Taylor Swift took home four Grammys at Sunday's ceremony -- and took her fans with her for the ride. The singer did a behind the scenes video for The Ellen Degeneres show, showing everything from getting her hair done to jam sessions backstage at the Grammys.
What was your favorite part of the video?
After a shaky Grammys performance, critics started slamming Taylor Swift's singing skills. Scott Borchetta, the CEO of Taylor Swift's record label, Big Machine Records, went on the defensive. He called her "the voice of a generation" but then commented on that voice. "Maybe she's not the best technical singer, but she's probably the best emotional singer because everybody else who gets up there and is technically perfect, people don't seem to want more of it," Scott says.
He also went on to say, "This is not American Idol. This is not a competition of getting up and seeing who can sing the highest note. This is about a true artist and writer and communicator. It's not about that technically perfect performance."
Those last comments are what really bothered Kelly Clarkson. Kelly is a big Taylor Swift fan, but she didn't appreciate the diss on the TV show that made her famous. "We not only hit the high notes, you forgot to mention we generally hit the 'right' notes as well," Kelly blogged.
Check it out:
Popeater: Kelly Clarkson to Taylor Swift's Label: 'Idol' Hits High Notes ... And Right Notes
What did you think of Taylor's performance at the Grammys?
Photos: Kyle Rover/Startraksphoto.com; Sara De Boer/Startraksphoto.com
The J-14 staff was psyched about last night's Grammy Awards show! Here are our picks for the stand-out performances of the night.
Beyoncé
"My fave was Beyoncé performing a more rock version of "Halo," with her mixing in Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know." - Assistant Art Director Erik Jacobsen
P!nk
"I had goosebumps during the whole performance -- I gave her a standing ovation in my living room! Her voice sounded beautiful even when she was upside down, spinning above the crowd." - Photo Assistant Katelyn Mullen
Lady Gaga & Elton John
"Gaga looked gorgeous and proved once again that she's more than just hair bows and sequins -- she's a star! And Elton John was pretty good too. =)" - Editorial Assistant Lisa Raphael
Taylor Swift
"I'm a big Fleetwood Mac fan, so hearing Taylor Swift duet on "Rhiannon" with Stevie Nicks was awesome! It was cool to see old and new school singers come together on stage." - Assistant Editor Emily Krauser
Zac Brown Band
"I loved how the Zac Brown Band totally turned the glam Grammys into a down-home country jamboree with their performance. "Chicken Fried" is such a fun song!" - Freelance Editor Ashley Spencer
Do you agree or disagree? What was your fave performance from last night?
Photo: Courtesy of Cliff Lipson/CBS
Taylor Swift took home Grammy gold last night - she won Album of the Year!
"When we're 80 years old, and we're telling the same stories over and over to our grandkids, and they're so annoyed with us, this is the story we're going to be telling over and over again," Taylor said during her acceptance speech. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Nominated for eight Grammys, Taylor took home four -- she also won Best Country Album, Best Female Vocal Country Performance, and Best Country Song ("White Horse").
Beyoncé also won big -- she set a record by being the first female performer to nab six statues in one Grammy night, including Song of the Year for "Single Ladies." B also surprised the audience by telling her husband, Jay-Z, "I love you," during her acceptance speech. The singer rarely acknowledges their marriage in public, and even Jay-Z looked shocked afterwards!
See which of your other fave artists won Grammys last night after the jump.
Photo: Courtesy of Cliff Lipson/CBS
Do you think the right performers won at the Grammys?
J-14 is scouting out the hottest bands around... and this week's pick is The Audition!
Here are five things you need to know about The Audition, whose new album, Great Danger, drops March 16!
1. Drummer Ryan O'Connor was a founding member of Chicago-based The Audition back in 2003. After a few changes, the band is now made up of Ryan, lead singer Danny Stevens (who originally joined the band to play guitar!), guitarist Seth Johnson, and bassist Tim Klepek. Ryan says their name comes from playing live shows. "It's basically an audition for people to enjoy our music or fall in love with the band," he explains. "It kind of fit what we're doing."
2. The Audition is currently on the road with The Dangerous Summer, Sparks The Rescue, and The Right Coast as part of The Revolutions and Resolutions tour. The shows run through February 19.
3. "You Ruined This" is the first single off Great Danger. "It's the story of a girl not being fully honest and hiding things," Ryan tells J-14. "It destroyed the relationship in the end because she was too scared to tell the truth."
4. Think The Audition only listens to fellow rockers? Sure, Ryan tweeted that he was listening to Motion City Soundtrack, but he's also got Ke$ha's debut album on repeat and the band hung out with rapper DMX in North Carolina!
5. The guys are majorly crushing right now! Ryan loves Natalie Portman, Danny's into Taylor Swift, Seth's gossiping about Michelle Trachtenberg, and Tim's waiting for Valentine's Day so he can see his crush, Jessica Alba.
