Music Bender

**Ledisi Media**

Some could blame Chris’ current success slump on the general slump severely hindering the industry as of late. True, record sales are at an all-time low but it would hard to use that as an excuse for a single’s lack of success, especially considering the high volume of iTunes transactions occurring daily as well as having our generation referred to as the “iPod generation”. Some could say that the quality of music that Chris has issued forth so far is what is affecting his performance. True, they say that if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it but branching out and trying something new vs. trying to milk what’s left out of his current sound might get him better results. And then there’s the lingering fear that former audience have already grown tired of a cute boy with a catchy song and are moving on to either the next big gimmick riding the airwaves (“Beautiful Girls”, anyone?) or perhaps something with a little more substance (take notice of the singer/songwriter motif slowly back on the rise).

The music on Emily’s debut album, East Side Story, reveals roots that are both deep & ambitious. Her words are packed with references to the wide range of great artists that inspired her - the Beatles, Nas, Sarah Vaughn, Radiohead & Michael Jackson. “Every record that I’ve ever heard has been an influence on me,” she says. Unable to be contained by any one category both lyrically and musically, East Side Story represents the best of what our musical future might look like.

www.emilykingmusic.com
Emily King’s MySpace

Although last season’s winner of American Idol, Taylor Hicks, didn’t go on to achieve much post-Idol success, Jive Records is banking that this season’s winner, 17-year old Jordin Sparks, will and have signed her to a multi-album contract with their label. Considering her youth, bubbly personality, stunning good looks, and mesmerizing voice, it’s no secret that Jordin definitely has what the industry calls “the complete package” and Jive is hoping to take the package straight to the top of the charts. Her debut album hits stores November 20th and its lead single is the Stargate-produced “Tattoo”. Personally, it sounds like a cheesy, corny and blatant knock-off of “Irreplaceable” and only furthers the proof against Stargate being one-trick ponies and American Idol having run its course. Then again, I’m sure a track so tailor-made for top-40 airplay as this will have no problems disguising such ugly truths. But don’t take my word for it; I could be wrong.

It’s often said that if you bite the hand that feeds you, it’ll be the last bite you take. And for Kelly Clarkson, those words are ringing true. In much of the promo blitz surrounding the release of the American Idol alum’s third album, My December, Kelly was quite vocal about the difference of opinion between herself and her record label over the album. She stated repeatedly that she had to fight long and hard for the record to actually get released (although, in her defense, she prefaced such comments with a disclaimer about how she’s always had to fight to record the kind of records she wanted). Reportedly, Clarkson’s label head, legendary music mogul Clive Davis, told the pop princess that My December had no single-worthy material on it, was one of the worst albums he’d ever heard, and that it would sell no more than 600,000 (as of last week’s BB chart, My December placed #15 with total sales standing at 535k). But despite such criticisms, Kelly proved victorious in having the album released as-was and achieving a #2 debut; she also proceeded to subtly spew vitriol towards her boss in several interviews after the record’s release. And now she’s seemed to have taken it all back.

After posting a public apology of sorts on her website that indicated she viewed her record label staff as one big family and wanted to maintain harmony and unity within at whatever cost, a Fox News correspondent confirmed that Kelly has agreed to make a “pop” album of Davis & RCA’s liking for release in 2008; in fact, the album will contain songs selected specifically by Davis and his team. The news has left Clarkson fans and critics split; some feel that she’s only doing what’s necessary to maintain peace within her camp so that fractured relationships don’t hinder any future success while others have been quick to label Kelly a “sell-out” and stating that she defeated the whole purpose of fighting to have My December released by seceding her ground and caving in to Davis’ demands.

But however you assess the situation, it looks like My December’s run has to come to a rather abrupt end. Although 2 international singles have been announced, “1 Minute” and “Don’t Waste Your Time”, the current stateside single, “Sober”, has received an even colder reception at radio than lead single “Never Again”, and the cancellation of Clarkson’s tour has pretty much left any and all promo for MD dead in the water.

Personally, I feel that RCA has done a great disservice to Kelly and MD by apparently sabotaging the project. True, Kelly did undertake the risky endeavor of following up a highly accessible and successful mainstream record with the “dark and serious” record that’s sure to alienate at least 1/3 of the fanbase from before but yet, I feel that’s to be expected. It’s a tried-and-true formula employed by many a female pop star before Kelly (see: Alanis) and it shouldn’t be expected to deliver as much success as its predecessor. But I do think such a record like MD only fosters creativity and genuine artistry in an artist and gives them more of a concrete foundation for their talent so that any successive albums will have more of a hard-earned strength to them. Or maybe My December came just a few months too early.