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(MusiqQueen.com/Nickelodeon) International superstar Rihanna and teen pop sensation Justin Bieber will pump up the volume at Nickelodeon’s 23rd Annual Kids’ Choice Awards hosted by actor/comedian Kevin James, airing live from UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 27 (8-9:30 p.m. ET/PT).  The annual award show has emerged as one of the biggest events in Hollywood, boasting a massive popular vote and sweeping audience participation.  It’s the only award show that gives kids the power to vote for their favorites in movies, television, music, sports and much more – and honors their opinions with a live show filled with the stars they love.

In addition to seeing Bieber perform at the slime-filled celebration, one lucky kid will win the once-in-a lifetime opportunity to be his special guest at the show as part of Nickelodeon’s “All Access Sweepstakes with Justin Bieber.”  From Wednesday, March 3 through Wednesday, March 10, kids can log onto www.Nick.com/kca10 and enter for a chance to win a trip for four to Los Angeles, which includes tickets to the show, an invitation to walk the famed Orange Carpet, exclusive access to Bieber’s pre-show rehearsal and a private meet-and-greet with the star.

“This is the biggest TV event of the year for kids and we are thrilled to have megastars Rihanna and Justin Bieber to perform for them live,” said Paula Kaplan, Executive Vice-President, Talent for Nickelodeon and an Executive Producer of the show.  “It is going to get loud, and in true Kids’ Choice tradition, these performances will be something our audience will never forget.”

From her Caribbean roots to the top of the charts, the runways of Paris and Milan and some of the biggest stages in the world, the 22-year-old, Barbados-born beauty Rihanna has already earned the coveted title of international superstar.  From her breakthrough multi-platinum album A Girl Like Me to her ubiquitous global smash Good Girl Gone Bad, in just a few short years, Rihanna has helped redefine the path of popular music for a new generation. Now, she continues that musical and stylistic journey on one of the most critically acclaimed new albums this year, her fourth original studio album, Rated R.  Rated R debuted at #1 on the Billboard R&B album chart and features the smash singles “Russian Roulette,” “Hard” and “Rude Boy.”

In less than a year, 16-year-old pop sensation Justin Bieber has become a YouTube phenomenon, signed contracts with Usher and L.A. Reid, and created nothing short of mania with his young fans, dubbed “Bieber-fever.” His debut album My World was released in November and went platinum in just four short weeks. Next up is his hotly-anticipated sophomore album, My World 2.0, due in stores March 23rd. My World 2.0 rewards Bieber fans with 10 all-new songs, including the lead single, “Baby” featuring Ludacris, which is sky-rocketing to the top of the radio and iTunes charts. Look for Justin Bieber on a worldwide tour coming this summer.

Nickelodeon’s 2009 Kids’ Choice Awards was the highest rated to date, shattering all previous records with kids, tweens and total viewers. Almost 8 million total viewers tuned in for the show, with a record-breaking 91 million votes cast across Nick’s digital platforms, leading www.Nick.com to its highest trafficked day ever in visits, uniques and page views.

Kids can currently cast their vote online at http://www.nick.com/kca10 in a total of 19 categories. Surprise awards also will be announced during the show.  Kids also will be able to vote via the Nick mobile website (wap.nick.com) and through a KCA iPhone app.

Leading up to the award show, the Kids’ Choice Awards website on Nick.com will feature clips and photos from past awards shows, current promotions for the 23rd Annual Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards, dedicated information pages on the host and nominees, digital Fan Kits, behind-the-scenes video of stars prepping for the KCAs and three new KCA-themed online games.

On March 27, Nick.com will serve as the interactive second-screen experience for all things Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards, giving kids an insider’s look at the entire live event and from the orange carpet. Exclusive Nick.com webcams will give kids control of their viewing experience, and will be featured alongside celebrity tweets, interactive polls, and real-time updates and photos from the event.  Kids can also access the webcams through the KCA 2010 iPhone app.  The online experience will also feature an audience meter that tracks audience reactions throughout the webcast.  After the show, kids can catch all the KCA highlights on the website.

Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards will be simulcast on FLO TV’s mobile streaming service, and will be available on Video On Demand beginning March 28.  KCA clips and shorts will also be available on Nickelodeon’s mobile VOD and online syndication partners.

The U.S. Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards is broadcast in more than 300 million households across Nickelodeon’s international channels.  For the first time ever, the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards will be simulcast on Nickelodeon in Canada, and special localized versions of the show will also be created and aired across Europe. Fans in multiple markets will have the opportunity to vote online for their favorite local stars in region-specific categories.

Nickelodeon’s 23rd Annual Kids’ Choice Awards is being produced by Nickelodeon Productions in association with Bob Bain Productions.  This year’s telecast will feature Saturday Night Live veteran Beth McCarthy as director.  Bob Bain, Marjorie Cohn and Paula Kaplan are executive producers.  Media outlets can reference the most up-to-date information on Nickelodeon’s 23rd Annual Kids’ Choice Awards by logging onto www.NickKCApress.com.

(MusiqQueen/VH1) – VH1, Pepsi and the NFL have joined forces once again to bring the worlds of football and music together with VH1’s “PEPSI SUPERBOWL FAN JAM.”  Taking place on the beach in the host city of South Beach, FL, this year’s celebration will pay tribute to the All-American sport of football and its 44th Super Bowl, with performances by Rihanna, Justin Bieber and Timbaland with special guest Keri Hilson, among other special guest appearances.  Nick Cannon and Nancy O’Dell are tapped to host the night’s festivities, which will not only include spectacular live performances but will feature many of the NFL’s biggest players in both humorous pre-taped interviews as well as live on stage.  VH1’s “PEPSI SUPERBOWL FAN JAM” will air LIVE on VH1 on Thursday, February 4 at 9 PM.*

During VH1’s “PEPSI SUPERBOWL FAN JAM,” VH1 will feature a spot highlighting Dosomething.org and The VH1 Save The Music Foundation, presenting the five winners from the latest DoSomething initiative.   It will profile and reveal these young adults talking about their experience “doing something” and the next Dosomething.org initiative — the Virtual Battle of the Bands.

All of the performances from VH1’s “PEPSI SUPERBOWL FAN JAM” will be available online at fanjam.vh1.com following the on-air premiere on February 4.

VH1’s “PEPSI SUPERBOWL FAN JAM” will be executive produced by Lee Rolontz, produced by Patrizia Di Maria and directed by Michael Dempsey.

*All times ET/PT

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 90 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, VH1Games and extensive broadband video on VH1.com. Connect with VH1 at VH1.com.

VH1 is a registered trademark of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom International Inc.  MTV Networks also operates and offers joint ventures, licensing agreements and syndication deals whereby its programming can be seen worldwide.

(MusiqQueen/Columbia) Mary Mary, continues its winning streak by taking home the Grammy® Award in the Best Gospel Song category for “God In Me” featuring Kierra ‘KiKi’ Sheard at the ceremonies held in Los Angeles on January 31. The win gives the gospel duo its third Grammy® award.  Last year at the 51st Grammy® Awards the duo won for Best Gospel Performance, “Get Up,” and at the 43rd Grammy® Awards in 2000 for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album, Thankful.

Earlier this month, Mary Mary, walked away with four wins at the 25th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards where they tied with Hezekiah Walker for the most wins. Mary Mary, took home awards for “Song of The Year” for “God In Me,” “Group/Duo of the Year,” “Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year,” and “Urban Inspirational Single/Performance of the Year” for “God In Me.”

The year 2009 was truly celebrated by the duo who won an American Music Award for Favorite Artist, Contemporary Inspirational, a Dove Award, a Soul Train Award, an NAACP Image Award and a BET Award for its album, The Sound.

