Best Live Act - Beyonce; Green Day; Kings of Leon; Lady Gaga; U2
Best Group - Black Eyed Peas; Green Day; Jonas Brothers; Kings of Leon; Tokio Hotel
Best New Act - Daniel Merriweather; La Roux; Lady Gaga; Pixie Lott; Taylor Swift
Best Female - Beyonce; Katy Perry; Lady Gaga; Leona Lewis; Shakira
Best European Act- Nominations announced October 12
Best Push Artist - Daniel Merriweather; Hockey; La Roux; Little Boots; Metro Station; Pixie Lott; The Veronicas; White Lies
Best Male - Eminem; Jay-Z; Kanye West; Mika; Robbie Williams
Best Urban - Ciara; Eminem; Jay-Z; Kanye West; T.I
Best Rock - Foo Fighters; Green Day; Kings of Leon; Linkin Park; U2
Best Alternative - Muse; Paramore; Placebo; The Killers; The Prodigy
Best Video - Beyonce/Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It); Britney Spears/Circus; Eminem/We Made You; Katy Perry/Waking up in Vegas; Shakira/She Wolf
Best World Stage Performance - Coldplay; Kid Rock; Kings of Leon; Lady Gaga; Linkin Park
The R&B superstar said on her Web site that she will take the stage at a stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's biggest city, on Oct. 25. "Beyonce for the first time ever has decided to make Malaysia part of her 'I am.' World Tour," her Web site said.
Two years ago, Knowles canceled a planned concert following protest threats. At the time Knowles' talent agency said the show was called off due to a scheduling conflict.
Instead she went to Indonesia, which has less stringent rules about how performers should dress and behave. Malaysia requires female performers to cover up from the shoulders to knees with no cleavage showing.
Artists such as Avril Lavigne and Gwen Stefani have performed in Malaysia but under similar protest threats by conservative Muslim groups, forcing the artists to don attire that revealed little skin.
In the latest controversy, the government late last month at first barred then reversed the order forbidding Muslims from attending a Black Eyed Peas concert because it was sponsored by a beer company. With the ban lifted Muslims can now watch the U.S. hip-hop stars at a theme park near Kuala Lumpur on Sept. 25.
In family and personal matters, Muslims, who make up two-thirds of Malaysia's 28 million people, are governed by Islamic law, which forbids the consumption of alcohol. The laws do not apply to non-Muslims.
Organizers for Beyonce's October show could not immediately be reached for comment Sunday.
Abercrombie & Fitch Co, the apparel retailer known for sexy advertising and casual looks, has sued the singer Beyonce Knowles, claiming her plan for a new fragrance to be launched in early 2010 infringes on its existing trademark.
In a federal lawsuit filed on Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio, Abercrombie claims a fragrance under the singer's "Sasha Fierce" label "poses a likelihood of confusion" with the retailer's own "Fierce" brand.
It said such confusion could deprive it of control over a trademark it has used since 2002, and perhaps cost it sales. The lawsuit seeks to halt potential trademark infringement, unfair competition and deceptive trade practices.
Representatives of Knowles did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Best known for clothing sold to teens and college-age adults, New Albany, Ohio-based Abercrombie said it has sold more than $190 million worth of fragrance under the Fierce name, and expects $64 million of sales in 2009.
Abercrombie sells Fierce at more than 350 retail stores and on its website, typically for $40 to $70 in bottles featuring a young man's muscular, nude torso. The fragrance is sprayed throughout stores via a scent machine or by store employees.
"A&F's intent is that all garments that leave the store have the FIERCE scent attached to them," the complaint said.
The company markets Fierce as a men's cologne whose "fresh citrus aroma" and "warm musky subtleness" will "naturally draw her curiosity because of its seductive nature."
A saleswoman at a San Francisco store nonetheless described it as a "unisex" scent.
WHO IS MORE FIERCE?
Fragrance maker Coty Inc has signed an agreement to market Knowles' fragrance.
Knowles, often known solely by her first name, is one of the world's best-known singers, after having risen to fame as lead singer of the group Destiny's Child.
Last November, her album "I am ... Sasha Fierce" debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. On Sunday, the song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" from that album won the Video of the Year award at the MTV Video Music Awards.
In English vernacular "fierce" means "cool" or "fabulous."
The case is Abercrombie & Fitch Co v. Knowles, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio (Columbus), No. 09-807.
Although the list, released Wednesday, does not have numerical ranking, Winslet, 33, who won an Oscar in February for playing a dour Nazi in "The Reader," was deemed to be the best-dressed woman on the red carpet on 2009 "with her unique brand of sexy sophistication, modern Hollywood glamour and those enviable curves."
People named Reese Witherspoon as having the "best short dresses," "High School Musical" actress Vanessa Hudgens as best hippie chic, and Freida Pinto, the Indian star of Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire," for having the best use of color.
Brad Pitt, "Twilight" actor Robert Pattinson, and Bradley Cooper of "The Hangover" and "Nip/Tuck" fame were among the best-dressed men of the year. People said their attention to details like a scarf, pin or skinny tie "took their looks beyond basic."
Teen country singer Taylor Swift was dubbed "best sparkle."
The annual best- and worst-dressed double issue, on newsstands Friday, also acknowledged the impact on fashion of the Emmy-award winning TV series "Mad Men," set in the 1960s, whose cigarette pants and sheath dresses have inspired new designs by Michael Kors and Tory Burch.
The People magazine special issue also looked at some of the fashion flops of 2009. Former "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul and actress Renee Zellweger were cited as having the worst red carpet dresses.
Singer Jessica Simpson's January appearance in unflattering high-waisted "mom jeans," which triggering a heated debate about weight issues in Hollywood, was among the "most memorable moments of the year," People said.
People's choice of the Top 10 Best-Dressed Women of 2009 are:
Kate Winslet - Best Red Carpet
Vanessa Hudgens - Best Hippie Chic
Reese Witherspoon - Best Short Dresses
Cameron Diaz - Best Jeans
Michelle Obama - Best Accessible Glamour
Freida Pinto - Best Use of Color
Taylor Swift - Best Sparkle
Nicole Richie - Best Maternity
Beyonce - Best Street Chic
Kim Kardashian - Best Bikinis
The complete list can be found at www.people.com/bestdressed.
VIDEO OF THE YEAR: Beyonce, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)."
BEST FEMALE VIDEO: Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me."
BEST ROCK VIDEO: Green Day, "21 Guns."
BEST POP VIDEO: Britney Spears, "Womanizer."
BEST MALE VIDEO: T.I. featuring Rihanna, "Live Your Life."
BEST HIP-HOP VIDEO: Eminem, "We Made You."
BEST NEW ARTIST: Lady Gaga.
BEST VIDEO THAT SHOULD HAVE WON A MOONMAN: Beastie Boys, "Sabotage."
BEST BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO: Matt and Kim, "Lessons Learned."
Swift, the first winner of the night for Best Female Video for "You Belong with Me," was abruptly interrupted during her acceptance speech by West, who grabbed the microphone from her to declare that "Beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time!"
Beyonce looked horrified as the audience booed West and Swift was ushered offstage. The singer got her moment nearly two hours later though, when Beyonce invited her onstage after winning Video of the Year for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)."
West, who was booed whenever his named was mentioned after the incident, lost all three of his nominations. He later took to his blog to apologize to Swift.
"I'm sooooo sorry to Taylor Swift and her fans and her mom. I spoke to her mother right after and she said the same thing my mother would've said. She is very talented! I like the lyrics about being a cheerleader and she's in the bleachers! I'm in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment!" West wrote.
"Beyonce's video was the best of this decade!!!! I'm sorry to my fans if I let you guys down!!!! I'm sorry to my friends at MTV. I will apologize to Taylor 2mrw. Welcome to the real world!!!! Everybody wanna booooo me but I'm a fan of real pop culture!!! No disrespect but we watchin' the show at the crib right now cause ... well you know!!!! I'm still happy for Taylor!!!! Boooyaaawwww!!!! You are very very talented!!! I gave my awards to Outkast when they deserved it over me ... That's what it is!!!!!!! I'm not crazy y'all, i'm just real. Sorry for that!!! I really feel bad for Taylor and I'm sincerely sorry!!! Much respect!!!!!"
Project Runway all-star Chris March, he of the outlandish costume design and seemingly incessant narcolepsy, has filed suit against Beyoncé's world tour costume designers (but not the star herself) for failing to make good on payments promised for properly outfitting Sasha Fierce.
Those robogloves and futuristic superhero outfits don't pay for themselves, you know.
March, who placed fourth on both the All-Star special last week and during the fourth season of the reality hit, filed the suit on July 23, seeking upwards of $45,000 for wardrobe services rendered.
"Chris March's lawsuit is not against Beyoncé, but rather against Thierry Mugler and Tancrede Prinz, who owe Chris money for having designed and fitted Beyonce's costumes," March's lawyer, Leslie Ben-Zvi, told E! News.
Sounds like a job for the fashion police. Or the New York State Supreme Court.
March, who filed suit on behalf of both himself and Carelli Costumes, Inc., claims in court documents that he was hired as "head of costumes" for Beyoncé's tour by Mugler back in February of this year. His job was "to create, pattern, fit and deliver finished costumes" for her tour.
For several months after, while Beyoncé was donning his very duds around the world, March sent a series of invoices to Mugler, most of which remained unpaid.
And while the Runway alum is looking to recoup the funds that are rightfully his, the designer (looking out for his clients as well as career, no doubt) says he bears no ill toward his muse.
"Chris continues to be a big fan and admirer of Beyoncé," Zvi said. "And Beyoncé is a big fan of Chris' as well. She continues to look beautiful in anything she wears, especially Chris' costumes."
The superstar will be honored by the industry publication at its annual Women in Music event.
Past "Woman of the Year" honorees were Ciara (SEE-ehr-ah) and Reba McEntire.
Beyonce will be on hand to accept her award at the Oct. 2 event in New York City. It's been yet another big year for the entertainer. She had the smash hit "Single Ladies," sang at President Obama's inauguration, had a No. 1 movie with "Obsessed" and embarked on an arena tour.
The police action came after footage of the paparazzi fight in the narrow streets of Dubrovnik - a medieval port known as the pearl of the Adriatic Sea - was broadcast on television.
Police say they have seized the passport of the bodyguard, a 31-year-old Dutch national, as a precaution.
They have also ordered him to attend a magistrates court for a "breach of public order".
The guard was reportedly detained on the luxurious 47-metre yacht on which Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z have been cruising the Adriatic coast since the start of this week.
The boat was intercepted off the southern island of Korcula, the website of the newspaper Jutarnji List says.
A police statement said the cameraman, 57-year-old Dragan Banovic, had also been taken in for questioning over the incident.
In the television footage, Banovic is seen striking the bodyguard on the back with a tripod after the guard knocked down his camera and laid into him.
The guard was later filmed hurling the tripod into the sea.
Pictures of Beyonce holidaying have been a big hit with the Croatian press.
Beyonce was heading to a boat anchored in the medieval port with her rapper husband Jay-Z when their bodyguard kicked a Croatian cameraman in the back several times, the online edition of the Jutarnji List daily says.
Private television station RTL showed images of the incident, including journalists chasing the star couple down Dubrovnik's narrow streets despite their bodyguard's protests.
The footage showed that before getting back on the boat, the bodyguard knocked a journalist's video camera to the ground and then laid into the man himself.
The journalist then hit the bodyguard in the back with his tripod, who - visibly angry - responded by throwing it in the Adriatic sea.
Police are now investigating the incident.
Pictures of Beyonce holidaying on a yacht off the resort known as the pearl of the Adriatic have been a big hit with the Croatian press.
The crew songs include Beyonce’s Billboard chart No. 1 “Crazy in Love” and “Single Ladies,” Billboard chart No. 4 “Déjà Vu,” “Beautiful Liar” and her new single, “Sweet Dreams.”
This season, the show moves from Thursdays to a new night and time, Sundays at 9 ET/8 CT. This Sunday, Aug. 9, kicks off a special 90-minute special episode.
A criminal complaint filed Tuesday alleges Leon Desmond Barrett sent more than a dozen letters between December 2006 and April of this year to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the University of Notre Dame.
In some letters, the government says Barrett wrote he was getting ready to kill the former Steelers and Rams running back, as well as music performers Beyonce and Jay-Z.
Barrett denies sending threatening letters.
He tells The Associated Press he has had a dispute with Bettis for seven years and has written to various people about the dispute.
All three will compete for the honor of video of the year, with Beyonce earning a bid for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), Lady Gaga for "Poker Face" and Britney Spears for "Womanizer."
They square off against rappers Kanye West with "Love Lockdown" and Eminem for "We Made You" in the video of the year race. Honors will be given out at New York's Radio City Music Hall on September 13 in a show hosted by British prankster Russell Brand.
Beyonce has enjoyed a hugely successful solo career since leaving the all-female group "Destiny's Child." Her third solo album, "I Am ... Sasha Fierce," had the No. 1 hit "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)."
"I've been blessed this year to have 'Single Ladies' become a video people really connected with and responded to," Beyonce said in a statement released by MTV.
The annual awards are one of the cable TV channel's most-watched programs, as much for the celebrity antics and performances as the awards themselves.
At the height of Spears' early career in 2003, she and Madonna famously kissed on the show. Later her personal life veered out of control and her father took control of her business affairs. But recently she has rebounded.
Spears is currently on tour and her video for the song "Circus" was nominated for best choreography.
'GET WASTED AND MAKE ART'
New Yorker Lady Gaga's 2008 debut album, "The Fame," included the hit single "Just Dance" and was among the top five CDs in countries including the United States, Britain and Germany.
"Poker Face" earned Lady Gaga not only a video of the year nomination but also a nod for best female video, a category that pits her against Katy Perry with "Hot N Cold," Beyonce with "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)," Kelly Clarkson with "My Life Would Suck Without You," Taylor Swift with "You Belong With Me" and Pink with "So What."
Lady Gaga thanked MTV "for being our video flagship, and for supporting this bunch of inspired kids, who love to get wasted and make art, together."
Eminem ("We Made You") and Kanye West ("Love Lockdown") will square off in the best male video category against hip hop star Jay-Z with "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)," rapper T.I. (featuring Rihanna) with his "Live Your Life" and Ne-Yo with "Miss Independent."
First-time nominees include U.S. rockers Kings of Leon as well as rappers Drake and Asher Roth. Both rappers were nominated in the best new artist category.
Other categories include best hip hop video, best pop video and best rock video.
Beyonce will be joined by the Black Eyed Peas, ZZ Top, Simple Minds, N*E*R*D and Chinese pop legend Jacky Cheung as entertainment over three days in Singapore from September 24th, adding to Formula One's night-time grand prix weekend.
"The world's only F1 night race just got bigger, faster and louder. Our talent is world class and "F1 ROCKS" will rock Singapore!" Paul Morrison, CEO & chief creative officer of the concert, said in a statement.
The show is also expected to feature guest appearances from top Formula One drivers and celebrities, the organizers said in a statement.
And then some.
The 27-year-old singer, previously known for her work in Destiny's Child but now three albums into a successful solo career, including her most recent effort, I Am... Sasha Fierce, came to town packing big hair, big heels, big costumes -- courtesy of designer Thierry Mugler -- a big production, that included an impressive LED video screen and a staircase -- and a big band made up of 13 female musicians and singers and as many as nine dancers, both female and male.
Seemingly, it all went according to plan over the course of an hour and 40 minutes with nary a hair out of place on the beautiful Beyonce, despite a wind machine constantly blowing back her long mane which she liked to whip around while doing her trademark exaggerated dance moves.
