Lady Gaga heads to Vegas with dual shows

Pop star Lady Gaga on Tuesday announced a residency in Las Vegas with twin shows to display her two sides -- extravagant and glitzy, and stripped back and jazzy.

At 32, Lady Gaga is unusually young and culturally prominent to launch a residency in Sin City, generally the preserve of older artists who either want to set up elaborate productions away from the rigors of the road or to cash in on the nostalgia of tourists.

Lady Gaga said her shows would begin on December 28 at the newly rebranded Park MGM, a giant complex on the Las Vegas Strip which was initially built as the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino in the style of the Mediterranean gambling hub.

The synth-pop star once known for her eye-popping attire and ultra-extroverted sexuality plans two shows, with one, entitled "Lady Gaga Enigma," promising more of her theatrics.

"We're creating a show unlike anything I've done before. It will be a celebration of all that is unique and different within us," she said in a statement.

"The challenges of bravery can be overcome with creativity and courage that is grown out of adversity, love and music."

The other show, "Lady Gaga Jazz and Piano," will star her singing minimalist versions of her songs as well as pop standards.

Gaga refashioned her career four years ago when she teamed up with classic crooner Tony Bennett, who is six decades her senior.

She similarly adopted a more mature sound on her latest album, "Joanne," which veered into country music with lyrics about family ties.

Lady Gaga announced "Enigma" shows through November 2019 with only a handful of the stripped-back concerts.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Woman charged in LA with hacking email of Selena Gomez

LOS ANGELES, United States - A 21-year-old woman who prosecutors say hacked into the email accounts of pop star and actress Selena Gomez and posted photos she found there online has been charged with identity theft and fraud, Los Angeles prosecutors said on Friday.

Susan Atrach is accused of accessing Gomez' accounts several times from June 2015 to February 2016 and obtaining images and other media stored there, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office said in a written statement.

Atrach then allegedly shared the material she took from the 25-year-old singer with others and posted them online, prosecutors say. A spokesman for the office declined to provide further details of the case.

It was not immediately clear whether Atrach, of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, was in custody on Friday afternoon or if she had retained a criminal defense attorney.

The charges include five counts of identity theft, five counts of accessing computer data to commit fraud or illegally obtain money, property or data and one count of accessing computer data without permission.

Atrach, who was scheduled to be arraigned in Los Angeles Superior Court on Aug. 27, faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison if convicted at trial. Prosecutors have asked that she be held on $250,000 bail.

Representatives for Gomez could not immediately be reached for comment on the case.

The pop star, of Grand Prairie, Texas, first rose to fame starring as Alex Russo on the teen comedy Wizards of Waverly Place, which aired on the Disney Channel from 2007 to 2012.

She has since gained fame as a solo artist, landing six top 10 singles in the Billboard charts, and appeared in feature films.

Gomez has also been celebrated as the "queen of Instagram" with more than 138 million followers on the social media site as of Friday.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Justin Bieber hits photographer with car: police

LOS ANGELES - Justin Bieber left a photographer with minor injuries after accidentally striking him with his vehicle near Los Angeles, police said Thursday.

The pop star hit the 57-year-old male pedestrian, who was hospitalized with non-threatening injuries, at approximately 9:24 pm (0424 GMT) on Wednesday evening, Beverly Hills police detective Chris Coulter told AFP.

Bieber, 23, "was cooperative and was released," Coulter said. No citations were issued at the scene.

The incident follows the Canadian superstar's abrupt cancellation of the remainder of his world tour earlier this week, citing "unforeseen circumstances."

   
Bieber is a fixture of tabloids who has frequently faced legal trouble over incidents including racing a car through Miami and throwing eggs at a neighbor's house.

But his career had gone back on track with the spectacular success of his album "Purpose" in late 2015 that generated a stream of hits including "Sorry."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Justin Bieber leaves Instagram; Selena apologizes

MANILA - Pop star Justin Bieber appeared to have deactivated his Instagram account, which has more than 77 million followers, after receiving a slew of negative comments over dating Sofia Richie, the daughter of singer Lionel Richie.

