Beyonce, Jay-Z, Ariana Grande in Oscars race as shortlists unveiled

LOS ANGELES - Beyonce, Jay-Z and Ariana Grande are all in the running for the best original song Oscar, but French shock-fest "Titane" did not make the shortlist for best foreign film, as the Academy unveiled its annual shortlists Tuesday ahead of the formal nominations.

Pop superstar Beyonce's ballad "Be Alive" -- penned for the tennis biopic "King Richard," about the father of Serena and Venus Williams (played by Will Smith) -- was on a list of 15 tracks, which will be whittled down to a final five before March's Oscars.

She will compete against her husband Jay-Z, who produced Netflix Western "The Harder They Fall," and teamed up with Kid Cudi for the movie's track "Guns Go Bang."

Grande appears in satire "Don't Look Up," in which her pop star character sings "Just Look Up" to implore the public to take seriously the impending threat of a comet plummeting towards Earth.

Billie Eilish's 007 theme song "No Time To Die" also made the list.

So did "Dos Oruguitas" from Disney's animated film "Encanto," a song composed by "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who only needs an Oscar to complete the coveted EGOT collection of awards -- Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony.

Fifteen contenders were unveiled for the international feature film Academy Award, from among 92 eligible movies. Each country is only permitted to submit one film.

France boasts the most foreign film nominations of any country in Oscars history, but will watch from the sidelines this year after its selection, Julia Ducournau's Palme d'Or-winning body-horror "Titane," failed to make the cut.

The ultra-violent movie about a female serial killer who has sex with automobiles, before tricking a firefighter into believing she is his long-lost son, may have proven too controversial for Academy voters.

The shortlist includes frontrunners such as Paolo Sorrentino's coming-of-age drama "The Hand of God" (Italy) and Ryusuke Hamaguchi's "Drive My Car" (Japan), based on a Haruki Murakami short story.

Iran's Asghar Farhadi -- among a select group of auteurs to have won multiple foreign film Oscars previously with "A Separation" and "The Salesman" -- again makes the cut with morality drama "A Hero."

The tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan is a step closer to its first Oscar nomination with "Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom," a comic drama about a reluctant young teacher who is sent to work in the world's most isolated school.

Denmark, which won the foreign film Oscar last year for "Another Round," again has a strong contender in the form of "Flee," which chronicles a gay Afghan refugee's perilous journey to Europe.

The animated film was also included in the shortlist for best documentary, which was also unveiled Tuesday.

"The Rescue," about the headline-grabbing 2018 race to save a Thai soccer team trapped in a cave, and Questlove's "Summer of Soul," about the huge but largely forgotten "Black Woodstock" festival that took place in 1969 Harlem, also made the cut.

The final list of Oscar nominations will be revealed on February 8, and the awards will be handed out on March 27.

Agence France Presse

Telethon raises $44 million for Hurricane Harvey, Irma relief

LOS ANGELES | A celebrity-packed telethon for the victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma raised some $44 million, organizers said on Wednesday, after more than 130 stars including George Clooney, Beyonce, Oprah Winfrey and Justin Bieber joined forces to sing, man the phones or appeal for donations.

The hour-long Hand in Hand telethon, which aired across broadcast, cable and digital platforms on Tuesday night, raised more than $14 million during the live broadcast.

Organizers on Wednesday said that the total rose to $44 million in pledges made after West Coast and other re-broadcasts.

Irma, one of the most powerful Atlantic Ocean storms on record, ravaged several islands in the northern Caribbean, killing at least 60 people. It barreled into the Florida Keys on Sunday, where 90 percent of homes are believed to be destroyed or heavily damaged.

Beyonce, appearing in a taped message, spoke of the urgent need for supplies in her hometown of Houston after Harvey became the most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in more than 50 years, killing more than 60 people, displacing more than 1 million and damaging some 203,000 homes.

During the show, Stephen Colbert said Apple Inc had donated $5 million, which the comedian quipped, “is also the price of the new iPhone.”