Part supermodel, part drag queen, part showgirl, this girl loved her drama and the audience seemed to love her for it.
Opening the show with Crazy In Love, Beyonce first appeared backlit while wearing a gold bathing suit-like costume with a big bow on her backside.
With her hands on her hips and her legs spread apart, the crowd went nuts before she even sang a note and by the time the tune had ended, white confetti rained down on the audience like it was the show finale instead of the beginning.
Now that she had gotten our attention, Beyonce segued into Naughty Girl with red lighting to emphasize the point.
At times, she came across as a sex kitten on songs like Freakem Dress, but other times, she seemed more innocent such as when she donned a full-length silver-beaded gown for the ballads At Last, the Etta James classic which she sang while portraying the singer in Cadillac Records, and Listen from Dreamgirls.
There was even a moment when she sang and danced opposite vintage footage of her former small self in a split screen during Radio.
Mostly though, it all seemed to be about Beyonce with not a lot of soul behind the music itself.
When she offered up a snippet of Bootylicious from her Destiny's Child days, it was really the sample of Stevie Nicks' Edge of Seventeen guitar hook that everyone was going nuts for.
Visually, she had some interesting highlights like the crashing blue surf projected on to the LED screen behind her while she donned a white bathing suit and white cover up to sing Smash Into You, and Ave Maria, which included a bit of Sarah McLachlan's Angel.
But Beyonce's best look was a black leather bustier, mini skirt and cuff, which she donned for If I Were A Boy, on to which she tagged Alanis Morissette's You Oughta Know.
She definitely gets points for Can-Con. Even rising Toronto rapper Drake was spotted in the crowd as she left the stage to greet fans in the audience as the evening wound down during Halo.
The cheesiest moment came during a filmed video segment, shown while she was offstage making one of her numerous costume changes, when her face transformed into that of a leopard's during a snow storm.
She then returned to the stage in a futuristic outfit that included lit-up private parts in the dark while her female dancers wore gold robot-like suits that recalled C-3PO from Star Wars.
The best video moment was a YouTube montage showing fans dancing to All The Single Ladies before Beyonce and her dancers performed the hit song much to the crowd's delight.
Another highlight was Irreplaceable as audience members sang the song's familiar refrain, "To the left, to the left," while waving their hands in the same direction.
"That is so beautiful," Beyonce said.
Beautiful yes, soulful, not exactly, much like the concert itself.
Sun Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Away from the stage, Beyoncé dropped $6,000 on some new sunglasses at Ilori, a boutique on Beverly Hills's Rodeo Drive. Joining her on the shopping trip: 4½-year-old nephew Daniel and mom Tina.
Despite the title of her latest album, "I Am ... Sasha Fierce," nothing was fierce at all. Warm and fuzzy? Sure. Over the top? You could've bet on that because it's the nature of pop tours these days.
But what made her truly connect with fans wasn't the gimmicks -- confetti raining down during her horn-blasted, opening retro-soul strut of "Crazy in Love," or high-tech movable stage parts and loads of costume changes: It was the music and the way it was delivered that counted the most as she interacted with her band and fans. Many so-called divas and such could learn something here. Are you listening, Madonna?
The two-hour-plus show offered Beyonce's far-ranging styles, from pop and R&B to hip-hop, reggaeton, electronic and dance.
She also dipped into songs by others -- though they were more tease than covers, linked to her own songs. She cooed through a bit of Donna Summer's "Love to Love You Baby," Sarah McLachlan's winsome "Angel" and took a quick tear through part of Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know."
She proved adept at each, and it's a shame she didn't just go for the complete numbers.
But "Ave Maria," sung while dancers assembled a wedding dress on her, didn't work at all.
When the crowd cheered, screamed and roared early on in the show, she stopped to beam with a genuine smile. This was a far cry from the Beyonce of some years whose ego appeared to walk ahead of her. But she's grown up -- musically and as a performer.
So while "flying" across the top of the arena in a harness to a small stage in the middle of the floor was a slice of Cirque du Tinkerbell, what followed contained much more emotion, as fans sang her hit "Irreplaceable" before she took over.
For the most heated material, she was Tina, the Next Generation, and some ballads found her in a Streisand mode, down to her phrasing. She's become a much better vocalist, thanks in part to taking on such projects as playing Etta James in the film "Cadillac Records" and appearing in the film adaptation of Broadway's "Dreamgirls," both of which played a part in the night's diversity.
The show certainly had its flaws, and some material was hammered out and shrill or served up through pretentious videos, like a sci-fi segment.
At one point, Beyonce spoke of believing in female empowerment, citing her all-woman band and backing singers. Even among her co-ed dancers, the men often were in costumes with their faces covered.
Such sisterhood shout-outs are well and good, especially for pumping up the self-esteem of her younger fans. Some might claim she's on a feminist-agenda tack, but that's nonsense. All those mini-dresses and even racier skimpy outfits were not just for the women in the audience.
Ultimately, it's all about marketing and branding, from music to clothing lines, fragrances and more. Beyonce has long been a product. That's the way it's been since she emerged as the breakout star in Destiny's Child a decade ago.
Now, some might argue that's the nature of pop -- and very often it is. But the best moments of the concert weren't about glitz and flash: They were about making a connection. And if she pursues that path, it's a direction that might bring greater artistry, with marketing secondary.
Soul Train Holdings has partnered with Direct Holdings Americas Inc., granting the latter the domestic home video and worldwide clip licensing rights to the "Soul Train" library.
During its 35-year run, "Soul Train" evolved into a mainstream cultural institution that played host to such R&B and pop icons as Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, Prince, Elton John, Whitney Houston, Justin Timberlake and Beyonce. All told, the "Soul Train" library houses more than 1,100 hours of archival footage. The show's last new episodes aired in 2006.
Direct Holdings' Time Life brand will produce and distribute DVDs of vintage "Soul Train" episodes and launch a comprehensive marketing campaign to license show clips worldwide.
The announcement comes a year after the famed music variety show's longtime host/producer/owner Don Cornelius sold the franchise to MadVision Entertainment. Los Angeles-based Soul Train Holdings, a union formed between MadVision and Intermedia Partners, is headed by co-CEOs Peter Griffith and Kenard Gibbs.
The clip licensing half of the agreement is already under way. Show clips can be viewed at globalimageworks.com. Fans can also visit the Soul Train YouTube channel. Regarding the DVD rollout, Griffith said music clearances are still being processed. Once that is completed, the company will determine its initial release slate and other details.
In the meantime, BET's new Centric channel will bring back the Soul Train Awards this November. The channel is licensing old episodes of the dance show for broadcast as well. And a "Soul Train" documentary is being developed for VH1, according to Griffith. Also in discussion for next year: a new "Soul Train" show.
"We're talking to some very well-known producers," Griffith said. "It would have to be updated for today's world of competitive reality programing like 'American Idol' and 'Dancing With the Stars.' It's not something we take lightly. We want to do it with the same kind of passion and respect that Don had."
Video of the Year
Beyoncé Knowles – If I Were a Boy
Beyoncé Knowles – Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) (Winner)
Jamie Foxx f/ T-Pain – Blame It
T.I. f/ Rihanna – Live Your Life
Kanye West – Heartless
Best Actress
Angela Basset
Rosario Dawson
Taraji P. Henson (Winner)
Jennifer Hudson
Beyoncé Knowles
Viewer's Choice Nominees
Beyoncé Knowles - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
Keri Hilson - Turnin Me On (f/ Lil Wayne)
Lil Wayne - A Milli
Soulja Boy Tell'em - Kiss Me Thru The Phone (f/ Sammie)
T.I. - Live Your Life (f/ Rihanna) (Winner)
T-Pain - Can't Believe It (f/ Lil Wayne)
Kanye West - Love Lockdown
"The reason I am here is due to Michael Jackson," Beyoncé told the Friday night crowd at Philadelphia's Wachovia Center before her concert, where she sang Jackson's "I Can't Help It".
In Beverly Hills, the 22nd Annual ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards – honoring songwriting achievements in the R&B, soul, rap, hip-hop and gospel genres – became a total memorial to Jackson, as the audience observed a moment of silence and presenters and award-winners alike extolled Jackson's unparalleled influence on the industry.
Winner Alicia Keys thanked Jackson for breaking "all the rules" and "inspir[ing] us all to hopefully break the rules, because we have to break the rules in order to reap the benefits."
Timbaland, who was set to work with Jackson on what was to have been his upcoming tour, spoke of feeling "down" about missing the chance to collaborate with the pop legend, but uplifted in knowing that "his music lives on."
"The incomparable Michael Jackson has made a bigger impact on music than any other artist in the history of music," the 27-year-old singer said. "He was magic. He was what we all strive to be. He will always be the King of Pop!
"Life is not about how many breaths you take, but about how many moments in life that take your breath away. For anyone who has ever seen, felt, or heard his art, we are all honored to have been alive in this generation to experience the magic of Michael Jackson. I love you Michael."
The pop princess was slated to perform tomorrow at M2 -- the West 27th Street nightclub that used to be Crobar and Mansion -- as part of the launch of her "I Am . . . Sasha Fierce" North American tour. M2 owner Joey Morrissey agreed to pay the singer $200,000 for the gig, he says.
But on Wednesday, Beyoncé's people suddenly pulled the plug on the performance, despite having signed a contract that had prompted Morrissey to spend $100,000 preparing for the show, according to the clubowner. "They said they were too busy with the launching of the tour and that they wouldn't have time to do the kickoff party," Morrissey tells Page Six.
To make up for the cancellation, Morrissey says Beyoncé offered to stop by the club "to hang out for an hour" on Sunday. He adds, "I mean, we sold tables for thousands of dollars for the show, and spent $100,000 renting a soundboard and other equipment, as per their stipulations. What good does her showing up for an hour do me? They've been totally unwilling to agree to another show."
As a result, Morrissey says he's now preparing to file suit against Beyoncé, claiming his place has suffered a "loss of reputation" in addition to the sunk cash. "We had an overwhelming response from our clubgoers, who were lining up to buy tickets and tables. This will come as a great disappointment to all of them," he claims, adding, "If Beyoncé cancels and doesn't give us a new date, this hurts our credibility in night life."
The gig, which was initially posted on the singer's Web site, has since been taken down. A rep for Beyoncé at Sony did not respond to our phone calls and e-mails.
The R&B babe is the on warpath against a bunch of unnamed vendors who have been peddling pirated CDs and merchandise "in the vicinity" of her concerts during her world tour.
She dispatched her legal team to federal court in New York to crack down on the 100 John and Jane Does, saying they've been making money at her expense. Aside from a lawsuit, the 27-year-old songbird also wants an injunction to keep the street hawkers away from her June 21-22 gigs at Madison Square Garden.
The Fierce singer's rep could not be reached for comment on the legal action.
Aside from protecting her booty, she's also tuning up to perform at this year's BET Awards, June 28 in Los Angeles, where she's also nominated for five prizes.
Choice Movie: Rumble
Anne Hathaway vs. Kate Hudson, Bride Wars
Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber vs. Weapon XI, X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Beyonce Knowles vs. Ali Larter, Obsessed
Robert Pattinson vs. Cam GIgandet, Twilight
Chris Pine vs. Zachary Quinto, Star Trek
Choice Music: R&B Artist
Beyoncé
Jamie Foxx
Jennifer Hudson
Ne-Yo
T-Pain
Choice Music: Love Song
"Crush," David Archuleta
"Halo," Beyoncé
"Lovebug," Jonas Brothers
"How Do You Sleep," Jesse McCartney
"Love Story," Taylor Swift
Choice Music: R&B Track
"Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)," Beyoncé
"If This Isn’t Love," Jennifer Hudson
"Mad," Ne-Yo
"Kiss Me Thru The Phone," Soulja Boy Tell 'Em feat. Sammie
"Love Lockdown," Kanye West
Choice Music: Album (Female Artist)
I Am…Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé
The Fame, Lady Gaga
One of the Boys, Katy Perry
Fearless, Taylor Swift
Carnival Ride, Carrie Underwood
Choice Female Hottie
Miley Cyrus
Megan Fox
Vanessa Hudgens
Beyoncé Knowles
Blake Lively
Show organizers say the pop star will attend the ceremony, as will her husband, Jay-Z.
The two join a performance lineup that includes Kanye West, Maxwell, Young Jeezy, Ne-Yo and Soulja Boy.
Beyonce is nominated for a leading five BET Awards, including favorite R&B female and video of the year. Rapper T.I. also has five nods, followed by Lil Wayne, T-Pain and Keri Hilson, who are tied with four nominations each.
Jamie Foxx will host the show, to be broadcast live June 28 from the Shrine Auditorium.
Just as Beyoncé was bringing her concert to a close—wham!—out came George Michael to perform a duet with the shiny gloved one on her hit "If I Were a Boy."
Of course, hearing this father figure of music belt out lyrics speculating about life as a guy when he already is one is kinda weird, but whatever. He and B killed it!
Angelina Jolie nabbed the No. 1 spot on Forbes' 2009 Celebrity 100 list, the magazine announced Wednesday, topping Winfrey who slipped to No. 2 after two consecutive years at the top. According to the magazine, wealth is only one factor in determining the most powerful celebrity, and Jolie's $27 million in earnings last year combined with her fame determined her ranking. (Interestingly, Winfrey grossed $275 million in 2008.)
Rounding out the top 5 positions in Forbes' rankings: Madonna, whose Hard Candy tour and $110 million income landed her the No. 3 slot; Beyoncé is No. 4; and Tiger Woods fell to No. 5 on the list, down from No. 2 last year.
Notable newcomers to Forbes' power list include Taylor Swift (No. 69), fellow country star Toby Keith (No. 59) and 30 Rock star Alec Baldwin (No. 91).
Meanwhile, Barack Obama (No. 49) became the first sitting head of state to appear on the list. The reason? His historic election made him the most famous person in the world, Forbes says, and also increased his book sales.
See the full list here.
The R&B singer is currently playing a string of dates in the U.K. as part of her I Am... world tour and landed at the capital's O2 Arena for a show on Monday.
But as she was preparing to start her performance, a fan managed to sneak backstage and accost her as she was walking between her dressing room and the stage.
A source tells The London Paper, "A man barged through the backstage door just as Beyonce was walking past.
"He cried out her name with his arms outstretched before security bundled him back out again."
But the paper reports it was not the Crazy In Love hitmaker who was the actual target: "He wanted to see (Beyonce's husband) Jay-Z to give him a demo tape.”
She actually has a painting in her gym featuring the iconic gold statuette so she can run toward her goal. "I look at it, and I'm like, OK, I have to stay in shape," she explains in the new issue of Self magazine.
That's not her only motivator…
Shopping also comes in handy. "I buy something too small and then say, 'I have a reason,'" the 27-year-old singer says. "I need to wear these jeans or this hot dress."
And then there are the tiny Thierry Mugler costumes she's been squeezing into for her tour. "[All it takes is to] do a fitting and see that my costume doesn't fit anymore," Beyoncé says. "I know I have to keep things in all the right places."
But she'll only lose so much weight. She wasn't happy about the 15 pounds she shed to play Deena Jones in Dreamgirls.
"I felt very chic, like a model," she says of her thinner-than-ever bod. "But it didn't look natural for me. I didn't feel very sexy or feminine, and I didn't have much confidence because I didn't feel like myself."
In other words, don't expect to find her running too much toward that Oscar.
The two entertainers, who each who scored No. 1 hit songs and videos this year, lead BET Awards nominees with five each.
Beyonce also counts a No. 1 film among her recent credits: "Obsessed," which topped the box office when it opened last month.
