American Idol Fan Favorite Pia Toscano Signs With 19 Recordings/Interscope Records

American Idol Favorite Pia Toscano Signs With 19 Recordings/Interscope Records. (PRNewsFoto/Interscope Records, Andrew McLeod)

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Interscope Records announced that it has signed Season 10 American Idol contestant Pia Toscano to a recording contract and will release her debut single, “This Time,” via all digital retailers on July 12th. Toscano will perform “This Time” when she hits the road for the American Idols Live! 2011 Tour, which kicks off July 6th in Salt Lake City, UT, and continues through the summer before concluding on September 10th in Rochester, NY.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Interscope and 19 Recordings family,” Toscano says. “[Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman] Jimmy Iovine was an amazing mentor during my time on Idol and I’m looking forward to working with him and everyone at Interscope Records and 19 Recordings. This is a dream come true.”

A showcase for Toscano’s rich, emotionally transparent voice, “This Time” was written and co-produced by Esther Dean, who is known penning hits for such artists as Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Rihanna, Nicole Scherzinger, and many more. The acoustic guitar and beat-driven track is just a taste of what’s to come when the Queens, NY, native releases her debut album, which she is currently working on, later this year.

Widely considered one of American Idol’s Season 10 frontrunners thanks to her powerhouse vocal ability and dark-haired beauty, Toscano’s early elimination shocked and visibly upset judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Steven Tyler. The latter said of the voting public: “They’re wrong. I don’t know what happened with this. She’s beautiful. When she sings, she’s a bird.”

Outraged fans took to Twitter to express their support, including celebrities such as Tom Hanks, Jennifer Hudson, Ellen DeGeneres, Alyssa Milano, Dax Shepard, Marlon Wayons, and Ashton Kutcher. Kutcher phoned in to “On Air with Ryan Seacrest” to opine: “I think she was probably the best pure singer on the show, and she’s got all the makings of what it means to be a star in my opinion, so I was just irked [when she was voted off].”

Fans can check out Pia this summer on the American Idols Live! Tour where she will be performing her debut single “This Time.” Please visit http://www.americanidol.com/tour/ for tour dates and more details.

SOURCE Interscope Records
RELATED LINKS:
http://www.interscope.com

Fashion and Retailing News: Madonna & Daughter Lola Debut New Material Girl Marketing Campaign Featuring Kelly Osbourne

KELLY OSBOURNE Madonna along with her daughter Lola unveils the new Fall 2011 marketing campaign for their junior brand, Material Girl starring Kelly Osbourne. The campaign creative represents the quintessential New York City scene with Osbourne photographed in Times Square, Rockefeller Plaza, Soho, the West Village, Little Italy and Chinatown. Material Girl is exclusively available at Macy's and macys.com. (PRNewsFoto/Iconix Brand Group, Inc.)

Material Girl and Macy’s Launch Back-To-School Marketing Campaign

NEW YORK, June 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — MG Icon, the joint venture between Iconix Brand Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: ICON) and Madonna, in partnership with Macy’s announced today it will continue its association with actress and television personality Kelly Osbourne for the fall 2011 Material Girl marketing campaign titled, “MG + NYC.” The multi-media marketing campaign will debut in September issues of fashion and lifestyle magazines such as PEOPLE StyleWatch, Nylon, Seventeen, Teen Vogue and Cosmopolitan as well as online, outdoor, in-store and in Macy’s marketing collateral.

“We have both enjoyed working with Kelly and are thrilled to have her on board for the launch of the Fall 2011 collection,” commented Madonna and her daughter Lola.

“I’m really enjoying being the face of Material Girl. I love being part of a brand for girls and having the opportunity to work with Lola who has an amazing fashion instinct. Added to that is the fact that Madonna has been a big influence on my style over the years,” stated Kelly Osbourne.

The campaign creative represents the quintessential New York City scene with Osbourne being photographed for a series of print ads in Times Square, Rockefeller Plaza, Soho, the West Village, Little Italy and Chinatown. The background includes the world famous Empire State Building, as well as a more playful feel with Osbourne on top of a double-decker tourist bus riding down Fifth Avenue.

Dari Marder, chief marketing officer, Iconix Brand Group, commented, “Kelly has been an amazing partner for Material Girl; she has truly embraced the brand and our consumers have reciprocated.” Marder added, “The essence of Material Girl is all about your own personal style and individuality. The new fall campaign, ‘MG+NYC’ reflects all the different sides of our Material Girl, from uptown to downtown.”

