Posts Tagged ‘country music’

Jamie Lynn: Country Crooner?

March 9th, 2009

Jessica Simpson did it–or, er, is trying to do it. And now, another flailing "celeb" hopes to do the same thing.

According to E! News, Jamie Lynn Spears wants to try her hand at country music. Britney Spears‘ baby sis has relocated to Mississippi since the birth of her daughter, Maddie, and "has quietly been working on a country album since last fall," says a source close to the family.

Up until now, Jamie Lynn’s only musical credit has been warbling the theme song to her now cancelled Nickelodeon series Zoey 101, but that hasn’t stopped Team Spears from "trying to get Jamie Lynn a record deal," says another insider.

 

The 17-year-old Spears recently recorded demo tracks in Nashville but has yet to land a label. Still, the sessions mark the first attempt for Spears to get back into the entertainment game since she and fiancé Casey Aldridge welcomed Maddie last June.

While the Spears family declined to comment on Jamie Lynn’s new venture, she did tell the Associated Press in 2002 that crooning was in her future.

"I’ll probably do a lot of acting first, then go to singing," she said, "but I am going to definitely sing someday. So when I do start singing, buy my album!"

Country Music Community Embracing Jessica Simpson

February 3rd, 2009

For a lot of celebrities, it would be just another public appearance, but when Jessica Simpson takes the podium at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Feb. 11 to announce the nominees for the 2009 Academy of Country Music Awards, it will mark a decisive moment in the former reality star’s bid to be accepted by the country music community.

Jessica had risen to fame as a bubble-gum pop star and, along with then-husband Nick Lachey, as the star of MTV reality hit, Newlyweds. But by the summer of 2007, her marriage to Nick was over and her recording career seemed to be heading in the same direction after her 2006 album, Pieces of Me, made only the slightest dent in the pop charts.

So when it was announced in the fall of 2007 that Texas-born Jess would be embarking on a journey back to her country roots, it seemed like either a bad practical joke or a desperate publicity stunt.

At the time, a country music insider told OK!, "She is definitely going to have to work hard to prove herself in Nashville because people are judged on talent and merit, not where they eat in L.A. or shop or go to clubs."

And while the 28-year-old’s first foray into country, Do You Know, which was released in Sept. 2008, hasn’t broken any sales records, Jessica appears to have earned some respect from her country cohorts as she’s traded in headlining her own tour for becoming the opening act for Rascal Flatts, one of the genre’s biggest and well-respected bands.

In fact, the boys from Rascal Flatts came out in defense of Jess after she took the stage at the KISS Country Chili Cookoff in Pembroke Pines, Florida, where she debuted a fuller figure and some controversial high-waisted jeans. "I was Googling ‘pretty’ the other day," band member Jay DeMarcus told a crowd in Charlottesville, VA, about Jess, "and her face came up."

Now comes yesterday’s announcement that Jessica will be joining such tried-and-true country stars as LeAnn Rimes and Carrie Underwood, along with fellow up-and-comers Kellie Pickler and Julianne Hough, to announce the ACMA nominees.

"It may look little, but this is actually a big thumbs-up from Nashville to Jessica," our insider tells OK!. "This little bit of acknowledgement says to her, ‘We’re taking you seriously; keep up the good work.’"

Julianne Hough to Leave DWTS

November 20th, 2008

After a season marked by a hospital visit and subsequent surgery for endometriosis, dance pro Julianne Hough has announced that this season was probably her last on Dancing With the Stars in the future.

 

"I’m not going to be back next season," she confirmed this morning to Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS FM show. "That’s final."

 

However Julianne, who was voted off the show Tuesday along with partner Cody Linley, insists her health issues are not at the center of her decision.

 

"It’s because I really, really want to focus on the music and… be taken seriously a little bit," she says, "and I think it’s hard to be on Dancing With the Stars and be singing and kind of get that confusion, and so I’m really going to focus on the music."

