"Rude Boy" (Music Video) - Rihanna

I first saw this video on Vh1's Top 20 Video Countdown. I'm not the biggest Rihanna fan but when I saw this video, directed by Melina, I couldn't help but watch. The flamboyant colors immediately capture you along with the extremely catchy hook. Whenever Rihanna says "want, want, want" or "boom, boom, boom" The words pop out in that pattern behind her. The video is clearly influnced by pop art.

The song itself has old school Rihanna written all over it, taking influence from her Bajan roots in Barbados. And the flashy colors assist the songs island flare; Rihanna even looks like her pre- Good Girl Gone Bad self when she dons a long brown wig for some of the video, but she still keeps it like her current self with the golden spiked leotard. And don't be fooled by the song's bright presence; this is the third single from RiRi's Rated R album and it's a little naughty. Lyrics like "I like the way you touch me there/I like the way you pull my hair/Baby, if I don't feel it/I ain’t faking, no no" are matched by Rihanna's suggestive moves on a lion and her coy winking after the verse.

I really enjoyed this video! Watch it below, and tell me your thoughts in the comments. :)

Rihanna - Sucker Free - MTV Shows

Credit: Ultimate-Rihanna, MTV.com

Extra: Britney Spears - "You Oughta Know" (Live)

During the second American leg of her tour, The Circus: Starring Britney Spears, Britney performed a cover of the Alanis Morisette song "You Oughta Know" in Greensboro, North Carolina. Since this song was not originally in the set, it surprised the crowed--in a good way! Britney stood at a blinged-out microphone stand and rocked out the song. What was most surprising about the performance was that Spears was actually singing live! That's right, Britney Spears was singing with her own voice with no lipsynching!

And while Britney didn't sound perfect, she sounded good. What pleased fans the most was that she took the time to sing with her own voice and not mime. She sang the song a few more times during the American leg of the tour, but then put the song to rest. This was the only song she snag completely live during her tour, pleasing her fans all over.

Check out the video below.

Source: YouTube, BritneySpearsBlackout.com

A Riff: Kelly Clarkson & P!nk

P!nk and Kelly Clarkson are two of my favorite artists.

I first really got into P!nk when I heard her song "Just Like A Pill" (posted about here). To this day that is one of my favorite songs of her's. Other songs of P!nk's that are my favorites are "Eventually", "One Foot Wrong", "I Don't Believe You" & "Mean". She'll definitely be posted on more on the blog.

Kelly Clarkson has been posted about on this blog more often than other artists. While I didn't see her on American Idol , I own her first album and have bought all of her records since. My favorite songs of Kelly's include, "Don't Let Me Stop You", "Maybe", "Impossible", and "Don't Waist Your Time". Kelly is due to release a new album later this year.

A Rhyme: "Put a Diamond In It" - Semi Precious Weapons

Semi Precious Weapons is a glam rock group from New York City that was formed in 2004. Most recently, they've been spotted on Lady Gaga's The Monster Ball tour as an opening act. "Put a Diamond in It" is from the Semi Precious Weapons EP.

Front man Justin Tranter is an openly gay man but carries himself androgynously. When I saw the band at Lady Gaga's concert in December, he looked like a woman. I thought he was a transgendered woman at first but then I realized that he was a gay man in drag. When the band performed, one of the songs I immediately liked was "Put a Diamond in It". It's just one of those songs that get you on your feet and make you want to "rock out". Check out the band performing the song below.

Source: Wikipedia

Picture Credit: Interscope

A Rhyme: "Electric Feel"- MGMT

This is the second single from MGMT's debut album, Oracular Sepctacular . The song was released in June of 2008 and was NME's #5 Best Single of 2008. French electronic duo Justice remixed the track and won a Grammy award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical in 2009. The song was featured in season 2 of the CW's Gossip Girl.

I first heard this song in the video game, Midnight Club Los Angeles and I've liked it ever sense. This is just one of those songs that put you in a great mood and makes you feel like dancing no matter where you are. I've only heard a clip of the album version, but the one featured in the video game, the Justice remix, is my favorite. Justice remixed Britney Spears' 2003 single "Me Against the Music" featuring Madonna and it's one of the best remixes of that song I've heard so there's no surprise why I like their version of "Electric Feel".

Picture credit: Amazon
Source: Wikipedia

Music Video: "Every Other Weekend" - Reba McEntire & Kenny Chesney

The third and final single from Reba McEntire's 2007 album Reba: Duets features country heartthrob Kenny Chesney. The two alternate verses taking the roles of a divorced couple who share custody of their two children and drop them off "every other weekend". The song details how the parents secretly desire to be together again--but they won't tell the other how they feel, fearing they won't feel same way.

"Evey Other Weekend"'s video features Joanna García and Steve Howey from McEntire's sitcom Reba which ran from 2001 to 2007. Reba appears in the video but her duet partner, Kenny, doesn't.

As a viewer of the sitcom, I was stunned to see that when the video came on TV's Van and Cheyenne was a divorced couple. How could Reba's cutest couple be divorced with all they've been through since the shows premiere?

The video for "Every Other Weekend" can be seen below.

Reba McEntire - New Music - More Music Videos

Source: MTV.com, wikipedia

A Rhyme: "Irvinie" - Kelly Clarkson

The song "Irvine" seems to be about a person who is struggling with depression and has attempted to commit suicide--a near death experience which causes them to see an angel. In the song they ask for help, saying they have been lonely all their lives. They beg for the angel to stay with them until the "darkness leaves" and to just take them from their misery. The song clearly conveys the painfulness of the disease.

Depression is a serious condition that affects millions of people. I think Kelly Clarkson, who co-wrote the song with Aben Eubanks, does a brilliant job of showing another side of depressions and suicide that I have never heard communicated in a song. Listen to the words carefully as you play the song below.


Picture credit: Wikipedia