Bieber and Richie have been spotted together in recent weeks, which did not sit well with the fans of the "Sorry" hitmaker. "I'm gonna make my Instagram private if you guys don't stop the hate. This is getting out of hand, if you guys are really fans you wouldn't be so mean to people that I like," Bieber threatened.

The hate apparently did not stop as a visit to Bieber's Instagram page will yield an error message that reads: "Sorry, this page isn't available," which usually appears when a user either deactivates or deletes his account entirely.

Bieber's actions also comes after his former girlfriend, singer Selena Gomez decided to weigh in on the drama. "If you can't handle the hate then stop posting pictures of your girlfriend lol - it should be special between you two only," she commented. "Don't be mad at your fans. They love you."

It prompted Bieber to reply: "It's funny to see people that used me for attention and still try to point the finger this way. Sad. All love."

Gomez, according to the Daily Mail, has since apologized for her comments. "What I said was selfish and pointless," she posted on her Snapchat account.

As of writing, Bieber's Twitter and Facebook page are still active.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Jennifer Lopez performs in stunning Michael Cinco gown

Pop star Jennifer Lopez wore a stunning cape with a flowing train made by Dubai-based Filipino designer Michael Cinco as she performed with acclaimed writer and rapper Lin-Manuel Miranda on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" Tuesday night.

Lopez sang "Love Make the World Go Round," a tribute song to the victims of the mass shooting that took place in Orlando, Florida last month that left 49 dead and 50 injured.

Cinco, in an Instagram post, shared that the design for the hand-painted train was inspired by the beautiful stained glass windows of the iconic Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. She took off the cape when Miranda joined her midway through the song.


Proceeds from sales of "Love Make the World Go Round" will go to the Hispanic Federation's Proyecto Somos Orlando fund, which provides mental-health services.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Lady Gaga says suffers 'paralyzing fear' from rape

NEW YORK, United States - Lady Gaga on Friday described her Oscar performance with rape survivors as the most difficult of her life, saying that she remains in chronic pain from a decade-old assault.

The pop star on Sunday offered an emotional performance of her song "Till It Happens To You" at the film industry's gala awards, with university students who have experienced rape joining her on stage with arms joined in solidarity.

"I was never such a wreck as I was the week before this performance," Gaga told New York radio station Z100.

Speaking of her rape, she said: "It's the thing that I am the most ashamed of in my life and I have always felt that it was my fault until this week."

Gaga, who turns 30 this month, has previously revealed that she was raped by an older man when she was 19.

But she said that the Academy Awards performance marked a coming out of sorts, as previously the issue was "swept under" with people quickly moving on to other topics.

"People don't know this about me because I don't share it, and I know they see me as this kind of celebrity that has success and money and the world watching and that I must have no problems.

"But I actually suffer from chronic pain all the time and it's from this paralyzing fear that I've experienced for almost 10 years," she said.

Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, said that she had compartmentalized the experience in the back of her mind but that it "stays in your body, in your tissues."

"So I feel physical pain, and there are a lot of people who suffer from chronic pain who have been through a traumatic experience," she said.

Gaga said that she later got matching tattoos with some of the young people at the performance, who had come on stage with slogans written on their arms such as "Not At All Your Fault" and "Unbreakable."

Gaga was nominated for an Oscar for the song which appears in "The Hunting Ground," a documentary about rape on university campuses.

She was introduced by Vice President Joe Biden who encouraged viewers to sign a pledge on the site itsonus.org.

The pledge, which has seen a surge of interest since the Oscars, commits the signatory to intervene in situations when a person has not or cannot consent to sex.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Did Anne Curtis give her number to Justin Bieber?

MANILA – Vice Ganda revealed that international pop star Justin Bieber asked for Anne Curtis’ number during one of his visits in Manila.

Vice Ganda shared this information during the Sunday episode of “Gandang Gabi Vice” with special guests Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil.

The three of them were talking about Bieber because the host found out that the Canadian singer was following Soberano on Twitter.

Vice Ganda then said: “May isang celebrity, kilala natin. Dumating dito si Justin Bieber tapos pinahingi niya 'yung number nung kakilala nating girl. Pero si girl nagmaganda, hindi binigay 'yung number.”

