Kelly Rowland Through Rose Colored Glasses

The world works in mysterious ways sometimes. This is the only way I can I describe my luck regarding last week's promotional adventures with Universal Motown's resident dancefloor diva, Kelly Rowland.

I've seen Kelly once before, back in her Destiny's Child "Say My Name" days with her cohorts Michelle Williams and a lil' forgotten gem named Beyonce, on the TRL Tour back in 2001 alongside Eve, Nelly, Jessica Simpson, Dream and 3LW (ahh, the glory pop days of the early 2000s!). The Kelly of then and the Kelly of now are two different women entirely, and I'm proud to say I've grown up with Ms. Rowland -- just as much of a fan of her now as I was then.

Last Wednesday, I was invited by the good people at iHeartRadio to Kelly's promotional performance for the radio channel at the PC Richard and Son Theatre in Tribeca. Her 40-minute set was high-energy from second one, and because I'm the lucky bunny that I am, I got to enjoy it in the luxury of VIP. The PC Richard & Son Theatre is a relatively new conversion to the New York performance stage setup and holds around 150 people standing. It also has a small little high-rise section in the back, where I got to stand alongside some of Universal Motown's finest. Thanks again to iHeartRadio for the hookup!

Check out some exclusive content from that night over at iHeartRadio!

Kelly opened her set in a full-length, long-sleeved, turtle-neck, leopard catsuit (first Kelis, now Kelly) with a brand new song off her upcoming third solo album, called "I'm Dat Chick". Per new Kelly fansite, OMKelly.com, the song was produced by Tricky Stewart and co-written by Ester Dean, and it was the song's world premiere. By the way it was presented, I'm guessing it's in serious contention to be the next pop/Rhythmic single off the project. It's along the swagger lines of much of Christina Aguilera's Bionic record (including the repeat along the lines of "I just love myself" -- leading me to believe it very well might be from the Bionic sessions itself), with a chorus that repeats: "Work your fist/I'm that chick!" It's the embodiment of being female, strong and confident, and comes across much more believably (and less gratingly arrogant) at the hands of Ms. Rowland over Mrs. Bratman, but I suppose that's another story for another time.

Check out this performance of "I'm That Chick" and "Like This" from the Wal-Mart Soundcheck performance (Thursday). This video is not mine -- credit to the original owner.

Her debut solo album was pretty much forgotten during her set, with the exception of "Dilemma", her early 2000's duet with rapper Nelly. Lest you forget, Kelly's role in the song was the chorus and hook, as the vast majority was compriesd of Nelly's rap. So, it was five minutes of Kelly repeating the chorus and a call/response with the audience of "Baby, I love you/And I need you/Baby, I love you/I do/Neeeeeeed you".

"Commander" was another spotlight piece, but of her newer work, the unmistakable highlight was her #1 with David Guetta, "When Love Takes Over". David himself was quoted as saying Kelly was on a Whitney Houston-kind of vibe when recording the epic dancefloor stomper, and that was very true when I saw her live. I felt much of Houston's influence, as well as that of Mary J Blige. The song segued into a mini Coldplay interlude with "Clocks" during the bridge, a song that many have commented sonically sounds very similar to "Over".

The majority of her set was closed with "Dilemma" before the DJ blasted some tunes and Kelly returned to us in a fresh outfit (a rose colored bottom with a shiny gold lame bra/midriff top), performing a handful of DC3's biggest hits, including "Say My Name", "Survivor" and "Bootylicious." The night ended with her current pop radio single, "Rose Colored Glasses."

"Rose Colored Glasses", live at the iHeartRadio performance (Wednesday). Video is thanks to iHeartRadio.

The night was very enjoyable indeed, although I was a little bit let down by the prevelance of Kelly's miming throughout some of the more uptempo tunes. The performance was videotaped for a feature on iHeartRadio's Unplugged, and while she was definitely singing live during the runs, homegirl often didn't even try to sing live during the current epicness that is "Commander". Instead, she continually held the mic out to the audience instead, letting the backing track do much of the heavy lifting.

