Nicole Scherzinger Opens X-Factor With Diva Mash-up

Nicole Scherzinger has something that no other female X-Factor judge has had: an actual singing voice. And boooooy did she show it off during the opening of yesterday's "Divas week" show.

Recognising her voice, folks claim Scherzy's muted success post PCD is due to her lack of solo stage presence. This mash-up of I'm Every Woman and Respect contradicts that assertion. Charisma, nerve and talent were all out in force while she belted out the Whitney/Chakka and Aretha medley. The vocals were slightly dry in tone, but the effortless quality to which she tackled two tough songs is proof that this woman has every right to be judging a singing contest.

Little Mix Bring "Shout Out To My Ex!" To X-Factor

Little Mix are back with new single, Shout Out To My Ex!. Performing on the X-Factor for the first time, the Divas gave a tantalising taste of what could be awaiting this year's contestant(s) if they win.

Vocally it wasn't 100% polished and some of the harmonies were weak. But strutting, nerves and this being the first time they've performed Shout Out would do that to a girl. However, it came together and improved as it went on and the backing kicked in. Though it was nice to see them working a large production, I couldn't help but notice breath support was a consistent issue for all of them. Odd considering how much they've toured since winning.

Celine Dion Turns Rap Songs Into Beautiful Ballads On Ellen

Is someone forcing Ellen DeGeneres to do that talk show? Gurl always looks so damn miserable and uninterested in the clips I've watched for this blog.

Anywho, the regal Celine Dion was on the show, and Ellen, after some of that Tonight Show virility, had the Diva play her own jacked version of The Wheel of Musical Impressions. The twist, Celine had to balladise rap songs.

Rihanna Outshines All With Iconoic Back Catalogue @ 2016 VMAs

Boy oh boy was I losing faith in the 2016 VMA performances. Beyonce was boring, Ariana Grande was vocally a mess and Britney Spears was amateur hour at the Apollo. But then came the Goddess Rihanna who brought not only a plethora of her hits, over multiple performances, but energy, fun and that infectious IDGAF attitude.

What Was Going on With Ariana Grande's Voice @ 2016 VMAs?

Who in their right mind thought it would be a good idea for Ariana Grande to start a live performance taking part in a spin class?

Britney Spears Sadly Didn't Slay Like We Wanted @ 2016 VMAs

You know I love Britney Spears. Yes, honestly. And as much as I always want to give her the benefit of the doubt and an easy ride, her performance at this year's VMA's wasn't great.

[Shock!] Beyonce Bores With Lemonade Medley @ 2016 VMAs

Beyonce was the Queen of the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, winning, like, all the Moon Men and becoming the show's most awarded star, like, eva.

But she didn't just come to take yesterday, she also gave, spoiling MTV with a medley of songs from her latest smash, Lemonade. Less a string of songs following one another and more a production, the set contained interludes that tied it all together, adding drama and faux-depth. Still, I found it kinda boring, and drawn-out, with Beyonce serving me lethargy and too much booty (who would have thought that was possible).

Did Britney Spears Lip-Sync During Her Carpool Karaoke? Do We Even Care?

Britney Spears doing Carpool Karaoke with James Corden was always going to be an interesting one. Not because the premise of The Late Late Show segment requires the passenger to sing with the host as they carpool. (Okay, so maybe that a bit.) But more so because we get a chance to see Britney interact without the handlers nearby influencing her.

Whether this was a factor or not, Brit did appear more engaged and honest -fyi she's done with men( but will still French kiss em for fun). And though it was fun at times to watch, the diva still seems to be missing something behind the eyes, which makes me a little sad. Boo.

Botney may not be a thing of the past just yet, but Britney is slowly coming back to us. Let's hope this shines through during Sunday's MTV Video Music Award performance.

Leona Lewis Soars On Broadway With Cats' "Memory"

It seems to be the case that when a singer's career is derailed, they head over to the West End/Broadway to get a role in a musical. Realistically this wouldn't be an option for someone like, say, Katy Perry, but X-Factor winner Leona Lewis, is a different calibre of singer.

[Watch] Ariana Grande Lazily Covers Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know" and "Queen Of The Night"

Ariana Grande has covered Whitney Houston A LOT.

With that being the case, not only is it natural for us to compare her to the source material; but we are also- probably more fairly- able to contrast it to the high standard she has previously attained covering The Voice. That in mind, I can say that this tribute wasn't one of her best for me.

Lazy and uninspired, were actually the two words left with me post viewing. I know that sounds harsh, but let me explain. Initially I was into it, but as the How Will I Know and Queen of the Night medley chugged along it became apparent that this was a performance by numbers. Instead of embodying or channelling either song, Ariana was breezing through the performances as if on autopilot. The head notes that punctuated the latter song were particularly telling, being repetitive and stale.

