Yesterday a sound clip was making the rounds on the Internets that claimed to be a soundboard recording of Beyoncé singing screeching along to a backing track when she performed on The Today Show after the release of her latest album I Am … last year. While the clip was RIOTOUSLY hilarious, it turns out that it was a fake clip altered to make Beyoncé sound bad. Last night, Beyoncé made an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman to promote her new movie Obsessed (which opens in theaters tomorrow) and to perform her new single Halo LIVE. Here are a few pics of Beyoncé making her arrival at the CBS Studio in NYC yesterday:

I’m sure Beyoncé was anxious to perform so that she could dispel the validity of that fake recording. In case you missed it, you can find a link to the clip HERE … I ain’t gonna lie, it’s funny as hell — fake or not. After the jump, check out video of Beyoncé performing Halo …

French avant garde designer Thierry Mugler has been tapped to create the onstage costuming for Beyoncé‘s upcoming new tour and, as you might expect, the sketches that have been released are nothing short of fierce … behold:

“The duality between being a woman and a warrior.” That’s the spirit Thierry Mugler wanted to capture with the costumes he designed for Beyoncé’s upcoming world tour, and from the look of these illustrations, he succeeded. The tour kicks off today in Edmonton. “Sasha Fierce is another aspect of Beyoncé’s personality,” Mugler offered via e-mail. “She is Fierce on stage and Beyoncé in real life. I tried to understand these two sides with my own perception of both aspects.” The look pictured here captures that duality. It imagines Beyoncé as a tough, chic, superheroine type who likes her power glam with a bit of froth; hence, the bow bustle and mismatched gloves that pair lacy fishnet with articulated metal. But don’t expect Beyoncé to stay in that guise for long. “There will be a lot of dramatization and metamorphosis on stage,” Mugler promised. The designer said he and Beyoncé share “the sense of mise-en-scène.” As the tour’s creative adviser, he has worked on all of the show’s visual aspects — lights, sets, costumes — while “working hard to achieve her dreams. “He describes the costumes as “very elaborate,” and rooted in the songs’ meanings. “Feminine. Free. Warrior. Fierce. As a creative adviser for this tour, it is my responsibility to make her vision come true,” the designer said.

Love it!! I’m totally diggin’ the warrior vibe of the costumes … I’m glad they look more like Wonder Woman: Amazon Princess rather than Xena: Warrior Princess. As I’ve mentioned before, I have never been able to see Beyoncé live in concert … but I think it’s time. If these sketches are any indication then the show will be amazing. After the jump, check out another set of Mugler costume sketches …

Ms. Beyoncé Knowles was spotted this weekend on the streets of the TriBeCa neighborhood of NYC filming a new promo video with a horde of male extras in tow. The video is reportedly going to be used in an upcoming concert tour that B is planning for later this year (tho, I’ve yet to hear official confirmation that she is touring again). Here are a few pics of Beyoncé and her mens as they took to the streets of TriBeCa this weekend:

As much as I love all the Sasha Fierce stuff (much to my chagrin), I really love Beyoncé when she’s at her classic best. Straight hair, nice make-up, slinky gown … classic. It may come as some surprise that I have never seen Beyoncé live in concert … but my intense love for her hawt track Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) might inspire me to pony up and buy tickets if she really does hit the road this summer. I have no doubt that homegirl can tear it up on the concert stage … mebbe this time around, I’ll bear witness for myself. This video looks hot, I guess I really am curious to see what the final product will look like.

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin]

Beyoncé was spied on a beach in Malibu, CA this week hard at work on her latest music video. It is unknown which song this video is being made for but by looks of all the twirling going on in these photos, I’m gonna guess it’s for a ballad:

JAY-Z won’t want to spend too long looking at these sexy snaps over his morning coffee. Wearing a vest and tiny shorts, his stunning wife BEYONCE KNOWLES frolics with a male model on a sunny beach in Malibu. Though it should be stressed their touchy-feely antics are all in the name of make believe – the Single Ladies star hit the sand to shoot her new video. With a huge grin splashed across her face, Beyonce sure looked like she was enjoying herself as the waters lapped at her feet.