The following night, I caught Kelly again, performing the same set at the Gramercy Theatre (swapping the leopard catsuit for a blue-printed one), this time for Wal-Mart and their Soundcheck series. (Mel's Note: No pics from that show, unfortunately. Perhaps you aren't aware, but I'm terribly vertically challenged. It's a sad affliction that seems to affect all of the women in my family. Darn those genes!)

The entire set will become available for you to see at a Wal-Mart near you this October, in support of the album, which is due November. I'm happy to report she was singing live much more during this performance, and the crowd (slightly bigger, since the venue was a bit bigger) was much more hyped and into her performance than the night before. Her years in Destiny's Child definitely weren't for naught -- Ms. Kelly knew how to handle the stage and her vocals (when audible) were 100% on point (especially during "When Love Takes Over" -- so good it bares repeating). Some of her "diva" shtick felt a little thin and forced, and admittedly, she is still developing and figuring out her dancefloor image (parts of "Commander", especially during the Wal-Mart performance, felt a little too fabtastic theatrical), but overall, I walked away very satisified in Kelly's pipes and stage presence.

As much as I love "Commander", my interest was renewed for the album thanks to the inclusion of the new song "I'm Dat Chick", warding off my fears of the album being too safe and middle of the road. November seems too far away, Kelly! Thanks again to iHeartRadio and Wal-Mart for the opportunity to revisit an old favorite of mine!

All photos were taken by yours truly -- feel free to use,  fam, with credit of course!

Right Now I Command You To Dance!

Be prepared to be jealous. 

I am lucky enough to say that I will be catching Kelly Rowland's promo train extravaganza here in New York City, not once, but twice. I will be attending her show tonight at the PC Richard & Son Theatre, as well as her Wal-Mart Soundcheck performance tomorrow night. Promotions roll out is in full swing for Ms. Rowland, in heavy anticipation of her upcoming third solo album release. 

Details, a full review of both shows and hopefully pictures to follow shortly. Keep it locked.

Purple Reign Ain't Too Biz-eh For Us

In Purple Reign's most recent YouTube purplpella update, the girls confirmed the news that they are officially Universal/Motown artists (told you I was on a U.Mo tip), before segueing into a chilled out, R&B version of Lady Gaga/Beyonce's "Telephone" (produced, of course, by their producer/creator Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins).

If the video seems a bit out of sync to you, don't worry -- I'm guessing there was some kind of issue with the YouTube upload. Doesn't matter too too much -- because it's the vocals that are the show! ;) 

Congrats, girls!

Jada's On Fire

I'm keeping in the Universal Motown family today, as I haven't checked in on my ladies in Jada in some time -- and that really needed to change. For those of you who aren't as familiar, Jada's debut single, "American Cowboy", was produced by the omniscent presence that is RedOne, and follow-up single "Break Up Song" showed off a more tender side (along their vocals). 

 (Left to Right: Lauren, April, Elle and Jacyn)

The group is now on to Single #3 (can't stop, won't stop, fam), and it's called "This Party's On Fire". The song was produced by Rio, and is uptempo, more along the lines of their debut (complete with a "Ree-oh oh oh" intro hook). The girl's vocals are icy and chill in comparison to the hyper dance track underneath, which leads me to believe that their debut album (still due for release soon...date unknown) will be more "Cowboy" than "Break Up". You can hear a preview of the song at their official website (scroll all the way down for the single player). It is set for iTunes release shortly and when it does, I shall be speaking about it properly.

To help hold you and I over, I present to you this fierce remix of "American Cowboy" by Dutch DJ Armin van Buure. Zowwwww. I know, you know, I'm sex-eh!

These girls are fighters, and I love that not only does their music make you want to get out of your seat and dance (be it sway or jump around), they never lose what makes them so unique in the first place -- their humility and geniune adorableness. Keep rockin', Jada!