The 27-year-old singer is up for female R&B artist, actress, the viewer's choice award and video of the year, where she has nods for both "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" and "If I Were a Boy."
T.I. has two nominations for best collaboration — with Rihanna for "Live Your Life" and with Yung LA and Young Dro for "Ain't I."
The 28-year-old rapper is also up for male hip-hop artist, the viewer's choice award and video of the year.
Lil Wayne, T-Pain and Keri Hilson have four nominations each. Other multiple nominees include Jennifer Hudson, Jazmine Sullivan, Kanye West, Keyshia Cole and Jamie Foxx, who is set to host the show on June 28 at the Shrine Auditorium.
Foxx is up for male R&B artist, along with best collaboration and video of the year for his hit with T-Pain, "Blame It."
The ninth annual BET Awards is scheduled to include performances by Foxx, Maxwell and Ne-Yo.
Click here for a complete list of nominees.
Before Beyoncé Knowles performed "At Last" for Barack and Michelle Obama's first dance as President and First Lady in January, the singer – who has said her onstage alter ego is the aggressive Fierce – was overcome by emotion.
"I had to tell myself, 'They asked you to do this. You have to do a great job. This is their history. Calm down. Calm down,'" she admits in the June issue of Marie Claire. "I barely made it. Literally seconds before the song started, I was crying like a 5-year-old."
But she remains proud of that moment – and all of her accomplishments so far. "Fifteen years from now, I want to be able to look back and say 'Wow.' That's where I was at 27. That was my best."
And it certainly has been a big year: Last April, she married Jay-Z, 39, and the busy couple work hard to spend time together. "We try to sync our calendars," Knowles says. "I started working on my tour a year ago just to make sure that I had time at home. But you know, that's part of it. Any other woman who has to go to work and pick up the kids and make dinner – that's way harder than what I have to do. At least I can say I'm taking two weeks off and really take two weeks off."
She might even be ready for a longer break. "My priorities are slowly changing," she reveals in the interview. "So after this tour I might be tired and want to take two years off. I've worked hard enough to be able to do that. I'm in a very good place."
Who also might welcome a break from touring? Her mother, Tina, who accompanies her on the road. Tina tells the magazine, "I'm always the person to make her go to bed."
"We have had Brad Pitt and Nicolas Cage visit here," says museum press officer Verena Dahlitz. "So this was not big news for us – to have celebrities visit."
Thirty minutes later, a stretch limo arrived and a sunglass-wearing woman stepped out surrounded by five burly bodyguards. Museum officials were immediately skeptical. "She was too thin for Beyoncé," says Dahlitz. "I thought she had probably lost weight."
Still, the museum director gave the woman a VIP tour. After all, there were screaming fans outside, and officials assumed that she was just one of those stars who look different in person than they do on television. Later, the museum learned that the woman actually wasn't Knowles, but an impersonator sent by a local radio station, Krona Hit Radio.
"We were fooled," admits Dahlitz. But the museum is taking the prank in stride: "We must be the most important museum in Vienna," says Dahlitz, "because they chose us."
A rep for Knowles could not be reached for comment.
Obsessed, the new-school Fatal Attraction thriller with Knowles and Larter battling it out, amped-up Angela- and Kelly-style over The Office's Idris Elba, dominated the weekend box office with a far-bigger-than-expected $28.5 million, per studio estimates.
Elsewhere, Zac Efron's 17 Again aged well, grossing another $11.7 million, while Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx's The Soloist ($9.7 million) didn't play as well as the year's other disappointing grown-up movies.
Drilling down into the numbers:
• The most optimistic projections had Obsessed bowing in the high teens. In the end, the movie had its reputed $20 million budget covered by Saturday night.
• Obsessed is Knowles' top-grossing debut since her own film debut in Austin Powers in Goldmember.
• The XX-chromosonal types who supposedly are too interested in girly things to drive box-office business, except for Twilight, Sex and the City and any other number of titles, drove Obsessed, too. The opening-weekend audience was said to be 58 percent female. And in the mood for a good cat fight.
• 17 Again, last weekend's No. 1 film, slipped to second. Ticket sales were down the standard 51 percent. The Efron comedy has now grossed nearly $40 million overall.
• By opening with less than $10 million, the violin-tuned The Soloist failed to come close to the new low standard for adult dramas, non-porn division, as set by Russell Crowe's State of Play and Julia Roberts' Duplicity. The latter movies debuted in the $13-$14 million range, and boasted higher per-screen averages than The Soloist.
• The Soloist marks Foxx's smallest wide-release debut since his breakout 2004 of Ray and Collateral.
• In its second weekend, State of Play ($6.9 million) actually held okay, with ticket sales down 51 percent. Its overall gross of $25.1 million, though, isn't going to sell many on the current viability of political thrillers.
• Thinking may be out, but punching is in! Channing Tatum and Terrence Howard's Fighting ($11.4 million) bowed in third, but outgrossed second-place 17 Again, theater for theater.
• The Disney nature movie, Earth, which opened last Wednesday, and didn't lack for furry-style fisticuffs, upped its so-far take to $14.2 million with a solid $8.6 million weekend.
• Hannah Montana: The Movie ($6.4 million) passed the $65 million mark overall.
• I Love You Man ($1.936 million) and former No. 1 movie, Knowing ($1.935 million), depart the Top 10 after five weekends each, and a Role Models-esque run of $67.8 million and a Vantage Point-esque run of $76.8 million, respectively.
• In limited release, the new Mike Tyson documentary, Tyson, did well, but not killer with a $85,982 gross at 11 theaters. The Manhattan nursery-school documentary, Nursery University, did killer, taking in $13,100 at one theater, for the weekend's highest-reported per-screen average.
• Bret Easton Ellis source material—check. Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke brand names—check. A $622 per-screen average, per Box Office Mojo, for The Informers ($300,000)—oy.
Here's a complete look at the weekend's top-grossing films based on Friday-Sunday estimates as compiled by Exhibitor Relations:
Obsessed, $28.5 million
17 Again, $11.7 million
Fighting, $11.4 million
The Soloist, $9.7 million
Earth, $8.6 million
Monsters vs. Aliens, $8.5 million
State of Play, $6.9 million
Hannah Montana: The Movie, $6.4 million
Fast & Furious, $6.1 million
Crank: High Voltage, $2.4 million
"I saw this dress online. I'm always on Style.com," she said of her sparkling Balmain dress with an endless black train on the red carpet at the Cinema Society and MCM-sponsored New York premiere of her film Obsessed. When her stylist friend found it for her, "he was so excited, he said, 'Please fit, please fit.' "
And fit it did, but not without a lot of work on the part of Knowles. "I lost a lot of weight naturally, just from 12-hour rehearsals," she explained, attributing her recent weight loss to preparing to tour. "That's a lot of dancing. I would never work out for 12 hours, but I'm able to move around and not think about it. It's part of my job."
Her other stay fit trick for fitting into those tiny tour costumes? "I've been trying to eat really clean," she told PEOPLE. "Fish and, in the morning, Special K."
Knowles, joined by Jay-Z in the theater and, surrounded by bodyguards at The Bowery Hotel dinner after, accented the look with shinning chrome nails and a unique bracelet. "It's black and white jade and white diamonds," said the designer Lorraine Schwartz at the screening. "It's incredible. It was designed with her in mind."
But, most importantly, is the star comfortable with the long train, metallic nails, and fierce four-and-a-half-inch heels? "I wouldn't say comfortable, but hopefully, I'll be happy when I see all the photographs and footage," Knowles said.
The couple celebrated its one-year wedding anniversary on 4 April - and the Irreplaceable hitmaker, who will launch the U.S. leg of her I Am... world tour on 21 June, admits she'd eventually like to slow down and build a family with the rapper.
But until then, 27-year-old Beyonce is content living vicariously through her younger sister Solange and playing aunt to her sibling's four-year-old son, Daniel.
She says, "I definitely want one (a child) but I'm not ready for all that. I don't think a person should see that before their time. I fall in love with my nephew every time I see him."
"It's my ideal job," Knowles told Reuters, while promoting her latest film role in "Obsessed," in which she plays a wife who takes on her husband's stalker.
"I'll be able to go to the theater every day and drop my kids off and maybe make some food -- maybe I'll know how to cook by then -- and then go do what I love and have some normalcy and have a regular schedule."
"I definitely want to do Broadway."
Knowles, 27, said she loved playing Sharon Charles in "Obsessed," which opens in U.S. theaters on Friday, her first non-singing film role after performances in screen musicals including "Cadillac Records" and "Dreamgirls."
"I love this role because in most of these movies the man comes in and saves the day. And my character Sharon is the hero. She's strong and doesn't choose to be the victim, call her husband, call the police, hide in the attic -- she fights," said Knowles.
The singer's "I Am..." world tour, which begins this week in Croatia, is dramatic but, "I wouldn't say Broadway," said Knowles , who has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide.
"It's really theatrical and I do, of course, all of the singles."
The fake tape first surfaced on The Howard Stern Show Wednesday and has since been dismissed as "a complete prank," Matt Lauer told Knowles on Thursday morning's Today show.
"I haven't heard this, but I do know whoever did this did it as a joke," the singer, 27, told Lauer, who described the recording as a combination of "dogs barking and fingernails on a chalkboard."
She added, "I heard it's a little over the top."
What amazed her, said the Cadillac Records and Obsessed star, was that such a recording could go from someone's home – where the tape was created – to the nation's airwaves.
The singer's "board mix" from a November performance on America's The Today Show was played by shock jock Howard Stern on Wednesday, and the audio quickly circulated the internet.
Fans were shocked to hear a voice purported to be Beyonce's screeching a rendition of her hit tune If I Were a Boy into the mic.
But Mathew Knowles has slammed the singer's critics and insists the recording has been tampered with.
In a statement to TMZ.com, he says, "If no one took the time to look at the biggest Inauguration in the history of America then shame on them. If no one took the time to listen to Beyonce sing America the Beautiful and At Last at the Neighborhood Ball for the first dance of President Obama and the First Lady, and they question Beyonce's vocal ability, they've gotta be an idiot.
"At 12 years into her career, the last thing someone should be questioning is her vocal ability. That would be like questioning if Kobe Bryant could shoot a jump shot. The vocals were obviously altered."
Beyonce strutted gingerly in one such outfit, with a motorcycle handle-type top and flashing light at the centre. But the camera brought out Sasha Fierce, her alter ego moving confidently in the outrageous getup and stiletto heels.
"I'm never gonna go on stage or do a video and not work until my feet are blistered, and until I'm basically, I can't walk any more," the giggly but exhausted entertainer said later. "I always give, and I do that because I know how lucky I am, to do my job."
In a recent interview, Beyonce - whose latest CD, "I Am ... Sasha Fierce," is double platinum - talked about concerts (her tour kicks off June 21 at Madison Square Garden) in the YouTube age, what she will fight fiercely for and why Etta James never had her worried.
AP: How will this tour be different from your 2007 "B'Day" tour?
Beyonce: It's going to be more emotional, because this album, "I Am," that portion was a lot more real and raw and more sensitive. ... The best part about this tour is I'm working with Thierry Mugler, who is an icon and a legend, and I've been a fan.
AP: Often snippets of concerts end up on the Internet. Is it frustrating not being able to surprise people anymore?
Beyonce: It's very frustrating now. ... It's great because people can get a little sneak peak and say, "Oh, I wanna come to the show" or "I don't wanna go to that show" (laughs), and I'm fans of people so I go on there and check it out too. But you put so much of your heart and time into the wardrobe ... it's kind of unfortunate that people can see the show months before you get into their city, but that's life.
AP: One YouTube video from your last tour showed you falling, getting up and continuing.
Beyonce: A lot of people with heart can see that I have heart, and I encourage other people to have that same strength and fight, and I definitely get tired, I definitely mess up, I definitely fall down stairs. I forget the words, sometimes, but that's just life. I guess the question is, what are you going to do after that? And I always get back up, and it just makes me even stronger.
AP: In your new movie "Obsessed," out on Friday, you play a wife who fights to protect her family. What is the hardest thing you ever fought for?
Beyonce: Everything that's worth anything you have to fight for. You have to fight in your relationships, I have to fight for my career, I have to fight to stay in shape, because I get tempted to eat good old chocolate (laughs), and all this stuff everybody loves. It's all a fight, but it's worth it.
AP: When you sang "At Last" for the Obamas at the inauguration ball, Etta James said some pretty harsh things about you but later said she was joking. Did you know she was joking?
Beyonce: I played Etta James (in last year's "Cadillac Records"), so I did my research, I read her book. I was not at all surprised. That's Etta. She's hilarious (laughs).
AP: Your sister Solange twitters all the time. Do you do it?
Beyonce: My sister is the Twitter queen. She told me about the twittering, but I don't get it, I feel like I'm getting really old. I'm like, what? I don't understand. Just call me.
Launching at Madison Square Garden, the tour, which officially kicked off March 26 in Edmonton, takes Beyoncé to arenas across the country, hitting Ft. Lauderdale, Dallas, Chicago, and 14 other cities before wrapping with a four night stand at Las Vegas' Encore Theatre inside the Wynn. The singer is touring behind her 2008 album I AM … Sasha Fierce.
Beyoncé's tour wardrobe, which includes 71 costumes, was designed by Thierry Mugler. The singer will also be joined on the road by her all-female band as well as winners of her "Single Ladies" dance contest – in which fans uploaded videos of themselves performing her hit – during a segment of the show.
Fan club members can buy tickets beginning April 20. Tickets to the general public will go on sale April 25. In addition, Beyoncé is making 2,000 seats available at each venue (save for the Las Vegas dates) available for $20.
For a full tour itinerary, visit the singer's official Web site.
Newly single Jennifer Aniston pocketed a cool $27 million in 2008, according to Parade's annual "What People Earn" issue. Aniston bagged the same amount in 2007.
The actress is no match for Jay-Z and Beyonce: The power couple combined for a household income of $162 million ($82 million for him; $80 million for her).
On the other side of the spectrum, comeback queen Britney Spears earned $2.25 million (must have spent a lot on lawyer fees, huh?). Country-pop princess Taylor Swift earned $5.5 million.
One-woman comedy machine Tina Fey made $4.6 million, but Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin only reeled in $125,000.
Other celebrities on the list include Will Ferrell ($31 million), Kelly Ripa ($8 million), Patrick Dempsey ($3.5 million), Alex Rodriguez ($34 million) and Tiger Woods ($125 million).
Trumping them all? Barbie. The plastic babe took in a whopping $3.3 billion.
The singer is lending her famous voice to Nickelodeon's animated kids' show, Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!, playing Shine, the lead singer of the The Wubb Girls, in four episodes beginning April 27. It will be the star's first children's project.
Watch the exclusive music video for The Wubb Girlz's tune, "Sing a Song."
"She's a very sweet young lady," Beyoncé says of her character. "Whenever Wubbzy needs a little help or a friend, she's right there with The Wubb Girlz to give him a helping hand. I think Shine is pretty cool."
While Beyoncé has recorded albums (as a solo artist and with Destiny's Child) and performed for fans across the globe – including President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle – and appeared in films, her role for Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! was "all about fun," she says. "It was all about my inner child and me being 5 years old all over again."
The Wubb Girlz will appear in four episodes, April 27-30 at 10 a.m. ET/PT. Beyonce will introduce Sing a Song. The first and third episodes will be shown as Wubb Idol May 1 at 1 p.m. ET/PT, and on Noggin May 3 at 7 p.m. ET.
