums-in bad-girl turn (a la Christina Aguilera’s Stripped). Social media-born artists such as Lily Allen and Kate Nash were swept into the system and framed as the gobby antithesis to their manicured pop peers – until their resistance to exactly the same kind of manipulation saw them cast aside. And if Kesha, Lady Gaga or Amy Winehouse burned out, their visible excesses would distract from any behind-the-scenes exploitation, inviting spectators to imagine that they brought it on themselves.📷 Reclaiming the hard-partying values of rock’s men ... Kesha. Photograph: PictureGroup / Rex FeaturesAt the dawn of the 2010s, social media surpassed its teen origins to become an adult concern, and an earnest fourth wave of activists brought feminism back to the mainstream. Like a rescued hatchling, it was in a

pathetic state to begin with – dominated by white voices that tediously wondered whether anything a woman did was automatically feminist. Is brushing your teeth with Jack Daniel’s feminist? Are meat dresses feminist? Is drunkenly stumbling through Camden feminist? Are butt implants feminist?Pop culture became the natural test site for these ideas – especially music, where a new wave of artists challenged this nascent, often misguided idealism. Kesha reclaimed the hard-partying values of rock’s men to embody a generation’s despair at seeing their futures obliterated by the recession. Lady Gaga questioned gender itself, as one writer in this paper put it, “re-queering a mainstream that had fallen back into heteronormative mundanity”. In a career-making verse on Kanye West’s Monster, Nicki Minaj annihilated her male peers and gloried in her sexualisation. MIA, infuriated by America’s hypocritical propriety, flipped off the Super Bowl and proved her point by incurring a $16.5m fine.📷 Infuriated by hypocritical propriety ... MIA gives America the middle finger during her Super Bowl performance in 2012. Photograph: Christopher Polk/Getty Images Advertisement As a former Disney star, Miley Cyrus stepped the furthest out of bounds. In 2008, aged 15, she had posed in a sheet for Vanity Fair. “MILEY’S SHAME,” screamed the New York Post. She apologised to her fans, “who I care so deeply about”. But in 2013, she torched her child-star image by writhing in her knickers on a wrecking ball, twerking against Robin Thicke, being flagrant about her drug use, appropriating African American culture while perpetuating racist stereotypes.Cyrus’s 2013 transformation bore the hallmarks of a breakdown – especially witnessed two years after the death of Amy Winehouse, who was then perceived as a victim of her own self-destruction. But Cyrus was largely intentional about her work (if, then, ignorant of her racism). She had waited until she was no longer employed by Disney to express herself. Earlier in her career, she said, she struggled to watch her peers. “I was so jealous of what everyone else got to do, because I didn’t get to truly be myself yet.” Despite apparently smoking massive amounts of weed herself, she didn’t want to tell kids to copy her. But she knew the power she offered her peers such as Ariana Grande, who that year left Nickelodeon to release her debut album. “I’m like, ‘Walk out with me right now and get this picture, and this will be the best thing that happens to you, because just you associating with me makes you a little less sweet.’”Pop did get a little less sweet. Sia and Tove Lo sang brazenly about using drugs to mask pain. Icona Pop’s I Love It reigned (“I crashed my car into a bridge / I watched and let it burn”) thanks to its inclusion on the soundtrack of Lena Dunham’s Girls. With its aimless characters and their ugly behaviour, the show mirrored pop’s retreat from aspirational sheen, and the culture’s growing obsession with “messy” women and “strong female characters”: flawed attempts to create new archetypes that rejected the expectation of girls behaving nicely.📷 An explicit rejection of role-model status ... Beyoncé performs at the Super Bowl in 2013. Photograph: Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesA new cohort of young female and non-binary critics shifted the discussion around music: in 2015, when the documentary Amy was released, they questioned how Winehouse was perceived in death compared to Kurt Cobain. They also pushed aside the virgin/whore rivalries of old. In an earlier era, Beyoncé and Lana Del Rey might have been fashioned into nemeses, one sexualised and powerful, the other gothic and demure. Instead, their respective mid-decade self-mythologising showed that female musicians could be pop’s auteurs, not just the men in the wings. Advertisement Beyoncé’s self-titled 2013 album was an explicit rejection of her role-model status. She was 15 when Destiny’s Child released their debut album. “But now I’m in my 30s and those children that grew up listening to me have grown up,” she said in a behind-the-scenes video.