 

Julianne is a successful country musician in addition to her dancing talents, and it’s the music that will keep her going after she leaves what Ryan calls, "the mother ship" of the popular reality show.

 

"The music is where I want to be so you got to do what you got to do to get there," she reveals.

 

For more on Julianne’s decision, tune in to E! News at 7pm and 11pm, ET/PT.

Jessica: Heavier & Happier!

September 23rd, 2008 / Author: OK! Staff

Spilling out of her snug white corset, you’d expect Jessica Simpson to feel a little uncomfortable as she performed songs from her new country album, Do You Know, at the L.A. County Fair on Sept. 20.    But, despite looking noticeably heavier in the same outfit she wore just weeks earlier, country’s newest star has hardly been singing the blues!

In fact, a pal tells OK! that Jess has finally found peace with herself and her body, whatever the size!

CLICK HERE for OK!’s gallery of Jess’ weight ups and downs over the years!

"She’s done depriving herself and missing out on life just to fit into a size 2 jeans," the friend says.  "She doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with the way she looks."

One of the reasons the singer is feeling more comfortable may have to do with a certain Dallas Cowboys quarterback!   Jess’s boyfriend, Tony Romo, reportedly loves her curvier look and has encouraged her to not take life so seriously.

"Whether she’s catching one of Tony’s games, or just hanging out with him, she’ll throw back a couple of beers, eat some pizza and just have fun," the singer’s friend says.  "She is just in a different place than she used to be and her weight gain is a reflection of that."

Jessica herself recently confirmed her newfound sense of self, saying, "It’s nice to know a guy loves you for who you are."

These days, it seems the buxom blond has different priorities on her plate.  Gone are the strict diets and six-day-a week workouts.  "Her main focus is her country career and finding happiness," a friend of the singer tells OK!.  "She just wants to settle down, start a family and live her life."

Click here for OK!’s gallery of Jess’ weight ups and downs and for the entire story on Jessica’s new image, pick up the new OK!— on newsstands everywhere on Thursday!

Jessica: Country is “In My Bones”

September 9th, 2008

Jessica Simpson may have been a little bit rock and roll, but with the release of her new album Do You Know, it’s clear she’s also a whole lotta country.

 

"Country was just something that’s in my bones," Simpson tells Extra.  "It’s in my blood. It’s in my voice. It’s in my heart and I just wanted to pack my stuff up and go to Nashville and write with some of my favorite songwriters."

Simpson says there’s a song on her new album dedicated to boyfriend Tony Romo, the Dallas Cowboys quarterback whom she credits as being the love of her life.

""You’re my Sunday" is about Tony," she says.  "He is a place of rest in my life and that’s what the song is about.  It’s his favorite song on the record."

 

Although many Dallas Cowboys fans blamed Romo’s relationship with Simpson as the reason behind the team’s less than stellar season last year, she declared, "I won’t be wearing the jersey to the game, but I have been there and definitely going to support the Cowboys all the way."

Simpson hopes that the album will reveal her true self saying, "I just think it’s important for people to know that I’m human. I’m a good person with a good heart and great intentions.I’m a good sister. I’m a good daughter. I’m a good girlfriend."

As for her public image, Simpson says, "It’s really disheartening in a way how the media can control somebody’s perspective on someone else’s life.It’s really sad how people want to believe the worst.  I’m really not as important as people make me out to be."

Jessica’s album, Do You Know, hits stores today!

Jessica Gets Back to Basics

June 13th, 2008

As Ashlee Simpson celebrated her husband Pete Wentz’s 29th birthday last week with a private bash in Hollywood, her sister Jessica Simpson was far from the spotlight, working hard to promote her new country album in Nashville.

Looking terrific in turquoise, Jessica cheerfully signed autographs for two hours at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville on June 6.

"She treated every individual with respect," a CMA staffer tells OK!, "and tried to talk to each person."

These days, the Texas native has good reason to turn on the Southern charm. The pop star turned actress, 27, is hoping to restart her career by returning to her roots and reinventing herself as a country singer.