Says Beyonce: "The one challenging thing for me in playing the role of Shine was her voice. It's really, really high, and my voice is deep and a little husky."
She hasn't convinced Daniel she got the gig. "I told my nephew I was being considered for the role, and he didn't believe me. The episodes haven't aired on TV, so he still doesn't believe me. He's like, 'Yeah, right, Auntie BB, you don't know Wubbzy!' "
The multiple Grammy-winning group - comprising of Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams - left fans heartbroken when they split in 2005.
Knowles has since carved out a highly successful career as a solo artist and actress, while Rowland and Williams have also released their own material.
But the Independent Women hitmakers are set to head back into the studio to complete one last record out of duty to their music label, reports PerezHilton.com.
A source tells the website, "They still have another album they owe their label, Columbia Records, on their contract."
Destiny's Child's last album of new material, Destiny Fulfilled, was released in 2004 and their greatest hits disc, #1s, hit stores in 2005 before the group disbanded.
Two words: Paid rehearsal. If something went wrong at Rexall Place last night, who cares? It's Edmonton. Work out the kinks in the hinterland before upcoming dates in places like Vienna, Prague, Paris and London. Makes sense, doesn't it? It may also explain the "no media" rule in force at the show last night. You wouldn't want some kind of bootylicious wardrobe malfunction on the front page of the Edmonton Sun, would you? Or maybe you would.
Well, anyway, media ban or not, we can still buy a ticket - lots were available - and review the show. One word here: Spectacular.
I don't know what she was worried about, if indeed she was. There were no kinks, not a single bad note or missed cue was evident. Drawing just 8,000 fans, far less than is expected at Britney Spears in two weeks, the show had all the high-production bells and whistles you'd expect from the African-American queen of all media. As with her tour in 2007, there was also the extra-large all-girl band, the phalanx of backup dancers drilled in the latest artful choreography, songs spanning a remarkable career - solo and with Destiny's Child - in a wide range of musical styles, not to mention a remarkable vocal range, and of course the riveting presence of the star herself.
The tour is called I Am ... to support her latest double album I Am ... Sasha Fierce. So in addition to seeing Beyonce's alter-ego (that would be Sasha Fierce), which as far as I can tell is just the uptempo side of this ridiculously gifted artist, we can fill in the blanks in that loaded ellipsis at will. I Am ... the new Tina Turner. I Am ... one hell of a singer. I Am ... blessed with a great butt. And so on. Sure, it's a bit of a self-centred title for a tour, but in what was basically a celebration of all things Beyonce, who else would you want in the spotlight the entire time? Her image - in one revealing costume after another - filled the video screens. Her voice filled the arena. The extra-large all-girl band filled the spaces between, buying time for costume changes.
There was little that was subtle about this show, but some of the Canadian musical homages were appreciated - like a snippet from Sarah McLachlan in her a version of Ave Maria, or a blast from Alanis Morissette's You Oughta Know in If I Were a Boy, the latter seeing Beyonce decked out in some armour-plated get-up like Aunty Entity in Mad Max: Beyond the Thunderdome. Like I said, she's the new Tina Turner.
You might also quibble with some of the robotic wrinkles that weighed down the second half of the concert, though the flying through the air routine was entertaining in a Cirque du Soleil sort of way.
Beyonce can sing traditional R&B if she wants. She proved it late last night - wailing on the Etta James classic At Last, which she performed for the inauguration of U.S president Barack Obama.
There weren't a lot of traditional R&B moments like that last night. Based on the new material, she seems more interested in reinventing the wheel and doesn't seem clear on which way she's going to go. With talent like this, it could be anywhere. It just doesn't have to be everywhere.
The audience, which was forced to wait in the concourse for a full half hour while the band finished its soundcheck, got shafted on the opening act. It was just a mere four songs from 2006 Canadian Idol winner Eva Avila. She even seemed to forget the words to her own latest minor hit, from her second, album: Damned, as in "damned if I do, damned if I don't." There's a message in there somewhere.
The Bootylicious beauty donned a hip-enhancing Thierry Mugler gown in early March and hit the streets of the Big Apple to film a promo video for her I Am... tour.
The dress has attracted unflattering comments about the singer's curvy figure, with some detractors claiming Beyonce's weight is gradually ballooning.
It wouldn't be the first time Beyonce has drastically changed her physique - she piled on the pounds to portray Etta James in 2008 movie Cadillac Records and went on a strict diet to slim down for her role as Deena Jones in the big-screen adaptation of Broadway musical Dreamgirls in 2006.
But the star's spokesperson insists Beyonce is fighting fit as she heads out on tour.
Her representative tells Usmagazine.com, "This is not a weight-gain issue. Beyonce is in the best shape of her life. The exaggerated hips are a design element of a truly couture dress. Beyonce has always loved this dress."
The Mugler couture outfit is one of many designed for Beyonce - the fashion guru was also responsible for creating the 58-piece stage wardrobe she will wear on tour.
And let's face it, BritBrit and RiRi aren't really within reach of the pedestal we're about to place R&B powerhouse Queen B on. Even Barack Obama's daughters look up to she of the bootylicious curves and Fierce 'tude -- which will be out in full force when her I Am ... Tour hits MTS Centre on Saturday night. Here are 10 reasons why we love her:
1. Her alter-ego makes sense.
When countryman Garth Brooks told everyone he would like to be referred to as a rock musician called Chris Gaines in 1999, the world chuckled. But when Beyonce explained her that her alter-ego Sasha Fierce -- who she introduced us to in her two-disc third release I Am ... Sasha Fierce last November -- helps her separate her tamer self from the wild persona she takes on when she hits the stage, it sounded like a logical, harmless idea. Well, until she brought out that roboglove (see No. 9).
2. She doesn't engage in diva feuds.
Part of being a queen is knowing when to keep your mouth shut - and Beyonce has done just that on two notable occasions. First case in point: Aretha Franklin. At last year's Grammy Awards, Beyonce referred to her all-time idol Tina Turner as "the queen" while Queen of Soul Franklin was sitting in the audience. Franklin later issued a statement that implied Beyonce was being dis-R-E-S-P-E-C-T-ful: "I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy." Instead of piping up, Beyonce let her dad respond ("I consider my wife a queen and sometimes call her that. Does Aretha have a problem with that?" Matthew Knowles said). As for this year's dis from Etta James -- who said "the great Beyonce" was "gonna get her ass whupped" for singing her song At Last at U.S. President Barack Obama's inauguration? Beyonce also let that one slide. Though if she had unleashed Sasha Fierce, it might have been another story.
3. She keeps her private life (relatively) private.
The paps might have caught her on vacation without mascara a few times, but Beyonce otherwise keeps her personal life under wraps. To think, the public wasn't even sure if she and Jay-Z had really tied the knot last spring until five months after the fact, when she wore her wedding ring to the Fashion Rocks concert in September. Heck, Beyon-Z could have a Brangelina-sized brood by now and we wouldn't even know it.
4. She keeps her privates (relatively) private.
There's a fine line between sexy and skanky that Beyonce has yet to cross. Though Sasha Fierce is no stranger to hot pants, Beyonce keeps her offstage attire classy, favouring floor-length gowns and pants -- which you'll rarely seen on some of the other songstresses topping the charts these days (right, Lady Gaga?). And while Britney can't get out of a limo without the paparazzi congregating at her crotch, Miss B has avoided any pantyless embarrassment so far.
5. Those moves!
When the average person squats so low that their 'cheeks touch the floor, chances are they're not going to get up gracefully. That's not the case for Beyonce, whose superhumanly strong legs allow her to bend and rise so smoothly, it looks like she's riding an escalator. She can also shake it like nobody's business, and while some of those karate-meets-chicken dance moves from her infamous Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) video were bizarre enough to be mocked by Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg on SNL, we couldn't take our eyes off them.
6. That bod!
Beyonce's pinup curves can be seen everywhere from the latest edition of Vogue to 2007's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, meaning both women and men agree: She's hot stuff. We ARE talking about the woman who coined the term "bootylicious."
7. She's not afraid to take acting risks.
For every Dreamgirls, there's a Pink Panther for our beloved Beyonce. Fortunately, she's had more hits (The Fighting Temptations, Cadillac Records) than misses (Austin Powers in Goldmember) throughout her film career. Who knows what will come of her upcoming thriller Obsessed, in which she plays a woman whose husband is being stalked by Ali Larter. But at least she's willing to find out.
8. She'll be the first to admit she can be annoying.
While still dangerously in love with hubby Jay-Z, Knowles says she has a tendency to annoy him. "I'm a little messy," she told the April issue of Ebony magazine. "When I get home, I don't want to take care of anything ... I don't have any shoes on. No makeup. My purse is in the kitchen." Apparently, this irks Jay-Z -- who she says is "very, very organized." It never hurts for a celeb to admit their imperfections -- if you can call being "a little messy" a flaw.
9. She rocks a roboglove.
Fashion can be cruel - and if you got stuck in the clutches of Beyonce's metal handpiece, you'd learn that the hard way. Dubbed "the roboglove," this dagger-like titanium creation is usually only worn by Sasha Fierce, not Beyonce. But the fact that either of them could pull it off is impressive.
10. Barack Obama's kids dig her.
After Beyonce called Michelle Obama to thank her for letting her sing at the Presidential Inauguration, the first lady told her she's happy her daughters Malia and Sasha have someone like her to look up to. "And I'm like, 'Oh, my God,' " Beyonce said in April's Vogue magazine. Yep, we'd say that's a pretty good compliment.
"I'm a little messy!" the singer, 27, confesses to Ebony magazine in the issue hitting stands March 10. "Oh, yeah."
Seems the pressure to look tailored in public can weigh on her – and when she's out of the spotlight, she feels the need to kick back.
At home, "I don't have any shoes on. No makeup. My shoes are left at the door. My purse is in the kitchen," she says. "I'm relaxed!"
As for her husband, Jay-Z, Knowles realizes that her messy habits may bug him.
"I think that is the most difficult thing for him," she concedes. "He's very, very organized."
Several sources say that the Aussie hunk will be joined on stage by Beyoncé, High School Musical stars and real-life couple Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens and Mamma Mia!'s Amanda Seyfried. Dominic Cooper, Seyfried's costar and rumored boyfriend, will also likely participate, but I'm told scheduling conflicts still have to be resolved to make it work.
One source tells me that Jackman and Beyoncé have been rehearsing at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York City.
The entire group begins rehearsals tonight here in Hollywood, according to another source.
The song-and-dance routine is being directed by Jackman's Australia director Baz Luhrmann. No stranger to musicals, Luhrman's credits include Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet and Strictly Ballroom. Jackman reportedly requested to have Luhrmann stage the Oscar number.
As I first told you earlier today, Efron is also expected to present Best Original Song.
No word yet on what they'll singing and dancing to. First-time show producers Laurence Mark and Bill Condon have kept a tight lid on their plans, but have continually stressed that they intend to shake things up on the movie industry's biggest night of the year.
Reps for the stars and the Oscars did not comment.
The 81st annual Academy Awards will telecast live on ABC from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.
Beyonce won the female artist category while Husdon picked up the new artist award. They costarred in the 2006 film "Dreamgirls."
"This is where we come from," Hudson said, accepting the trophy. "So it's always an honor to come home and feel welcome and to feel the love. I really cherish this and appreciate it."
Along with Beyonce and Hudson, will.i.am and Seal performed on stage at the Shrine Auditorium ceremony, which was hosted by actress Halle Berry and actor-screenwriter Tyler Perry. The show coincides with the 100th anniversary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and kicks off a yearlong centennial celebration.
"The Secret Life of Bees" won for motion picture. "Grey's Anatomy" won for TV drama. Several of the winners were awarded before the live ceremony, including Chandra Wilson from "Grey's Anatomy" for actress in a drama series, Columbus Short from "Cadillac Records" for supporting actor in a motion picture and singer-actor Jamie Foxx for male artist.
Chris Brown, who's accused in a domestic dispute that reportedly involves pop superstar Rihanna, was up against Foxx with Common, John Legend and will.i.am for the male artist trophy. Rihanna was competing against Beyonce with Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson and Mariah Carey for the female artist award. Neither Brown or Rihanna were in attendance.
Sean "Diddy" Combs picked up the TV movie actor trophy for his role in "A Raisin in the Sun." Other acting winners included Hill Harper for "CSI: NY," Tracee Ellis Ross for "Girlfriends," Taraji P. Henson for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and Will Smith and Rosario Dawson for "Seven Pounds."
The awards honor achievements and performances of people of color in TV, film, music and literature. Former Vice President Al Gore and Kenyan activist Wangari Maathai received the Chairman's Award. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali won the President's Award. Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons was given the Vanguard Award.
"I discovered that giving made me happy," Simmons said during his acceptance speech alongside daughters Ming and Aoki, who precariously held up his trophy and counted down his remaining speech time. "As you get older, that's the easy route, so it's always been such an easy thing. It seems kinda crazy to be honored for it."
They join previously announced singers Jennifer Hudson and Seal, Fox said Wednesday. Other celebrities scheduled to take part include Academy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") and Sean "Diddy" Combs.
Halle Berry and screenwriter-actor Tyler Perry are hosts of the 40th annual Image Awards, airing Thursday.
The awards coincide with the 100th anniversary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and will kick off a yearlong centennial celebration.
Hanks was the master of ceremonies for Saks Fifth Avenue's 14th annual "Unforgettable Evening" Tuesday to benefit the Women's Cancer Research Fund.
He and wife Rita Wilson, along with Spielberg and wife Kate Capshaw, serve as honorary chairs of the charity, which funds innovative cancer research.
Paltrow and Cox were recognized for their dedication to cancer causes.
Paltrow, who helped establish a research fund in memory of her father, appeared deeply touched by the honour.
"I'm like a housewife in England," the 36-year-old actress said. "I'm married to a singer. And now I'm here."
Paltrow's husband is Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who won three Grammys with his band at Sunday's Grammy Awards. Martin missed Tuesday's party.
"My husband's in Japan," Paltrow said. "But I've got Jay-Z, so that's even better."
The A-list crowd nibbled on filet mignon and chocolate-covered strawberries, then finished with three songs from Beyonce.
Wearing a sparkly gold mini-dress and backed by an eight-piece, all-girl band, the entertainer opened with Etta James' "At Last" and boogied alongside two dancers during "Crazy in Love" and "Single Ladies."
Beyonce called Paltrow "one of my favourite people in the world."
The 71-year-old singer tells the New York Daily News she "didn't really mean anything" by her remarks at a concert last week.
James says: "Even as a little child, I've always had that comedian kind of attitude. ... That's probably what went into it."
Even so, James says it stung that she wasn't asked to sing her most famous song on the historic night.
James says she liked Beyonce's version but thinks she could have done a better job. She says it's "a shame to say that."
Beyonce portrayed James - and sang the 1941 song written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren - in the film "Cadillac Records" last year.
Beyonce's spokeswoman did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
Favorite Song
Katy Perry, "I Kissed a Girl"
Rihanna, "Don't Stop the Music"
Chris Brown feat. T-Pain, "Kiss Kiss"
Beyoncé, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)"
Favorite Female Singer
Beyoncé
Miley Cyrus
Alicia Keys
Rihanna
First, Hilary Duff snaps nasty about Faye Dunaway. Then, Stephen King admits he doesn't think much of Twilight author Stephenie Meyer's writing chops.
Now, R&B icon Etta James has some choice words to say about Beyoncé Knowles and her "At Last" performance at President Barack Obama's Inaugural Ball.
"I can't stand Beyonce," she told a Seattle crowd.
