Bearded Diva Wins Eurovision Song Contest 2014!

I didn't get a chance to watch Eurovision this year, but the few bits I did catch were amazingly staged. Copenhagen, you did good!

I know the contest has always had the aroma of  kitsch campness surrounding it, but even I was stunned to hear a bearded drag Queen claim the 2014 crown for Austria.The song itself was a little basic for my liking, but there's no denying the guy has a set of pipes on him- with some nicely held notes, and a steady vibrato on show on the night.

Check out Conchita Wurst perform the winning song, Rise Like A Phoenix, below. And if any of you did manage to catch the show, please point me in the direction of any standout performances from the contest in the comments.

[Music Video] Michelle Williams: "Fire"

Bless Michelle Williams. New song Fire- whose video was released today- was just what I needed to hear. It might be a song about God, but that didn't stop me being uplifted by the positive vibe the track brings. (By "vibe" I mean its melody, production, harmonies and Michelle's distinctive pipes- more so than the song's lyrics.)

My frazzled spirits have been lifted.

The simple, but colourful video was also definitely nourishing me, this time visually, looking like a low-budget 1+1. I think no matter what Michelle does, I'm inspired by the hustle. Keep doing you, Tenitra!

[Music Video] Lana Del Rey Debuts "West Coast" Visuals

West Coast, the new Lana Del Rey video is here!

Shot mostly in black and white, the long awaited visuals find Lana frolicking on the beach with a grungy beau for the most part. However, during the song's tempo change, we are transported to a past (or future) life more in line with the sugar daddy-craving, ultra glam persona of the Born To Die era, as she gets cosy with an older man. By its end, both are consumed in the flames of desire as colour is finally added to the mix.

The visuals aren't anything exceptional to me, but watching the video has reminded me just how much I love the song. To say I'm excited for Ultraviolence is now officially an understatement.

[Music Video] Sia Furler: "Chandelier"

Now, the obvious thing to do would have been to have had Sia swinging from the lights whilst getting wasted for the video for Chandelier. But since Miley was straddling a wrecking ball not too long ago, Sia must have decided against that course of action- best for all not to court comparisons. Instead the Diva thought left field was the way to play it and refrained from featuring in the video at all.

What we got as her substitute is a child (Maddie Ziegler, apparently) in a wig and a flesh coloured leotard-thing doing an interpretive dance routine in a grubby looking flat. It's actually a bloody good watch, with some cool gymnasticy moments and odd choreography making for an entertaining few minutes. That is until the end, where it gets a little creepy....

Watch Alice Smith's Raw Cover Of "I'm A Fool" @ Black Girls Rock

How the hell did I miss Alice Smith's performance of Fool For You at Black Girls Rock 2014? Wow, this woman has one set of soulful pipes on her! I haven't heard anything else from the Diva, but if this song is any indication of the type of music she is gifting the world, then I think I to get her album - She- ASAP!

Check out Alice rocking the house with her rhythmic rendition of Fool For You, below. Those interested in hearing her range- particularly in her upper reaches- take a listen to the studio version. It contains a fair few head notes in the song's closing.

BTW this is a cover of a Cee lo Green song of the same title.

Free For All Friday

It's that time agaiiiiiiiiiiin: FREE FOR ALL FRIDAY, EVERYBODY! While you guys get to it in the comments, I'm gonna watch this cat work the morph ball for a few hours. Maybe I can learn the meaning of life from it. I have a feeling it's hidden in there somewhere..

If you don't know the score, here be the rules:

• Try not to get too perverted- this site  needs to basically be "safe for work".
• If somebody starts a controversial subject, try keeping it civil when dealing with it. If things get out of hand please flag the conversation.
• It would be nice if it stuck to music, but it's not a requirement! So talk about news, current events, how you're getting your hair done next time you hit the hairdresser! Whateves, really!
• No nasty comments aimed at other users.

Inappropriate hugs to all of y'all (hi fives to the underagers), and wishing you an awesome weekend!

[Discuss] Mariah Carey Reveals New Album Name And Cover Art

Scrapping original title The Art Of Letting Go, Mimi has finally confirmed the name of her first LP in four years. You ready for it? Well here it! The new album is called Me.I am Mariah.

I have a feeling the promotion is going to have a lot of "This album is the real me" moments - much like was the case with The Emancipation Of Mimi. The cover art also looks suspiciously familiar, and is, unsurprisingly, Photoshopped to the gawds.

At least we finally have some concrete info about her new project- even if it is hardly a groundbreaking reveal. I was worried for a moment the project was going to be pushed back into oblivion!