The responsibility she felt to them “stifled” her. “I felt like ... I could not express everything … I feel like I’ve earned the right to be me and express any and every side of myself.”It was the first of her albums to reveal the breadth of her inner life – the coexisting kinks, triumphs and insecurities, showing the complexity of black womanhood. The critic Soraya Nadia McDonald wrote: “Mixed in with songs about insecurity, grief, protest and the love she has for her child, Beyoncé manages to present her sexuality as a normal part of her life that deserves celebration.” “It doesn’t make you a bad mother. It doesn’t make black people look bad, and it doesn’t make you a bad feminist, either.” When Beyoncé emblazoned “FEMINIST” on stage at the 2014 MTV VMAs, she helped reclaim the word from middle-class white discourse.Like Beyoncé, Del Rey countered the idea that female pop stars were major-label puppets. She had struggled to make it as an indie artist but found a home at Polydor – a detail that caused detractors to question her authenticity. Her shaky debut SNL performance revealed the flaw in their thinking: if she was manufactured, wouldn’t she have been better drilled? Her project was potent, but startlingly unrefined. More intriguingly, she opposed fast-calcifying ideas about how feminist art should look: Del Rey’s lyrics revelled in submission and violence, in thrall to bad guys and glamour. It wasn’t feminist to want these things; but nor was it feminist to insist on the suppression of desire in the name of shiny empowerment.📷 Exposing industry machinations ... Azealia Banks at the Reading festival in 2013. Photograph: Simone Joyner/Getty Images Advertisement Del Rey’s lusts and designs were her own – pure female gaze – a hallmark of the defiant female pop stars to come. Rihanna said she was “completely not” a role model, a point driven home by the viscerally violent video for Bitch Better Have My Money. Lauren Mayberry of Scottish trio Chvrches refused to be singled out from her male bandmates and wrote searingly about the misogyny she faced online. Janelle Monáe and Solange rubbished the idea that R&B was the only lane open to young black women.They started revealing their business conflicts. In 2013, 21-year-old Sky Ferreira finally released her debut, six years after signing a $1m record deal. She was transparent about her paradoxical treatment: “They worked me to death, but when I wanted to input anything, it was like, ‘You’re a child, you don’t know what you’re talking about.’” When Capitol pulled funding for the album, she financed its completion: it was widely named an album of the year. Facing similar frustrations, rapper Angel Haze leaked her 2013 album, Dirty Gold, and Azealia Banks wasted no opportunity to expose industry machinations.The rise of Tumblr and SoundCloud put young artists in control of their own artistic identities, forging authentic fan relationships that labels couldn’t afford to mess with. Lorde was signed age 12, but her manager knew he had to follow her lead because she knew her audience better than he did. Halsey was already Tumblr-famous for her covers, hair colours and candour about her bisexuality and bipolar diagnosis when she posted her first original song in 2014. It received so much attention that the 19-year-old – who described herself as an “inconvenient woman” for everything she represented – signed to major label Astralwerks the following evening.A new type of fan arrived with them. The illusion of intimacy led to greater emotional investment – and with it, an expectation of accountability. Social media was being used to arbitrate social justice issues, giving long overdue platforms to marginalised voices, and establishing far more complex moral standards for pop stars than the executives who shilled Britney’s virginity could ever have imagined. In 2013, Your Fav Is Problematic began to highlight stars’ missteps: among Halsey’s 11 infractions were “sexualising Japanese culture” and allegedly falsifying her story about being “homeless”.Musicians, particularly of an