"You know your president, the one with the big ears? He ain't my president—had that woman singing for him at his Inauguration. She's going to get her ass whooped...she had no business up there, singing up there on a big ol' president day, gonna be singing my song that I've been singing forever."
For the record, Mrs. Jay-Z played James in the recent film Cadillac Records. The "Single Ladies" star claims the soulful songstress had nice things to say about her portrayal. Is she sure about that?
And it will be about a lot more than music, said Michelle Ebanks, president of Essence Communications Inc.
The festival, slated for July 3-5, will include events marking the festival's 15th anniversary and President Barack Obama's inauguration.
Headliners for the festival — billed as one of the nation's largest annual events celebrating black music and culture — will include Beyonce, John Legend, Teena Marie, Al Green and dozens of others.
There also will be a tribute to Bishop T.D. Jakes, the Dallas pastor who gave an Inauguration Day sermon in Washington.
Obama spoke at Essence two years ago, when he was campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination.
The format for this year's festival will be the same as in years past: Ticketed musical performances are slated at night and free empowerment seminars will be held during the day.
The musical lineup also includes Robin Thicke, Anita Baker, Eric Benet, Ne-Yo and Salt-N-Pepa.
"That's the wonderful thing about Essence," Ebanks said. "It's not one particular genre of music. It's a celebration of the music of our lives, of all the music that we know and love."
More musical acts may be added in coming months, she said.
The festival began in 1995 as a one-time celebration of the 25th anniversary of Essence magazine. Over the years, it has hosted performances by Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, LL Cool J, the Isley Brothers, Lionel Richie, Luther Vandross, Mary J. Blige, the O'Jays, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Toni Braxton and Patti LaBelle, among others.
In honor of Essence's 15th anniversary, the festival is offering a 15 percent discount on select tickets through Friday. General admission tickets range from $51 to nearly $175.
Ebanks said the festival's 15 years of success is "a real testament to the legacy of the brand," which she says "was designed with such care."
An estimated 200,000 people attended the festival in 2007, the year it returned to New Orleans after being held in Houston in 2006 because the city was still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. The festival had one of its biggest turnouts last year with more than 270,000 attendees.
The Neighborhood Ball: At the Washington Convention Center, where Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Faith Hill and Mary J. Blige perform.
On Sunday afternoon, the President-elect was feted on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration. The two-hour event was broadcast live on an open signal on HBO, and it featured a mix of historical speeches, presented by stars like Tom Hanks, and classic anthems like U2's surging Martin Luther King, Jr.-inspired "Pride (In the Name of Love)."
Equally powerful, Beyoncé closed out the festivities with a stately, soaring version of "America the Beautiful." The singer beckoned all the earlier performers on stage, leading a star-studded sing-along. Said Beyoncé as she concluded, "America, we are one."
She will sing the Etta James classic "At Last."
Beyonce portrayed the blues great in the recent film "Cadillac Records" and sings the song in that movie.
Beyonce will sing to the Obamas at the Neighborhood Ball Tuesday night.
In a statement, Beyonce said: "I am so honored that I will be performing for President Obama and the first lady. To sing `At Last' while they have their first dance is a dream come true. I could not be more honored and excited that they have asked me to be part of this moment in history."
It was revealed on Thursday that Beyonce would be serenading the Obamas at the event. But the song choice was not revealed by the Presidential Inaugural Committee.
"It is our hope that we can keep the song secret until the moment," said spokeswoman Linda Douglass.
But Beyonce decided to spill the beans herself Friday. Maybe it reflects her excitement: A day after Obama's victory, Beyonce giddily offered to do anything the Obamas needed at the inauguration during an interview. Beyonce, along with husband Jay-Z, were Obama supporters and went out to campaign for him during the election.
Beyonce recently had a No. 1 hit with her song "Single Ladies," with its catchy refrain to a former love: "If you like it then you should have put a ring on it."
And the song? "Crazy in Love?" Her version of Etta James' "At Last?" The Presidential Inaugural Committee isn't saying. "It is our hope that we can keep the song secret until the moment," said spokeswoman Linda Douglass.
Beyonce is part of the star-studded lineup at the official Neighbourhood Ball that will be televised on ABC, along with her husband Jay-Z, will.i.am, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Shakira, Sting, Faith Hill, Mary J. Blige, Stevie Wonder and Maroon 5.
The Presidential Inaugural Committee says presenters at the ball will include Denzel Washington, Jessica Alba, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ray Romano, Jamie Foxx, Queen Latifah and Kate Walsh.
The Neighbourhood Ball is for Washington, D.C. residents, and will be broadcast live and streamed online with an interactive component on the Internet.
The inaugural Web site allows people to host or find viewing parties around the country.
"We are encouraging people all around the country to have their own inaugural ball," Douglass said. "All Americans are invited to take a moment and have a little party, and they'll be connected to the folks in Washington and the Neighbourhood Ball through both broadcast and on the Internet."
Beyonce has been eager to participate in the inauguration, telling a reporter the day after the election: "Whatever they want - if they need me to volunteer, they need me to sing, I'm there, and I'm ready."
Beyonce, Bono, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Usher, Shakira, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban and James Taylor are among the musicians scheduled to perform Sunday afternoon. The president-elect and his family are expected to attend.
HBO will televise the show at 7 p.m. EST on Sunday on an open feed, meaning the pay cable network will offer the telecast for free to cable and satellite customers.
Other performers include Stevie Wonder, Renee Fleming, Garth Brooks, Mary J. Blige, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, John Legend and Jennifer Nettles. Historical passages will be read by Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah and Denzel Washington.
Outstanding Music Video
• “If I Were A Boy” – Beyoncé (MusicWorld/Columbia Records)
• “Single Ladies” – Beyoncé (MusicWorld/Columbia Records)
• “Spotlight” – Jennifer Hudson (Arista)
• “Superwoman” – Alicia Keys (J Records)
• “Yes We Can” – Will.i.am (Will.i.am Music Group/Interscope)
Outstanding Song
• “Greenlight” – John Legend (Columbia Records)
• “Single Ladies” – Beyoncé (MusicWorld/Columbia Records)
• “Spotlight” – Jennifer Hudson (Arista)
• “Superwoman” – Alicia Keys (J Records)
• “Yes We Can” – Will.i.am (Will.i.am Music Group/Interscope)
Outstanding Album • Beyoncé – “I Am…Sasha Fierce” (MusicWorld/Columbia Records)
• Jennifer Hudson – “Jennifer Hudson” (Arista)
• Kanye West – “808 & Heartbreaks” (Island Def Jam)
• Ne-Yo – “Year of the Gentleman” (Island Def Jam)
• Seal – “Soul” (Warner Bros. Records)
Nashville's teen queen just notched her fourth straight week at No. 1,selling another 90,000 for the week ended Sunday, per Nielsen SoundScan. Beyoncé Knowles' I Am…Sasha Fierce, moved 77,000 at No. 2.
With no major releases slated for the immediate future, Fearless will likely dominate the coming charts. Beyoncé, who currently tops the Hot 100 with "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," will remain Swift's main competition.
Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak, which reentered the Top 10 last week, climbed another two spots to No. 3 on 71,000 thanks to major radio play for the current single, "Heartless."
Ironically, the post-Yule week's biggest jumper is actually a holiday album. All Wrapped Up—a Target exclusive featuring holiday songs by such friends of Mickey as Miley Cyrus, Demi Lavato and the Jonas Brothers—jumped 78 spots to No. 10. The album sold 40,000 for the week after the retailer slashed the price after Christmas.
Other discounted holiday albums experienced similar jumps. Julianne Hough's Sounds of the Season bounced 58 spots to No. 24; Disney's Fairy Tale Holiday was up 81 to No. 34; and Nat King Cole's NBC Sounds of the Season leapt a stunning 120 spots to No. 44.
Score one for Ludwig as The 99 Most Essential Beethoven Masterpieces led all debuts by selling 21,000 copies at No. 29. Similar to the holiday releases, the 19th century master benefited from discount pricing—just $1.99 as an MP3 on Amazon.com—which also made it No. 2 on the Digital Albums chart, behind the Twilight soundtrack.
Thanks to a traditionally slow January sales week, newbie rockers Thriving Ivory jumped onto the Billboard 200 with their self-titled debut selling 6,000 at No. 124.
Over on the Digital Tracks chart, Lady GaGa held the No. 1 spot with "Just Dance" selling another 279,000 downloads, while West, Spears and Knowles remarkably dominated six of the other Top 10 spots.
While down a crushing 55 percent compared to the previous week, overall sales were off just 14 percent compared to 2008's kickoff week, when Mary J. Blige's Growing Pains ruled the charts.
Here's a rundown of the Top 10:
1. Fearless, Taylor Swift
2. I Am…Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé
3. 808s & Heartbreak, Kanye West
4. Twilight soundtrack, various
5. Dark Horse, Nickelback
6. Circus, Britney Spears
7. A Different Me, Keyshia Cole
8. Intuition, Jamie Foxx
9. Now That's What I Call Music! 29, various
10. All Wrapped Up, various
Knowles appeared to put down the Jackson family in a recent interview with Elle magazine after stating, "I grew up upper class. Private school. My dad had a Jaguar. We're African-American and we work together as a family, so people assume we're like the Jacksons - but I didn't have parents using me to get out of a bad situation."
And according to the New York Daily News, Jackson, who hails from the working class area of Gary, Indiana, is so "infuriated" by the comment she is planning to confront the singer.
Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," a track from her chart-topping album "I Am ... Sasha Fierce," sold a massive 382,000 downloads last week according to Nielsen SoundScan, a 157% increase.
But Lady GaGa's Grammy-nominated "Just Dance" featuring Colby O'Donis sold 419,000 downloads, the second biggest single-week sum of all time behind Flo Rida's 467,000 from the same week last year. It rose one spot from the previous week, swapping places with T.I.'s "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna.
Kanye West's "Heartless" held at No. 4, and Taylor Swift's "Love Story" rose two to No. 5. Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold" remained at No. 6, and Britney Spears' "Womanizer" fell two to No. 7.
Rounding out the top portion of the Hot 100, West's "Love Lockdown," T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" and Beyonce's "If I Were a Boy" were are unchanged at Nos. 8-10.
Nickelodeon star Miranda Cosgrove's cover of Sugababes' "About You Now" was the top debut at No. 51. The song was released last June on the "iCarly" soundtrack but is now doing strong digital business after a performance on Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade; it sold 74,000 copies last week.
But Beyonce is giving them all a run for their money.
Her video for "If I Were a Boy" has been watched by more than 34 million on the video-sharing site. In it, Beyonce imagines life if gender roles were reversed between her and her boyfriend (a fictional boyfriend, alas, not Jay-Z).
This offers the particular thrill of seeing Beyonce as a police officer - which, if it ever happened, would surely cause such a rash of speeding (with the hopes of a ticket from the pop star) that roads would resemble "Grand Theft Auto."
The popularity of "If I Were a Boy" is matched by Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)." That video has yielded at least 22 million views and inspired countless bedroom copycats.
Whereas "If I Were a Boy" is conceptual and has a narrative, "Single Ladies" is simple, imitable and iconic. It's just Beyonce dancing in a black leotard and heels (and a bizarre metal glove), flanked by two similarly dressed female dancers on a plain white studio set.
The video has spawned dozens and dozens of amateur versions, from the mimicking of a toddler named Arianna to more aggressively serious attempts, like that of a 20-year-old North Carolina native who identifies himself as a Staples employee named Chris or "Angel Pariz."
Beyonce has spoken about how bowled over she is by all the imitations and met some of the dancers. She also joined the "Saturday Night Live" parody of the video with Justin Timberlake and cast members Andy Samberg and Bobby Moynihan. (That video has also been watched by millions online.)
Beyonce and her record label, Sony/BMG, surely hope her latest video, "Diva," also hits a nerve. Released on Dec. 24, it returns the singer to the simple style of her and two dancers in a plain setting - this time an empty warehouse.
It's a grittier and less catchy song, though, and the video hasn't sparked the same attention, drawing less than one million viewers on YouTube so far.
But the popularity of Beyonce's videos only reinforce how important music videos are to the Google-owned YouTube. Many of the most watched videos in YouTube's short history are music videos. (Remember how OK Go's treadmill clip was such a hit in YouTube's infancy?)
Earlier this month, though, videos by artists signed to Warner Music Group began disappearing from the site after contract negotiations broke down between the music company and YouTube. The takedown included many fan-created videos, as well.
It's a somewhat ironic development for a medium - the music video - originally created as an advertisement to sell records (and thus something labels wanted played as much as possible). But as album sales have declined, all revenue streams are more important to labels.
At the same time, YouTube is aware of how much music videos are part of its lifeblood; the site promptly posted a blog entry explaining the situation to users.
There's competition in being an online broadcaster of music videos, too. Artist pages on MySpace increasingly host music videos, and MTV earlier this year launched the beta version of the impressive MTVMusic.com, a player that hosts seemingly every music video.
And naturally, Beyonce's "Single Ladies" is one of the most viewed videos at MTVMusic, too.
Rapper T.I.'s "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna held at No. 2, and Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" featuring Colby O'Donis at No. 3. Kanye West's "Heartless" jumped three places to No. 4.
Britney Spears' "Womanizer" rose one to No. 5, Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold" jumped two to No. 6, and Taylor Swift's "Love Story" climbed four to No. 7.
Another West song, "Love Lockdown," moved up two to No. 8, T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" fell four to No. 9, and Beyonce's "If I Were a Boy" slipped one to No. 10.
Leona Lewis' cover of Snow Patrol's "Run," a recent No. 1 hit in her native United Kingdom, was the top debut at No. 81.
Billboard's airplay-based rock charts were unchanged, with Kings Of Leon's "Sex on Fire" in a third week atop Modern Rock and Shinedown leading Mainstream Rock for a second with "Second Chance."
The tune rose one place to No. 1, trading places for the second time in recent weeks with T.I.'s "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna.
Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" featuring Colby O'Donis rose one place to No. 3, flip-flopping with Britney Spears' "Circus." T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" held at No. 5, as Spears' "Womanizer" rebounded four places to No. 6 and Kanye West's "Heartless" blasted nine places to No. 7 thanks to strong airplay.
Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold" fell one place to No. 8, Beyonce's "If I Were a Boy" dropped three to No. 9, and West's "Love Lockdown" was off two to No. 10.
The Hot 100's top debut was Jamie Foxx's "Just Like Me" featuring T.I. at No. 75. The Oscar-winning actor's new album, "Intuition," was released this week.
Montgomery Gentry's "Roll With Me" began a second week at No. 1 on Hot Country Songs, as Kings Of Leon's "Sex on Fire" did the same on the Modern Rock tally.
Also on the list: Paris Hilton, Ashton Kutcher, Jenna Fischer, Criss Angel, Hayden Panettiere, Shanna Moakler, Travis Barker and Lauren Conrad.
The movie "Twilight," Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce, Lil Wayne and Taylor Swift are among the five top-searched terms on MySpace.
Swift led the list of musical artists most searched for on MySpace Music since it launched on Sept. 25. The most streamed artist is T.I., and the most streamed song belongs to him as well: "Whatever You Like."
"I've known her since she was a teenager!" Union told PEOPLE at Ideal Bite's "Best in Green" Awards on Thursday. "It's been nice to see that her music and her lifestyle choices and her acting choices have all evolved as she's gotten older."
Most notably? The development of Beyoncé's stage persona, Sasha Fierce.
