Friday, January 20 EXCLUSIVE: Jordin Sparks To Release Album This Fall
Thanks to a loyal reader for sending this in. I am exclusively able to bring to you all news about Jordin Sparks' upcoming album. I have the scoop on who she has been working with, musicians & producers, the alleged title of the project and when it's expected to be released and why. Get into it after the break.So according to my source, the American Idol winner is has been in the studio with Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, Cee-Lo, and Cool & Dre (just to name a few) to help write and produce music from the album reportedly titled "Found". The title comes from her dramatic weight loss, her maturity, acting roles and becoming an adult makes her feel that she's found herself and her place as an artist.
The project is expected to have a release between October & November depending on how her singles do once on the radio. The first single will be released in conjunction with the release of her new movie "Sparkle" along with Whitney Houston. Her label is expecting the movie to be highly successful so they feel that they could have a hit album with the press she will be getting from the movie.
That being said, keep in mind that everything from release dates to titles are subject to change, but I'm very confident in my source. He told me the name of Beyoncé's album "4" back in 2009 well before it while she was still on her "I Am..." tour. So I'l lbe standing behind this post...if I'm wrong, then I'll admit defeat....NOT But kudos to Jordin. I've been rooting for her since day one. I love both of her albums that she's released and I'm hoping she sees success with those new album. A lot of people are forgetting that she released a single last year called "I Am Woman" and performed it on American Idol, but the song didn't do any justice, it was pushed to the back burner. But she's about ready to return!
Jordin co hosted the 4th hour of The Today Show today. she sang a bit of a few songs and confirmed that she is seeing Jason Derulo. here is the whole show at the link.
DivasandDorks | DIVASANDDORKS .@jordinsparks sings the first single from 'Sparkle' remake in remembrance of co-star Whitney Houston #ESSENCEBWIH 48 minutes ago via Echofon
sheryl lee ralph sheryl lee ralph @thesherylralph Jordan Sparks sings for whitney, if you look into your heart pic.twitter.com/Dr0O6usN 5:53 PM - 23 Feb 12 via Twitter for Android ·
so it looks like Look Into Your Heart is the first single from the soundtrack. here is the original version.
Beats by Dr. Dre Beatbox Portable Review Posted on March 18, 2012 by Ali Heriyanto in iPod Docks, Reviews | E-mail the Author 1
DSC09974 572x379 Beats by Dr. Dre Beatbox Portable Review
The Beatbox Portable is the latest addition to the Beats by Dr. Dre speaker line-up. Can you believe that the original Beatbox was released back in 2010? Damn… were does the time go?! Well, with time comes advancements and improvements, and that is exactly what the Beatbox Portable delivers. It may not be a replacement to the more powerful Beatbox, but the Beatbox Portable improves upon the subtleties that original Beatbox lacked. That includes Bluetooth connectivity, easy portability and even crisper sound.
If the Beatbox Portable looks familiar, it is because it was just recently seen this past week on American Idol where Jimmy Iovine was found mentoring the finalists. It has also been featured in an AT&T commercial with Jordin Sparks. So it looks like the Beatbox Portable is being setup to be the next big success for the audio brand. In The Box White Beatbox Portable Remote Control 7 iPod/iPhone adaptors for the cradle Power cord Manual Beats by Dr. Dre Catalog
Design
The design of the Beatbox Portable takes many of cues from its older brother the Beatbox, but it has its own special unique touches as well. For instance, there is not one, but two carry handles on each side of the speaker. The original Beatbox had only one grip handle at the very top of the speaker box. This speaker grill on the Beatbox Portable wraps the entire front of the Beatbox Portable, even on the handles. It also doesn’t feel flimsy this time around either. Furthermore, in comparison to the original Beatbox, the footprint has considerably shrank and is much lighter – truly making this Beatbox – portable.
