The Star Online: Entertainment: Music
The Star Online: Entertainment: Music |
- Rihanna's 'Diamonds' tops hot 100 list
- Justin Bieber will not face charges from paparazzo run-in
- Bon Jovi: Daughter's apparent drug overdose a 'tragedy'
| Rihanna's 'Diamonds' tops hot 100 list Posted: 21 Nov 2012 07:57 PM PST LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - R&B star Rihanna scored her 12th chart-topping single on the Billboard Hot 100 on Wednesday, as her seventh studio album Unapologetic raced toward a big debut after its release this week. Rihanna's Diamonds, the lead single from Unapologetic, notched the top spot on the Hot 100, tying the Barbadian singer with Madonna and The Supremes for the fourth-most chart-topping singles in Billboard history. Only Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and The Beatles have had more hit singles. The 24-year-old singer has just wrapped up a seven-day mini-tour across seven world cities to promote Unapologetic, her seventh studio album, which was released on Monday and shot to the top of the iTunes album charts in 43 countries despite garnering mixed reviews. Unapologetic scored 65 out of 100 on review aggregator site Metacritic.com, with some critics unsettled by the singer's harder sound and close-to-home lyrics. Others have embraced it. The New York Times' Jon Caramanica called Rihanna's latest "one of her best albums yet," adding that the singer's presence made her "without peer when it comes to her image, which is steely and unforgiving and bulletproof." But BBC Music's Natalie Shaw found the album a difficult listen, calling it "the sound of a human dragged headfirst into a breakdown," and criticizing the singer for using "pop music to inadvertently condone abuse." The track that Shaw refers to and has everyone talking is Rihanna's collaboration with ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, who was charged with assaulting her three years ago. In a 90's pop-inspired track called Nobody's Business, the singers further fuel speculation that they have rekindled their romance, singing lyrics such as "your love is perfection" and "you'll always be mine." Critics have found more evidence of Rihanna drawing on her tumultuous relationship with Brown on Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary, which follows Nobody's Business on the album. In it, Rihanna sings "felt like love struck me in the night," and makes references to "one drive, injured us fatally," possibly alluding to the night Brown assaulted her. Rolling Stone magazine's Jon Dolan gave Unapologetic three and a half out of five stars, noting that Brown was "like a co-writer throughout." Rihanna made sure to capitalize on the success of her biggest hit to date, last year's Calvin Harris electro-dance production We Found Love. On Unapologetic, the singer brings French DJ David Guetta on Right Now, a thumping dance track. The singer also reteamed with rapper Eminem on Numb, following their 2010 hit song Love The Way You Lie. Unlike the emotional content of domestic abuse on their previous collaboration, the Barbadian singer and Detroit rapper lightened the tone for Numb, singing about love in the club scene. The songstress also softened up for two intimate piano-led ballads, What Now and Stay, in which she recruited newcomer singer Mikkey Ekko for an stripped-down performance, using the opportunity to showcase her voice. |
| Justin Bieber will not face charges from paparazzo run-in Posted: 21 Nov 2012 07:56 PM PST LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Teenage pop star Justin Bieber will not face charges for an alleged altercation with a man who was taking photos him at a suburban shopping center in May, Los Angeles prosecutors said on Wednesday. Deputy District Attorney Mara McIlvain said in a report there was "insufficient evidence for proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that the Canadian singer scuffled with paparazzo Jose Hernandez-Duran before leaving the shopping center with his girlfriend, actress Selena Gomez. The photographer accused Bieber, 18, of leaving a van to kick him in the abdomen and punch him in the face. Officials called to the scene in Calabasas, 48km west of Los Angeles, found no apparent injury or trauma to the photographer. A later doctor's evaluation indicated "minor swelling" to the photographer's right cheek and "redness" on his lower abdomen but labeled the injuries "superficial." McIlvain's report indicated that Bieber became frustrated when photographers obstructed his vehicle as he attempted to leave the shopping center. He then left the vehicle, charged at Hernandez-Duran and fell after taking a swing at his camera. Witnesses told investigators they could not determine if Bieber had struck Hernandez-Duran, who kept on taking photos of the singer after the incident. They said the photographer was approached by a lawyer soon after the run-in. McIlvain said there were no photos of a scuffle between Bieber and Hernandez-Duran, even though many photographers were present. Bieber's publicist could not immediately be reached for comment. The pop star swept the American Music Awards on Sunday, winning three, including the top prize of the night, and performed live during the show. |
| Bon Jovi: Daughter's apparent drug overdose a 'tragedy' Posted: 21 Nov 2012 07:56 PM PST LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Singer Jon Bon Jovi called his teenage daughter's apparent heroin overdose a "tragedy," and said support for the family has been "incredible," in his first public comments since Stephanie Bongiovi's arrest and release last week. "It's human. This tragedy was something that I had to face, too, so we'll get through it," Bon Jovi told Fox television's Los Angeles affiliate on Tuesday. "People's incredible warm wishes for my family and I have been really reassuring. So, we're good," the singer added. Bongiovi, 19, was found unresponsive in a dorm room at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, last week due to a suspected heroin overdose. She was arrested on drug possession charges in connection with the apparent overdose, but the charges were later dropped as New York law prohibits the prosecution of people who had overdosed and were in possession of small amounts of drugs. She is the oldest of Bon Jovi's four children with wife Dorothea Hurley. Bon Jovi discussed the incident while promoting upcoming December film Stand Up Guys, starring Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin, for which he provided original songs. "What I do for a living seems glitzy and glamorous, but if you don't take it too seriously, it's a great way to make a living," the singer said. |
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