"Beyoncé is quiet and reserved, very Southern, sweet and polite," Union said. "If someone told me that girl was gonna go on stage and do the kind of performances that she does, and be so fiery, and this quintessential and iconic entertainer, I'd be [in disbelief], like, 'Yeah, okay!' "
There's no doubt that Beyoncé has grown up over the years, but one thing that hasn't changed her, Union says, is marriage. (The singer wed rapper Jay-Z in a super-secret ceremony earlier this year.)
"They were good to each other before, they're good to each other now," Union noted. "They seem very happy when they're around. As long as there's more smiles than frowns, I suppose that's the key."
The story traces the rise of Chess Records and the turbulent careers of such legendary R&B artists of the 1950s and '60s as Muddy Waters, Etta James, Howlin' Wolf and Chuck Berry.
A rather disjointed plot follows these musical legends and their interactions with Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody), a Polish-born bar owner. For his patrons' entertainment, he hires guitar prodigy Waters (an excellent Jeffrey Wright) and harmonica player Little Walter (Columbus Short), a duo who change his life.
Seeing a broader potential in the blues, he records their songs, and Chess Records is born.
The title refers to Chess' habit of giving his recording artists new Cadillacs as a reward for a hit record. Whether or not Chess exploited or properly compensated the musicians on his label is unclear, but he seemed to have a familial affection for most of them.
He also appears to have had an affection that transcended friendship with James (Beyoncé Knowles).
Conflict poisons some of the relationships among the musicians and between them and Chess, but there are a few too many story lines, which dilutes the individual sagas, some of which come off like soap opera.
Little Walter has a temper, which leads to trouble with the law. His bond with Muddy's long-suffering girlfriend (Gabrielle Union) could have been more fully explored. And Muddy clashes with Howlin' Wolf (a fine Eamonn Walker).
The film features too little about Berry (an engaging Mos Def), who crosses over to great fame. But when Berry is arrested, Chess switches his focus to another artist: James.
Knowles captures James' emotional vulnerability and is substantially better than she was in Dreamgirls. Of course, she shines most when singing.
While the story could use a tighter focus, the ensemble is strong and the music makes Cadillac Records worth catching.
Cadillac Records - ** 1/2 (out of four)
Stars: Jeffrey Wright, Adrien Brody, Mos Def, Beyonce Knowles
Director: Darnell Martin
Distributor: TriStar Pictures
Rating: R for pervasive language and some sexuality
Running time: 1 hour, 49 minutes
Opens Friday nationwide
"If I didn't respect someone and they didn't have that strength, then I would be bored," the 27-year-old tells Elle in its December issue. "I wouldn't be attracted to them."
The couple, who secretly wed in April, topped Forbes' list of richest couples this year with an estimated worth of $162 million.
As for starting a family with Jay-Z, 39, Knowles told Ellen DeGeneres she definitely wants to have "a couple" of children – but not for a while.
"I'm terrified of having a child," the Cadillac Records actress reveals in Elle. "No way! I'm terrified of delivering a child because I saw my nephew being born. That traumatized me. I'm only 27. I've got time."
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," a track from the R&B star's new solo album "I Am... Sasha Fierce," rose one place to the top, swapping places with T.I.'s "Live You Life."
Another Beyonce song, "If I Were a Boy," held at No. 3, and another former T.I. chart-topper, "Whatever You Like," held at No. 4. Newcomer Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" featuring Colby O'Donis rose two places to No. 5.
Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold" slipped one place to No. 6, Ne-Yo's "Miss Independent" jumped two places to No. 7, Pink's "So What" was steady at No. 8, Britney Spears' "Womanizer" rose three places to No. 9, and Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" was up three to No. 10.
Top debut honors went to Kanye West's "See You in My Nightmares" featuring Lil Wayne, which started at No. 21. The song comes from West's new album, "808s & Heartbreak," which opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 on Wednesday.
AC/DC's "Rock'N'Roll Train" led Billboard's airplay-based Mainstream Rock chart for a third week, and the Offspring's "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" ruled Modern Rock for an eleventh.
Me, Myself And I, Beyonce
Heaven Sent ,Keyshia Cole
Spotlight ,Jennifer Hudson
Superwoman, Alicia Keys
Need U Bad, Jazmine Sullivan
Organizers of the festival announced Tuesday the singer has confirmed her participation.
The July event will mark the 15th anniversary of the celebration of black music and culture. The festival will include more than 12 musical acts a day.
The festival had one of its biggest turnouts this year with more than 270,000 attendees. Performers at the last event included Mary J. Blige and LL Cool J.
Instead, the writer-director has made a movie about all of them with "Cadillac Records," cramming their complicated individual stories into the larger saga of Chicago-based Chess Records, the label that launched those stars and so many others during the 1950s and '60s.
The result feels even more cursory and rushed than the average music biopic, a genre that's already difficult to depict without lapsing into self-parody. (Jake Kasdan, Judd Apatow and Co. had long known that when they made "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.")
It's all here, over and over, just as you've seen it countless times before: the early struggle, the rise to the top (accompanied by the obligatory montage of press clippings and positions on the Billboard chart), the waste of fame and talent with various controlled substances. Certainly there must be a better, fresher way to tell this familiar tale.
Despite the glimmers of potential for typically strong work from Jeffrey Wright as Waters, Mos Def as Berry and Adrien Brody as the label's founder, Polish emigre Leonard Chess, Martin too often gives them too little of substance with which to work. She also shows us the racism of the time — which Chess earnestly, persistently tries to break through by bringing blues and R&B to a mass audience — with facile platitudes and hand-holding voiceover provided by Cedric the Entertainer.
As songwriter Willie Dixon, Cedric tells us things that are already obvious, things we're already seeing for ourselves: that these performers were hooked on music, women and cars (namely Cadillacs, hence the title), on the flashy lifestyle talent and stardom afforded them.
Columbus Short gets some amusing moments as volatile harmonica player Little Walter, but Gabrielle Union gets too little to do as Waters' initially supportive but ultimately put-upon wife (yet another cliche in this type of movie, for those of you keeping score at home).
And Beyonce Knowles doesn't seem to have splurged on acting lessons since her wooden turn in "Dreamgirls." From the second she enters the film as the tempestuous James, you want to see her sing "At Last," then get out. No amount of wigs and padding can transform her.
The music itself is the most reliable star of all; Knowles does knock it out of the park a couple times, particularly on James' signature song, and Mos Def is insanely charismatic as Berry, though he doesn't appear in the film nearly as much as the ads would lead you to believe and when he's gone you want him to come back.
In fact, the music is often so good, with classics including Waters' "Hoochie Coochie Man" and Berry's "No Particular Place to Go," that "Cadillac Records" makes you long for a documentary on the subject instead. That probably wasn't the intended effect.
"Cadillac Records," a Sony Music Film release, is rated R for pervasive language and some sexuality. Running time: 107 minutes. Two stars out of four.
The R&B chanteuse's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" rocketed from No. 28 to No. 2 after selling 204,000 digital downloads, while "If I Were a Boy" held at No. 3. In the week ended November 23, Beyonce scored her third-straight No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 album chart with "I Am ... Sasha Fierce," which sold 482,000 copies.
T.I.'s other recent No. 1, "Whatever You Like," slipped from No. 2 to No. 4. Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold" was down one rung to No. 5, Kanye West's "Love Lockdown" rebounded from No. 9 to No. 6, and Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" featuring Colby O'Donis soared from No. 16 to No. 7 on a 60 percent digital-sales uptick to 113,000.
Pop singer Pink's "So What" dropped from No. 5 to No. 8, as Ne-Yo's "Miss Independent" moved up two notches to No. 9 and Akon's "Right Now (Na Na Na)" fell from No. 8 to No. 10 to round out the top tier of the singles chart.
The Fray's "You Found Me" was the week's top debut at No. 28 after selling 62,000 downloads. The track premiered last week during a promo clip for the hit ABC show "Lost"; it's from the Denver band's self-titled sophomore album for Epic, due February 3.
In one of the year's more competitive sales weeks, Ms. Knowles' double-disc I Am...Sasha Fierce rolled past rockin' new albums by Nickelback and David Cook that would have topped the charts most any other week. Beyoncé scored her third No. 1 album in three tries by selling 483,000 copies, easily eclipsing Nickelback (No. 2, 327,000) and the reigning American Idol champ (No. 3, 289,000).
Beyoncé did have a little help, though. In the spirit of Eminem-Slim Shady and T.I.-T.I.P., the singer introduced her more aggressive alter ego, Sasha Fierce, on the album's second disc. Up until this time, Sasha only appeared in live performances.
I Am topped 2003's Dangerously in Love debut (317,000), but trailed 2006's B-Day (541,000). She also gets family bragging rights over Jay-Z, who sold 425,000 first-week copies of American Gangster last November.
Beyoncé also dominated the Digital Tracks charts with "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" debuting at No. 1 on 204,000 downloads, dropping her single "If I Were a Boy" to No. 2 on 160,000 downloads.
About the only thing Beyoncé didn't do is beat Taylor Swift for the year's biggest female debut (592,000 for Fearless, which fell to No. 4 this week).
Nickelback's Dark Horse galloped in a strong second place. The Canadian rockers, who signed an all-inclusive deal with Live Nation earlier this year, just announced the launch of their North American tour in Nashville on Feb. 25.
Cook, meanwhile, got plenty of cougars to shell out for his eponymous debut. In comparison to Idol's other recent stars, Cook sold nearly 100,000 more copies than rival David Archuleta and twice as many copies as season seven champ Jordin Sparks. (Archuleta, whose eponymous debut opened at No. 2 last week, dropped to No. 11 in its second week.) Cook's album also sold 59,000 digital copies, a new record for a debut artist.
Il Divo's The Promise, which topped the U.K. charts last week, opened at No. 5 (162,000), ahead of the Twilight soundtrack (125,000), which actually sold 17 percent more than the previous week thanks to the film's blockbuster opening.
Just missing the top 10, Dido's Safe Trip Home debuted at No. 13 (51,000).
Other debuts making a Thanksgiving week cluck included Mudvayne's New Game at No. 15, Zac Brown Band's The Foundation at No. 17, Slim's Love's Crazy at No. 32 and Blake Shelton's Startin' Fires at No. 34.
Overall, album sales were up 6 percent over last week but still down 32 percent relative to the same week in '07, when Josh Groban's Noël made its first chart-topping appearance. Fittingly, Noël currently tops the Catalog chart.
Here's a recap of the top 10, based on figures from Nielsen SoundScan:
• I Am…Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé • Dark Horse, Nickelback • David Cook, David Cook • Fearless, Taylor Swift • The Promise, Il Divo • Twilight soundtrack, various • Now That's What I Call Music! 29, various • High School Musical 3: Senior Year soundtrack, various • And Winter Came, Enya • Black Ice, AC/DC
The handpiece you mention—alternately known among fashion reporters as the roboglove, the gling or Anti-Rihanna Death Grip—actually was handcrafted by Beyoncé's longtime jeweler, New York-based Lorraine Schwartz. Despite Internet rumors that the piece was fashioned of pure gold—possibly in the legendary Elven forges at Rivendell—it's actually made of...
...titanium!
And, according to sources close to the gling, it's also one of a kind and therefore close to priceless.
More details on the roboglove? Sure.
• Schwartz had her artisans working day and night on the piece, laboring 24 hours a day until it was complete.
• It fits literally like a glove. Beyoncé's entire upper arm was cast in wax so that the titanium piece would wrap perfectly.
• It's actually several pieces, including a ring, a glove and a separate component that covers the upper arm. It can be worn all together or separately.
• It looks heavier than it is. Titanium is about 45 percent lighter than steel.
• Beyoncé really, really doesn't want to take it off. She wore it on Saturday Night Live. She wore it in her "Single Ladies" video. She wore it in her cover spread for Gotham magazine. She wore it on the red carpet at the MTV Europe Awards.
• The glove was Beyoncé's concept all the way, I am told—a "superpower" hand to complement the singer's new Sasha Fierce ego.
"I got to kiss my boss!" exclaimed Adrien Brody, who stars with Knowles in Cadillac Records. Knowles was also the executive producer for the film, which opens Dec. 5.
Brody was one of several co-stars who hit the red carpet Monday night for the film's Los Angeles premiere. The movie chronicles the rise of Chess Records, a Chicago label that ultimately helped launch the sound of rock 'n' roll music.
It tells the real-life stories of key figures of that era — Muddy Waters, Etta James, Little Walter and Chuck Berry.
"Their stories are so important and need to be told, because it would be no Beyoncé or any of us out right now," said Knowles, who was dressed in Dolce & Gabbana. "They were the first African Americans to cross over on the radio before Motown and it's something that I didn't know. I didn't know that rock 'n' roll came from Chess Records. And I didn't know that the Rolling Stones and the Beatles and all these people copied their music. And it's great for them to finally get their due."
Knowles, who also recently released an album, was getting her own due Monday night. Co-stars praised her work for her role as James.
"I swear to God, after this, there will be no more questions about whether she's an actress or a singer. She is an actress," said British actor Eamonn Walker, who co-starred in the film.
Gabrielle Union, who has known Knowles for years, agreed.
"I like Beyoncé because the check cleared, and if it didn't, I'd know where to find her," joked Union, dressed in navy blue Reem Acra. "She's obviously incredibly talented. When you watch her transform into Etta James and really channel her and her pain and that journey, it's powerful. As a boss and as a fellow actress, she's the bomb."
Jeffrey Wright, who portrays Waters, said she gave the cast an extraordinary lift.
"She came and did wonderful work as a part of an ensemble that came to get down," he said. "And she deflects a lot of the tremendous amount of light that shined on her toward this music and these lives, and that's a great gift for the film."
Brody added: "She came with it. She was just so strong and allowed herself to be vulnerable. It made me really happy. She brought truth to the role."
And now that she has tackled James, is there another legend she'd love to take on?
"I'd love to play Eartha Kitt," said Knowles. "She's amazing. Her story is really interesting, all the things that she went through. Wow."
In an interview in the latest issue of Giant, the 27-year-old singer talks about getting hitched to Jay-Z. She says she doesn't have a fantasy view of marriage. That's because she's seen her parents, Matthew and Tina Knowles, struggle but stick through it.
Says Beyonce: "My parents are tighter now than ever, but they've been through it all. There were times when they were together, times when they were apart. I learned that it's a lot of hard work, that it's more than a dress."
Beyonce and Jay-Z married in a private ceremony earlier this year.
"One day, maybe," the singer – who wed rapper Jay-Z in a super-secret ceremony last April – tells Ellen DeGeneres during Tuesday's show.
What's holding her back? Watching her sister, Solange, give birth in 2004.
"I was there in the delivery room and it kind of traumatized me," Beyoncé admits. "I said please don't have me in the room. And she said, 'You have to. I'm your sister. Stop being so silly.' Well, I was right!"
Still, the Cadillac Records star says she definitely will have kids someday. "A couple, maybe."
Married Life
Beyoncé has been notoriously tight-lipped about her marriage – refusing for months to even confirm the union. But she chatted happily with fellow newlywed DeGeneres – who gave the singer towels and a coffee maker as belated wedding gifts.
"It feels great," Beyoncé says of married life. "Oh gosh, listen to me about to start yapping. We've been together a long time – it's been about seven years."
Why did they wait so long to tie the knot? "I'm only 27 so I was really young [when we started dating]," she explains. "And I feel like it's important for woman and men to have their goals and their own life before they can complete someone else. So we took our time."
Not that Jay-Z was putting on the pressure. "He's a great guy," she gushes. "He's a cool guy. He's patient."
The hip-hop star knows when to give up on a lost cause, though – like Beyoncé learning to cook.
"He actually, after me cooking a couple of times, he said, 'Just don't do it,'" she recalls. "It's ok."