Saturday's 'Headlines' Reads Thumbs Down

Let me start this rant piece by saying I've been a the Saturdays fan since day one proper, from the minute I heard the gloriousness that was "If This Is Love." With that said...

You can imagine my chagrin when I realized The Saturdays' most recent release, the "mini-album" Headlines!, saw release last week, fitting in quite nicely into my block of time sans Internet and therefore leaving me with no ability to enjoy my own copy of the album. Considering the UK is somewhat lacking currently in terms of poppy girl group goodness, this very well could have been considered a crime against humanity. However, after being able to finally perusal the album myself, I was immediately met with a sigh of relief, and then a somewhat familiar cringe of sadness at the current state of affairs at Saturdays HQ.

This just in...Headlines! Disappoints. Big time.

Headlines! is being promoted as a mini-album, but in actuality, its a bit more like a lazy appetizer for what the girls are currently working toward for their upcoming third album. Given the apparent Abandon-Our-Ship mentality that their label Fascination Records (also home to Girls Aloud and Alphabeat, it should be noted) has taken toward their at times geniunely brilliant sophomore album Wordshaker, the mere suggestion that this hastily chunked together "mini-album" (note the insistance on quotes because I'm not quite sure what to label this release as) will serve as more than a means of a Plan B/Backdoor Exit toward their most recent era completely boggles my mind. Mollie King herself has stated the girls hope to have another single released from Headlines! after lead single "Missing You", and perhaps a third after that. I've said my piece on "Missing You", which you can read here.

Click the 'Read More' to...well, read more.

'Start of Something New' with Jamie Bendell

I was contacted a few days ago by a New York City-based musician named Jamie Bendell, a young pop singer/songwriter, about coming to see her live show at Pianos in SoHo. I always enjoy checking out new acts, especially when we share so much music in common (as well as age).

Jamie is an NYC-resident (like yours truly), who has decided to spend her post-grad life pursuing the ever-difficult unsigned artist career path, and her list of upcoming gigs is very impressive. She also has recorded two EPs, Waiting for Owls released back in January and _Something More_ a few weeks back in late July, both of which are available for your perusal at iTunes.

What originally caught my ear was Jamie's unique vocals -- she alternates a bit between quiet, breathy, more husky timbres before launching in to brighter, stronger, more melismatic riffs. She has a very clear, pure kind of voice, which really compliments her more melodic and simplified writing style.

In an age where pop music seems to correlate to the masses as Lady Gaga, Jamie brings to us a return to pop music's origin. Much of her material is just her and her guitar (although at the show the other night, she was supported by a full band, including an electric guitar, bass guitar and drumkit behind her), and she writes her own material. It's more along the lines of Jewel's Pieces of You album -- quietly thought-provoking, seemingly sweet on the surface with more meaning and feeling hidden underneath the surface. Her vocal style reminded me quite a bit of Sara Bareilles.

In addition to playing the NYC bar scene, Jamie also occasionally uploads poppy song covers onto her YouTube account. If you're looking for a place to start, I particularly enjoy her takes on The Script's "Breakeven" as well as a slowed down mash of Drake's "Successful" and Jason DeRulo's "Whatcha Say". There aren't too many new uploads available -- hopefully she'll return to the YouTube scene soon (perhaps with one of Bareilles' newer tunes?).

Her set at Pianos bar this past Thursday was also her birthday show, so I was honored to be able to see her perform on a night that clearly meant a lot to have family and friends present as well as supporters. I'm not quite sure how long she's been performing live professionally, but I do think stage presence is something every artist must work on, and Jamie's no different. All of the original songs she performed were quite strong, and with a promotional and marketing arm behind her, as well as some time to develop her artistic direction, Jamie could truly have her hands on something special. At times, she come across as a bit demure, something I know she's aware of as she describes her own sound as "sweet 'n' powerful" and "endearingly neurotic", something I indeed do adhere to. Overall, I find her very relatable -- as she's able to write about things she knows and flesh them out into something more symbolic.

