Taylor Swift world’s highest paid celebrity: Forbes

NEW YORK | At the tender age of 26, Taylor Swift is the world’s highest-paid celebrity, pulling in a whopping $170 million over the past year, Forbes magazine said Monday.

The pop diva’s take from June 2015 to June 2016 is the highest total of her young career, the magazine said, more than doubling her previous record of $80 million last year.

She out-earned other famous musicians including Adele ($80.5 million), Madonna ($76.5 million), Rihanna ($75 million) and Bruce Springsteen ($60.5 million).

The “Shake It Off” singer also outpaced rival Katy Perry who was last year’s top-earning musician at $135 million, according to Forbes magazine’s annual list of 100 highest-paid celebrities.

Perry dropped to number 63 on this year’s list, earning a mere $41 million.

Swift’s huge earnings were largely thanks to her “1989 World Tour” during which she smashed the Rolling Stone’s North American record, grossing $200 million on the continent en route to a quarter of a billion worldwide, the magazine said.

Coming in at number two on the list this year was the boy band One Direction, ($110 million), followed by author James Patterson ($95 million).

Taylor’s former beau, musician Calvin Harris, also made the cut coming in at number 21 ($63 million).

“The world’s 100 highest-paid celebrities pulled in $5.1 billion pretax over the past 12 months, more than the GDP of Belize, Gambia and Bhutan combined,” Forbes said.

Magazine editor Zack O’Malley Greenberg said live entertainment continues to be a major cash draw.

“From soccer games in Spain to concerts in China, fans are willing to shell out to see big names – and this is driving the celebrity economy to ever greater heights,” he said in a statement.

On the Hollywood front, Jennifer Lawrence was the industry’s highest-paid actress for the second consecutive year, earning $46 million, a slight drop from the $52 million “The Hunger Games” star banked the year before.

Actor Dwayne Johnson wrestled the highest-paid actor spot from “Iron Man’s” Robert Downey Jr., earning $64.5 million, largely thanks to the billion-dollar “Fast and Furious” franchise and the surprising success of 2015′s “San Andreas” movie.

Many athletes also made the list, including Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo ($88 million), tennis man Roger Federer ($68 million), and German race car driver Sebastian Vettel ($41 million)

source: interaksyon.com

Britney Spears calls off engagement

LOS ANGELES - US pop veteran Britney Spears has called off her engagement to talent agent Jason Trawick after a one-year committed relationship, Hollywood media reported Saturday.

"Jason and I have decided to call off our engagement," Spears said in a statement published by today.com. "I'll always adore him and we will remain great friends."

Trawick is quoted as saying that despite the split, the two "will be close forever."



Spears, 31, and Trawick became engaged on Trawick's 40th birthday in December 2011. They began dating in 2009.

Spears has two sons, Preston, 7, and Jayden, 6, with her former husband Kevin Federline, from whom she divorced in 2006.

source: interaksyon.com

Mariah Carey increased security after ‘Idol’ feud with Nicki Minaj

NEW YORK – Pop diva Mariah Carey said she hired increased security following what she described as threats reportedly made against her by fellow ‘American Idol’ judge Nicki Minaj, according to an interview on ABC News.

Carey, 42, one of three new judges to join the “American Idol” panel for the hit talent show’s new season on January 16, told Barbara Walters in an interview airing on Monday, “it felt like an unsafe work environment.”

“Anytime anybody’s reeling threats at somebody, you know, it’s not appropriate,” Carey said.

“I’m a professional. I’m not used to that type of environment,” she said, adding that she hired extra security.

The diva was alluding to widely reported tension between her and Minaj, who were seen arguing with one another in a video from the show’s audition phase.

Walters has reported that, according to Carey, others on the “Idol” set heard Minaj go further and say, off-camera, “If I had a gun, I would shoot that bitch.”

Minaj, a Trinidadian-born singer and songwriter, previously denied making any remarks about firearms, but Carey told Walters that beefing up her security “was the appropriate thing to do.”

“Sitting there on the road with two babies, I’m not going to take any chances,” she said, referring to her 20-month old twins with husband Nick Cannon.

But in a sign of media savvy, she noted that “for all the drama, I hope it helps the show.”

Walters also asked Carey about reports she is being paid $18 million for each “Idol” season.

“I think we’re in the ballpark, (but) I can’t even talk about those things,” the singer replied.

source: interaksyon.com

Lady Gaga's Indonesia concert canceled after threats

JAKARTA — Pop diva Lady Gaga on Sunday canceled her Indonesian concert with promoters saying the security threat was too serious after Islamic hardliners promised “chaos” if she entered the Muslim nation.

The promoters had indicated that a deal was being hammered out to tone down the June 3 concert in Jakarta, but the U.S. star’s management had stood firm, vowing there would be no compromise to appease religious conservatives.

