Jennifer Lopez’s lead single from her next year release “Love?” has hit the web. Titled “Louboutins”, the song will be performed live for the first time at 2009 American Music Awards on November 22. “Louboutins” reportedly is produced by Christopher “Tricky” Stewart and written by The-Dream. Rumor also suggests that the song was meant to be recorded for Brandy’s forthcoming release, but following Brandy’s exit from Epic Records, it was handed over to J-Lo. Jennifer Lopez is expected to release “Love?” on January 25, 2010. A promotional single called “Fresh Out the Oven” has been unveiled earlier this month. Coming from production hands of The Neptunes, the dance track has Pitbull lending his vocal on the lines.

Considering how poorly J. Lo’s last album Brave did when it was released a couple of years ago (do any of y’all even remember it at all?) I’m very curious to hear what Jennifer’s new sound is like. I would love for her to drop another killer track like Get Right, Play or Waiting For Tonight (to name but a few of my fave J. Lo songs). Louboutins, an obvs shout-out to the expensive designer shoe line, is our first taste of what J. Lo has in store. After the jump, listen to the song in full …

Watching “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” will have fans grieving once again, but this time, it won’t only be for the fallen King of Pop, but for what we lost — a brilliant entertainer who gave every inch of his body and soul for what might have been one of the most spectacular comebacks of all time. Jackson never got to complete that comeback, dying days before his London concerts were to begin in July, but “This Is It,” culled from hundreds of hours of rehearsal footage for those shows, does it for him. Even though it’s been well edited, the amazing performances Jackson delivers in this film are not a result of camera magic, but Jackson’s own. When Jackson announced his “This Is It” concerts earlier this year, many wondered whether Jackson had any magic left at all. Besides his tattered reputation, he was rumored to be in frail health and hadn’t performed a major concert in almost a decade. There were well-deserved skepticism about whether Jackson had the vocal and physical agility to stage the kind of concerts that wowed fans in his prime two decades earlier. “This is It” gives both answers an emphatic yes. Even though Jackson’s looks — with his weirdly delicate face and his stick-thin frame — still makes one squirm with discomfort, once he starts to perform, that discomfort gives way to amazement. At 50, Jackson was still an amazingly gifted dancer with moves that leave your mouth agape. Though we only see him do the moonwalk once, and just fleetingly, his stop-on-a-dime spins, deft footwork and body jerks recall the Jackson the world fell in love with 25 years earlier with “Thriller.” And Jackson’s voice still dazzles — even when he’s trying to play it down. “I’m trying to conserve my voice,” Jackson says at one point — then delivers a vocal that is spine-tingling — and these are just run-throughs, not the actual show. Fans never get to see what would have been the “This Is It” concert — full dress rehearsals weren’t due to happen until the show went overseas for final rehearsals. Instead, the movie takes from segments of taped rehearsals, and also weaves in film segments Jackson planned for the concert to give at the very least an idea of how the concert might have looked. A graveyard scene meant to be in 3D was planned for Jackson’s performance of “Thriller,” and a computer-animated dancing army would have accompanied Jackson on screen for a militaristic version “They Don’t Care About Us.” Jackson kept much of the same moves from his classic “They Way You Make Me Feel” video — including the floor humping — as well as the groundbreaking choreography from his “Beat It” clip. But whether it was through new visuals and different musical arrangements, he appeared to be breathing new life into his well-worn catalog, promising fans a show that would have taken Jackson and his fans to new heights. Jackson is gentle but authoritative as he demands perfection from his crew, whether it’s gently taking the audio crew to task for making his earpiece too loud or attempting to elicit a grand performance from his young star guitarist. “This is your time to shine,” he says in that famously soft soprano voice before delivering a high wail and challenging her to do the same on her guitar. The film doesn’t give viewers much insight into Jackson outside of performance mode — we only see him rehearsing or hear him talking about music, or the meaning of his songs. Yet the film does give a glimpses into Jackson’s personality — alternatively playful and shy, firm yet understanding, often saying phrases like “with love” after giving a command. The film also splices together different performances of the same song at times, leaving one to wonder why. Is it for a visual effect? Or did he not complete enough in one take? Thankfully, there appears to be enough full takes so one’s mind does not play into conspiracy theories. There were certainly critics of “This Is It” before its release — those who wondered whether it would be an exploitative flick, a quick attempt to cash in on his newfound popularity, and those who felt the preparations for the concert contributed to his death. But “This Is It” is a beautifully made, loving tribute that gives Michael Jackson what he so desperately wanted — affirmation that he indeed was the greatest entertainer of our time.

