The 23-year-old Korean Han Hee-jun, who was one of the top ten participants of American Idol Season 11, is poised to make his debut in the U.S. music market.

Han made the top 9 of American Idol last year, which was a first in the show’s history for an Asian. Han has made a contract with Korean agency Polaris Entertainment, and is ready to release his first single in the U.S. It has been reported that Han is going to work with famous agent Max Gousse, who used to manage many big stars such as Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, and Usher, making the possibility of Han’s success in the U.S. stronger.

According to the Korean daily newspaper Chosun Ilbo, Han was contacted by at least 100 agents after the show, but he decided to choose a Korean agent because he wanted to stick to his Korean background.

When Han participated in American Idol last year, he was one of the most popular contestants in terms of Internet voting score. He said, “I think using a chest voice made me popular because that was little bit unique compared to other participants who were using either a head voice or a nasal sound.”

Han participated in American Idol to raise awareness about the disabled at a missionary organization in New York, where he is working as a volunteer.

“I used to suffer from severe depression. I was getting vocal training from some agency in Korea for two years to become a professional singer from 2010, but it didn’t work well. I also participated in a Korean singing competition show, but I didn’t make it. These failures put me a depressing situation,” Han told the Chosun Ilbo.

Han added, “I happened to visit a missionary organization in New York and meet about 200 disabled people there. I saw them happy by singing and playing music instruments together. It opened my eyes and made me decide to participate in American Idol because once I make it up to 24 people, I will have a chance to talk about my personal life story, and I thought if I can let people know about these disabled people’s story, they can get more help from here and there.”

His goal has been achieved. After getting exposure on national television, the missionary organization and the disabled received many donations from across the U.S.

Han has an English name, “Dante.” However, he always goes with his Korean name “Hee-jun.” That is because Han’s goal is to be a famous singer in the U.S. as a Korean, just like Psy.

Image Courtesy : Heejun Han Fan Page

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Mariah Carey, five time Grammy winner, has announced that she will be the newest “American Idol” judge. After meeting with FOX executives on Monday, July 23, Carey joined in a phone press conference to confirm the news.

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and Jennifer Lopez have both already announced that they will not be returning to “American Idol” after being on the show for two years. According to FOX president Kevin Reilly the decision was mutual. Reilly stated, “we both decided it’s time for a change.” During the past two years the show’s ratings have declined a staggering 23%, leaving FOX very unhappy with executive producer Nigel Lythgoe.

According to bestmoviesevernews.com Lythgoe is in danger of losing “American Idol” if he doesn’t revamp the show and up the ratings. Randy Jackson, long-time judge and member of Journey, was also in danger of losing his contract. However, as co-manager of Mariah Carey, he was key in cementing the deal between her and FOX, which also seems to have secured his place as judge. Reilly stated, “Randy has been working with Mariah for a long, long time and is in fact her co-manager. Randy was very instrumental in this deal.”

With several other competitive singing shows out there, “American Idol” is getting lost in time. Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe claimed at the Television Critics Association that one way ratings could be improved is to have new judges on the show each season. This strategy may in fact be necessary with new shows climbing in ratings such as “The X-Factor” which just added Britney Spears and Demi Lavato as judges.

Lythgoe also suggested that there is a chance that J-Lo would return to the show, but Reilly stopped those rumors stating, “I think I can say that’s 100 percent that Jennifer won’t be coming back to the show.” However, everyone at FOX, as well as Carey herself, are very excited about this new addition to the show.

Carey stated in the phone conference, “I am so excited to be joining “American Idol.” I wish I could have been there myself to tell you. This kind of all just happened really quickly. I can’t wait to get started in a couple months… I will see you in January.”

Kevin Reilly, president of FOX also added his support. “It’s the biggest recording artist that any of these shows have ever had. It’s an artist many of these contestants have tried to emulate. [The deal] only concluded only hours ago. Not being the only game in town, we need to keep things fresh.”

Simon Fuller, the creator and other executive producer of “American Idol” stated, “we are proud to have one of the world’s greatest-ever female singers join our show. Mariah defines the word ‘Idol’ and will inspire every singer that has the honor of performing in front of her.”