In December 2009, The Sound, was named the year’s Top Gospel Album by Billboard magazine. The gospel duo was also named Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist, Duo/Group and Top Gospel Artist by the industry guide.

According to Billboard Magazine, Mary Mary’s “God In Me” had earned the highest rank for a song that has spent 52 weeks on a chart in the Nielson SoundScan era (since 1992.)  The former record holder, R. Kelly’s “Step In The Name Of Love,” was number 11 after a year on the list. Mary Mary is now the only gospel act to have at least two top tens this decade on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart, “Shackles (Praise You)” peaked at No. 9 in 2000.

The Sound occupied the #1 slot on the Billboard Gospel Album chart for more than six months since its release in October 2008 and was #1 for nineteen consecutive weeks.  The Sound has also spent four weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.

Heralded as “Praiseworthy” by People magazine, The Sound peaked at #1 on a variety of Billboard Christian and Gospel albums charts shortly after its release in October 2008.  The Sound entered the Billboard Top 200 at #7, giving Mary Mary their highest chart position — and second Top 10 — album on that chart (2005’s Mary Mary peaked at #8 on the Top 200).  Mary Mary and The Sound achieved one of the highest chart debuts on the Top 200 of any gospel album released in 2008.  A bona-fide crossover smash, The Sound made a “Hot Shot” debut on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at #2.

www.mary-mary.com

www.columbiarecords.com

(MusiqQueen/Columbia Records) Iconic superstar Beyonce, took home six Grammy

(MusiqQueen/Columbia) – Gospel royalty, Mary Mary, ushered in the new-year by taking home four awards at the 25th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards ceremony held in Nashville, TN on January 17, 2010. Tied with Hezekiah Walker for the most wins this year, Mary Mary took home awards for “Song of The Year” for “God In Me,” “Group/Duo of the Year,” “Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year,” and “Urban Inspirational Single/Performance of the Year” for “God In Me.”

In December 2009, Mary Mary’s critically acclaimed album, The Sound, was named the year’s Top Gospel Album by Billboard magazine. The gospel-duo was also named Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist, Duo/Group and Top Gospel Artist by the industry guide. Earlier that month, Mary Mary, received a 2009 Grammy® Award nomination for the record-breaking single, “God In Me,” in the Best Gospel Song category. Last year, the duo took home a Grammy® Award (its second overall) for the hit single, “Get Up,” in the Best Gospel Performance category and a 2009 American Music Award for Favorite Artist, Contemporary Inspirational.

The year 2009 was truly celebrated by the duo who won a Dove Award, an NAACP Image Award and a BET Award for its album, The Sound. According to Billboard Magazine, Mary Mary’s “God In Me” had earned the highest rank for a song that has spent 52 weeks on a chart in the Nielson SoundScan era (since 1992.) The former record holder, R. Kelly’s “Step In The Name Of Love,” was number 11 after a year on the list. Mary Mary is now the only gospel act to have at least two top tens this decade on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart, “Shackles (Praise You)” peaked at #9 in 2000.

The Sound occupied the #1 slot on the Billboard Gospel Album chart for more than six months since its release in October 2008 and was #1 for nineteen consecutive weeks. The Sound has also spent four weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.

Heralded as “Praiseworthy” by People magazine, The Sound peaked at #1 on a variety of Billboard Christian and Gospel albums charts shortly after its release in October 2008. The Sound entered the Billboard Top 200 at #7, giving Mary Mary their highest chart position — and second Top 10 — album on that chart (2005’s Mary Mary peaked at #8 on the Top 200). Mary Mary and The Sound achieved one of the highest chart debuts on the Top 200 of any gospel album released in 2008. A bona-fide crossover smash, The Sound made a “Hot Shot” debut on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at #2.

The 25th Annual Stellar Awards will begin airing on January 23 and airs in New York on January 24.