“Today’s ‘Material Girl’ really relates to the fashion independence and individuality of Kelly Osbourne,” said Martine Reardon, executive vice president of marketing and advertising, Macy’s. “We are so excited to continue with Kelly for the fall season, as we look to bring fresh fashion and inspiration to our new generation ‘Material Girl.'”

In addition to appearing in the campaign, Osbourne will make personal appearances on behalf of Material Girl brand at Macy’s.

Material Girl is a fast-fashion junior collection inspired and designed in collaboration with Madonna and her daughter Lola, along with Iconix Brand Group’s in-house fashion department. To stay up to date with the latest news from Material Girl, follow @MaterialGirlCol on Twitter and use the hash tag #MGNYC. Become a fan of Material Girl on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/materialgirlcollection.

SOURCE Iconix Brand Group, Inc.

RELATED LINKS
http://iconixbrand.com

Jimmy Smits to Host an All-Star Line-Up for “A CAPITOL FOURTH” on PBS, July 4th

CAPITAL CONCERTS A CAPITOL FOURTH A CAPITOL FOURTH, live on PBS July 4 at 8/7 C stars (from left to right) Steve Martin, Jordin Sparks, Jimmy Smits, Josh Grobin, Matthew Morrison and Kelli O'Hara. (PRNewsFoto/Capital Concerts)

WASHINGTON, June 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — A CAPITOL FOURTH, the live PBS broadcast of America’s favorite Independence Day tradition, will feature unrivaled performances from some of the country’s best-known musical names topped off by the greatest display of fireworks anywhere in the nation. Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Jimmy Smits will host the all-star line-up that includes: Grammy and Emmy Award-winning actor and musician Steve Martin performing with the Steep Canyon Rangers; multi-platinum recording superstar Josh Groban; Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe nominated star of stage and screen who has just released his debut self titled album Matthew Morrison (Glee); American Idol winner Jordin Sparks; Rock ‘N Roll legend Little Richard performing with the cast of the Broadway smash hit Million Dollar Quartet; three time Tony-nominated Broadway star Kelli O’Hara; and the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly. Consistently one of the highest rated programs on PBS over the past decade, A CAPITOL FOURTH became the top-rated program in primetime on PBS for the 2009-2010 season. The event will air in HD from the West Lawn of the United States Capitol on Monday, July 4, 2011 from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET (check local listings) before a concert audience of hundreds of thousands, millions more at home, as well as to our service members around the world on the American Forces Network. A CAPITOL FOURTH can also be heard live in stereo over NPR Member stations nationwide.

“It’s a tremendously uplifting feeling as hundreds of thousands of Americans join together on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol, singing the National Anthem as the National Symphony Orchestra plays,'” said executive producer Jerry Colbert. “As we watch the nation’s capital light up with fireworks, it helps us forget our differences and remember that we are all Americans. I can’t think of a better place to celebrate our freedom and the nation’s birthday.”

Offering viewers extended coverage of the fireworks display, A CAPITOL FOURTH will capture the stunning pyrotechnics from every vantage point with twenty TV cameras stationed around the city – including the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the Washington Monument and across the Potomac River. In celebration of America’s 235th birthday, the show will be capped off with a rousing rendition of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” complete with live cannon fire provided by The U.S. Army Presidential Salute Battery, an audience favorite and now an A CAPITOL FOURTH tradition. Also participating in the event will be The Choral Arts Society of Washington, along with The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, The U.S. Army Ceremonial Band, the U.S. Air Force Band Ceremonial Brass, Members of the Armed Forces carrying the State and Territorial Flags and the Armed Forces Color Guard provided by the Military District of Washington, D.C.

SOURCE Capital Concerts

Related Link:

www.pbs.org/capitolfourth

BattleCam.com to Broadcast The Hard Rock 12 Hip Hop Event Live From the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida USA

BattleCam.com to Broadcast The Hard Rock 12 Hip Hop Event Live From the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, FL. (PRNewsFoto/BattleCam.com)

Event Will Celebrate Hip Hop Weekly’s Hard Rock 12 Collector’s Edition Magazine Release

LOS ANGELES, May 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Eccentric Billionaire Alki David will present Worldstarhiphop & Hip Hop Weekly’s first collaboration, “The Hard Rock 12” Celebration live on BattleCam.com from the Opium Club at the Seminole Hard Rock Cafe, Hollywood, Florida, Thursday, May 26 at 9:00 p.m. PDT.  The event will be available free at http://www.battlecam.com/hiphop, http://worldstarhiphop.com/videos or hiphopweeklylive.com 