Hopefully for FOX and for “American Idol” the addition of Carey will guarantee that the show will go on.

Image Courtesy of  Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

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Las Vegas, U.S.A.- Fourteen years later, and Tiger Jam has yet to skip a beat! This past Saturday, Tiger Jam 2012 again rocked the Las Vegas strip, bringing host Tiger Woods and talents including Jon Bon Jovi and Friends and American Idol winner David Cook to the stage for an incredible performance. Held at the renowned Mandalay Bay Events Center, the sold-out concert and accompanying attractions raised approximately $1 million for programs of the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Kicking off the weekend, VIP Tiger Jam guests were treated to a day of golf at Cascata Golf Club, which included a private exhibition with Woods followed by a round of golf. Next, guests went head-to-head for an exclusive night of poker, competing against some of the game’s biggest names.

Tiger’s Poker Night, held Friday, April 27, featured such legends as Phil Hellmuth, Jr., who emceed the event and took second place; Ben Lamb who finished fourth; and Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson, won first place. Proceeds from the Texas Hold ‘em style charity poker tournament went directly to the college-access programs of the Tiger Woods Foundation, while the winner of the tournament received a foursome of golf with Tiger Woods. Following poker, VIP guests gathered at Moorea Beach Club for a performance from The Bravery.

On Saturday, headliners Jon Bon Jovi and Friends took the stage, delivering a rocking performance that included some of Jon’s greatest hits such as: Livin’ on a Prayer, You Give Love a Bad Name and Wanted Dead or Alive. Opening the show was singer, songwriter and American Idol season seven winner David Cook.

Live and silent auctions preceded Saturday night’s event. VIP guests mixed and mingled over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at the Tiger Jam reception. During the live auction, a Lindsey Vonn skiing weekend package that included a skiing lesson from the Olympian, went for $20,000; a Maui Jim Fishing Excursion went for $10,000; a getaway to Turtle Island, Fiji raised $19,000; and the Ultimate Gastronomic Golf Getaway With Mario Batali in NYC, went to the highest bidder for $10,000.

After the main concert event, guests returned to the House of Blues for the after-party hosted by M.C. Hammer.

Image Courtesy of   sportgraphic / Shutterstock.com

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Los Angeles, U.S.A. – American Idol LIVE! returns this summer for another hit tour to showcase this season’s talented top 10 finalists. Launching the careers of many, the American Idol LIVE! Tour is the first chance to see your favorites in concert! The tour launches in Detroit, Michigan at the Joe Louis Arena on Friday, July 6th and wraps up on September 11th in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Tickets go on sale Friday, May 11th at 10am via www.AmericanIdol.com,www.ticketmaster.com and www.aeglive.com.  As presenting sponsors of American Idol LIVE! Tour 2012, Chips Ahoy! and RITZ are thrilled to bring the excitement of the tour to their fans in a number of unique ways, from cookie and cracker coupons to a one-of-a-kind consumer promotion. The U.S. Air Force Reserve is an associate sponsor.

American Idol LIVE!  gives fans the unique opportunity to be up close and personal with Idol finalists Colton Dixon, DeAndre Brackensick, Elise Testone, Erika Van Pelt, Heejun Han, Hollie Cavanagh,Jessica Sanchez, Joshua Ledet, Phillip Phillips and Skylar Laine, all of whom were announced on Thursday, March 15th on Fox.     

Iain Pirie, President, 19 Entertainment stated “Every year we are amazed at the extraordinary wealth of untapped talent that is discovered on American Idol and we couldn’t be happier with this season’s top 10 contestants. We are truly excited to bring our contestants on tour across America directly to our fans’ hometowns.”

The American Idol season finale will air on FOX May 23rd, but the fan-favorites will continue on with the 2012 live tour. Past tours have featured stars such as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, David Cook, Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, Lee DeWyze, Scotty McCreery and so many more. Log on to AmericanIdol.com for full list of dates and links.

Tickets are subject to applicable service charges.

Event time and date subject to change.

