music mela

Sonu Nigam’s tryst with Mohammad Rafi

musicmela — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:52:12 GMT

When he came to Bollywood with dreams of making it big in playback singing, many had felt that he could fill the void created by Md Rafi’s death. Singer Sonu Niigaam’s tryst with Rafi takes a new turn this week. Sonu, who considers Rafi to be one of his biggest inspirations, is proving them right.

This week, Sonu will start recording 18 of the legend’s evergreen hits in Mumbai with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. “This is probably one of the most rewarding moments of my career as a singer,” says Sonu.

The orchestra, which had long been planning to do an album of Rafi’s songs and was looking for the right voice, zeroed in on Sonu last month. The album has been titled Rafi Resurrected and will be released in July. The album is the brainchild of the orchestra’s composer-arranger Tim Pottier, who listened to Rafi’s songs for over a year. Pottier then did extensive research before picking 18 songs.

“I didn’t have any idea that the offer would come to me. Saregama had been saying that they were looking for a dream project for me and last month they offered this. It’s really a dream come true,” says Sonu who feels popularising Rafi’s songs in the west is a big responsibility.

10 Rapper Akon has apologized for engaging in sexually explicit dance moves with an underage girl at a club in the Caribbean

musicmela — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:50:38 GMT

Washington, May 10 (ANI): Rapper Akon has apologized for engaging in sexually explicit dance moves with an underage girl at a club in the Caribbean.

A video that was put on YoutTube, and later on TV channels, showed the artists engaged in the explicit act with a fifteen-year-old girl in Zen night club in Trinidad.

As a result of the row, Akin was dropped by Verizon as a featured talent, and also terminated sponsorship of Gwen Stefani’s latest tour, where the”Smack That” rapper was to perform an opening act.

Akon apologized for the embarrassment he caused to the girl, her family and the Trinidad community

“I want to sincerely apologize for the embarrassment and any pain I’ve caused to the young woman who joined me onstage, her family and the Trinidad community for the events at my concert,” E! Online quoted Akon’s statement.

Shiloh Jolie-Pitt tops Forbes’ ‘Most Influential Celeb Kids’ list

musicmela — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:47:25 GMT

Washington: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s 1-year-old daughter Shiloh has been named the world’s most influential celeb kid.

The Hollywood power couple’s only biological child topped the new list, compiled by Forbes magazine.

The mag compiled the list after analyzing the amount of press attention given to celebrity children under 5-years-old in 2007, reports Usmagazine.com.

The second spot went to Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ daughter Suri, followed by another Brangelina baby, adopted daughter Zahara, at number three.

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline’s two-year-old son Sean Preston ranked fourth, while Pitt and Jolie’s adopted child, Vietnamese son Pax landed fifth.

“Miss Washington” Elyse Umemoto Flips Off the Crown

musicmela — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:45:27 GMT

“Miss Washington” Elyse Umemoto Flips Off the Crown

Miss Washington wears her crown proudly, flipping off the camera, romping around in her underwear and playing beer pong.
Elyse Umemoto, the second runner-up at this year’s Miss America Pageant, made it further up the pageant chain than any Miss Washington to sashay before her. Part Native American, Umemoto made her run for the crown on a platform of diversity and acceptance.

Britney conservators go ballistic over $1 million lawyer fees

musicmela — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:43:38 GMT

Her custody dispute with ex Kevin Federline has cost Britney Spears over $ 1million over the past five months and her conservators are concerned. They have filed documents challenging the billing and will appear in court Monday, March 11.

Britney has been charged $600,000 by Trope and Trope, her erstwhile law firm, and $500,000 by lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan, who is representing K-Fed, reports TMZ.

Britney is required to pay K-Fed legal costs for the custody dispute, according to a previous court ruling.

The conservators are crying foul saying bills have been inflated. Trope & Trope, for example, often sent more than one lawyer to attend a hearing, which the conservators believe was unnecessary since it is a straightforward custody dispute.