Craig's List: Recording Artists

1. Christina Aguilera: Since 1999 and the release of her debut album, Christina Aguilera has remained my favorite recording artist today. Sadly, she is also one of the few singers that actually can sing live. So naturally, not only do I own every CD (my favorite being "Stripped") she's put out, but also every concert DVD as well. Xtina has proven herself to be a gifted singer, talented songwriter and brilliant performer.

2. Pussycat Dolls: This girl group capture my heart from the first listen of their debut single "Don't Cha." Their first album continue to explode with hit after hit with hot tracks such as "Stickwitu," "Buttons," and "Wait A Minute." Although, their more recent release, Doll Domination, was somewhat of a disappointment to me, the Dolls still easily beat out their competition Danity Kane.

3. Fergie: A member of the hip-hop group The Blackeyed Peas, Fergie has shown that she is just fine on her own. Even though her vocal abilities don't top other budding artists such as Leona Lewis, Fergie does have a talent that may artists don't have: versatility. Fergie can pull off any musical genre whether it's hip-hop ("Glamorous"), ballads ("Finally"), pop ("Big Girls Don't Cry") or rock ("Barracuda").

4. Leona Lewis: Winner of The X Factor, a UK television talent show, Lewis is the best recently discovered talent to date. With superb vocals and song delievery, she is a breath of fresh air. With hits such as "Bleeding Love," Mariah Carey (who's latest album was a huge disappointment) better watch out before she replaced by this rising diva.

5. Colbie Calliat: Discovered on MySpace, Calliat has topped the charts with her soothing singles such as "Bubbly" and "Realize." Her smooth voice is ideal for a relaxing day and her original, upbeat lyrics can put a smile on anyone's face.

"I'm Coming Out, I Want The World To Know"

Today's celebrity news is kind of a "duh."

Season 2 American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken is to appear on the cover of an upcoming issue of People magazine, finally confirming to the public that he is in fact gay. Aiken says he chose to come out because he didn't want to raise his recently born son Parker on a lie.

In related news, Lindsay Lohan confirmed earlier this week that she and DJ Samantha Ronson are indeed in a relationship. Lohan's father continues to bad talk Ronson, while Lindsay continues to support her.

I'm glad that all 3 feel comfortable to come out. I respect them for that. In today's world, I think it's so sad that so many feel the need to hide or hold back who they truly are. It's 2008 and people still are afraid of things that are just a little different then themselves. Depending on who gets elected in November, things could get even better.

Listen: Doll Domination

Although the album doesn't officially come out until tomorrow, full tracks from the new Pussycat Dolls CD are available to be heard on PCD's offical MySpace page.

I'm sad to say that the new songs featured on Doll Domination aren't as good as their 2003 debut album. That doesn't mean, however, the this sophomore disc is a total waste. Surprisingly, the quintette shines on the slower songs, rather than the jump-out-of-your-seat-and-dance tracks that the group is known for.

Tracks such as "Hush, Hush" and "I'm Done" are truly beautiful masterpieces. Lead singer Nicole Scherzinger's vocals take on a softer and smoother sound then usual on these tracks, making it pure ear candy.

Watch the official "When I Grow Up" music Video.

Other songs such as "Bottle Pop" touch on the dolls roots and satisfy those who love to dance. Personally, I can't seem to get second single "Whatcha Think About That" out of my head. A couple tunes like "Happily Never After" were suppose to be featured on Scherzinger's solo album, which was never released.

Not all tracks are a hit though. I don't particularly care for "Love Me The Way I Love You" or "In Person."

A deluxe verison will also be released. It will feature solo songs by each of the dolls.

My favorite track: "I Hate This Part."
Verdict: *** out of *****

A Weekend Of Surprises

One story was in the headlines all weekend.

Former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and DJ AM (Adam Goldstein) were both critically injured in a plane crash Friday that also killed 4 others. Both have second and third degree burns and are expected to have a full recovery. They are lucky to have survived the crash and my thoughts are with them.

Now, I'm not a big Chris Crocker fan, but the release of his first single - Mind In The Gutter - is the second surprise of the weekend. What's the surprise? It actually is a decent song. Hearing his attempt at Danity Kane's Damaged and Britney's Gimme More, I had been scared to hit the play button. Once I had, however, I didn't even believe it was him until I saw that the song was available on iTunes. Take a listen below.

"Pop Off!"

Last night, two of my friends introduced me to a show that has been out for awhile, but I hadn't been familiar with: The Bad Girl Club. We stayed up until 2 something in the morning, huddled around the computer watching clips of the second season on Youtube. That show is SO funny.

"I'll jump on you like a Mexican princess on fire!"

This is just an example of some of the funny things people say on this show. All of the clips definitely had the 3 of us ROFL. My favorite in the house would have to be Tanisha. Season 3 is suppose to premiere in Dec. on Oxygen. I think I'm going to have to tune in!

Watch clips of the show here or here!

Now, pop off!

Reunited and it feels so good... + more

• Remember the chemistry between Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in box-office smash hit Titanic? The two will come together once again to star in Revolutionary Road. Find out more here!

• A heartbroken Paris Hilton loses two of her dogs in a coyote attack.

• The rumors were wrong! Fans of Denise Richards will be happy to know that her reality show, It's Complicated, will be returning for a second season on E!

• Since Blackout's release in 2007, Britney Spears has been back in the studio working on a new album. Currently entitled Circus, the CD is due on Spears' birthday, Dec. 2.

• Former pop-star Jessica Simpson's switch to country music hasn't been a total flop. The new album, Do You Know, sold 65,000 copies since it debuted last week and reached No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200.

• Actor Brad Pitt recently donated $100,000 to fight California's November ballot attempt to overturn the legalization of same-sex marriage in the state. Pitt, along with Angelina Jolie, has also donated $2 million dollars to assist in Ethiopia's fight against HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.

Christina's New Direction

At the 2008 Video Music Awards on Sept. 7, Christina Aguilera debuted her new single "Keeps Getting Better." While I have been a X-tina fan since her "Genie In The Bottle" days, I was honestly somewhat disappointed.

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I've always admired Christina for being one of the few artists today who perform live and actually sound good. Throughout the entire performance, I felt like she was trying to be Britney. The choreography and lip-syncing seemed so unlike her. On top of that, the song wasn't even that great.

I heard that this song will be featured on her upcoming Greatest Hits album and if that's true, so be it. But I really hope this vocal power-house diva doesn't plan on making whole album of songs like this...