Madonna Covers Lady Gaga's "Born This Way". But Why?

Now we all know that Madonna is one shady character, and someone who is fond of cryptically- or not so cryptically in the case of Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson- attacking others when it suits her (most noticeably when she needs publicity). We also know that Lady Gaga's Born This Way sounds a lot like Madonna's classic Express Yourself and that the Queen of pop herself commented on the likeness by saying,

"When I heard ['Born This Way'] on the radio… I said, 'That sounds very familiar'… It felt reductive. "

This being the case, when footage from Madonna's latest tour rehearsal leaked showing her performing a mash-up of Express Yourself and Born This Way, one couldn't help but question her motives for doing it.

Jennifer Holliday Schools American Idol contestent, Jessica Sanchez , in "I am Telling You" Duet

It takes a brave, or stupid person, to go up against powerhouse vocalist Jennifer Holliday. So whoever thought it would be a good idea to pair American Idol finalist Jessica Sanchez up against her- well technically it was a "duet", but it sure didn't sound like it- was clearly either deluded about her talent or wanting to sabotage her chances of winning the series.

This performance of And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going could have, in theory, worked for Jessica Sanchez if she had sung it solo, or duetted with a lessor singer. Her voice clearly has the styling and range to sing the power anthem. But in putting her up against Jennifer Holliday- who made the song famous, and who sang it best- it only highlighted Ms Sanchezs' weaknesses.

Mariah Carey Performs at Mawazine Festival in Morocco

What more could I ask for on a sunny Sunday afternoon than a bunch of Mariah Carey performances to watch and review!! Seriously, I love me some Mariah!

Sounding in better form, vocally, than her last live set in Austria [here], Mariah Carey  graced the Mawazine Festival in Morocco with her presence and hefty back catalogue in a one off concert for the Moroccan people. 

Below are the performances, as well as my views on them. I'd love to hear what you guys thought in the comments!

NOTE: Anyone who suffers from sea sickness might prefer to listen to the audio, oppose to watching the clips. The camera does get pretty vomit inducing with a constant "swaying" motion when its panned out from the stage. You have been warned!!

Queen Kylie Returns With New Song "Timebomb"

From bubblegum pop to indie queen (Who I loved) to finally finding her feet, Kylie Minogue has been on a roll ever since she started making edgier pop music with album, Light Years . Case in point, a new song entitled Timebomb, released to celebrate her 25 years in the music industry. A feat I don't think many appreciate in terms of the quality of its output or its wider influence on the pop world!

Melody Thornton Covers La Roux's "Bulletproof"

Covering an electro-pop gem like La Roux's Bulletproof is always going to be a tough challenge, but it's just what ex-Pussycat Doll, Melody Thornton and duet partner Bobby Newberry (anyone?) have attempted to do.

Taking the song down a "darker" route, the pair have transformed the feisty and energetic tune into a melodramatic, emo anthem that had zero emotional impact on moi- perhaps I'm dead inside. The crescendo vocals at the end of the track also get a little too messy for my liking.

 Don't even get me started on the video or Bobby Newberry's make-up. You know you've gone too far with it when your skin looks more flawless, and your lips more glossy than your female co-star.

Rihanna Performs "Where Have You Been" Live on American Idol Finale.

Yep, the Rihanna embargo has been lifted, because honestly I just don't care enough to keep it going. With that out the way, take a look at her performance of new single Where Have You Been on the American Idol season 11 Final.

There has certainly been growth in the star in regards to her stage presence, and her involvement with the choreography, and that has to be given credit. Also, unlike other people in the industry, Rihanna, always seems to sing live, admittedly over quite a filled out backing track. Whether you appreciate that "experience" or not is another thing. However, I like to see people giving it a good go and RiRi certainly is getting more accomplished as a live vocalist.

Whitney Houston featuring Jordin Sparks, "Celebrate" [New Music]

The last recording from the late Whitney Houston has surfaced on the internet, and it's perhaps fitting that the song Celebrate- in which Jordin Sparks features- is a positive, upbeat one that speaks on enjoying and appreciating life.

Taken from the movie soundtrack of Sparkle- a remake in which the pair both star- its tracklist reveals it also features another Whitney Houston song, the gospel hymn His Eyes On The Sparrow, which is sure to be a real tearjerker.  Listen to Jennifer Holiday and the Lauryn Hill/Tanya Blount renditions below.