Aretha Franklin to Get All-Star Grammy Salute

There is only one Queen of Soul, but it takes a chorus of artists to celebrate her.

"As a "valentine" to Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award and Grammy Legend Award recipient Aretha Franklin, four-time Grammy winner Yolanda Adams, four-time Grammy winner and Latin Grammy winner Christina Aguilera, Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson, country superstar Martina McBride, and current nominee Florence Welch will join together on the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in celebration of the 18-time Grammy winner and current nominee's music and ongoing legacy," the Recording Academy said in an announcement Wednesday.

The salute, to take place at the start of the program, will feature individual and collective renditions of some of Franklin's classics – though Franklin, 68, is not expected to attend Sunday night's event, presumably due to her recent, undisclosed health problems. According to her rep, she'll be at home in Detroit watching with her friends and family.

The tribute will be among several performances set to take place at the Grammys, by such artists as Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Jaden Smith, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, and, in his live Grammy performance debut, Mick Jagger.

On Tuesday, the Academy also announced that best traditional pop vocal album nominee (for her Love Is the Answer) Barbra Streisand would also perform, introduced by her long-ago A Star Is Born costar, Kris Kristofferson.

The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards will take place Sunday, Februart 13th at Los Angeles's Staples Center and air live on CBS starting at 8:00 pm (ET).

Katy Perry Appreciates Her 'Enormous' Bust

Katy Perry has no problem flaunting her cleavage these days, but that wasn't always the case for the Firework songstress.

"When I was a kid … I had enormous boobs that I didn't know what to do with," Perry says in the March issue of Elle. "I wore minimizers, which were not cute. Those thick-ass straps! I got made fun of for the over-the-shoulder boulder holder."

In fact, Perry, 26, longed to resemble a supermodel. "All I wanted was to look like Kate Moss," she says. "Little did I know ... [my breasts] would come in handy someday."

One person who likes Perry just the way she is? Her new hubby Russell Brand.

"Everything clicked really fast," the pop star says of her British comedian counterpart, 35. "We kind of instantly got past all the surfacey stuff. And ever since then, there hasn't been a dull moment."

Perry says the lack of dullness in the relationship will most likely continue because she and Brand plan to expand their family.

"I want to have kids!" Perry said. "I'm totally fine with saying that. I think some people are … worried it's going to ruin their career, but I want to live a full life."

Read the entire interview in the latest issue of Elle magazine.

Simon Cowell to Be a Judge on X Factor

Simon Cowell won't speculate on who will be behind the judges' table on the American version of The X Factor, but he confirms there will be one familiar face on the panel – himself.

"Once the show goes into production, I become a judge," Cowell told reporters Monday. "Then I have to put my trust into the producers' hands, which is effectively how it works in the U.K. Yes, I am judging."

Before the show starts, Cowell will serve as executive producer and participate in the selection of the judging panel, which has been widely speculated about. Nicole Scherzinger, Rihanna, Jessica Simpson, Paula Abdul, Cheryl Cole, Katy Perry and Will Smith have all been rumored as possible judges on the show.

Cowell says feelers are out to certain possible judges, though he would not list their names. Asked about his former Idol pal Abdul, he said, "I'm a massive fan of Paula. We honestly haven't made our mind up yet … We're talking to a number of people. We hope to make an announcement in three to four weeks."

So, can viewers expect the same hard-nosed Simon Cowell they have come to expect from his years on American Idol? Or will he be a softer, gentler Simon on X Factor?

"I started to cringe over the years as I saw people being booked as the so-called 'mean' judge and being gratuitously rude for the sake of it. I had my own style and like to think I'm honest and wouldn't sugarcoat something to make myself popular," he said. "I am gong to try and be consistent, as I have been over the years … People know what to expect if I'm on the judging panel. I don't think things will change too much."

Cowell is excited about judging on this show since, unlike on Idol, it will involve working directly with contestants. "I wanted to make a show where I could help the competitors on a weekly basis and that's more interesting to me because I will have a lot more to do," he said.

On X-Factor" competitors will make home visits to the judges during the evaluation process and perform in front of live audiences of several thousand right from the start to see "who can handle the pressure," adds Cowell.

Plus, the stakes are high for the hopeful stars: The winner of X Factor will be awarded $5 million record deal, the largest guaranteed prize in TV history.

