Taylor Hicks has more than his birthday to celebrate on Tuesday.
The Season 5 American Idol champ has partnered with indie company Artist to Market, in conjunction with his own label, Modern Whomp Records, to release his second solo album next winter, he announced.
"In this digital age, when artists can connect more directly with audiences, this is a partnership that makes a lot of sense," the singer said. "I'm very much enjoying being in the studio with Simon [Cline] working on the new album and look forward to releasing it through A2M early next year."
Cline has worked with the likes of Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana and Faith Hill. The duo will hit the studio this month to work on the as-yet-untitled disc, due Feb. 10, 2009.
Hicks, who turned 32 Tuesday, parted ways with Arista Records earlier this year after achieving platinum status with his 2006 eponymous debut. In August, he released a compilation disc, Early Works, under Modern Whomp.
In between all the music madness, the silver-haired crooner will pause to reprise his role as Teen Angel in Grease for a national tour, beginning Dec. 2.
Egypt Bennett, who was born at 3:36 pm Monday afternoon, weighed in at 5 lbs., 15 oz., reports People. Paris, who is 20 years old, is a first time mother.
"I'm so excited to finally see my little angel – and man, does she have lungs on her," Bennett said (in case the judges of the 2023 American Idol season could be listening).
"Paris's mother Jamecia Bennett and her family is filled with excitement and welcomes their bundle of joy."
The baby's father's name has not been released.
The soulful Idol fan favorite will be releasing a Christmas album, A Royal Christmas, on Oct. 14.
Are you going to pick up Paris' new album? — Erin Fox
Exchanging vows at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the couple wed before 50 family and friends, including Jones' Season 6 Idol-ers, BFF Melinda Doolittle, Haley Scarnato, Gina Glocksen and Sanjaya Malakar, long hair and all.
Jones' daughter, Brionne, 5, served as flower girl.
The beaming bride donned an Alfred Angelo gown and was bling-ed out in custom crystal-encrusted Stuart Weitzman shoes, and diamond earrings, necklace and bracelet by Neil Lane.
The newlyweds, who got engaged in June, will honeymoon in Barbados. — Joyce Eng
David Archuleta: Double-Threat? Crooner to Make Acting Debut
David Archuleta by Kevin Parry/ WireImage.com
He can sing, but can he act?
Viewers will get to judge for themselves if David Archuleta has the skills with his upcoming acting debut on iCarly, a Nickelodeon show about a high school student (Miranda Cosgrove) with a video blog. The Season 7 American Idol runner-up filmed an episode titled "iRocked the Vote" on Thursday, the network confirmed to TVGuide.com, following a People report.
Archuleta will play himself, but as a contestant on the faux America Sings, an Idol-type show that Carly and her pals can't get enough of. His "character" gets a boost in votes after an iCarly webcast, Nickelodeon rep Margo Zinberg explained, leading to a surprise ending.
The iCarly appearance isn't Archie's first brush with the network, however. Hanging out on the set Thursday, he gushed that his favorite shows growing up were Keenan and Kel and All That, Zinberg said. Both shows shared some of the same creative brains behind iCarly.
While Archie's small-screen scenes won't hit the air until next spring, his fans will get some new music to tide them over: His debut album is set to hit streets Nov. 11, and his new video for "Crush" hit streets this past month.
If Archuleta can pull out some acting chops (albeit in a familiar role), could this be the second threat of his young career? What would be your dream role for the teen crooner? — Anna Dimond
Enjoy more of Archie's copious talents with clips in our Online Video Guide.
Former Idol Constantine Maroulias tells Erin Fox that he's working on a new play called Rock of Ages. But, more importantly, which David did he support? Cook or Archuleta?
It was one of the first questions that came to mind when American Idol added Kara DioGuardi as a fourth judge for Season 8, and now there is an answer. A spokesperson for the Fox juggernaut confirms for TVGuide.com that during the audition rounds currently taking place here, there and everywhere, should the quartet of judges vote to a 2-2- tie, Simon Cowell will be the one who decides if a wannabe gets to be moving on to the Hollywood round.
Simon's status as kingmaker/heartbreaker was first revealed by Paula Abdul on a radio show. Sure, watch this new development make the Brit go and get all cocky on us now!
The new season of Idol premieres in January. — Matt Mitovich
"I am so excited I can barley [sic] type!" the singer wrote on her MySpace blog. "I cannot believe that I am going to be in New York City on New Years! I can't think of a better way to bring in 2009!"
The trio will kick off the three-and-a-half hours of festivities on Dec. 31 at 10 pm/ET on ABC.
Can Kellie rival Ryan as the host with the most? — Joyce Eng
"I can confirm that Jennifer got engaged to her boyfriend David on Friday night in L.A," Hudson's rep said.
The day was doubly special for the Dreamgirls star as Otunga, better known as Punk, popped the question with a Neil Lane stunner on Hudson's 27th birthday.
The Chicagoans have been dating for less than a year. Hudson, whose self-titled debut album drops Sept. 30, previously dated James Payton for eight years. — Joyce Eng
See what Hudson had to say after winning her Oscar in our Online Video Guide.
By now, most of us have heard the news that American Idol is shaking up their new season by adding a fourth judge to the mix. TV Guide Network caught up with Idol newbie Kara DioGuardi (01:35 mark) to find out what it feels like to join the powerhouse panel. They also got the other judges' take on the formula change. And if you're going through Simon-banter withdrawal, this video will definitely give you your fix.
Paula Abdul: I'm "Thrilled" About Fourth Idol Judge
Paula Abdul by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com
Paula Abdul says she's "thrilled" about the news that producer/songwriter Kara DioGuardi will be joining her on American Idol this season as a fourth judge.