Check out The Audition here and on tour!
Let us know what you think of The Audition!
Photo: Courtesy of Victory Records
The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards will take place tonight, Sunday, January 31 at 8 pm on CBS. Word on the street is that when the lights go down, Lady Gaga will be opening the show and performing with Sir Elton John!
Tons of your fave artists will also be performing including: Beyoncé, The Black Eyed Peas, Carrie Underwood (who will be participating in the 3-D Michael Jackson tribute), Eminem, Green Day, and Taylor Swift. Taylor is up for eight awards including Record and Album of the Year!
J-14 will be live-tweeting during the show, so make sure to follow us on Twitter @j14magazine!
Are you going to watch the Grammys?
Photos: Startraks
The newly single Miss Swift isn't home alone pining over the other half of Taylor Squared -- she's igniting some hot new BF rumors with a couple Hollywood hunks! After going out with John Mayer and a group of friends earlier this week, Taylor was spotted on a dinner date with Glee-cutie Cory Monteith (check out pics of them together here)!
Cory and Taylor first begged the question: "BF and GF or future co-stars?!" when they started following each other on Twitter recently. Even though Cory's new on the scene, he and Taylor have a lot in common: they both share the same down-to-earth vibe, love to sing, and neither of them are strangers to romance rumors. Stay tuned to J14.com for more details on this new twosome!
Check it out:
JSYK: Taylor Swift and Cory Monteith Are "Following" Each Other
What do you think of Cory and Taylor? Do they make a cute couple? Dish below!
Photo Credit: Sara De Boer/startraksphoto.com; Courtesy of Fox
Joe Jonas and Taylor Swift had one of the nastiest splits in Hollywood (Hello -- 27-second phone call!) -- which people are still talking about, over one year later. But Joe said in a recent interview that him and Taylor are putting the past in the past and have recently "reconnected."
"We've been kind of reconnecting, which is good," said Joe. "I hope she wins a Grammy. She deserves it."
(Editor's note: When Nick got back together with Miley briefly over the summer, he used the word "reconnected" too! Is that a sign of a possible Jaylor reunion?!)
Both stars are single -- do you think Joe and Taylor should try dating again?
Photo: Taylor: Courtesy of Big Machine Records; Joe: Courtesy of Disney Channel
Rob Pattinson is pitching for a good cause. The actor was just tapped to be the London host for this Friday's Hope for Haiti Now telethon. Starting at 8 pm EST and running commercial-free for two hours, the telethon will be airing on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, BET, the CW, HBO, MTV, VH1 and CMT.
Actor George Clooney organized the event to raise awareness and many of his famous friends are making an appearance on the telethon: Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys, Selena Gomez, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Bono, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gyllenhaal, Brad Pitt, Anna Kendrick, Sandra Bullock, Zac Efron, Bradley Cooper, Renée Zellweger, Chris Pine, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Colin Farrell, Jon Hamm, Emily Blunt, and many more!
Do you plan to watch the telethon?
Find out which of your fave stars is hosting here:
Popeater: Bruce, Bono Join Others for Hope for Haiti Telethon
Photo: Albert Michael/Startraksphoto.com
Taylor Swift, The Twilight Saga, Lady Gaga, and Glee all took home awards last night at the People's Choice Awards. (Did you catch Taylor Swift giving her ex Taylor Lautner a standing ovation when he won?!) The cast of Glee even thanked everyone by giving the audience free pizza!
Click here to see all the winners.
Do you agree with all the winners? Why or why not?
Glee, The Vampire Diaries, Taylor Swift, Rob Pattinson, Miley Cyrus, and tons more of your fave stars are nominated for People's Choice Awards, airing tonight at 9 pm on CBS. The show is hosted by Queen Latifah and will feature a performance by Cobra Starship.
Make sure to check j14.com tomorrow for the entire list of winners!
Are you going to tune in? If so, did any of your faves win?
Photo: Courtesy of Fox
We already brought to you J-14 most searched star of 2009 on j14.com and now it's time for the ultimate poll -- the hottest stars of 2009! Tens of thousands of you voted and here are your top 14 stars of 2009:
14. Adam Lambert (187 votes)
13. Kristen Stewart (193 votes)
12. Jesse McCartney (211 votes)
11. Demi Lovato (330 votes)
10. Lady Gaga (361 votes)
9. Joe Jonas (425 votes)
8. Miley Cyrus (460 votes)
7. Selena Gomez (523 votes)
Click here to see the number one hottest star in 2009 according to you!