The telethon aired from New York, Nashville and Los Angeles, where Stevie Wonder kicked off the event singing “Lean On Me,” with a gospel choir as stars such as Tom Hanks, Barbra Streisand and Cher clapped along while sitting at their phone stations.

source: interaksyon.com

Rapper Jay Z addresses infidelity, newborn twins in ‘4:44’ album

LOS ANGELES | Rapper Jay Z let his music do the talking with his new album “4:44” on Friday as he addressed cheating on his wife Beyonce, the birth of his twins and this year’s Oscars best picture.

In the title track, Jay Z admitted in his lyrics that he “often womanize”, more than a year after R&B star Beyonce first shed light on his infidelities in her album “Lemonade”.

Jay Z pens a remorseful ode to his fractured marriage in “4:44”, rapping that it “took for my child to be born, see through a woman’s eyes” in reference to the couple’s daughter Blue Ivy.

He also mentioned their twins, who were reported to have been born this month but whose arrival has yet to be officially confirmed, saying it “took for these natural twins to believe in miracles, took me too long for this song, I don’t deserve you”.

Jay Z added: “What good is a menage a trois when you have a soul mate? You risked that for Blue? … my heart breaks for the day I had to explain my mistakes.”

Fans were left stunned last year when Beyonce made accusations in “Lemonade” that Jay Z had cheated on her, a rare crack in the seemingly perfect facade of one of music’s highest-profile couples.

In her song “Sorry”, Beyonce referred to a mystery woman, calling her “Becky with the good hair”, which is echoed in Jay Z’s track “Family Feud”, a duet with Beyonce in which he raps “Let me alone Becky”.

“4:44” was released exclusively on premium music streaming platform Tidal, founded by Jay Z, in partnership with U.S. wireless carrier Sprint Corp, which purchased a 33 percent stake in Tidal this year and made the album available via a six-month Tidal subscription to Sprint mobile customers.

It can also be heard throughout Friday across 160 U.S. radio stations on iHeartRadio, the digital music service for a network of traditional radio stations.

The 35-minute album features Blue Ivy on the track “Legacy”, in which the five-year-old asks “Daddy, what’s a will?” as the rapper expresses hope that his children use their wealth to promote “black excellence”.

In “Moonlight”, Jay Z tackles the impact of the film being named best picture at this year’s Oscars while in “The Story of O.J.”, the rapper explores black identity in America.

source: interaksyon.com

Beyonce gives birth to twins: celebrity news websites

U.S. singer Beyonce has given birth to twins in Los Angeles, several celebrity news websites reported on Saturday, citing unidentified sources.

Beyonce, 35, and rapper and music producer Jay Z, already have a five-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy.

E! News, citing multiple unidentified sources, reported the birth and that Jay Z and Blue Ivy were seen at a Los Angeles area hospital on Thursday.

Us Weekly, also citing multiple unidentified sources, reported that the couple welcomed twins earlier this week.

“Bey and Jay are thrilled and have started sharing the news with their family and closest friends,” one unidentified source told PEOPLE.

Reuters could not verify the reports. A representative for Beyonce did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

The celebrity news websites did not provide additional details, such as the date and time the twins were born or the sex of the infants.

The “Lemonade” singer, one of the most powerful women in the music business, announced the pregnancy on her Instagram account in February along with an image of her posed in lingerie and caressing a noticeable baby bump.

The announcement got more than 8 million “likes” in the first 24 hours to become the “most-liked” Instagram ever.

The R&B singer performed live at the Grammy awards in Los Angeles two weeks later, proudly displaying her swelling belly in a motherhood-themed show. She has since posted numerous pictures of her bare baby bump on her social media accounts.

The birth of Blue Ivy caused a paparazzi storm in 2012, with New York’s Lenox Hill hospital shutting down part of its maternity wing to accommodate music’s royal couple.

News of the pregnancy came less than a year after the release of Beyonce’s 2016 album “Lemonade,” in which she appeared to address long-standing rumors of trouble in her eight-year marriage.