The Hard Rock 12 event commemorates Hip Hop Weekly’s “Hard Rock 12 Collector’s Edition” issue due on newsstands nationally on May 31.  The issue  features the 12 hottest new artists in Hip Hop for 2011.  The Hard Rock 12 were selected by Hip Hop Weekly and Worldstarhiphop and include:

• Waka Flocka Flame
• French Montana
• Tyga
• Roscoe Dash
• Vado
• Gunplay
• Guyana
• Y.C.
• Machine Gun Kelly
• J Dawg
• LEP Bogus Boys
• Travis Porter

The proprietary BattleCam technology will allow for featured online guests to stream live to the online event with their webcams.  BattleCam will also facilitate live chat as the event hosts will chat with the online audience live and in real time throughout the event.

The Hard Rock 12 artists will appear at the show, which is hosted by the Ciroc Boyz DJ’s. FilmOn and BattleCam founder Alki David will also host The Hard Rock 12 remotely from Beverly Hills. The Hard Rock 12 Collector’s Edition magazine release party and show is the official kickoff event for the huge weekend of festivities in the Miami area over the long Memorial Day holiday weekend.  The Hard Rock 12 Collector’s Edition Magazine will be released nationwide on May 31, 2011.

“BattleCam continues to bring live, exciting events, such as The Hard Rock 12, to our interactive Web community of thousands,” said Alki David, founder and chairman, BattleCam.com and FilmOn.  “This partnership with Hip Hop Weekly will help introduce thousands to the BattleCam community and its unique interactive features where members with Webcams are able to broadcast to thousands of other members.”

“We are very excited to partner with Worldstarhiphop and Alki David to create such a tremendous platform for this talented group of rising Hip Hop stars,” said Dave Mays and Ray Benzino, co-founders of Hip Hop Weekly. “The Hip Hop Weekly and Worldstarhiphop brands complement each other well, and together we represent the future of urban entertainment media, delivering authentic content to the global Hip Hop Generation.”

“Worldstarhiphop has always been a proud supporter of new and upcoming artists,” said Lee “Q” O’Denat, founder and owner of Worldstarhiphop.com. “Our site was built on providing aspiring artists an opportunity to be seen and heard on a massive scale. So, when Hip Hop Weekly presented me with the opportunity to work with them on an offline event that will showcase the new acts of 2011, it was naturally appealing to me,” he said. “We are bringing the most talked about new acts you’ve seen on the pages of Worldstarhiphop and Hip Hop Weekly LIVE, you can’t beat that.”

On BattleCam.com, any registered user can broadcast live from any webcam to an audience of thousands. Audiences get to vote on whether they keep that person on or not by selecting “I like it!” or “Poop.” Returning guest appearances include personalities such as Wesley Snipes, Billy Zane, Barry Bonds, Gary Busey and Ron Jeremy to name a few.  The best BattleCam.com broadcasters develop cult fan followings and in those circles are deemed legendary for their particular brand of entertainment, whether they are a musician, break dancer or stunt actor. They have the opportunity to, earn redeemable rewards points for their efforts from anywhere in the world. Unsuccessful broadcasters are discarded after their 15 seconds expires.

Worldstarhiphop.com and Hip Hop Weekly have each vaulted to the top of their respective fields in the past 5 years, overtaking their older, longer-established competitors. Worldstarhiphop has exploded to become not only the number one urban/hip hop website, but also one of the most highly-trafficked websites in the world. Hip Hop Weekly, which has won multiple magazine awards in the past few years, last year became the #1 selling urban entertainment magazine on newsstands in America. With more than 5 years of leg work behind them, Worldstarhiphop and Hip Hop Weekly have become among the most recognized and trusted brands in hip hop media, serving a market now estimated to consist of more than 50 million members of the Millennial Generation who identify with hip hop culture.