Cowell also says he's glad that audiences are still interested in talent competitions. "The good news is people are still excited about these shows – Idol, Dancing with the Stars, America's Got Talent – people, thank god, still like these shows and that gives me confidence for when we launch ours [in the fall]."

Eminem & Train Top iTunes Year-end Sales Charts

Eminem‘s Recovery was the best-selling album of 2010 at the iTunes Music Store, while Train‘s “Hey, Soul Sister” was the biggest single, according to year-end charts just released by Apple.

Other top-selling albums came from Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, and Lady Antebellum. Katy Perry, B.o.B, and Eminem were among the singles chart’s runners-up.

Here is the full list of iTunes’ top 10 best-selling albums and singles.

Best-Selling iTunes Singles of 2010:
1. Train, “Hey, Soul Sister”
2. Katy Perry, “California Gurls” (feat. Snoop Dogg)
3. Eminem, “Love the Way You Lie” (feat. Rihanna)
4. B.o.B, “Airplanes” (feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore)
5. Taio Cruz, “Dynamite”
6. Usher, “OMG” (feat. will.i.am)
7. Taio Cruz, “Break Your Heart” (feat. Ludacris)
8. Ke$ha, “TiK ToK”
9. Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
10. Eminem, “Not Afraid”

Best-Selling iTunes Albums of 2010:
1. Eminem, Recovery
2. Ke$ha, Animal
3. Lady Gaga, The Fame
4. Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
5. Taylor Swift, Speak Now
6. Drake, Thank Me Later
7. Mumford & Sons, Sigh No More
8. The Black Eyed Peas, The E.N.D.
9. Jack Johnson, To the Sea
10. Sade, Soldier of Love

For more information, please visit iTunes’ “Rewind 2010″ page.

The 2010 American Music Awards Performances

It was a night of entertaining performances at the American Music Awards from Rihanna to New Kids On The Block & Blackstreet Boys, with some Black Eyed Peas, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias & Pitbull, Ke$ha, Katy Perry, Train, and so much more, in between.

Here are my favorite performances from the show:

Rihanna

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Uploaded by yardie4lifever2. - Explore international webcam videos.

Enrique Iglesias & Pitbull


Christina Aguilera


Black Eyed Peas

Black Eyed Peas Live 2010 BMF
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Pink


Ke$ha


Carlos Santana & Gavin Rossdale


Katy Perry


Train


New Kids On The Block & Backstreet Boys

Glee's Kurt Finally Gets His First Gay Kiss (But NOT From His Teenage Dream)

Glee fans have been speculating for weeks that McKinley High's openly gay student Kurt would get his first kiss on last night's episode. And while finally happened, it certainly didn't pan out as expected.

The scene had been set for Kurt (played by Chris Colfer) to spark up a romance with Blaine (played by Darren Criss), another gay student from a rival glee club.

Blaine charmed Kurt with his group's rendition of Katy Perry's Teenage Dream at the Dalton Academy for the Boys and a passionate moment seemed imminent.

But to the surprise of viewers it was Karofsky (played by Max Adler), a 'Neanderthal' football jock who had been subjecting Kurt to bullying about his sexuality, who locked lips with him.

Kurt was left reeling after the kiss and took Blaine to confront confused Karofsky, who responded with only aggression.

Colfer said last week that the cast had been sworn to secrecy over the kiss.

He said: "It's so big that we had a full meeting about it that we can't say anything. That's never happened before."

It wasn't the only eyebrow raising moment in the episode, titled Never Been Kissed.

Mr. Schuester (played by Matthew Morrison) gave Coach Beiste (played by Dot-Marie Jones) her first ever smooch.

The episode had already received the stamp of approval from singer Katy Perry, whose song was one of the highlights of the show.

'This just brought a sweet tear to my eye!' the singer Twittered after seeing the routine. 'Teenage Dream on GLEE makes my heart go WEEE!"

Katy Perry and Russell Brand Get Married

It's official! Russell Brand and Katy Perry tied the knot Saturday night in India.

Brand, 35, and Perry, 25, "were pronounced Mr. and Mrs. Brand on Saturday, October 23," the couple said in a statement. "The very private and spiritual ceremony, attended by the couples' closest family and friends was performed by a Christian minister and longtime friend of the Hudson Family. The backdrop was the inspirational and majestic countryside of Northern India."

The couple exchanged vows at a luxury resort. Earlier in the day, two elephants named Laxmi and Mala were seen arriving at the resort. As the animals walked into the venue, a red carpet was rolled out for them. "Mala is a bit skittish and hates crowds but she managed to behave herself," a source told People magazine.

