Britney is back, but can she compete with Gaga?

Britney Spears

LONDON - AS BRITNEY Spears prepares to launch her seventh studio album Femme Fatale on Tuesday, the pop star faces keen competition from Lady Gaga, Katie Perry and Rihanna, who reign atop Billboard's Hot 100 singles ranking.

Her younger rivals' dominance this week may be coincidental - indeed, Spears also topped the ranking recently with Hold It Against Me. - but the chart is a reminder of how crowded the pop diva market has become since Spears rose to fame as a teenager.

There is little doubt her fans will ensure brisk sales - Spears has sold nearly 70 million albums, according to label Jive Record - and her music is making headlines again instead of personal meltdowns, a custody battle and rehab stints.

Spears kicked off a string of promotions for the album on Friday with a performance at a Las Vegas nightclub. On Sunday in San Francisco she will record a sold-out mini-concert to be aired on ABC's Good Morning America TV show on Tuesday.

Yet after more than 10 years in the music business, Spears, now 29, may have to do more to remain relevant in the era of Gaga, critics say.

'As far as novelty goes, her natural demographic now has an icon as quirky and characterful as Lady Gaga to fascinate and fuss over,' said Andy Gill of Britain's Independent newspaper. 'Gaga's music, let's be frank, is not that much better than, or even different to, that on Femme Fatale, but she knows the lingering appeal of playing dress up,' he added in a two-out-of-five star review of Spears' record. -- REUTERS

Lady Gaga

Liz Taylor and Michael Jackson: reunited?

This Feb 16, 1997 file photo shows Elizabeth Taylor arriving with Michael Jackson at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles for her birthday celebration. -- PHOTO: AP

LOS ANGELES - 'I DON'T think anyone knew how much we loved each other,' Elizabeth Taylor said after Michael Jackson's 2009 death, reflecting the intense - if perhaps unlikely - bond between the pair.

Taylor and Jackson shared a key formative experience in common: they were both child stars who arguably missed out on a proper childhood. The pop icon and Hollywood legend were at times inseparable, with homes near each other in the plush Bel Air and Beverly Hills neighbourhoods west of Hollywood.

After Taylor's death on Wednesday at the age of 79, the blogosphere was alive with talk of them being reunited in heaven. 'She is probably up in heaven right now, going monkey shopping with Michael Jackson,' said one blogger, referring to infamously eccentric stories from Jackson's life.

Taylor, who died of complications from congestive heart failure in the Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, was knocked sideways by Jackson's untimely death aged 50 in June 2009.

Tabloid reports suggested she was hospitalised with grief, apparently confirmed when she said via Twitter: 'I'm home from the hospital sore, but intact. Of course I'm still grieving for Michael... I always will.'

'My heart... my mind... are broken,' she said. 'I loved Michael with all my soul and I can't imagine life without him. We had so much in common and we had such loving fun together.' -- AFP

HOW THEIR FRIENDSHIP STARTED

Their friendship began in the 1980s when Taylor abruptly walked out of a Jackson concert in Los Angeles complaining that she could not see the performance or hear the music, according to news reports of the time.

Jackson called Taylor afterwards in tears, reports said at the time, but once she explained the reason for her exit the pair got talking, and it developed from there.

'Then we met, and spent more and more time with each other, and just became really good friends. Told each other everything,' Taylor said in a 2006 interview, cited by Fox News.

They were united notably by what Taylor called 'horrible' childhoods, blighted by having become celebrities at a young age. -- AFP

Selena Gomez: I Didn't "Lie" About Dating Justin Bieber

Selena Gomez's words about the Biebs are coming back to haunt her!

On the Ellen DeGeneres Show Tuesday, the actress-singer, 18, got teased for what she used to say about her secret boyfriend Justin Bieber.

Ellen DeGeneres played an old clip of Gomez shrugging off romance rumors about Bieber, 17. "He's like my little brother. That's weird to me," Gomez said during her previous appearance on the show.

Giggling on Tuesday's show, Gomez didn't have a good answer for how to describe her relationship nowadays. "Don't take me to jail!" she said. "I don't know! I don't know."

"Now you've made [the relationship] public," DeGeneres pointed out. "[You've] made me a fool."

Laughing, Gomez retorted: "No, I really didn't...He's just sweet!"

DeGeneres continued to grill her good-naturedly. "He's not like your little brother, is he? No, he's not. And he's a fantastic guy. You can't try to hide that forever. I know you all were sneaking around but that's crazy. You're both huge stars and you can't hide from us!"

