Awards Show Tries Something New:  Music That Doesn’t Completely Suck

The Grammys generally don’t offer much in the way of music people actually listen to but this year’s list of nominees for the annual snooze-apalooza is surprisingly not awful. Sadly they still haven’t done away with vintage terms like “album” or “record” but at least most of the tunes aren’t ones your parents are likely to groove to in the mini-van so it’s a start.

But with the across-the-pond centric tilt to some of the categories, the award ceremony seems more like the Brit Awards than the Grammys.

Notable nods:

Leona Lewis’ career has skyrocketed since winning the British reality show X Factor. (For non-Brits: X Factor is a U.K. singing talent search with cantankerous Simon Cowell as the show’s lead judge and executive producer; American Idol is the uber successful U.S. version.) Nominated in several categories, including Record of the Year and Best Pop Female, for her single “Bleeding Love,” pop’s Cinderella superstar could cap a fairytale year with multiple wins.  Mariah, you might want to polish up that pop crown and have it ready to hand over, just in case.

Fellow Britster Adele, who’s hijacked Amy Winehouse’s once-promising career with her angst-y hit “Chasing Pavements” (and the whole not being a coke fiend thing) is up against Lewis for Record of the Year, and has several chances to return to the stage to claim trophies, including the career “kiss of death” award, Best New Artist.  Anyone remember Paula Cole?  Exactly.  Also up for the dubious honor, soul-voiced nominee Duffy, who charted with hits “Rockferry” and “Mercy.”

“American Boy” singer Estelle keeps the British invasion going with a nom for Song of the Year.  If she wins, the award would be sitting pretty next to the UK Best Female trophy she won over Lewis at the Music of Black Origin awards last year.  Maybe collab partner Kanye West will gift her with some mad Louis Vuitton swag from the line of shoes he’s designing between music tracks and all-cap blog posts.

Not to be shown up by the popsters from across the pond, America’s lyrical ladies are also representing.  Katy Perry and her ubiquitous played-it-till-you-wanted-to-scream song “I Kissed A Girl” will go retro pinup toe-to-toe against Duffy and Adele for Best New Artist.

Her marriage crashed and burned, but the music industry showed Madonna some love with a Best Pop Collaboration nod for her hit “Four Minutes” with music maestros Justin Timberlake and Timbaland and another for Best Dance Track, “Give It 2 Me.” Our money is on the Sticky and Sweet and very single divorcee rocking the red carpet in something sheer with fishnets.  Will the “fabulous at fifty” material model rock a pair of those to die for shoes from her new spring 2009 Louis Vuitton ads or something from Miu Miu, Givenchy or even Stella McCartney?  Such an embarrassment of riches!  As if hooking up with A-Rod isn’t reward enough.

And after recent family tragedies, R&B newcomer Jennifer Hudson returns to the “Spotlight” with four nominations, including Best Female R&B Vocal, where she is pitted against Dream Girls rival Beyonce and her metal glove. If Bey gets knocked off the podium, at least she’ll have bagging rights that she sang for the new prez and he knows the dance moves to “Single Ladies.”  Priceless.  But if she does win, who will accept the trophy:  Mrs. Jay-Z or Sasha Fierce?

Worst dressed on the red carpet is one award Grammy nominees don’t want to win.  The stars’ footwear will be ready for their close-up on the E! Stiletto Cam in these a “little bit rock n’ roll, a whole lotta cool” ‘Jewel’ heels from Sergio Rossi.

Read the complete list of nominees here.  The big show goes down February 8, 2009 at Los Angeles’ Staples Center and will be broadcast live on CBS. Yeah, we’re going to catch the highlights and the inevitable WTF moment on YouTube, too.

By ShoeMinx Pop Star Paige Muller

Braves UK Cold with a “Poker Face”

What is up with these former Catholic schoolgirls?  Following in the pants-less footsteps of fellow parochial pop star Katy Perry, “Just Dance” singer Lady Gaga has a similar penchant for ditching her pants.  There’s probably some deep Freudian meaning behind it all, but we digress.

In the UK to promote her album The Fame, the dance diva (real name Joanne Stefani Germanotta) braved the chilly temps  in one body-baring look after another with a “Poker Face.” Apparently her agenda for conquering the British music charts includes prowling the streets while flashing her toned thighs–and of course, like any ’80s-retro pop queen, wearing her sunglasses at night.

It was pretty much business as usual for the pop sensation who left her hotel in London wearing bedazzled bottoms, fishnets and a nude-colored crop top.  In keeping with the less-is-less themed look, LG coordinated her barely there ensemble with neutral hued heels.

Miss Gaga was totally unfazed by the cold weather her second night in the shadow of Big Ben, opting for a chest-baring PVC corset, black panties, and toe-less high-heeled boots for a TV show on the next stop of her publicity tour.

Talk about owning your look!    Frost-bite is not a look many image-conscious celebs would risk for the sake of making a fashion statement, but Dita Von Teese no doubt would appreciate the full-on commitment to the role.

When your career is this red hot, what’s a few goosebumps?

Hmmmm, Christina Aguilera finally fessed up to “borrowing” Gaga’s look for her latest image update, but we wonder if Beyonce’s leotard-wearing alter Sasha Fierce is gaga for the Lady, too.

We don’t recommend dashing around without a coat in the cold, but we totally suggest these haute Velvet Angels peep-toe booties, available from ShoeCompare.com, regardless of the temperature.

By ShoeMinx Synth-Pop Queen Paige Muller