In a traditional Indian wedding procession, known as the "bharat," the bridegroom and his male relatives and friends walk to the spot where the bride awaits. The bridegroom is often on a white horse, but an elephant is considered an even grander, more magnificent mode of transportation – the maharajas, or Indian royals, traditionally arrived at weddings on elephants.

The sound of Indian instruments – including the sitar, the santoor, the tabla and kettle drums – and the singing of traditional Rajasthani folk musicians could be heard from deep inside the Aman-i-Khas resort, along with some sacred Vedic chanting and the occasional burst of applause and cheering by the guests.

Multi-Day Celebration

In the days leading up to the nuptials, Brand and Perry have been pulling out all the stops.

The couple celebrated Friday night with a Bollywood-themed party at the Aman-i-Khas. Brand wore a white "kurta pyjama," an Indian outfit of loose informal trousers and a long baggy tunic, while Perry donned a plain red sari. Many of the guests were also in similar outfits.

"The young children looked very pretty, with the boys wearing small turbans too," says Rafiq Khan, who was inside the party as part of a musical tribute to the couple.

When guests arrived they were greeted with a colorful welcome: acrobats and jugglers in Indian outfits.

"As the guests entered, my troupe of drum players played the our Nagara drums (Indian kettle drums) to welcome them," says Khan.

Brand and Perry have have also treated guests to song and dance performances, shopping and even safaris.

Katy Perry, Sugarland & Nicki Minaj Announced for Special 'VH1 Divas' Tribute

Vh1′s long-running annual Divas event will take a new tack in its thirteenth year: honoring the military, rather than themselves, through spangled lady-song.

Featured performers Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Sugarland, and Keri Hilson are scheduled to tape the event before troops at San Diego’s Marine Corps Air Station Miramar while Paramore satellite in from a military base in the Middle East.

For two participants it’s a family cause: Hilson’s father served in the Army, and Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles’ brother is currently in the Air Force.

Nettles had already made a joking threat to don a historic talisman of diva/military relations for the show: She told press that she’s “hoping to wear” Cher’s butt-floss body stocking in 1989′s battleship-set video for “If I Could Turn Back Time,” which the now-64-year-old Divas alum famously revisited last month at the VMAs.

Vh1 Divas Salute the Troops premieres December 5th and will also be broadcast internationally on the Armed Forces Network.

Meet Josh Kloss: The Hot Guy in Katy Perry's Latest Video

You've seen him – and, admit it, drooled over that body – in Katy Perry's new video for "Teenage Dream," but there's more to a man than his six-pack. So, just who is this hot-looking guy steaming up the small screen?

He's Josh Kloss: An actor (he appeared on several episodes of The O.C. in 2003), a musician, and yes, he's available. Especially if you're in some sort of trouble.

"I'm a terrible dater," says Kloss, 29. "More of a romantic 'hero/damsel in distress' type of guy. Right now in my life I'm working on the hero."

Here's what else you need to know about the valiant rising star.

1. Katy Perry Impressed Him
Working with Perry on her music video, "I was surprised by her acting chops," says Kloss. "I think she's a great artist, and the entire set was filled with magic. It was a lot of fun." On the big screen, Kloss says he looks up to Daniel Day-Lewis, Brad Pitt and a young John Travolta. "I like the intensity that they've brought to the screen. Reminds me of James Dean's influence."

2. He Used To Be a Cowboy
"My childhood was hard," says Kloss, who was born in Portland, Ore. "I was a cowboy and put to work at a young age. But I would never be where I am today if I was raised any other way." His unique upbringing also made him outdoorsy. "To this day," he says, "one of my favorite pastimes is camping with friends and family."

3. He Loves Old School Tunes ...
Before moving to Hollywood to be in a band and to become an actor, Kloss studied vocal performance in college. "I love to sing and listening to old school jazz artists like Chet Baker," he says.

4. ... And Simple Pleasures
"I love Kentucky Fried Chicken," Kloss reveals. "I worked there for several years as a teen and still consider it one of my favorite foods." Other faves? "I like pool and Frisbee," he says, adding, "crochet and golf rock!"

5. He Doesn't Have a Strict Workout Routine. Seriously.
Hate him a little now? "Just like everyone else, I wish I had a committed routine, but life and spare time are unpredictable," he says. But those abs had to come from somewhere, no? "I really just try to eat wise proportions," he adds. "And when I do work out, I train like it's the last time I'll get a chance!"