Then again, one could argue that it's always Beyonce season.
Two years ago, it was all about the release of her second CD, "B'Day" and her starring role in the movie "Dreamgirls." Last year, her "Irreplaceable" was up for a top Grammy and she was on a world tour. And this year, besides a high-profile Grammy performance with Tina Turner, her hush-hush marriage to Jay-Z and appearances on hit remixes with Justin Timberlake and Usher generated headlines.
Though it may have been hard to tell, she actually did take a yearlong hiatus from recording music.
"I think I did need to take a break. I honestly did," she says, sitting on a sleek chair in an even sleeker hotel room during a recent interview. "I needed to take a break even personally so I could relax and appreciate all the things that I worked for."
Of course, Beyonce being Beyonce, her hiatus wasn't a complete vacation: She spent part of that "break" filming her upcoming movie, "Cadillac Records," in which she peels off the glamour to play R&B great Etta James during her drug-addled years.
Beyonce says not only did the role propel an acting breakthrough, it provided a musical one, too.
"I felt like after I played Etta James, and I sang these beautiful, emotional, deep, honest songs, I really learned a lot about myself. And I wanted to make classic music ... to grow and make that transition into legendary," she says.
Her bid at musical immortality comes this week with the release of "I AM ... SASHA FIERCE," her third solo CD, something of a departure from the frenetic funk of her previous two multiplatinum albums, "Dangerously in Love" and "B'Day."
While the new album certainly has its share of club anthems — one of its first singles is the bouncy jam "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" — it is a double-CD with two personalities. The upbeat side is dubbed "SASHA FIERCE" (the namesake of her onstage, divalicious alter ego); the "I AM ..." portion is a ballad-centric pop album that features Beyonce at what her father and manager, Matthew Knowles, calls her most revealing.
"She shows more vulnerability on this record," says Knowles, who with Beyonce acts as executive producer. "That's a natural growth of her age and life experiences."
Though Beyonce is an established veteran after more than a decade in the spotlight (she made her debut along with the rest of the members of Destiny's Child in 1997), the 27-year-old has always been among the more guarded celebrities, staying on message about her music and movies while giving up little about her life outside the spotlight.
She still refuses to divulge much about her private life (other than confirming her marriage to Jay-Z — a breakthrough itself — she declined to speak much about the relationship). But she seems more at ease during interviews, more willing to let the Sasha side of her personality come through. The day after the election of Barack Obama, the giddy singer was in good spirits, wearing a suit in honor of the candidate she supported and laughing often as she talked about politics, music, and her future.
"I'm learning the importance of balance, which is one of the biggest (concerns) of all working women — when is it enough, when is it time to relax, and to take care of yourself? But I'm very proud of my progress," she adds with a laugh, "and I'm growing."
Songwriter Makeba Riddick, who co-wrote songs on "B'Day" and was part of a team of writers on the ballad "Ave Maria" with Beyonce, says that growth was apparent during the creation of "I AM ... SASHA FIERCE."
"The energy, it was different," says Riddick. "'B'Day' was a bunch of dance tracks and it was a lot of fun records, party records, and this is more reflective and personal. (She's) just showing a more mature side of her and music."
That's partly because of where her head was at after filming "Cadillac Records," which she executive produced. The movie, which also stars Oscar-winner Adrian Brody and Jeffrey Wright, documents the heyday of the Chess R&B label.
To depict James in the harrowing throes of addiction, Beyonce spent time at a Brooklyn rehab center in to better understand something she says she's never done: drugs. The experience, she said, took its toll.
"I don't go around focusing on negative things, so it was really a difficult thing for me to be in that much pain for that amount of time, crying all day, all night, even when I left I was in a funk. I was a different person."
Beyonce also takes a dramatic turn in the upcoming thriller "Obsessed," due out next year.
"She's played two roles that really have helped change and mold her growth," says her father.
To that end, Beyonce appears to be taking a more streamlined approach to her music.
"I just wanted to do things that makes people feel, make people think. Even with the uptempos, with 'Sasha Fierce,' I wanted it to be simple and classic."
"I know I'll definitely be there [at the swearing in]," she told reporters at a Gotham magazine event in New York Tuesday night. "I want to be there to witness it."
As for performing, she added, "Of course I'd love to. Who wouldn't?"
The singer also opened up about dancing with Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg in a hilarious Saturday Night Live send-up of her hit "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)."
"Justin Timberlake came by SNL, and I just happened to be in town," she said of the already-classic skit. "I said, 'I'm not sure I want to do it.' ... But when they told me [he] would be a part of it, I said, 'I have to do this!' "
So how does she rate his skills as a (leotard wearing!) backup dancer? "He's so hilarious!" she said. "He has the best timing."
The singer likes to relive her shows to work out what she can do better next time. She says, "I have my YouTube days when I watch every performance. I listen to my music and I watch my videos to figure out what I need to do, what I need to fix and how to become a better singer."
"I still can't believe he did that. He was incredible," Beyoncé, 27, said on Power 105.1's The Ed Lover Show. "We rehearsed it two times. He picked up the choreography. He has this photographic memory. He could probably kill it if he wanted to."
Timberlake, in a black leotard and high heels, danced to "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," one of the tracks off Beyoncé's new album, I Am … Sasha Fierce. The singer said she is ready for people to see her through the album.
"With this project, I went with simplicity, because I've done everything," Beyoncé said. "Half of the album is my album that I love, called I Am, and half is for the fans, called Sasha Fierce."
Her Alter Ego
Sasha Fierce is the singer's sensual, aggressive alter ego, but don't expect her to surface anywhere but the stage.
"Sasha Fierce was born when I did 'Crazy in Love.' People, when they meet me, expect that all the time, but that person is strictly for the stage."
Maybe Sasha caused that fall at her concert last year. Either way, Beyoncé is still feeling that pain. "I had to get right up or I would be laid out. I have a permanent scar and permanent bruising on my leg from that fall."
On I Am … Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé, like David Bowie and Mariah Carey before her, unleashes an alter ego, and uses it to both open her heart and maintain her dignity.
Available in standard and deluxe editions, the album is divided into two discs.The first is gentler and more patently vulnerable, while Ms. Fierce is a vehicle for the confidence and sass that the singer summons onstage. But as that title, with its sly ellipsis, suggests, Beyoncé and Sasha are bound by more than a creative concept. There are strength and defiance in I Am's tender ballads, and unfulfilled yearning in Sasha Fierce's funkier, more flamboyant fare.
The overall portrait is one of a young woman grateful for her blessings in art and life, and eager to protect them as her journey continues.
-Download: If I Were a Boy, Ave Maria, Sweet Dreams
-Consider: Broken-Hearted Girls, Scared of Lonely (deluxe edition)
"I AM . . . SASHA FIERCE" is her attempt at a concept album, with the disc split into two.
There's the swoony, ballad heavy "I AM . . .," which Beyonce says reveals her true self "underneath all the exciting star drama." Then there's the more modern, hip-hop-influenced "SASHA FIERCE," which Beyonce calls "more sensual, more aggressive." The cover for "I AM . . ." has Beyonce scrubbed free of makeup, a cross dangling from her hand. "SASHA FIERCE" is all glamazon armour: dark eyebrows, gilded eyelids, puckered mouth - all oozing sex.
Does the split-personality attempt work? As a total package, not quite. Individual songs such as the role-reversal jam "If I Were A Boy" and saucy "Video Phone" shine, while other tunes just don't produce enough oomph.
Vulnerability is nothing new for Beyonce, who touched on her sensitive yearnings on 2003's solo debut "Dangerously in Love." But she came roaring back in 2006 with "B'Day," the kind of woman-in-control hit album that scorched club roofs with its rapid-fire grooves.
Executively produced by Beyonce and her dad-manager Matthew Knowles, "I AM . . . SASHA FIERCE wants it naughty and nice. Still, with only 11 songs on the full album's standard version, splitting the two sides is unnecessary. Each disc isn't strong enough to maintain the momentum "B'Day" did, even with five extra songs on the album's deluxe version.
"I AM . . ." starts off promisingly, with "If I Were A Boy" building on a soft rock acoustic guitar riff and handclaps.
"If I were a boy, I think I could understand, how it feels to love a girl, swear I'd be a better man," Beyonce emotes. Written by BC Jean and Fergie collaborator Toby Gad, the tune - the only one Beyonce didn't have a hand in writing - is one of the strongest she has ever done.
Then things start getting generic.
Slow burner "Halo" could be a love letter to her new hubby, Jay-Z, but it has such a conventional feel, with cliche heart-tugging lyrics lacking spark.
Other songs, from the sadly cooing "Disappear" to piano-based "Broken-Hearted Girl," recall U.K. songstress Leona Lewis (Indeed, OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder, who penned Lewis' hit "Bleeding Love," co-wrote "Halo"). While B's voice sounds great, the mushy content - all ballads - doesn't leave you inspired.
Thankfully, when "SASHA FIERCE" begins with "Single Ladies (Put A Ring on It)," the album comes back to life with the hip-moving sassiness that Beyonce delivers so well. The chant - "If you like it then you should've been a ring on it" - is all diva strut and a clap-beat rhythm with "oh-ohs" thrown in.
"Video Phone," a dirty ditty dotted with electro bleeps and groans, is guilty good. Beyonce - oops, make that Sasha - lets her inner freak fly: "You want me naked. If you likin' this position you can tape it," she slurs over finger snaps.
"Diva," a sparse play off Lil Wayne's "A Milli," funnels Beyonce's strong voice into low-key rap posturing. Call her Sasha or Beyonce, there is no doubt it is fiercely funky - and the kind of attitude we want from Beyonce, instead of meekness.
Beyonce, for all her big-haired, big-voiced fabulousness, apparently has some identity issues like the rest of us. But if other worthy one-named divas have successfully straddled that divide between vulnerability and powerhouse sexuality without an alter-ego as a buffer, so can Beyonce.
Check out this track: Extra tune "Ego" is worthy of Beyonce's role as Etta James in the upcoming film "Cadillac Records." A shout-out to her man, and herself, Beyonce taps into James' boldness, singing, "He love my big ego. It's too much. I walk like this cuz I can back it up." Go B!
"I was 18 when we first met, 19 when we first started dating. There was no rush," the singer tells Seventeen in its December/January issue, due out Nov. 18. "I really don't believe that you will love the same thing when you're 20 as you do at 30."
The singer, whose new album I Am … Shasha Fierce arrives Monday, says she wanted to have a strong sense of self before making a lifelong commitment to anyone.
"Before the age of 25, I would never get married," says the 27-year-old singer. "I feel like you have to get to know yourself, know what you want, spend some time by yourself, and be proud of who you are before you can share that with someone else."
Still, she has learned a lot from her music mogul husband – and not just about showbiz. Asked what lessons Jay-Z has taught her, she says, "I guess probably that we're all human."
"I don't care if you're picture-perfect on every magazine cover, and you're the most handsome, successful, coolest guy," says Beyoncé. "You still get sad, and you still get your feelings hurt, and you still get confused and vulnerable and nervous and scared. You have to find a person you can make it through the tough times with."
Beyoncé also shows her fiercely ambitious side in the interview, saying that she often studies her own past performances looking for ways to improve.
"I have my YouTube days, when I watch every performance," she says. "I listen to my music, and I watch my videos to figure out what I need to do, what I need to fix, and how to become a better singer."
"I am happy that my fans will get to listen to my new album first at MySpace," Beyoncé says in a statement. "I have put my heart and soul into I Am … Sasha Fierce and cannot wait to hear the feedback from the fans."
Named for the singer's spicy alter-ego, the double album – and the singer's third solo disc – finds her broadening her sound. As Beyoncé tells it, the disc "allows me to take more risks and really step out of myself, or shall I say, step more into myself, and reveal a side of me that people [who] only know me see."
Among the innovative sonic moments on the album, "Diva" presents an aggressive, hip-hop flavored sound with its chirpy, repetitive verse: "Diva is a female version of a hustler." Other songs like "Sweet Dreams" and "Halo" position Beyoncé's voice over synthesizer-flecked melodies. And "Radio" takes her into full-on dance-music territory with a club-ready rush of a beat.
FAVORITE STAR 35 & UNDER
Amy Adams
Drew Barrymore
Beyonce
Orlando Bloom
Chris Brown
Chace Crawford
Miley Cyrus
Leonardo DiCaprio
Zac Efron
America Ferrara
Ryan Gosling
Jake Gyllenhaal
Anne Hathaway
Scarlett Johansson
Angelina Jolie
Alicia Keys
Keira Knightley
John Krasinski
Shia LaBeouf
Blake Lively
John Mayer
Eva Mendes
Daniel Radcliffe
Rihanna
Taylor Swift
Justin Timberlake
Carrie Underwood
Usher
Milo Ventimiglia
Pete Wentz
Kanye West
Reese Witherspoon
"Now, they offer crazy money that's just ridiculous," she said in a recent interview, laughing. "But in the end, absolutely not. It's so not worth it. If anything, if you wanna put something out, then put it out, not for (money)."
Beyonce and Jay-Z were married in April in an intimate ceremony in New York City.
"We worked really hard at keeping it private," she said. "I've always been this way, and he's always been this way, so that's why we complement each other. We always knew that it would be private and quiet, for all the right reasons."
Though Beyonce declined to talk about specific details, she's been more open to acknowledging her relationship in recent interviews after years of silence about it.
She's due to release her new CD, "I AM ... SASHA FIERCE," on Nov. 18. MySpace Music is giving listeners a free preview of the CD on its Web site starting 3 a.m. Tuesday. The 27-year-old singer joins the list of other musicians who provide fans with an online preview of the CD in the days before its release.
"She'd get us little jackets and we'd go to an art supply store and we'd get stones and glitter and we'd personalize a lot of our clothes," Beyoncé, 27, said in an interview in the premiere issue of The New York Observer Style. "She taught me the importance of looking good and feeling good but also that beauty comes from within, because it fades."
Now the singer, who is set to release her new album Nov. 18, wears vintage Caroline Herrera and collects Chanel jewelry. "I'm an accessories queen. I collect a lot of vintage jewelry. I love it because you know no one else has it. Sometimes I don't even wear it – I just like to look at it."
Behind it all, though, is Tina. Beyoncé said she has looked up to her mother since she was little. "I looked at her like a therapist and a makeover queen – the perfect glamorous smart woman. People would walk in, talk to her and tell her their issues and they'd walk out feeling and looking like a new woman."
"What would be better than Wonder Woman?" she tells the Los Angeles Times. "It would be great. And it would be a very bold choice. A black Wonder Woman would be a powerful thing. It's time for that, right?"
The singer-actress, 27, has met with representatives at DC Comics and Warner Bros. to discuss donning the red, white and blue bathing suit on screen, she says.
"After doing these roles that were so emotional I was thinking to myself, 'OK, I need to be a superhero,'" Beyoncé tells the Times. "Although, when you think about the psychology of the heroes in the films these days, they are still a lot of work, of course, and emotional. But there's also an action element that I would enjoy."
Her interest in the role was strengthened earlier this year when she went to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and saw on display Lynda Carter's iconic costume.
"I would definitely have to keep it right for that costume," she says. "But I love Wonder Woman and it'd be a dream come true to be that character. It sure would be handy to have that lasso."
She says, "It was definitely difficult because I was so young and my father was my manager and the group was like family. I felt like, what are we gonna do? We weren't making any money yet.
"I was the lead singer, so I got the blame. That was the first time I had to deal with rumours and people attacking me. I was an 18-year-old kid, so I didn't understand it was just a part of this life and it wasn't personal. I didn't have a thick skin yet. I was so embarrassed and wanted to defend myself and please everybody." The Destiny's Child trio eventually parted ways in 2005.