I really like her stripped down vocal approach -- it takes away the distraction that lies in over-production and is a reminder that a good song is a good song, and a good vocal is a good vocal. This is particularly present in my favorite track, "Start of Something New" (listen here on her MySpace, listed as "Start of Enough"). Jamie also shows some variety in terms of instrumentation, as newer track "Rescue Me" (from _Something More_, see the cover to the right) highlights a tinkling piano backdrop while lamenting betrayal and loss. The spotlight is her soft-turning-strong-turning-soft-again voice that really makes me excited for her potential. Somethings you can't learn, you must be born with. As excited as I tend to get when it comes artists at the beginning of their careers, only a fair few can take their lump of clay and construct something truly amazing. I do think that Jamie is well on her way toward exactly this.

On the flip side, while much of her material undertakes a rather serious tone, her quiet speaking voice evokes a more quirky demeanor. When describing the aforementioned "Rescue Me", she stated it was inspired by someone hacking in to her e-mail account, and another song, "Chocolate Milk" (also available on her MySpace, along with "Rescue Me"), was written about her indifference toward New York's club culture.

It's clear Jamie is still in the beginning stages of her career and artistic journey, but for a beginner, she certainly has all of her moves planned out. For more on Jamie, check out her MySpace, friend her on Facebook, or check out her music through iTunes. Thank you so, so much to Jamie herself for pointing me in her direction and inviting me to her show. I can't wait to see what else she's cooking up, and to check in on her live again soon!

And She's Back!

I personally believe the music industry had a vendetta against me once it heard word I would be without Internet for what turned into a whole, painful week. 

Does that make me sound arrogant? I hope not.

Anywho -- yes, sir (or madame), I'm back and rip roaring ready to write. Please stay tuned for a ridiculous amount of articles to be polished off in the coming days. This shall be the first time in a long time I will be kicking into true high gear to help clear my mind space of the ideas rolling around for what feels like forever so I can make room for the rest of the exciting stuff to come.

And we all know how much I love to talk. I am a Gemini after all.

Stay tuned for articles regarding: Jamie Bendell, The Saturdays, Darin, Katy Perry, Sky Ferriera, (your daily) KPop, JADA and so much more I can barely see straight. Keep it locked, fam. It feels good to be back.

Experiencing Withdrawl

Due to the fact that I have just moved apartments (yayyy!), I am still in the process of establishing an Internet connection at my home aka my blogging office (not so yayyy!). The best way to stay in touch with me would be through Twitter (@melismaticdiva) or thru email at mel@melismaticblog.com.

If you've sent me some promo you'd want me to consider, please know it's not going on deaf ears, I just have no means to actually write content. This situation will be remedied shortly. Until then, please check the Twitter for the usual snark and squee, or check out my lovely list of blogs to the right, featuring more than a handful of my friends and idols.

Thanks so much!

Like Robyn Said, I Dance On My Own.

It's hard to descibe how I feel after seeing live a performer I've enjoyed for 14 years, four of them spent as an ardent fan. However, I shall attempt to pull my through the malay haze that has clouded my ever-pop-loving brain post-Thursday's final tour stop of the All Hearts Tour, featuring Far East Movement, Dan Black, Kelis and, the one, the only, Robyn. And -- wonders don't cease, fam -- I do have pictures to share. Some may be blurry. Some feature more (taller) people than popstar. But pictures do exist. And that is a major accomplishment in terms of my New York City concert-going bragging rights.

Where exactly should I begin? Click the cut for more.

Dear Robyn, You Can 'Hang With Me'

By the time you are reading these very words, I will be anxiously awaiting one of the biggest concert highlights of my life. LIFE, I tell you.

For tonight, fam, tonight is the night I will be seeing Far East Movement, Dan Black, Kelis and (bow down) ROBYN. Sold out. Webster Hall. All Hearts Tour. Oh. Yeah.