Although he initially didn’t want to reveal the female celebrity, he later on said: “Sabi ko sige na mag-join ka na tapos join mo ako. Kaya bongga si girl, dinedma si Justin Bieber. Ayaw ko sabihin. Basta itago na lang natin sa pangalang Curtis. Ang taray ni girl, ‘di ba?”

The last time Bieber visited the country was in December 2013 when he helped raise funds for the victims of super typhoon "Yolanda."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Madonna reveals rape at knifepoint when young

LOS ANGELES - US pop icon Madonna was raped at knifepoint when she was a young struggling artist in New York, she revealed in an article published Friday.

The 55-year-old also recalled being held up at gunpoint and having her seedy apartment burgled three times, saying she was "scared shitless" at times before she started making it as a singer and dancer.

In a piece for Harper's Bazaar, she also talked about her time living in Britain married to director Guy Ritchie, saying there is "nothing more beautiful than the English countryside," and revealed that she is now studying the Koran.

Describing her arrival in the Big Apple from the Midwest, where she grew up, she wrote: "New York wasn't everything I thought it would be. It did not welcome me with open arms," and described "paying my rent by posing nude for art classes, staring at people staring at me naked."

"The first year, I was held up at gunpoint. Raped on the roof of a building I was dragged up to with a knife in my back, and had my apartment broken into three times. I don't know why; I had nothing of value after they took my radio the first time.

"The tall buildings and the massive scale of New York took my breath away. The sizzling-hot sidewalks and the noise of the traffic and the electricity of the people rushing by me on the streets was a shock to my neurotransmitters," she added.

She continued: "I felt like I had plugged into another universe. I felt like a warrior plunging my way through the crowds to survive. Blood pumping through my veins, I was poised for survival.

"I felt alive.

"But I was also scared shitless and freaked out by the smell of piss and vomit everywhere, especially in the entryway of my third-floor walk-up."

The "Material Girl" singer, whose career has ranged from "Like a Virgin" to movie roles, the 1992 coffee table book "Sex" and who last toured in 2012, wrote the cover story to accompany a fashion photoshoot of her in typically provocative gear, including a bondage-style mask and a sword.

Moving on a decade a time, she recalled being a pop star in her 20s, embracing Kabbalah in her 30s, before marrying Ritchie and moving to Britain by the age of 45.

"I consider moving to a foreign country to be a very daring act. It wasn't easy for me .. I didn't understand pub culture. I didn't understand that being openly ambitious was frowned upon. Once again I felt alone.

"But I stuck it out and I found my way, and I grew to love English wit, Georgian architecture, sticky toffee pudding, and the English countryside. There is nothing more beautiful than the English countryside."

Madonna and Ritchie were divorced in 2008, and a decade later she is back in New York.

"I have started making films, which is probably the most challenging and rewarding thing I have ever done. I am building schools for girls in Islamic countries and studying the Koran. I think it is important to study all the holy books.

"As my friend Yaman always tells me, a good Muslim is a good Jew, and a good Jew is a good Christian, and so forth. I couldn't agree more."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Sorry, no cameras allowed at Rihanna concert

MANILA -- Filipino fans of Rihanna won't be able to take photos of the international pop star when she performs at the Mall of Asia Arena stage on Thursday night.

The Pasay City concert venue, in its official social media accounts, announced that any type of camera will not be allowed in, "as per artist's management and event organizer's request."

"All type of cameras (digital cameras, point-and-shoot cameras, DSLRs) are prohibited during Rihanna's 'Diamonds World Tour.' Only accredited press and media will be allowed to bring cameras inside the venue," it said.

The 25-year-old Barbadian singer, who is behind the global hits "Umbrella" and "We Found Love," is performing in the Philippines for a second time after her sold-out show in Taguig in 2008.

Manila is one of the three Asian stops of the "Diamonds" tour, which has so far visited over 60 cities around the world. The concert series is set to make 19 more stops until November 15.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Amnesty issues rights plea to Rihanna, Shakira

Human rights group Amnesty International urged pop stars Rihanna and Shakira on Friday to open their eyes to recent arrests of journalists, bloggers and activists in Azerbaijan, before their performances in the former Soviet republic this month.