LOL! I really doubt that Jay-Z would even bat an eyelash at seeing photos of his bride frolicking with a male model on the set of a music video. If anyone knows the biz, it’s the Jiggaman. But B‘s music video work goes far beyond just her twirling around with a green flowy dress. After the jump, check out the photos of Beyoncé‘s canoodling session with her hired music video love interest …

On the eve of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day today, dignitaries, politicians, celebrities and everyday citizens convened on the mall in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC yesterday to participate in the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration to celebrate not only tomorrow’s Inauguration of Barack Obama as our 44th President but to also honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who, very famously, gave his I Have A Dream speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial back in August of 1963. Here are a few photos from yesterday’s We Are One concert event and some info about what went down:

Barack Obama and his family had a star-studded – and musical – introduction to Washington, D.C. On Sunday afternoon, the President-elect was feted on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration. The two-hour event was broadcast live on an open signal on HBO, and it featured a mix of historical speeches, presented by stars like Tom Hanks, and classic anthems like U2′s surging Martin Luther King, Jr.-inspired “Pride (In the Name of Love).” Equally powerful, Beyoncé closed out the festivities with a stately, soaring version of “America the Beautiful.” The singer beckoned all the earlier performers on stage, leading a star-studded sing-along. Said Beyoncé as she concluded, “America, we are one.” Denzel Washington kicked the festivities off with an introduction, telling the crowd, “We are inspired by the man we’ve elected to be the 44th president.” Then, the actor ceded the stage to Bruce Springsteen and a full gospel choir in red robes. Accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, the troubadour performed “The Rising” – and delivered a message of unity. “Come on up for the rising,” he sang. “Come on up, lay your hands in mine.” As he performed, the cameras panned to the awe-inspiring sight of thousands of spectators huddled in the cold, packed around the Reflecting Pool and stretched all the way east to the Washington Monument. Much closer to the action, Obama and his family – including wife Michelle and their daughters Malia, 10, who snapped photos of the massive crowd, and Sasha, 7 – took in the festivities from a front-row perch, in a box just off the stage, next to Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his wife, Jill. Obama also took the stage to thank performers and audience members for sharing in the celebration. “Welcome to Washington, and welcome to this celebration of American renewal,” he said. “As I stand here tonight, what gives me the greatest hope . . . is you: Americans of every race and region and station who came here because you believe in what this country can be and because you want to help us get there.” Mary J. Blige got concert-goers dancing – even Obama, who grooved in his seat – during her soulful version of “Lean on Me.” And Jamie Foxx inspired plenty of laughter – including a chuckling Obama – with his pitch-perfect impression of the President-elect as he recited lines from Obama’s post-election victory speech in Chicago’s Grant Park. Sheryl Crow teamed up with jazz legend Herbie Hancock and will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas for a spirited take on Bob Marley’s “One Love.” “Let’s get together and feel all right,” they sang while audience members frantically waved their hands in the air. Later, during his performance, Garth Brooks sang his Obama-inspired original composition, “We Shall Be Free,” which the country star melded into a medley of recognizable favorites like “American Pie” and “Shout.” And Usher took the stage with Shakira and Stevie Wonder for the soul luminary’s “Higher Ground.”

I was able to watch a small portion of yesterday’s celebration and it was quite a sight to see … the party was jumpin’ and it’s only the beginning. Our President-elect was deffo in fine spirits at yesterday’s event as he spoke to the assembled crowd about how hopeful he is for our country on the eve of such a monumental achievement:

