good morning boys & girls! last week i posted about rupaul's upcoming drag competition reality show drag race which premieres on february 2nd over on logo - right now i've got a brand new music video featuring clips from the show set to a new song from rupaul called covergirl (put the bass in your walk) which you can watch below - i totally love it! (see if you can spot tori spelling and her cute hubby dean mcdermott strutting their stuff on the runway) i'm off to the beach now - i'll check you guys later! popbytes over & out for now...xoxo
hey everyone! another super relaxing day down here in hawaii - tomorrow we're driving to hana which is supposed to be incredible - i can't wait! this afternoon i chilled out on the beach with a couple of very tasty strawberry daiquiris and henry miller's 1934 novel tropic of cancer which is one of my favorite books of all-time - lately i've been itching to read it again - it's a bit of an undertaking but well worth it - i highly recommend checking it out if you haven't read it already! anyways it sounds like things are still semi-slow in the gossip world (except for all the stuff about john travolta's son jett passing away - so sad) this week i will try to post as much as i can - i feel totally guilty for taking a small break from popbytes but i really needed to recharge myself (i have been at this over five years without a break...) so when i get back to los angeles next week - things will be back to normal - perhaps even better than before! popbytes over & out for tonight...xoxo
PS many thanks to popbytes' pals madcao & jay for sending me this article in today's new york times all about maui! last but not least - thanks my dear popbytes' reader marilyn who sent me an email earlier today - you totally rock!
hey hey! i had another fabulous day here in maui - i managed to go snorkeling off two beaches - the first one was just ok and i ended up cutting my foot (i'm dealing) the second beach over at kaanapali (recommended by my blogger buddy candy kirby) was awesome for snorkeling - just a few feet from the shore was this amazing reef teeming with all sorts of colorful fish - i never saw anything like it - i was truly amazed! yet being a nervous nelly i got a bit spooked when i realized i was kind of far out in deep water but i managed to do the backstroke back to shore! anyways i'm excited to bring back the latest national enquirer covers here on popbytes - sometimes their stories are a bit outlandish but more than a few times they've totally nailed stories on the head before anyone else had an inkling (like with nicole richie's pregnancy) this week it's all about celebrity diets - which don't seem to be working for the people featured on the cover (i'm not sure who is featured on the right - please be my guest and take a guess - i'm thinking maybe it's kelly lebrock?) there's also more on freakshow michael jackson who supposedly only has six months to live - i don't like calling him a freakshow but there's really no nice way to describe him these days - he's a total weirdo - it's quite sad - he used to be the reigning king of pop but certainly not anymore and he'll never be able to mount a comeback to the way we remember him - sad but true! popbytes over & out for now - xoxo (many thanks go out to david perel from the enquirer for always helping a blog out!)
hey everyone! i really wanted to get to proper pop nosh linkage today but i'm so beat again - i spent most of the day at makena beach here in maui - which was super great (thanks for the swell recommendation mom + dad) but some of the waves were a bit big for my taste so i went out a little further to avoid the crashes and i was beyond relaxed (there's a picture of me (shirtless and yes both my nipples and belly button are pierced) overlooking the cliffs below) i simply can't believe i waited almost 33 years to take my ass to hawaii! anyways below are a bunch of my favorite blogs (please forgive me if i missed anyone that should have been included...)
last but not least i feel so awful for john travolta and his wife kelly preston who lost their 16-year old sonjett today while vacationing down in the bahamas - it's all so very sad - losing a child must be the worst experience ever - i can't even imagine it - my condolences go out to them and their entire family - popbytes over & out for tonight - much love to all as always - xoxo
good morning from maui! yesterday was the longest day but i made it to hawaii safe & sound and i'm already way more relaxed than i was just the other day! i swear i think i could live here all of the time - it's so chill and it's totally gorgeous - i already went swimming (about an hour after i landed) and the water was so surprisingly warm for being the ocean - and i also managed to pick up a little color (yes mom, i brought tons of sunscreen) anyways right now i've got the cover for kelly clarkson's new single my life would suck without you which is in sharp contrast to images from her last album my december (the album wasn't a huge hit but i really liked it - i'm quite sure most fans of ms. clarkson did as well) i'm dying to hear some new material from her and it won't be long now - this single is bound to leak to the web soon (it's supposed to start getting radio play on january 19th) and then her 4th studio album (still untitled) will hit stores on march 17th! right now i'm heading off to pick up some snorkeling gear and hit the beach again - tonight i'll be doing my pop nosh links - even while on vacation - there's no break from blogging! popbytes over & out for now...xoxo
good morning & happy new year everyone! oh it's super early (like 4:30am) and i'm headed to the airport to catch my flight to maui - i can't believe i'm actually taking a vacation - it's long overdue! i will be posting here on popbytes but it might be on the lighter side (i will be back full-time on january 12th - four days before i turn 33 - yikes) of course i'm taking my trusty laptop with me - plus i'll be sure to take and post plenty of pictures! right i'll leave you in the hands of my pal DJ paul v. who selected a perfect mashup to kick the new year off with - i LOVE it! popbytes over & out for now...xoxo
†FROM DJ PAUL V. Happy 2009, everyone! Time sure flew during 2008, and it was a pretty interesting and diverse year for pop music - which meant very ripe mashups for the picking. And just for you, DJ Earworm has crafted another annual 'United States Of Pop' megamash (watch the video) that rounds up 25 of the biggest hits of last year. With a lush, orchestral feel via using Coldplay ('Viva La Vida') as its musical backbone, it includes vocals and parts from One Republic, Pink, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Madonna, Lil Wayne, Katy Perry, Alicia Keys, and many more. This is one hella smooth and fantastic blend!