Amnesty and Sing for Democracy said in a joint letter that it wanted to draw the singers' attention to human rights and freedom of speech issues in Azerbaijan.

"Both singers should be aware of the situation in the country post-Eurovision," the letter said, referring to the singing contest in the Azeri capital of Baku in May, which spurred protests and rallies by Azeris demanding democracy.

Authorities in Baku arrested dozens of protesters in May and have since arrested several journalists and political activists.

"We Found Love" singer Rihanna, 24, is scheduled to perform in Baku on Saturday. "Hips Don't Lie" singer Shakira, 35, is performing in Baku for football organization FIFA's under 17 women's world cup on October 13, and at another venue in the capital on October 14.

International rights groups often have criticized Azerbaijan for curbing public dissent, while the government in Baku says Azerbaijanis enjoy full freedom of speech.

"Amnesty International believes that the Azerbaijani government should afford all artists, journalists, activists and ordinary citizens the right to express themselves freely without fear of reprisal. We hope that you share our belief," said the letter to Rihanna and Shakira.

Representatives for both singers did not immediately return calls for comment.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Jennifer Lopez Cuddles Up to Casper Smart During Wake-Boarding Outing

She may be thinking about leaving the American Idol judges' table, but there's one thing Jennifer Lopez seems to be certain about: her relationship with Casper Smart.

It was smooth sailing for the couple, who were first linked together last November, as they hit Long Beach on Thursday for a sunny outing.

"Me and the Bear wake-boarding in Long Beach," Smart Tweeted.


Add wakeboarding to her resume of talents: "Got up her 1st try," Smart added.



And Lopez, 42, may have more time to hone her skills should she leave Idol after two seasons.



"All I can let you in on is my own thought process with it because that's where I truly am," she said Thursday. "I am thinking that it's time for me to go and do other things I love to do."

source: people.com

Jennifer Lopez says ‘Idol’ judging days are over

LOS ANGELES – Pop star Jennifer Lopez will exit television singing contest “American Idol” as a judge but could return as a guest, possibly as a mentor, she told the show’s host Ryan Seacrest in a radio interview on Friday.

Lopez would follow Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler out the door of the top-rated US TV show which is headed for a major shakeup when it returns in the fall season and struggles to reverse a slide in viewership during recent years.

“I just don’t feel like I can be there every single day all the time like I have been for the past two years. I feel like I have to do other things,” Lopez told Seacrest on his morning radio show in Los Angeles.

A spokeswoman for the Fox TV network, which airs “American Idol,” said the broadcaster had no immediate comment.

Lopez has for weeks been the subject of much speculation over whether she would stay on the program, and as recently as Thursday in an interview on NBC’s morning news program “Today,” she indicated she would leave.

But she used the strongest words yet to indicate she had made up her mind in the interview with Seacrest, who is the host of “American Idol.”

“You dread a conversation like this,” she told Seacrest. “I honestly feel like the time has come that I have to get back to doing the other things that I do, that I’ve put kind of on hold because I like ‘Idol’ so much,” she said.

Seacrest asked, “is the door open,” and she replied: “I feel like no matter what you guys need over there, I’m always gonna be here. Like if you need me to come and be a mentor.”

Seacrest’s radio sidekick, Ellen K., then said “it sounds like you’ve made up your mind,” and Lopez replied. “Yeah.”

source: interaksyon.com

Lady Gaga fans have 'basic freedom of expression' to watch

MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino fans of controversial pop star Lady Gaga may not be stopped from watching her concert as part of their "basic freedom of expression."

The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued the statement when asked about moves by religious organizations to boycott her two-night concert on May 21 and 22.

“I don’t think censorship is really the way to decide whether or not you want to listen to Lady Gaga and her music, people of the Philippines have a right to decide whether to attend the concert or not, I mean this is a basic freedom of expression,” Elaine Pearson, HRW deputy Asia director, said Monday.