As the decade draws to a close, the J-14 staff reflects back on our favorite music video of the decade:
"Weapon of Choice" by Fatboy Slim
"Not only did this win video of the year at the VMAs, but come on -- Christopher Walken dancing?! Pure brilliance." -- Associate Editor Kim Messina
"Single Ladies" by Beyoncé
"Not for Kanye West since he didn't let Taylor Swift finish... but because Joe Jonas spoofed it. No, seriously, it's just a great song and a simple but great video." -- Assistant Editor Emily Krauser
"Here It Goes Again" by OK Go
"It was the first viral music video when YouTube first became big!" -- Assistant Art Director Erik Jacobsen
"Hey Ya!" by Outkast
"This video is just so fun and entertaining, and it's a song that everyone still loves to bop their heads to!" -- Photo Assistant Katelyn Mullen
"Wake Me Up When September Ends" by Green Day
"This movie-like video completely upped the bar on music videos. The love story is so poignant (dare I say it rivals Edward and Bella?!) and the tragedy so heart-wrenching." -- Editor-in-Chief Rachel Chang
"You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift (Featured)
"Yo Kanye, I'm really happy for you. I'm gonna let you finish, but Taylor had one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time!" -- Photo Director Danielle Kepler
"I'm a Slave 4 U" by Britney Spears
"For me, this is one of the most captivating dance videos. More is always more when it comes to BritBrit! I definitely still remember all of the dance moves to the chorus of this song!" -- Editorial Assistant Lisa Raphael
Do you agree or disagree? And what's your pick for best music video of the decade?
The rumor mill is spinning out of control today -- people are saying that Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift have broken up after three months of dating!
According to sources, the pair, who met while filming the flick Valentine's Day, split because they realized they were better off as friends.
Their whirlwind three month relationship included hockey games, ice cream and pancake dates, talking about each other in their SNL monologues, and L.A. shopping trips.
J-14 will keep you posted as this story develops!
Do you like Taylor and Taylor better as friends or BF/GF?
Photos: Taylor S.: Courtesy of Big Machine Records; Taylor L.: Courtesy of Summit Entertainment
Justin Bieber explodes onto the scene
In one year, Justin's gone from normal Canadian teen to one of the hottest stars in North America. Celebs he used to crush on, like Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez, are now huge fans of his hit, "One Time." Bieber Fever has definitely swept the nation!
Photo: Courtesy of Def Jam Records
Divas unite! It was announced today that Beyoncé and Taylor Swift will be performing at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards on January 31. The two singers lead the pack of nominees that include Paramore, Kanye West, Kings of Leon, the Black Eyed Peas, and Lady Gaga -- Beyoncé has 10 nominations and Taylor has eight.
Lady G and the Peas are also scheduled to perform. Other performers will be announced as it gets closer.
In other Taylor Swift news, the country singer was just named AP's Entertainer Year! This is the icing of the cake of an amazing year for the star -- she won five American Music Awards, four CMA awards, including Entertainer of the Year, one Video Music Awards (along with a scandal!), and many others!
Who else do you want to see perform at the Grammys? What songs do you want Taylor and Beyoncé perform? "You Belong With Me?" "Single Ladies?"
Photos: Courtesy of Startraks
Kanye West disses Taylor Swift at the VMAs
It was supposed to be one of the best moments in Taylor's life -- she won her very first MTV Video Music Awards. Unfortunately, Kanye West ruined it for Tay by rushing the stage and snatching her award. In the end, the support Taylor received from other celebs, as well as her millions of fans, saved the day and made new, great memories for Tay.
Photo: Amanda Schwab/Startraks
Check out the trailer for Valentine's Day, out February 12, starring Emma Roberts, Carter Jenkins, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba -- and of course, Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner.
What do you think of this movie preview?
This past year we were partying in the USA with vampires and werewolves while going gaga for a pop cutie who made us feel like one less lonley girl. We watched a country star rise to the top and saw one of our favorite rockers get engaged -- and that's just the tip of the iceberg! J-14 was your number one source for celebrity news this past year and will continue to be in 2010! Here's our 14 most searched stars on j14.com from 2009:
14. Sterling Knight
13. Miley Cyrus
12. Dakota Fanning
10. Cassadee Pope
7. Selena Gomez
Click here to see the rest and your number one most searched star of 2009!
Hey J-14ers,
Confession -- I'm a little obsessed with Boys Like Girls. Not that there's anything wrong with admitting your musical obsessions - I do it all the time. Blame the NYC show I went to last month - they won me over, yet again.
But, that's a side note. More importantly, lead singer Martin Johnson posted a video on his official blog where Boys Like Girls walks into a Baskin Robbins to the tune of their new single, "Two Is Better Than One" -- yep, that's their new single that Taylor Swift sings on. Sell outs? Nah. Amazing is what the vid is, because it's never too cold for ice cream or plugging your music. Check it out below:
Do you think it's funny or a sell out vid?
<3,
Emily, J-14 editor
Photo: Courtesy of Sony BMG
