Album

TWO KIDS LATER, RIHANNA IS BACK IN BUSINESS

It’s only been eight years, but Rihanna is secretly back in the recording studio working on her next album. Years ago Rihanna took a $10 million advance from Live Nation and part of the deal was that she was supposed to release a new album a few years back. Her unexpected second pregnancy changed those plans, but now she’s spending most of her time in New York at a studio in Brooklyn recording her latest album. My source explains that Rihanna didn’t want to pay back the $10 million plus interest so she forced herself to get into the studio. She’s hoping to keep the project top-secret until it’s complete, which is why she’s been seen around New York wearing a T-shirt that says I’M RETIRED.

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA Rihanna at opening of Fenty Hair in NYC

JOHNNY DEPP WANTS TO BE A ROCKSTAR IN THE WORST WAY

Wallowing in adoration after winning his courtroom battle with Amber Heard, Johnny Depp is hoping his popularity will extend into his musical efforts. His performances with Jeff Beck in the UK have been successful so the two guys hastily decided to put out an album together and it’s called 18. So far the fans who love Johnny as an actor are not buying his music. There’s no doubt that Johnny LOOKS like a rockstar, but his musical skills do not live up to his good looks. According to Roger Friedman on Showbiz 411, the album is a dud so far – reviews are not flattering and it’s not selling. Johnny has been advised to keep his day job as an actor…

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

KANYE WEST AND THE SIMPLE LIFE

Love this photo Kanye West posted on Instagram- it’s a picture of the room he’s sleeping in while he finishes up his Donda album at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It DOES resemble a college dorm room – Kanye captioned the pic “No distractions.” Question is: It’s been a looooong wait for this album, with many postponements- will the huge build-up HELP sales or hurt them?

Photo: Instagram

WHY IS DAVID DUCHOVNY WEARING A SKIRT?

We might never have known that X-Files star David Duchovny, 55, released an album if he hadn’t been seen wearing this SKIRT. Actually, it’s a kilt – most likely a Utilikilt favored by manly men. The actor turned singer was photographed promoting his album “Hell or >Highwater” in the UK, perhaps hoping to win over the Scottish crowd.The album got decent reviews but we can’t help but wonder why Duchovny’s shirt is soaked with sweat under a leather jacket.

Photo Credit: Pacific Coast News

MADONNA DIDN’T THINK IT COULD HAPPEN TO HER

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Madonna and her daughter Mercy, who’s getting very TALL, arrived at JFK International Airport in New York. Madonna’s still smarting from the shocking leak of 13 unfinished demos from her next album. She declared it was a form of terrorism and her personal computer might have been hacked. She said “It’s one thing if someone comes to your house and steals an object – that’s a violation – but, your WORK, as an artist, that’s devastating.” (It’s not that easy to feel sorry for her, is it?)

Photo Credit: AKM-GSI

TAYLOR SWIFT: THE GIRL CAN’T HELP IT

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How DOES she do it? Taylor Swift, 24, is breaking records right and left. Her new album, “1989,” sold 1.3 million copies the first week! It’s the largest selling first-week album since The Eminem Show in 2002, and the ONLY million selling album this year! She sold more copies than the next fifty albums combined on the Hot 200. It’s staggering. And LOOK at her – she keeps her clothes on and doesn’t try to shock anyone with her words or behavior! Has the world gone crazy?

Photo Credit: Pacific Coast News

OH NO! JOHN TRAVOLTA IS DOING IT AGAIN!

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Last year John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John surprised us all with their holiday album “This Christmas.” Their singing duets from the 1978 movie Grease had been a huge success so they decided to try it again. The awkward album debuted to mixed reviews (described as “schmaltz,” “train wreck,” and in other unflattering terms.) The only video from the CD (below) is equally weird and suspiciously Scientological. Anyway, John is apparently undaunted by these minor setbacks, and is now aiming to release a pop CD of his own!

JESSICA SIMPSON: HER THIRD WEDDING ATTEMPT

Here we go again. For the THIRD time, Jessica Simpson has hired top wedding planner Mindy Weiss to organize her nuptials and paid her a deposit of $150,000 in advance. She forfeited the first two deposits when she canceled because she was pregnant. If she doesn’t lose as much weight as she hopes to, Jessica MIGHT have to cancel the upcoming May ceremony again – losing a total of $450.000. But the money is no big deal to her – it’s a drop in the bucket because of her huge income.

Photo Credit: Pacific Coast News

JAY Z BACK WHEN HE WAS LITTLE SHAWN CARTER

Jay-Z’s album Magna Carta Holy Grail is headed to the top of the carts and has already gone platinum in spite of his own moderate reviews. To celebrate the fact that he’s still got “it,” Beyonce posted this graduation photo of Jay, now 43, back when he was Shawn Carter. It must be elementary school because Shawn dropped out of high school. But he still did rather well for himself.

YO HO HO AND A BOTTLE OF RUM: JOHNNY DEPP’S SINGING PIRATE SONGS

Johnny Depp looks adorable in his double-breasted plaid overcoat and fedora as he leaves The David Letterman show. (Note those two wide-eyed girls behind him) He was there to promote, not The Lone Ranger, which doesn’t come out until next summer, but his new ALBUM. Johnny and his “Pirates of the Caribbean” director, Gore Verbinski, paired up to produce and record an album of pirate ballads and sea songs! He always wanted to be a rock star…

Photo Credit: Pacific Coast News