Barack Obama said he’s “as hopeful as ever” about the future of the U.S. as thousands of Americans converged on Washington’s Lincoln Memorial for a free concert to celebrate his inauguration as the first black president. “Only a handful of generations have been asked to confront challenges as serious as the ones we face right now,” Obama said today. “Despite the enormity of the task that lies ahead, I stand here today as hopeful as ever that the United States of America will endure, that it will prevail, that the dream of our founders will live on in our time.” People gathered hours in advance for the event at the same site chosen by civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. for his 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech. The concert featured songs by Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, U2 and Mary J. Blige; Martin Luther King III spoke, along with actors including Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks. Obama sang along as Garth Brooks performed “American Pie.” He and his wife, Michelle, rocked along to Blige and jumped to their feet as Wonder sang and played the keyboard. Interspersed in the event were clips of past presidents, including the inaugural addresses by John F. Kennedy and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Obama and his wife followed incoming Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, down the steps of the memorial and waved to crowds that stretched down the National Mall to the Washington Monument before the concert. They took seats to the side of the stage with the Obama children, Sasha and Malia. “Change has come to America,” actor Jamie Foxx told the roaring crowd, quoting Obama and doing an impression of him that drew laughter from attendees and the president-elect himself. Biden spoke about 40 minutes into the program about the value of work, saying it was about dignity and respect. “I see a country built by men and women who believe in the dignity of work, who take pride in providing for their families,” Biden told the crowd. Obama, 47, for the second day chose to invoke the spirit of Abraham Lincoln, the president who led the U.S. through the Civil War and ended slavery. Obama arrived in Washington last night after a “whistlestop” train trip that began in Philadelphia; Lincoln arrived by railroad in 1861 for his own inauguration. Both were elected from their adopted home state of Illinois.

Click HERE to read the full text of Barack Obama‘s speech yesterday, in case you missed hearing it aloud. After the jump, watch Beyoncé‘s stirring performance of America the Beautiful, she really nailed the song and gave a performance that is not to be missed …

Add celeb couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z to the list of folks who have made their way to the Caribbean isle of St. Bart’s to party away the last hours of 2008 … here are pics of the couple playing in the water off the coast of St. Bart’s yesterday afternoon:

Singer Beyonce puts her best foot forward as she struggles to keep her balance on the yacht-side inflated water trampoline attached to her luxury yacht in the Caribbean. Showing off the fine figure, that along with her huge voice, has made her a worldwide star, the bikini-clad beauty bounced around as her rap mogul husband Jay-Z looked on. The hardest-working female in the music business allowed herself a break from world domination to enjoy a luxurious break on the isle of St Barts with her husband of eight months. Beyonce and Jay-Z are holidaying in St. Barts in the Caribbean and were seen aboard luxurious 50 foot yacht ‘Galaxy’, which they are renting at a reported cost of $200,000 a week. Despite recently admitting she didn’t know “how to chill out”, the singer appeared to be making a good stab at it as she soaked up the sun, and romped through the waves on a jetski … Although the two chose the marry quietly in April this year, she revealed she is not keen to have children anytime soon, especially after witnessing her sister Solange, 24, give birth in 2004. She said: “I’m terrified of delivering a child because I saw my nephew born. That traumatized me,” she said of sister Solange’s 2004 birth. “I’m only 27, I’ve got time.”

I dunno … all this relaxin’ in the Caribbean could lead to a little baby B sooner rather than later. Beyoncé had herself a really bizzy year, it’s nice to see that she and Jay decided to spend some not working … at least for a little while. It’s great seeing B-Jay lookin’ so happy together … St. Bart’s looks like fun!

[Photo credit: Splash News, Big! Pictures; Source]

Beyoncé, who appears to be on pretty much every single magazine cover in existence these days, is featured on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of Elle magazine. So until she lands the covers of Field & Stream and Good Housekeeping, take a gander at her Elle mag cover and check out a portion of her coverstory interview:

Tina Knowles on the time she slapped Beyoncé during a promotional appearance for acting like a diva: “My husband came up and said, ‘Tina! She’s got the No. 1 record on the radio!’ I said, ‘I don’t care!’ I was terrified. I had seen people take your child and turn them into something you didn’t want them to be. I taught my girls to pick up their own suitcases. Pretty is as pretty does. Like my mother said, ‘You got to be cute on the inside.’ “

On what her romantic education has taught her: “The worst thing you can do is press [someone]. Because I’m satisfied with myself, things that are supposed to happen will happen.”