SOURCE BattleCam.com

RELATED LINKS
http://www.battlecam.com

Event News: Never-Before-Seen Photographs of Marilyn Monroe Exhibited in Honor of 85th Birthday Celebration

Marilyn Monroe, from the Last Photos, original photograph, signed,1962, Andrew Weiss Gallery, copyright George Barris/Edward Weston Collection. (PRNewsFoto/Andrew Weiss Gallery)

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — On June 1, 2011, the day Marilyn Monroe would have turned 85, the Andrew Weiss Gallery, the world’s largest dealer of Marilyn Monroe photography, will launch a major exhibition of rare and never-before-seen original photographs of the legendary star. Titled “Happy Birthday Marilyn”, this exhibition will include photographs from the personal collection of George Barris, the last photographer to take pictures of Marilyn before she died. Also featured are photographs by Bill Carroll, who captured the very first photographs of Norma Jeane, and works by the major photographers of her era including Laszlo Willinger, Tom Kelley, Milton Greene, Bert Stern and many others.

“These photographs are very dear and personal to me,” says George Barris, who will attend the show opening on June 1st. “Marilyn was much more than a photography subject, she was a friend. She had an inner light that comes through in her images, even many years later, and I am pleased to work with the Andrew Weiss Gallery to share my experience of Marilyn with her fans and the public.”

In addition, the Gallery will be partnering with the Marilyn Remembered fan club to empower Marilyn’s fans around the world. Fans can participate in the celebration by sending personal birthday wishes to the Hollywood icon. The personalized greeting cards sent to the gallery during her Birthday month, June, will be exhibited in the gallery alongside the photography, creating a first-ever exhibition of its kind, combining photos of Marilyn Monroe with personal messages from those she continues to inspire and impact around the world.

The exhibition will open to the public June 2nd and continue through August 13th. This is an opportunity for Marilyn enthusiasts, fans of the featured photographers and art collectors of all kinds to see this stunning, ground-breaking work for the first time.

The gallery is located at 179 S. Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills 90212. Hours: Tues.-Sat. 11:00am-5:00pm, or by appt. For more information call (310) 246-9333

Visit the website andrewweiss.com or email info@andrewweiss.com

SOURCE Andrew Weiss Gallery

Music News: AC/DC Debuts at #1 in 17 Countries With AC/DC Live At River Plate

AC/DC AC/DC DEBUTS #1 IN 17 COUNTRIES WITH AC/DC LIVE AT RIVER PLATE. (PRNewsFoto/Columbia Records, Chris Jackson/WireImage for Columbia)

NEW YORK, May 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — AC/DC Live At River Plate, the definitive live concert DVD documenting AC/DC’s massive Black Ice World Tour, has debuted as the #1 selling DVD on charts in 17 countries, including the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Spain, Australia, Argentina, Canada, Ireland, Belgium, Sweden, New Zealand, Austria, Chile, Hungary, Finland and Italy.  AC/DC experienced similar chart success with the release of their last studio album Black Ice, which dominated sales charts in 31 countries around the globe.  AC/DC Live At River Plate was shot in Buenos Aires in December of 2009 completely in HD using 32 cameras, which captures the rock grandeur and excitement of AC/DC’s incredible live performance.  AC/DC Live At River Plate recently had its world premiere at London’s HMV Hammersmith Apollo on May 6, 2011

Directed by David Mallet and produced by Rocky Oldham, AC/DC Live At River Plate features 19 AC/DC tracks and is available on DVD, Blu-Ray and a limited collector’s edition with exclusive t-shirt. Additionally the DVD contains a bonus feature titled “The Fan, The Roadie, The Guitar Tech & The Meat,” featuring interviews with AC/DC, their crew and fans among the excitement of the shows and the city of Buenos Aires.

AC/DC Live At River Plate track listing is as follows:

1. Rock N Roll Train
2. Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be
3. Back In Black
4. Big Jack
5. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
6. Shot Down In Flames
7. Thunderstruck
8. Black Ice
9. The Jack
10. Hells Bells
11. Shoot To Thrill
12. War Machine
13. Dog Eat Dog
14. You Shook Me All Night Long
15. T.N.T.
16. Whole Lotta Rosie
17. Let There Be Rock
18. Highway To Hell
19. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

SOURCE Columbia Records

Travel News Update: U. S. President Barack Obama Will Be Visiting Ireland This Week

Ha’penney Bridge, Dublin – Photo Credit,Tourism Ireland

Mr. Obama’s heritage has been traced to the village of Monegall in Co, Offaly.

New York, May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — U.S. President Barack Obama will receive the warmest of Irish welcomes when he visits the Emerald Isle this week. Hundreds of thousands of well wishers will line the streets as the President makes his first visit to Ireland – home to some of his ancestors. Mr. Obama’s heritage has been traced to the village of Monegall in Co, Offaly. There is a great sense of pride in this tiny picturesque village located at the very center of the island, where preparations are in full swing.