The lyrics of several songs spoke about being cheated on, and regretting being married. But Beyonce made clear in the final tracks of the album and in music videos featuring Jay-Z that she had decided to stay in the relationship.

The couple have never addressed the rumors publicly.

source: interaksyon.com

Fiery Beyonce dominates MTV Video Music Awards

NEW YORK | Beyonce on Sunday dominated the MTV Video Music Awards as she took home top prizes and awed the audience in a fiery dance medley with a subtle political touch.

The pop superstar won Video of the Year for “Formation,” the most outspoken work of her career, as well as Best Female Video for “Hold Up.”

The two tracks appeared on “Lemonade,” Beyonce’s latest album which she released in a surprise tie-in with a film of the same name that paid tribute to African American women.

Beyonce stole the spotlight at the gala party in New York’s Madison Square Garden by performing a “Lemonade” medley of more than 16 minutes, managing even to change outfits in a set that culminated in the stage erupting in fire.

In one of the most striking moments, the sound of a single gun-shot rang out as her circle of angelic-clad dancers each collapsed in a fog of red.

“Formation,” directed by Melina Matsoukas, offered solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality with officers depicted raising their hands as if under arrest.

“I dedicate this award to the people of New Orleans. God bless you guys,” Beyonce said as she accepted the award for “Formation,” which was musically inspired by the southern city’s bouncy hip-hop scene.

Beyonce arrived at the show, broadcast to more than 120 countries from New York’s Madison Square Garden, with the mothers of four young African American men whose deaths have galvanized the United States — Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Oscar Grant and Trayvon Martin.

Martin, 17, was killed in 2012 by a white neighborhood guard, a catalyst moment for Black Lives Matter. Brown, Garner and Grant were all killed by law enforcement.

Singer Alicia Keys offered another of the night’s powerful moments as she recited a poem she said was inspired by civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr. who delivered his landmark “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington 53 years ago Sunday.

In a year marred by global conflict and a bitter U.S. presidential race, Keys, moving seamlessly from spoken word to a cappella, voiced hope that “maybe we can love somebody instead of polishing a bomb.”

“If war is holy and sex is obscene, then we got it twisted in this lucid dream / Baptized in boundaries, schooled in skin, divided by difference, sexuality and skin,” she recited.

KANYE TALKS KANYE

The Video Music Awards, broadcast to more than 120 countries, have long been known more for their on-stage antics than the winners, and this year MTV decided to let the artists loose.

In one of the night’s most anticipated moments, rap superstar Kanye West — who last year used the occasion to declare his intention to run for president in 2020 — delivered a nearly stream-of-consciousness speech about empowerment.

As the audience chanted his stage-name Yeezy, West said that unnamed wealthy white people warned him against comparing himself to Apple founder Steve Jobs and entertainment pioneer Walt Disney.

But West said that the pair were among fewer than 10 true artistic heroes — and that the slim list also includes himself.

“Three keys to keeping people impoverished are taking away their esteem, taking away their resources and taking away their role models,” said West, who started his speech by deploring street killings in his native Chicago.

He then presented a racy new video for his song “Fade” featuring actress and singer Teyana Taylor, who moved her body sensually in a gym before a steamy shower scene.

The video marked a theme in the evening, if accidental, of sexualized exercise.

Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj received roars of crowd approval for a sensual take on a workout, with the pop star and rapper dancing together in a stage transformed into a gym full of highly physical young men.

RIHANNA HONORED

Drake won in the rap category for “Hotline Bling,” one of the most popular songs of the year.

But Drake did not appear in time to accept the award. According to the presenter, rap icon Puff Daddy, the Toronto star got stuck in New York traffic.

MTV presented its Video Vanguard Award — named after late King of Pop Michael Jackson — to Rihanna, in recognition to her contributions to pop culture.

Rihanna opened the ceremony with, aptly, “Don’t Stop the Music,” as she glided across the stage in a snug white T-shirt with a team of performers in matching laced outfits.