For a list of airing dates/times visit: http://www.thestellarawards.com/soul.html and click on “Local Airdates” on the navigation bar on the left.

www.mary-mary.com

www.columbiarecords.com

Pop singer Kesha born Kesha Rose Sebert has pushed Susan Boyle off the charts ending Boyle’s reign of six-weeks on the top.

Data published on Wednesday, verified Ke$ha most known for her vocals on rapper Flo Rida’s song “Right Round” sold 151,942 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan while Susan Boyle sold 93,000.

New comer Ke$sha released her debut album “Animal” on last Tuesday. Although her projected sales were believed to be at the 100K mark, the singer managed to push over 150,000 pushing Susan Boyle’s “I Dreamed A Dream” down to the No. 2 spot.

In addition to her album “Animal” taking the top spot, Kesha’s single “Tik Tok” also opened at No. 1. on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart.

On the Billboard 200, controversial singer Lady Gaga’s “The Fame” dropped to No. 3 with 66,000, R&B singer Alicia Keys’ album “The Element of Freedom” with 62,000 to No. 4 and Mary J. Blige’s “Stronger With Each Tear” with 47,000 dropped down to No. 5.

NEW YORK, NY (MusiqQueen/SIRIUS) – SIRIUS XM Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) announced that it will launch “Mary J. Blige Week,” seven-days of special programming featuring performances, music and interviews showcasing the career of the Grammy® Award-winning artist, from her famous collaborations and classic hits to her newest album, Stronger with Each Tear.

The special will launch on Monday, January 11 at 12:00 am ET and will run until Sunday, January 17 at 11:59 pm ET on The Heat, SIRIUS channel 50 and XM channel 68.

“Mary J. Blige Week,” hosted by Mary herself, will feature a special program, “Mary & Me,” during which Mary will play and discuss her favorite collaborations; a track by track listen of her latest album, Stronger withEach Tear; and a countdown of her favorite hip-hop songs.

The seven-day special will also feature an encore broadcast of her performance at the SIRIUS XM studio. On December 21, the day her ninth studio album, Stronger with Each Tear, was released, Mary performed in front of a studio audience as part of SIRIUS XM’s Artist Confidential, the acclaimed radio series that features important and timeless names in music sitting down for candid interviews, intimate conversations with satellite radio listeners. The performance and interview will be rebroadcast on Monday, January 11 at 3:00 pm ET, and on Sunday, January 17 at 6:00 pm ET.

For more information, please visit www.sirius.com or www.xmradio.com.

SANTA MONICA, Calif., (MusiqQueen/Interscope Records) – International pop superstar Lady Gaga today added another notch to her belt of #1 hits as “Bad Romance” climbs to the top of Billboard’s Top 40 Airplay Chart. She becomes the first artist in the chart’s history to send their first five singles to the #1 spot, and remarkably she has done so in less than a year. “Bad Romance” is Gaga’s first hit from her second album, The Fame Monster (Streamline / Konlive / Cherrytree / Interscope Records). Her debut album, The Fame, has sold more than 8 million copies worldwide, and her singles have sold an astounding 35 million digital copies as well. The album is the home to her previous #1 hits (”Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” “LoveGame” and “Paparazzi”).

Says Lady Gaga, “Just six months ago, ‘Bad Romance’ was nothing but a dream, a recurring melody, a lyric hidden on a napkin on my tour bus. Now, it’s my fifth #1 record, and a reminder to fans to always follow their dreams. I would like to thank all my beautiful little monsters and my incredibly supportive team for the most memorable year of my life. To have had such a phenomenal reception to my second album, The Fame Monster, is life-changing. I’m so happy I could die.”

Lady Gaga is wrapping up the first U.S. leg of her Monster Ball Tour this month, and after she performs at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on January 31 (where she is nominated for five Grammys), she’ll take a revamped Monster Ball Tour to the U.K.

