Jennifer Hudson Added To Vh1 Diva’s Line-up

The network has announced former Idol third-season finalist Jennifer Hudson has joined original Idol champ Kelly Clarkson and sixth-season winner Jordin Sparks as performers at VH1 Divas, which will be hosted by former Idol judge Paula Abdul.

“We are excited that Jennifer Hudson will share her award-winning talent with our VH1 Divas audience,” said VH1 president Tom Calderone.

“Adding Jennifer to our roster of young yet hugely successful performers guarantees that the show will truly be a night to remember. We can’t wait for our viewers to enjoy the performances that will reflect the talent, hard work and tenacity that has come to define this new generation of divas.”

In addition to the other idol stars, VH1 Divas will also include performances by Adele, Leona Lewis, Miley Cyrus, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Cyndi Lauper and Martina McBride.

Jennifer Hudson Has A Baby Boy

Jennifer Hudson gave birth to a baby boy yesterday and announced her new addition via her official blog –

“We are happy to announce that Jennifer Hudson is finally a mom! Jennifer welcomed in son David Daniel Otunga Jr. on Monday, weighing 7lbs. and 14oz at birth, and everyone is absolutely ecstatic. Congratulations again to Jennifer and her family!”

JENNIFER HUDSON GOES ON TOUR

 

It’s been about six months since the tragic murders that took place within Jennifer Hudsons’s family.

She hit the road last week with Robin Thicke for her first string of dates in support of her self-titled debut album, She told USA Today which was one of her first interviews since the tragic events of October 24, and she told the paper she was keeping busy to maintain a positive mindset.

“I’m fine, I’m happy, I’m glad to be here,” without specifically addressing the murders.

“My family and friends have always called me a woman of faith,” said the singer. “For my whole life, my faith has helped me get through everything.”

THE TODAY SHOW 2009 CONCERT SERIES LINE-UP RELEASED

No Doubt, Dave Matthews Band, All-American Rejects, Flo Rida, Black Eyed Peas and Jennifer Hudson are among the bands and musicians scheduled to appear on NBC’s “Today” as part of the morning television show’s 14th annual summer concert series.

The 2009 “Toyota Concert Series on Today” kicks off May 1 with No Doubt, the band’s first live concert appearance since reforming after a five-year hiatus. The concert series runs every Friday throughout the summer.

The early morning concert events take place in Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, just outside “Today’s” Window on the World Studio. Viewing for fans is free on a first come, first serve basis.

JENNIFER HUDSON WINS FIRST GRAMMY ; CHRIS BROWN INVESTIGATED

 

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, AP Music Writer –

LOS ANGELES – A tearful Jennifer Hudson won her first Grammy, thanking her family “in heaven and those who are with me today” to kick off an evening already stoked with drama when police said they were investigating double nominee Chris Brown for an alleged assault on an unidentified woman.

Brown and longtime girlfriend Rihanna, each nominated and slated to perform, separately dropped out of the Grammys at the last minute and their whereabouts were not immediately known Sunday night. The victim of Brown’s alleged assault wasn’t identified, and it wasn’t immediately clear whether Rihanna’s absence was related to Brown’s.

Hudson, 27, made no direct reference to the killings of her mother, brother and nephew that kept her in seclusion until just this month. But while fighting back tears, she made it clear that her family was foremost on her mind.

“I first would like to thank God who has brought me through,” said Hudson, also an Oscar winner, as she accepted her award from Whitney Houston.

Hudson later performed “You Pulled Me Through,” a dramatic song about overcoming deep despair, with the lyrics: “When I was drowning, when I was so confused, you, you pulled me through.” As she sang the last note, she looked directly into the camera and dissolved into tears once again.

While Hudson’s emotion was front and center, drama unfolded behind the scenes when police said just 90 minutes before the show began that they were investigating the 19-year old Brown. His performance was subsequently removed from the show, though it was unclear if he bowed out or was dropped.