In her acceptance speech, Rihanna pledged never to forget her native Barbados.

source: interaksyon.com

Beyonce celebrates black women in intricate album-film

NEW YORK | Pop superstar Beyonce released a musically diverse new album in the form of a film Saturday, a bold tribute to the perseverance of African American women.

“Lemonade” was advertised only as a special on cable network HBO but, more than halfway through, Beyonce dropped an album by the same name.

The sixth studio album by the 34-year-old pop giant features collaborations with the critically acclaimed rapper Kendrick Lamar, garage rocker Jack White and the young R&B sensation The Weeknd.

It also shows a growing musical range by Beyonce, who performs one song with simple acoustic guitar, but elsewhere goes into hip-hop and electronica.

The movie opens with a bleak picture of betrayal and jealousy as Beyonce dances across New Orleans, smashing up cars as she rages against the infidelities of an unnamed partner.

The subject matter immediately triggered a fury of speculation on social media that “Lemonade” was an elaborate artistic announcement of separation from her husband, rap mogul Jay-Z.

But toward the end of the film, Beyonce heads into a chapter entitled “Forgiveness” as she is seen embracing a sullen-looking Jay-Z.

In a further sign that they are still together, Beyonce released the album of “Lemonade” exclusively on the Tidal streaming service led by Jay-Z.

Beyonce, who appears throughout the film with African American women in roles as speakers, artists and dancers, drew a theme early in “Lemonade” as the film cuts to a snippet from late civil rights leader Malcolm X, who is heard saying: “The most disrespected person in America is the black woman.”

The album is Beyonce’s first full-length release since her chart-topping self-titled album in late 2013.

The “Beyonce” album also brought in a strong visual component, with a series of short films to accompany the music.

But the theme of the 2013 album was far different, as it dealt with passion and monogamy, with the song “Drunk In Love” an ode to marital bliss sung in duet with Jay-Z.

source: interaksyon.com

Beyonce plans charity drive on ‘Formation’ tour

NEW YORK | Pop superstar Beyonce announced Wednesday that she would partner with charities on her upcoming tour, raising support for causes including improving water in lead-poisoned Flint, Michigan.

Beyonce, whose “Formation” tour opens next Wednesday, encouraged fans to contribute on the CrowdRise website to the United Way charity in Flint, with donors entered into a raffle to win VIP-section tickets.

Fans can also win tickets and upgrades by signing up on-site at concerts to support groups.

The beneficiaries are Global Citizen, which is dedicated to ending extreme poverty worldwide and puts on an annual concert in New York’s Central Park, and Chime for Change, a group founded by the Gucci fashion house that works with Global Citizen to promote the inclusion of women and girls.

“Through our collaborations with our strategic charity partners, we’ve created simple ways for everyone to participate,” said Ivy McGregor, director of philanthropy at Beyonce’s charitable arm BeyGood.

“Because we believe together we can make the world better — standing, living and giving in Good Formation,” she said.

The United Way, generally considered the largest charity in the United States, will also highlight local issues on each stop.

Beyonce also plans charity events on the sidelines of the tour in her hometown of Houston, the gangsta rap capital of Compton, California, and in Detroit where she will highlight the water crisis in nearby Flint.

More than 8,000 children in low-income Flint, which is majority African American, are believed to have drunk municipal water tainted by lead levels that had grown alarmingly high but were not immediately addressed by the government.

Beyonce has named the tour after her new song “Formation,” one of her most political works in which she takes up the mantle of the Black Lives Movement against police brutality.

Cable network HBO on Saturday will broadcast a Beyonce project entitled “Lemonade,” which a fan site has speculated will be an “album-film.”

source: interaksyon.com

Beyonce in brief superstar collaboration with Drake

NEW YORK | Two of music’s top-selling stars have come together, however briefly, as Drake put out a new song featuring Beyonce.

Drake, the Canadian rapper who has found massive commercial success thanks in part to surprise releases, brought in the pop superstar on a song entitled “Can I?”

A similar version of the song had recently leaked on the Internet but it started airing officially over the weekend on Beats One, Apple’s online radio station where Drake is a major player.