"Back in the day, Jessica thought she was going to be the next Julia Roberts," a source close to the singer tells OK!. "The media attention went to her head and she became a different person."

No doubt! At the 2007 Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, Jessica was virtually unrecognizable with dark hair, a darker spray tan and a skimpy Roberto Cavalli gown. She had a trendy boyfriend on her arm — John Mayer — and a group of hangers-on who traveled everywhere with her.

"Her entourage grew as her ego grew," says the source, "and then the bubble burst. She realized she lost herself, but now she is starting over."

Jessica’s second act, which includes her just-released single, "Come on Over," has been warmly welcomed by Nashville, mostly because she is working so hard to make her country career work.

"The country community is accepting of artists who are serious," GAC’s Country Music Across America host Storme Warren, who introduced Jessica at the CMA Music Festival Block Party on June 4, tells OK!. "Jessica has done it right."

Jessica herself has high hopes for the album. "I’ve been working on it for the past seven months now and I really feel at home with this music," she said at the CMA event.

Says a source, "The diva seems to have gone away and the real Jessica — the one with the big heart and goofy smile — is finally back."

OK! Interview: Miranda Lambert

April 17th, 2008 / Author: OK! Staff

 

In the last four years, Miranda Lambert has gone from a wannabe Nashville Star to a Grammy-nominated country superstar. After finishing third on the reality show, the Texas native is riding high on the heels of her platinum debut album, Kerosene, and her sophomore effort, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Taking a break from life on the road, Miranda, 25, strikes a pose with OK! and tells us why she’ll never be a size two and if she’s ever been a crazy ex-girlfriend herself.

So do you feel more comfortable in jeans or in something you might wear on the red carpet?
I really love jeans. That’s kind of my playful side — jeans and boots. I really like sundresses in the summer a lot. The dress-up for awards shows thing isn’t really me; it’s okay for a day, but I’m definitely ready to get back in my jeans once it’s over.

Do you have one beauty product that’s simply your must-have that you need all the time?
I love lip gloss. My favorite is Lip Glass by MAC. It’s really good, it stays on a long time, but it’s not too thick — it’s my absolute favorite.

Do you have a favorite designer to wear to award show events?

I don’t have a favorite designer in particular. For the Grammy’s I wore Nicole Miller and I really loved the dress. The one thing, a lot of the designer dresses are so small, they come in size two, which I’m not. The dress I wore to the Grammy’s was a size six, sometimes I’m a size eight. And that’s normal, but it’s not in the fashion world. So sometimes it’s hard for me. You want to wear something that someone’s never seen before, but sometimes that zipper just doesn’t zip. I really like Nicole Miller because she makes stuff for normal people. Also BCBG, I really like their stuff.

Do you ever have to lose weight to get into these dresses on the red carpet?

It used to bother me. I thought I was fat because none of the dresses would fit. But they make them for runway models, and I’ve come to the realization that no matter how skinny I am, I’ll never be a size two, it’s just not my body. So I’ve accepted the way I look, and if I feel good, then that’s all I care about.

You make it a point not to wear skimpy outfits on stage.

 

Yeah, I try to be the best example I can be for young girls just as far as my person goes — just to uphold a good image. Plus, I don’t wear skimpy clothes because I don’t really have the six-pack abs to show off. I really have a comfortable style. Onstage, I don’t want to be thinking about my outfit, I want to think about what I’m doing, so I’ll try to dress as comfortably as possible.

With such a busy touring schedule, how do you possibly have time to watch what you eat? Is it difficult on the road?

 

It’s hard, but I have kind of a routine. I’ve had a trainer out on the road with me for the past year. He really helped me change my eating habits completely — I used to really eat badly. Now, there’ll be days where I don’t care, but on most days I eat salads. It’s really great to have him around, even if he’s not physically there, he could surprise me while I’m eating Cheetos and walk into the room. Then he’ll make me pay for it in the workout. We work out every show day so I’m doing three or four days a week. I’m really active at home too. I have a farm so I’m constantly moving.