older guard, were unprepared. Lily Allen’s comeback single Hard Out Here, released in late 2013, satirised the impossible aesthetic standards expected of female musicians – a bold message undermined by the racist stereotypes she invoked to make her point: “Don’t need to shake my arse for you ’cause I’ve got a brain,” she sang, while black and Asian leotard-clad dancers twerked around her in the video. The backlash was swift. There was the sense of a balance tipping.📷 Refused to let terrorists suppress girls’ joy ... Ariana Grande at One Love Manchester, 4 June 2017. Photograph: Kevin Mazur/One Love Manchester/Getty Images Advertisement Over the decade, female pop stars steadily self-determined beyond the old limited archetypes. But the most dramatic identity shifts were still a product of adversity, women battling for control.In 2015, Ariana Grande provoked mild outcry when she got caught licking a doughnut she hadn’t paid for and declaring: “I hate America.” Two years later, a suicide bomber attacked her concert at Manchester Arena, leaving 22 dead. She went home to Florida in the aftermath, then returned to stage benefit concert One Love Manchester. A victim’s mother asked Grande to perform her raunchiest hits after the Daily Mail implied that the bomber had targeted the concert because of her sexualised aesthetic. So she did. By prioritising her mental health and refusing to let terrorists suppress girls’ joy and sexuality, she set a powerful example for fans that ran counter to the moralising of commentators such as Piers Morgan.Grande appeared to emerge from this tragedy – and the death of ex-boyfriend Mac Miller – with a renewed sense of what was important, and what really was not. Her next album, Sweetener, defiantly reclaimed happiness from trauma; she swiftly released another, Thank U, Next, abandoning traditional pop release patterns to work with a rapper’s spontaneity. “I just want to fucking talk to my fans and sing and write music and drop it the way these boys do,” she said.Kesha had helped instigate this decade of greater freedom for female musicians – or so it seemed until October 2014, when she sued producer Dr Luke, making allegations including sexual assault. (In spring 2016, a judge dismissed the case; Luke denies all allegations and is suing Kesha for defamation.) She claimed she was told she had to be “fun”, an image that Luke’s label intended to capitalise on, revealing how revelry could be just as confining as its prim counterpart. In 2017, she released Rainbow, her first album in five years. Addressing her trauma, it got the best reviews of her career – a response that also seemed to reveal something about the most digestible way for a female artist to exist. But her forthcoming album, High Road, pointedly returns to the recklessness of her first two records. “I don’t feel as if I’m beholden to be a tragedy just because I’ve gone through something that was tragic,” she said.Taylor Swift’s refusal to endorse a candidate in the 2016 election, and the fallout from a spat with Kanye West, saw her shred her image of nice-girl relatability with her 2017 heel-turn, Reputation. But she rebelled more meaningfully when she leveraged her profile to expose the music industry, alerting the public to otherwise opaque matters of ownership and compensation. She joined independent labels in the fight to make Apple Music pay artists for the free trial period it offered consumers. Earlier this year, she despaired at her former label, Big Machine, being bought – and the master recordings to her first six albums with it – by nemesis Scooter Braun, an option she claimed she was denied. Now signed to Universal, and the owner of her masters going forward, she hoped young musicians might learn from her “about how to better protect themselves in a negotiation”, she wrote. “You deserve to own the art you make.” Advertisement Swift’s formative politesse came from country music, an industry that emphasises deference to power and traditional gender roles. In 2015, consultant Keith Hill – using a bizarre metaphor about

salad – admitted that radio sidelined female musicians: they were then subject to endless questions about tomatogate, as if they had the power to fix it. But that blatant industry disregard freed female country artists to shuck off obligation and make whatever music they wanted. In recent years, Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde, Brandy Clark, Kacey Musgraves, Ashley Monroe, Maren Morris, Brandi Carlile and Margo Price have all creatively outstripped their male peers.📷 ‘Just me existing is revolutionary’ ... Lizzo. Photograph: Owen Sweeney/Invision/APTheir situation resonates beyond country: greater personal freedoms for female musicians haven’t equated to greater commercial success. Just because a wave of female pop acts have refused old industry ideals, that doesn’t mean control is consigned to the past. There will be young women enduring coercive music industry situations right now – whether manipulation or more serious abuse. Some may never meet those impossible standards, and fail to launch. Others may quietly endure years of repression before potentially finding their voice. There are high-profile female pop acts working today who control their work yet are still subject to grinding suggestions that they change to meet market demands, and noisy women from this decade who have been sidelined. The tropes of the self-actualised female pop star are so established that labels know how to reverse engineer “real” pop girls beholden to a script.But the emergence of a more holistic female star will make it harder for labels to shill substitutes. Their emotional openness has destroyed the stigma around mental health that was used to diminish female musicians as “mad” divas. Charli XCX said she would never have betrayed her vulnerabilities when she was starting out in her teens. “If I’m emotionally vulnerable,” she thought, “people won’t take me seriously … Now I just don’t care.” Robyn spent eight years following up her most successful record because she needed time to grieve and unpick the impact of her own teen stardom. Britney – who in 1999 told Rolling Stone, “I have no feelings at all” – this year cancelled her Las Vegas residency to prioritise her mental health. 📷 More to the floor: the decade the dancefloor was decolonised Read more Advertisement They’ve relentlessly countered the male gaze. Chris refused to simplify queerness for the mainstream; Kim Petras stood for “trans joy”; Rihanna challenged the idea of skinny as aspirational by creating inclusive fashion lines and candidly discussing her own shape. “Just me existing is revolutionary”, Lizzo has said, while Cardi B refused to let anyone use her past as a stripper undermine her legitimacy as a powerful political voice.Where unthinking messiness was valorised at the start of the decade, now imperfection only gets a pass as long as nobody else is getting hurt. This summer, Miley, now 26, apologised for the racial insensitivity of her Wrecking Ball era. Soon after, she posted striking tweets in response to rumours of her cheating on her husband. She admitted to having been hedonistic and unprofessional in her youth. But she swore she hadn’t cheated in her marriage. “I’ve grown up in front of you, but the bottom line is, I HAVE GROWN UP,” she wrote. (To a degree – not long after, she found herself called out again when she implied that queerness is a choice.)In their fallibility and resistance to commodification, the women who have defined this decade in pop look a lot more like role models than the corporate innocents sold to girls in the early millennium. They’re still learning, working with what they’ve got rather than submitting to what they’re told. “I don’t know what it feels like not to be a teenager,” Billie Eilish said recently. “But kids know more than adults.” … as you’re joining us today from South Africa, we have a small favour to ask. Tens of millions have placed their trust in the Guardian’s high-impact journalism since we started publishing 200 years ago, turning to us in moments of crisis, uncertainty, solidarity and hope. More than 1.5