(MusiqQueen.com) – Gabriela Lena Frank received Latin Grammy for Best Classical Contemporary Composition for “Inca Dances.”

I am completely floored, honored, and excited to have received a Latin Grammy this year, fully aware of the immense talent that is routinely recognized by the Latin Recording Academy. Initially, my amazing collaborators — Guitarist Manuel Barrueco and the Cuarteto Latinoamericano — didn’t even tell me they had made a submission on my behalf so the nomination itself was an unexpected but thrilling development. To be able to share this award with them means the world to me because Manuel and the Cuarteto have long been role models as fellow Latinos in classical music. I’m blessed, plain and simple! And hope to always be worthy of the recognition from the Academy.

“Inca Dances” was commissioned by the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society, with grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Peabody Conservatory of Music. The work’s world-premiere recording is on the Sounds of the Americas album with guitarist Manuel Barrueco and Cuarteto Latinoamericano.

(MusiqQueen.com/Ryko) – Allison Moorer is set to release her Ryko debut, Crows, on February 9th, 2010. Produced by R.S. Field (Buddy Guy, John Mayall) at the House of David Studio in Nashville, TN, the 13-track album is a refined and lyrically honest collection of songs that is a marked stylistic departure from her previous work. Crows is the anticipated follow up to her critically acclaimed 2008 album, Mockingbird, which was a celebration of songs composed by a stunning cast of female songwriters including Nina Simone, Patti Smith, Cat Power, her sister Shelby Lynne, and more. It also follows Moorer’s first Grammy Award Nomination for the song “Days Aren’t Long Enough,” a composition she co-wrote with her husband, Steve Earle, for his Grammy Award Winning 2007 album Washington Square Serenade.

Speaking with Billboard Magazine regarding Crows, Moorer stated “I really just set myself free and just threw all the rules out the window.” Regarding the album’s title, Moorer offered “We have crows in the yard at our place up in Woodstock. I am a little obsessed with birds, and have been told that they are indeed our messengers from the other side. So I decided that instead of letting the crows make me uneasy, I would start to consider them as friendlies, and that they were actually bringing me a message of comfort.”

Ruby Marchand, head of A&R for Ryko, stated “Ryko is enormously proud to welcome Allison Moorer to our family of artists. Allison’s extraordinarily evocative songs and vocal style capture her unique signature in the singer/songwriter community. With the February 2010 release of Crows, Ryko celebrates the beginning of a worldwide relationship with Allison through an album of astonishing breadth and scope.”

Moorer’s 1998 song, “A Soft Place To Fall,” was included on the soundtrack to the feature film The Horse Whisperer, which led to an appearance in the film itself, as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. The opportunity gained her worldwide attention and set the stage for her career. Since, Moorer has been featured on releases by Joan Baez, Kid Rock, The Chieftains, and Los Straightjackets. She was seen in 2008 starring in Rebel Voices, a play based on Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove’s best-selling book Voices of a People’s History of the United States. The play combated hopelessness by igniting the forces responsible for arousing change and celebrating the indomitable human spirit. On December 13th, 2009, Moorer will be seen in The People Speak, a beautiful and moving film inspired by A People’s History of the United States, and Voices of A People’s History of the United States. The film, presented by The History Channel, also features Bob Dylan, Morgan Freeman, Bruce Springsteen, Danny Glover, Matt Damon, John Legend, Rosario Dawson, Josh Brolin, Benjamin Bratt and more.

http://www.allisonmoorer.com/

Allison Moorer’s Crows Tracklisting:
1. Abalone Sky
2. Goodbye To The Ground
3. Just Another Fool
4. The Broken Girl
5. Should I Be Concerned
6. When You Wake Up Feeling Bad
7. Easy In The Summertime
8. The Stars and I (Mama’s Song)
9. Still This Side Of Gone
10. Like The Rain
11. Sorrow (Don’t Come Around)
12. It’s Gonna Feel Good
13. Crows