[Watch] Mariah Carey Performs "#Beautiful" Remix @ 2013 Bet Awards

If you were hyped about Mariah Carey's performance at the 2013 BET Awards, I'd advise you to modify your expectations now to avoid unnecessary disappointment. The vocals themselves- especially on that intro- were FIRE but it's a shame that Mariah was lip-syncing for her LIFE throughout! She did look gorgeous though, but I'm not sure how much more I can say about this considering it wasn't live.

[Video Spam] Watch New Music From Fatih Evans, India Arie, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey and Miley Cyrus!

We all know I'm pretty terrible at keeping on top of new releases and such- which is crazy considering I "run" a music blog. But I'm not sure if anyone else even caught the release of this new video from Faith Evans. Knowing my luck, it's an old song/video and Faith's team has only just posted it to her Vevo but since I've never heard it before, I'm posting it!

Dumb- no, I haven't resorted to name calling, that's the song's name- is an energetic, Motown-inspired romp, which pairs Faith's raspy and soulful voice with a quick tempo and playful sound to dizzying effect. Yep, the video is #BUUUUUUUDDGET but a quick wiki tells me why: the song isn't from a new album but from a compilation album, entitled R&B Divas, which was released last year. So I was kind of right and wrong about the song; it's old, but the video is new.

Still, I'm glad to have our first lady of Bad Boy back!

[Discuss] Should Rihanna Act More Like A Role Model and Less Like "Pop's Poisonous Princess"?

Rihanna has one again been cussed out in the media, this time for being a "toxic role model for her army of young fans". Citing the Umbrella singer's use of drugs, the rekindling of her relationship with abuser Chris brown, and her dress sense, columnist Liz Jones took to her platform at the Daily Fail Mail to spread her (childless) opinions on why Rihanna is corrupting a generation of kids.

Now, I'm not one to listen to Liz Jones at the best of times- I think she writes to troll- but this article was something else, even by her standards! When a supposedly educated individual can write the sentence, "She (Rihanna) promotes... the sort of fashion sense on stage that surely invites rape at worst, disrespect at least", you have to question if this individual is a sandwich short of a picnic. Since when did rape become the fault of the victim?

But what about some parity. Surely if women should be acting as role models for young girls, then their male counterparts should have the same consideration for the boys of today? Well, according to Liz, they needn't worry about it because, "young women are far more impressionable than young men". Really? That's not how I remember it! So being well behaved and "good" should only be practised by the female entertainers of this world? Sexist much? If these two statements alone don't make you question the sanity of this woman, I recommend you subscribe to her posts because you've found a (rare) friend in Liz!

[Review] Michelle Williams- "If We Had Your Eyes"

The only Destiny's Child member not selling music with the aide of her sexuality, Ms. Michelle Williams is back! *Yikes, that reads way more bitchy than it was in my head!* I've always had a soft spot for the Gospel favouring Diva and her new single, If We Had Your Eyes, doesn't do anything to harm those affections. They may even have increased them!

Though back on the Gospel tip, after last and secular album Unexpected failed to sell, Michelle's choice to return to her roots doesn't have the smell of failure or a U-turn about it. In fact it sounds as if she's come home, with If We Had Your Eyes ringing a lot more truer than anything found on Unexpected. (I should just say, I actually really liked that album.)

Michelle's voice is stronger than ever too, with it definitely being more commercially viable than at any other point in her career– mostly thanks to the nasal tone being somewhat tempered and her voice thickening. But not only is the vocal suitably impressive, the Harmony Samuels old-school production marries beautifully with its earthy tones and the Gospel message.

It's a promising return from Tenitra (I haven't forgotten who I am writing about, that's her Christian name!), and I look forward to hearing more from the Diva's as yet untitled fourth album– secular or not. Oh and I'm loving the spoken outro, it's giving me Who Is Jill Scott? goodness!

Buy If We Had Your Eyes @ Itunes

[Versus] Who Sang "Stay" (Live) Better: Demi Lovato Or Rihanna?

Demi Lovato is one of the new generation of Divas- along with Ariana Grande- whose vocal profile gets a heck of a lot of hits daily. Not only that, but I know there are a number of regular readers, or "Lovatics", who also enjoy the X-Factor USA judge's musical output and voice. This being so, I thought I'd play to the crowd and post her rendition of Rihanna's Stay, which was filmed at the B96 Pepsi Summer Smash in Chicago.

Needless to say, Demi has no problem handling the Mikky Ekko assisted duet. For the most part she refrains from going crazy with the pipes, sticking pretty faithfully to the song's melody. But let's get real, no one wants to hear a cover sang exactly as the original was- there's kinda no point- and Demi knows it, "Lovatomising" the song at its climax by taking it up an octave. Vocally impressive, but does it match or even best Rihanna's original?