Then, minutes before U2 opened the telecast by zipping through its new single, the Recording Academy said Rihanna had scratched her performance as well. The couple could be seen sitting together at a Grammy pre-party the night before in Los Angeles.

According to the police report, Brown and a woman were in a vehicle in the ritzy neighborhood of Hancock Park when they began to argue around 12:30 a.m. Sunday. Brown stopped the car and both got out, whereupon the argument escalated, the report said.

The woman, who had visible injuries when police arrived, identified Brown as her attacker, but he had left the scene, the report said.

The absences of both performers put a huge hole in the Grammy telecast, but the Recording Academy found able replacements in Justin Timberlake, Al Green, Boyz II Men and Keith Urban as they all sang Green’s classic hit, “Let’s Stay Together.” No mention was made on the broadcast about the switch.

With all the drama going on onstage and behind the scenes, the awards seemed almost like an afterthought — but the awards went on all the same. Coldplay, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and Lil Wayne each won three apiece — Coldplay’s win included song of the year for “Viva La Vida.”

“We’ve never had so many Grammys in our life,” said lead singer Chris Martin, perhaps so excited he got confused (they had already won four over the years). “We feel so grateful to be here. I’m going to tear up.”

British singer Adele was also teary, as she beat the Jonas Brothers, Lady Antebellum, Jazmine Sullivan and fellow Brit singer Duffy to nab best new artist. It was her second award of the evening.

“Thank you so much. I’m going to cry. I want to thank my manager, my mom, she’s in London. And Duffy I love you. I think you’re amazing. Jonas Brothers, I love you as well,” she said, saying the last part with a devilish look, eliciting laughter.

It was Adele’s second award; she earlier won for best female pop vocal.

Lil Wayne was the nominations leader with eight, and won best rap solo performance for “A Milli,” rap song for “Lollipop” and rap/sung collaboration for “Swagga Like Us,” an all-star song featuring Jay-Z, T.I. and Kanye West.

But the prolific rapper won’t be going home with eight trophies; he was competing against himself in two categories that he won and lost another. He still has a chance to win the evening’s top prize, album of the year, for his best-selling disc “Tha Carter III.”

Plant and Krauss, also nominated for album of the year for their collaboration “Raising Sand,” took home an award for country collaborations with vocals and contemporary folk/Americana album. They later won a third for pop collaboration with vocals.

___

AP reporters Natalie Rotman, Beth Harris and Jacob Adelman contributed to this story.

CLAUDE KELLY HITS BIG WITH CLARKSON, SPEARS

(Billboard.com – Mariel Concepcion, N.Y.)

Last summer, singer/songwriter Claude Kelly told Billboard he hoped to work with Kelly Clarkson in the future. Six months later, not only has he co-written the pop singer’s latest single, “My Life Would Suck Without You,” but he’s sharing in its record-breaking success.

As previously reported, the song jumps 97-1 this week on the Billboard Hot 100, setting a record for the largest leap to the top in the history of the chart.

“This is a huge deal for me. I’m beyond words,” the 28-year-old New York native tells Billboard. “I feel very accomplished and relieved to know that hard work definitely pays off.”

The lead single from Clarkson’s March 17 RCA album “All I Ever Wanted,” “My Life Would Suck Without You” was co-written with writer/producer Max Martin (Britney Spears) and songwriter Dr. Luke (Katy Perry). “Max had an idea of some of the concepts. They came up with the music, Max threw some ideas at me, and then they threw me in the mix,” Kelly says of the songwriting process.

The song is Kelly’s second top 10 Hot 100 this week. He also co-wrote Britney Spears’ “Circus,” which is No. 10 after peaking at No. 3 last month.

Coming up, look for Kelly’s work on new albums from R. Kelly (“Expect a creative, soulful, classic R. Kelly record,” he says), Toni Braxton, Leona Lewis, OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, Chrisette Michele and Corbin Bleu. Some songs he worked on with Jennifer Hudson are also likely to appear on a re-release of her self-titled J debut.

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