million readers, from 180 countries, have recently taken the step to support us financially – keeping us open to all, and fiercely independent.With no shareholders or billionaire owner, we can set our own agenda and provide trustworthy journalism that’s free from commercial and political influence, offering a counterweight to the spread of misinformation. When it’s never mattered more, we can investigate and challenge without fear or favour.Unlike many others, Guardian journalism is available for everyone to read, regardless of what they can afford to pay. We do this because we believe in information equality. Greater numbers of people can keep track of global events, understand their impact on people and communities, and become inspired to take meaningful action.We aim to offer readers a comprehensive, international perspective on critical events shaping our world – from the Black Lives Matter movement, to the new American administration, Brexit, and the world's slow emergence from a global pandemic. We are committed to upholding our reputation for urgent, powerful reporting on the climate emergency, and made the decision to reject advertising from fossil fuel companies, divest from the oil and gas industries, and set a course to achieve net zero emissions by 2030.

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scotianostra · 2 years

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Happy Birthday to ex Pop Singer turned TV personality Michelle McManus who hits 42 today.

Born in the Queen Mother’s Maternity Hospital in Glasgow, on May 8th 1980, Michelle was brought up in Baillieston with her four wee sisters, she auditioned for Pop Idol in 2003 and brought criticism from judge Pete Waterman due to her image and he “fuller figure”, fellow judge Simon Cowell to a shine to Michelle and championed her cause, she beat Mark Rhodes in the final with 58 percent of the vote.

After signing to Sony BMG, her debut single, All This Time, spent three weeks at number one, while her first album, The meaning of love reached number three. However, after her second single, the title track “The Meaning of Love,” stalled at number 16, she was dropped by her label, and a year later she parted company with management company 19 Entertainment.

In 2007, she set up her own record label, McManii Records, and released the track Just for You. Michelle has since released a book entitled You Are What You Eat, performed in a production of The Vagina Monologues, and co-hosted the Scottish TV show The Hour. Michelle has also appeared on The Edinburgh Festival Fringe as well as working on numerous Scottish TV shows and guesting as a DJ.

McManus paid tribute and sang two songs at Martyn Hett’s funeral on 30 June 2017. Martyn was one of the 22 victims of the Manchester Bombing on 22 May 2017.

Michelle recorded a cover version of Paul MccArtney’s, We all Stand Together in aid of a collection of a dozen charity choirs. McManus married Jeff Nimmo on 23rd September 2017.

The couple tied the knot at St Mary and St Finnan Church at Glenfinnan on the edge of Loch Shiel.

In January 2020 the couple shared pictures of their first baby, a boy they named Harry. Michelle thanked NHS staff for their “care and attention” following a “challenging pregnancy.

In February this year Michelle announced on twitter the birth of her second son saying; "....completing our family and our world." he is called Nicholas Peter. She waved goodbye to January, adding: "I don't know how any other month this year could possibly top you as you're the month we welcomed the newest addition to our family."

The Pop Idol star recently returned to the music industry as a singer in the band The Flaming Blackhearts. Michelle has also been on BBC Radio 4 with Clive Anderson on the podcast Loose Ends.

#Scotland #scottish #pop singer #tv personality #radio presenter #happy birhtday

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pearldentistry · 6 years

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New Post has been published on Pearl Dental Clinic

New Post has been published on http://www.pearldentalclinic.co.uk/cosmetic-dentistry-news/uncategorized/mel-b-showed-off-her-stunning-new-look.html

Mel B showed off her stunning new look