Some friends and I got to see the film last night and I’ll post my review of the film a little later on. Last night’s LA premiere was a who’s who of the Hollywood glitterati and members of the Jackson family who can’t seem to shy away from the spotlight. I understand that Paula Abdul referred to the Jacksons as “the Johnsons” and Jermaine Jackson brought a change of clothes so that he could wear two outfits for the premiere. Both of those strange occurrences are not connected, I just thought I’d share. I’m sure many of y’all saw the film last night as well or are planning to see it during it’s limited 2 week theatrical engagement. I’m very curious to hear what others thought … was this the film that the world has been waiting for?

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

Since buying a stake in the Miami Dolphins in July, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have been bringing a touch of A-list glamour to the American football scene. But arriving to watch their men play the New Orleans Saints in Florida yesterday afternoon, the Latin singer’s smart outfit was let down by his incredibly sweaty armpits. Falling prey to the sweltering [87.8 °F] sunshine, the 41-year-old couldn’t escape the unsightly sweat patches. While his 40-year-old wife showed off her curves in a black sundress and platform heels, it was Marc garnering the most attention with his damp shirt. Due to the heat, Jennifer’s face was also glistening with sweat, but it looked more like a flattering healthy glow. Marc and Jennifer have become regular attendees at Miami Dolphin games since they purchased a minority stake in the game over the summer. Unfortunately for the couple, the Saints won the game 46-34.

I mean, I realize it can get hot in Florida but other people managed to walk the red carpet without sweating thru their clothes. I can’t even imagine what it must be like for J. Lo to nuzzle up against her husband and get an armpit (or two) of stanky pit sweat. GROSS!! Heaven forbid that Marc put his arm around his lady love … he’d prolly drown the poor woman! UGH. Mebbe Marc, who is now part owner of the Dolphins, was sweating because his team has been playing like shit every since he bought ownership in the team? Whatever the case may be, he really needs to keep that shizz in check … it’s difficult enough to see pics of his zombielookin’ness without the pit stains … ICK!

[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]

Hollywood actress Jennifer Lopez has said she wants to work on projects that her children will be “proud of” one day. The 40-year-old actress is mum to 20-month-old twins Max and Emme and she said she thinks differently about what she works on since becoming a mum. She said: “Being a mother has changed the way I look at my work in a very positive way. I want to be able to create and be part of things that I know my children will be proud of one day.”

Yeah, I dunno that an appearance on the cover of She is gonna do much to help her high profile but it was nice of her to talk to the mag. I doubt we’ll be seeing anything from the She photospread … so this might be it. I’m not sure that even a hardcore Lopez fan will want to bother seeking out this issue. I understand La Lopez is close to releasing a new album … hopefully she’ll be doing better promo than this in the weeks and months to come.

[Source]

Now, either LopAnthony bought themselves a lemon of a football team OR they are just bad luck … but still, it’s really early in the football season and the Dolphins have plenty of time to turn things around. I do find it a bit comical that the Dolphins need to host red carpet parties now that LopAnthony are part-owners of the team … I doubt the actual players get such a reception when they show up to play. Here’s hoping the Dolphins‘ luck turns around quickly … it’d really suck if they ended up turning out to be a bunch of pigeons.