Here's the "Teenage Dream" video:

Katy Perry Rules Singles Chart with Summer Anthem

Katy Perry scored her second No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart Wednesday as "California Gurls" jumped one place to the top in its fourth week.

Katy previously led the chart for seven weeks in 2008 with her breakthrough single "I Kissed a Girl." Snoop Dogg, the featured artist on the new track, collects his third chart-topper, following his own "Drop It Like It's Hot" in 2004 and Akon's "I Wanna Love You," on which he guested, in 2006.

Perry, who performed the summer anthem at the MTV Movie Awards alongside Snoop Dogg on Sunday, will release her new album, "Teenage Dream," on August 24.

Forget the Gowns! Lady Gaga Steals the Spotlight at Met Gala in Crystal Catsuit

While all eyes were on the glamorous gowns on the red carpet outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Monday night, inside the Costume Institute Gala, it was all about Lady Gaga who stole the show in sheer crystal catsuit.

Skipping the red carpet so she could prepare for her mini-concert, Gaga performed four songs in front of a New York City-themed backdrop–while clad in a crystal-encrusted catsuit by Giorgio Armani (who notably designed her Grammys ensembles).

The ensemble and the show had the star-studded audience tweeting away:

“GaGa singing beautifully at Met Ball. (she’s not the lamp post – underneath on the piano),” joked Jimmy Fallon.

Cash Warren, there with wife Jessica Alba raved about her performance. “Jess and I are front row center. Insane! She’s amazing,” Warren Tweeted, adding, “haven’t heard a voice that wonderful in person in a long time.”

Katy Perry joined in on the Gaga lovefest, Tweeting, “I love @ladygaga She’s still cool.”

Meanwhile, a Michael Kors-clad Brooke Shields said that the performance was one of the highlights of the night, “I love whenever I can see Lady Gaga.”

Katy Perry & Kara DioGuardi ‘Hot and Cold’ in L.A.

Avril Lavigne and Katy Perry joined the American Idol judges Tuesday in Los Angeles, and the starlets showed sass, saying no to hopeful singers when the judges — even Simon Cowell — said yes. Katy even clashed with Kara DioGuardi, mocking her at times and threatening to throw a Coke in her face when she shot back.

But the real battle was for golden tickets. Jim Ranger, a 27-year-old pastor with three kids, sang his own song, “Drive,” and made it through despite concern from Avril (who wore devil horns) that he wouldn’t be able to handle being a pop star.

Simon said Mary Powers, who sang a Pat Benatar song, was “a little cliché.” But she got unanimous praise for her stylish voice and scored a ride to Hollywood. She then brought her 8-year-old daughter into the audition room to say hello to her favorite judge, Simon. It was a cute moment from the bristly Brit.
Musician Andrew Garcia, who is also a parent, blew the panel away with his soulful performance. Simon said he was “the only person [of the day] who I believe is genuinely good singer.” Katy told him, “You gave me chills,” and he was sent through to the next round.

Tasha Layton, a personal assistant and minister, delivered another crowd-pleaser with her version of Joss Stone’s “Baby Baby Baby.”

And to end the night, Chris Golightly, who grew up in foster care, sang “Stand By Me” with a lot of heart. When Kara said she admired his touching story, Katy told her, “This is not a Lifetime movie, sweetheart … you have to have talent.” Still, he got four yeses — two with “a small y” from Katy and Simon — and made the cut.

As for those who didn’t make it: The worst offenders included data entry tech Neil Goldstein, who bragged about his IQ, forgot his lyrics and got extremely shiny before refusing to leave the room in defeat; Austin Fullmer, who had the Mick Jagger swagger and an Iggy Pop body, according to the judges, but lacked the talent to land a ticket to Hollywood; Jason Greene, who made Katy “feel dirty” with his version of “I Touch Myself” by the Divinyls; and Adam Lambert fan AJ Mendoza, who — despite his alleged approval from the Idol runner-up — got a “very easy no” from all the judges because, they said, he couldn’t open up his mouth when he sang.

Star Sighting: Katy Perry's Idol

Katy Perry isn't trying to cloak who her American Idol favorite is in secrecy!

The singer, dressed as a she-Elvis, spells out her support for Top 2 finalist Adam Lambert backstage at L.A.'s Kodak Theatre, where she performed her song "Waking Up in Vegas" on Wednesday's American Idol show.