Canon Stephen Neill, Local Church of Ireland Vicar, “Since St. Patrick’s Day when the announcement was made that he was actually coming to Moneygall, since then it has literally been a media storm. My phone never stops ringing. But it is a good story, we are happy to share a good news story with the world. This is something very positive and it’s positive for Ireland too. I think it’s very good that the president has indicated his confidence and interest in Ireland by coming to visit us here and I think it is the kind of boost we need.”

President Obama will become one of eight hundred thousand Americans expected to travel to Ireland this year and his visit is being seen as a great opportunity to encourage more U.S. vacationers to make the trip in 2011.

Niall Gibbons, CEO Tourism Ireland, “We have huge connections with America and we look forward to deepening those in years to come and giving a warm Irish welcome to all the Americans that come here. There are 40 million people of Irish decent in America and we think they are going to be thrilled that President Obama is coming here and the genealogical connection is an indelible one and we are delighted that president Obama is coming here to discover his roots with us in Ireland.”

Fiona Fitzsimons, Genealogist, Eneclann, “Well, we traced back nine generations from the president, so we took Megan Smolenyak’s work and we took it back another four generations again, tracing it back to the late 1600s and that’s a real achievement in Irish Genealogy because so many of the records have been destroyed over the previous 300 years. The thing to remember as well, is that the president’s family, they weren’t rich, they weren’t anglo Irish, they were simply a regular family and to be able to trace them back was really quite something.”

President’s Obama direct descendents are looking forward to welcoming home their famous family member.

Henry Healy, distant relative of the president, “We hope he will come and visit the school house behind me where his ancestors were educated. The ancestral home still stands in the village, that’s another important site, also Templeharry church. So there are three important sites within the area for anyone to come and visit, and of course it wouldn’t be a presidential visit to Ireland without a traditional stop off in the local pub for a pint of Guinness.”

During his stay President Obama will also visit the capital city of Dublin where a huge celebration rally is planned.

For more info on visiting the island of Ireland check out – www.discoverireland.com

Event News: Duran Duran to Perform at Cannes Film Festival European Launch of BELVEDERE PRODUCT(RED)(TM)

The creme de la creme of the entertainment and film industry are set to join Duran Duran at the Cannes Film Festival for an unforgettable evening at the legendary VIP ROOM to celebrate Belvedere's exciting collaboration with (RED)(TM) - a new special edition bottle to help raise proceeds for the Global Fund, the world's leading financer of programs to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria(TM). (PRNewsFoto/Belvedere Vodka)

LONDON, May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The creme de la creme of the entertainment and film industry are set to join Duran Duran at the Cannes Film Festival for an unforgettable evening at the legendary VIP ROOM to celebrate the European launch of (BELVEDERE)(RED).

Following in the footsteps of music icons Debbie Harry and Grace Jones, the Grammy award-winning group will entertain Cannes revellers with a memorable performance.

The Cannes Film Festival is renowned as the world’s most glamorous film festival and will be the setting for the European launch of Belvedere’s exciting collaboration with (RED)(TM) – a new special edition bottle to help raise funds for the Global Fund, the world’s leading financer of programs to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria(TM).

This exciting collaboration will see the introduction of a (BELVEDERE)(RED) Special Edition Bottle in late Summer 2011. Both (RED) and Belvedere Vodka are unanimous in their objective to empower global consumers to help eliminate HIV/AIDS.

Guests will gather at VIP ROOM to toast the launch with classic Belvedere cocktails and enjoy a set from one of the world’s most successful bands

Charles Gibb, President Belvedere and Millennium Imports states “Belvedere Vodka is delighted to join (RED) in the fight against AIDS by helping to raise funds generated from the global sales of (BELVEDERE)(RED) Special Edition Bottle. As one of the world’s leading spirit brands, we are in a unique position to harness the power of our customers to benefit the millions of people who are at risk, or are living, with HIV. We want to raise consumer awareness and incite more global action to eliminate AIDS in Africa. Our message is simple – (PRODUCT)(RED) helps saves lives.”

“(RED) harnesses the collective power of consumers and business to fight HIV/AIDS, so we are delighted to add the (BELVEDERE)(RED) Special Edition Bottle to our existing (PRODUCT)(RED)(TM) portfolio of products and services,” says Seb Bishop, CEO, (RED)(TM) International.

SOURCE Belvedere Vodka