[Photo credit: Splash News]

But for a few exceptions, most everyone looked amazing on the red carpet. I loved all the shiny bling that some folks were wearing … particularly Kristin Cavallari who wore a simple vintage dress and looked absolutely amazing in it. The show itself was really fun .. the opening tribute performance to MJ was really very cool and except for Kanye West’s douchey behavior, the show was very entertaining. Here are a few pics from the show and some deets about what went down:

Planned and random acts of kindness reigned at the MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday night. Among the planned acts: Janet Jackson’s opening tribute to her brother Michael, whose death at age 50 on June 25 rocked the music world. The production began with Madonna recalling her encounter with Michael and reminding the audience that “Michael Jackson was a hero.” And while “he seemed otherworldly,” she added, “he was also a human being.” And then, the performance began. Dancers crept up on stage with original Thriller video airing in the background. The dancers’ moves duplicated the ones being performed on the video. Then a sequence of Michael’s hits played. Bad and Smooth Criminal led to Scream, his duet with Janet, who broke through glass to make her way onstage and sing along with the video. The loud, almost angry performance had the audience on its feet. After the tribute, Madonna said backstage that “it was good to finally get to say my piece.” And then near the end of the show, in a gracious act of kindness, video-of-the-year winner Beyoncé offered young country music star Taylor Swift a second chance to say her piece with an acceptance speech. The moment came after Kanye West took everyone by surprise early in the show when he went onstage to interrupt Swift’s acceptance speech for best female video for You Belong With Me … The teen country star returned for her live performance of You Belong With Me later in the show. Celebrities reacted backstage. Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong said, “Well, you know, she’s young, I think she’ll get over it. I think he needs to get it over it also. It was very uncomfortable sitting there.” “I feel bad for Taylor,” said Kristin Cavallari. “I think it was really disrespectful” … Other music-related news items had guests talking at the awards show, too. American Idol’s Kara DioGuardi was asked about her new colleague at the judges’ table, Ellen DeGeneres. “I feel fantastic. I feel ecstatic. I can’t wait for January, when we can all be on the panel.” DioGuardi added that she has been in touch with former judge Paula Abdul. “I’ve spoken to her, and she seems to be doing really well, and that’s what matters.” Abdul is set to play host at the VH1 Divas special on MTV’s sister network on Thursday night (9 ET/PT). Faye Dunaway had two divas she was looking forward to seeing on Sunday at the VMAs. “Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. How could you not love Beyoncé?” Dunaway asked. Ne-Yo echoed Dunaway’s sentiment. When asked who he was rooting for, he replied, “Besides myself?” and then added, “I’m here to see Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Pink, everyone. I’m here just to enjoy the electricity.” And the atmosphere was electric, with returning host Russell Brand doling out his brash brand of humor. Among the stars: Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys, Eminem, Jermaine Jackson, Katy Perry, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner.

For me, the live performances were the highlight of the entire night. After the jump, check out a few photos from the press room and watch a couple of my fave performances from the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards …

As usual, Beyoncé put on a killer performance … here is video of her performance of Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) which took home the biggest award of the night — Video of the Year:

Jennifer Lopez is showing everyone what 40 and fabulous looks like in the September issue of InStyle. The dancer/singer/actress/designer/mom graces the magazine’s 15th Anniversary Issue’s cover in a cutting-edge, sculpted Jil Sander dress and Hermes spiked cuffs, all in a sophisticated black and white palette (minus her bright cherry red lips). Inside, the black-and-white theme continues as the mother of two smolders in classic JLo style — thigh-high Christian Louboutin leather boots paired with a puffy-sleeve Louis Vuitton dress and Marc Jacobs bracelets, and later in a body-hugging hooded sweater by ALC, the label of Lopez’ ace stylist Andrea Lieberman. As seen in the shoot’s exclusive behind-the-scenes video, despite a short hiatus after having twins, Lopez still knows how to pose like a pro, working it in floor length gowns by Versace Atelier, Givenchy, and Nina Ricci, as well as a Herve Leger cut-out dress that proves Lopez isn’t packing an ounce of baby weight. “She knows how to play for the camera,” says photographer Michelangelo Di Battista of Lopez. “It makes my job easy.

