Yesterday, People reported that American Idol Season 6 runner-up, Blake Lewis, will be releasing a dance-pop album to follow up his 2007 effort, Audio Day Dream. 

The new album, Heartbreak on Vinyl, is expected to be released by Tommy Boy Entertainment on October 6, 2009.  His new single “Sad Song” will make its debut on July 21, 2009.

Of the project, Blake said: “The music in the dance scene gets me out onto the dance floor to lose my inhibition.  The title is an ode to all the record stores that have been closing down due to my industry eating itself. These are the stores that brought inspiration to all of us music lovers and have led me to make the music I create today.”

I’m pretty excited about this news.  I love dance music and I think that he could do a good job.  He’s been working with producers Rodney Jerkins and Dave Aube who have had a lot of success creating music with Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and the Pussycat Dolls.

I can’t wait to hear “Sad Song.”  I could use some new music for my iPod-fuelled workouts!

image: Amazon

If you love Sanjaya Malakar (or just enjoy watching “celebrities” get mildly tortured), you might want to tune in to the two-hour premiere of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here tonight. The show (which takes place in Costa Rica) will run from Monday through Thursday until the week of the finale (Wednesday, June 24).

NBC Photo: Paul Drinkwater

If you don’t have the time to watch the shows and also don’t have a DVR, don’t worry!  MTV will be airing a marathon of the week’s episodes each Sunday, starting June 7, 2009.

Along with Sanjaya the following celebs have signed on: Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt (MTV’s “The Hills”), NBA star and TV personality John Salley (”Best Damned Sports Show Period”), supermodel and TV star Janice Dickinson (”The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency”), actor Stephen Baldwin (”The Mole,” “Celebrity Apprentice”), professional wrestler and beauty queen Torrie Wilson and the wife of disgraced former Illinois Governor, Rob Blagojevich.

Will you be tuning in tonight?  Have you seen any of the other seasons?  I liked the one with Melissa Rivers and Stuttering John.

American Idol season 7 alum, Chikezie Eze, was invited to perform at the 2009 Simon G. Jewelry ‘Spring Bling‘ event benefiting the Lili Claire Foundation at The Palazzo Resort-Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas over the weekend.  The foundation, which has been in operation for the past four years, created Nevada’s first multi-team approach for autism and also provides clinics and social services for fetal alcohol syndrome.

Fashion designer David Alexander styled the event which included a nice preview of his summer collection and then the guests were treated to performances by Chikezie and Grammy-nominated artists, Sara Bareilles and Colby O’Donis.  Other special guests included hosts Kris Jenner and Khloe Kardashian, Shari Belefonte, Vanessa Minnillo and DJ Chuck.

There were so many stars on the red carpet last night for the American Idol season 8 finale that I wouldn’t even dream of trying to list them here. 

Of course, there were the finalists, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert, along with the rest of the Top 13 and judges but the celebrities (and former contestants) came out in droves to see who would win the singing competition. 

It looks like season four winner, Carrie Underwood, hurt her knee somehow since she’s got her “owie” all covered up with four Hello Kitty bandaids. She still managed to look absolutely fabulous!

SEE MORE GREAT RED CARPET PICS AFTER THE JUMP!

Read more

LaKisha Jones released an exclusive new song called “Beautiful Girl” about her daughter just in time for mothers day.  Listen to it now!

If you like what you heard, you can get more of it when LaKisha’s album So Glad I’m Me becomes available on May 19, 2009.  You can pre-order a copy from Amazon.

Here’s the tracklisting:

1. Grateful
2. So Glad I’m Me
3. Beautiful Girl
4. Same Song
5. Let’s Go Celebrate
6. Ain’t Worth It
7. Nothing
8. Be Alright
9. You Give Good Love
10. Free
11. Memories (fade away)
12. Just As I Am

I haven’t heard the whole album yet but I’m looking forward to seeing what LaKisha has come up with.  She’s got a great voice!

image: Amazon

Former American Idol finalist, Sanjaya Malakar, has joined the cast of the upcoming season of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!  Have you ever watched this show before? I saw the season with Melissa Rivers and Stuttering John and I won’t lie – I secretly loved it. 

It’s an absolutely ridiculous show and, honestly, the celebrities are barely current or noteworthy.  It’s not like they secured Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts for it but I digress…

This season Sanjaya will join newlyweds, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt (MTV’s "The Hills"), NBA star and TV personality John Salley ("Best Damned Sports Show Period"), supermodel and TV star Janice Dickinson ("The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency"), actor Stephen Baldwin ("The Mole,” “Celebrity Apprentice”) and professional wrestler and beauty queen Torrie Wilson. 