good evening! finally i've gotten around to compiling my top ten favorite albums of 2008 (here's a link to 2007's list) of course i waited until very last minute (totally my style) so it's been a bit of a scramble (and i had to keep my writing on each album to a minimum) but i'm quite happy with the list - music is totally my favorite thing to post about here on popbytes - i seriously can't wait to hear what 2009 has in store for us! without any further adieu - check out the list below (and this marks my last post of '08) popbytes over & out for tonight...xoxo (please bear with any mistakes - i'll be editing this post to perfection over the next few days)
PINK [funhouse]
i fell in love with this album immediately - i've been a huge fan of pink's for years now but this definitely her strongest and most personal release to date - there was no question in my mind this would be my top favorite album - it's a perfect blend of pop and rock! i can't wait to see her on tour next year (she kicked serious ass when she opened up for justin timberlake's tour)
ESSENTIAL TRACKSglitter in the air, sober, ave a mary, funhouse, it's all your fault
COLDPLAY [viva la vida]
i was never a huge fan of coldplay (you guys know i'm way more about the ladies of music) but over the years they've totally grown on me - there huge hit single 'viva la vida' should for sure win the grammy for song of the year - plus i got to see the band in person and i thought they totally kicked ass - one of the best concerts of the year and i must say lead singer chris martin is such an english cutie - his wife gwyneth paltrow is one lucky lady!
ESSENTIAL TRACKSviva la vida, lost!, violet hill, death and all his friends
KANYE WEST [808's and heartbreak]
i was caught off guard with this one - i've always thought kanye west was way talented yet i was never a big fan but after taking this album in - i was literally blown away - it's cold and downbeat but it just flows so well - he's incredible! i also got to see him during his 'glow in the dark' tour which was probably the best concert of the year - he put on an amazing show - as my pal gillian can attest to!
ESSENTIAL TRACKSheartless, love lockdown, coldest winter, bad news, paranoid
MARIAH CAREY [e=mc2]
oh my mariah! although this album wasn't a huge seller for ms. carey - i actually liked it way better than her last release (the emancipation of mimi) but i think the choice of singles (except 'touch my body') was all wrong - i would have picked better singles for sure (like 'side effects' or 'migrate') this past year mariah got hitched again - i thought her marriage to nick cannon would have been over by now but somehow he's managing to handle her - i totally adore her but she must be a nightmare to deal with!
ESSENTIAL TRACKSmigrate, touch my body, side effects, for the record, o.c.c.
BEYONCE [i am...sasha fierce]
there's nothing overly special or different about ms. knowles latest release but it's just a really well-crafted & produced album - showcasing what beyonce does best - sing! plus 'single ladies' was for sure the most infectious single of the year (besides britney's 'womanizer') although i wasn't crazy about the 'beyonce experience tour' i will for sure be seeing her when she comes around next summer (with her sister solange in tow)
ESSENTIAL TRACKSsingle ladies, if i were a boy, radio, broken-hearted girl
DUFFY [rockferry]
i've been all about duffy since the end of last year - with amy winehouse's absence on the music scene (she's too busy on the drug scene) duffy filled the void and provided us with some great soul singing (along with adele) and 'mercy' also stands out as one of the best singles of the year!
ESSENTIAL TRACKSrockferry, warwick avenue, mercy, hanging on too long
LITTLE JACKIE [the stoop]
probably the least known album on my list - it's a total gem and i highly recommend picking this one up - her single 'the world should revolve around me' is perfect to play when you're down & out (along with the rest of the fresh & funky tracks) i can't wait to see what little jackie does in the years to come!
ESSENTIAL TRACKSthe world should revolve around me, 28 butts, liked you better before
CYNDI LAUPER [bring ya to the brink]
she's been working it for years now and this album is so much fun and provided the best dance single of the year 'into the nightlife'! i also got to interview cyndi lauper by phone earlier this year but my tape came out all wonky so i wasn't able to post it (which completely killed me) but she was so very nice to chat with - she's a total legend and i've always felt she was underrated - ms. lauper rules!
ESSENTIAL TRACKSinto the nightlife, rain on me, lay me down, same ol'story
SHERYL CROW [detours]
hands down one of my favorite singers of all-time - sheryl crow can do no wrong and her latest release is no exception - i love her laid back & relaxed style - and she always crafts such amazing & heartfelt songs! i finally got to see her play live again this past year which was such a nice treat - she's simply incredible in concert - she's totally the real deal!
ESSENTIAL TRACKSgod bless this mess, drunk with the thought of you, out of our heads, gasoline
LADY GAGA [the fame]
i've had my ups and downs with lady gaga but i have to hand it to her - she made a really nice pop album with a number of great tracks - i've been hearing about her for over a year now and it's nice to see someone progress from being virtually unknown to becoming a grammy nominee for her super hot song 'just dance' - she'll be around for years to come - i think girlfriend is just getting started!
ESSENTIAL TRACKSjust dance, the fame, poker face, beautiful dirty rich, love game
...so claims the latest cover of STAR magazine - she has been looking like a totally tired & exhausted train wreck lately - but her stint on broadway in all my sons is about to come to an end - i wonder what she'll be doing next (i'm assuming she'll be moving back to los angeles) yet it sounds like her hubby tom cruise has big plans for her - he wants to have ten kids - he must be trying to outdo brad pitt and angelina jolie! in other news we've got rumors about nicole richie prepping to have another baby with boyfriend joel madden (i wonder if they're planning to get hitched at some point?) anyways i'm battling a small cold but trying to nip it in the bud before my trip to maui tomorrow morning - i seriously can't wait to get away (i think ms. holmes could use a relaxing beach vacation as well...to recharge her stepford batteries!) popbytes over & out for now...xoxo
BONUS PICS KATIE HOLMES RETURNING HOME W/ SURI CRUISE (NYC, 12/30/08)
