At the conclusion of the buzzy, new movie, "Saltburn" from Emerald Fennell (and no, I will not spoil it for anyone who has not seen this film yet), a song plays that I hadn't heard in years. "Murder on the Dance Floor", co-written and performed by Sophie Ellis-Bextor is a lively dose of Euro-disco that is used perfectly in just one of many strange, uninhibited moments in this divisive dark comedy.
While this song was popular back in 2001, reaching the top-ten on the singles chart in Ellis-Bextor's home country of Britain and many other countries across the globe, "Murder" didn't get much attention here in the US. Perhaps "Saltburn" will inspire some adventureous folks on TikTok to help change that.
The now forty-four year old singer and mother of five is still making music, just releasing her seventh studio album, "Hana" last summer. The music video for "Murder on the Dance Floor" is set at a dance competition with Ellis-Bextor willing to do anything to win the award of golden pumps.
Leave it to the one and only Cher to make us realize that the world doesn't have a proper Christmas disco song. The legendary pop icon has released "DJ Play a Christmas Song" with this dance track just one of the songs from her very first holiday album, appropreiately titled, "Christmas". And just like she has done throughout her extraordinary career of seven decades, this collection features various genres of music she has dabbled in throughout her recording career. The album is a perfect mix of new songs and Christmas covers with special appearances by Michael Bublé, Tyga, Cyndi Lauper and Stevie Wonder who lend their support on several songs. And there is a cover of the Christmas classic, "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" which is now a duet with the song's original singer, Darlene Love. The two singers have known each other since the beginning of their professional careers when a teenage Cher performed backing vocals on Love's 1963 version.
BRANDY
Now signed to Motown Records, the gifted actor and singer, Brandy has released her very first Christmas album as her debut on the legendary music label. "Christmas With Brandy" is a perfect mix of original compositions (all co-wriiten by Brandy) and holiday classics, all done in her signature style of smooth, soulful vocals. Brandy is making this record a true family affair with the addition of her twenty-one year old daughter, Sy'Rai, a rising singer in her own right, who appears on the original track, "Christmas Gift" in a rousing duet. And be sure to check out Brandy as an actress in the Netflix holiday comedy, "Best. Christmas. Ever.", available to stream now.
RUPAUL
The legacy of RuPaul has grown considerable since his first album, "Super Model of the World" way back in 1993. From the groundbreaking reality competition television show, "RuPaul's Drag Race", expanding continuiously with international spin-offs to once the face of major cosmetics campaign to a co-host of a morning radio show to hosting a game show to receiving a Tony Award for "Best Musical" as a producer to writing an upcoming memoir, RuPaul has achieved many amazing accomplishments that some might have thought would be impossible for a drag queen. Now the new "Essential Christmas" is essentially a greatest hits from RuPaul's previous three holiday-themed albums. But there is one new song, "Baby Doll", another fun, beat-driven Christmas tune.
And finally, here is a brand-new music video of Brenda Lee's classic holiday tune, "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree". This lively clip features Lee performing in a family setting during the Christmas holiday with appearances by country music stars, Trisha Yearwood and Tanya Tucker. But the biggest news is that the now seventy-nine year old vocalist has finally reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart with "Rocking", sixty-five years after first recording this song at the incredible age of thirteen.
After being named the season six winner of "American Idol", Jordin Sparks began a whirlwind of a pop music career at only the age of seventeen. It started with a self-titled debut album in 2007, which sold over a million copies and featured two top-ten singles; "Tattoo" and "No Air", a duet with Chris Brown, to appearing on stage (co-starring in the Broadway musical, "In the Heights") and screen (making her film debut in "Sparkle", the 2012 musical remake that features Whitney Houston in her final film role).
Now at the age of thirty-three, Sparks is married and a mother of a five-year-old son. Her career might have cooled down a bit but she's certainly not out of the game. A new single has been released, "Call My Name" which is a mature, intimate r&b ballad, far removed from the sweet pop-soul from her early days. And the music video features a more sensual side of Sparks (who appears with her husband, Dana Isaiah in the steamy clip) than we have previously seen from the singer. This is the first preview of music from her upcoming fifth album which is due out early next year.
Here is some new music to put a spotlight on from social media personality, Jessie Woo; queer electro-pop artist, Bronze Avery; the legendary soul-hip-hip queen, Mary J. Blige; dance-pop star, Dua Lipa and a charity single from Björk featuring Rosalía with proceeds going to combat open-pen fish farming in Iceland.
It's been about eight years sinceGossip, the indie rock band made up of Nathan Hondeshell, Hannah Blue and Beth Ditto, called it quits. But time can change perspectives and the trio reunited to do a tour to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their 2009 breakthrough album, "Music for Men". From that gathering on the road, Gossip began to explore the idea of working together again as a band. Enlisting their "Music for Men" producer, Rick Rubin, who encouraged the reunion, they went to on record from thirty to forty songs together. This has led to their sixth album, "Real Power" due out in March. The first single, "Crazy Again" picks up where Gossip left off, with a quirky, electro-pop ballad enhanced by Ditto's unusually muted yet controlled vocals.
And I'm sad to announce that Jean Knight, best known for the sassy, 1971 hit, "Mr. Big Stuff", passed away from natural causes on November 26th at the age of eighty. The New Orleans native began her career finding some local success with several recordings before attracting the attention of producer Wardell Quezergue in 1970. Knight recorded several songs (which included "Big Stuff") with him, but no major labels were initially interested in releasing these demos. But when King Floyd's song, "Groove Me" (also recorded during those sessions with Quezergue) became a number one soul hit in early 1971, a producer at Stax Records remembered another song that Knight had recorded from that time. "Mr. Big Stuff" also went to number one on the r&b chart and reached number two on the pop chart. The song sold over two million copies and Knight went on to receive a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Feamle Vocal Performance. Knight would record several well received albums following this success, but "Big Stuff" would remain the biggest hit of her career.