On love: “Find somebody who makes you a better person. You are who you’re around. And if I don’t want to be like you, I don’t want to be around you.”

On the hardest thing about her marriage to Jay-Z: “It is a power struggle. But if I didn’t respect someone and they didn’t have that strength, then I would be bored. I wouldn’t be attracted to them. But at the same time, I’m not looking for someone to dominate me.”

On having children: “No way! I’m terrified of delivering a child because I saw my nephew being born. That traumatized me. I’m only 27. I’ve got time.”

On being able to express her dark side by playing the role of Etta James: “I’m a people pleaser. I hold a lot of things in. I’m always making sure everybody is okay. I usually don’t rage; I usually don’t curse. So for me, it’s a great thing to be able to scream and say whatever I want.”

On how the Etta James role changed her: “My mom had to leave the set. I don’t normally curse. Maybe twice a year. I have to be really livid. Somebody saying things or scheduling something where I’m not in control. It was freeing, but it was also the most emotionally draining time of my life. Everyday I would come home, my eyes would be completely swollen.”

Meh. What is left for B to say that she hasn’t already said in every other magazine? But, if you’re interested, you can read this Elle piece HERE. It’s nice to know, tho, that Beyoncé isn’t too big in the britches to get slapped by her mama. I hope Tina Knowles continues to keep Sasha Fierce in line with a little backslap when needed ;) After the jump, check out a few photos from B‘s Elle magazine photospread …

Beyoncé is featured on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of German GQ magazine. Here is her pretty amazing coverphoto:

And because I wasn’t a very good student of the German language when I was in college (I ruled in French, tho) I have *no idea* what her coverstory interview has to say about the woman. I suspect there might be some talk about her marriage to Jay-Z, there is deffo sure to be some talk about B‘s alter ego Sasha Fierce and I suspect a bit of ink was used to promote her new album I Am … Sasha Fierce. Meh. While all of that is all well and good, I’m much more interested in the photoshoot … which turned out very sexily, I might add. After the jump, check out a whole slew of photos of Ms. B as featured in this new issue of German GQ mag …

Academy Award winner Adrien Brody and Academy Award nominee Beyoncé Knowles were joined by others at the Los Angeles premiere of their new movie Cadillac Records which took place at The Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, CA Monday night. Here are a few pics from the red carpet arrivals:

The cast boasts Oscar, Golden Globe, Emmy and Tony winners — and a group of up-and-comers that’s a veritable Who’s Who of young Hollywood — but it was for the producer of the flick that traffic stopped last night outside the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles, where “Cadillac Records” held its world premiere. OK, it doesn’t hurt when you’re a producer that also stars in the film — and it really doesn’t hurt when your name is Beyoncé Knowles. But if she was the highlight of a red carpet which also included co-stars Jeffrey Wright, Columbus Short, Adrien Brody and Gabrielle Union, chances are Beyoncé didn’t see it that way — which was exactly what made her so much fun to work with in the first place. Beyoncé came to get down, like everyone else did. She came in with no ego,” Wright beamed of Mrs. Carter to MTV News. “She just was so willing to let it out and be vulnerable and emotionally present. We were all part of an ensemble that came to smoke — that came to celebrate that music.” “I think she really did the work, and it shows,” added Short. “She deserves kudos for it. She deserves a round of applause.” She’ll likely get much, much more — already being pegged as a possible Oscar nominee for her performance as Etta James, a role for which she reportedly gained 15 pounds. As Short explained to MTV News last February, the film follows the flood of musicians who populated and made famous the hallowed halls of Chess Records, where singers like Chuck Berry (Mos Def), Muddy Waters (Wright) and, yes, Miss James got their start. But while the many who walked the carpet couldn’t hold back their praise for her, the 27-year-old superstar told MTV she was waiting for the good news from just one more spectator before she could call it a day. Luckily for her, that one person — Etta James herself — was in attendance. “She is! Just imagine!” a nervous Beyoncé squealed, half in delight, half in fear. “She’s one of my heroes, and I always loved her voice, but now knowing what she’s been through, she’s one of my heroes. I’m not sure if she thought [I would be good] as her. I’m very, very nervous. And now? “I actually spoke with her and she told me, ‘I loved you from the first time you sung,’ ” Beyoncé beamed … “Cadillac Records” opens December 5.