The song immediately fueled speculation on social media that “Can I?” would be part of Drake’s eagerly anticipated next album, whose release date has not been set.

Despite the big names, “Can I?” runs for only around two minutes and Beyonce’s contribution is limited to one line — “Can I, baby?” — which she recites repeatedly over one of Drake’s trademark slow, minimalist beats.

Drake in February put out a mixtape, “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late,” which is so far the only album released this year to go platinum, or sell more than one million copies, in the United States.

Another mixtape, “What a Time To Be Alive,” performed with fellow rapper Future, came out last month and debuted at number one on the Billboard chart.

For both releases, Drake gave little prior notice and put them out first on an Apple platform.

Beyonce unveiled her blockbuster last album, which was self-titled, on Apple’s iTunes in December 2013 without advance warning.

But the release with Drake on Apple Music could surprise some fans as Beyonce is closely involved with her rap mogul husband Jay Z in the Tidal streaming service, which has heavily promoted exclusives by her.

Beyonce may be repaying a favor after Drake appeared on “Mine,” a song from her latest album about her fears on motherhood.

source: interaksyon.com

Beyonce highest paid woman in music in 2014: Forbes

NEW YORK | Beyonce is the highest paid woman in music in 2014, with estimated earnings of $115 million, more than double what she pulled in last year, Forbes magazine said on Tuesday.

The huge sum, most of which was from her world tour, propelled Beyonce, 33, from fourth place last year and put her firmly ahead of pop star Taylor Swift, 24, with $64 million, who jumped up one spot from last year to No. 2.

Pop singer Pink, 35, climbed up from No. 8 in 2013 to third with $52 million.

“Beyonce played 95 shows during our scoring period, bringing in an average of $2.4 million per city,” said Forbes, citing data from the Pollstar trade magazine.

The R&B singer’s self-titled album released last December and endorsement deals pushed her earnings up further assuring her the top spot.

Barbados-born Rihanna, 26, with $48 million and Katy Perry, 30, who earned an estimated $40 million, rounded out the top five on the annual list.

Madonna, 56, ranked No. 1 last year, failed to make the top 10 in 2014. Lady Gaga, 28, slumped from No. 2 in 2013 to ninth place this year with estimated earnings of $33 million.

Forbes compiled the list after estimating pre-tax income calculated for the 12 months from June 2013 to 2014 based on record sales, concert tickets, touring information merchandise sales and interviews with concert promoters, lawyers and managers.

It also looked at data from the Pollstar, the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and tracking firm Nielsen SoundScan.

source: interaksyon.com

Beyonce tops U.S. Billboard album chart for third straight week

LOS ANGELES | Beyonce’s self-titled album claimed the top spot on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart for the third week running with 310,000 copies sold during the Christmas week, according to figures released Thursday from Nielsen SoundScan.

The pop star’s fifth solo album has sold a total of 1.3 million copies in the United States in the 17 days from its surprise release through December 29, the final day for tallying this week’s chart.

‘Beyonce’ is the first album to remain at No. 1 for three weeks since Justin Timberlake’s ‘The 20/20 Experience’ did the same in April, Billboard said.

The album, Beyonce’s first since 2011, was released December 13 exclusively through Apple’s iTunes digital music store and was not available in other retailers until December 21.

British-Irish boy band One Direction’s ‘Midnight Memories’ moved up one notch to No. 2 with 142,000 copies sold in the week, while rapper Eminem moved to No. 3 from No. 6 with ‘Marshall Mathers LP 2′ selling 122,000 copies. Billboard said both titles likely benefited from redemptions of gift cards for download stores.

With Christmas albums like country pop singer Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Wrapped in Red’ and ‘Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas’ both dropping down in the chart, the soundtrack from the animated movie ‘Frozen’ and Katy Perry’s ‘PRISM’ moved up to round out the top five.

Week-over-week album sales dropped 11 percent for the week ending December 29. Sales last week were down 3 percent from the same period last year and album sales for the year were 8 percent lower than 2012.