There are just three buttons on the Beatbox Portable, versus just the volume dial and power button on the original Beatbox. The buttons on the Portable are touch sensitive, and even though they give the illusion that they can be moved by weight or force in a certain direction or into a certain position in, they actually can’t, and are only activated by the light tap of your finger. The included remote is where more controls for the Beatbox Portable can be found. However, Bluetooth pairing can only be done from the speaker itself and not from the remote. More on that later.
One big difference between both Beatbox versions is that Portable has the ability to be powered by 6 “D” Cell batteries, truly completing the whole portable concept. Just flip the speaker over and unscrew the battery cover with a coin, and slip in the those behemoth batteries. Unfortunately, the batteries aren’t included, and that is definitely a bummer considering D batteries are pretty pricey. The lifespan of the D batteries varies depending on use, but if you forget the power cord, there is always the chance your party could be over before it starts, if you don’t stock up on extra batteries. In any case, we would have preferred it if they had gone with a rechargeable battery altogether for the Beatbox Portable.
Overall the design of the Beatbox Portable will fit into most homes, offices, or at any party. However, because of its angular design, you will want to place it appropriately so that the acoustics in the room are perfect, and everyone can enjoy it the way it ought to be heard.
Sound Quality
The Beatbox Portable delivers crisp highs and rich mids that present the thumping bass the Beats by Dre brand loves. The Portable packs in a 5.25 inch woofer along with a 3.5 MM input for other external audio sources. So not only can iPod / iPhone users take advantage of the speaker, but those with external devices can hook them up too. The sound produced out of the Beatbox Portable is loud and fills a room with a quality sound that will make your neighbors call the cops (because they are jealous that they don’t have one of course!). The bass is certainly present too, but not overwhelmingly so.
We also didn’t need to configure any EQ settings on our smartphones or MP3 players for the music to sound good on the Portable. We just let the Beatbox Portable do its job… and it did it VERY well. Adele, Depeche Mode, and Lana Del Rey all sound like they are sitting in the room with us. One caveat however, is that you really need to turn the volume up for the music to sound amazing. Fortunately, we turned the Portable wayyyy up, and there wasn’t a hiss, crackle, or distortion anywhere to be heard.
The Portable also shines even brighter with 320 kbps bit rate files. Higher quality files really bring the highs and mids out of the Beatbox Portable that will make you swoon. Also, to really appreciate this speaker, you will want to place it just in the right place in your home, office, or outdoors. Placing the speaker at your knees will give you a totally different listening experience than placing it higher up on a cabinet that is eye level or above you. Placement is truly key for enjoying the Beatbox Portable.
While the sound reproduced from the Beatbox Portable is pretty impressive when an iPhone/iPod is docked on the Portable, it also blew us away with how powerful it sounds as a Bluetooth speaker. Unfortunately, the Beatbox Portable doesn’t sport an Airplay capability, but it does stream music via Bluetooth with aplomb. And in order to pair the Portable with your device, just hold the power button on the speaker down for a few seconds, until all of the buttons flash red and then the Beatbox Portable is ready to be paired. The iPhone 4S, iPad, HTC Inspire, and a Windows Phone all found the Beatbox Portable within a few seconds and paired to it easily.
We have been streaming audio from a Spotify premium account on an iPhone in Extreme quality, and the tracks are flowing beautifully to the Beatbox Portable and sound amazing. Overall, streaming music via Bluetooth to the Beatbox Portable sounds as good as if the iPhone/iPod were docked, but obviously the docked device still sounds a bit richer and louder than streaming via Bluetooth but it certainly isn’t an overwhelming difference.
The Beatbox Portable might just have beaten its competition to a pulp. It’s stylish, easily portable, and it’s not only a great sounding iPhone/iPod dock, but it also shines as a Bluetooth speaker too! However, while the sound that was emanating from the Beatbox Portable is able to play loud and great, without distortion, it still lacks a bit of warmth that some other brands like the Philips Fidelio line and even Bose offer. It also doesn’t output extreme amounts of bass, and instead it tends to compliment the mids and highs supremely. That said, Beats by Dre critics will really have to dig to find fault with with the Beatbox Portable. The included remote is still a bit chintzy and lack of a full set of batteries is a disappointment considering the $399 price point. But anyone touting this beauty come the summer, will be quick to forgive that I’m sure. The Beatbox Portable is available in white and black and can be purchased online at AT&T.
