Are You Country Strong?

If you are, then I happen to have JUST the album for you! Hopefully you all watched the 44th Annual Country Music Awards (CMAs) on Wednesday (CONGRATS to my favorite band Lady Antebellum for winning Single of the Year AND Vocal Group of the Year!) and saw the country debut of the one and only GWYNETH PALTROW! There's always a little worry about how our favorite actresses will sound when they suddenly start a musical career out of the blue, but she actually sounded AWESOME! She sang the title track from her new movie soundtrack, 'Country Strong,' alongside Vince Gill and rocked it! So, of course, the next morning I automatically went on iTunes and checked out the soundtrack. And GUESS WHAT? Leighton Meester, who stars in the movie as an up-and-coming country star, has a song on the soundtrack as well! It's called 'Words I Couldn't Say' and I LOVE it! There's also some other country names on there like Tim McGraw and Faith Hill! So, if you're into country, check out the 'Country Strong' soundtrack and be sure to catch the movie in theaters January 7th! Catch ya later!

Kira xox

Inspiring Video Premieres from Lady Antebellum and Katy Perry!

Woo-hoo, TWO new videos for you to watch, with a little inspiration to brighten up your day! First up is Lady Antebellum's video for 'Hello World,' which you can watch here. Yes, I know, the fog machine in the middle of the street and Charles' dramatic movements are a bit cheesy, but, I'm not going to lie, it made me tear up towards the end. It shows you what's really important in life. Next, Katy Perry's video for 'Firework,' which you can watch here. I've loved this song ever since I heard it on 'Teenage Dream.' It's got a great tune, for one, and it's just really inspiring. I wish everyone could hear it and learn from it. The video features various stories of what Katy would call "fireworks," I suppose. Just ordinary people who stand up for themselves and realize that they're part of this world, too. There's also lots of dancing and pretty colored fireworks shooting off everywhere. Sounds pretty sweet, huh? If you're feeling down, I suggest you watch these videos! Remember, you're a FIREWORK!

Kira xox

Give These Girls a Chance!

I know everyone either hates the Disney stars or viciously strives to hide the fact that they love them. I can honestly say I don't like Miley, the Jonas Brothers, or Ashley Tisdale, but I have to say, I actually LIKE Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez. I know Demi...um...isn't exactly the best actor. In fact, I MUCH prefer her singing than her acting. Camp Rock and Sonny With a Chance were just...dreadful. Yet, once I actually listened to some of her other songs from her album and everything, I realized she can actually SING. Her songs are catchy, and most of them aren't too sugar-coated. She's really talented and she knows what she's doing. Now, with Selena, it took me a little longer to actually like her. Again, not the best actor, and she doesn't have Demi's voice, either. But what made me really like her was how she treats her fans. There are so many celebrities who don't take five seconds to really appreciate their fans, but she really does. I might even go as far to say she's almost as fan-friendly as Lady Gaga. She could be spending all of her time out shopping at Barney's or partying, but she makes time for her fans, which I think is really important. I don't really have any respect for people who don't really appreciate their fans. And, I don't like her music enough to buy her WHOLE album, but I have to say, I LOVE her newest single, 'A Year Without Rain.' You have to admit, it's REALLY catchy. I've probably displeased most of the people who read my blog by writing this by now, so I'm just going to stop writing now. I will end this post by saying try giving Demi and Selena a chance!

Kira xox

DO YOU WHIP YOUR HAIR?

Whether you do or not, Will's Smith's nine-year-old ambitious daughter, Willow, has finally released her first single, 'Whip My Hair,' on iTunes! I know a lot of people think it's total crap, but this girl is FIERCE! I mean, she's NINE YEARS OLD! So buy it if you...enjoy...whipping you hair? LIKE A BOSS.

Kira xox

Ingrid Michaelson News!

Hey, everyone! Hopefully you've been enjoying Ingrid Michaelson's latest single, 'Parachute,' because the video premiered TODAY! It's pretty cool, although quite hard to understand, not to mention Ingrid looks TOTALLY different. Seriously, you thought she looked different without glasses? This is like...I seriously didn't even RECOGNIZE her for a few seconds. Still, you should definitely check it out here.

Also, if you're lucky enough to be in New York in early December (December 10, 2010 to be more specific), you can NOT miss out on Ingrid's ever-popular fourth-annual HOLIDAY HOP! Tickets are $30 on TicketWeb! Buy 'em quick!

Hope you've gotten your Ingrid fix now! You're welcome!

Kira xox

Sweet New Country Tracks on iTunes!

That's right, partner. This week, if you're feeling country, iTunes is the place to go! First of all, Taylor Swift's last single before her new album, 'Speak Now,' is released, 'Mean,' is out today! It's actually REALLY good, MUCH better than her last single, 'Back to December.' The surprising thing is that it's actually NOT a love song! *dramatic gasp* I think a lot more people will be able to relate to it. Plus, who DOESN'T love sweet little Taylor Swift getting a little more sassy? Come on, this is probably the first one since 'Picture to Burn!' Next, if you don't feel like spending $1.29 (stupid new iTunes prices!) on a Taylor Swift song, you can get a brand new country single, 'My Heart Skips a Beat,' by The Secret Sisters, for FREE! Yes, FREE! It's a very old-style country sounding, I reccomend it! It's only free until next Tuesday, though, so be quick!

Lastly, in other irrelevant news, I just bought two new albums, 'Teenage Dream' by Katy Perry and 'You Love You' by Semi Precious Weapons, and I am LOVING them! They're on replay ALL THE TIME! See you soon!

Kira xox

Vote for the American Music Awards NOW!

It's that time of year again! You can vote NOW for the 2010 American Music Awards here! The AMAs are on November 21st at 8/7c on ABC, so mark your calendars! A few of my favorite artists are nominated, so if you like 'em too, VOTE!

LADY GAGA is nominated for Artist of the Year and Favorite Female Artist in Pop/Rock!

LADY ANTEBELLUM is nominated for Favorite Band, Duo or Group in Pop/Rock, Favorite Band, Duo or Group in Country, Favorite Album in Country, Favorite Artist in Adult Contemporary Music, and T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist!

KATY PERRY is nominated for Favorite Female Artist in Pop/Rock, Favorite Album in Pop/Rock, and Artist of the Year!

CARRIE UNDERWOOD is nominated for Favorite Female Artist in Country and Favorite Album in Country!

GO GO GO! Get voting!

Kira xox