Pop princess Britney Spears is said to be on her way to taking her spot back in the lime light after reportedly striking a deal to fill one of the judging seats on "The X Factor" - though she comes with a hefty price tag.
The 30-year-old is said to be raking in $15 million to fill one of the two openings available due to Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger's departures from the reality singing competition show.
Miss Spears' contract will be six times what former judge Abdul made during the show's first season - which was reportedly $2.5 million - but it seems as if Cowell is willing to do whatever it takes to get Britney into the seat next to him.
Simon told Billy Bush in February, “The fact that she’s one of the most talked about — not just pop stars, but people — in the world today means that you’ve got this star power, she’s still hot, she’s still having hit records, and she’s still controversial. There’s a reason for that.”
The former "American Idol" judge could only hope for a a boost in ratings with the pop megastar on board after expecting 20 million viewers for the show's debut season last year, but instead it averaged closer to 12 million.
Britney Spears and "X Factor" have struck a deal that will line the singer's pocket to the tune of $15 million for next season ... TMZ has learned.
We're told Britney's team and "X Factor" big wigs are working out "the fine points" of the deal, but the major terms are locked.
Once the final contract is drafted and signed ... it will go to Jamie Spears, Britney's daddy and conservator, as well as lawyers for the conservatorship. If they sign off, it must then go to the judge who oversees the conservatorship for approval.
Sources connected with the deal tell us ... it's a "virtual certainty" everyone will sign off. By the way, we're told Jason Trawick is "very involved" in the negotiations.
Simon Cowell, the "X Factor" Executive Producer, told us on TMZ Live Tuesday, "I would love to have her on the show. I think she would be a fascinating person to sit next to." Simon said they may make an announcement within a week.
Britney would fill one of two vacant seats on the judging panel. She's also way more expensive than the castoffs -- Nicole Scherzinger reportedly pulled in $1.5 million, while Paula Abdul raked in $2.5 mil.
Unless "The X Factor" agrees to fork over more money, it seems Britney Spears won't be joining the show's judging panel anytime soon.
The FOX competition series reportedly offered the "Womanizer" singer a $10 million contract to join the second season as a mentor but, according to The Wrap, Spears shut it down in hopes of a much larger counter-offer.
Spears' camp is allegedly looking for $20 million for the singer to appear on the show, a much higher paycheck than former judge Paula Abdul, who earned around $2.3 million during her stint on "The X Factor" last year.
The negotiations with Britney come as producers are desperate to find one more big name celebrity to join Simon Cowell and LA Reid, as auditions have already started with the second season premiere date slated for September 2012.
Spears might be picking the stage over the judging panel as a source close to the singer revealed she is considering a resident performer offer at a Las Vegas hotel in the fall.
Britney Spears was seen having dinner with Mindfreak illusionist, Criss Angel along with her friends at Craving Restaurant in West Hollywood. After they ate dinner, the two of them were seen driving in his Rolls-Royce.
Later the both were photographed by TMZ going into The Tower-Beverly Hills hotel together at 4 a.m. So, we are perplexed by this, is Britney trying to hang out with a better guy? I think Federline looks squeaky clean compared to Criss Angel.
Angel has been caught up in a nasty divorce and has been seen with other celebrities, Paris Hilton and Cameron Diaz.
Britney Spears should be careful what she does at this time, as her ex-husband Federline is in the process trying to get full custody of the children.
Britney Spears ended 2011 on a high note, what with the success of her Femme Fatale mega-tour and a proposal from longtime boyfriend Jason Trawick in December. In an upcoming issue of V Magazine, the superstar discusses her tour and poses with her team of professionals, giving them glowing reviews as "her second family."
Apparently, however, it's not Spears's goodwill that is standing out in this particular article. A commentary in the Daily Mail takes the accompanying photo into scrutiny, remarking on how quickly Spears seems to have slimmed down for this particular shoot.
"She has clearly been working out regularly in an effort to achieve the healthy and lean look," the Daily Mail notes judiciously. Fans, on the other hand, are less polite about the matter, with an overwhelming amount of comments claiming that the shot clearly has been tampered with. A sampling:
"Photoshopped a dillion!" "That's her head on someone else's body," "Even Ray Charles can see the terrible 'Cut and Paste' job that was done on Britney." Spears has been looking fairly trim these days, so it's not as if the V shot is a tremendous diversion from her usual look--at least, weightwise. The photo does have an odd look to it, though.
Compare for yourselves--here's Spears in September, just a short while after the V shoot was reported to have taken place.
Spears in Fall 2011
V had no comment at the time this blog was written as to whether or not the photo had been altered. The issue with Spears will hit newsstands Thursday. To view more photos, visit the magazine's site. What do you think? Is this photo simply Spears at her slimmest, or do you agree that it's a work of Photoshop art?
US recording artist and pop entertainer Britney Spears is once again engaged.
The news about the 30-year-old singer and her boyfriend Jason Trawick getting engaged was made public via Spears’ Twitter page as she personally made the announcement.
‘OMG. Last night Jason surprised me with the one gift I’ve been waiting for. Can’t wait to show you! SO SO SO excited!!!! Xxo’, @britneyspears tweeted.
Trawick, Spears former manager confirmed the news via text when he was reached by ‘Access Hollywood’ host Billy Bush. ‘Yes, we are engaged’, Trawick said.