For the latest tour and ticketing information please visit:

www.americanidol.com

www.ticketmaster.com

www.aeglive.com

Image Courtesy of  Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

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Santa Monica, CA, U.S.A. – Max Sound Corporation, an innovative technology company, that is changing how we listen to music, watch movies, play video games, experience television and communicate on our cell phones, announced a strategic partnership and newest major music industry adopters of the MAXD technology with the entertainment super producers, ROCK MAFIA.

Rock Mafia, is the record production/songwriting team, consisting of Tim James and Antonina Armato. Rock Mafia is credited for writing and producing for a great number of top pop and rock artists, such as Miley Cyrus, Mariah Carey, Scotty McCreery, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, American Idol, Disney’s Hollywood Records and has a major label venture with Interscope Records.

People may think it’s easy to define Rock Mafia. A quick glance on Wikipedia tells us that Rock Mafia is one of the biggest pop production teams in the world, with over 50 million albums and 25 million singles sold, along with over 2 billion views on YouTube alone, a seemingly endless pop discography spanning the last decade with hits from Mariah Carey to Miley Cyrus to Selena Gomez. Upon closer inspection, however, there are a few surprises.

One may not know Rock Mafia also wrote and produced some of the biggest records on active rock radio over the past two years, including Sick Puppies’ number 1 single that ruled the Top 10 airwaves for over six months, “You’re Going Down,” to “Odd One,” “Maybe,” and “Riptide.”  Furthermore, following the reproduction and remix by Rock Mafia, Billy Ray Cyrus’ hit song, “Ready, Set, Don’t Go” peaked at number 2 on the country charts.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of them all was Rock Mafia’s debut release as an artist, “The Big Bang.”  The hit song sold over 500,000 in digital downloads independently, gained over 100 million streams as well as over 15 million views of their video on YouTube.

The team is currently hard at work on a Mixtape, rumored to be released sometime this summer, as well as putting the final touches on a groundbreaking animated video for their follow up single, “Fly or Die.” 2012 is shaping up to be better than ever for Rock Mafia.

The double platinum smash, “Love You Like a Love Song” by Selena Gomez, continues to enjoy worldwide success. In addition, their first European smash, “Friends” by Aura Dione featuring Rock Mafia, is currently the  #1 most played song on German radio and has gone top 5 in multiple countries.

“We feel that once every artist hears what MAXD can do for their music, they will want to utilize this incredible technology,” said Rock Mafia Co-Founder Tim James.

“TJ and Antonina are so full of passion for music and constantly speak of the culture, lifestyle, and making music to connect with millions of people.  Clearly, they’re less interested in finding formulas than they are making history. In this ‘strategic partnership’ Rock Mafia will use the Max Sound Technology for all their future projects.

Tim and Antonina were so impressed with MAXD Technology that the duo decided to join the company’s Advisory Board and become ’Brand Ambassadors’ for MAXD. Our Advisory board is proving to be the tipping point for introducing MAXD into music’s vertical markets where compressed degraded audio currently exists and where MAXD provides an unparalleled solution,” said John Blaisure, CEO of Max Sound Corporation.

Rock Mafia’s Co-founders and Music Industry Super Producers Tim James and Antonina Armato are the most recent additions to Max Sound Advisory Board, which includes some of the most influential and respected names in the music/entertainment industry.

They include Legendary Musician Mick Fleetwoodof Fleetwood Mac, Iconic Producer and Engineer Mark Needham, Strategic Artist Manager Carl Stubner, PR Mavens Sugar Rautbord and Lane Davis, Grammy Winner Producer/Songwriter Bradley Spalter, Academy Award Winning Feature Film Sound Designer Frank Serafine, Entertainment Lawyer Frank Correa, Westwood Music Owner Fred Walecki and CBS Radio Executives Todd Cavanah and Erik Bradley

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The music of Shelby Tweten has helped her through life’s deepest valleys. This sensational 17-year-old states on her Facebook page that music has changed her life. Now, she wants her music to change the lives of others as well.

Her singing is definitely making an impact already. Her audition for American Idol 2012 in Aspen, Colorado brought tears to judge Jennifer Lopez’s eyes as she exclaimed how beautiful Tweten’s singing was. Tweten earned a Golden Ticket to Hollywood with her stirring audition.

