Rihanna’s Disturbing Valentine
Last Monday (Sunday in the US), scandal shook the Grammy Awards. First there was news that Chris Brown and Rihanna cancelled their Grammy performances last minute, apparently because Chris Brown figured in a domestic assault case or something like that.
And everyone was wondering why Rihanna cancelled her performance also. Is she that sweet that she has to be beside her guy in this ordeal?
And then it turned out that Rihanna was at the receiving end of Chris Brown’s assault. News said that the two had an argument while attending a pre-Grammy party. The argument turned quite intense. Reports said that Rihanna sustained “visible injuries” and had to be rushed to the hospital. Soon after, Chris Brown surrendered himself to the police.
As of presstime, both parties have yet to submit personal accounts that will serve as circumstantial evidence. But in the aftermath, there is a furor in the US against Chris Brown. People are asking radio stations to stop playing his music as a protest to what he did.
As a supporter of their music, I was stunned at this wry turn of events. Of course there is no defending what Chris did (violence is something you cannot justify, in my books). It’s just a shame that this happened at the peak of their careers. The Year 2008 belonged to these two. Chris was Billboard’s Artist of The Year and the two had been permanent fixtures across major Top 40 charts.
I was also a bit shocked at this violent streak of Chris, because he has always projected a male pa-tweetums onscreen (if you know what I mean). And he is barely out of his teens!
Considering the cruel pop world where your personal turmoil overtakes your musical relevance/contribution (think Michael Jackson), I don’t know if Chris Brown can write this off. How can you pull off a cheesy song like With You amidst images of Brown harassing Rihanna?
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Mandy Gets License to Wed Ryan
In contrast, one of the frontrunners of the teen pop explosion 8 years ago is getting married. Mandy Moore announced this week that she is engaged to singer-songwriter Ryan Adams. Of her contemporaries, Mandy was the more conservative and always a little too shy of the limelight, especially when it comes to her personal life. Previously, she has been linked to Wilmer Valderrama, Zach Braff, DJ AM and her most high profile romance, Andy Roddick.
Mandy Moore ditched pop music superstardom in pursuit of creative relevance. Her last two albums, Coverage and Wild Hope may not have achieved the multiplatinum status of her first two albums but both were highly praised by critics. Wild Hope was her first foray in songwriting and for that, she was featured by the Songwriters Guild of America (download these astonishing tracks: Latest Mistake and Gardenia) . Her next album, Amanda Leigh, again features her own compositions and is slated for release in May. Some tracks have been leaked in the internet, though I still have to catch it. The titles of the songs alone were enough to spike my curiosity.
She is said to be on a lookout for more challenging movie roles after the box-office success of License To Wed, Because I Said So and her most infamous film project, A Walk To Remember. Previously, she has also dipped her feet on indie cinema, with the Cannes-bound Dedication and the teen cult hit Saved! I really loved the dark intensity of Dedication (catch it on DVD as it was not released commercially here). She also has her own clothing line, MBlem and has recently signed up for Artists Stand Up For Cancer.
Ryan Adams is a singer-songwriter who is always flying under the radar of pop stardom. He belongs to the league of Gavin DeGraw and Ben Jelen. OST fanatics know his songs which have been featured prominently in teen shows like The O.C. Most of his work has been lauded by critics and he is best remembered for his album Gold. Adams is also a producer and an author. Wow, how that for multi-hypenate star weds multi-hypenate beau.
I find it funny that when I say Mandy is engaged to Ryan Adams, most people are shocked. And then I figure they thought it was BRYAN Adams! Please forgive me, hahaha.
Details of their wedding are yet to be confirmed. Let’s just hope that they will not go the way of Alanis Morissette and Ryan Reynolds.
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The beauty of this world can only be seen with a happy heart. I wish everyone I care about that happiness, regardless of their relationship status. Happy valentines, everyone!