"I didn't lie to you," Gomez insisted. "I didn't though. I'll say that."

"No, you didn't blatantly lie," DeGeneres said. "[But] a little brother is not someone you want to date."

"Well, no," Gomez admitted. "That would be weird."

Lady Gaga: 'Born This Way' Video Debut!

Check out the video for Lady Gaga’s newest single, “Born This Way”!

Lady Gaga - ‘Born This Way’

The video was directed by Nick Knight and features choreography by Laurie Ann Gibson.

Kim Kardashian: I think I was a housekeeper in my last life

Reality star Kim Kardashian admits she is such a neat freak, she doesn’t even like having people over to her home.

Kardashian appears on the cover of the new issue of SELF magazine, where she discusses her obsession with cleanliness and order.

“I’m the biggest neat freak at home. I don’t have people over for that reason, because I don’t like anyone in my space.

"I think I was a housekeeper in my last life. Sitting at home in sweats and cleaning out my closet would be a perfect night for me.

”

And when it comes to her beauty and fitness routine, Kardashian admits she is committed to making good decisions.

“Everyone has the power to make good decisions, whether it’s about your career or fitness routine. As long as you stay dedicated to something, you’ll see a change. If you’re committed, you can do anything!”

“Find the one part of your body that you love and accentuate it,” she adds. “For example, because I have a small waist, a big butt and thin legs, belts work for me. You have to know what looks best on your body."

Read more:

Sandra Bullock Donates $1 Million to Japan Disaster Relief

Sandra Bullock is putting her money where her mouth is. The Oscar-winning actress and single mom, 46, donated $1 million to the American Red Cross toward earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan, the charity told CNN on Thursday.



It's the largest donation made by a celebrity yet in the wake of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that hit the island nation last Friday -- triggering devastating tsunamis, leaving thousands dead, untold devastation and a weakened nuclear power plant.

(The Red Cross points out that some celebs may have made anonymous donations.)

Pop sensation Justin Bieber meets wax double

Teenage pop sensation Justin Bieber took time out from touring on Tuesday to visit the Madame Tussauds museum in London and pose next to a waxwork model of himself. --PHOTO: AP

LONDON - TEENAGE pop sensation Justin Bieber took time out from touring on Tuesday to visit the Madame Tussauds museum in London and pose next to a waxwork model of himself.

The model, dressed in a a red and black checked shirt and black jeans, was one of three Bieber replicas being unveiled - the others were in Amsterdam and New York.

'It's pretty incredible to see,' said the 17-year-old, before joking about how small the waxwork was. 'As you can see, you know, I'm at least six feet taller than this guy.' Liz Edwards, spokeswoman for the museum, said the real Bieber would naturally change quickly over the eight months it took to create the life-like model.

'So we really wanted to make sure we made a 'moment in time' figure,' she said. 'But it's the hair that everyone is paying the biggest attention to. So, I'd say it's the hair that's been the biggest challenge.'

The singer, already one of the world's biggest pop stars with albums My World and My World 2.0, was accompanied to the event by his mother, and he greeted a small crowd of fans. He said that he would ideally like his waxwork figure to stand next to US rapper Tupac Shakur.

'Biebermania' has hit Britain during his visit, with hundreds of screaming fans crowding outside his hotel in the northern city of Liverpool last week forcing police to close down the area. Bieber has two more concerts in London before playing in several other British cities and then heading for mainland Europe. -- REUTERS

Rookie Actress, Jang Ja Yeon Picture gallery

Jang Ja Yeon, 30 years old at the time of her death, hanged herself at her house in Bundang, southern Seoul, in March 2009, leaving a suicide note that accused her agent of forcing her to attend drinking parties and to provide sxxual favours to high-profile entertainment figures and journalists.

The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula ...

Korean (한국어/조선말, see below) is the official language of Korea, 

both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian ...

Cyndi Lauper performs impromptu concert at airport after flight delays

Cyndi Lauper - grammys-2011

(CBS) - So, this happened... after long flight delays occurred at Jorge Newbery Airport in Buenos Aires, singer Cyndi Lauper commandeered the PA system to sing "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" and quell angry passengers.

The singer's impromptu concert and singing were met with a huge display of approval by those at the airport which you can hear and see in the video. Can you say best flight delay EVER? ... Enjoy the video ...

Oscar winner Bier switches gears with Brosnan

The next project for Danish director Susanne Bier, who won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar for In a Better World, is a romantic comedy, All You Need Is Love, starring Pierce Brosnan.