It’s crazy, J. Lo never seems to age! She still looks as fabulous as ever. While I realize that a lot of her perfection in this photospread (as well as pretty much all photospreads in all magazines) is due to the adept use of Photoshop, you cannot deny that Jenny from the Block is still lookin’ amazing these days. In Style chose well when they selected her for the cover of their 15th Anniversary issue. After the jump, check out a short behind the scenes 60 Seconds of Style video from her photoshoot and a few excerpts from her coverstory interview…

OMG, so cute. When last we saw the J. Lo twins, Max & Emme, they were chillin’ with their moms on the SoCal set of her new film The Back-Up Plan (you may recall we saw cute pics of little Max walking). After all that hard work, I guess it was time for a vacay. J. Lo’s babies are gettin’ awfully cute … isn’t it such a relief that they are taking after their mother?

[Photo credit: INFdaily, Splash News]

My guess is that this second surprise party really did the trick since J. Lo was treated to a first surprise party on Friday night at the Hotel Griffou in Greenwich Village. She prolly wasn’t expecting a second, more elaborate event at the Edison Ballroom the day after. It’s clear from the emotion on her face that she was overwhelmed with love. While some folks dread their 40th birthday, it really looks like J. Lo’s hubby made sure that she embraced and really celebrated the milestone. Who knew that zombies could be so romantic and sweet? It really looks like J. Lo had herself a pretty fantastic birthday this year.

[Photo credit: Splash News]

Jennifer Lopez got the party started early for her 40th birthday. At midnight this morning, the singer-actress — who turns 40 today — celebrated with husband Marc Anthony and the cast and crew of The Back-Up Plan on the flick’s New York City set. She was all smiles while toasting with champagne and blowing out the candles on the giant chocolate cake, which featured a huge photo of herself. Lopez — who donned an off-the-shoulder top — also hugged crew members who presented her with a bouquet of white flowers. “Alex, make a toast!” Lopez is heard saying to her costar Alex O’Loughlin in a video of the party. “Happy birthday. Welcome back, baby! To Jennifer!” he says, holding up a bottle of champagne.

Click HERE to watch the video mentioned above, courtesy of OnlineJLoFan.com But J. Lo’s birthday celebration didn’t stop there … after a full day on the set of The Back-Up Plan, she stepped out last night with her hubby Marc Anthony for a lovely surprise party dinner on the town:

If Jennifer Lopez had been hoping to let her 40th birthday slip by unnoticed, she was out of luck. The actress, who spent the day working on the set of latest film The Back-Up Plan, was last night treated to a glamorous surprise birthday party. Organised by husband Marc Anthony, details of the party at Hotel Griffou in Greenwich Village, New York, were kept under wraps – but there was no mistaking the birthday girl as she made her arrival. The mother-of-two looked stunning in a silver gown and statement diamond earrings. The figure-hugging fabric made the most of her enviable body, while the shimmering shade set off her tan. Marc Anthony looked proud as he posed with his wife outside the venue, his arm never leaving her side. It is believed that he was trying to out-do her efforts after she threw him a star-studded birthday party for his 40th last year.

It’s nice to know that LopAnthony still like to try and surprise one another … it’s a sure sign that they are very much in lurve. J. Lo looked amazing in her silver dress but I’d expect nothing less from La Diva Latina herself. It’s pretty crazy to think that the fly girl we met on In Living Color all those years ago has grown into a 40-year old wife and mother of two … and she’s still going strong. Happy Birthday, J. Lo!

[Photo credit: Wireimage, INFdaily, Splash News; Source, Source]