Embattled former Illinois Governor, Rob Blagojevich, has been invited to participate but, due to the charges pending against him, he may not be able to travel to Costa Rica where it is being filmed.

The action starts on June 1, 2009 with a two-hour premiere, running Monday through Thursdays until the finale on Wednesday, June 24 (8-9 p.m.).  If you miss it during the week, MTV will be airing a marathon of the week’s episodes each Sunday, starting June 7, 2009.

NBC Photo: Paul Drinkwater

A one-hour documentary called From Idol to Inspiration will air on the Gospel Music Channel this Thursday, April 23, 2009. 

The film “explores the effect of the Fox network singing competition on Christian music.”  I think that is an interesting topic because I have thought about it myself over the years.  There are times, actually, when I’ve thought that Idol had a greater impact on Gospel and Country music than within the Pop genre.

Several familiar faces have participated in the film – Mandisa, Chris Sligh, Phil Stacey, Melinda Doolittle and Maria Santiago, the sister-in-law of this year’s finalist, Danny Gokey.

The documentary will air right before the telecast of the Gospel Music Association’s 40th annual Dove Awards.  

image © 2009 FOX BROADCASTING CR: FOX

American Idol season 6 winner, Jordin Sparks, attended the birthday bash of Claudia Jordan, who turned 36 this week.  I love that Jordin went for a classic jeans and basic top look.  She looks adorable!

Claudia worked as one of Barker’s Beauties on The Price is Right from 2001-2003 and then as a model on Deal or No Deal.  She also is a co-host on Jamie Foxx’s Sirius radio show, The Foxxhole, which was at the center of controversy after Jamie (and other people in the studio) launched a verbal attack on Miley Cyrus. 

image: splashnewsonline.com

As you get ready for tonight’s results show, why not test your American Idol knowledge?  How much do you really know about our favorite reality singing competition?

Parade.com asked me to create an online quiz for them and I have to say that I had fun doing it.  I tried to come up with questions that are challenging so I hope you will give it a shot!  Take the American Idol Quiz!

When you’re done, come back and tell me about it.  Also, make sure you check out the other cool quizzes on Parade.com!

American Idol winner, Jordin Sparks, gave an interview with OK Magazine recently that I thought was a fun one for a change (interviews can get so repetitive!).

The first thing that surprised me is that Jordin is trying to learn Japanese after becoming very interested in the culture.  I share this interest with Jordin, actually.  My family has lived in Japan off and on for the past 20 years and I’ve gotten to visit.  I absolutely love it there but only speak a little Japanese.

She talked about whether she still watches Idol and she said that she actually does (I read her Tweets about it all the time, actually!).  She said that her grandparents TiVo it for her when she can’t watch it.  She also revealed that she has voted and, during the first week, she voted for Danny Gokey and Alexis Grace.

Jordin recently worked with John Mayer and, naturally, she was asked about the experience.  Here’s the quote of what she said: “I was so excited because my mom told me she talked to John’s manager and that John was going to call me on my phone and I was like, “What??” I had a little bit of a freak out but John called me and we were talking about this night and he was really excited, and so was I. I was trying really hard to not freak out, but I am a huge fan and I ended up telling him that and then I felt really lame after I said it.”

Isn’t that sweet!?  I love when I hear stars tell their own “I acted like a fool in front of a celebrity” stories because it reminds me that they are just like anyone else.  I would totally freak if John Mayer called me so I can’t blame her!  She was asked if she follows all of his twittering and she admitted that she is but said that she doesn’t think he realizes it is actually her replying to his messages since he has “like 50,000 people following him and talking to him at one time, so he has no idea I’m following him. He’s a smart guy though.”

She was also asked if she is dating anyone.  She said that she is single (but looking) and says that her schedule is a bit hectic to have a relationship.  She describes her perfect boy in the following way: “Well, I have grown up around sports my whole life, so I do like athletic guys, but I also like musicians and it’s a little hard to find an athlete/musician. They have to be respectful, respect my family and who I am, they have to make me laugh because it they can’t make me laugh I can’t handle it because I laugh all the time, all day. If they don’t have a good sense of humor and can’t take my sense of humor, they’re gone.” 

I think that’s pretty solid reasoning, don’t you?  It’s so important to laugh and have fun (especially during the hard times) so I’d say having a sense of humor is something I value in a relationship as well.

image: Newscom