mandy moore feels bad for zach braff. we feel bad for people who bought her album. [People] faith hill has sass [TMZ] christina removes tour dates. still refuses to remove all that damn makeup. [TMZ] words just never suffice. *sigh* [TMZ] beyonce cries during "Flaws and All" [BeyonceWorld] beyonce is stuck in 1994 (read: she rarely uses the internet). [CNN]
this DIT was last spotted throwing up the ROC in 2005, but word is she's now struggling to even get prioritized at Interscope. Wow. I think Teariariariairiaia is a perfect example of how often DITs in this industry are cast aside quickly and unceremoniously for the next PYT.... in Jay-Z's case...Rihanna.
let's see if this supposed 2007 release actually happens for her....i've YET to hear a single record.
the divAmeter returns this week with some surprising upsets. no graphic this week -- my computer is wack.
to recall the 07.05 divAmeter,
1. JHud 2. Ciara 3. Beyonce 4. Amy 5. Rihanna
This week, however, reveals some surprising upsets...
1. Beyonce - 75 Beyonce climbs back up to the top with a lukewarm 75 score this week. Even though she loses points for bustin her ass on stage, she recovered those easily by getting back up and letting the show go on. Her ongoing tour and svelter figure also push her back up on top.
2. J. Lo - 70 J. Lo surprises by bursting onto the divAmeter right behind Beyonce this week. Her promotion for her new film El Cantante is going strong, and even though her creepy hubby Marc Anthony is her co-star, she's been looking like fire at every event and every photo. That's how you reappear...
2. Rihanna - 70 Rihanna ties J.Lo for the second spot, coming back up from the boot to fifth last check. Those mag covers and her new video and records propel her to the second spot. Don't be surprised if she reclaims the top spot next divAmeter. She takes the point cut for overpromotion like it's NOTHING.
4. Amy Winehouse - 55 Amy holds at the fourth spot for the second time in a row. She fought off unflattering photos to hold this spot and is saved mostly by her album still selling like crazy and the fact that she's actually been showing up at her live shows recently...she DOES have a husband to support after all...
5. Ciara - 50 There's a three way tie for fifth place. Ciara bumps down to this mostly because her record seems to have stalled. She holds in the top five due to her album enduring only a tiny drop in sales (2%) last week.
5. Mariah - 50 Mariah proves that a true diva can never be held back long. She claws her way into the three-way tie with the benefit of a record posted on Vibe (see Tuesday's divadrops).
5. Mya - 50 Mya wouldn't be anywhere near this list at all save for a live performance (which I attended!) in NYC on Tuesday night. She did a nice set and the crowd was happy to see her back on stage...if only we could say the same thing about anticipating that album!
for those curious readers, please see the rigorous metric below:
a diva's life is demanding, and each week, we judge her on how she performs across a broad variety of life tasks. nothing goes unexamined.
Ashanti is a tough NAD to catch for the undiscerning eye. At first glance it seems that because she has recorded several hits (Rock Wit U, Rain On Me, and What's Luv) she deserves the designation. Some might even argue that she was cursed to release Chapter II on the same day as Dangerously in Love. No one could compete with that!
Ashanti does gain points in her favor for doing more convincing acting than most singers who venture...the list is long. She belongs at the top.
However, Ashanti's failure to step up her style game in seven years, endless relationship with Nelly with no ring in sight, and faulty hood sass facade all contribute to her being a NAD.
That appearance in Bride and Prejudice doesn't help her either... we do not, however, fault her wonky eye.
the past week has seen a flurry of activity as divas take to the road to promote their projects.