::wipes tears:: I haven't been this effing excited to see anyone since...I don't know...the *NSYNC days of yore? And to think, I've been a fan of Robyn even before *NSYNC entered my life. Amazing. Just amazing.

Full account (and hopefully pictures) will be coming asap. Bare with me. Watch my Twitter for possible live Tweets.

Cue Body Talk, Part 1 on massive, MASSIVE repeat.

[WGO] Happy New Day

• I'm sure you've heard by now, but if not -- California has officially overturned Prop 8 which called for gay marriage to be illegal. One battle down in a long war -- but it's definitely an important one. In honor of this momentous occasion, I encourage you to grab your gays and go party -- blaring this very loud.
  
• We finally have a tangible first single for the boys in NLT 2.0 Menudo 2.0 One Call. The song is called "Blacklight" and it's set to be premiered on an episode of the runaway ABC Family hit teen dramaedy "Pretty Little Liars" on August 10th...
  
• Justin Bieber somehow wrangled a huuuuuge feature spread in this week's New York Magazine. I'm so very very confused.
  
• While Katy Perry's still on top with "California Gurls", her second single off the Teenage Dream sophomore set (same name) is on pace to possibly overtake it. This is a very good thing, as "Teenage Dream" is leaps and bounds better than "Gurls", and...I hesitate to say it, but...I really, really like it. More on that to come. Also on the upward swing at Pop Radio -- Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are". It's almost tripled its airplay in just one short week to land at #29. (It also bears mentioning that Kelly Rowland's "Rose Colored Glasses" rears its head at #48. It's no "Commander" but I'll take what I can get with that project.)
  
• Lady Gaga has gained herself a record breaking 13 nominations for this year's MTV Video Music Awards (clearly to make up for being snubbed out last year). In a related story, Christina Aguilera, Rihanna and Britney Spears fans have taken to Twitter to stage an elaborate, bitter and quite laughable "boycott" of the show's televised airing due to the three being snubbed. Hate to be the Bitter Betty of Devil's Advocate Lane, but Xtina released nothing in 2009, Brit hasn't really either, and Rihanna still managed a nomination for "Rude Boy" despite having a stinker of a "dark" concept album. MTV doesn't even really air videos anymore! Stop your bitching like this show still matters more beyond gossip-mongering and performances. I don't recall rumors of a Grammy Boycot -- at least Grammy's actually mean something (or at least they should). Go cry in your milk, please, and stay off my Twitter timeline.
  
• With that said, a trailer for Xtina's Burlesque film (also starring Cher) has finally found the light of day, if you're clever.

The KPop Panel

Not a real update per say -- please bare with me during pretty much this entire month, I shall be quite burdened with my MOVE!! My Twitter will be on the constant and I shall be having a lot to say following next Thursday's Robyn/Kelis/Dan Black concert (hopefully this time with pictures -- darn vertical challenge-ness!). Until then --

I invite you to check out, read, link, comment, love and adore THE KPOP PANEL, the brainchild of myself and Nikki @ Pop Reviews Now.

It follows a similar aesthetic as the infamous Pop Panel created by Mike @ Pop Trash Addicts, except the spotlight is on KPop Music. Of course, if the music moves me enough to elaborate more than the allowable paragraph each week, I shall be getting to it here -- and granted, the Panel won't be able to cover all the songs that hit the 'Net (God knows there are a ton of them), but if you like KPop (or even if you don't), I warmly suggest you check it out. (Longest run-on sentence ever? I think so.)

This week, we cover ground by Se7en, 4minute, G.NA, SISTAR and of course, my (little) boys in SHINee. Take a wild guess who I 'voted' for. ;)

The Panel also featured some of my favorite people here on the Blogosphere, including Pop Poster Girl, Paul from FizzyPop!, new friend of mine McRoth from McRoth's Residence, and of course, my gal pal and geniune lil sister Nikki. Be forwarned, blogging friends -- if we are friends, I'm coming after you to be a Panelist at some point. Oooh, the mystery!