You have a farm?

I just got it in October. I’ve got pigs, donkeys, a miniature horse who’s having a baby. It’s great, you know? It’s my paradise, it’s where I go to get away from civilization. I mean, it’s in the middle of nowhere. Those are the times where I don’t have to wear makeup, I don’t have to look cute, I can just be who I am.

How much time to get to spend there?

I’ve really gotten to spend a lot of time there, I’ve been so lucky. During the holidays and the winter season isn’t really a big touring time for us. So I’ve got some weeks off this month and two weeks next month to do some songwriting. So I get to be there with all of that.

You’ve got this sort of double life.

 

Yeah, but they’re both great lives. I think I need the farm to balance out all the craziness of my career. When I go there, I’m really just a regular girl, not Miranda Lambert.

We don’t really read about you in the tabloids — do you feel like how grounded you are has kept you from going down the path that so many other young stars have chosen?

 

I just don’t understand the party scene; I’m just not that into it at all. I do that kind of partying for a living, what I do is one big party every night. So when I’m off I really like to have my privacy, be with my boyfriend, be with my family. Anyway, I don’t really have the opportunity, there’s not really a party scene in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma anyway.

So you’re going to start writing again when you get some downtime?

 

Yeah, it’ll be for the new record — we won’t be going into the studio until fall at the earliest, then the new record will come out next year. But I’m trying to not wait until the last minute to start writing them.

How much of your records would you say is autobiographical?

Well, the first record, Kerosene, I started writing for that one when I was 17, so obviously I didn’t have a lot to write about at 17, so I took from what I’d seen and what other people were going through around me. They’re a couple of songs on there that are personal. But I’ve really lived a lot in the three years that record’s been out, so it definitely comes from a more personal place on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

Have you ever been the crazy ex-girlfriend?

 

Oh yeah! Currently I’m not a crazy ex-girlfriend, but I can’t promise I won’t be one again.

What kind of reaction have you gotten to that song and others like it?

Girls love that song. Actually, guys do too. We had this thing going last summer when we were out with Toby Keith where we would videotape people telling their crazy ex-girlfriend confessions, guys and girls. It was really interesting to hear some of the stuff. You know, we were kind of afraid that a couple of them were kind of too far out there, like someone might get arrested for this or that story. But it’s fun because I think people can relate to it, everyone has their crazy moments, you know? Guys have had their crazy girlfriend and girls have been that. I guess I’m just the first to actually admit it in an album.

Do you feel kinship or competition with other young women in the country music world?

There’s been some talk of a tour with me and Carrie Underwood and Kellie Pickler because girls just don’t go together a lot; it’s hard for women to draw. I don’t know why, it’s just been that way for years. I really want it to change. It’s great that women are coming out right now that are great, and I think if a few of us could get together and get out there, it would be a big deal. People would love it.

For more on Miranda, check out her gallery and pick up the latest issue of OK!, on newsstands now!

Miranda Lambert

April 16th, 2008 / Author: cwillett

OK! Exclusive: Jessica Simpson’s Country Troubles

November 7th, 2007

Jessica Simpson has her work cut out for her if she wants to make it in Nashville.

As reported by OK! a few weeks ago, the pop tart has descended upon the town to record her first country album, but some players of the game believe the 27-year-old needs to step up to the plate.

“She is definitely going to have to work hard to prove herself in Nashville because people are judged on talent and merit, not where they eat in L.A. or shop or go to clubs,” a source tells OK! at the BMI Awards in Nashville, where Jess was accompanied pal Willie Nelson.

A strong work ethic is key since Jess is “working with some of the most talented producers and songwriters in the business so she’s not going to be able to skate by.”

The buxom blonde is currently collaborating with John Rich of Big & Rich on tunes and reportedly flexing her songwriting muscles, a skill she’s been honing since her last album, 2006’s A Public Affair, showing dedication on her part.

“I do think she is really committed to working hard and raising the bar on the music she releases.”

By Alisandra Puliti

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