February 15, 2011
February 14, 2011
Aretha Franklin Praises Christina Aguilera's "Ain't Not Way" Rendition
Ms. Aretha Franklin, The Undisputed Queen of Soul responds the tribute performance in her honor at The GRAMMYs: "I LOVED it! The ladies all sounded so wonderful and they looked fabulous! All of them were dressed to the nines! I enjoyed each and every performance, especially Yolanda Adams doing "Spirit In The Dark" and Christina Aguilera's rendition of "Ain't No Way," Loved them all! They all looked beautiful, I really liked Jennifer Hudson's outfit, those epaulettes on her shoulder pads were too sharp! Bravo ladies!!!"
February 13, 2011
People Magazine: Christina Aguilera Kicks Off Grammys On A High Note
Christina Aguilera showed some respect for Aretha Franklin at Sunday's Grammy Awards.
One week after the pop star's big Super Bowl fumble – she flubbed the words during her National Anthem performance – Aguilera opened an all-female tribute to the Queen of Soul at L.A.'s Staples Center alongside Jennifer Hudson, Florence Welch, Yolanda Adams and Martina McBride.
Standing in a row, the ladies swapped harmonies, alternating lead vocals during the 10-minute run-through of many of Franklin's hits.
After leading off with "You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman)" as a collective, Aguilera belted out "Ain't No Way," accenting the tune with plenty of melisma and her trademark vocal trilling. She stood confidently as she sang and ended the performance on a (sustained) high note – literally.
As she finished her song, however, Aguilera almost fell, crouching down so low she needed to be helped to her feet by Welch. "That was a real sexy ending," Aguilera later said, after returning to the stage to present the award for best performance by a pop duo or group.
Welch, a best new artist nominee, gave a fierce reading of "Think," while McBride performed a country-fied "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)." Ever the vocal powerhouse, a slimmed-down Hudson tackled Franklin's iconic "Respect." Adams delivered a simmering version of "Spirit in the Dark."
While she wasn't able to attend the ceremony in person, Franklin, who was home in Detroit recovering from her recent undisclosed health problems, appeared in a taped message after the performance to thank fans for their support and prayers. Sporting a white gown, Franklin, 68, looked noticeably thinner in her face as she addressed the camera.
"I especially want to thank all of you who took the time to send me get-well cards and flowers," she said. "I wish that I could have been with you all tonight [but] since I couldn't, next year, okay?"
The Washington Post: Christina Aguilera Officially Redeems Herself
So is she redeemed now? Can we all officially stop unnecessarily unloading our rage on Aguilera?
Or wait, maybe this is a more appropriate time to ask some other, better questions. Like, was it kind of ridiculous to close the Franklin tribute with "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" or would "Freeway of Love" have been a goofier choice? Is it me, or does Aretha Franklin, who appeared via video at the end of the tribute, look better than she has in years?
Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson Top Grammy Performer Poll
Which performance is creating the most buzz among fans tuning in to watch the show? Earlier this week, the MTV Newsroom blog posed just such a question, and the results are now in.
As soon as voting began, the competition became a war of attrition between supporters of Lady Gaga and hard-core devotees of Eminem. But once the producers announced that there would be a tribute to Aretha Franklin led by Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson, the competition suddenly morphed into a three-way dance.
After hundreds of thousands of votes were cast, the Aretha Franklin tribute (also featuring Florence Welch, Martina McBride and Yolanda Adams) finished in first place with 45 percent of the total vote. It's a pretty impressive finish, especially considering that the performance wasn't announced until after voting began.
Lady Gaga ended up in second place with 23 percent, with Eminem just behind her with 20 percent. Perhaps fueled by the buzz over the release of "Never Say Never," Justin Bieber made a late run and managed to cobble together 9 percent. Katy Perry was the only other Grammy performer to pick up more than a single percentage point, and poor Miranda Lambert ended up bringing up the rear.
All of Sunday night's Grammy performances promise to be electric, but fans can barely contain themselves for Christina Aguilera, Lady Gaga and Eminem.
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