This week takes us down to the final nine and they are to be mentored by the wonderful Dolly Parton - how fantastic …… although I will probably want to punch the tv when she has to work with Kristy Lee Cook. Don’t get me started.

Sorry can’t stop …. what on earth was that performance about last week? Well of course, as Simon Cowell rightly pointed out, it was an inspired song choice guaranteeing her a safe passage through to this week, but surely the rest of his praise was just pandering to the US public. That performance was beyond cringe worthy and she didn’t even sing the song well. What would Cowell have said if Michael Johns had stood up and sang ‘Advance Australia Fair’? Or Carly Smithson ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’? (although obviously those songs don’t fit last weeks category …. i know that ….. allow me my rant).

Lets hope little David Archuleta returns to form – how wrong was I last week thinking the little sweetie winning the whole thing was a foregone conclusion? I stand totally corrected. He chose a dreadful song and sang it averagely. The puzzled American viewers wondered what on earth he was singing and the rest of the world was confused as to why he chose a song by John Farnham - Australia’s answer to Cliff Richard.

David Cook is no longer the dark horse but a well deserved forerunner of the competition, he’s brilliant, down to earth, talented, innovative and brave.

I can’t bear to listen to Ramiele Malubay or Paula Abdul any longer, can’t even look at KLC, can’t wait for Dolly. Can’t wait for tomorrow night ……

If you want to move away from the endless fluff and pop of manufactured acts; or the present clutch of (albeit talented) ‘brit girl’ artists presently on the music scene, look no further than The Dirty.

One of the innovative new bands signed to the Brownpunk label, The Dirty are a rock group gaining a reputation for great songs and incredible live performances.

Touted by the music media as a definite hit for 2008, The Dirty are a four piece band that hail from London. Their Brownpunk mentor, the influential lyricist Tricky, believes they are a ‘throwback band’ that head back to the days when artists recorded songs that were raw, pure and full of meaning.

In addition to their rock influence The Dirtys material often has a punk feel and occasionally veers towards blues. Respected DJ Zane Lowe feels the band has a contemporary edge but with a heritage feel to their sound.

“We get a great reaction whenever we play that record, there’s something immediate about that” he said after playing their debut single “Why, I Think It’s Love” on his BBC Radio 1 show towards the end of 2007.

check out the video for “Why, I Think It’s Love” below and have a look at the Brownpunk website to hear more about this exciting rock act.

Related links:
www.brownpunk.tv
www.brownpunk.tv/thedirtyprofile
www.myspace.com/brownpunkthelabel

RnB chart topper Akon has reportedly recorded a ’secret’ country and western album which he will be releasing under an alias.

Apparently the 34 year old RnB star is a huge fan of country and western music and vows that he will be the first black artist to conquer the insular scene.

He told The Hook Up @ BBC 1Xtra Live: “I’m about to break into a genre that no black artist, writer or producer has ever broken into…..The funniest part is I’m going in under an alias and I’ve already got my first hit record……”

“I’ve made a country record. I’m trying to break into that world. I want to set a mark there. There’s nowhere else for me to go. I can’t let anyone know my name though…..”

View more on Akon here.

Following her recent appearance on a prime time American TV sitcom, Britney Spears has now been offered a role in a forthcoming West End theatre production, reports the UK’s Daily Star.

The troubled singer showed some real acting talent when she played Abby, a ditsy receptionist in ‘How I Met Your Mother’, and has now been put forward for the part of Blanche DuBois in the Tennessee Williams play ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’.

There is much in the character of Blanche DuBois that mirrors Britney’s life. Blanche is a beautiful southern belle, but a fallen woman with an alcohol dependency and some serious mental health issues….. sound familiar?

Could this acting business be the saving grace of Spears? We all hope so.

Click here to view the Daily Star article …..

Leona Lewis, has officialy made it. She’s topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US with her single ‘Bleeding Love’

She’s the first British woman to top the charts in the States for over 20 years. The last being Kim Wilde in 1987 with her cover of The Supremes’ ‘You Keep Me Hanging On’

Simon Cowell’s protege has had amazing sucess with her single ‘Bleeding Love‘ which was the uk’s biggest selling song in 2007. The London girl’s come a long way since winning the ‘X Factor’ in December 2006.

Check out her videos here.