Debra Martin Chase †@debramchase Once again, the #sparkle trailer will debut on monday on the today show @8.20am. Please spread the word!! Are u going to b watching?? 2:18 AM - 31 Mar 12 via Twitter for BlackBerry®
Debra Martin Chase †@debramchase @whnippy the trailer will be posted on yahoo a half hour after the today show debut and be there exclusively for 24 hours. 9:54 AM - 31 Mar 12 via Twitter for BlackBerry®
Debra Martin Chase †@debramchase @cmoe20 @u8 the #Sparkle trailer will debut in the theatres this wed april 4 on Titanic 3D! Pls spread the word! 9:55 AM - 31 Mar 12 via Twitter for BlackBerry®
Some details on Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks, and R. Kelly's 'Sparkle' soundtrack, including that Whitney-Jordin duet by Rob Brunner
SPARKS-HOUSTON
The trailer for the upcoming remake of the 1976 musical drama Sparkle (which stars Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston) features a few promising snippets of the movie’s music, including bits of “Hooked on Your Love” and “Something He Can Feel,” which Aretha Franklin sang on the original film’s Curtis Mayfield-produced soundtrack. Intrigued? We talked to Sparks and Sparkle director Salim Akil about what to expect from the soundtrack.
–The film will include new versions of most of the original songs, including “Something He Can Feel” (which En Vogue scored a hit with in the early ’90s), “Look Into Your Heart,” and “Jump.” But not the classic title track? “No, not the song ‘Sparkle,’” says Sparks. “Which actually could change, because we’re still working on getting songs on the soundtrack. That could be a possiblilty. I was wondering about that too! I’m actually meeting with people who are working on the soundtrack today. You know what, I’m going to mention that.”
–In addition to some arranging work, R. Kelly wrote two brand-new songs for the movie. “They’re just phenomenal,” says Sparks. “I remember them playing the demo for me and R. Kelly is singing them and I’m looking at everybody going, ‘I get to sing this song? Are you serious?’ I was very excited. My fans are going to see a different side of me, because it’s deep R&B. It’s got that old ’60s flair. It’s just really emotional and super connected.”
–One of the R. Kelly songs, “Celebrate,” is a duet between Sparks and Houston. “It’s just an upbeat, fun song with two women who can really blow,” says Akil. “It’s just one of those kind of songs. There’s no other way to put it. You’ve got two strong women who can sing their asses off. It’s upbeat and they’re trading off like Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley.” Sparks, who got to know Houston on set, is also excited about the duet. “I actually just heard a cut of it the other day and my jaw was on the floor,” she says. “For me as a singer growing up listening to her, to be able to do a song with her is incredible. And being her friend, just hearing how she sounded, it was amazing. So I can’t wait for people to hear that. I cannot wait.”
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For more on Sparkle, check out our Summer Movie Preview, on newsstands April 13.
Jback Top 6
1. Rise Up: Beyonce
2. Grown Woman(Pepsi Loop): Beyonce
3. Standing on the Sun(H&M Edition): Beyonce
4. Bow Down: Beyonce
5. I been on: Beyonce
6. Back to Black: Beyonce fea. Andre 3000
To be honest, as a Jordin fan, I am embarrassed to say I didn't even know she could sing HALF that well. I mean, that song is such a dragon to attempt to slay and Jordin NAILED it. It was technically flawless.
I've seen Jordin live three times and people have truly forgotten her capabilities. She didn't American Idol by chance...she knows how to use her voice in an amazing way!
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I never thought Jordin would be starring in a movie like this. I'm exciteed to see what doors this could open for her.
At least it gives me a reason to tune in tonight...