Lauryn Hill had a psychotic break…psychedelic moment. i'll believe she's not back on that stuff when the other fugees quit dissin her ass in public...oh, and when she stops wearing things like the outfit above.
letoya proved that she still lacks that unidentifiable quality that separates the divas from the NADs by posing in a hair mag.
britney went back to work...
but not before wilin and showing her cooter again.
ciara hit the video circuit. summer fresh!
amerie stepped out in london fuggishly dressed and oddly looking like beyonce in the face.
bee afterpartied with robin thicke (who opens the beyonce experience) in miami. watch him, jay.
keyshia looked presentable for a change. we're still on the fence about whether she's a diva. she definitely has enough "story" to be one. don't act like you didn't watch her bet show.
but of course rihanna...yes, rihanna stole the show with not one
but TWO, vibe vixen covers:
fire.
she's everywhere...
showing that forehead again...
playing innocent..is that betsey johnson?
showing off her curves...
and generally rocking paper mag...hard to pull off for your average DIVA since paper is definitely not the typical diva habitat.
even a vintage diva came out to play...
as aretha hit up the hamptons for the mercedes-benz polo challenge. i'm not mad at this look.
however, all was not well as a few had some missteps:
rihanna decided to well...
team up with totes....nice to venture out...but too...i don't even know the word. UNNECESSARY?
she also welcomed the beckhams with the rest of LA
cute look! wrong crowd.
and her debut self-directed disaster pretty much ruined the most perfect song on her album for us.
i suppose we'll just have to forget about it, but for the curious it is here:
note: there is no disco ball. :(
on to divadrops:
mariah leaks her first song off the Nov. 20 set and it's pleasantly old school [Vibe] kelly apologizes in an attempt to finally make her album sell [People]
some mondays we will feature a vintage diva. a diva of old who is now retired and rarely heard from but still deserves a holla.
we will begin with the one, the only, the original disco diva.....
DONNA SUMMER
yes. the original queen of disco. don't know where she is now beyond releasing the occasional compilation. she guest starred on family matters back in the 90s.
career highlights? heaven knows, last dance, bad girls, and love to love you baby (yes, beyonce jacked this song and pretty much her entire look for dangerously in love, krazy in luv ep, and deena's disco cover in dreamgirls).
today we debut the diva in training series, which will appear on non divAmeter thursdays. a diva in training or DIT is a fab chick who is slowly working her way up to full on diva status. no, there are no classes to become a diva. the DIT works it out on her own and by performing the necessary prereqs, she gradually joins the ranks of divas.
example:
rihanna in 2005? a DIT
rihanna is now a legitimate DIVA.
today's DIT is....
PAULA DEANDA
Why? Why Paula? Why someone associated with teenyboppers? Well, Paula has been positioning herself lately to bring quality, non-sluttified pop back. She's got two hot remixes of "Easy" with Bow Wow and Weezy F Baby. Her voice may not be the strongest, but she sings convincingly, and we all know voices can mature (Beyonce circa 1997 anyone?). Plus, she has that normally pretty not fabulously beautiful girl quality that America loves (sort of like Mariah).
let's just hope she doesn't fall into that christina milian trap of turning down hot records and getting UN-prioritized!!!!
today we debut the much-needed series: not a diva (NAD)
NADs are often found in similar places as divas: the stage, backstage, exclusive parties. this is why people are often mistake them for divas. also, they often attempt to mimic diva behavior and style, but they unwaveringly fail. they may be relatives of divas or merely hangers on. they may even share the same profession but lack that unnameable quality that separates the divas from the pretenders.
today's NAD is
FERGIE-FERG
other evidence:
NADs are not examined each week for the divAmeter. However, exceptionally exemplary behavior may earn them a special award every now and then.
she also found time to go to solange's SECOND bday party....
perhaps not everyone was on her a-game. come ON ALT. get it TOGETHER.
mariah showed off her bod
work it.
mary sang at live earth. next. (it's time for a new album).
rihanna rocked that dsquared jumpsuit bee wore in cannes...
before rocking the live earth stage.
divadrops:
beyonce sets her fans on fire...literally [People] ciara and 50 are spotted AGAIN [TMZ] gossip: d.woods is leaving danity kane...still NAD (not-a-diva) [YBF] mariah even RECORDS glam [Page Six] beyonce is still from texas, y'all [Page Six]
Each criterion has a corresponding score, that in many cases can go positive or negative. A few things are left to interpretation...there is a "special" category for editorial use.