Pitbull’s ‘Timber,’ a song featuring Ke$ha, retook the No. 1 spot on the digital track list with 442,000 downloads last week.

source: interaksyon.com

Beyonce album sets iTunes sales record, tops Billboard chart

LOS ANGELES | R&B star Beyonce’s latest self-titled album surpassed 1 million copies sold worldwide in six days on Wednesday and set a record for iTunes, Apple Inc. and Columbia Records said.

“Beyonce,” the fifth solo studio album from the singer, unexpectedly released in the early hours of December 13 without any prior fanfare, contains 14 new songs and 17 videos, and swiftly topped the iTunes album charts across the world.

The album also debuted at the top of the weekly Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday, with 617,000 copies sold in the United States by the week ending December 15, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan.

The deluxe digital album, exclusively available on iTunes, can only be purchased as a complete set of songs and videos, and retails for $15.99 at the U.S. store. A physical version will be made available for sale in time for the festive holiday period this month.

The surprise release of the album caps a year in which Beyonce, 32, made a carefully choreographed return to music after taking time out to give birth to her first child, daughter Blue Ivy with rapper husband Jay Z. Both Blue Ivy and Jay Z feature as collaborators on the new album, and appear in accompanying music videos.

Releasing an album without any prior fanfare or publicity is rare, especially for one of the top players in the current music industry. But Beyonce’s success does not necessarily mean other artists will be able to copy her stealth release strategy.

The singer has numerous factors in her favor, including a loyal online fanbase of more than 53 million Facebook fans, 13 million Twitter followers and 8 million Instagram fans, and a year performing in the spotlight that has created buzz for an album release.

Beyonce’s album has outperformed some of this year’s other most-anticipated new releases, selling more copies than new albums from Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Britney Spears.

Currently, the year’s top-selling album is Justin Timberlake’s first part of “The 20/20 Experience,” which was released in March with 968,000 copies sold in its opening week, and has topped 2.3 million sales in the U.S. to date.

Nielsen SoundScan compiles sales in the week ending Sunday, meaning that Beyonce’s new album only showed three days of sales in the Billboard chart.

source: interaksyon.com

Beyonce, Jay-Z top Forbes list of highest-earning celebrity couples

NEW YORK | With estimated earnings of $95 million, pop singer Beyonce and her rapper husband Jay Z are the highest-earning celebrity couple for the second consecutive year, Forbes magazine said on Thursday.

Beyonce’s “Mrs. Carter” tour and Jay Z’s million-selling “Watch the Throne” album and world tour, both a collaboration with rapper Kanye West, pushed the musical couple ahead of model Gisele Bundchen and her football-player husband Tom Brady, who pulled in $80 million and retained the No. 2 position.

Acting couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, with $50 million, jumped up one spot from last year to third place. The earnings were based on the period from June 2012 to June 2013.

Forbes said Beyonce, 32, earned $11 million more than her husband due to her successful world tour, which grossed an average of about $2 million per show.

Jay Z’s latest top-selling album “Magna Carta … Holy Grail” was released on July 4 and was not eligible to count toward his earnings.

In addition to their musical earnings, Jay Z, 43, sold his stake in the Brooklyn Nets basketball team and has started his own sports agency. Beyonce upped her takings with a clothing line and fragrances.

Former co-stars on the TV comedy “That ’70s Show” Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis came in fourth with $35 million, followed by new parents, reality TV star Kim Kardashian and West, who collectively earned $30 million.

Forbes compiled the list by talking to agents, producers, managers and other informed people. Fees and taxes were not subtracted from the estimates.

source: interaksyon.com

Beyonce brings out Destiny’s Child for Super Bowl thrill

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana – Pop diva Beyonce thrilled the Super Bowl crowd Sunday with a pyrotechnic half-time spectacular that doubled as a much-anticipated Destiny’s Child reunion.

Fireworks burst into the sky from the Superdome field just vacated by the game-leading Baltimore Ravens and lagging San Francisco 49s as the 31-year-old chart-topper took the stage with “Crazy in Love”.