Bier's Oscar-winning drama focused on youth violence. Her film Brodre was adapted in English as Brothers, a war drama starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire and Natalie Portman. Also, she filmed Things We Lost in the Fire, her English-language debut about a broken family.

Bier told Italian newspaper La Repubblica, "It's a tender story with a much lighter atmosphere than my previous works; enough with conflicts."

Brosnan called the new project a "delightful love story" mixing the serious and humorous. She wrote the screenplay with Brosnan in mind for the lead role, though the story centers on a Danish family. His next project is the religion-themed comedy Salvation Boulevard.

All You Need is Love begins production in Amalfi in spring.

Selena Gomez Picture Gallery

SHOWBIZ is looking for all the Selena Gomez pictures we can get our hands on. We think she’s one of the next huge stars, so keep watching this space as this photo gallery grows with more pics of the popular stars. 

Selena Gomez on Barney and Friends as a child

Selena Marie Gomez (born July 22, 1992) is an American actress, singer, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, best known for portraying Alex Russo in the Emmy ...

Selena Gomez on her Disney show Wizards of Waverly.

Selena Gomez stylish, yes or no? Have to lean yes here, 

she wears some pretty cute stuff.

Selena Gomez apparently is a fan of Johnny Rockets. 

Here she is enjoying a big strawberry shake.

Selena Gomez looking fit in a bikini.

Selena Gomez flower shopping.

So what do you think is the Best American Actress?

Christina Aguilera arrested for intoxication

Christina Aguilera was later released on US$250 bail (S$318), said the spokesman, adding the star will not have to make a court appearance. Her boyfriend, Matthew Rutler, was also charged, but his bail has been set at US$30,000, reports said. -- PHOTO: AFP

LOS ANGELES - GRAMMY-WINNING US pop singer Christina Aguilera was arrested in west Hollywood overnight for being intoxicated, police said on Tuesday.

The singer was booked on a charge of public intoxication, after her boyfriend's car was stopped and he was arrested for alleged drunk driving, said a local sheriff's department spokesman, Steve Whitmore.

The car, in which Aguilera was allegedly riding, was stopped at around 2.45am (1045 GMT, 6.45pm Singapore time) near a west Hollywood night club, and Aguilera was booked at around 3.30am at the local sheriff's office.

She was later released on US$250 bail (S$318), said the spokesman, adding the star will not have to make a court appearance. Her boyfriend, Matthew Rutler, was also charged, but his bail has been set at US$30,000, reports said.

Aguilera won the first of her four Grammys in 1999 as best new artist, followed by best pop collaboration in 2001, and best female pop vocal performance in 2003 and 2006.

Aguilera and her husband Jordan Bratman separated last year, five years after their 2005 wedding, although there were no divorce plans, People magazine reported in November. 

In pictures: Justin Bieber, Selina Gomez go public

After months of secret dates, during which they have denied any romance, the Canadian star stepped out with Selena Gomez at the Vanity Fair party following Sunday's Oscars. -- PHOTO: AP

AFTER months of secret dates, during which they have denied any romance, the Canadian star stepped out with Selena Gomez at the Vanity Fair party following Sunday's Oscars.

Bieber wore a shiny black suit with a red handkerchief sticking out his pocket that matched Gomez's prom-style dress.

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez arrive at the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar party in West Hollywood, California

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez arrive at the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar party in West Hollywood, California

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez arrive at the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar party in West Hollywood, California

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez arrive at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards on September 12, 2010 in Los Angeles. 

Justin Bieber, subject of the documentary film 'Justin Bieber: Never Say Never,' arrives at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, February 8, 2011. 

Selena Gomez poses at the premiere of the documentary 'Justin Bieber: Never Say Never' at Nokia theatre in Los Angeles, February 8, 2011. 

Justin Bieber accepts his best International Breakthrough Act award during the BRIT music awards in London February 15, 2011.

Justin Bieber performs at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards show at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 13, 2011

Selena Gomez waves during a fan meeting in Tokyo following a special preview of the first episode of the latest TV series 'Wizards of Waverly Place', February 21, 2011. 

Selena Gomez arrives at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, February 13, 2011.

Selena Gomez poses at the InStyle after-party for the 68th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, January 16, 2011.

Selena Gomez performs 'A Year Without Rain' at the 2011 People's Choice Awards in Los Angeles January 5, 2011. -

Selena Gomez poses after winning the breakout artist award at the 2011 People's Choice Awards in Los Angeles, January 5, 2011. 

Selena Gomez performs during the Z100 Jingle Ball in New York December 10, 2010.