Tweten is currently a student at Mankato West High School in Minnesota. The Mankato Free Press describes her life as a musician and dancer in her hometown. It states that she was often asked to sing the national anthem at various events. One of these events was Mankato Moondogs. She is also a dancer and member of the West Orchesis Dance Team.

The valleys in Tweten’s life have been much deeper and more difficult than her bright eyes show. The wide-eyed, enthusiastic blonde has had more than her fair share of hardships. She disclosed her battle with bipolar disorder and depression to the camera crew of American Idol who visited her in her hometown, North Mankato.

She explained that it causes her to stutter and sometimes even lose control over her body, but that singing helps her through these difficult times. This was evident in her audition – there was no sign of stuttering as the beautiful blonde sang Carrie Underwood’s “Temporary Home”.

A study claimed that music therapy in people with mental health problems is aimed at creating inspiration and motivation in the patient, amongst other goals. On BipolarTrip.com, fellow sufferer of bipolar disorder, “Roxy Roller”, claims that music therapy improves the quality of life of bipolar sufferers.

Roller states, “Music can help bring back confidence in one’s life, as well as improve one’s self-esteem levels.” Furthermore, Roller is convinced that music therapy brings about positive changes in a sufferer’s mood and emotional states.

Music seems to have been a therapeutic device in Tweten’s own struggle with bipolar disorder. Singing has helped her overcome many obstacles with which this disorder has presented her. During her Idols audition, she told the judges that her mom would sing with her during her hypo-manic episodes. “I’ll sing and it, like, really helps,” she said with a smile on her face. Even before she sang to the judges, she told them, “It’s made me so happy and gotten over so much stuff.”

Now Tweten wants to share that power she discovered in music with the world. “It’s really important to me because I do want to show people that bipolar doesn’t define who you are,” she explained to the Idols crew who visited her hometown. Music has helped her live a normal life, even though she is a bipolar sufferer.

Through music and American Idol, she can show the world that bipolar sufferers are just like the rest of us, and this message can extend to people suffering from any kind of disease or disorder.

Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shelby-Tweten/234082806624505

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“The world knows I’m a recovering drug addict and alcoholic,” relates the Aerosmith front man.

The book is an exertion of Steve Tyler’s life. The story narrates a lot of his life experiences; he provides an insight look on how his band Aerosmith, and the situations he had to overcome as a rock star. The first lines of the book start like this: “ Break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that makes you smile”.

The book contains a variety of experiences by the author. He mentions and describes tough situations that he was over passing at the moment, such as his addiction with drugs. “I made no qualms about being a drug addict in the ’80s and getting sober. I have an addictive personality. It’s a daily process, and I’ve got to keep my eyes open. I don’t want it to bite me in the ass. I’ve got to be careful.”

As well, Tyler also describes his experiences by being part of his band Aerosmith. He also portrays his private life mentioning his marriages and children, such as his daughter Liv Tyler.

Here is a small preview of Steve Tyler’s new book, published by the NBC:

Semiprologue

If you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

If you’re a singer, everything looks like a song.

“Life is short. Break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that makes you smile.” We’re not quantified; there’s no chart of desire. When the roaring flames of your heart have burned down to embers, may you find that you have married your best friend. Hunch, conjecture, instinct … a blind allegiance to anything can get you killed, and always remember … sing as though no one can hear you; live as though heaven is here on Earth. Here I want to say something deep and meaningless, like ‘To thine own self be true,’ but in truth, the first thing we have to do is KILL ALL THE LAWYERS.

When I was a kid and in a gang, my so-called best friend Dennis Dun, would slam me in the arm and say, ‘Pass it on, motherf—-!’ So I turned to Ignacio and punched him in the arm and said, ‘Pass it on!’ Ignacio turned to Footie and punched him in the arm, and Footie punched Raymond, who in turn punched me again. It’s all about fighting for position. Later on in life I was to find that being in a band was not too different. Only in my new gang, Brad punched Tom, Tom punched Joey, Joey punched Joe, and Joe punched me (in the mouth), and that’s the sweetest way I can tell you what happens in every band that ever there was (at least those that lasted more than ten years and got the chance to manifest the light).