“Lady Gaga’s management has considered the situation minute to minute, and with threats if the concert goes ahead, Lady Gaga’s side is calling off the concert,” Minola Sebayang, lawyer for promoters Big Daddy, told reporters.

“This is not only about Lady Gaga’s security, but extends to those who will be watching her.”

The flamboyant performer, who has nearly 25 million followers on Twitter—the highest number on the social networking site—wrote just hours before the announcement was made: “There is nothing Holy about hatred.”

After the announcement the show was off, thousands of her fans, who call themselves “little monsters,” sent a flurry of Twitter messages to persuade her to go ahead with the concert.

Earlier this month, Jakarta police refused approval for the show after the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) threatened violence if Lady Gaga performed, calling her a “devil’s messenger” who wears only a “bra and panties.”

Big Daddy president director Michael Rusli said it was “unfortunate” that the show, part of Lady Gaga’s tour of Asia that drew protests from Christian groups in the Philippines and South Korea, had to be called off.

“For the past few days, we have communicated with the government and Lady Gaga’s side. The government has given support, but this is not about the permit,” he said. “The cancellation is really due to concerns over security.”

More than 50,000 tickets had been sold for the event at the Bung Karno Stadium, but FPI Jakarta chairman Habib Salim Alatas said the cancelation was “good news” for Muslims in Indonesia.

“FPI is grateful that she has decided not to come. Indonesians will be protected from sin brought about by this Mother Monster, the destroyer of morals,” he told AFP.
“Lady Gaga fans, stop complaining. Repent and stop worshipping the devil. Do you want your lives taken away by God as infidels?”

The FPI claims seven million followers and has been known to raid pubs and clubs.

Conservative Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali welcomed the cancelation, saying other groups had also raised concerns.

“I strongly believe this cancelation will benefit the country. Indonesians need entertainment and art which have moral values,” he told reporters.

Lady Gaga is scheduled to play three shows in Singapore this week. She was due to play in Jakarta after that, before flying to New Zealand and Australia, and then to Europe on her “Born This Way Ball” tour.

Indonesian fans had suggested that Big Daddy look for another venue outside the capital after Jakarta police refused to give approval, but Rusli said “this is a huge concert, so it can’t be moved elsewhere.”

“Nowhere else in Indonesia can accommodate that many people”, he said, insisting that the 26-year-old singer was “prepared to adapt to Asian culture.”

The star’s manager Troy Carter said in Singapore on Thursday that Lady Gaga would not tone down her concerts.

Disappointed student Agus Murdadi, 17, said he had been waiting for months to see his idol.

“I’m shocked. She’s creative, not provocative. I bought a ticket because I want to see her dancing and singing ‘Judas’ in front of me,” he told AFP.

“I’m going to tweet to her to tell her that she should just come and not worry. The police can take care of FPI. I hate the FPI.”

Another fan, Muh Fadli Firdaus, tweeted on @FadliGermanotta: “Sorry for everything, we still love you.”

Ninety percent of Indonesia’s 240 million people identify themselves as Muslim, making it the world’s largest Islamic-majority nation, but the vast majority practise a moderate form of the religion.

In the past, pop stars including Beyonce and The Pussycat Dolls have been allowed to perform in the country on condition they wore more conservative dress than usual.

article source: japantoday.com

Lady Gaga To Wow Fans At Mall Of Asia Arena

MANILA, Philippines — US pop diva Lady Gaga, who has captured the imagination of millions worldwide with her outlandish fashion sense of style, performance and music videos and recordings, is set to wow Pinoy fans anew when she performs on May 21 and 22 at the new indoor Mall of Asia Arena.

The two-night gig comprises the Manila leg of “The Born This Way Ball,” the brand-new global tour of the five-time Grammy Award winner which kicked off April 27 in South Korea and which will also take her to Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan.

The 13-city, 33-date tour, produced internationally by Live Nation and to be staged locally by Ovation Productions, will also cover Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia in Asia before proceeding to New Zealand and Australia and to 21 major cities in Europe. She is expected to perform 110 shows this year in support of her “Born This Way” album, which has sold nearly six million copies worldwide since its release in May 2011.

The May 21-22 gig of “The Born This Way Ball” will kick off the soft opening of the brand-new indoor Mall of Asia Arena as a world-class venue for entertainment and sporting events prior to its grand opening on June 16.

It will mark Lady Gaga’s second visit to Manila in almost three years after her sold-out concert on Aug. 11, 2009 at the Araneta Coliseum, also produced by Ovation Productions.

“The Born This Way Ball” concerts on May 21-22 at the Mall of Asia Arena are produced by Ovation Productions and presented by Smart and co-presented by Coca-Cola in association with Nestlé Drumstick and Lee. Media partners are ETC, 2nd Avenue, Jack TV, Manila Bulletin, BusinessWorld and Yahoo! Philippines.

source: mb.com.ph