Rock legends, The Rolling Stones have been invited to return to, my hometown, UK seaside resort, Blackpool!!!

The Council, this week lifted their gig ban after 4 decades. The lifetime ban was put on the band following a show at the Blackpool Empress Ballroom in 1964 which ended in a riot. Fans smashed crystal chandeliers, tore up seats and threw bottles and stones resulting in fifty people being admitted to hospital.

Blackpool Council leader, Peter Callow says “We are writing to the group to say the ban has been lifted and they are welcome to play here again….the biggest problem that could scupper a return is the lack of a super-sized venue…”

One thing’s for sure if the icons play there on their next tour, they will definately get the red carpet treatment.

The Rolling Stones film by Martin Scorsese ‘Shine A Light’ which features the band playing live at New York’s Beacon Theatre alongside guests such as Christina Aguilera and Jack White, will be released in the US on the 4th April and in the UK on the 11th.

The accompanying soundtrack which is available to download now, will be released officialy on April 1st. For further information on the film click on the following link….Shine A Light

Leona Lewis may have to have a throat operation to save her voice.

The X Factor winner has been suffering from repetative bouts of tonsillitis and following consultations with top surgeons in Britain and America, has been advised that an operation to have them removed may be the only way to permanently solve the problem.

The young star has been extemely busy in the States promoting her single ‘Bleeding Love’ and debut album ‘Spirit’ and no doubt her gruelling schedule has contributed to her suffering with throat problems.

Leona’s hard work is definately paying off though, following her fabulous performance on Oprah Winfrey’s show earlier this month, her single ‘Bleeding Love’ has been zooming up the US charts and is tipped to knock Usher off the coveted number 1 spot.

Leona has taken America by storm, and has created a huge fanbase. She has done well to crack the American market succeeding were so many Britsh artists have failed. Lets hope she sorts out her throat soon so she can continue with her quest for world domination!!!

Click on the following links to view Leona and Usher’s singles………..

Bleeding Love

Love in This Club

Peaches Geldof appears to be following in the footsteps of her father, as she ventured to play live with the band ‘Rodnik’ at a London venue last night.

According to a report in todays Daily Mail, Peaches and the band appeared to really enjoy themselves, but the performance was a complete disaster and many audience members left before the three-song set was finished.

Peaches, daughter of Sir Bob Geldof and tv personality Paula Yates, played bass guitar and sang lead, and even attempted to trash a keyboard in a desperate attempt to look like a true rock n roll star.

Embarrassed audience members reported it was one of worst performances they had ever seen with Peaches dropping her microphone and forgetting lyrics.

The young Geldof has a long way to go to reach the genius heights of her Dads live performance of ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’ at Live Aid in 1985. View below.
Follow this link for the full Daily Mail report …….

Supermodel Kate Moss announced her engagment to her rocker boyfriend, Jamie Hince yesterday after emerging from a bar in Amsterdam.

According to tabloid paper, The Sun, “The pair were in a bar looking very loved-up……She (Moss) came out giggling and seemed a little bit tipsy. Lots of fans were taking her picture on their mobile phones. She told them, ‘I’m getting married.’ One girl asked her when, and she said, ‘Soon’…….”

The happy couple have been dating since the summer after meeting backstage at a gig and were in the city following guitarist Hince’s performance with his band, ‘The Kills’ on Saturday.

Check out The Kills’ latest single ‘Cheap and Chearful’ taken from their recently released album, ‘Midnight Boom’

With registration applications down on recent years for the UK music festival Glastonbury, people are questioning the choice of Jay-Z as a main festival headliner.

The highly acclaimed American rapper is not considered to be a typical Glastonbury act and there are concerns that his billing may have put off many of the die hard Glastonbury attendees.

The event organisers are quick to lay the blame elsewhere citing bad weather as a likely cause. In a recent interview with NME.COM Emily Eavis, daughter of Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis, was insistent that the horrendous weather conditions in 2005 and 2007 are responsible.

“I’m sure it’s because of the weather,” she told the music publication “People only remember the last festival, so if it was really muddy… I don’t blame them, to be honest. Everybody needs a rest.”

The good news is that since announcing the poor registration figures, tens of thousands of people have now applied online. Eavis believes it is likely that the public had previously thought the event would have been oversubscribed and that now they have more of a chance of gaining tickets.