"It's about time another girl joined," Abdul told People.com. "More girl power," she added.
Abdul — who's been the only female Idol judge for the past seven seasons — says the addition of DioGuardi is "great for the show."
The pair's previous professional work together may also bode well for the new addition. Abdul and DuoGuardi wrote Kylie Minogue's hit, "Spinning Around," in 2000. DioGuardi's background could lend a fresh perspective this season. "She's going to be a little more different and more from the industry standpoint," Abdul said.
How do you think the new female addition will affect the show — and Abdul's role on it? — Anna Dimond
Asked which of the original judges she is most like, DioGuardi calls herself a "straight shooter," adding, "I don’t think I'm similar to anybody. I have my own style, and I'm hoping to add that into the mix."
A mix which is now evenly populated by women and men. "For the past seven seasons, Paula has had to endure the experience of being the only woman at the judges' table. She’s been [seen] as an island of consideration and gentle criticism between Randy and Simon," says Mike Darnell, Fox's president of alternative programming. "With Kara by her side, Paula finally has some back-up. There is going to be a lot more ‘girl power’ on the show."
DioGuardi and Abdul actually go back a ways, having cowritten in 2000 the song "Spinning Around." Though the ladies have yet to touch base since Idol's hiring of DioGuardi, the new judge ventures, "I would think [Paula] would be excited.... I can't imagine her not being happy with it. I'm just looking forward to seeing her again."
DioGuardi’s a heavy hitter. Her songs have appeared on more than 100 million records and been recorded by the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Celine Dion, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood and Pink.
They have also been performed by Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne, Miley Cyrus, The Jonas Brothers, Natasha Bedingfield, Jewel, Katharine McPhee, Taylor Hicks, Bo Bice, Clay Aiken, Hilary Duff, Jessica Simpson, Kylie Minogue, Enrique Iglesias and Marc Anthony.
To name a few.
DioGuardi has also been awarded 10 BMI Pop Awards for writing the most-performed songs on radio.
"I was a little bored," said Simon Cowell of American Idol's Season 7, indicating that come January 2009, he'll be taking a larger role to change the tenor of the show. The news comes just days after Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe announced that he'd be stepping back from his day-to-day work on Idol to concentrate on international versions of his other hit show, So You Think You Can Dance.
Chief among Cowell's complaints was what he called the overwhelming media-savviness of this season's contestants. "I'm not sure that they ever showed their real personalities," he said. "They were like robots." (Nevertheless, he praised last season's runner-up, David Archuleta, on his recent success, calling him "the perfect pop star.")
So how will Cowell shake things up? "I think [last season] the talent was great, and the ratings were great, I just think it could be more interesting and controversial," he said. He specifically criticized the slow-moving middle and end portions of the season. He refused, however, to elaborate on "ideas I have to introduce more jeopardy" to the proceedings.
How would you change American Idol? And what could Simon mean by "jeopardy"? A shark tank? Scimitars? Alex Trebek? Let your thoughts be known, America! — Mickey O'Connor
David Cook and David Archuleta by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images for Fox
If the American Idol finale showdown between David Cook and David Archuleta was the title fight that Archie's ill-fitting boxing garb suggested, then consider this the rematch. And for now, there's a new champion.
According to E!, Archuleta's first single, "Crush," debuted at No. 2 on the Hot 100 singles chart, a knockout blow to Cook's No. 3 bow in June with "The Time of My Life." Archuleta becomes the first Idol runner-up to best the winner in head-to-head single competition since Clay Aiken outsold Ruben Studdard in 2003.
"Crush" is the highest-debuting song by an Idol contestant that was never performed on the show, and it joins joining Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone" as the only other non-debut single from an Idol to chart at No. 2.
But it's not all bad news for David Cook. "The Time of My Life" sold 236,000 digital copies in its opening week, compared to Archie's 166,000. Plus, Cook made SoundScan-era history when 11 of his songs made the Hot 100 at one time, second only to the Beatles' 14 in 1964.
Don't look for the battle of the Davids to go anywhere soon — Round 3 of this fight is (tentatively)scheduled for November when both of their debut albums are set to drop. Somebody get Michael Buffer on the phone. — Adam Bryant
Idol's golden boy, or shall we say platinum boy, Chris Daughtry, has been tapped by CNN to provide the theme song for the network's League of First Time Voters initiative. And what better song to really drive their point home and get people voting for their first time than a cover of Foreigner's hit "Feels Like the First Time."
"Getting to rerecord a classic song like this was a real honor for us, and we hope it helps inspire people to vote,” says lead singer Chris Daughtry. "We strongly believe that it doesn’t matter who you vote for, as long as you vote."
Foreigner's Mick Jones, who wrote the song back in the late '70s, gave the Grammy-nominated band his seal of approval saying their version is "very cool" and "more than captured the essence of the original."
The single, set to premiere on Campbell Brown: Election Center Monday, August 18, will also appear on Daughtry's upcoming expanded version of its album, Daughtry Deluxe, September 9. But the good news is we have the music video handy for you to get a look at right now:
Do you think Daughtry did Foreigner justice? — Gina DiNunno
New dadClay Aiken has a new gig lined up — and this one is quite familiar to him. The former American Idol finalist will reprise the role of Sir Robin in Monty Python's Spamalot on Broadway, Access Hollywood confirms.
"Since leaving Spamalot in May, jokes have just not been funny. Food has lost its taste. The grass is no longer green — the sky no longer blue. And, babies won't stop crying!! I'm so excited about coming back to the funniest show in the world!" Aiken said in a statement.
The 29-year-old, who welcomed son Parker with best friend Jaymes Foster, 50, on Aug. 8, made his Broadway debut in January. He is new run will go from Sept. 19-Jan. 4. — Joyce Eng