Pearson lauded the Philippine government “for standing up to the religious groups who have been calling for a ban.”

In Jakarta, a concert slated on June 3 remains in limbo after Indonesian police refused to grant organizers a permit because of opposition from hard-line Islamic groups.

Pearson said that while she is not a Lady Gaga fan, she believes that the 26-year-old pop star should not be barred from performing.

Over the weekend, Christian youth marched in Manila asking to stop the concert and urging Lady Gaga to respect the people’s faith. Members of the Biblemode Youth Philippines also plan to stage rallies on the concert days. Other groups opposing the performance are organizations under the United Christian Groups.

The groups’ protest stemmed from Lady Gaga’s song “Judas,” a track from her 2011 album “Born This Way.”

Much of their displeasure was focused on Lady Gaga’s song “Judas,” a track from her 2011 album “Born This Way,” whose music video features a stylized Biblical storyline in which she personifies Mary Magdalene caught between her allegiance to Jesus and an attraction to Judas Iscariot.

source: interaksyon.com

Family, fans, stars to mourn Whitney Houston

NEWARK, New Jersey - Soul, gospel and pop music greats from the past and present are set to mourn Whitney Houston on Saturday, one week after the sudden death of the singer whose spectacular voice and best-selling albums made her one of biggest pop stars of her era.

Houston, who died in a Beverly Hills hotel room last week, recorded stirring love songs and vibrant, dance tunes during a 30-year career that peaked with her 1992 signature hit "I Will Always Love You."

She was due to be honored by family and friends at a funeral service in her native Newark, New Jersey.

There was a heavy police presence outside the invitation-only funeral on Saturday and streets were cordoned off. Houston's body was expected to leave a nearby funeral home under tight security en route to the church. Fans have been urged to stay home and watch the funeral on the Internet or television.

Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Houston's cousin Dionne Warwick will sing and speak at the New Hope Baptist Church, where Houston sang as a child in the choir with her mother, Cissy Houston, who was a backup singer for Franklin.

Hollywood stars Kevin Costner and Tyler Perry and Houston's mentor, record producer Clive Davis, were also scheduled to speak.

Oprah Winfrey, Elton John, Beyonce and Bill Cosby were expected to attend the service.

Houston's family decided against a public memorial, but fans were expected to crowd the streets around the church and nearby cemetery where she is due to be buried.

Many have left flowers, cards and balloons dedicated to the singer who became a global star with her 1985 debut album that included the hits "Saving All My Love For You," "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love Of All."

Houston was among the greatest singers of the 1980s and 1990s, but her personal life and marriage to singer Bobby Brown was tumultuous. She admitted to heavy use of cocaine, marijuana, alcohol and prescription pills.

Her death at age 48 shocked her family, fans and the music industry. Houston was found underwater in a hotel bathtub on the eve of the music industry's Grammy Awards. A cause of death has yet to be determined.

So emotional

Houston's grew up surrounded by gospel and soul music legends like Franklin and Warwick. She later forged new territory for a black, female artist who brought R&B and gospel touches into pop music's mainstream.

After her debut, her popularity grew exponentially with her second album, "Whitney" (1987), with all four singles - "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "So Emotional", "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" - hitting No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Her music videos featuring her 1980s style and innocent, fun-loving image made her wildly popular around the world. In the 1992 movie "The Bodyguard," co-starring Costner, Houston played a character not far removed from her real self: an international singing sensation coping with fame.

She made other films including "The Preacher's Wife," but the 15-year period when she was married to singer Brown coincided with a decline in the quality and frequency of her albums. The couple, who have an 18-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, divorced in 2007.

Houston's powerful voice suffered in recent years. On her last world tour in 2010, she struggled to hit high notes.

She spoke publicly about her struggles with addiction. In a 2002 interview, TV journalist Diane Sawyer asked Houston what was the "biggest devil" among her failings. Houston answered: "Nobody makes me do anything I don't want to do. So the bigger devil is me, I am either my best friend or my worst enemy."

(Additional reporting by Angela Moore and Jennifer Marostica; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Paul Simao)

source: abs-cbnnews.com