Spears’ spokesman is yet to make any comments.
The singer who recently turned 30 was previously married to dancer Kevin Federline for two years, with whom she has two children. The singer in 2004 had spontaneously married childhood friend Jason Alexander during a trip to Las Vegas in 2004. The marriage however only lasted 55 hours before the singer annulled the union.
The past several years record companies have been crying poor as they believe that the reason for a drop in record sales is due to pirating. But record sales never have been the major source of income for the artists – it’s the touring that makes the “real” money.
Last year was a rather lack luster year for many musicians, with only a few of the top artists selling out their concerts. But 2011 appears to have been a rebounding and record setting year for concert tours.
Each year Billboard magazine compiles a list of the top selling tours according to the gross earnings (before expenses are paid) for 2011. The list is compiled for concerts between November 1, 2010 and November 8, 2011.
The top 25 tours of 2011…
1. U2 – 44 sell outs of 44 concerts with 2,887.972 fans making $293,281,487
2. Bon Jovi – 68 sell outs of 68 concerts with 1,851,385 fans making $192,947,951
3. Take That – 29 sell outs of 29 concerts with 1,806,473 fans making $185,175,360
4. Roger Waters – 92 sell outs of 92 concerts with 1,362,993 fans making $149,904,965
5. Taylor Swift – 87 sell outs of 89 concerts with 1,356,720 fans making $97,368, 416
6. Kenny Chesney – 37 sellouts of 55 concerts with 1,160,132 fans making $84, 576,917
7. Usher – 58 sell outs of 73 concerts with 922,327 fans making $74,954,682
8. Lady Gaga – 43 sell outs of 45 concerts with 745,735 fans making $71,900,434
9. Andre Rieu – 15 sell outs of 102 concerts with 657,757 fans making $67,104,756
10. Sade – 21 sell outs of 59 concerts with 588,693 fans making $53,178,550
11. Michael Buble – 36 sell outs of 57 concerts with 520,242 fans making $49,856,921
12. Eagles – 3 sell outs of 24 concerts with 386,684 fans making $49,759,684
13. Katy Perry – 54 sell outs of 98 concerts with 1,002,656 fans making $48,851,454
14. Lil Wayne – 14 sell outs of 69 concerts with 712,000 fans making $46,300,000
15. Justin Bieber – 27 sell outs of 35 concerts with 467,544 fans making $44,124,922
16. Glee Live! In Concert – 40 sell outs of 40 concerts with 485,852 fans making $40,854,811
17. NKOTBSB (New Kids on the Block/Back Street Boys) – 22 sell outs of 51 concerts with 609,426 fans making $40,415,307
18. Journey – 17 sell outs of 73 concerts with 688,871 fans making $39,069,939
19. Britney Spears – 14 sell outs of 39 concerts with 396,000 fans making $37,100,000
20. Iron Maiden – 17 sell outs of 33 concerts with 473,285 fans making $33,085,671
21. Kylie Minogue – 2 sell outs of 41 concerts with 307,135 fans making $32,559,439
22. Neil Diamond – 4 sell outs of 20 concerts with 239,723 fans making $31,303,070
23. Enrique Iglesias – 32 sell outs of 38 concerts with 397,857 making $30,811,001
24. Jason Aldean – 47 sell outs of 58 concerts with 790,530 fans making $27,768,963
25. Toby Keith – 19 sell outs of 52 concerts with 673,668 fans making $27,313,132
Nicki Minaj has been given a £7 fine (equaled to 1,000 Jamaican dollars) for swearing while performing at the Montego Bay Reggae Sumfest. After the show, Nicki was approached by police who issued her a court date set for July 28th. Continue reading for more info. Nicki Minaj has been fined for swearing during a performance in Jamaica.
The rapper and singer broke the law with her profanity-laden set, prompting a court appearance and a tiny fine. It was Minaj’s first time performing in Jamaica, a country that strongly enforces anti-profanity laws at concerts. After headlining the final night at Montego Bay’s Reggae Sumfest, Minaj was reportedly approached by Jamaican police and told she had violated the Towns and Communities Act, which dates from British colonial times and penalises “obscenity in a public place”. She was issued a court summons for 28 July.
Minaj never appeared. Instead, a local lawyer entered a guilty plea on her behalf. The singer was ordered to pay a fine of 1,000 Jamaican dollars – equivalent to just £7. On Twitter, Minaj joked about the incident: “I swear I just had the time of my life,” she wrote.
In the Jamaican press, some journalists wondered whether local artists would have been shown the same leniency as Minaj. “[What] would have happened had those same expletives come from the lips of our own Jamaican performers?” asked the Jamaica Observer. Earlier in the festival, singjay I-Octane apparently told the crowd he had been warned not to perform his marijuana anthem Puff It. In a more serious incident in 2005, reggae artist Sizzla spent two weeks in prison after singing about killing gay men.
Minaj is currently touring the US in support of Britney Spears.
Rapper Nicki Minaj is the latest celebrity to deal with sex tape rumors on the Internet. The 25-year-old Queens, N.Y. bred rapper has been heralded by the New York Times as the "Cindy Sherman of Rap" and is a hot draw on radio for her hit "Knockout" with label mate Lil Wayne. Thus far, she has not commented on the rumors.