JoJo Gives Us An Acoustic Taste Of "Apologies"

JoJo shines brightest in an acoustic setting, as far as I'm concerned.

And the live showing of her latest single F%%k Apologies at the Elvis Duran Show proved this once again for me. Not only were the lyrics popping more, but the vocal was infused with an emotion that was lacking in the polished studio version.

Truthfully, not the biggest fan of the song, but the acoustic rendition has made me appreicate it that lickle bit more. Will "Aplolgies" give JoJo her first taste of chart success in ...lets just say... a while. Listen to both versions and decide for yourself.

Sia's Voice Craps Out During GMA Performance Of "Chandelier"

Sia isn't a confident performer- despite what she projects. The songwriter extraordinaire- who is currently celebrating her first Hot 100 #1 (yay, her)- has even gone as far as to say she hates singing in front of crowds. So why continue to go through the torture of performing at all? Because of the fans, apparently. Bless.

With this understanding, could her MIA vocals during Chandelier at Good Morning America be the fault of nervousness? In the interview that followed the disastrous showing, Sia did reveal she'd been in tears backstage, stressing over hitting the song's textured belts. Clearly something was up.

Michelle Williams Blesses BBC Gospel Proms With Her Presence

The BBC Proms have added a Gospel night to their annual festivities at the Royal Albert Hall- praise the Lord!

And I'm sure, like all of you, when I think of Gospel music, only one name comes to mind. That's right: Michelle "Destiny's Child" Williams. Having been tirelessly waving the flag for Christian music since Mathew Knowles forced her into the lane so she wouldn't be a danger to his daughter  her release back into the wild post-DC, the Diva has practically become the face of the religion, worldwide.

Jennifer Lopez takes "Love Makes The World Go Roud" to The Today Show

Jennifer Lopez recently released a tribute record to those murdered at the Orlando club, Pulse. With it being an attack targeting the LGBT community, the song, Love Make The World Go Round is an "Kumbaya" affair that has Ms.Lopez trying to unite us all under the banner of love.

And it was this message she was out promoting when she took the song (and Lin-Manuel Miranda) to the Today Show. The result was a colourful and vibrant showing, that was simple and unfussy -a change from her usual M.O. To make it even more poignant, the Diva was surrounded by survivors and family members of the slain.

Can You Guess What Patti LaBelle Does During This "Isn't It a Shame" Performance?

Patti LaBelle is the Diva that just keeps on giving to me.

She is that rare kind of performer who gets so into her craft that wherever the music takes her, she is going to go; she is living her life at that moment, enraptured in the music. Unlike other Divas, it doesn't just get communicated through her voice, her physicality also gets caught up in the whirlwind. And it's this total expression that makes her a joy to watch.

JoJo Covers Mariah Carey's "Always Be My Baby"

JoJo is much revered for her voice. In fact, it's often claimed she's slept on, as even though her voice is A* she doesn't get much attention from the mainstream. I'd argue that that's the fault of her material, but that's a different post.

Alicia Keys Don't Need NO ONE, performs all Instrumentation for "In Common" @ BET Awards 2016

Alicia Keys is clearly over the polished styling of the Girl On Fire era. Taking to the BET Awards to perform latest single In Common, the Diva impressively handled the entire production herself. How's that for stripping things back!

Encased by various gadgets and gizmos, Alicia cleverly tweaked, pushed and strummed the surrounding instruments to create the track's backing. It was a novel experience that kept the audience's (and my) interest right till the final note. But, maybe more importantly than that, it served a second purpose. In choosing to forgo the conventional, she set herself apart from all others who performed at the award show. And that was something she needed to do, given that Beyonce and the Prince tributes would be guaranteed to grab those column inches.

Much respect, Alicia.

[Watch] Jennifer Hudson, Janelle Monae, Erykah Badu and Tori Kelly Tribute Prince @ BET Awards 2016

Totally forgot about Erykah when making the image...mybad

After the hastily put together Madonna Prince tribute at the Billboard Awards was savaged by critics and fans alike, BET sent out this shady message. With guns so publicly drawn, the BET Awards 2016 had to deliver. So who'd they call on to help bring their rebuttal tribute to life? Jennifer Hudson, Janelle Monae, Tori Kelly and Erykah Badu that's who! There were also some dudes about, too....

[Watch] Beyonce Opens BET Awards 2016 with "Freedom"

People (the Hive) swore Beyonce would never perform again on the BET stage again after the station made disparaging remarks about her child's hair. But with album Lemonade touching on the experiences of black America, what better place would there be to showcase the material than the Black Entertainment Television Awards 2016. So it's little surprise that's just what she did.

Christina Aguilera Delivers First Live Showing Of "Change" to Kimmel

Christina Aguilera released Change, a few weeks back in a response to the devastating shooting at the Orlando Pulse nightclub.