Knowles went blonde to portray the singer (best known for the 1961 classic "At Last") in the film Cadillac Records, hitting theaters Dec. 5.
See the trailer here.
The musical drama, which centers on the influential sound developed by Chess Records, also stars Oscar-winner Adrien Brody as the label's co-founder Leonard Chess (known for rewarding his top acts with a shiny new Cadillac) and Jeffrey Wright as blues legend Muddy Waters.
Seven-time Grammy-winner Knowles is generating Oscar buzz for her portrayal of James, now 70, who battled a heroin addiction.
"I'm there. I can't wait. I feel like all of us, we're ready to do whatever we have to do. Whatever they want — if they need me to volunteer, they need me to sing, I'm there, and I'm ready," a giddy Beyonce said in an interview the day after Barack Obama made history in becoming the nation's first elected black president.
The singer couldn't stop beaming after Obama's win over Republican John McCain on Tuesday. In fact, she was so inspired, she wore a blue suit and tie in honor of Obama — with stiletto heels that were red, white and blue.
"I've never been so patriotic!" she laughed. "I'm just beyond excited."
Beyonce was supposed to be in Japan on Election Night to promote her upcoming album, "I Am ... Sasha Fierce," but decided to postpone it at the last minute.
"I said, 'What am I doing? I'm completely making a bad decision. I have to go home, I'm gonna kill myself if I'm not home in America,'" she said. "I knew I needed to be here."
After going with hubby Jay-Z, Diddy, Mary J. Blige and others to states like Pennsylvania, Florida, and Ohio just before the election, she watched the returns Tuesday night with family and friends in her home. She was not only inspired by Obama, but McCain's concession as well: "McCain's speech was so classy."
The 27-year-old said the win was particularly important for the inspiration it gave to African-Americans.
"My nephew, who is 4, when we say, 'You can do whatever, you can be whatever,' it's not cliche. You have no doubt that it's not true," she said.
The election even brought Beyonce to tears, though she says it was the good kind: "I fell asleep crying and smiling at the same time," she laughed. I woke up with mascara running and a smile on my face!"
She says, "Even now I sometimes fly economy if I need to. We had a storm in Miami (Florida) and there was a hurricane coming so we just got out."
She adds, "You know the airlines where if you're fifth in line, you sit in seat five? And then they throw a peanut at you with your drink? I don't care about those kind of things. It's just that people don't give me peace, that's the hardest thing."
She tells Gotham magazine, "We were together for a really long time before we got married; we were in no rush. We don't have a normal relationship because of our careers. But celebrity or not, you go through the exact same things. We're not perfect."
But Knowles admits she loves life as Mrs. Shawn Carter. She adds, "This is like my first relationship. I'm very private and, of course, I don't talk about it, but I'm very, very happy. That's all I'll say."
The pop superstar is far from happy with the Gotham magazine piece, in which she reportedly stated she was headed towards a collapse two years ago.
Knowles now says, "I wouldn't say I was on the verge of a breakdown. That's a very strong thing to say." So was she misquoted? She adds, "Maybe. I have been before."
T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" was No. 1 for a seventh non-consecutive week, while "Live You Life" featuring Rihanna was No. 2 for a second consecutive week.
Beyonce's "If I Were a Boy" bounced 65 places to No. 3. She was last in the chart's upper tier with "Beautiful Liar," her duet with Shakira, in the spring of 2007.
Pink was No. 4 with "So What," Britney Spears at No. 5 with "Womanizer," and Katy Perry at No. 6 with "Hot N Cold." Each was down one place. Kevin Rudolf's "Let It Rock" featuring Lil Wayne and Ne-Yo's "Miss Independent" held at Nos. 7 and 8, respectively.
Rihanna's "Disturbia" dropped three to No. 9, and Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" rose three to No. 10. British singer Adele's "Chasing Pavements" was the top debut at No. 82.
On Billboard's airplay-based rock charts, Metallica's "The Day That Never Comes" was No. 1 at Mainstream Rock for a fifth week, while the Offspring's "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" led Modern Rock for a sixth. Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" debuted at No. 12 on the former.
Carrie Underwood earned her seventh No. 1 hit on Hot Country Songs as "Just a Dream" jumped two places.
The R&B singer has christened herself "Sasha Fierce" for her new double album, "I Am ... Sasha Fierce," due in U.S. stores on November 18, and has released a lengthy justification for the comical moniker.
"I have someone else that takes over when it's time for me to work and when I'm on stage, this alter ego that I've created that kind of protects me and who I really am," the former Destiny's Child frontwoman said in a statement.
"Sasha Fierce is the fun, more sensual, more aggressive, more outspoken side and more glamorous side that comes out when I'm working and when I'm on the stage."
Additionally, she has set up a cryptic MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/sashafierce) that gives a "lucky person" the opportunity to receive a personal message and a gift bag valued at $500.
As George found out, nicknames usually do not work when they are self-bestowed. His colleagues thought he should be called Koko the monkey. In real life, rapper Eminem had better luck with his alter ego "Slim Shady," which he said came to him while he was on the toilet.
Beyonce released her previous solo album, "B'Day," to coincide with her 25th birthday in September 2006. It debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. pop chart and yielded the No. 1 single "Irreplaceable."
"I Am ... Sasha Fierce" will be distributed by Columbia Records, a unit of Sony Corp's Sony Music Entertainment.
"Celebrities have the power to motivate civic engagement regardless of their own grasp of the issues at hand," according to a study by Washington State University published in the Mass Communication and Society journal.
The study, based on a survey of 305 students at the university, contrasted with a number of other polls which indicated celebrity endorsements of presidential candidates were unlikely to sway votes,
It said: "Celebrity endorsed campaigns successfully lowered complacency and helped young people believe in their own impact on the political system. Young people got involved at higher levels and became increasingly aware of societal issues."
The study, led by Erica Austin, researched the influence of "get out the vote" campaigns in 2004 involving Knowles, Aguilera, Combs and other celebrities. It quoted a Pace University poll in 2004 which showed 44 percent of newly registered voters were ages 18 to 25.
The study found that "the cause of this dramatic increase in voter participation of young people in 2004 can largely be attributed to celebrity get-out-the-vote promotions."
About 44 million people aged 18 to 29 are eligible to vote in the November 4 presidential election. If young voter turnout exceeded 50 percent, it would be only the third time since the voting age was lowered to 18 in 1972.
Turnout among young voters peaked at 55 percent in 1972 and dropped to 40 percent in 1996 and 2000, but it rebounded to 49 percent in 2004.
Celebrities including Jessica Alba, Leonardo DiCaprio, Halle Berry, Jennifer Aniston, Ashton Kutcher, Eva Longoria and Dustin Hoffman have been involved in campaigns this year to encourage people to vote.
"I gained almost 15 pounds to play the role," Beyoncé, 27, says in the November issue of In Style. "It was way easier – and tastier – than having to lose so much weight for Dreamgirls."
Her legendary role didn't only affect her figure, but it also rubbed off on her music. "Lyrically, it's deeper than what I've done before," the singer, who recently debuted two singles, says of her album due Nov. 18. "I wasn't mature enough or old".
Beyoncé reclaimed her bootylicious curves (and then some!) to play soul singer Etta James in the upcoming film Cadillac Records.
"I gained almost 15 pounds to play the role," Beyoncé, 27, says in the November issue of In Style. "It was way easier – and tastier – than having to lose so much weight for Dreamgirls."
Her legendary role didn't only affect her figure, but it also rubbed off on her music. "Lyrically, it's deeper than what I've done before," the singer, who recently debuted two singles, says of her album due Nov. 18. "I wasn't mature enough or old enough, or in touch with myself enough, to do this type of album before. I didn't have the guts."
It was only last week that the stealth newlywed opened up about her secret wedding to longtime love Jay-Z. "This is a new chapter for me," she says. "I'm terrified, but excited. It's like I'm a new woman."
The singer, 27, told Billboard the video for "If I Were a Boy," where she dresses up as a police officer, is "kind of like Freaky Friday."
"In the beginning of the video, my husband makes me breakfast and he's excited about it, and I kind of don't have time to eat," she says. "As a police officer, I have a male partner and the video goes through our days. My husband's at work and has attractive girls flirting with him but he declines their advances. I have a guy flirting with me, and I flirt back."
So where does the Freaky Friday part come in?
"At the end of the clip, you realize that I was acting out his life, and it all starts over again. He was a cop and everything that happened was really him doing the same thing to me," Beyoncé says. "It's about all of the little things that mean so much in a relationship."
"Single Ladies," meanwhile, comes from a different perspective: Beyoncé's onstage persona Sasha. The dance track features lyrics like, "We just broke up/I'm doin' my own lil' thing/And you decided to dip/ Now you wanna trip/Cuz another brutha noticed me/I’m up on him/He up on me."
The Sasha persona is one of the risks Beyonce said she is taking on the new album. The singer wrote a letter to fans about the album, saying, "I am in a different place right now and I wanted people to see the many sides of me."
Both singles, which debuted last week, will appear on her new album, out Nov. 18.
"What Jay and I have is real. It's not about interviews or getting the right photo op. It's real," the singer, 27, tells Essence magazine in its November issue.
Notoriously tight-lipped about her relationship with the hip-hop mogul, Beyoncé does share a little about her wedding day, but only after groaning, "You're gonna get me in trouble."
Beyoncé tells the magazine she didn't want an engagement ring because, "People put too much emphasis on that," she says. "It's just material and it's just silly to me."
Instead, the magazine reports, she wears a band on her ring finger over a tattoo of the Roman numeral IV (Beyoncé was born on Sept. 4; Jay-Z on Dec. 4; they were married on April 4). Jay-Z, 38, has a matching tattoo on his left-hand ring finger.
(Beyoncé has not commented on the significance of a $5 million, 18-carat flawless diamond ring by Lorraine Schwartz she has been photographed wearing since September.)
Their wedding was small and intimate because Beyoncé is not a "traditional woman," she says, and didn't want the drama. "It's been my day so many days already," she told Essence.
Beyoncé, who just debuted two singles off her new album due Nov. 18, was certain she and Jay-Z would end up as husband and wife. "We've been together a long time," she says. "We always knew it would happen."
In the ballad, If I Were a Boy, Beyoncé, 27, sings how she'd "chase after the girls" and "put myself first," and belts out in the chorus how she'd "be a better man" because she knows "how it hurts when you lose the one you wanted/cause he's taken you for granted."
Beyoncé's second single, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" aired on Z100's sister station Power 105.1.
In the song, the secretly married performer croons, "We just broke up/I'm doin' my own lil' thing/And you decided to dip/ Now you wanna trip/Cuz another brutha noticed me/I’m up on him/He up on me."
Check 'em out for yourself!
"I have recorded over 70 songs and have created a sound that reveals all of me," the singer, 27, writes about her upcoming album – due Nov. 18 – in a post on her official Web site. "I am in a different place right now and I wanted people to see the many sides of me."
Knowles will likely pare down her bounty of songs for the album, though she has not yet confirmed a title or track listing for the set. She did announce that the disc will be preceded by two singles, "If I Were a Boy" and "Single Ladies," which be released on Oct. 7.
Most importantly, the singer says her new music reflects who she is now – personally and sonically.
"I have worked on this album for close to one year," she writes. "I have taken the time so I can create my sound. Something that says who I am at this stage in my life. I have poured my heart and soul into it. It is my baby. It is the most time I have spent on any project since my first records as a member of Destiny's Child," her posting says.
As for the sound, "The music is upbeat for the dance, fun side and it is reflective, passionate and serious for the personal side," Knowles writes. "I have taken risks here. I am not afraid and my music will explain it all."
Ultimate Urban
- Alicia Keys
- Beyonce
- Chris Brown
- Kanye West
- Lil Wayne
Beyoncé has finally set a release date for her as-yet-untitled third studio album: The wannabe icon will unleash her new tunes on Nov. 18.
While she probably doesn't need to worry too much about hyping the hotly anticipated release, she'll still be amping things up on Oct. 7, when she simultaneously releases the first two singles from the album, "If I Were A Boy" and "Single Ladies."
The new album—her first as a (quietly) married woman—follows up 2006's B'Day and, according to her Columbia record label is the Grammy winner's "most personal, reflective and revelatory collection to date."
The 27-year-old cowrote and coproduced every track on the album.
All eyes were on Beyoncé Friday night, when, for the first time, the singer publicly displayed her engagement ring on the red carpet for Fashion Rocks at Radio City Music Hall in N.Y.C.
The singer, 27, who secretly married rapper Jay-Z in April, flashed an 18 carat flawless diamond by Lorraine Schwartz, valued at more than $5 million dollars, according to the jeweler.
Neither Beyoncé nor Jay-Z have publicly confirmed their marriage but in recent weeks, Beyoncé’s younger sister Solange referred to Jay-Z as her brother-in-law during a television interview.
Later in the evening, Beyoncé took off the ring for a performance where she donned a short, blonde wig in tribute to blues singer Etta James whom she portrays in an upcoming movie.
The star-studded event included appearances by Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Mary J. Blige, Tommy Hilfiger, Hayden Panettiere, Paula Abdul, Fergie, Ciara, Natasha Bedingfield, Chris Brown, Terrance Howard, Justin Timberlake and Chace Crawford.
"There is a time limit on being a pop star, yes," the Grammy-winning singer tells the October issue of Marie Claire's U.K. edition. "Being a legend, an icon? Absolutely not."
"I'm over being a pop star," Beyoncé, 26, adds. "I don't wanna be a hot girl – I wanna be iconic."
Still, she admits to being frustrated with the demands of her career: "There are responsibilities that come along with this life ... trying to have a romantic meal without someone sneaking in to film the whole thing," says Beyoncé, who married Jay-Z in April. "I have to work really hard and it's fine because I like it, I love it, but it's a lot of sacrifice."
Acknowledging the challenges of being a minority in Hollywood, Beyoncé gives a nod to her own role models: "I think I'm opening doors for more black women, just like Halle Berry and Diana Ross opened doors for me."
The singer also expressed a sense of excitement for the political future. Regarding Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, she says, "I'm really proud. I think we're making a bit of progress, it's an exciting time. We all feel part of our country now."
That's when "Just Stand Up" hits airwaves and iTunes. The song features Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes and Carrie Underwood. All sales of the star-studded single will benefit cancer research.
The charity tune was conceived by Antonio "L.A." Reid, who produced it with longtime creative colleague Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds.
All 15 singers will share the stage to perform the song live on Sept. 5 during the "Stand Up to Cancer" television special, set to air simultaneously on ABC, NBC and CBS. Other stars expected to turn out for the hourlong fund- and awareness-raising program include Jennifer Aniston, Lance Armstrong, Katie Couric, Sally Field, Salma Hayek, Meryl Streep, Forest Whitaker and Reese Witherspoon.
Founded in 2007, Stand Up to Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation that calls on entertainment-industry people and platforms to help fight cancer.
"We highly value our relationship with Ms. Knowles. It is categorically untrue that L'Oréal Paris altered Ms. Knowles' features or skin tone in the campaign for Feria hair color," the Paris-based company said in a statement sent to the Associated Press through the singer's representative.
The ad is in the current edition of Elle magazine.
L'Oreal, the maker of Garnier hair care and Lancome cosmetics, is the world's largest cosmetics maker.
A representative for Beyonce said the singer would have no comment beyond L'Oreal's statement.
Beyonce has been a spokeswoman for L'Oréal since 2001.