Blowing a kiss to the live television camera after her opening number, she looked relieved to get the much-hyped, 15-minute show underway, but the real treat came when Destiny’s Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams joined her on stage.

They appeared in matching Rubin Singer black leather warrior-woman bodysuits and dizzying stilettos as did an ever-growing, all-female army of dancers, with musicians cast off on the sidelines.

“Bootylicious”, “Halo”, and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” rounded out the greatest-hits performance with a sci-fi edge that set it apart from Madonna’s hyperactive Super Bowl half-time effort last year.

“Thank you for this moment,” a beaming Beyonce told the cheering crowd at the conclusion, “God bless you all.”

Beyonce had promised to sing live at the Super Bowl, acknowledging that she had sung over a pre-recorded version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at President Barack Obama’s second-term inauguration on January 21.

Singing the pre-game national anthem Sunday was Alicia Keys, performing solo at a grand piano, after Jennifer Hudson and the Sandy Hook Elementary School choir from Newtown, Connecticut sang “America the Beautiful”.

The school was the scene of one of the worst mass murders in US history in December when a lone young gunman cut down 20 pupils and six teachers before taking his own life. He had earlier killed his mother at their home.

source: interaksyon.com

Beyonce Knowles Shows Off New Bangs

Beyonce Knowles gets new bangs. The R&B singer was seen with the new haircut when she attended the Brooklyn Nets home opener at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday, November 3. Her hubby, rapper Jay-Z, is the NBA team's part owner.

Going swanky, the former lead singer of Destiny's Child donned an ivory and burgundy hexagonal-print Tibi getup, Giuseppe Zanotti high heels, Yves Saint Laurent band, as well as Erika Pena hoop earrings. She sat courtside, gleaming with excitement while watching Brooklyn Nets against Toronto Raptors.

The mother of one is the latest artist to debut bangs. A few months ago, Demi Lovato got her bangs. She tweeted on September 18, "Guess what's back, back, back, back again..... BANGS are back, back, back tell your friends...." A month later, Britney Spears followed her "The X Factor (US)" fellow judge to get bangs.

Beyonce and her husband, who endorse Barrack Obama for the upcoming presidential election, recently showed their support to the Democrat presidential candidate by hosting an exclusive fundraising event in the Roc Nation founder's 40/40 Club in New York City. They raised $4 million for Obama's campaign.

"I can't tell you how proud we are to host tonight's event with President Obama. We believe in his vision," the "Listen" singer stated. Obama complimented her, "Beyonce couldn't be a better role model for our daughters because she carries herself with such class and poise and has so much talent."

source: aceshowbiz.com

Beyonce's Mom Sells Texas Mansion at $500k Discount

Beyonce's mom really wanted out of her Texas-sized Houston mansion, so much so, she was willing to knock $500,000 off the listing price to get it sold, TMZ has learned.

We broke the story ... Tina Knowles tried to unload her 8,885-square-foot pad last September for a whopping $3.499 Million ... but it sat on the market for nine months with no takers.

She finally sold it this summer ... but for a whole lot less than she planned, accepting an offer of $2,962,500.

The house is a steal for the new owner -- it has 5 bedrooms, 5 baths, sits on 2.6 acres, and boasts a resort style pool, gym AND a giant media room where you can watch Beyonce tear it up in "Goldfinger" as many times as you want.

Ya know, 'cause it's such a great movie.

source: tmz.com

People names Beyonce World's most Beautiful Woman

Los Angeles (dpa) - New mother Beyonce was named as the world's most beautiful woman on Wednesday in People magazine's annual list.

''I feel more beautiful than I've ever felt because I've given birth,'' Beyonce, 30, told People. ''I have never felt so connected, never felt like I had such a purpose on this earth.''

Modern Family's Sofia Vergara was named the second most beautiful woman of 2012, followed by actress Charlize Theron. Also making this year's list was singer Adele, and Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence.

Previous winners include Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie. Last year's winner was Jennifer Lopez.

source: mb.com.ph