You know, you gotta love the moxy that Beyoncé has to play the roles of people who are still living (unofficially, she portrayed Diana Ross on screen in Dreamgirls and now she plays Etta James in Cadillac). It would be a daunting notion to play living people on screen even if you were a highly celebrated actor … let alone someone the caliber of Beyoncé. I give her props, tho … she goes after what she wants and, 9 times out of 10, gets it. It remains to be seen if this movie will be loved by the audience as much as Dreamgirls was but it does have that same feel about it … no? I, for one, am very interested to see if B has the chops to pull off playing the role of the legendary Etta James. I’m also very interested to see if her acting prowess has improved since the last time we saw her in theaters. Do y’all think she is capable of winning an Oscar this time around?

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin; Source]

Last night the American Music Awards were handed out on live TV at the Nokia Theater here in Los Angeles, CA. Stars of varying importance made their way into downtown LA last night to walk the red carpet, participate in the show or mug for the cameras in the press room afterward. Chris Brown was one of the night’s big winners … Kanye West was one of the night’s biggest wieners … and Beyoncé, bless her heart, gave the best live performance of the night. Here are a few pics from the red carpet arrivals last night:

Here are a few pics from the show itself:

Here are a few pics from the press room and some deets about what went down at this years AMAs:

Chris Brown was the big winner at the American Music Awards on Sunday night, surprising himself most of all. “I don’t know what to say. I would have given it to Coldplay,” said Brown, who won artist of the year, male pop/rock artist and male soul/R&B artist. Kanye West, still sore at losing male rap/hip-hop artist last year, won the trophy this time – then said Lil Wayne deserved it more. “I want to give this award to Wayne,” he said. “If it was last year it would have been my award.” It was West’s second trophy of the night, following his win for rap/hip-hop album, for Graduation. “It’s our responsibility as musicians to push music to the point it was in the ’60s and ’70s,” he said. “I want to be Elvis.” Host Jimmy Kimmel, who had made West’s ego a running joke, quipped: “Elvis died on the toilet with half a jelly doughnut in his mouth. You may want to rethink that.”

Um, why does Kanye have to be so douchey? I mean, seriously. It’s like he just cannot stop himself from acting like a total a-hole on the public stage. I just don’t get it.

The show climaxed with Keys performing “Superwoman” with Queen Latifah and opera star Kathleen Battle, and ending with a large photo projected on a screen of incoming first lady Michelle Obama. In a big night for American Idol alums, Daughtry – winner of three trophies last year – picked up another this year for pop/rock group, while former Idol champ Jordin Sparks won for adult contemporary music, and Carrie Underwood won for country album for Carnival Ride. Taylor Swift, uncomfortably sharing L.A.’s Nokia Theatre auditorium with ex-boyfriend Joe Jonas, won for female country artist, and Rihanna got two awards for pop/rock female artist and female soul R&B artist … Music’s A-listers were out in force as the show featured blockbuster performances by Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Rihanna, West, birthday girl Miley Cyrus and Jonas Brothers, who also won the breakthrough artist award. And Justin Timberlake made a surprise appearance to introduce award of merit recipient Annie Lennox.

Much congrats to all the winners this year but, I gotta say, the “prestige” associated with winning an American Music Award seems to have diminished a bit — after all, the soundtrack to the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks took home an award last night.

For me, tho, the highlight was Beyoncé‘s live performance of her hit single Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It). Homegirl turned that mutha OUT! After the jump, watch video of her performance in full …