Kelly Clarkson delivers jaw-dropping set, as LMFAO, Gym Class Heroes, David Guetta and viral sensations Karmin help fill jam-packed MSG lineup.
By Henna Kathiya
Lady Gaga performs at Jingle Ball on Friday
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/ Getty Images
NEW YORK — Without skipping a beat, Z100's annual Jingle Ball kicked off at exactly 7:30 p.m. Friday night to an arena full of screaming fans. The head-turning lineup featured Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson, LMFAO, Pitbull, Foster the People, Mindless Behavior, the Script, David Guetta, Gym Class Heroes and Lady Gaga, who brought some of the year's biggest hits to the Madison Square Garden stage.
ZI00's Elvis Duran and the Morning Crew personally came onstage to introduce the night's most-anticipated performance.
"Years ago, there was a young girl in the audience watching the Z100 Jingle Ball [and] she told her mom she wanted to be a singer," Duran said to the squealing concertgoers. "Three years ago, she opened up the show with her hit Just Dance. It gives me pleasure to say that a lifelong Z100 fan has now become one of the most important artists of our generation."
With the crowd chanting "Gaga," the New York City native opened with Edge of Glory. But in true Lady Gaga fashion, she didn't appear onstage right away. Instead, she emerged from a Christmas tree mid-song, decked out in a studded leather outfit. She then belted her way through "Bad Romance."
"When I was 11, I came to this very concert and told my mom I wanted to be a singer, and guys ... here I am," she said, launching into "Just Dance."
"Some people thought I was just going to be a one-hit wonder," Gaga continued as she moved on to mega-hits "Poker Face," "Telephone" and "Judas."
The pop diva then paid homage to the holidays with a naughty rendition of "White Christmas," gyrating her way across a holiday-themed set, complete with antlers, Christmas trees and lights.
Mother Monster danced through "Born This Way," before closing out the show with her latest, the Fernando Garibay-produced "Marry the Night", for which she channeled the video by changing into a a hospital gown and carting an IV stand onstage. As the song ended, fireworks went off and red confetti shot out all over the jubilant crowd.
Jingle Ball 2011's stellar lineup was more than just Gaga, of course.
During a short break in the show, fans took to their phones and began tweeting furiously in anticipation of another act: Demi Lovato. Finally, after what seemed like years in tween time, Big Time Rush introduced the 19-year-old, who took the stage looking classy in an all-black, gem-studded blazer.
Lovato, joined by her backup dancers, opened with "All Night Long," and followed up with her new single, Give Your Heart a Break, to the delight of screaming Lovatics. Demi turned serious, though, for her comeback ballad "Skyscraper," and the whole room sang along. She closed out her set by ripping off her blazer, all the better to shimmy to and sing the finale, "Unbroken."
"Thank you guys!" she told her adoring fans. "You all have been so amazing!"
Turns out Kelly Clarkson, who took it back with her massive uptempo hit "Since You Been Gone," is also a Lovatic. "I've been waiting for a long time to do a duet with Demi," Kelly said. "Wow, she can sing her butt off!" she added as Demi returned for the classic "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Needless to say, the two power singers ... killed it. (Lovato has long cited Clarkson as an inspiration.)
Clarkson then switched gears, dipping into her latest album, Stronger, for the sassy "Mr. Know It All," and chart-toppers like "My Life Would Suck Without You."
Gym Class Heroes opened with their staple "Cupid's Chokehold," but the hip-hop/rock band also rolled out numbers from their new album, The Papercut Chronicles. They said goodbye with frontman Travie McCoy rapping his solo hit "Billionaire," as the crowd eagerly sang Bruno Mars' hook.
Reality star Khloe Kardashian was one of the night's guest hosts, and she told MTV News she has "a passion for music." Dressed in LMFAO-approved leopard tights, Kardashian introduced the electro-pop duo, who were short one party-rocker. "SkyBlu couldn't be here with us tonight because he hurt himself wiggling," RedFoo explained.
Although he was without his partner in crime, RedFoo held it down, kicking off with "Sorry for Party Rocking" as he danced with two giant plastic zebras in the background. Foo went on to perform "Shots Shots" and "I'm in Miami" (a New York version, of course). He finished up with explosive -- there were fireworks -- versions of the LMFAO hits "Party Rock Anthem" and "Sexy and I Know It," as fans wiggled in their seats.
Youtube sensations Karmin also performed -- but not onstage. They surprised everyone by rocking right in the crowd.
Share your Jingle Ball concert reviews in the comments below!
Related ArtistsOctober 15 show will be streamed live over the Internet.
By Gil Kaufman
Lady Gaga
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images
Even a dozen years removed from the White House, former president Bill Clinton still has that same superstar-attracting aura. That might explain why such bright lights as Lady Gaga, Bono and The Edge of U2, and Usher have signed on to perform at an October 15 party for Clinton at the Hollywood Bowl.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, details on the final list of performers and presenters are still being worked on, but an impressive list of movie and TV personalities are expected to sign on for the event, which is being billed as a celebration of the 10-year anniversary of Clinton's nonprofit William J. Clinton Foundation.
To date, the foundation has raised more than $10 billion for some of the ex-president's most cherished causes, including HIV/AIDS treatment, economic empowerment, food aid and global health initiatives. The show, which will also serve as a birthday party celebration for the former Democratic leader (who turned 65 on August 19), will be broadcast exclusively by Yahoo, which will stream "A Decade of Difference: A Concert Celebrating 10 Years of the William J. Clinton Foundation" worldwide to a potential audience of millions.
Clinton continues to travel the world doing good works, though he turned his attention homeward over the weekend when he participated in the 10th anniversary ceremonies of the September 11 terror attacks. He announced on Sunday that he will team with Republican House Speaker John Boehner in a bipartisan effort to raise the final $10 million needed to complete the Fight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Related Photos Related ArtistsEven after lawsuit was dropped last week, Bieber's team is taking steps to prove the allegations are false.
By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber
Photo: Dave M. Benett/Getty Images
Justin Bieber is a man of his word. After promising he would take a DNA test when a paternity suit was brought against him, TMZ reports the pop star took one Friday night at a lab in New Jersey.
The gossip site reports that the test was taken under "very controlled circumstances," and the next move is on Mariah Yeater, the woman who claimed that her son is Bieber's before dropping her paternity suit last week.
Bieber and his team have maintained that the 17-year-old is not the father of 3-month-old Trystan. E! News reports that there is no timeframe for when Yeater must provide a DNA sample.
When MTV News caught up with Bieber on Thursday night, one day before he took the test, he shrugged off the controversy, instead focusing on the positive and saying he's been doing "great" these days.
Bieber sat down with NYC radio station Z100 earlier that day and joked that he'd prefer the rumors be about running away to South America with a supermodel. "Right now, I'm focusing on my album and the music and the [Pencils of Promise] charity we're doing and just being positive, because Christmastime is a time for joy and happiness, so that's what I'm thinking," Bieber said. "And as far as the whole baby situation, it's unfortunate that it had to happen like that. People make false accusations, but things happen in this industry and you have to keep your head high and be positive."
Those words mirror the advice Bieber's mentor, Usher, shared with him: "Stay strong. And know that all of this comes with the territory."
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