I remember once my mother telling me, when I said I wanted to be like Janis Joplin: ‘If you manifest the light, you will become a dartboard for others’ fears, doubts, and insecurities. And if you can handle that, Steven, my little skeezix, you may have your Blue Army.’ And guess what? I got both barrels! I also wish to articulate at the outset here, neighbors and ne’er-do-wells, that my life’s journey has not taken me to place to defile, demoralize, or damage anybody … So all of YOU who have ruffled my feathers and done me wrong for being an inquisitive child or an oversensitive pain-in-the-neck artist, remember, just as they said about Mongo in the movie “Blazing Saddles,” if you shoot Steven, you’ll just make him angry.

When you’re young, you experience everything for the first time, and because it’s happening to you so matter-of-factly, it just is … and you argue your way through it. In midlife, you question f–ing everything, and so much energy is wasted questioning the whys of it all. You want to find that angel of thunderstorms that will put out your internal fire. You start to believe that you made it through six decades because there is an angel on your shoulder.

That’s why I’m a songwriter … because I’ve lived through the changes of not knowing ANYTHING … to knowing EVERYTHING … and now at sixty-two I’m back to NOT KNOWIN’ NOTHIN’. And when your mind is free of so-called knowledge, it is now set free to use its imagination. Like Albert Einstein once said: ‘Knowledge will never replace imagination.’

Radio plays your song; the melody is so catchy that it crawls inside of the people listening and changes their Everything. They start singing it! You got into them. You made love to them. You got into their soul … and vice versa. It’s like Vuja Dé and that’s when the miracle manifests … you’re trading faces, places, spaces, and graces.

Father of four children (loves of my life), a songwriter, got a doctorate at Berkeley and another one at UMass, Boston, a poet, a painter, a drug addict, and a peripheral visionary who learns something new on a daily basis, from the Malibu Home for the Recently All Right to having dinner with Sheikh Nion in Abu Dhab… and now … an author? You gotta be kidding! RoMANtics. SeMANtics. Exotic, neurotic, you got it! Does the noise in my heather bother you … yet? Yeah, really? I’d say we’re off to a good start.

Nowadays Steve Tyler is involved in this year’s T.V show American Idol. His book was completed before he got enrolled in the program, so it does not provide any of his experience as a judge. Now he is enjoying a lot this opportunity, and his presence has definitely spiced up American Idol, bringing to the screen, hilarious, and unforeseen moments.

His new solo single named” It Feels so Good, will be released on May 10. Nevertheless, Aerosmith is coming back with a lot of strength and new projects. The band will be working on a new album this summer, and they will heat up the stages by the end of the year, giving out concerts in Japan and South America.

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The remaining American Idol contestants became freaked out by their lodging after they believed ghosts invaded the Beverly Hills mansion.  The 11 finalists from the hit Fox series moved out of the mansion permanently last week after various supernatural experiences that sent them over the edge.

According to TMZ, the contestants complained about bizarre flicking lights inside the house.  There was also a strange and sudden spider infestation.  Several contestants claim to have witnessed a bed sheet float down an empty hallway.  The final straw was when torrential rains in the area were responsible for severe leaking in the mansion.

After that, according to sources, the contestants freaked out and demanded to be moved to a new location.  Producers obliged and the group is now at an undisclosed location, likely an area hotel.   Insiders claim that the only scary thing about the $100,000 a month mansion was the girls had to share one bathroom.  And that the spider problem and leaky roof were the real reasons the kids wanted out.  However, others suggest that the producers acted quickly to move the kids and perhaps knew more about the haunting than they were letting on.  Beverly Hills is an area rich with spiritual history.

After the story broke, Idol producers have attempted to make light of the situation and turn the whole story into a silly segment to promote the show.

This isn’t the first Idol haunting either.  Contestants during season 8 had claimed that their Bel Air mansion was haunted as well. In an interview with People magazine in 2009, contestants said their house was being haunted by a woman named Phyllis who lived in finalist Allison Iraheta’s room.

Contestant Lil Rounds from season 8 said Iraheta reported hearing growls. Some contestants saw a “white shadow walking across the room.”   They believed that Phyllis wasn’t violent and just seemed to be “a friendly troublemaker.”

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